I am tired of waiting for HT to The Matrix hence I decided to put one together myself. Here is my custom Neo.

Head is Headplay Keanu, shades XL-Shop is selling, body is HT Narrow Shoulder, Karate chop hands are T1000 running hands, Costume is Triad Toys Chosen One, Shoes are generic leather shoes from evilbay.

Costume is triad toys male version. It fits narrow shoulder perfectly. Female version might be too small for a narrow shoulder.

Where to biu one of these bro? It will be perfect for my Neo.

Confirm getting superman. Would look good with Dark Knight.

My latest custom







Next will be constantine.

RM6xx I guess

XL-Shop POP RM580. MUST GET!!!

I think everyone need to accept the fact that HT prices have gone up already. With rising prices of raw materials, labour (yes, even in China), and weakening currency, I honestly think that we are still getting a good deal because of HT quality and workmanship.

No doubt this will be the best Reeves Superman for many years to come and it puts the Cinemaquette to shame and I don't see people complaining about the price.

If we look at it objectively and not clouded with our own personal feelings, taking into account the cost of a new body, the royalties that need to be paid to Reeves estate, Schuster estate, and Warner Bros, I think the price is fair.

Just remember HT is one of the cheapest in Malaysia. Imagine if you are living in Japan or UK.

If HT is still making stuff with QC from three years ago then maybe the price increase in unwarranted. As it is, HT has no equal in the 1/6 market and they are still the cheapest a on quality vs pricing ratio.

If I were to be blunt, Medicom, EB, and SS, these are the worst offenders when it comes to quality vs pricing ratio.

Everyone can order from XL-SHOP now. Website will be updated by tomorrow.

Jack Sparrow we are expecting in July.

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Added on May 26, 2011, 8:57 pmPast few years it was also a lot more easier to import stuff and the tax is much less.

I heard Durian is fracking expensive in HK.

This post has been edited by noisetrigger: May 26 2011, 08:57 PM

Hence my point about HT being costlier than HK. It is imported from HK. I think the price difference is not unreasonable.

Those shops closed suddenly precisely because they are selling 30-50 cheaper. The margin of profit for collectibles are already ridiculously low and among some of the lowest in the field of business. When one is already operating on such low margins, the "buang harga" method will only hurt their margin even more.

It will soon reached a point where you can't make enough to cover your operating costs even if it is only the owner himself running the store.

I always wonder when other toy shops here will learn about this. For decades people have been doing the same thing in this line and in the end, everyone also die cause people seems more intend on ruining the market for each other rather than making it grow.

It is not about whether consumer care or not. Just laying out the facts and the fact is, if one shop can't make enough profit to survive, it will closed down and then you all have no choice but to buy from the next most cheapest shop. When that happens again, we will all soon run out of places to buy our favourite stuff.

I posted some pages back about how Superman might be more expensive. The Schuster estate recently won a lawsuit about the rights of Superman and now they get to take a cut too in everything Superman (rightfully so). Howard has mentioned before that the pricing of a HT item is greatly affected by the licensing fee.

As for the donation, let's not pretend to know what Howard is thinking. Maybe HT did use that as an excuse to raise the price, maybe not but at the end of the day, the donation is a noble thing. Reeves has always been a charitable person and he would have approved of this. Honestly, even without the donation thing, this will still likely be the price that HT will be selling it at. (Wolverine was RM548 two years ago and no one seem to complain this much back then)

I think all collectors need to think have a serious reality check here and not just about looking for CHEAP CHEAP CHEAP everyday, The harsh reality now is that the government have been introducing new legislation on importation of collectibles that is making it increasingly harder and expensive to import stuff.

Now a few surviving toy shops are fighting hard everyday to bring in all the stuff you want. It was said that the ministry will soon enforce a few more rules that might just kill this hobby here for us. With so little toy shops, it will be easy for the government to enforced this rule cause there will be no one else left around to fight this ruling. (except those major companies like Hasbro, Mattel, Litt-Takk, etc that the ministry isn't willing to offend)

Buy online then? Just take note that they are targeting personal buyers now also. Because they are still a lot of paperwork from the surviving shops they have to deal with every week, they are letting go personal buyers now. Imagine who they will target next when no more toy shops around.

At the end of the day, for those complaining that HT is getting expensive, maybe then HT isn't for you. If you don't agree with the price, don't buy it. Don't need to complain about HT not caring about customers or Howard is a greedy prick.

The market will prove this and if Superman turns out to be a best seller, then I guess the market has proven to HT that the pricing is agreeable. If Superman is a horrible seller, then the market has proven to HT that the pricing is not agreeable. Whining about in on a message board will not change that. Prove it with you power of not buying it.

Yes, regulations meant for children toys but the ministry can't tell tell they difference. To them, these kits are toys also cause based on cartoon or superhero characters. The trick is to convinced them that they are not by applying for an exemption permit where you have to jump through more and more red tape each time.

The 15 year old sticker means nothing to them. I dealt with the ministry before and I want to muntah darah. They told us not to hide behind the 15 year old warning. Said anyone can print and claim that. It is up to them and a special committee to decide what is meant for children and what is not. When I asked who is in the committee? Got people from toy industry? They told me they do not invite people from the toy industry so avoid bias and the committee includes scientists and professionals.

Worst is, now they are slowly clamping down on parallel importers. That means if you are not the official distributor here, they will stop you from importing. One example is soon enough, you will have to buy overpriced model kits from Litt Takk only cause they are the official distributor here. Cheap place like GT, TM, GA will be weed out soon cause they are parallel importers.

With the exception of the first Superman Returns fig and first Batman Begins fig and some exclusives, almost all HT have always been produced based on quantity. Why everyone seems to think this is something new? Been hearing a lot of collectors telling me that recently.

And because HT made based on the demand, here lies the irony of no so hot figure being highly sought after later on because of the low quantity.

Figures that are made in low quantity that I know off are Wolverine, Blade, Platoon figures, Abigail, all videogames series, M-Icons Bruce Lee, Hans Landa, Aldo Raine, Godfather, Original costume batman, P1, P2,Machiko, etc,etc

Figures that are made in very high quantity are the Ironman series, Predators, Terminators, Pirates, all DX, etc, etc.

That taken custom is sick!!!

Most probably PO will open this week for Captain America

Apparently it will be out around October in time for Japan release of Captain America.

Make sure PO this time. Don't want a repeat of Thor and Odin.

I hope XL can get City Hunter, I really like the character.