I feel sorry for ppl that are too dumb to know this isn’t about the money but the value. Most adult collectors can afford this, rockstar. We just don’t think it’s worth the money.
@@madhatterreviews6705 this guy probably bought a car during the pandemic when they were marked up twice the price and thought he was flexing cause he could “afford it”
I’m going the DIY route. I’ve been wanting to get into the foam board dio game. This is the push I needed to jump in. I think I can make something that I, at least, would love. And it would be relatively cheaper and I would always know how much love and effort I put into it. Even it it comes out wonky, the cartoon was wonky. It’ll work no matter what.
Great video idea. It’s nice that you’re shining light on alternatives in a positive way and not just bashing NECA. Granted I’m in the camp where I believe that the price is a bit steep, especially when you factor in tax+shipping, so it’s nice that you’re out here letting everyone know that there are alternatives. I’ve been collecting the entire Toon line since it started and it’s disappointing to see the price of this piece of the Lair, especially since we know they’re planning more rooms in the future. Big fan of your videos!
Thank you! And they said the other two rooms depends solely on the performance of this one. They will either NOT release them or they release them with lower prices and then all of us that didn’t buy this one are pissed.
This was a great idea. Well done good sir. I feel like with scalpers buying up all the online and Haulathon stuff, Neca are thinking everyone has deep pockets like that.
The unapologetic greed that NECA is showing here is making me reconsider whether I want to continue collecting TMNT. They've not only lost multiple Sewer Lair sales with this one from me, but quite possibly future figures as well.
I'm glad I stopped with the 1990 movie turtles 🐢. I got my shredder, 4 foot soldiers, April, tokka and razar, and Casey and Raph two pack and I was done 👏🏾. Neca is doing because tmnt is their biggest selling line and a majority of the people who bought into the line will most likely buy this because of fomo, I really miss the Era before neca got the tmnt license 😔
Oh well it’s become an adult collector line. Me personally I’d buy a synthesizer or parts for my 65 Lincoln continental. ☝️ALSO: it gives you the opportunity to either do it yourself or pay a talented starving artist to do it for you!!! How cool is that??
What greed exactly? It's an item that will have very low production numbers, very limited reuse potential. It costs a lot of money to sink into things like this. There's no greed going on, to make that claim is being ridiculous.
@@Starfig I can't speak to production numbers, as I'm just a consumer. However, I would disagree with the limited reuse potential. Elaborate Underground Bases are tropes of pop culture. With a fresh coat of paint and new accessories, it could be used for Batman, G.I. Joe / Cobra, Hydra, Gargoyles, Thunderbolts, X-Men, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Supernatural, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Star Wars, Teen Titans, Bots Master, and so many others. Now as to greed. Well, the Street Scene diorama is considerably cheaper, despite being larger. The Turtle Van is cheaper, despite having moving parts, lights, and a far more elaborate design. This amounts to five flat pieces of plastic with a few accessories. It's as easy as it gets when it comes to design work.
That pop up diorama actually looks amazing. I feel like my non toy collecting friends would be just as impressed by that as they would by the offical lair that they have no idea even exists 😂. Not that that's why we collect...but you know how it is lol. Good stuff man. Madness Unboxed can't happen soon enough!
Really great channel, I stumbled across your channel searching Ninja Turtle stuff. Very underrated, looking at the quality I would’ve thought you got the Silver Play Button already. Very nice to see the Aliens stuff in the background, the Aliens Pulse Rifle and the Ripley figure being a big Alien geek myself. Looking forward to your stream later!
I absolutely recommend the extreme sets diorama. It’s probably close to twice the size of the neca sewer lair and yes, modular. It comes with a tv as well (it’s ok, I will get the one from the accessory pack though). I also made a foam couch that looks decent.
I made one myself out of a big wooden box, other wood scraps and Paper/cardboard and I also put in lights. It has 2 levels with an entrance, Donnie's workshop, livingroom, training area and splinters room. All with furniture I also made from leftover stuff and hotglue. Not as nice as the ones you show, but I'm happy with it for the first dio I made.
@@NostalgiaUnboxed oh yes, and it only weighs about 44 pounds and is so big I actually have no place to put it 😂. I didn't really plan ahead. Wish I'll make it my profile picture so you can kinda see it 😃
I drew a brick background for my super 7s & my necas as well 6 - 8 X 10s. & Walgreens printed for like $2 a piece. So I might draw the lair & print it on their thicker poster board. You can get up to 25” X 30” I believe for $15 -$20 I think
I think I'll go DIY. I've essentially got my own wood shop so I'll probably try to make a wood frame that's nice and sturdy and then line it with foamboard for the detail work. Not sure if I'm going to attempt to do the furniture or seek to buy something instead. Like many, I don't see the value in what NECA is doing, but I needed a new project to start working on anyway so I guess I should thank them for that.
I was planning on making my own little bookshelf tmnt city once ive settled into our new place next month anyway. Probably gunna use foam/card for the walls then 3d sculpt/print the details. Really excited to get stuck in!
Great video and awesome tips! I've built a dio from foamboard before and I think that exactly what I'm going to do here. I have the Iacon Labs furniture already so I'm all set!
Thanks for showing these alternatives. This is one time I am happy I don't collect the toon line. If someone just wants to put a display on a shelf, I can see them going with the extreme sets. Since I collect the movie line, I will just make a customized sewer display.
I’m going with Omar’s 3D printed accessories. And will work on building my own lair. Though extreme sets with the street and sewer does have my attention also. I have the generic street scene from NECA but I do dig that extreme sets inset up.
Enjoying the content, thanks! Liked and subscribed. I'd been circling the NECA displays for a while, but could never accept the prices they demand. But now, my action figures thank you for introducing us to Extreme Sets! Toss in some 3D-printed scatter elements and some LED strips for lighting, and they will be happy to finally be out of their ziploc bags and enjoying the fresh air of being displayed. My wallet, however, is cursing me for discovering this channel...
idd most likely go for partly building the main structure and easy to make furniture, and buy the art stuff like the stop sign etc off someone that has the recources to make them better.
@NostalgiaUnboxed Man, this was a great video. Thank you for doing the homework and sharing with all of us out there. Much appreciated. It’s amazing how fast this has moved following the launch of Neca’s sewer diorama pre orders. I’d love to hear them rationalize the price point. Cannot get over the street scene VS sewer prices. 🤦
We can definitely assist to provide a quotation for those printed folded ones in volume as you were asking. And for those creators who have already done those 3D and if there is a need to tool them for mass production, we can also assist to have it done. Of course, need to make sure the artist is on board with the idea. Else, we can sculpt them ourselves and offer the items the fans want at a lower price.
You are the hero we need, but not the hero we deserve! Let’s get to work together soon. We are in prime time now. Haha! Thanks for watching and commenting
@@NostalgiaUnboxed It must not be misunderstood that we are trying to “outdo” anyone. We are just one of the guys, you guys. We watch YOUR nation’s created cartoons growing up. But that’s a topic for discussion for another day. The thing here is, If a Gate is wanted by collectors that didn’t fund. We look to do it, for the collectors who wants it, and we do it at the best possible price we can. And if a sewer environment is yearned by collectors who don’t agree with whats available in terms of price, Perhaps we can offer an alternative. What’s the saying? Competition breeds success or excellence? And we are not even competing is what I am saying, we are seeing a void and trying to fill it. What is different about the examples you listed in your video that differs from our attempts that qualifies us for C&D and not them? quantity? A company instead of an individual? Not saying I want them to get C&D, no, not at all. It is those artists that is the foundation that supports what we love. Without the creation. There is nothing. And we are at a point now that is evident without doubt that anything can be done. If it’s a license that is in the way, get a license. But wait. A license needs to be appropriately issued. Not everyone can pay a 6 figure royalty.
@@RAMENTOY I love it. Thank you for saying this. So many artists that do not get what they deserve for their time and hard work. Even the simple thing of putting the artist name on the box is a great idea. This is something NECA does well, but Hasbro needs to include. I think your company is doing amazing things and helping a lot of artists find work. Whatever I can do to support you, let me know.
I hadn’t seen the Extreme Sets above ground set did. Might have to look for reviews on that. I would be worried about potential weight limits. Thanks for showcasing these alternatives. Great video as always!
Great video bud. I would go the customized route. Though it's more expensive. They are handmade, most likely one of a kind (if not only a handful made), and you know you're getting exactly what you want. It's a CUSTOM made for you. Collectors are all about the rarity of items that we collect for the most part. With that being said, I believe the custom route it the best route, if you have the money. Second I would go the 3D printed route. But as you showed in the video there are so many option available to collectors. Options that aren't a huge money grab by a company that seems to be getting too big for their britches. Especially considering how loyal fans of the NECA TMNT lines have been.
When I had my Playmates TNNT figures, I made a whole cityscape using apple boxes. I wished I had just one photo because I loved it (I was in 5th grade). I need to figure out space issues, but I eventually want to make my own again for my vintage figures. Since i do collect movie and comic book TNMT, I'd like to make my own environments someday, too. I'm not cooling the cartoon Neca TMNT, but of if I were, I'd probably go the route to get the Neca stage(s) or make my own.
I don't really have the space for a sewer lair at this point, but if I did, I'd probably just use a cardboard box I have lying around and decorate it. I've got some ideas in case some space frees up.
@@NostalgiaUnboxed Indeed, and I have most of the stuff I need around the house. A couple of weeks ago I made a mini diorama with a small box, a paper shopping bag, and some rocks that I grabbed out back and cleaned off. I made a hole in the top of the diorama so it looks like NECA Dirtbag is coming up from underground. Then I cut up the shopping bag and used it to line the bottom of the box to conceal the seams and the outside to cover over the markings on the box. I put rocks inside it to make it look more like an underground cave. I'm sure others would've done more, but I'm happy with how it came out.
Good video. It’s important as people who are in this community to highlight independent makers when we don’t like how corporate entities are doing us. There are a lot of great sellers out there doing good work
Some really good alternatives there. I’ve always liked look of extreme sets they’ve done some nice batcave sets that I’ve been tempted to buy if I had space to fold out I’d definitely go with that.
Really great video! Thank you so much! I hope this doesn't come off wrong by saying this, but this vid to me makes me think of the old Johnny that brought me to this channel. Very informative, genuine and to the point. Thank you again for putting all this together. It's very much appreciated! Look forward to the next one :)
I really wanted it, for me it was the space, if they showed what it looked like in box since I will keep it in big while i move. But I'm glad I'm not the only one who held back
So, 299 for this, or the entire Cosmic Legions Oxkrewe wave (with 7 figures, many of them deluxe, and some diorama pieces) also up for preorder right now? Choices, choices ...
Yes! Considering we won't even stare at it that much once it's on the shelf who cares? And so many people with Ikea Detolfs are probably using printed solutions anyway
I think, unless I just have my Turtles live in their Van, Down by the River... I'll just make my own... but I haven't decided if i will indeed give my figures a lair. I made them a full lair, for their mega construx counterparts, but for 1/12 figures, space could be tough. I already have a homemade wrestling ring for the WWE and AEW figures. So maybe I make one, maybe I don't.
I'm saying this in jest, but are you rounding out the list of toy companies that have you on their hit list (Super7 and Hasbro included, I imagine). I appreciate your candor
Hahaha, well getting "free toys" doesn't mean anything to me compared to truth and honesty. And a REAL partnership with a company would include payment. Free things to review technically cost you money when doing your taxes.
@@NostalgiaUnboxed Well said. I have been having a great time following the toy content creator community which includes a lot of passionate and creative people. The channels I like the most are the ones that are honest but not unduly negative, like your channel. Thank you for keeping it real and providing options to make great displays
Really appreciate the alternatives! I was beyond excited for the sewer lair sets when they were revealed last year. I eagerly awaited them for a whole year but when I saw the $300 price, PLUS they essentially want you to pay an extra $60 on top of that to get the TV that you need to complete the set? Ridiculous. I'd love to go for some cheaper display options, but I feel completely clueless when it comes to displays, where to buy, what to buy, how to make backdrops. I wish there was a guide out there that told how to do things like printing out your own backrounds, for example. You mentioned that you draw your own backdrops and print them out (they look nice, by the way!), where do you print these things out at? What kind of material do you print them on? Depending on price, I might be interested in some of the 3D printed sewer lair dioramas too, since they're essentially the same as what you'd get from Neca and that's good enough for me. I like the look of the cardboard street scenes as well, but not sure I could justify paying over $50 for cardboard, even if it is impressive in side and looks really good.
Great questions. For the backdrops, I just print on poster board at Walgreens. I am hoping to find some alternative options so I can ship and save costs for people interested in their own. Whatever I come up with I will make a video for it so others have the opportunity. Ramen Toys might be offering us some solutions (based on their comment on this video) so we could have exactly what we want without NECA prices
Thank you for the reply! So do you have to buy the poster board separately and then take it to Walgreens or is it an option you can select when printing something? Do you have to save the image you want on a phone/thumb drive or something and take it to Walgreens? I've been in the store many times but I never even knew they had a printer section (maybe my local ones don't). I haven't heard of Ramen Toys before, do they do 3D printed stuff? @@NostalgiaUnboxed
@@BoshiYoshi just go online and mess around with the tools and then pick up in store. Ramen Toys does a lot of stuff but they made the Haslab Engine of Vengeance after Hasbro canceled it. Their option is so much better and cheaper, too. Here is a Walgreens link photo.walgreens.com/store/board-prints-details#/pdpview
Ah, cool. I didn't know it was something you could do online. I'll have to look into that and look into Ramen Toys. So you think they're planning to make their own version of the sewer lair, but cheaper than Neca's offering? I've seen a lot of custom sewer lairs that look EXACTLY like Neca's, but they're all just as expensive or even more expensive so that doesn't really help me out any. Thanks for the info!@@NostalgiaUnboxed
We all got bent over and spanked by Neca..the only difference is I'm the dummy who paid for it 😄 but honestly I know it was a crazy price and definitely not worth the 300 but I'm thinking about when it arrives and I'm displaying my figures and watching my kids messing around with it with there tmnt toys and that's gonna bring me more joy then not having it or paying more for a custom. I hope in the future Neca will charge the other 2 dioramas sets at a lower cost but will just have to see.
Im on the fence of getting this. Main reason id be in is for the joining pieces to make the full set. After watching this video, i think i could get a printer for less than 360. And 10$ for the files... hmmm
I actually bought the Extreme Sets Animated Sewer when it was first released. I gave it to my 6 year old to use with his Mutant Mayhem turtles when NECA finally announced their sewer was going up. Then I woke up the next day and saw the price 😭
It's Amazing How Many better Options there are! Thanks for the Info even if I'm Not Interested in a Turtle Lair. It Always Warms my Heart Seeing Custom makers get some Spot Light :3 Another thing to Note: I never knew Neca Was so Petty, All be Sure to Think Twice before I by Another Product from Them.
Talisac1! Hey thats me!! I got there pretty soon after they posted this and was think oh man its gonna be a bloodbath. Im scrolling through commenra and everyone of them are postive, i love it, i bought 2, wow! Im like wtf is this.. no way. So i posted my comment, the one they replied to and they removed it! And they put it back up after a couple minutes. Thats when they replied to it. I was thinking how odd they put shitpost in there, how unprofessional.
Super unprofessional! Same (or worse) behavior on the AutoT Twitter account. They were blocking people left and right. They seriously need to hire a social media expert. You can't trust the comments because they are being so selective, but enough people come flooding in and they can't keep up.
@@NostalgiaUnboxed To be honest, it's not really the FOMO, it's more about feeling like my figures are inside the official lair diorama. If I get the NECA one I know that 100% the art style matches, whereas with the custom built ones, as skilled as those crafts people are, you can sort of tell the background and the figures don't 100% perfectly match up. It's not only that, but also the NECA one is still individually crafted too technically, (even if more other people in the world will own it compared to if you were buying a custom diorama). I'm still hoping that NECA see sense from the negative backlash and likely low current sold order count, and drop their price down a bit. Even if they were to budge it down to $230 or so, I think many people would then jump back on and see that as a compromise.
@@NostalgiaUnboxed Loving your content as always Johnathan. I could really feel you and Mad Hatter's pain when you did that livestream and I feel exactly the same way.
This debacle makes me glad I avoided getting into the toon turtles, until I remember Trevor mentioning at SDCC that NECA might make a movie lair and I’m scared that will be just as overpriced. I’ve been collecting some older TMNT playsets (the 2012 and Rise of the TMNT lairs) that others have demonstrated can work decently enough with the various 6-7 inch turtles. So I plan to stick with those for now. Just need to clear space to set them up again and paint them to match the proper aesthetic. I’d eventually like to see what Super7 does for a sewer lair if they ever get around to making one. That will definitely be costly, but still probably cheaper than the combined three sets neca is making.
Do you think the Sewer Lair is NECA's Engine of Vengeance? Not a crowdfund, but a corporation's attempt to find the ceiling of what middle-aged superfans will spend to chase the white dragon of nostalgia
Awesome video. Great service to the community and hopefully videos like this will communicate loud and clear to NECA that they need to re-evaluate their business practices. This truly helps the community vote with their dollars. With 3D printing and other methods of small scale production becoming widespread to the general public, companies really need to start focusing on value for money in their products. I love to see how everyone (other than the occasional elitist/troll/NECA fanboi) is coming together to provide much more economical - and in many cases BETTER - solutions that just swallowing what larger companies decide to push. If someone likes the NECA offering and feel the price is worth it - great - more power to you and no shade on you. Just don't need to be a douchebag to others that don't agree with your assessment of the value provided.
The dio is way too expensive but they’ve got us by the balls. Either buy theirs or pay twice as much for custom painted pink foam. I’d rather just suck it up and buy the plastic piece from neca. I have the cardboard sets and use those for backgrounds in the bigger cabinets. They’re pretty good. They also make smaller sets which I put in the detolfs.
I was wondering about the detolfs. That makes sense and there are some great options for simple printed boards. I truly believe we will get someone like Ramen Toys to offer a solution here
the problem with doing it myself is that half the way i'm gonna take a good look of how the thing is coming together and i'll be so unsatisfied that i'll be throwing it out in the garbage can. i'm kind of a perfectionist when i dare to start something creative and it's so much stress.
The man knows how to make content - also I wonder if this piece would benefit from an early review? This one clearly isn’t “selling itself” it would be great to talk to some folks who’ve actually seen maybe even touched this thing at some of these conventions.
Yeah, this whole approach is weird. To list it at that price and not even have someone review it is wild! To me, that leans heavily into "not worth the price"
i have the building dio from extreme sets and i will say it's better to get the neca building dio instead for $40 more or so. you can display more toys on it and is more sturdy. the extreme sets building's roof sinks a bit so standing figs can be tricky. it does look good wit toon style tmnt tho. just don't think they are meant to last. BUT i do love extreme sets sewer panels, the simple one fold version. Not the one you have the link to, that one is nice but big and cost $20-30 more than just the panels.
The Ramen toys one is looking better and better. I'm all in on getting the two different cubes and the street level scene. Will look great with the gargoyles figures or the Fury toys tmnt since they are smaller can fit more in once that line gets rolling. Just look at the Underground Arsenal turtle van. Its larger then the neca, cheaper, and is more like a playset then just some where for the turtles to sit. I would wait and let the 3rd party company's do it better. To complement the neca figures. Play sets and vehicles seem to be where official company's lose their minds and charge an arm and a leg.
🐢As mentioned in you live chat with Hatter🎩I bet you could make a proper and cheaper custom Turtles Sewer Lair Jonathan!🛋With your amazing brain 🧠power and engineering! It doesn't have to made of clay or plastic... right!?🤔🔍🕵👍
Been hearing its such a premium plastic on the sewer lair AND turtle van and Super7 using trash plastic on thundertank and cats lair... But why isnt the van like $500 then 😅
Lots of dioramas on eBay & Etsy well under $200 and look awesome. Nate’s diorama look cool 😎 and all but personally think his price range is way too expensive considering there is more out there very similar for way cheaper.
Great vid Johnny, it’s such a let down that this set is so over priced to all of us that have been looking forward to it for so damn long… it wasn’t that long ago that I was debating on the extreme sets sewer lair but decided 100$ was too much for some cardboard then neca said these were coming 🙄🙄guess I’ll have to try and make one out of foam lol guess you can expect an order from me in the future for some arcades and various VHS tapes hahaha 🤘🏻🇨🇦🤘🏻
I am a teenage mutant ninja retro collector action figures. now i am collecting the super 7 , collection. But this, the Sewer is very expensive i am not going to buy this for sure. I prefer i making it, and i create a scene with the figures , step by step .
I bought the turtle lair from neca I feel sorry for those who can’t afford it
It’s obviously not about “affording” it, bro. But nice try
I feel sorry for ppl that are too dumb to know this isn’t about the money but the value. Most adult collectors can afford this, rockstar. We just don’t think it’s worth the money.
@@madhatterreviews6705 this guy probably bought a car during the pandemic when they were marked up twice the price and thought he was flexing cause he could “afford it”
@@NostalgiaUnboxed This simpleton was probably bragging about paying 6$ a carton for eggs a month or so ago.
Lmao whos kid is this?
Holy crap I did not know those pop-up dioramas existed!!!! Thank you for making this video and saving me $300.
Glad to help!!
I’m going the DIY route. I’ve been wanting to get into the foam board dio game. This is the push I needed to jump in. I think I can make something that I, at least, would love. And it would be relatively cheaper and I would always know how much love and effort I put into it. Even it it comes out wonky, the cartoon was wonky. It’ll work no matter what.
There it is! The love and effort part is a huge side of stuff like this. Go for it!
@@therealsharky1999 couple out there already. Watch my friend Thomas Goes Nostalgic
Same. I’m gonna make my own.
Same! 💪
Great video idea. It’s nice that you’re shining light on alternatives in a positive way and not just bashing NECA. Granted I’m in the camp where I believe that the price is a bit steep, especially when you factor in tax+shipping, so it’s nice that you’re out here letting everyone know that there are alternatives. I’ve been collecting the entire Toon line since it started and it’s disappointing to see the price of this piece of the Lair, especially since we know they’re planning more rooms in the future. Big fan of your videos!
Thank you! And they said the other two rooms depends solely on the performance of this one. They will either NOT release them or they release them with lower prices and then all of us that didn’t buy this one are pissed.
This was a great idea. Well done good sir. I feel like with scalpers buying up all the online and Haulathon stuff, Neca are thinking everyone has deep pockets like that.
Thank you!
The unapologetic greed that NECA is showing here is making me reconsider whether I want to continue collecting TMNT. They've not only lost multiple Sewer Lair sales with this one from me, but quite possibly future figures as well.
I hope a lot of people slow down or stop if they can (I cannot lol)
I'm glad I stopped with the 1990 movie turtles 🐢. I got my shredder, 4 foot soldiers, April, tokka and razar, and Casey and Raph two pack and I was done 👏🏾. Neca is doing because tmnt is their biggest selling line and a majority of the people who bought into the line will most likely buy this because of fomo, I really miss the Era before neca got the tmnt license 😔
Oh well it’s become an adult collector line. Me personally I’d buy a synthesizer or parts for my 65 Lincoln continental.
☝️ALSO: it gives you the opportunity to either do it yourself or pay a talented starving artist to do it for you!!! How cool is that??
What greed exactly? It's an item that will have very low production numbers, very limited reuse potential. It costs a lot of money to sink into things like this. There's no greed going on, to make that claim is being ridiculous.
@@Starfig I can't speak to production numbers, as I'm just a consumer. However, I would disagree with the limited reuse potential. Elaborate Underground Bases are tropes of pop culture. With a fresh coat of paint and new accessories, it could be used for Batman, G.I. Joe / Cobra, Hydra, Gargoyles, Thunderbolts, X-Men, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Supernatural, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Star Wars, Teen Titans, Bots Master, and so many others.
Now as to greed. Well, the Street Scene diorama is considerably cheaper, despite being larger. The Turtle Van is cheaper, despite having moving parts, lights, and a far more elaborate design. This amounts to five flat pieces of plastic with a few accessories. It's as easy as it gets when it comes to design work.
Some of these custom dioramas are incredible. I bought a few, extremely high quality and worth paying the artist.
Absolutely! Best part of this NECA mess is artists are getting more work
That pop up diorama actually looks amazing. I feel like my non toy collecting friends would be just as impressed by that as they would by the offical lair that they have no idea even exists 😂. Not that that's why we collect...but you know how it is lol. Good stuff man. Madness Unboxed can't happen soon enough!
Hahaha yeah, you’re right
Really great channel, I stumbled across your channel searching Ninja Turtle stuff. Very underrated, looking at the quality I would’ve thought you got the Silver Play Button already. Very nice to see the Aliens stuff in the background, the Aliens Pulse Rifle and the Ripley figure being a big Alien geek myself. Looking forward to your stream later!
Thank you so much! That means a lot! Just hit my 1 year mark August 27
@@NostalgiaUnboxed You’re welcome! That’s really awesome.
I absolutely recommend the extreme sets diorama. It’s probably close to twice the size of the neca sewer lair and yes, modular. It comes with a tv as well (it’s ok, I will get the one from the accessory pack though). I also made a foam couch that looks decent.
Nice! And glad to hear it’s good
@@NostalgiaUnboxed Buying a shoebox would be cheaper than that sewer lair
I’ll probably just make something myself. I’ve always wanted to try and this price debacle is a great incentive.
Absolutely!
I made one myself out of a big wooden box, other wood scraps and Paper/cardboard and I also put in lights. It has 2 levels with an entrance, Donnie's workshop, livingroom, training area and splinters room. All with furniture I also made from leftover stuff and hotglue. Not as nice as the ones you show, but I'm happy with it for the first dio I made.
and PROUD of it, I hope! Excellent!
@@NostalgiaUnboxed oh yes, and it only weighs about 44 pounds and is so big I actually have no place to put it 😂. I didn't really plan ahead. Wish I'll make it my profile picture so you can kinda see it 😃
@@n_explosion8199 omg hahaha that’s intense! And thanks for updating so I could see! Nice!
I drew a brick background for my super 7s & my necas as well 6 - 8 X 10s. & Walgreens printed for like $2 a piece. So I might draw the lair & print it on their thicker poster board. You can get up to 25” X 30” I believe for $15 -$20 I think
Yeah! If you can get ahold of the discount codes the boards are great. That’s exactly what I use
I really appreciate you showing us different options. This will really help alot.
Glad it was helpful!
I think I'll go DIY. I've essentially got my own wood shop so I'll probably try to make a wood frame that's nice and sturdy and then line it with foamboard for the detail work. Not sure if I'm going to attempt to do the furniture or seek to buy something instead. Like many, I don't see the value in what NECA is doing, but I needed a new project to start working on anyway so I guess I should thank them for that.
Awesome! I hope I get a chance to see what you come up with
I was planning on making my own little bookshelf tmnt city once ive settled into our new place next month anyway. Probably gunna use foam/card for the walls then 3d sculpt/print the details. Really excited to get stuck in!
This sounds awesome! I love to see it. Please remember me you start it!
@@NostalgiaUnboxed for sure!
Oh wow! Thanks for the shoutout Im Abisai. Actually working on the dio while listening to this.
That’s so awesome! Thanks for watching!
Have you shared those file yet?
@@drakedavon2048 no i got stuck on a issue
The good to come out of this is that a lot of great customizers are going to be getting a lot of work now.
Exactly! And I support this!
Great video and awesome tips! I've built a dio from foamboard before and I think that exactly what I'm going to do here. I have the Iacon Labs furniture already so I'm all set!
That’s awesome!
This is a great video idea! NECA will definitely do an interview with you now 😂 Thank you Nostalgia Maxwell
Hahahaha!
@@NostalgiaUnboxed Don't forget Flipper Frank and Mad Hatter!🎩🤗🙏🙋
Thanks for showing these alternatives. This is one time I am happy I don't collect the toon line.
If someone just wants to put a display on a shelf, I can see them going with the extreme sets.
Since I collect the movie line, I will just make a customized sewer display.
There’s supposedly talks of a movie dio, but I’m sure that depends on the success of this thing
I’m going with Omar’s 3D printed accessories. And will work on building my own lair. Though extreme sets with the street and sewer does have my attention also. I have the generic street scene from NECA but I do dig that extreme sets inset up.
Nice! Good call on Omar’s stuff
Appreciate the shoutout my dude! 🤙🏻
There he is! Haha! Of course, dude
Enjoying the content, thanks! Liked and subscribed. I'd been circling the NECA displays for a while, but could never accept the prices they demand. But now, my action figures thank you for introducing us to Extreme Sets! Toss in some 3D-printed scatter elements and some LED strips for lighting, and they will be happy to finally be out of their ziploc bags and enjoying the fresh air of being displayed. My wallet, however, is cursing me for discovering this channel...
Hahaha, that’s great!
idd most likely go for partly building the main structure and easy to make furniture, and buy the art stuff like the stop sign etc off someone that has the recources to make them better.
That’s a solid approach!
@NostalgiaUnboxed Man, this was a great video. Thank you for doing the homework and sharing with all of us out there. Much appreciated. It’s amazing how fast this has moved following the launch of Neca’s sewer diorama pre orders. I’d love to hear them rationalize the price point. Cannot get over the street scene VS sewer prices. 🤦
I know, it’s really absurd
We can definitely assist to provide a quotation for those printed folded ones in volume as you were asking.
And for those creators who have already done those 3D and if there is a need to tool them for mass production, we can also assist to have it done.
Of course, need to make sure the artist is on board with the idea.
Else, we can sculpt them ourselves and offer the items the fans want at a lower price.
You are the hero we need, but not the hero we deserve! Let’s get to work together soon. We are in prime time now. Haha! Thanks for watching and commenting
@@NostalgiaUnboxed
It must not be misunderstood that we are trying to “outdo” anyone.
We are just one of the guys, you guys.
We watch YOUR nation’s created cartoons growing up.
But that’s a topic for discussion for another day.
The thing here is,
If a Gate is wanted by collectors that didn’t fund. We look to do it, for the collectors who wants it, and we do it at the best possible price we can.
And if a sewer environment is yearned by collectors who don’t agree with whats available in terms of price,
Perhaps we can offer an alternative.
What’s the saying?
Competition breeds success or excellence?
And we are not even competing is what I am saying, we are seeing a void and trying to fill it.
What is different about the examples you listed in your video that differs from our attempts that qualifies us for C&D and not them?
quantity? A company instead of an individual?
Not saying I want them to get C&D, no, not at all.
It is those artists that is the foundation that supports what we love.
Without the creation. There is nothing.
And we are at a point now that is evident without doubt that anything can be done.
If it’s a license that is in the way, get a license.
But wait.
A license needs to be appropriately issued.
Not everyone can pay a 6 figure royalty.
We love you Ramen Toy
@@RAMENTOY I love it. Thank you for saying this. So many artists that do not get what they deserve for their time and hard work. Even the simple thing of putting the artist name on the box is a great idea. This is something NECA does well, but Hasbro needs to include.
I think your company is doing amazing things and helping a lot of artists find work. Whatever I can do to support you, let me know.
Really good alternatives. But I'm definitely going for "my own". Already started buying cellfoam, paint, pipes etc. Building begins soon 🤓💪
Heck, yeah!!
I hadn’t seen the Extreme Sets above ground set did. Might have to look for reviews on that. I would be worried about potential weight limits. Thanks for showcasing these alternatives. Great video as always!
One commenter said it didn't handle weight well, but then I saw someone post it on facebook with loads of figures, so who knows
Great video bud. I would go the customized route. Though it's more expensive. They are handmade, most likely one of a kind (if not only a handful made), and you know you're getting exactly what you want. It's a CUSTOM made for you. Collectors are all about the rarity of items that we collect for the most part. With that being said, I believe the custom route it the best route, if you have the money. Second I would go the 3D printed route. But as you showed in the video there are so many option available to collectors. Options that aren't a huge money grab by a company that seems to be getting too big for their britches. Especially considering how loyal fans of the NECA TMNT lines have been.
Yeah, dude. And with my shelves a custom route is ideal, anyway
Wow!!! Those look amazing!!! NECA who? Oh...the company that rips their customers off...that NECA.
Hahaha
When I had my Playmates TNNT figures, I made a whole cityscape using apple boxes. I wished I had just one photo because I loved it (I was in 5th grade).
I need to figure out space issues, but I eventually want to make my own again for my vintage figures. Since i do collect movie and comic book TNMT, I'd like to make my own environments someday, too.
I'm not cooling the cartoon Neca TMNT, but of if I were, I'd probably go the route to get the Neca stage(s) or make my own.
Thank you for sharing that memory! I hope you end up making your own stuff. Holds a lot more value to ourselves
I don't really have the space for a sewer lair at this point, but if I did, I'd probably just use a cardboard box I have lying around and decorate it. I've got some ideas in case some space frees up.
Yeah, something we can make to accommodate our own space is superior
@@NostalgiaUnboxed Indeed, and I have most of the stuff I need around the house.
A couple of weeks ago I made a mini diorama with a small box, a paper shopping bag, and some rocks that I grabbed out back and cleaned off. I made a hole in the top of the diorama so it looks like NECA Dirtbag is coming up from underground.
Then I cut up the shopping bag and used it to line the bottom of the box to conceal the seams and the outside to cover over the markings on the box. I put rocks inside it to make it look more like an underground cave. I'm sure others would've done more, but I'm happy with how it came out.
Good video. It’s important as people who are in this community to highlight independent makers when we don’t like how corporate entities are doing us. There are a lot of great sellers out there doing good work
Absolutely!
Thanks for mentioning my work Project-kid :)
Oh, hey! Nice. Do you have finished prints I could see and share? Thanks!
Thanks for the spotlight! :D
Of course! The people must know! Haha
Some really good alternatives there. I’ve always liked look of extreme sets they’ve done some nice batcave sets that I’ve been tempted to buy if I had space to fold out I’d definitely go with that.
Yeah, dude!
I smell that Ramen Toy is going to come to the rescue
God, I hope so
Its the sort of thing that should be a build-a-diorama pack-in like the Diamond Select Ghostbuster rooftop
Haha great idea!
Really great video! Thank you so much! I hope this doesn't come off wrong by saying this, but this vid to me makes me think of the old Johnny that brought me to this channel. Very informative, genuine and to the point. Thank you again for putting all this together. It's very much appreciated! Look forward to the next one :)
Thank you! It’s funny because a video like this is definitely how it all started, but researching takes time so I get lazy and just review stuff 😂
@@NostalgiaUnboxed I enjoy the review stuff and appreciate the time/ work you put in. Keep up the good work!
I really wanted it, for me it was the space, if they showed what it looked like in box since I will keep it in big while i move. But I'm glad I'm not the only one who held back
I can't believe they didn't show the box design! Maybe just another brown box like the old street scene
This was very informative! Thanks 💯 👊
My pleasure!
So, 299 for this, or the entire Cosmic Legions Oxkrewe wave (with 7 figures, many of them deluxe, and some diorama pieces) also up for preorder right now? Choices, choices ...
Hahaha I know what I would pick
those extreme sets look to be a solid option. i want a dio, but dont need that detailed of one.
Yes! Considering we won't even stare at it that much once it's on the shelf who cares? And so many people with Ikea Detolfs are probably using printed solutions anyway
I think, unless I just have my Turtles live in their Van, Down by the River... I'll just make my own... but I haven't decided if i will indeed give my figures a lair.
I made them a full lair, for their mega construx counterparts, but for 1/12 figures, space could be tough. I already have a homemade wrestling ring for the WWE and AEW figures. So maybe I make one, maybe I don't.
Nice! Sounds like you have some cool options. Sewer is cool and all, but if you go custom you can make anything from the entire series!
Great info bud, thanks!
Thanks!
Dang as always great video. Awesome info. Thank you Johnny
Haha thank you
I'm saying this in jest, but are you rounding out the list of toy companies that have you on their hit list (Super7 and Hasbro included, I imagine). I appreciate your candor
Hahaha, well getting "free toys" doesn't mean anything to me compared to truth and honesty. And a REAL partnership with a company would include payment. Free things to review technically cost you money when doing your taxes.
@@NostalgiaUnboxed Well said. I have been having a great time following the toy content creator community which includes a lot of passionate and creative people. The channels I like the most are the ones that are honest but not unduly negative, like your channel. Thank you for keeping it real and providing options to make great displays
@@schadenfreudeind thank you so much!
Great info on alternatives for the sewer lair. 🙌 👍
Thank you!
good video that show diffrent options and cheaper price prices for the turtule lair
Thank you
me and my brother-in-law are 3-D printing them for ourselves
Yes!!
awesome video idea! Good Job man.
Thank you!
Really appreciate the alternatives! I was beyond excited for the sewer lair sets when they were revealed last year. I eagerly awaited them for a whole year but when I saw the $300 price, PLUS they essentially want you to pay an extra $60 on top of that to get the TV that you need to complete the set? Ridiculous. I'd love to go for some cheaper display options, but I feel completely clueless when it comes to displays, where to buy, what to buy, how to make backdrops. I wish there was a guide out there that told how to do things like printing out your own backrounds, for example. You mentioned that you draw your own backdrops and print them out (they look nice, by the way!), where do you print these things out at? What kind of material do you print them on? Depending on price, I might be interested in some of the 3D printed sewer lair dioramas too, since they're essentially the same as what you'd get from Neca and that's good enough for me. I like the look of the cardboard street scenes as well, but not sure I could justify paying over $50 for cardboard, even if it is impressive in side and looks really good.
Great questions. For the backdrops, I just print on poster board at Walgreens. I am hoping to find some alternative options so I can ship and save costs for people interested in their own. Whatever I come up with I will make a video for it so others have the opportunity. Ramen Toys might be offering us some solutions (based on their comment on this video) so we could have exactly what we want without NECA prices
Thank you for the reply! So do you have to buy the poster board separately and then take it to Walgreens or is it an option you can select when printing something? Do you have to save the image you want on a phone/thumb drive or something and take it to Walgreens? I've been in the store many times but I never even knew they had a printer section (maybe my local ones don't). I haven't heard of Ramen Toys before, do they do 3D printed stuff? @@NostalgiaUnboxed
@@BoshiYoshi just go online and mess around with the tools and then pick up in store. Ramen Toys does a lot of stuff but they made the Haslab Engine of Vengeance after Hasbro canceled it. Their option is so much better and cheaper, too.
Here is a Walgreens link
photo.walgreens.com/store/board-prints-details#/pdpview
Ah, cool. I didn't know it was something you could do online. I'll have to look into that and look into Ramen Toys. So you think they're planning to make their own version of the sewer lair, but cheaper than Neca's offering? I've seen a lot of custom sewer lairs that look EXACTLY like Neca's, but they're all just as expensive or even more expensive so that doesn't really help me out any. Thanks for the info!@@NostalgiaUnboxed
@@BoshiYoshi I’m sure they will
The city scape sold so well that neca decided to go crazy and crack those numbers?
How much was that one?
125 or 150
We all got bent over and spanked by Neca..the only difference is I'm the dummy who paid for it 😄 but honestly I know it was a crazy price and definitely not worth the 300 but I'm thinking about when it arrives and I'm displaying my figures and watching my kids messing around with it with there tmnt toys and that's gonna bring me more joy then not having it or paying more for a custom. I hope in the future Neca will charge the other 2 dioramas sets at a lower cost but will just have to see.
I understand and there’s nothing wrong with buying it.
My man! Thanks for the shoutout!
Yeah, dude! Excellent work deserves praise
Im on the fence of getting this. Main reason id be in is for the joining pieces to make the full set. After watching this video, i think i could get a printer for less than 360. And 10$ for the files... hmmm
The worst part is that those other rooms depend on the success of this one. You might get stuff with one room from NECA because it failed
Personally I don't need a dio,
I collect TMNT figures because I care about the characters not the sewer
That's a great point
I actually bought the Extreme Sets Animated Sewer when it was first released. I gave it to my 6 year old to use with his Mutant Mayhem turtles when NECA finally announced their sewer was going up. Then I woke up the next day and saw the price 😭
Time to buy that Mutant Mayhem lair then haha
Thanks for the shout out!
Yeah, dude! Keep it up!
This was a great video man, would much rather support these options you listed over that neca greed. Thank you 👊
Happy to help and thank you!
It's Amazing How Many better Options there are! Thanks for the Info even if I'm Not Interested in a Turtle Lair.
It Always Warms my Heart Seeing Custom makers get some Spot Light :3 Another thing to Note: I never knew Neca Was so Petty, All be Sure to Think Twice before I by Another Product from Them.
We need to support more small artists
Another great video!🫡🫡🫡
Thank you
Talisac1! Hey thats me!! I got there pretty soon after they posted this and was think oh man its gonna be a bloodbath. Im scrolling through commenra and everyone of them are postive, i love it, i bought 2, wow! Im like wtf is this.. no way. So i posted my comment, the one they replied to and they removed it! And they put it back up after a couple minutes. Thats when they replied to it. I was thinking how odd they put shitpost in there, how unprofessional.
Super unprofessional! Same (or worse) behavior on the AutoT Twitter account. They were blocking people left and right. They seriously need to hire a social media expert. You can't trust the comments because they are being so selective, but enough people come flooding in and they can't keep up.
I'm probably going to get the NECA one but I feel bad doing it. Still got a while to decide though!
3 weeks! Don’t let FOMO get you.
@@NostalgiaUnboxed To be honest, it's not really the FOMO, it's more about feeling like my figures are inside the official lair diorama. If I get the NECA one I know that 100% the art style matches, whereas with the custom built ones, as skilled as those crafts people are, you can sort of tell the background and the figures don't 100% perfectly match up. It's not only that, but also the NECA one is still individually crafted too technically, (even if more other people in the world will own it compared to if you were buying a custom diorama).
I'm still hoping that NECA see sense from the negative backlash and likely low current sold order count, and drop their price down a bit. Even if they were to budge it down to $230 or so, I think many people would then jump back on and see that as a compromise.
@@nicholashill8724 great points and I hope they drop the price as well. Just refund the difference and gain thousands of new orders
@@NostalgiaUnboxed Loving your content as always Johnathan. I could really feel you and Mad Hatter's pain when you did that livestream and I feel exactly the same way.
@@nicholashill8724 thank you so much
This debacle makes me glad I avoided getting into the toon turtles, until I remember Trevor mentioning at SDCC that NECA might make a movie lair and I’m scared that will be just as overpriced.
I’ve been collecting some older TMNT playsets (the 2012 and Rise of the TMNT lairs) that others have demonstrated can work decently enough with the various 6-7 inch turtles. So I plan to stick with those for now. Just need to clear space to set them up again and paint them to match the proper aesthetic.
I’d eventually like to see what Super7 does for a sewer lair if they ever get around to making one. That will definitely be costly, but still probably cheaper than the combined three sets neca is making.
That’s very true! Super7 some how came out as the good guy
Do you think the Sewer Lair is NECA's Engine of Vengeance? Not a crowdfund, but a corporation's attempt to find the ceiling of what middle-aged superfans will spend to chase the white dragon of nostalgia
If it was crowd funded I would say, "highly likely".
I certainly have my eye in the extreme set man... Not paying $300 to Neca for sure...😀👍💡👌
Definitely!
Awesome video. Great service to the community and hopefully videos like this will communicate loud and clear to NECA that they need to re-evaluate their business practices. This truly helps the community vote with their dollars. With 3D printing and other methods of small scale production becoming widespread to the general public, companies really need to start focusing on value for money in their products.
I love to see how everyone (other than the occasional elitist/troll/NECA fanboi) is coming together to provide much more economical - and in many cases BETTER - solutions that just swallowing what larger companies decide to push. If someone likes the NECA offering and feel the price is worth it - great - more power to you and no shade on you. Just don't need to be a douchebag to others that don't agree with your assessment of the value provided.
Nailed it. Some people are awful about this
Thanks for the video.
My pleasure
neca charging import prices now?
Haha
Extreme sets is probably the best option for me on this. Multipe rooms for the price of one room from NECA
It’s a great choice
I been thinking about going with Extreme set ups!
I think it’s worth trying out!
Where I'm at, it's only 28 for shipping. I'm in Kansas by the way.
Taxes gunna getcha
The dio is way too expensive but they’ve got us by the balls. Either buy theirs or pay twice as much for custom painted pink foam. I’d rather just suck it up and buy the plastic piece from neca.
I have the cardboard sets and use those for backgrounds in the bigger cabinets. They’re pretty good. They also make smaller sets which I put in the detolfs.
I was wondering about the detolfs. That makes sense and there are some great options for simple printed boards. I truly believe we will get someone like Ramen Toys to offer a solution here
Bought a custom not cheap one last night after seeing this price. I’ll pay more and get a nicer one.
Absolutely!!
Extreme Sets lair looks tempting
Saw some photos recently of it in action and I think it’s an excellent solution
Love the content.
Thank you!
the problem with doing it myself is that half the way i'm gonna take a good look of how the thing is coming together and i'll be so unsatisfied that i'll be throwing it out in the garbage can. i'm kind of a perfectionist when i dare to start something creative and it's so much stress.
I know that pain!!
Love the video !! ❤
Thank you!
The man knows how to make content - also I wonder if this piece would benefit from an early review? This one clearly isn’t “selling itself” it would be great to talk to some folks who’ve actually seen maybe even touched this thing at some of these conventions.
Yeah, this whole approach is weird. To list it at that price and not even have someone review it is wild! To me, that leans heavily into "not worth the price"
This is the exact example of you either die a hero or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain.
😂
I actually took Barbie furniture and a shoebox and voila. J/k. I don’t have Barbie stuff but plenty of shoeboxes.
Haha!
Corey is great!! I’ve bought lots from him
Nice!
i have the building dio from extreme sets and i will say it's better to get the neca building dio instead for $40 more or so. you can display more toys on it and is more sturdy. the extreme sets building's roof sinks a bit so standing figs can be tricky. it does look good wit toon style tmnt tho. just don't think they are meant to last. BUT i do love extreme sets sewer panels, the simple one fold version. Not the one you have the link to, that one is nice but big and cost $20-30 more than just the panels.
Yeah, the building seems best for photos and then put away. The wall setups look like keepers!
That shipping price is ridiculous! I’ve brought many hot toys from Hong Kong especially die cast figures the shipping is only around £25
I know, it’s crazy
The Ramen toys one is looking better and better. I'm all in on getting the two different cubes and the street level scene. Will look great with the gargoyles figures or the Fury toys tmnt since they are smaller can fit more in once that line gets rolling. Just look at the Underground Arsenal turtle van. Its larger then the neca, cheaper, and is more like a playset then just some where for the turtles to sit. I would wait and let the 3rd party company's do it better. To complement the neca figures. Play sets and vehicles seem to be where official company's lose their minds and charge an arm and a leg.
You nailed it!
Honestly? That cardboard set is sweeeeeeet.
It looks great
Never watched your videos before but you seem alright you got a good vibe I'll check out more
Haha fair enough
🐢As mentioned in you live chat with Hatter🎩I bet you could make a proper and cheaper custom Turtles Sewer Lair Jonathan!🛋With your amazing brain 🧠power and engineering! It doesn't have to made of clay or plastic... right!?🤔🔍🕵👍
Haha challenge accepted
Been hearing its such a premium plastic on the sewer lair AND turtle van and Super7 using trash plastic on thundertank and cats lair... But why isnt the van like $500 then 😅
Exactly!
Making my own pics will be on Facebook
Nice!
Lots of dioramas on eBay & Etsy well under $200 and look awesome. Nate’s diorama look cool 😎 and all but personally think his price range is way too expensive considering there is more out there very similar for way cheaper.
In the end, it doesn’t matter if someone is gonna pay the price, right? He has 3 to make this month. It’s wild
Bought the Mezco turtles instead. I'll really enjoy making a sewer lair that looks substantially better than this one.
Better use of money
Great vid Johnny, it’s such a let down that this set is so over priced to all of us that have been looking forward to it for so damn long… it wasn’t that long ago that I was debating on the extreme sets sewer lair but decided 100$ was too much for some cardboard then neca said these were coming 🙄🙄guess I’ll have to try and make one out of foam lol guess you can expect an order from me in the future for some arcades and various VHS tapes hahaha 🤘🏻🇨🇦🤘🏻
Haha. Let’s fill that lair up together
@@NostalgiaUnboxed that sounded ….onlyfansish 😂🤣😂🤣 but yes let’s hahahaha
Damn, I think I'm starting to like you... You're content!
😂
Great video
Thank you
I enjoy NECA figures but I would rather pursue these options. Companies are not your friends.
Say it louder
I am a teenage mutant ninja retro collector action figures. now i am collecting the super 7 , collection. But this, the Sewer is very expensive i am not going to buy this for sure. I prefer i making it, and i create a scene with the figures , step by step .
I love it
Thank you for this video this made my decision to buy neca dio much justifiable.
That’s still ok lol