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Post by radioscooter on May 16, 2006 11:31:55 GMT -5
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Post by nickvalor on May 16, 2006 11:41:37 GMT -5
Awesome review Scot. Pictures are great. I aslo got a set of these (against my better judgement but the price was right enough). Like you, I was mostly after them for parts.
How do you get the belts off? I was reluctant to just pull on them for fear they may snap (?)
Todd
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Post by radioscooter on May 16, 2006 11:52:56 GMT -5
How do you get the belts off? I was reluctant to just pull on them for fear they may snap (?) Todd LOL. I cut them off from the back with scissors! They are horrible IMO and I can't imagine ever wanting to use them. Belts are one thing I do on my own. But if you don't want to cut them - just heat them up with a hair dryer and they will become much easier to flex them off. They are like vinyl models, a little heat goes a long way.
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Post by nickvalor on May 16, 2006 12:07:13 GMT -5
hehe . . . that was my next move. The only reason I thought I might try and keep the belts intact was for the possibility that I dont end up using any of the other parts. I'll probably go the heated up route.
thanks! Todd
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Post by casimir on May 16, 2006 16:33:36 GMT -5
Great review and pics, Scot. I enjoyed reading that.
C.
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Post by Wild Willy on May 16, 2006 17:47:59 GMT -5
Hey great review Scot, I enjoyed all the pictures and write-ups. Actually the Adam lower face is not too bad at all, still a little large in scale but a good likeness from the cowl down.
Will
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Post by aburabusimbutu on May 16, 2006 18:17:17 GMT -5
Pretty cool Scot- your review is right on the money and I'm sure we will be treated to a fantastic set "ultimately" when you cannibalize these. That work in progress shot of your Robin already tells us that you are preparing something incredible!
I have to admit, that as a guy who likes "toy-like" toys, and a fair amount of cheesiness, that I find a certain appeal to the fat plastic, thick edged, generic approach to these two as they come. From that viewpoint I like the heavy plastic cape and the obvious inaccuracies. If these showed up at an Asian market or a dollar store I'd snap 'em up and keep them as they are. Of course for the hefty price they actually demand the "charm" of all of that misguided plastic is not justified at all.
Also- thanks for setting the record straight on Adam West's "paunch" which has always been an unfair judgement against him to me as well.
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Post by BlackKnight on May 16, 2006 19:16:06 GMT -5
I personally like them. They have some likeness issue's however look cool. The box looks outstanding.
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Post by Figuremaster Les on May 17, 2006 8:06:42 GMT -5
Funny enough Scot, a former customer of mine has sent me the Robin head to "fix". Unfortunately, I am not sure how to. It is to wide. He expects me to somehow make it look more like Burt Ward...but...how? Any ideas? I could use some.
This thing is bad. I'd replace it altogether if it were mine. But, he wants this one. Funny you post this now. That is a great Robin tunic though. Like the colors. Batman's off a bit to me though. Don't like his blues much. All too different from each other.
Anyway, a nice set, other than what's been said.
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Post by radioscooter on May 17, 2006 21:53:40 GMT -5
Funny enough Scot, a former customer of mine has sent me the Robin head to "fix". Unfortunately, I am not sure how to. It is to wide. He expects me to somehow make it look more like Burt Ward...but...how? Any ideas? I could use some. This thing is bad. I'd replace it altogether if it were mine. But, he wants this one. Yes. I would print out a photo of Burt Ward as Robin. Then I would cut it out, punch tiny holes in it, thread some rubber band in there and have the doll wear it as a mask. Seriously - the features are too angular and Asian. I am sure both would look better from a Les paintjob but I can't imagine the point in doing that. I would start with any of several different Sideshow or Dragon heads if the guy HAS to have a vinyl head. If he doesn't - I would either pop the IDC resin head on it or use Stephen's Burt Ward head like I am doing.
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Post by martingb on May 21, 2006 3:36:38 GMT -5
Good write-up on your site! Thanks for updating us all on how these 'fellas' finally turned out. If I am to be honest I would say for a pair of figures which, although cheap in comparison to some, are this expensive I would have expected something better. Not in terms of manufacture or overal execution which is great but in terms of accuracy and time given to researching how the characters look in the TV show. Robin is perhaps the better of the two as a stand alone figure and maybe if Les were to add some brown highlights to the black hair and paint the eyes blue it would give a slightly more 'Ward-like' appearance to a very generic looking figure. (Actually looks a little like Bruce Lee as Kato!) Batman is nicely constructed but there are so many errors there like the high boots, gold belt, cowl colour and odd looking cowl 'bib' and cape attachment that you do wonder what the guys were using as reference for him. If these were super cheap I would grab a set for sure but given the amount of work required to make them look anywhere near truly authentic I would pass. Despite some clunkers Sideshow for example create figures which on the main are immediately display worthy pieces for a fraction of the cost of these. Seeing as they never paid a licence fee to anyone the least they could have done was to make them a bit more authentic and watched an episode or two or bought some photos or even....scanned the net for a half and hour. I do like the gloves though but the care and attention given to the dumb 'paunch' pad could have been better directed at the overall accuracy in my opinion. Thanks though for sharing a fine set of pictures with us and a great review.
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Post by radioscooter on May 21, 2006 10:21:52 GMT -5
I agree completely Marty. And it's all made more frustrating when you see how nicely the individual pieces are constructed. The quailty of the zippers and sewing are fantastic. It's a shame all over. Or as I like to think of it - a challenge. As far as the Sideshow thing goes - yeah they make some good stuff but they have their own idiocy problems too. The new set of KISS figures that are up for pre-order right now feature gorgeous costumes but horrendous face sculpts. That could be forgiven if it weren't for the fact that the dolls are an ungodly 20" tall and $250 EACH! I don't want $1000 worth of huge-ass KISS dolls on my shelf no matter how nice they look but for that money and effort - the faces should be better. So it's not like they are strangers to half baked efforts. Once in about every 12 releases does it seem like anyone even made an effort to listen or think about the collector's world. I can understand that with 5" plastic figures that are mass-marketed to kids, but not with companies who claim to be targetting collectors.
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Post by Figuremaster Les on May 21, 2006 12:04:43 GMT -5
I agree with you Scot. I wish I could get me some cool Kiss figures in 12" that LOOKED like Kiss! Gene at any rate. And without that tongue out all the time! But, I doubt that.
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Post by radioscooter on May 21, 2006 18:44:50 GMT -5
I have the big 12" McToys Destroyer Gene looking down on me every time I sit here at the computer. it is the nicest rendition of Gene I have ever seen and I have owned 3 different Gene garage kits in the past. The face sculpt actually looks like him.
I have that and a similarly accurate 1:6 scale jack in the box Gene that have nice custom fodder parts that I've been waiting to do 12" dolls of for a while but they kept threatening to make them for real so I didn't bother.
Looks like now I can bother!
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Post by andysixxazbat on Jun 13, 2006 1:20:08 GMT -5
whats funny about the mcfarlene gene is that in every series there never fails to be at least one mistake with the costume always bugs the crap outta me i have only seen a few pictures of the new sideshow ones your saying they are decent?
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