NEW PRODUCT: Mars Toys 1/12 Prank Villain (MAT022)

ETA: Q3 2024
Price: $95 USD

Package content:

• 3 head sculpts
  
• 1/12 scale articulated body
  
• 14 interchangeable hands
  
• magenta tuxedo jacket
  
• magenta vest
  
• green shirt
  
• magenta striped pants
  
• pair of green socks
  
• pair of shoes
  
• black tie
  
• magenta eye mask
  
• pair of beach shorts
  
• flower bouquet
  
• picture frame
  
• Total Dehydrator
  

Not to be confused with 1/6 scale version, also by Mars Toys.

A joke a day keeps the gloom away!

Looks pretty amazing. I hope the finished product matches this.

No way! I can't believe these are actually photos of the 1/12 version. Just too good!
Not my genre anyway, but I'm curious to see the final product. I hope someone gets it.

The 1/12 wave seems to be building. Is it being driven by consumer demand or by producer necessity? Production costs and shipping costs are increasing while the market base is shrinking … literally shrinking as collectors and fans run out of space, and economically shrinking as the often $300 base price of 1/6-scale figures becomes untenable for the middle class?

Will we be seeing an increasing number of previously released 1/6-scale figures re-issued in 1/12-scale?

To me, these look like the same photos as used for the 1 6-scale release, but I have not cross checked to be sure.

I know the technology and production capabilities are improving. Maybe this miniature figure could look as good as the larger version. From my own experience, I felt the TBLeague/Executive Replicas 1/12-scale re-releases of Vampirella and Purgatori, while being nice for what they were, did not match the level of detailing or realistic sculpting of the 1/6-scale versions. But those figures were released a few years ago. These new minis could be better.

davidd wrote: know the technology and production capabilities are improving. Maybe this miniature figure could look as good as the larger version. From my own experience, I felt the TBLeague/Executive Replicas 1/12-scale re-releases of Vampirella and Purgatori, while being nice for what they were, did not match the level of detailing or realistic sculpting of the 1/6-scale versions. But those figures were released a few years ago. These new minis could be better.

TBLeague have never tried very hard to make their 1/12 heads impressively detailed, as opposed to VeryCool, who knocked Villa out of the park (after the less challenging CatchMe and SchoolGirl sculpts).

I have no doubt the sculpting could be this good. The paint job in this case is particularly forgiving so... ok! Could actually be this good!

Very good points, Dave and Diana.
One thing I often forget at looking at 12th scale figures is that there is actually a pretty decent amount of 12th scale accessories, in part because of dollhouse furniture and all that. But it is relatively recent that they have really started to do a more broad selection of things, and to achieve this level of realism. I have not seen enough that would make me switch the focus of my collecting. Dave's point about the cost is valid, although so many of the nicer 12th scale figures now approach or surpass $100, which makes this only a relative advantage.

Arounds 100 bucks is so much better than around 300 bucks, which seems to be the case with most figures I want these days. And the storage/display factor is a big one, too...

But I realised it's not going to suffice, because you can't really capture all the beautiful little details of a 1/12 figure without getting up close, whereas a 1/6 figure can impress even when you just glance at it.

So my holy grails will always be 1/6.

Diana wrote:Arounds 100 bucks is so much better than around 300 bucks....

Yes, it is, but when I started with 1/6-scale figures four years ago, many of the 1/6-scale figures were retailing for "around a hundred bucks," and even the nicer seamless figures were usually under $150. Once the market shifts to 1/12-scale, I expect the "around 100 bucks" to start escalating. Already the "around 100 bucks" often means "a bit more than 100 bucks."

At Giantoy, 1/12 Prank Villain is listed at $95 USD.

At Cotswald, 1/12 Prank Villain is listed at $115 USD.

The "price creep is already occurring, depending on where one shops.