At the request of one of my cohorts here on the site (cough*Ian*cough) I was charged with trying to come up with a plausible comparison/contrast/explanation for how the 3rd party product scene differs for 1/6 Scale (in my case, my Hot Toys Batman Nolan Trilogy Collection) versus my primary collection experience of Transformers. Having done some research, reviewed some resources and primarily just my own general experiences with the two very different types of collections, here’s how I personally see the differences and similarities between the two collecting types.
Full disclaimer: I will talk primarily if not exclusively about these two collecting lines, and am drawing my insights from my experiences with them, so my conclusions and ramblings may not be applicable to other areas.
“There is no life……in the void…” Sorry, had to get that out of my system. Huge Lord of the Rings Fan and the Hobbit opened recently. I’m done. Most likely. Anyways, on to the subject matter at hand. I think for any collector out there, this is where 3rd Parties (hereafter referred to as 3P) have come into play. The 3P companies “fill a void in the collection” or in some cases “fill a need” so to speak. For the Transformers line in particular, where there are multiple continuities of characters from Generation 1 to the current Transformers Prime line, this can be an incredible resource to draw from. Especially where scale in that fandom is an issue in so many areas (mass shifting not withstanding) 3P toys can fill specific needs the parent companies may not have interest in or may not be able to for varying reasons. However; the Transformers portion of my collecting is not the focus of the article, but will be used as a contrasting agent, as the focus is on my experiences on coming from a 3P history of Transformers only, to transitioning to collecting 3P items for my 1/6 scale Batman collection. That said, I have been a big proponent of 3P items for Transformers, and have purchased a majority of their releases. Whether or not that has helped or hindered me in terms of expectations on several areas when transitioning to purchasing 3P items for my Batman collection, I’ll let you; the reader, be the judge of.
By now you’re probably thinking, (especially if you know me through message boards, real life or Twitter) “Yeah, I know all that” or “ok, that makes sense” depending on your familiarity with this aspect of collecting. But how does this information help you as a collector? There are certain expectations you should have when it comes to “filling a void” in your collection. I’ll do my best to outline them based upon my personal experiences and based upon what I’ve seen since I’ve been a part of this aspect of the collecting “game”.
These fill-ins are usually a big departure in terms of feel, price, quality and appearance from what you’re used to seeing in your collection. This may mean it is more screen accurate based on the movie character, it may be an add-on for an existing character released by the parent company, or it may be the entire character itself. This is true for either the 1/6 scale figures or the Transformers products, as many examples are there for both collections (and I strongly encourage you to check out TJ’s reviews on both mainline and 3P Transformers, which you probably have already done since you’re here, and Philip Reed and TJ are collaborating on a 3P Transformers project which I have no doubt will be amazing. More info here on that: www.transformingcollections.com) and there are prominent players in both areas. That said, I’m not going to debate the merits of one or the other, as both have their high and low points in terms of companies, products and availability, but the ways I’ve filled the void for my Batman collection has been markedly different than the ways in which I’ve filled the voids in my Transformers collection. What’s been the biggest difference? Where I can buy them.
With the 3P companies for Transformers being readily available at major online retailers of mainline Transformers (including site sponsor TFSource), it’s rarely been an issue for me to get the figure I’m after, unless it’s a sold out figure that I have to find on the aftermarket (ie, eBay, message boards, private sales). With the 3P Batman stuff, it’s been an entirely different game. Coming from the aforementioned avenues with 3P Transformers items, I realized just HOW spoiled I’d been. Rarely was I unable to price match, find an item on sale or find a place that had it readily in stock. That definitely hasn’t been the case with my Batman items. The biggest reason why? Distribution.
Where the 3P Transformers are engineered and mass produced in factories, they have a much wider distribution than the majority of Batman items I’ve been after. Biggest reason? I’ve come to learn they are typically small, custom runs by a small production team of sculptors, stylists and painters who do everything by hand. While this isn’t true for everything I’ve been after, it’s been the case for the majority. It’s definitely in stark contrast to the ways in which I’ve been able to get ahold of my 3P Transformers items. My initial 3P Batman purchase was a collaboration by two of the more well-known sculptor/production individuals in that community, the Iminime/Rainman tandem for the Demon’s Head figure, Ra’s Ah Ghul. Since I was a late adopter to the line in general, I had a hell of a time trying to track one down, since the production run (70 according to the certificate in mine) was significantly smaller than ANY 3P Transformer item I’ve ever purchased before. It took a lot of patience before I was able to find an eBay seller with one at a decent price; even then the only reason I was able to purchase it at that price was because he was unable to sell it at his initial asking price and I offered to buy it off-site since he didn’t relist the item. It was an unusual experience to say the least for me, and one I haven’t had to use very often with my 3P Transformers collection.
While this was a pain to find, it was well worth the effort, as my review will show. That said, it was a definite learning experience for me to go through it this way and really opened my eyes to the differences between the two collection lines. With 3P Transformers items it’s definitely a game where you can wait and play around on pricing for if you want to (so long as it’s not a limited run exclusive) but with my Batman 1/6 line…if you want something, you definitely don’t want to be waiting around on it too long. Just tracking down this one figure opened my eyes to this reality and has influenced how I’ve approached my custom figures in this line. To date, there’s only been one 3P Batman item I’ve found at a mass retailer and its numbers available were only in the twenties for dioramas and environments. This large change in approach from my purchases with 3P Transformers has led me to the truth of 3P 1/6 Batman items. Every 3P item is a custom purchase.
With this experience in hand, how does it change for collectors potentially interested in both lines? For some, it may not mean much of anything since they might be well-versed in both lines more so than I was, or even am currently. Coming from the 3P Transformers background, the closest thing I can compare my 3P 1/6 Batman experiences to is it’s akin to commissioning a custom Transformer. There is a wait in production time from the initial purchase (variable by who is doing it), there is a high price point (but 1/6 items in particular are a higher price point anyways, so it’s actually comparable to mainline 1/6 releases…in most cases) and it’s a unique item for most people’s collections.
So….how does this relate to you if you’re interested in dipping your toes in the 1/6 3P game? It means if you’re coming from the 3P Transformers background, expect significantly higher prices for one figure, and in some cases, for one PART of a figure. There are some headsculpts available that I would love to have, but it’s a hard, bitter pill I am unwilling to swallow at a $500 asking price for one headsculpt. Compared to getting an entire TFC Hercules release or a mainline Hot Toys Tumbler at the same price point, and you can really see where and what your money will take you to between the two lines. Now is this the case for every 3P Batman item? Absolutely not, but the “sticker shock” of some of the items still is a learning curve for me.
While writing this article this evening I’ve browsed more 3P Batman items and purchased another one, and a full figure was the same price as a mainline Hot Toys release to fill a void in my collection. I feel I got great value for that purchase, but browsing a rooted hair headsculpt for about $200 at the same time, I am much more hesitant to pull the trigger on it (even though I REALLY want to). Will this be the same for you? I honestly don’t know, it’s going to depend on what you want in your collection. And that’s the big thing to remember with these 3P items, be it for your Transformers or 1/6 scale collections, it is YOUR collection and only you can decide if there’s a place for these items in there. I’m always in favor of having lines/figures completed in my display, so I’ve found spots in both collections for 3P items. But everyone’s collection is different, and there were definitely times where I found myself holding off on the Demon’s Head, because picking up some aftermarket mainline Hot Toys were more important to me at the time. Knowing everyone’s collection is different, understanding how 3P items are viewed is an important part to collecting in both of these lines.
When it gets right down to it, there’s really only three viewpoints out there on 3P items, regardless of collection line. For, against, indifferent. I know, I know, that could be said for any particular issue right? Well, yeah, but I’ll explain how I’ve seen it for both areas. Smartasses.
The case for 3P items: “They add to collections. They add creativity and create competition and innovation. They let me complete holes in my collection I haven’t been able to fill or won’t be able to fill with the officially licensed releases. They’re better than mainline releases even if they are more expensive.”
If you have visited a message board for these fandoms, I’ll guarantee you’ve read these points for 3P items at some point or another, or you will. And with good reason, because they’re all valid points, though to varying degrees depending on which fandom and what product you’re arguing for or against. When it gets right down to it, these companies add choice. That’s it. They add more choices for you, the buyer, in terms of how you’re going to display your collection, what your collection is going to consist of, and what you are going to spend your money on. That’s really all there is to it. A figure that looks like Morgan Freeman but isn’t called Lucius Fox officially is still going to be standing next to my official Christian Bale/Bruce Wayne figure on my shelf. It may be called something else because Hot Toys didn’t license it, but that’s who he is to me and to my collection. The same can be said for a lot of Transformers fans who have Fansproject’s City Commander on their shelves as a Classics Ultra Magnus with trailer. Same principle. And both are very good examples of why having choices are good for your collection, because it allows you to have characters you might not otherwise be able to obtain in the near future, if at all.
Indifferent: “Looks cool, but it’s not for me. I see the appeal, but I only collect officially licensed stuff. It’s out of my price range for now.”
Likewise, these are the most common “indifferent” responses I see to 3P items. Again, I can see all their points, but if someone’s indifferent to something, there’s really not a lot that I can say to persuade them one way or the other. 3P items, like a lot of things in life, are something you will either be interested in at some point in collecting, or you won’t. For me, I can liken my experiences at this phase in my collecting time to expanding my taste palette. For a long time I was hardcore, official release only, but thought these looked cool. Just like for a long time I was a meat and potatoes guy when it came to my meals. Then I bought City Commander and it changed everything for me, and I expanded my horizons, just as purchasing the Demon’s Head has expanded what I’m doing in my 1/6 collection. Best advice I can give you if you fall into this area? If you know someone who has a 3P item, check it out. Read reviews, watch reviews (especially TJ and Ian’s!) and if you can check it out in person without having to buy an item, all the better. Just like if you want to try something new food wise, try and do it when someone else is buying. An ex-girlfriend took me out for Middle Eastern food on her dime because I was staunchly against eating anything new. Guess what? I freaking love kababs and falafel now. Obviously I wasn’t so hot on her since she has “ex” in front of that title now, but you see my point right? If you can, check one out before buying, but if you can’t and you want to dip your toes in, do your homework as much as possible. Best way for you to know what you’re getting into.
The Case Against 3P Items: “It’s not official, so I’m not supporting it. They’re stealing IP so I’m not buying it. I’m waiting for the eventual mainline release. It’s way too expensive when mainline items are considerably less. They look worse than the official items. “
These are the most common critiques I see of 3P items, though they are decidedly more prominent in the 3P Transformers scene. Part of that may also be the respective standings of 3P companies/individuals in each fandom’s arena (but that’s a discussion for another time). In the 1/6 scale area I see a far more willingness and openness to 3P items in general, mainly because I have seen the parent company reach out to these customizers, sculptors and producers and try to actively recruit them and their portfolios of work. I honestly don’t know if this happens with the 3P Transformers areas or not, because the individuals there tend to be behind the scenes at all times, whereas the 1/6 scale community is a bit more publicized in their work. Quite honestly, the only criticism I’ve come across in the 1/6 3P scene has been in the prop department, where some items don’t measure up quite right, or the accessory isn’t as good as some of the mainline released ones. Cost and official license do not seem to be as much of a concern in the 1/6 community, at least based upon what I’ve seen so far.
Quality is always a concern, whether you’re spending $15 on a toy, or $250. If you’re shelling out money, especially for high-end 1/6 collectibles, you want the quality to be top notch. Fortunately, the majority of my purchases from both the Transformers and 1/6 Batman 3P scene have been pretty high quality. That’s not to say there haven’t been some clunkers along the way, but for the most part, I’ve been happy with where I’ve spent my money.
Now, where I’ve discussed how the pricing with the 3P 1/6 stuff isn’t as far off as the mainline items, whereas 3P Transformers items are significantly higher in cost (outside of the Masterpiece line) in almost all instances. Whether or not we like to admit it, cost is ALWAYS a factor. It’s a factor on if we are going to be willing to pay money for an item, or whether or not we are going to be willing to shell out money again if we had a bad experience. There are some 3P companies in the Transformers world I most likely won’t buy from again based upon some experiences there, just as there has been an instance or two in the 1/6 Batman 3P world. For the most part though, the 1/6 3P items are the same high-level production quality expected from the high-end collectible world. Now is that true for every product? No, but that’s true of any particular item in any area you might be looking for. My expectations for a $30 cape to have a more screen accurate appearance for my Batman is significantly less than my expectations for a $300 Lucius Fox figure. Why? Because of the cost of the investment, and the overall amount of figure I am buying for that investment. One of the best 3P 1/6 items I have purchased was the re-release of the Nurse Joker Set by Toysmon. It’s a relatively inexpensive kit ($35-$65 shipped from Asia on eBay) and if you have a spare Hot Toys True Type body and Joker head, you can create an amazing piece for less than the cost of a mainline release. My expectations were exceeded on this particular set, because the initial investment wasn’t a lot for my toy budget, and the quality was the same level as my Bank Robber suit that came with my Hot Toys release. Comparatively, some of the QC issues I’ve experienced with a 1/6 scale Bat signal have put me off of a particular company, or at least made me wary of purchasing a new one until a price drop occurs.
Is this really any different for those of you who may be used to purchasing 3P Transformers? No, not at all. Nor is it any different for seasoned 1/6 scale collectors. Reputation definitely plays a part in how quality is perceived prior to release, and I may sound like a broken record, but doing your homework pays dividends in researching these items. Overall, I’ve not been disappointed in the price investment versus quality for any of my 1/6 scale 3P items compared to mainline prices, which is not always the experience in my Transformers collecting.
What are my thoughts on the 3P scene I’ve entered in the 1/6 scale neighborhood? I’m really digging it. Much moreso than the Transformers scene to be honest. It might be because I have a very personal connection when I’m buying these figures, accessories, or displays (since everyone I’ve bought has been a direct sale from the people producing it, aside from the aforementioned Demon’s Head figure), but it’s also because I see a level of respect and decorum where these individuals are collaborating and working together on these items, as opposed to trying to rip off one another. Do I think that’s an issue in the 3P Transformers area? Not quite so, but there is definitely a path being worn where the Transformers 3P companies are going to start cannibalizing one another by releasing multiple takes on the same figure at the same time. It’s happened already, and with more companies trying to get a piece of that pie or make a name for themselves, it’s inevitable that it will happen again. With the 3P 1/6 scale guys, I don’t see that as much, or there’s communication between parties if they release similar items so as not to step on toes to speak. At least that has been my experience in pricing out rooted Heath Ledger Joker heads, Bruce Wayne suits and Michael Caine as Alfred figures. There may be multiple headsculpts available at a time, but each is a unique take, and I’ve only seen one instance thus far where a sculpt has been copied and/or stolen by another individual.
Overall, as I think in the 3P Transformers scene, I’m all about choices, and I like that I’m finding choices for my collection in my 1/6 Batman collection. Even the one item I’ve been a little disappointed on has a special place in my collection, and I don’t regret any purchases so far. I’m also pleased it gives me a chance to get characters I might not otherwise get from Hot Toys and Sideshow, just as these 3P Transformers companies give me a chance to have homages to characters not released by the mainline Transformers corporations. Having been on both sides of the for and against argument for the 3P companies in both fandoms, I would encourage everyone to at least give them a try (preferably by connecting with your fellow collectors and arranging meet-ups or attending conventions if possible) and decide for yourself if you like what they have to offer. I’m happy to try and do my best to give you my thoughts on them going forward, and I’ll be happy to answer any questions fellow collectors may have based on my experiences. Thanks for reading my thoughts and I look forward to hopefully entertaining you some more soon!
