JND Studios: The Dark Knight - Bruce Wayne - Batman Armory 1/3

[Billy Talent]

First Jean-Michel Basquiat and now this!!!
wow JND you are too kind!!

[Yamato]

JND Prototype Show and Tell video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JY5ncIAAjEg

Notable Things:

• Hair is confirmed to be silicone and not rooted.
• Daniel states that they tried both and "silicone hair looks better".
• They're working on improving from the prototype to production. Notably the suit for example.
• Joker's hair is shedding on his coat at https://youtu.be/JY5ncIAAjEg?feature=shared&t=287 in the video. He doesn't talk about this, but you can see it.
• Doesn't really cover the armory at all.

[Iko Iko]

Originally Posted by Yamato

JND Prototype Show and Tell video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JY5ncIAAjEg

Notable Things:

• Hair is confirmed to be silicone and not rooted.
• Daniel states that they tried both and "silicone hair looks better".
• They're working on improving from the prototype to production. Notably the suit for example.
• Joker's hair is shedding on his coat at https://youtu.be/JY5ncIAAjEg?feature=shared&t=287 in the video. He doesn't talk about this, but you can see it.
• Doesn't really cover the armory at all.

Feels like a "this thing isn't selling so we need to pump up the promotion" video.

[azurepred]

I've never heard of figures with silicone hair before. I don't think that's a feature that really moves the needle, especially at these insane prices.

[Phoenixblazes]

Originally Posted by azurepred

I've never heard of figures with silicone hair before. I don't think that's a feature that really moves the needle, especially at these insane prices.

Just got to assume it's sculpted in as part of the rest of the headsculpt. Much like most head sculpts made in polystone, resin or PVC.

[pdenham]

Originally Posted by Phoenixblazes

Just got to assume it's sculpted in as part of the rest of the headsculpt. Much like most head sculpts made in polystone, resin or PVC.

This beef about the figure not offering rooted hair drives me nuts.
Of course it's part of the sculpt, as you say, just like resin or PVC figures.

The character/actor IRL has relatively short hair, slicked back and set. It's not long and loose like WW or Thor.
By intent it's meant to maintain it's shape and profile no matter what the person is doing.

The benefits of going with the hair as a sculpt in fixed media, is that
1) it is easier to shape it as close to the reference as possible as well as maintain that styled shape over time (and posing)
2) it will be much easier to implement per unit and over the entire run
3) it will be 99.9% consistent across the entire run

To my eyes, this is clearly the smartest solution to this aspect of this particular figure that they could have chosen.
I honestly wish they would have tried sculpted with the 1/3 Chris Reeve as how I characterized Bale's hair in TDK goes double for Reeve's in STM.
Most of the time it is so plastered in place, it looks like it could be plastic.

Other than that, there are a bunch of points I could legit debate about these first two figures to the overwhelming chorus of people dogging them.
But it's pointless. It's very difficult, and often impossible, to win over an audience that is not with you. And that is certainly not going to happen while these figures are still a year+ away from being in any collector's hands.

But I can (readily) see what they are going for, and their tweaks to the basic paradigm I think look to be beautifully realized - if you are a collector looking for a level of uncanny realism in a miniature replica. And yes, even with certain figures not having rooted hair.

Until we get videos and posts from owners who are not going in with an axe to grind, it seems like very few people are going to be able to assess these objectively enough to give them any credit whatsoever.

I hate to always be sounding like a JND booster fanboy, because I have legit criticisms too. It's just that the anti-JND sentiment is coming across as sooooo unreasonable and over-the-top that I just want to see a little more balanced or nuanced takes.

Yeah, I get it. They're expensive and not for everybody. Just like this entire area of collecting is.

[Yamato]

When you command a higher price, people will expect more out of you.

The comparison and expectation to custom products will become more and more prevalent the higher the price goes.

[Phoenixblazes]

Originally Posted by pdenham

This beef about the figure not offering rooted hair drives me nuts.
Of course it's part of the sculpt, as you say, just like resin or PVC figures.

The character/actor IRL has relatively short hair, slicked back and set. It's not long and loose like WW or Thor.
By intent it's meant to maintain it's shape and profile no matter what the person is doing.

The benefits of going with the hair as a sculpt in fixed media, is that
1) it is easier to shape it as close to the reference as possible as well as maintain that styled shape over time (and posing)
2) it will be much easier to implement per unit and over the entire run
3) it will be 99.9% consistent across the entire run

To my eyes, this is clearly the smartest solution to this aspect of this particular figure that they could have chosen.
I honestly wish they would have tried sculpted with the 1/3 Chris Reeve as how I characterized Bale's hair in TDK goes double for Reeve's in STM.
Most of the time it is so plastered in place, it looks like it could be plastic.

Other than that, there are a bunch of points I could legit debate about these first two figures to the overwhelming chorus of people dogging them.
But it's pointless. It's very difficult, and often impossible, to win over an audience that is not with you. And that is certainly not going to happen while these figures are still a year+ away from being in any collector's hands.

But I can (readily) see what they are going for, and their tweaks to the basic paradigm I think look to be beautifully realized - if you are a collector looking for a level of uncanny realism in a miniature replica. And yes, even with certain figures not having rooted hair.

Until we get videos and posts from owners who are not going in with an axe to grind, it seems like very few people are going to be able to assess these objectively enough to give them any credit whatsoever.

I hate to always be sounding like a JND booster fanboy, because I have legit criticisms too. It's just that the anti-JND sentiment is coming across as sooooo unreasonable and over-the-top that I just want to see a little more balanced or nuanced takes.

Yeah, I get it. They're expensive and not for everybody. Just like this entire area of collecting is.

All your points are 100% valid.

And while I don't have a significant amount of 1/6 figures, only about 120+ or so, the sculpted hair has always been one of the 3 things I've always considered to hamper realism, even at 1/6 scale.

1. Tailored outfits not sitting well, due to the obvious thickness of the material relative to its scale, and the giant eyesore of the relatively normal sized stitching patterns. And unfortunately, even at 1/3 scale this is apparent, but is rarely brought up.

2. Posable figures and visible joints, when put in certain poses just look unnatural, as the fixed bodies (and even musculature) just don't move naturally. But this at last seems to be being addressed by JND, and other manufacturers. Though sadly for me, Hot Toys isn't one of them.

3. Sculpted hair, even for well cropped hair, is exactly that and it always stands out. Take photos of rooted and sculpted hair on a top tier face sculpt, and you could be forgiven for mistaking the former from a movie still. But not so much with the sculpted. But as mentioned the cost and effort to get it looking right out of the box is not insignificant and makes it an understandable choice for manufacturers to cut out.

[IcedDog]

Originally Posted by Phoenixblazes

And while I don't have a significant amount of 1/6 figures, only about 120+ or so

[Phoenixblazes]

Originally Posted by IcedDog

I wouldn't be surprised if many collectors on the other forum have way more! It doesn't take much to accumulate that amount of 1/6 scale figures. Though not a perfect example, just look at those youtubers who have significantly more.

I've seen collectors post collection photos with walls of Detolfs extending the whole wall, or even the entire room. So, with only 6 Detolfs with 3-4 figures per shelf in them, totals up to about 72-96 figures! And given that many collectors have way more than 6 Detolfs, sometimes into the dozens.