Sideshow Collectibles News Blog

HAN SOLO IN CARBONITE REPLICA BY SIDESHOW COLLECTIBLES

COMING SOON: an excellent Han Solo in Carbonite - 12-inch Figure Environment from the original Star wars trilogy. Details are scarce on this piece at the moment but rumour has iut the item will ship in the 2nd quarter of 2009. Standing approximately 12 inches tall, the limited-edition replica will be cast in sturdy resin and is apparently to feature light-up elements down the sides of the carbonite casing, to emulate the instruments in the films. More news on ths excellent piece of STAR WARS memorabilia when it comes to light!

IRON MAN: 'STEALTH IRON MAN' STATUE FROM SIDESHOW COLLECTIBLES

 This fantastic Iron Man 'Stealth' Statue is revealed just in time for the Iron Man DVD release and the growing rumours surrounding the hotly anticipated sequel. Bowen Designs have done themselves proud once again and delivered a statue that is simply incredible. This item will be available in the 2nd qtr of 2009 and really does capture the essence of the character, even with the custom 'Stealth' paint job.

Cast in high quality polystone and standing approximately 14 inches high including the sculpted 'flames', this Iron Man 'Stealth' Statue is sure to be an excellent addition to any collection. Furthermore, with Iron Man 2 said to be featuring War Machine and other variations on the Iron Man armour, this item is sure to become highly sought after very quickly upon its release.

DARTH VADER 1:2 SCALE BRONZE STATUE BY SIDESHOW

Ladies and gentlemen, this incredible Darth Vader Bronze Statue isn't made of chocolate, despite what this picture may tell your eyes. No, this magnificent piece of Star wars memorabilia is made from 150lbs of solid bronze. Yes. Solid bronze. This is quite possibly the most lavish and extravagant piece of merchandise ever made. This 1:2 scale statue of the Dark Lord of the Sith is priced at $18,000. Oh Em Gee indeed. But just look at the thing- it is truly a work of art the likes of which the collectibles market has never seen before. Hyperbole? No. This is Sideshow Collectibles we're talking about here. I wouldn't be surprised if this thing could cure diseases. That's how awesome this chunk of metal is.

The statue stands at a whopping 45 inches tall and its shipping weight is estimated at 68 KILOS. Sculpted by respected artist Lawrence A. Noble, the Darth Vader Bronze Statue is set to be a limited edition of just 30 pieces worldwide. That does make it one of the raresat and highest spec Star wars collectibles ever made available by any company in the franchise's history. This is truly an incredible piece of liucensed memorabilia that will take some serious work to beat. What next, a life-size Millenium Falcon? This exquisite item will be made available to the true hardcore elite Star Wars fans in the last quarter of 2008.

300 KING LEONIDIS PREMIUM FORMAT FIGURE FROM SIDESHOW COLLECTIBLES

This thing is huge. No, really. The forthcoming King Leonidis premium format figure from Sideshow is due to stand in the region of 21 inches tall, and as the promotional pictures will attest to, the large format of this piece has allowed for much more detail in the painting and costume. Set to ship in the first quarter of 2009, it will be of an as-yet-undetermined limited edition. News of this fantastic looking product comes hot on the heels of the leaked rumours of a 300 prequel being in the works. Now, I’m not sure if a prequel to that film would work at all, but this piece looks kind of magnificent.

That is, apart from the facial sculpt. I seem to be taking issue with Sideshow’s facial sculpts of late don’t I? The simple fact is, when they get them right, they are incredible, but when they could be better, it is rather noticeable. Of course, these images are just of the prototype figure and not the finished item, and we all know how things can change between design and release. Here’s hoping the face is touched up a bit. It is a pretty good likeness of Gerard Butler, but it could certainly be a little better.

Although, with that said, this is still an excellent piece and is sure to be a big hit for Sideshow upon its release. As 1:4 scale figures go, this looks extremely sturdy and impressive, and is sure to become a classic of their range. Cast in high quality polystone, hand painted and shipped with a numbered certificate of authenticity, this is a must have for fans of 300. You may be dining in Hell tonight, but at least you’ll be in good company…

DARTH VADER 12 INCH FIGURE FROM SIDESHOW

A brand new Darth Vader 12 inch figure is on the way from Sideshow Collectibles, capturing the dark lord of the Sith in all his classic, imposing glory. With the Clone bWars movie out and a distinct lack of new Vader onscreen, it’s cool to know that the most memorable science fiction villain of all time is being kept in the hearts and minds of collectors.

This high quality piece of licensed Star Wars memorabilia is going to be a must-have for all fans. Due to ship in the second quarter of 2009, it carries on Sideshow’s tradition of extremely high levels of detail in their sculpts and costuming. Articulated at over 30 points, the Darth Vader 12 inch figure (Episode 4 Version) will ship with a movie authentic costume and accessories, including lightsaber (lit and unlit), interchangeable hands, detailed belt with lightsaber hook and the ubiquitous display base.

With the base attached, the piece is said to clock in at around 14 inches high, and thus will look incredible displayed with other Star Wars items from Sideshow and a great focal point for your collection. From the promo images, I can see that the helmet sculpt isn’t 100% episode 4 based, but somewhere between that original version and the larger, modified helmet we saw at the end of Revenge of the Sith.

The only snag I see with this Darth Vader figure is the lack of a regular head within the helmet. As cool as Darth Vader looks with his full armour and helmet, it would have been nice to have maybe a detachable hand with internal visible circuitry, or a removable helmet under which a scarred face was visible. That said, this looks set to be another string release for Sideshow and another great addition to any Star Wars collection.

SIDESHOW COLLECTIBLES- THE SAN DIEGO COMIC CON ANNOUNCEMENTS

This year’s massive SDCC event certainly saw the heavyweights of pop culture slug it out to get fans’ attention, and Sideshow once again outdid themselves with their new wares. The list of new items unveiled at the SDCC this year is really quite astounding, and carries more than its fair share of surprises. Lets check out the full rundown of items announced this time around…

STAR WARS
The Star Wars range is to grow with some excellent releases. There’s the exquisite ‘Frames’ book set, featuring a collection of volumes containing gorgeous digitally reproduced stills from each film as well as new twelve inch figures of Darth Vader, Han Solo, a Storm Trooper and a Rebel Trooper. There’s a new Tusken Raider Premium Format figure on the way, a Jawa, and a Darth Maul VCD from Medicom. Oh, and the General Grievous Life-size Bust, which is nothing short of incredible.

ALIENS AND PREDATORS
The most interesting new Predator item has to be the She Predator kit, taken from the Dark Horse Comics series of Predator titles, as well as a Predator 2 Diorama, a Dog Alien Model Kit, the ‘Lost’ Predator Model Kit, and a new Alien Bust which looks fantastic.

COMICS HEROES
The heroes and villains of the printed page were very well represented in Sideshow’s SDCC-revealed items. The latest items unveiled included the 1940's Captain America Shield Replica, the 1960's Captain America Shield Replica, the Classic Thor Helmet, and the awesome Iron Spider-Man Comiquette. Plus there’s the Ghost Rider on Throne Comiquette, the Iron Man Mark 3 12-inch Figure and the Thing Legendary Scale Bust. BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER Whedon fans were shown the new Electric Tiki editions of the Buffy 'End of Days' Statue, the Glory Statue and the Dark Willow Statue.

AND NOT FORGETTING…
The king is back with the Elvis Presley 'Comeback Special' Premium Format Figure, Lord of the Rings fans get the Duel of Light and Fire Diorama, and the Electric Tiki range gets the addition of the Captain Action Statue, Darkwing Duck Statue and Elvira pieces. In addition there’s the Sideshow ‘Dead’ range additions Subject 138: Street Prophet 12-inch Figure and Subject 1206: Mall Santa 12-inch Figure. MGS fans get the Solid Snake - Olive Drab RAH 12-inch Figure by Medicom, while Street Fighter fans will get the gorgeous Cammy Statue from Pop Culture Shock. Other awesome items unveiled at the event were as follows: Belloq 12-inch Figure, Cobra Commander 12-inch Figure, Dragon Dagger Prop Replica, Eye of Shangri-la Prop Replic, Conan Premium Format Figure, Diablo III OVERTHROWN Statue, Tarantula Bust, Marina Bust, Medusa Bust, Lord of Darkness Legendary Scale Bust and the Species Maquette. Sideshow’s Disney licenses included The Rocketeer Bust, the Triton Bust, Captain Hook Bust – Disney, Wicked Witch Bust, Snow White Bust.

No doubt there will be another huge batch of fantastic items from Sideshow at SDCC 2009, and we’ll be covering those in detail. Until then, there’s a wealth of great new items on the way from Sideshow, who are proving again and again that they stand head and shoulders over the competition.

SPECIES MAQUETTE COMING FROM SIDESHOW

Long before the days of direct to DVD sequels like Species 3 and Species: The Awakening, the mid nineties saw the advent of a new icon in sci fi/horror cinema- namely the creature designed by ALIEN legend HR Giger for the MGM science fiction actioner SPECIES, starring Natasha Henstridge, Ben Kingsley and Michael Madsen.Sil (Henstridge) is an alien hybrid with one intention- to kill and breed. Now Sideshow are to offer a superb depiction of her alien incarnation in a dramatic pose, brought to you with Sideshow’s usual flair for detail and sculpture. The Species maquette is set to become a highly sought after piece, and will make a fine addition to any fan’s collection. Check it out:

Due for release in the 4th quarter of 2008, the statue is to be of an as-yet undisclosed limited edition. The team at Sideshow have gone all out with this piece to ensure that one of the most striking images of the previous decade remains intact all the way onto your shelf. The Species maquette is to stand approximately 12 inches tall, but bear in mind this is still quite a large piece as Sil is presented in a dramatic crouch position. Cast in high quality polystone and supplied in the customary movie themed box, it is excellent apart from one or two slight deviations from the movie design. To these eyes her face looks a little different, as well as the musculature of her body, but hey, its not like I could do better.

Aside from those slight imperfections with the sculpt, this is a very cool piece and it is great to see another statue from Sideshow that doesn’t conform to the standard upright standing poses of other genre manufacturers.

ELVIRA: MISTRESS OF THE DARK PREMIUM EDITION FROM SIDESHOW

Sideshow have revealed their new Premium format figure of Cassandra Peterson’s famed horror hostess Elvira- Mistress of the Dark! The buxom wench known the world over for her witty asides while introducing movies (as well as two feature films of her own and a popular comics series), will soon be available as a high quality collectible figure. From the gallery photos Sideshow have posted, she is looking as gorgeous and kooky as ever, and with the stylized sculpt she has been given is sure to win over the hearts of her adoring public all over again.

I love this piece. The expression on her face is absolutely priceless, and it pleases me that this bastion of 80s horror kitsch is still popular today. The Elvira- Mistress of the Dark premium format figure from Sideshow is to ship in the 2nd quarter of 2009, but can be pre-ordered from their site now. Standing at 19 inches tall, the piece is to be of a limited edition, yet the exact number is yet to be announced. The diorama base looks perfect for the piece, and while the facial sculpt isn’t perfect, it does capture the essence of this well loved character very well. What a pair of… eyes!

HELLBOY II: ANGEL OF DEATH LIFE SIZE BUST FROM SIDESHOW

This is actually incredibly unnerving. From the brand new hit comic book movie HELLBOY II: THE GOLDEN ARMY comes a terrifying creation that wouldn’t have looked out of place in director Guilermo Del Toro’s masterpiece Pan’s Labyrinth.

Due to be a big hit with fans of the movies and the Hellboy comics franchise, the Angel if Death is one of the most striking characters to come to genre movies in recent years. Sideshow are now bringing us this huge and fantastically detailed bust of the chilling entity as seen in the movie itself.

The Angel of Death Life-size Bust from Hellboy II is an incredibly imposing piece of sculpted memorabilia, and with the impact of the new film is set to become a highly sought after collectible. Hand finished and hand numbered, this magnificent item is a limited edition of an as yet unknown number. Get this though- the piece is to stand 24 INCHES high. Yes. 24 inches. Due to ship in the 4th quarter of 2008, it is now available to pre-order from Sideshow themselves.

PREDATOR ON HORSE STATUE FROM SIDESHOW

Okay, I’m not too sure about this one. It does look cool, but it also looks faintly ridiculous. The Predator is meant to be a lone warrior, using its own speed, strength and agility to hunt and bring down its prey. Here we have a Predator on horseback, looking like a cross between something from Lord of the Rings and Warhammer 40K. The horse seems to have been sculpted from a traditional, earthbound animal but then had its skin stripped off. Ouch. It is definitely an impressive piece, but I do think it looks a bit silly, even for a Predator piece. Originally only available in Japan, the Predator on Horse statue is to be made available in the West for the first time by Sideshow, in a limited quantity. The item is to stand in excess of 14 inches tall, and features an excellent sculpt that errs more on the side of fantasy art than the old school badass aliens that Predators are usually cast as. Odd as the design may be, Sideshow have lavished it with their customary high levels of craftsmanship, and the sculpt and paintwork look amazing. The musculature of the horse beast doesn’t quite look 100 percent right, but it still looks suitably meaty and unnerving. The Predator on Horse statue is due for release in the first quarter of 2009, and the limited edition run is yet to be announced. I’m guessing it will be somewhere in the 250 region.