New Lord of the Rings action figures for 2005

[Neurion]

Originally Posted by Lalwendë

Hope this link works, but has anyone seen the Eye of Sauron 'action figure'? Hmmm, I'm not sure that making an action figure of a concept works...

I think it's probably meant to be in scale with Play-Along's Armies of Middle-earth series, like the 7" Treebeard, and Roto-Cast Fell Beast.

[Neurion]

Some more images.

Eowyn (SP)

Aragorn in Imladris

Hobbiton Frodo (FotR) w/ book

(SP) Legolas (new sculpt)

Gothmog

"Nuclear" Galadriel

Amon Sul Aragorn (light-up torch)

Council of Elrond Legolas

Haldir (Lothlorien boxed set exclusive)

Celeborn (Lothlorien boxed set exclusive)

Dark Galadriel (light-up effect)

Aragorn w/ Shards of Narsil and shield

Bridge of Khazad-Dum Gandalf

Uruk-Hai Pikeman

[Da Skorpion]

I don't know why you guys all love these action figures... maybe it's lack of seeing other's works *ducks under table waiting for the stone throwing to stop*, but I have seen much better work.

The paint job on these is flat and ugly which takes the realness out of them. I've seen much better handpainted LotR miniatures from Games-workshop painted by the members of my forum. And these are even much smaller than those action figures.

A few examples:
Gollum (extreme close up, remember how small it is)

Gimli

High Elves

Aragorn

Eowyn

Tree beard (Here you can see the size nicely)

Gandalf

See?

[Evisse the Blue]

I usually don't like figurines but I like the ones you posted, Da Skorpion.
The thing is these ones are a labour of love from fans that take a lot of time with detail while the official ones are merchendise sold en masse, which would explain the difference in quality. Not to mention that all action figures look alike...it's the Barbie phenomenon.

[Essex]

Da skorpion,

yes, very nice, but these are TOYS we're talking about here, not figures you would display and perhaps collect.

My six year old loves them. Especially the Mouth of Sauron set I got him the other day.

PS Now, to go against what I've just said (ie the toys as collectables) I saw a 'Hama' figure in woolworths at the weekend. I vaguely remember someone saying that he was pretty rare a few months back, so I picked him up for £5.99

If he's worth nothing, then my six year old has another toy to play with. If I'm right, then Ebay here I come!

PPS I got my bonus this week, so I treated myself to the sideshow statue of the Witch King with his mace. Now, THAT's what you call a detailed figurine! (But then it did cost me £160 compared to £5.99!!!!!!!!!!!)

[Da Skorpion]

The thing is these ones are a labour of love from fans that take a lot of time with detail while the official ones are merchendise sold en masse, which would explain the difference in quality.

That indeed is true, but I can point you to other mass produced, not too expencive, figures that are prepainted, but are actually awesome. Take for example these spawn dragons, they are prepainted, massive, around 15 dollar, and absolutely awesome painted. So, I'd say that's not too much of an argument for the company.

But, I was just posting this because all I read was great praisings of these figures, and I reaeaeaeally had to interrupt there to show that they actually aren't that great. These are fun for kids, but not as collectables and showcases. And even as toys, when you compare to other stuff (see up in this post), they still aren't that great.

[Neurion]

Originally Posted by Da Skorpion

But, I was just posting this because all I read was great praisings of these figures, and I reaeaeaeally had to interrupt there to show that they actually aren't that great. These are fun for kids, but not as collectables and showcases. And even as toys, when you compare to other stuff (see up in this post), they still aren't that great.

That, my friend, is entirely a matter of opinion.

[Beleg Cuthalion]

Originally Posted by Da Skorpion

That indeed is true, but I can point you to other mass produced, not too expencive, figures that are prepainted, but are actually awesome. Take for example these spawn dragons, they are prepainted, massive, around 15 dollar, and absolutely awesome painted. So, I'd say that's not too much of an argument for the company.

But, I was just posting this because all I read was great praisings of these figures, and I reaeaeaeally had to interrupt there to show that they actually aren't that great. These are fun for kids, but not as collectables and showcases. And even as toys, when you compare to other stuff (see up in this post), they still aren't that great.

First off, collectors are divided over whether Todd McFarlane's products are worth buying, or unarticulated crap not desrving the name "action figure".

Secondly, the quality and detail Toy Biz gets off in its figures is almost as great as anything McFarlane does, at half the cost and with an absolutely stunning amount of articulation.

Third, there's a reason why McFarlane didn't get the rights to produce LotR figures. The New Line execs wanted actual toys, not pricey plastic statues. Had McFarlane been given the licence, it's a given that only four or five figures, or perhaps eight at the most, would have been made, unlike the more than one hundred and three that TB has made so far, not counting the ones shown at Toy Fair.

Fourth, it's ill-mannered of you in the extreme to just waltz in here and start telling everybody that these toys that they've evinced an interest in are "actually not that great".

[Encaitare]

The ones skorpion showed are really great, but I still like the others, too. They're just for fun; some people collect them and would display them, and others just want to play with them... hey, I wouldn't mind a Gimpy Gothmog toy to whip out whenever I felt like giving fell orders.

[davem]

Originally Posted by Essex

PPS I got my bonus this week, so I treated myself to the sideshow statue of the Witch King with his mace. Now, THAT's what you call a detailed figurine! (But then it did cost me £160 compared to £5.99!!!!!!!!!!!)

As far as the Sideshow vs Toy Biz figures are concerned, personally I find them equally tacky, but at least the actionfigures are cheap in price as well as appearance. A collector of the action figures I know has commented that the Sideshow figures are just action figures for grown-ups anyway, & I can't help thinking that in a few years the Toy Biz figures will be fetching more than the Sideshow stuff.