Series 3 Observations

[The Count]

There are a few questions I have about the S3 figures of The Muppets.
1 Which Zoot figure is the "regular" version? My mom said that the Zoot figure she picked up has a sort of brick red squares pattern on his shirt and I wondered if this one is the norm or rather, if I should return it for the "yellow-shirted" Zoot figure.
2 Would it be feasible to take the S3 Scooter figure and customize it into a grown-up version of Skeeter? Of course, there'd be other parts needed to finish off the figure and the accessories would also have to be painted over, but would it end up looking like an acceptable figure of Skeeter?
Thanks for your help and have a great weekend! The grand update announcing their arrival will be posted soon, when I find out which Zoot figure is the regular one and open his packaging.
!

 

[Gonzo]

1) The yellow-shirted version of Zoot is the "regular" version, the reddish color is the variant.

2) Because we've never seen an adult Skeeter, what she looks like is completely conjecture...but I'm intrigued by the possibilities. I would love to see people try to build a Skeeter figure from Scooter and whatever parts they think appropriate. My problem is that Scooter's clothing and body are definitely "boyish"...I'm hoping Skeeter would have "blossomed" at some point. Maybe gotten contact lenses. Who knows.

Quinnnnnnnnn

 

[The Count]

Quinn, are you quite sure that the "yellow-shirted" Zoot is the regular figure? What sources do you have to back up this claim? Not doubting your word, just want to make sure that it's right before I return the figure. As for Skeeter, you could first paint the clothing the colors you want; then cut off the skirt from an extra S1 Miss Piggy figure, paint it, and glue it around the new figure's waist; and you could also use the mold of the Longhaired Miss Piggy figure to create a sculpted cast of the head/hair, paint it, and glue it over the figure's head. One last touch would also be to paint some black female elongated eyelashes above the rims of the figure's glasses. Since you have better visual imagination than I do, does this sound achievable to you as a fellow customizer? Thanks for your help and have a great weekend.

 

[Dork Diggler]

Question?
On Scooters package it says 16 points of articulation I can only find 14. Where are the other 2?

 

[WiGgY]

Yellow Zoot is the regular because Palisades said so and because in the Muppet show and the Muppet Movie Zoot normally wears the yellow. But why return red Zoot for Yellow? They are both cool.

 

[Gonzo]

Yellow Shirted Zoot IS the regular figure. Someone else will have to give you the official location of the info on that, but trust me. Red shirt is the variant.

And Skeeter...I'm working on some sketches of how that could work; since I don't have the Scooter figure myself yet, I don't know how I'd rework him. I'll keep you updated.

Quinnnnnnnnn

 

[WiGgY]

Poor Scooter. It's one thing to do a repaint, it's another to do a sex change.

 

[Bulldawg]

the palisades release schedule on the main site page lets us know that the Red Shirt is the repainted variant...by not calling itt Zoot but referring to it as Zoot in Red Shirt and proclaiming that all the asseccories(sp?) are REpainted

http://www.muppetcentral.com/collectibles/shop/index.shtml#palisades


Zoot (Saxophone, Saxophone Case, Music Stand and Hat)


Zoot in Red Shirt (with Repainted Saxophone, Saxophone Case, Music Stand and Hat)


plus in the photos for the complete series 3 press photos-
it shows Zoot in the yellow shirt form.

so there is your "beyond a shadow of a doubt proof that "yellow shirted Zoot is the regular figure

 

[ResidentLilly]

Ah...people are starting to notice some of the quirks in the line. Scooter HAD 16 points of articulaton going in. Something happened to the tool. It got messed up and we had to make a correction and that resulted in the bicep cust that ALL the other figures in Series 3 have being absent from Scooter. You will also notice the feet are separated, but not movable. A breakage problem...that we fixed but the joint ceased to function. So now he has 12 points instead of 16.

I would have bet money that Graphics had already changed the sticker. We talked about it...maybe it slipped through the cracks.

The other observation I have seen lately involves paint flaking off the shoulder disc joints. This is, in my opinion, the Series 3 "issue". Like the Animal ankle before it. Or the Kermit bend in the legs. But thankfully this time it is only cosmetic.

As those of you who have the figures can tell, the quality is MILES above the first two series. In every conceivable way. From the blister bubble being cleaner and stronger, to paint apps to durability. That factory is GOOD. They follow directions to a T and really listen to what you tell them and show them. In fact, they REALLY follow a guide.

Case in point. I gave them Series 1 and 2 pre-production samples instead of product as a template for the expected quality level of Series 3. The PPS is the one that gets signed off on, and usually is of far superior quality than anything the prior factory delivered. They had phenomenal paints on them, none of which were ever really replicated in production.

Well, the thing about PPS samples is that they are created so early in the process that all the POM discs are WHITE. The POM disc is a version of polyproylene which is extremely hard to break...but also cannot be painted. The new factory, seeing these PPS samples and hearing my explicit instructions about what to follow, made all the discs white instead of molding them in a color that matched up with the surrounding color, as you are supposed to do during the injection process.

Upon seeing their PPS of S3, I assumed as I have in every line prior that it would change to molded color in production. It did not. Because I was getting married and then a honeymoon I wasn't over there but they got a list from me of specific instructions and things to look for and watch for in QC after the first 3 rounds of pre-production samples were sent to me for review. I never addressed the white discs...because it never even occured to me.

By the time I saw the actual production pieces, it was too late. They then tried to have some paint put on them during the actual production painting of the arms, but it just falls right off, as those of you who have opened can see. So, as much as I want to blame the factory I can't. They did a GREAT job, followed procedure, shipped on time, and really interpreted and applied the paint well on the production figures. This was a case of me screwing up, and forgetting that even one slightly mispoken word or phrase can be interpreted by someone who doesn't speak the language well as lore, and you better be **** sure what you are saying. I told them that this (early S1 and 2 PPS quality level) was what I expected...THAT'S what I got.

So anyway...that's my fault, it is a characteristic of every Series 3 sample, and since they aren't technically a defect I can't really do much about it as far as making it better. It will be the bane of my existence on Series 3 though. Every time I look at these beautifully produced Series 3 figures and see those discs...OY.

 

[fitz3641]

The shoulder disc issue will probably be the one little thing that bugs me about S3, but its easy to ignore i think -- back when S1 came out I picked up all 4 figures and noticed that Piggy's shoulders were white while her arms were peach, so I guess those are her POM discs -- small arms on her, so all you have to do is position her in a wave and you can't even see them -- I'm a little worried about how the discs will look on a bigger figure like Rowlf that has black all around but we'll see -- Ken, is this an issue on mega beaker as well?