Officially licensed 2-Headed Giant from Justin Ishmael (Ex-Mondo) and Monsters of Filmland

Discussion in 'Americans and Other Western Gaijin' started by kid_miracleman, Jul 13, 2016.

  1. kichigai

    kichigai Removed by request

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    Officially licensed 2-Headed Giant from Justin Ishmael (Ex-Mondo) and Monsters of Filmland
    I appreciate greatly they acknowledge the image of this beast is by Ron Cobb. He is what you could consider a legend among men.

    If you are not familiar with his work please educate yourself to the legacy of his work. That said it would be great to see a soft vinyl Conan based on his concept art.

    By the way Bemon was actually the 3rd entity to produce a likeness of the creature of this conversation.

    Also retail, if you could have bought one for that price; was about $180 for the Bemon doll so $200 for this doll is not too crazy.

    Personally I would have liked it to be half the size for half the price. I like mid size better than standard size. It's a neglected size by most companies.

    $100 would have made more folks happy and the size really would not suffer much critisism. Anyway it is what it is.. right?

    Back to other sculpts that predate the Bemon, older folks may recall the resin kits from the early 90's. So it has been loved as a concept long before the logic of SB.

    Not that this information will change any minds already hardwired to think otherwise. Just trying to insert objective viewpoints of a life long Monster fan.

    Make your own minds up.

    I wish more folks appreciated learning and spent less time on speculation without a drop of measured information.

    Monsters are good people.

    People not good Monsters.
     
    Last edited: Nov 18, 2016
  2. boon velvet

    boon velvet Post Pimp

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    You're right about that Rexx price. Lulubell had blank grey and blank flesh available for pre-order for $125.

    [​IMG]

    Due to the incredible price, some people, including myself, were getting them customized, still resulting in a low to average amount of $ spent overall on the toy. BUT, even though these giants sold for $125, it's not a very applicable comparison considering it's pretty rare to get a toy of that size for that amount of money. I'm not sure how James Groman was able to do it, having to pay Lulubell for packaging, promotion, them carrying them too, etc etc. Even his painted one-offs and exclusives following that up were only $200!
     
    Last edited: Nov 18, 2016
  3. boon velvet

    boon velvet Post Pimp

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    Officially licensed 2-Headed Giant from Justin Ishmael (Ex-Mondo) and Monsters of Filmland
    That was all well thought out and well versed, @ultrakaiju. There's a lot of food for thought in there, and I look forward to reading over it a few more times. [QUOTE="ultrakaiju, post: 914212, member: 41939"... I am scared what a painted version would cost...[/QUOTE]
    That's immediately what I thought. Granted, it's a large toy and we don't know what quality of glow vinyl he went with ($ goes up with glow strength, etc).
     
  4. kichigai

    kichigai Removed by request

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    Officially licensed 2-Headed Giant from Justin Ishmael (Ex-Mondo) and Monsters of Filmland
    Peach or green would be cooler in my opinion and kept price down some.

    Glow adds 20% to cost based on my experiences. I like GID but not best.

    Steve makes some exceptional points as always. Hard not to see things the same
     
  5. Rich

    Rich Die-Cast

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    This new glow is industrial, it's not standard. It's what they use for signs and safety cones so it's gonna be intense for sure.

    I'll never get the hate that anyone besides bemon gets for making this toy. Just about every toy maker so far has something they've made that either another has already done or is doing. It's how it is, you'd think after 10 plus years people would be ok and used to it by now.

    200 for a toy that's on the above standard large size, made by one of the best sculptors alive, is alone worth it. Add royalties, cost of vinyl, packaging, actual payment for the original sculpt and molds to be made, Justin's cut, lulubells cut, over head costs, paying someone to package it and box it all up... I could go on... but I think it's a fair price.

    This toy rocks and I'll own one for sure. More two headed monsters please.
     
  6. topher

    topher Addicted

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    Officially licensed 2-Headed Giant from Justin Ishmael (Ex-Mondo) and Monsters of Filmland
    Considering I recently paid $215 for one of those Kaiju Tan Halloween Mad Mimi's this seems cheap.
    Can't wait for these!
     
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  7. kid_miracleman

    kid_miracleman Comment King

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  8. ultrakaiju

    ultrakaiju Die-Cast Staff Member

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    Officially licensed 2-Headed Giant from Justin Ishmael (Ex-Mondo) and Monsters of Filmland
    I feel like I should offer up a follow-up/rebuttal to my previous post, just so that the positives of this figure don't get lost in the mix. [And I also had wrote that at six in the morning on the way out the door for work, so I didn't have time to fully elucidate all of my thoughts] Because it does deserve a heck of a lot of respect. There are definitely some truly amazing aspects it it, and these warrant mentioning, just as much as anything else. While the 200$ is a high price point for me - that is purely a personal thing; we all have different levels of income and 'justifications' for how much we are willing or able to drop on a silly toy that is going to mostly stand on a shelf. And yes, I did miss the note about the packaging and whatnot, so thank you for correcting me on that. For myself, I feel hard-pressed to spend a hundred dollars on a single toy purchase, but of course I generally shop for much different toys. As John said, half the size and price would have been superb I think. Heck, even smaller suits me just fine. But again, I realise the 'trend' now is to go big and make towering toys to justify the attention and whatnot, and that's fine. So, on to the good stuff.

    The sculpting itself is superb, as has already been said in the earlier preview shots. You can get a even better idea of how detailed it is in these pics, and the work that went in. It truly is a phenomenal beast. And, as a FMF fan, and a foremost Harryhausen die-hard, this guy has me really excited, whereas I was never that bothered to gravitate towards any of the other hyped beasts just because they had two heads. I am not in the art scene, so unless it touches the monster appeal side for me, it'll be a pass. But this guy is stellar; he captures everything you could have asked for I think. Everyone might nitpick one or two small details that their own personal interpretation of the illustration might have included, and yes, I think the ball might have been a little beefed up, and changed slightly, but overall I can make no complaints. It is a fantastic monster to be sure, and I would have been just as happy to have a sculpt based on the mock-up maquette, since the two-headed guy has no connection to Bemon other that another artist's interpretation/inspiration from the original. I see it as a completely separate beast - especially from anything that followed in recent years - to other two-headed toys. As rightfully pointed out, this is for fans of monster films and FMF, as much as it is cursory for sofubi collectors. In that respect, the figure is a homerun; a great homage/descendant of the model kits, fulfilling a lot of longtime wants for fans, and paying such respect to the creation, and creator.

    I am excited to see what this new industrial GID vinyl is like. While I mentioned marbled, I brought that up only as a cost thing; it doesn't do anything particularly for me, and I do agree it would be playing too much into the whole typical art toy scene now. I just don't usually go for blank toys period, but GID especially has usually been a drawback because I find you don't get to appreciate all the wonderful detail and amazing work the artist did on the sculpt sometimes, as the vinyl doesn't catch the shade and contrast enough. A lot of it has to do with the partial translucency of the plastic (which this does not seem to have). Under a master painter's delicate touch though, it really shines. M1's Yuji is a perfect example of this for me. BUT, with the shots shown on the pre-order page, I think the difference in the material does seem to have offered a change. It could be very fancy photo techniques, and some after processing, but it really does look pretty stellar there, and you can really capture a lot of what is going on with the toy. I would still prefer a painted version, and might have to hold out for that (if one ever comes) but he looks lovely as is, I will say.

    The open run pre-order is the best possible means we could hope for. This toy is going to have a lot of cross-appeal, as has been said, and that is all positive. I could not care any less about run numbers, limited editions, hyped rarity, exclusivity, some BS ideal of 'earned prestige', etc. Let people get in on if they want to, end of. Makes everyone happy, and more people should be enjoying such wonderful toys and the creativity of the maker and Luke's skill in the form especially. No one can complain then about not having had the chance, no early morning refresh battles, no concern about battling the middleman for paying the flippers' costs (though, you know they will be there all the same). It is a fantastic thing to do, and as I said earlier, to me just makes the most sense from a production standpoint. You can get (some) of your costs covered up front, have security in the project, gauge interest for future runs, and know exact numbers you need to get pulled. This model just works so well for all involved I think (with the one drawback being, obviously, possibly immense run sizes that require a heck of a lot out of the factories; so that is equally understandable as an impediment to always doing this). And for that, I want to offer thanks to those involved for doing it this way. Makes it that much more worthy of propping up the project with deserved interest and funds.

    Any 'shit talking' going on is not at all because I am a 2HB nutjob or anything. I do not own any Bemon toy and can't see myself ever doing so. I am not trying to bring this down and spread negative thoughts [not that I am doing that at all] as some sort of prissy defense mechanism because it offends my delicate sensibilities. I think the board should foster discourse, positive and negative, no matter whether we are in agreement or not. As point of fact I love this guy, and am so thrilled that he got made. I give so much props and respect to Justin for getting it done, Mr. Cobb for the original work, and to Luke for making it happen. The guy is a true master of the medium, and in that I will accept no argument. As I said, for me, this has nothing to do at all with the other plethora of 'two-heads' out there; I can respect it on its own for being what a monster toy should be. So both thumbs way up for Galligantus. May he ever reign over his dungeon abode, and be but the very first in a long an glorious line of monster [and Harryhausen! :) ]- themed beasts to soon grace the shelves of monster lovers everywhere. :thumbsup:
     
    Last edited: Nov 19, 2016
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  9. Anti Social Andy

    Anti Social Andy Die-Cast

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    As an American you lost the right to comment on anything being 'asinine' last week! :lol::lol::lol:
     
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  10. bunnyboy

    bunnyboy Side Dealer

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    Since it's an open order, I reckon making the money back shouldn't be an issue? I remember makers (most likely you among them) elaborating on the costs of mold-making etc. and stating that mostly, the cost for making a toy will NOT be covered by its first, second or third run. Yet a few years ago, if someone decided to make a toy, they wouldn't charge $200 for their first, limited run. And if they did, they got ridiculed and nobody bought that shit. How many grand do you think the NinjAlien dude has sunk..?!? Prices have been going through the roof for the last three years and trying to justify one toy's price by stating that some other toy is even MORE expensive really doesn't mean anything anymore afaic. If the reason for the Galligantus price point actually is that many parties (and a box) being involved, I guess I'll have to stick with the bagged kiddie stuff from some lone Japanese weirdos...
     
  11. toothaction

    toothaction Team Tsubu Staff Member

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  12. Anti Social Andy

    Anti Social Andy Die-Cast

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    This glorious buffoon wasn't actually voted in . . . just employed on a mindless whim by a woman that gained power because no one else wanted it!

    Living for today because tomorrow may suck even more! ;)
     
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  13. Michael Beverage

    Michael Beverage Line of Credit

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    :lol::lol: Well played.
     
  14. kichigai

    kichigai Removed by request

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    Please edit your posts to relate to the topic or take the real world politics to the 'whatever' thread?

    Better still pm the exchanges!

    On topic it would be nice to see more FMOFL fans take and perspective. One guy I know is about 50 and another is 67 both of them think the price is high but still plan to get the doll since it is a based on a cherished memory.

    I wish I could still talk to FJA, since he passed the world seemed to get very noticeable in states of decay. In that regard the new glow used will honor him in some way and VGA.

    There is enough saturation of sour grapes doom and gloom on every station and each port I navagate. I respect all perspectives but find some redundant.

    I am feeling like it is 1936 not 2016

    Thanks.
     
  15. bunnyboy

    bunnyboy Side Dealer

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    Ooohh! 'Member Stormtroopers? The real ones?
     
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  16. kichigai

    kichigai Removed by request

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    So you prefer that content?
     
  17. Michael Beverage

    Michael Beverage Line of Credit

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    You can't make me! :lol:
     
  18. kichigai

    kichigai Removed by request

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    You are not Herbert.:)
     
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  19. Fusta

    Fusta Toy Prince

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  20. animator

    animator Mr. Freshly Smacked Ass Staff Member

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    Officially licensed 2-Headed Giant from Justin Ishmael (Ex-Mondo) and Monsters of Filmland
    Would love to see some toy collaborations with William Stout in the future. He's an awesome artist, and super nice guy.
     
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  21. onibaba5

    onibaba5 Post Pimp

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    In the audio interview Justin posted, Stout mentioned that Sideshow Collectibles is producing a "Peace/Necron 99" figure from Stout's iconic Wizards poster. William Stout is amazing and so friendly at conventions, really nice guy!
     
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  22. ullar77

    ullar77 Fresh Meat

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    Officially licensed 2-Headed Giant from Justin Ishmael (Ex-Mondo) and Monsters of Filmland
    Really on the fence about this guy, thinking about jumping on the pre-order before it closes but I usually prefer paints to blanks (espcislly GID blanks). I'm just doubtful that a painted version will come out at a price point I'm comfortable with.
     
  23. kid_miracleman

    kid_miracleman Comment King

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    Officially licensed 2-Headed Giant from Justin Ishmael (Ex-Mondo) and Monsters of Filmland
    I think you'll be surprised (well, unless you think a painted one should cost $250 or something). I'm speculating that this toy in blank form is going to end up in a LOT of well respected painters hands all over the world. I think the amount of immense good will and respect @JustinIshmael earned through his years of work building Mondo (deservedly so, almost every single wall in my house is framed from during his run and I basically transferred limited edition art collecting from that world to here once he left), you'll have the world's best painters begging to do runs.
     
  24. bryce_r

    bryce_r Die-Cast

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    Who are some of the world's best painters?
     
  25. Biff

    Biff S7 Royalty

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    Officially licensed 2-Headed Giant from Justin Ishmael (Ex-Mondo) and Monsters of Filmland
    Longest pre-order I have ever seen. If this run is based upon the number of pre-orders, how is the release going to happen by the end of next month (1st quarter of 2017)?
     

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