OK........ Let's Debate Sculpt vs. Articulation

**Joranthalus** · October 24th, 2004, 04:21 PM

i like a good sculpt. I like lots of articulation.

I think i pretty much just won this here debate thingy...

**munkkeyboy** · October 24th, 2004, 04:42 PM

I buy figures to put them on a shelf and look at them, not to pose them or play with them...really, I'd prefer it if they were all just plastic statues. The quality of a sculpt / look of a toy is really the only thing that makes me interested in owning a certain figure...it's really the only reason I started collecting in the first place.

flurve

**DARTH POOH** · October 24th, 2004, 05:11 PM

Thanks for that StV,
It's kind of what I thought all along, after seeing and having you explain some of the process at SDCC 2002 when you were using the Randy Johnson MLB figure for the purpose of explaining just how these are made.
Really it all boils down to what I want to see on my shelf. I'll admit I enjoy the articulation in S22 as it keeps that display from ever getting stagnant, but some of the other series are so awesome in sculpt alone that , it's not an issue anyway. IOW as far as I'm concerned, keep doing what you've been doing [img]biggrin.gif[/img]

**The Mighty Wolf** · October 24th, 2004, 07:39 PM

Originally posted by StV:

...maybe you should come to NJ and I'll show you how and why these things are made the way they are. [img]wink.gif[/img]

Would love too if I had the cash on the side and didn't have the crises that wacked my life over a week ago.
But not to talk about toys, they're boring little plastic dolls. [img]wink.gif[/img] But rather for an out fiesta marathon of Su-Shi with someone that appreciates it like me. [img]wink.gif[/img]

[ October 24, 2004 04:48 PM: Message edited by: Chosen One ]

**Peter Peeker** · October 24th, 2004, 07:39 PM

Steve, I think you missed Chosen's point...
I believe he meant that it's cheaper to skip articulation, than it is to include it. that's all.

the type of plastic is irrelevant to this argument.

I have a hard time believing that a fig like Santa Spawn cost more to produce than, say, Bloodaxe or Skullsplitter...
or say Takeda vs Samurai Spawn.

are you saying that Takeda&Santa Spawn were more expensive to make, based solely on the lack of articualtion?
I would think that having MORE pieces would increase the cost, not bring it down.

**werewolfoz** · October 24th, 2004, 10:03 PM

I like a good balance between both.

Here's one quick example off the top of my head....Real World Neo:

matrix2 neo4 photo 03 dp

The cut joint in his right arm is at a completely useless angle. If it were at a different angle, it could've been used to move the arm up and down, and the sculpt wouldn't have suffered. This kind of thing drives me nuts.

**DARTH POOH** · October 25th, 2004, 03:38 AM

Ok, Now that I'm back, having been without the internet for a few days now [img]graemlins/grrr.gif[/img] *$#!+,!!!!and %$#@*!!!&%$#!!!(Now that that's off my chest) I figure what a great place to have my first post in a while [img]biggrin.gif[/img]
The oldest debate in the book next to "which came first, the chicken or the egg?":
Articulation Vs. Sculpt-
OK here's where it lies for me, I love articulation (Barring ankle joints, useless obnoxious fuckers, which I add a dab of cyanoacrylate glue to 99% of the time, as they loosen up and cause major shelf diving issues [img]confused.gif[/img] ) They still haven't achieved a decent ankle joint in prosthetics (I should know) So I can't expect much in action figures.
Besides those, my rule is this: Articulation rocks!! If it doesn't screw the sculpt. IMHO the BEST combination to date was
achieved with Spawn Series 22 The 'Viking Age'.
There was a perfect example of intricate detail in sculpting and well hidden articulation (even the dreaded ankle joints worked!!!) I have yet to have any of them tip forward or backward.
Spawn Series 19 is a close runner up , but loses a bit for the ugly shoulder joints on 'Jackal Assasin'. SO there we have two fine examples of well hidden articulation and LOTS of it which is all usefull to pose these figures in a myriad of ways. Here's the problem though, what to do when you have a guy in a suit (Like MMIII's 'Shaft') or a very tight outfit like 'The Crow' or many of the Spawn figures. Image 10th Spawn is fantastic---until you take his cape off. Then he's full of ugly joints that aren't too appealing to look at, and he's way too skinny.
Can you imagine 'Shaft' with breaks in the knees?
The 'Crow' with ball jointed shoulders? Look at Marvel Legends Daredevil to get a feeling of how that would look---not too hot. Shaft would have a big triangular shaped void in the creased pants of his suit if the knees had joints.. I've seen it done, looks shitty and I posed the figure
in a straight pose to avoid that look. IOW the articulation is useless.
Imagine some of the great 'Spawn Art' lines with more articulation--yuck. I do like the idea of using the rubbery stuff provided they can make it out of the 'flex' material they used on the 'CC Flukeman's upper arms etc.. Just no more straight rubber PLEASE as any of us who own the
'Headless Horseman' boxed set would beg. It is full of cracks, spurs that rotted off etc. Remember the Cave Troll from LoTR with the mouth
that rotted away? Now, some of the materials used
with LoTR figures have worked really well. So that would be a great alternative in some cases.
The 'Elrond in Robes' and 'Eowyn in dress' are excellent examples of still somewhat shiney coated rubber stuff that doesn't seem to want to rot and would be a possibility for future endeavors. Put that over an endoskeleton and you have what appears to be a fairly cost effective answer to this ongoing problem. After all, LoTR figures are pretty cheap to purchase. Imagine if a company like McFarlane used that stuff on a regular basis! You'd have some damned fine articulated figures there...It's worth a thought, and just my .02.

**The Cheshire Cat** · October 25th, 2004, 05:11 AM

I like both...but if you ask me,I prefer statue-esque figures over articulated ones solely because I move stuff around a lot, and no articulation means the pose stays in the pose its in....and when it falls or I knock it down, the pose wont change...

I just want some articulation in the wrists, neck, arms and ankles (swivel) to better keep the balance...

**Cemetery Can** · October 25th, 2004, 02:48 PM

I'll say "Both" too, not a big issue for me, but overall a great sculpt is more pleasing. Some figures look better with minimal articulation depending on the clothing that's for sure.

Though if you're gonna go pro-sculpt route, I agree with what's been said before that some figures benefit from a simpler pose than a dynamic one. Agent Smith all by himself just doesn't work as well without the flying Neo, for example.