Hasbro vs. Sideshow-Does anyone else here have an elitist view of 12" action figures?

Lao Che Pun

New member
Hasbro vs. Sideshow-Does anyone else here have an elitist view of 12" action figures?

To some Sideshow collectors, myself generally included, the idea of buying a lesser figure than a Sideshow, Medicom, Hot Toys, or the like is unappealing.

When I placed my order for a Sideshow Indy during the NYTF, I imagined I'd never own a Hasbro 12". Now that I've thought about it, I can't imagine me NOT picking up both 12" Indy's on May 1st.

What do you guys think? Does anyone else out there have a general elitist attitude about 12" action figures?

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The_Raiders

Well-known member
I pre-ordered the sideshow Indy too, and would defenetly want SS over hasbros, I think hasbros isn't too bad jsut I think it's ment more for kids than collectore, I still kinda like it though, I thought about getting it untill I heard it talks. hasbros is more durable then Sideshows though... :dead:
 

Jesse James

New member
I collected 1:6 military figures for years, and there was a hobby with diversity to it, lemme tell ya! 21st Century's 1:6 figures were always a lesser quality figure compared to Dragon, or Side Show, etc. Just no real comparison, however 21st's figures were good bases for customizing, offered cheap sculpt variety, and they were the only company doing a lot of vehicles back then... Even light tanks.

I tended to appreciate the other company's, but 21st gave me the custom fodder... So I felt it wasn't really a bad thing for the competition. Hasbro offers one price and level of quality while SS will offer a completely different price/quality level for fans... I think most, if they're wanting to custom, will get that Hasbro figure to go that route though. :whip:
 

Lao Che Pun

New member
Don't get me wrong guys. I realize that SS is more for collectors - which is what I am - but I guess I was ondering if anyone feels like they're throwing away money on Hasbro figs if they already own a Sideshow.

I guess the real debate is (considering that SS doesn't ship Indy figs until 3rd Quarter 2008) whether or not you would buy a Hasbro figure if it came out 6 months after Sideshow's instead of vice versa.
 

mfisher

New member
I wouldn't call it being elitist... I have the Sideshow Indy preordered.. and I have no intention of buying the Hasbro Indy.. reason being is that it is a kid's toy whereas I am a collector so the collector figure makes more sense for me to buy... no need to pick Hasbro's up as it has no place in my collection...
 

Billy Ray

Well-known member
I preordered SS Indy, which I have been dreaming of ever since SS got the Star Wars license.

I'm kind of on the fence with Hasbro's figures. I really want the Ark, but I don't know if I want to get 4 Hasbro 12" figures in order to get it. I really like the "whip cracking" Indy (shown in the pic above) for what it is worth. It's a great figure for Hasbro. "Talking" Indy looks horrible, but I may just get it anyway...if that's the case, I will probably pick up the German Soldier and Cairo Swordsman to round out the four. My son has a lot of GI-Joes, so he can always add them to his collection and I can get the Ark.

As far as Hasbro figures, they were really hit or miss with the Star Wars line (usually more miss than hit). I picked up what I liked, but they are all boxed up now that I have Sideshow Star Wars figures to display. With the exception of the talking Indy, the line looks pretty good...for Hasbro. At least they aren't using the old "Hall of Fame" bodies and they don't have the huge heads that the Star Wars line had. Their clothing has always been pretty good though. For $20 figures, they aren't that bad.
 

Katarn07

New member
I much prefer my Kenner/Hasbro collection of 12" SW figures to the Sideshow ones. Had they not ended that line, I would indeed still be getting those opposed to the Sideshow ones. Call it a nostalgia factor. I actually played with the first 4 12" ones that were made!

Will I get Hasbro's 12" Indy line? Probably not. I have the Hasbro Planet of the Apes figures, both 12" and whatever scale the small ones are, only because they were made before Sideshow's and Medicom's lines. There's no way I would have wasted my time on that crap had I had the superior goods already.

As for military stuff, 21st Century's Ultimate Soldier may have paled in comparison to Dragon and Blue Box, but it was much better than GI Joe and sometimes not that much more expensive! They were also available retail unlike Dragon and Blue Box. Once you go Dragon, though, there's really no going back....
 

Mr. Fusion

Member
I think Sideshow's Indy is definitely superior, but to by truthful, at least in my own opinion, the Hasbro figures don't look all that bad, for what they are. Luckily, it will be between my brother and I to collect at least 4 of the Hasbro figures in order to get the Ark. For nearly 15 years have the Knight brothers been searching for a kick-ass Ark scale replica.:D
 

Lao Che Pun

New member
mfisher said:
I wouldn't call it being elitist... I have the Sideshow Indy preordered.. and I have no intention of buying the Hasbro Indy.. reason being is that it is a kid's toy whereas I am a collector so the collector figure makes more sense for me to buy... no need to pick Hasbro's up as it has no place in my collection...

I wouldn't say Hasbro figs have any place in my official collection either, but when you face them in stores on May 1st...will you have the ability to not buy them?

That's my dispute. I will probably end up buying them because I'll be so caught up in the Indy Fever and won't be patient for my SS Indy to arrive.
I'll never display them in my official collection but perhaps allow them to hang around my son's Tickle-Me Cookie Monster. I just don't think I'll have the willpower to not buy a 12" Indy figure when they're sitting right in front of me.

Even the horrible faced-version (the one with the soundbites from the film)
 

mfisher

New member
I guess what will keep me from getting the 12" series is that I try and limit how much fun "junk" i buy... I absolutely love the Indy toy stuff.. but I am far from one of those people that has to have EVERY figure or EVERY item that comes out.. ( those people tend to creep me out and should probably move out of their parents' basement).. so instead I may pick up one or two of the 3 3/4" figures or a few of the Adventure Heroes for fun...
 

Lao Che Pun

New member
Funny you should say that, because I'm one of those people who abhor the 3 3/4 inch figure line. The only toys in my collection of film memorabilia is the random 12" figure.

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tnswman

New member
I have the Toys McCoy version, I ordered the SS version ( and wil order EACH figure in the set) and I WILL be buying EVER 12" Hasbro figure as I collect EVERYTHING Indy!

I'm not an elitist, I'm a completeist
 

Billy Ray

Well-known member
tnswman said:
I have the Toys McCoy version, I ordered the SS version ( and wil order EACH figure in the set) and I WILL be buying EVER 12" Hasbro figure as I collect EVERYTHING Indy!

I'm not an elitist, I'm a completeist

Careful, you are creeping msfisher out...time to move out of the basement;)

I used to be a completist when I started collecting Star Wars...then around the time the R2-D2 with "launching lightsaber" came out, I realized that I was buying stuff that I really didn't care for just to have one of everything. I almost fell back into that trap with the 30th anniversary line and their infernal coins...but I have gone back to my non-completist ways thankfully.

I won't be a completist with Indy either, though there is a LOT of stuff I plan on getting. I will pass on things like the Mighty Muggs, which I just don't care for and the role play stuff (that whip!:rolleyes: ) but I plan on getting most (if not all) of the 3 3/4" line, some of the 12" line, and the Adventure Heroes (for my kids...no, really). My son collects Titaniums, so he will probably get those. As far as Sideshow, Indy is already preordered and I will probably get some other figures from the line, though most likely not everything. I am very particular about my SS purchases.
 

Lao Che Pun

New member
I've never been a completist (at least not since I collected football cards in grade school) but I don't think there's anything wrong with those people who do choose to buy everything in a series. If they find enjoyment out of it...then so be it.
 

barranca

New member
I'm a 'completist' at heart and have, will have EVERY version of Indy in my collection eventually. I will probrably not be picking up the other Hasbro figures Unless no one else produces versions of other characters.
I may just use them as the basis for customs.
Hasbro's 12" line hasn't filled me with any real confidence of quality for the line. The German and Cairo figures are crude and all too hastilly put together for my liking.
The 'Mutt' figure should have come with a leather jacket as should their Indy figure.
People talk about 'cost' and 'profit' margins when things like that are mentioned, But its 'pennies' to produce these items. The profit margins are huge.
Hasbro are just screwing people as ever.
I have more faith in Sideshow, but their releases are more expensive and fewer.
But don't forget there will be another, as yet 'unannounced' company making 12" figures too!
 

Lao Che Pun

New member
barranca said:
I'm a 'completist' at heart and have, will have EVERY version of Indy in my collection eventually. I will probrably not be picking up the other Hasbro figures Unless no one else produces versions of other characters.
I may just use them as the basis for customs.
Hasbro's 12" line hasn't filled me with any real confidence of quality for the line. The German and Cairo figures are crude and all too hastilly put together for my liking.
The 'Mutt' figure should have come with a leather jacket as should their Indy figure.
People talk about 'cost' and 'profit' margins when things like that are mentioned, But its 'pennies' to produce these items. The profit margins are huge.
Hasbro are just screwing people as ever.
I have more faith in Sideshow, but their releases are more expensive and fewer.
But don't forget there will be another, as yet 'unannounced' company making 12" figures too!

While I agree that Hasbro's 3 3/4" line isn't too impressive. I don't think Hasbro is intentionally trying to "screw people over." All businesses operate at the margin because it's the only economic way to operate within a free market system. The only exceptions are the random monopolies - which Hasbro clearly doesn't have (e.g. - Sideshow and the other "unannounced company"). If Hasbro was operating on such a huge profit margin, Hasbro stock would be through the roof.

barranca said:
I may just use them as the basis for customs.

Please post pics of your customs when you do them - I'm anxious to see your work! (Do you have any past customs you can show?)

Thanks
 

barranca

New member
Hasbro are little more than sharks, if you need good evidence to support this look no further than their 12" Star Wars line. They recycled and recycled parts from the line ad nauseum, I did wonder at one point just how many times they would expect collectors to shell out for yet another C3PO!!
The same trend seems to be occuring from the get-go with their Jones line.
Point in fact is the 12" German soldier, instead of producing a Sallah, or lets face it any recogniseable character they went for a generic figure that they could knock up from old GI joe bits and bobs.
It dosent make me hopeful for the future of that line at all.
 

Lao Che Pun

New member
barranca said:
Hasbro are little more than sharks, if you need good evidence to support this look no further than their 12" Star Wars line. They recycled and recycled parts from the line ad nauseum, I did wonder at one point just how many times they would expect collectors to shell out for yet another C3PO!!
The same trend seems to be occuring from the get-go with their Jones line.
Point in fact is the 12" German soldier, instead of producing a Sallah, or lets face it any recogniseable character they went for a generic figure that they could knock up from old GI joe bits and bobs.
It dosent make me hopeful for the future of that line at all.

I understand your frustration, barranca....but I think Hasbro makes decisions based on the market. They can't really be idiots or they wouldn't be successfully running a company which has existed since 1923 (before our fictional hero even had his misadventures! :p )

The company has a market research division and they make decisions like the 12" German soldier out of necessity. Whereas Sallah is merely another protagonist, Hasbro decided to release enemy figures with the mindset that most people who will buy the toys (who are parents for their kids) will do so with the knowledge that Indy will need a clearcut enemy. Hence, another reason why toy companies generally don't release female 12" figures en masse - because the toy lines are aimed toward boys who generally hate girl figures.

You're right, Hasbro has cut some corners in their Star Wars line, but it's all in hope of maintaining at the least, a minimum marginal profit.
 
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