Recycling minis?

[Duende]

Today I went to my LGS and got (among others) a Reaper Dark Heaven #2994 Noreth Skyblade (by Werner). After breaking him out of the package, I had a strange sense of deja-vu when I was looking him over. I just knew I had seen those coattails and legs before... Sure enough, when I got home, I compared him to my Reaper Warlord Prince Danithal and they were his legs! I can't help but call Noreth "Frankenelf" now since he's made of spare parts. Anybody also know of any other minis that were made this way? (And I refer to "character minis"-- one's who are to represent a specific person, rather than the "generic" minis like only called "guards" or "troops" where'd you expect something like this).

Here are the two long lost brothers:
http://www.reapermini.com/albums/2900s/2994_G.jpghttp://www.reapermini.com/albums/elvesu/14066_G.jpg

:tongue2:

[Jabberwocky]

Alastriel and Lysette from Reaper also have striking similarities...

[Frenchkid]

Andrea does this some times for it's minis. I think the last latorre model was also based on an other mini. so does seem to be somthing usual in the mini buisnesse :).
Not a bad thing as long as the mini looks good, and the lattore model definelty does :P

[Frustrated Father]

I have to admit I've thought about it for Wyrd as well, but not for making a whole new miniature, but for doing a redeux of sorts - for instance, Viktoria changed around so that she wore a trenchcoat, had a couple of holsters and carried a couple of pistols instead of swords as so many folks have said something about it.

Its fairly common as far as I have seen, and you get some companies like Hasslefree that make great use of the greens by changing around the clothing a bit, the hair, etc on popular miniatures. Shortens the work time having to be put into a miniature, the cost, etc, and then you've got a 'whole new' release.

I have seen some of this with Reaper, but I haven't kept up with them as much I have to admit and more to the point, they have such a huge amount of miniatures, its fair to say that a few of these will slip in and undetected too for the most part.

[Ritual]

I have to admit I've thought about it for Wyrd as well, but not for making a whole new miniature, but for doing a redeux of sorts - for instance, Viktoria changed around so that she wore a trenchcoat, had a couple of holsters and carried a couple of pistols instead of swords as so many folks have said something about it.
That would be a great idea! I bet 75% of those who bought Viktoria would get a Viktoria Redoux as well! I would! (Even if I had to pay for them... :p: )

[vincegamer]

There's a name for this sort of thing that came up in another thread here and I can't recall what it is.
I used to have some old Ral Partha minis that were identical except for a head swap and weapon swap - and no, they weren't supposed to be the same guy at different ages. One was a wizard, the other a monk.

[Duende]

Does anybody know of any specific examples that they can show here? Like the Danithal and Noreth minis, something where you can see the changes made?

:coffee:

[Ritual]

For instance, there is Conran, the Octogenarian...
http://cp.cobble.phpwebhosting.com/~libertywhite/pics/Conranfront.jpg

... and Mad-dog...
http://cp.cobble.phpwebhosting.com/~libertywhite/pics/HFA013%20Mad-dog.jpg

... from Hasslefree.

[Wren]

I think Reaper used to do this a lot in the early days. Here's a couple of pairs that I've noticed. The interesting thing to me is that these are still in the catalog (at least Sarah/Tristan both still are. Alfred is, if Eric was taken out it's in the past year). Meaning that there are still plenty of folks interested in buying both versions.

Reaper's Sarah the Seeress: http://http://www.reapermini.com/gallery/2000s/2030_G
Reaper's original Tristan Loremistress: http://www.reapermini.com/gallery/2000s/2050_G

Reaper's Eric the Swiftblade: http://www.reapermini.com/gallery/2100s/2144_G
Reaper's Alfred Redlute: http://www.reapermini.com/gallery/2100s/2186_G


These next two pairs I find interesting because it doesn't look to me like these are recycled actual mini parts, more recycled clothing styles. The Guthrie ones in particular, the outfits look almost identical to me. They are for two different Reaper miniature lines, however.

Reaper's Mi-Sher Dervish Chief (Julie Guthrie): http://www.reapermini.com/gallery/nefsokaru/14129_G
Reaper's Rasheen, Female Ranger: http://www.reapermini.com/gallery/2900s/2979_G

This pair it's harder to see in the photos, but both have very similar decorative etch marks on the clothing. Feet and legs also very similar.

Reaper's Piers Young Mage (Sandra Garrity): http://www.reapermini.com/gallery/2800s/2836_G
Reaper's Ambrose, Young Mage (Sandra Garrity): http://www.reapermini.com/gallery/2900s/2947_G

Sorry about links rather than photos, but I couldn't figure out how to do that.


Wren

[Jubilee]

These next two pairs I find interesting because it doesn't look to me like these are recycled actual mini parts, more recycled clothing styles. The Guthrie ones in particular, the outfits look almost identical to me. They are for two different Reaper miniature lines, however.

Reaper's Mi-Sher Dervish Chief (Julie Guthrie): http://www.reapermini.com/gallery/nefsokaru/14129_G
Reaper's Rasheen, Female Ranger: http://www.reapermini.com/gallery/2900s/2979_G

This pair it's harder to see in the photos, but both have very similar decorative etch marks on the clothing. Feet and legs also very similar.


I've always wondered if Rasheen has been a first attempt at Mi-Sher, but the folks at Reaper wanted something different, so Julie tried again - Then, instead of wasting the figure, they put it out for Dark Heaven instead. :)

Anyway, that's the story I made up in my head. :)

/ali

[Duende]

@ Wren - It's not hard. I'm gonna put all your mentioned pics below so I can see them all together. :)

Sarah and Tristan:
http://www.reapermini.com/albums/2000s/2030_G.jpghttp://www.reapermini.com/albums/2000s/2050_G.jpg

Eric and Alfred:
http://www.reapermini.com/albums/2100s/2144_G.jpghttp://www.reapermini.com/albums/2100s/2186_G.jpg

Mi-sher and Rasheen:
http://www.reapermini.com/albums/nefsokaru/14129_G.jpghttp://www.reapermini.com/albums/2900s/2979_G.jpg

Piers and Ambrose:
http://www.reapermini.com/albums/2800s/2836_G.jpghttp://www.reapermini.com/albums/2900s/2947_G.jpg

Cool. Thanks!

[Frustrated Father]

@ Wren

When you are replying, there is a yellow box up above. If you move your mouse over it you will see 'insert picture' pop up. Click that, paste your link, hit enter, and the picture is inserted into the message.

[Brimshack]

I will probably do this myself in at least a couple instances. I've got 2 unusual Tauric creatures coming out some time on down the road. By paying for a re-modelling of each original, I can double the number of minis available for each type creature while paying only about half again for the second sculpt. Given the profit margins for this business, the prospect of a re-culpt is the only reason I'm considering the second version of each at the moment. I don't really plan on doing anything like that for humans and humanoids right now, but it seems like a good plan for some of the unusual and expensive monster types.

...2 cents

[Brimshack]

Oh, another example would be 2 Frost Giantesses by Sandra Garrity. One is used in the Boobarian line at Discount Hobbies. The other is a Reaper.

[Frustrated Father]

Wait, there is a profit margin? When was someone going to tell me! (checking empty wallet)

[Brimshack]

Hehe,

...it was an uncharacteristically optimistic moment.