Latest Hot Toys News

[samurainoir]

I managed to kitbash together a bunch of figures in my last visit to Hong Kong, including two Arnie Terminators, from the first and second movie, Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lector (just need one of those face thingys), as well as a Forrest Gump. All were well under $50. Didn't manage to find all the parts for a Hugh Laurie House, which was on my list.

Picked up a Clint Eastwood, Bruce Willis and Wolverine head which I'm hoping to kitbash into figures at some point. Hong Kong is a Mecca for 1/6th scale kitbashing parts and accessories. It looks like much of this stuff is available on eBay these days.

custom X-Men Origins Wolverine 1/6 figure head | eBay


Custom made X-Men Wolverine 1/6 head for hot toys enterbay action figure body | eBay


Hot 1/6 Wolverine Head Toys Black Widow Hand Muscular Body DX Dutch Batman Joker | eBay


1/6 Headplay Real Steel X-Men Wolverine Hugh Jackman Head Sculpt | eBay

[samurainoir]

[toys2cool]

There is a non screamy custom head.
CIAN Chris Evans 1/6 Head Sculpt @@@ HeadPlay Hot Toys Captain America Avengers | eBay

http://i.ebayimg.com/t/CIAN-Chris-Evans-1-6-Head-Sculpt-HeadPlay-Hot-Toys-Captain-America-Avengers-/00/s/NTkzWDY0NA==/$(KGrHqN,!lME+HZbdy!nBPyYd5WH9!~~60_58.JPG

Hot CIAN 1/6 Figure Head Sculpt-Custom Chris Evans Captain America Toys | eBay
1/6 CIAN Chris Evans Head Captain America Hot Play Blade Babydoll Thor Toys T800 | eBay
http://i.ebayimg.com/t/1-6-CIAN-Chri...w4w~~60_57.JPG

looks cool, but the likeness is off

[toys2cool]

I would love to get a knockoff Wolverine for a knock-off price.

same here, i'd love to own one

[Gorn Captain]

The problem Hot Toys is making with that strategy is it's creating a huge secondary market which they do not profit from. People are getting wise to this move and just buying what they want in the aftermarket deals. There is so much 1/6 scale apparel and bodies, you can virtually customize the figure you want for far less money as well. I customized a perfect Barney Ross figure for a fraction of the cost to buy a new one. Once you learn the game, it gets a whole lot more affordable.

Exactly. I don't care about the boxes anyway, so I've pieced together quite a few figures.
I still have 5-6 heads waiting for a body....
Headplay is putting out some really decent sculpts (some perfect, some so-so), and I got a couple of those in the wings. They made a super Clint Eastwood head a while back, for my Dirty Harry.
HEADPLAY CLINT EASTWOOD 1/6 FIGURE HEAD SCULPT FITS HOT TOYS 12" ACTION FIGURE | eBay

[madmarva]

Joker 2.0

I found this on facebook.

Interview with Kato on The Joker 2.0’s Costume



Referring to The Joker 2.0's costume, we know that some fans may want to know more about the details and how much difference he is going to have when compared with the original one. Here we are proud to have invited our costume artist Kato to talk about his insight and details of the costume. This shows that Hot Toys not only focuses on the likeness of the head sculpt, but also on the accessories, costume and every single detail that applies to the figure, so let's see how Kato talks about the details of the costume below.



1. Let's start with the origin. Being a 1/6th scale figure costume designer is not common, what made you get interested in it?



Honestly, I don't think that I would become an 1/6th scale costume artist before. However, because of an occasional opportunity, I got my first 12" figure of Medicom Masked Rider. I was very impressed by its actual likeness, so I started to purchase 12" collectible figures. However, I could not find any toy stores which offer satisfactory 1/6th scale figure costume at that time, so I started to custom-make some costumes for the 1/6th scale figures, with knowledge learnt from the Fashion & Clothing Technology in the Hong Kong Polytechnic Institute.



2. What is the most difficult step for the development of The Joker 2.0 costume? And why?



Throughout the process of the development of The Joker 2.0’s costume, I think researching and sourcing are the most difficult parts. For the research, it is hard to find some high resolution and accurate references from the movie company as The Joker’s costume in the movie was specially tailored. Also, there is less detailed information of the interior parts of the movie costume, so I need some imaginations for designing. For sourcing, I tried my best to source many different kinds of fabric materials which are as movie-accurate as possible, no matter the details, color, thickness and pattern, but some fabric cannot be found in the existing markets, such as The Joker’s printed dress shirt which is very detailed with patterns, so I needed to redesign the artwork with the help of my friend who is the specialist in graphic design and have them printed by factory.



3. As we know that you have put much efforts on the craftsmanship on pleated details in order to keep the aesthetics of The Joker as a whole, would you please tell us more about that?



Yes. We have put much efforts on the pleated details by applying the delicate pleated craftsmanship, so the costume can present The Joker’s aesthetics with our advanced tailored skill, but sorry that I cannot talk much about the details here.



4. How do you make it different from DX01?



Comparing with the DX01 figure, the most difference will be the silhouette of the suit. We have applied the softer and finer material to tailor The Joker’s outfit, so it won't be bulky after putting on all the clothes on the body as if it looks like the real costume. Also many people are not aware of some details such as The Joker’s tie. Unlike other products which are mostly using the fake one, in The Joker 2.0, it is a real tie using "Four in One Knot" to knot it, which is based on the same styling in the movie to make it as accurate as possible.



5. Any highlights of this costume that you would like to let our fans know more?



I guess it would be the best costume which fits his advanced body, with well tailored movie-accurate cutting and materials. We will make this costume like making real clothing for humans. Focusing on details such as the peaked lapel of the overcoat, the making of real shirt cuff opening, sleeve head tailoring and tiny edge stitching along the vest and shirt is very important.



6. How do you ensure the quality control of stocks to meet with customers’ high expectations?



I provide the technical support to the factory to maintain the high quality. Also, I have prepared a lot of production reference to workers so that they can follow the guidelines steps by steps.



7. Do you have any other projects that would like to collaborate with Hot Toys in the future?



I love to make 1/6th scale suit so much, so for every character that has a suit, I would like to make it such as those in Iron Man 2 - Tony Stark wearing Tuxedo, Black Widow in secretary look and Christopher Reeves Superman - Clark Kent in reporter look.

[madmarva]

The comment was more of a joke than anything else. I don't think that it really is part of their market strategy to string out non-masked heads. The first Red and gold Iron Man had a Downey Jr. head, if I'm not mistaken. And the Avengers Thor is actually cheaper than the original $208 to $189. Avengers Thor doesn't have a helmet.

I do think they might throw in something a little different on a second run to add some extra value or to bump the price up. The first Cap was $189, the second is $209 from Sideshow with only a year's difference in distribution.

At first I didn't think I would buy the Avengers Cap from looking at movie stills but after seeing the figure and the costume in the movie, I'm probably going to get it. The Secret ID head helps, but it wasn't what sealed the deal for me. If that's all I wanted, I would have just bought one on ebay, like you mentioned.

I understand the idea of piecing the figure together. It can be less expensive and the hunt can be fun. I have a custom Joker that I put together after selling my boxed ones.

But I don't have that kind of patience and I love the packaging on the Hot Toys figures. The boxes on the Spider-Man 3 figures are very cool.

I'm sure all the toy companies in China/U.S. are frustrated by the black market for parts and whole figures and such that end up on ebay.

I would love to get a knockoff Wolverine for a knock-off price.

[MIB41]

If they had the Steve Rogers head in the first one, why would you buy the second one?

The problem Hot Toys is making with that strategy is it's creating a huge secondary market which they do not profit from. People are getting wise to this move and just buying what they want in the aftermarket deals. There is so much 1/6 scale apparel and bodies, you can virtually customize the figure you want for far less money as well. I customized a perfect Barney Ross figure for a fraction of the cost to buy a new one. Once you learn the game, it gets a whole lot more affordable.

[Gorn Captain]

Looks good. The screaming head looks really odd.

That photo top left is fun: It's Iron Cap!

[MIB41]

^^^ Nice!

[samurainoir]

There is a non screamy custom head.
CIAN Chris Evans 1/6 Head Sculpt @@@ HeadPlay Hot Toys Captain America Avengers | eBay


Hot CIAN 1/6 Figure Head Sculpt-Custom Chris Evans Captain America Toys | eBay
1/6 CIAN Chris Evans Head Captain America Hot Play Blade Babydoll Thor Toys T800 | eBay

[Gorn Captain]

If they had the Steve Rogers head in the first one, why would you buy the second one?

Two heads are better than one!

I might have posed my Cap without his...ahum...cap...as well. Maybe with his helmet tucked underneath his arm.
A lot of HTs get two choices of head, and the Steve Rogers one in version II is pretty good.

[madmarva]

If they had the Steve Rogers head in the first one, why would you buy the second one?

[MIB41]

^^^ Agreed. I like the look of my WWII Cap much better. All I'm looking to do here is buy the Steve Rogers head off Ebay, which SHOULD have been part of the first one anyway.

[Gorn Captain]

I prefer the First Avenger Cap.
I like the more military feel to it, as Cap is a soldier, and the more toned down colors and tougher materials used in his outfit.

The Red Skull sculpt is amazing. Picture perfect.