Sideshow teams up with DC

[samurainoir]

Warner Bros. Consumer Products Taps Sideshow Collectibles For Premium Statues And Busts Inspired By The Legendary Dc Comics Characters | Sideshow Collectibles

What caught my attention was the 1/6th figures, which I'd assume would be in scale with the other 12" sideshow lines, rather than the 13" DCD stuff.

It will be interesting to see what price point they will be going for with this new DC line.

[madmarva]

A Warner/DC deal with Sideshow sounds cool to me, but it does leave questions about DC Direct.

With Sideshow doing premium format statues and busts, 1/6 action figures and prints, will DC Direct be relegated to just 6-inch action figures?

Maybe not. DC Direct and Mattel's DCU Classics line aren't the same scale but pretty close. But with this economy, can both DC Direct and Sideshow thrive selling Superman and Batman statues?

But I'm in like Flynn on the 12-inch figures if they can keep them under $100.

[samurainoir]

Plus, with DCU Classics kind of running down the list of characters, the releases are starting to get similar to the DC Direct action figures... witness the recent Green Lantern/Blackest Night overlaps.

I'm really hoping this gives Retro Action a reason to land at DC Direct/Diamond.

[madmarva]

Yeah DC Direct/Diamond picking up retroaction from Mattel would be great. In hindsight, that might have been the best way to go from the beginning, but I totally understand the desire to put them in an actual retail store. But that move — with Mattel and TRU needing such high sales — basically made the line DOA. It's good so much was in development that four waves (5 with GL Matty set) made it out.

By the way, is the Kyle Rayner figure on sale Friday from Matty? I've seen nothing about it lately in Matty's newsletters.

DCU Classics will have to start repeating themselves soon or move on to the Relauch designs. I'm really surprise how long this line has lasted with what seems to be limited retail distribution. The only Waves my local Wal-Mart has carried for more than a year have been the Wal-Mart exclusives and the two GL Classics, probably b/c of the movie. i've given up buying these in stores.

[The Bat]

Yeah DC Direct/Diamond picking up retroaction from Mattel would be great. In hindsight, that might have been the best way to go from the beginning

Agreed. I also feel that if DC Direct/Diamond were to pick up RA from Mattel, they would have BETTER head sculpts with a more modern look. That's not to say they couldn't still be Retro, because there were plenty of artists from 70's that were ahead of there time...Neal Adams, Lopez, Dick Giordano, Marshall Rogers, etc...who could still pass today as "modern".

It's possible to go "Retro" without making the characters goofy looking. I feel this hurt this line a lot...I know it did for me. It caused me to lose interest and stopped buying them(the Flash anyone?). Of course as already mentioned, the distribution being the other major problem.

[torgospizza]

Don't get me wrong, I love Sideshow figures; however, they're going to need to work on a new body or two before they even think about starting this line.

[The Bat]

Don't get me wrong, I love Sideshow figures; however, they're going to need to work on a new body or two before they even think about starting this line.

Well, Mattel certainly set the bar pretty low for 8" bodies. I'm sure Sideshow can do something better.

[thunderbolt]

Sounds like the end of DCDirect is right around the corner.

[samurainoir]

Sounds like the end of DCDirect is right around the corner.

It's been rumoured since the new guard took over and started shifting the coastal powers at DC to the left one.

I'm really pulling for retros to somehow miraculously coming out of this shakeup if there is a product that Dc Direct can get there teeth into between Matty and Sideshow.

[BlackKnight]

^^^ Yeah ... I've read some serious Rumors about DC Direct ending .... Something like this might be the Nail in the Coffin ..., However SideShow Busts and Statues are Extremely High Priced ..., so I dunno . They Usally want like 100 Bucks for a Bust ..., and up to 350 or something for a Statue. I wont pay that for a Paper Weight.

However ... I am Interested in some 12inch figures ... Bring on DeathStroke The Terminator & HawkMan !

[MEGO_SUPERMAN]

I am mildly intrigued by the 1/6 scale announcement. I agree that I would like to see a new body more "heroic" proportions is preferred. But with their relationship with Hot Toys you could end up with Hot Toys body on these...which would be cool.

I would expect a release....soon of a new body by SS. I suspect something like this has been in the works for a long time....and they probably had prototypes made up...to sell the idea. As for the busts....have to see them first.

Honestly all this high priced stuff...and a poor economy....I know I cant afford a whole lot and have to be picky about my expeditures....this just smells like some big buck items.....

[thunderbolt]

Marvel showed DC the light when it farmed out its toy rights to Hasbro and made a pile of money. DC's probably doing the same thing with its hiigh end stuff it used to do in house.

[madmarva]

DC Direct is actually having a panel at SD Comic-Con next week according to the announced schedule. It had them there in the early 2000, but in recent years it stopped. With George Brewer out and DC Direct moving to Cali, maybe they will intro the new director. I don't think DC would have a panel to announce DC Direct shutting down.

BK probably has it right. Sideshow will do the $600 full-size busts, and huge $375 statues and high-end 12-inchers with DC Direct filling in between whatever Mattel believes it can sell on a mass level.

I've really enjoyed DC Direct's line of figures. Short of a few esoteric golden-age figures and something like the challengers of the Unknown or Sea Devils, which will never be made, I can't think of a figure I really want from them on the 6-inch scale, short of a truly well down Swan/Anderson Superman.

Of course, there is the redesign of all the characters for DCD and Mattel to fiddle around with.

But as for a Sideshow statue, would anyone want a $350 Superman statue in Jim Lee's new uniform?