Sideshow Collectibles has long been celebrated for their incredibly detailed figures based on characters from pre-existing properties, but in recent years, fans have embraced the company's original creation, the Court of the Dead, which has introduced collectors to Death's eclectic army of the Underworld.
With Sideshow having a big presence at Monsterpalooza this past weekend, we recently caught up with Tom Gilliland, Chief Creative Officer of Sideshow Collectibles, and creator of the Court of the Dead, the design studio’s premiere original property. Continue reading to learn about what's next for the popular line of collectibles, including the possibility of new life-size figures, the amazing Malavestros Premium Format figure, upcoming jewelry from Badali and Han Cholo, and much more.
Sideshow has really stepped up their Premium Format ™ line of figures, and a huge part of that is the amazing amount of detail put into the base of these figures, like what we have seen on the Malavestros figure. Do you enjoy having that extra freedom to tell stories through the intricate details on the bases?
Tom Gilliland: The purpose of creating the Court of the Dead was for Sideshow was to achieve the freedom you indicate. Our long-term plan always included original expressions, and it’s a point of pride to have checked that box so significantly with 3D products. Add to that our emerging publishing, print, and game products, and yes, the satisfaction level is soaring.
The highlight of the upcoming Court of the Dead collectibles for me is easily the Malavestros figure. It was absolutely stunning. Can you tell me more about the character and the design process?
Tom Gilliland: Malavestros is intended to be the curator of the story of Death—or, as we call him, the Alltaker. He is a fourth-wall-breaking concierge to the Underworld, bent on sharing the hidden truth of reality with unsuspecting mortals. Malavestros is a combustible mixture of Underworld pride and humility. He also serves as an escort to the audience through the dark and twisting narrative of the Court of the Dead.
Leveraging the classic “court fool” archetype, Malavestros sees all and knows more than he lets on (because others dismiss him). While serving to narrate the story as a somewhat less-threatening voice, we still left plenty of room to develop the character and some of his scarier aspects.
Truth telling is the providence of the brave, and Malavestros’ smokescreen of superficial silliness betrays the more pointed objective of sharing the twist that the celestial world is not what it advertises. The Premium Format ™ production of Malavestros hits right to this purpose: his scroll is a stunning reveal of celestial warfare to which the Underworld, and, ultimately mortality, is enslaved. The piece is all story. Malavestros sits on the broken gravestone, symbolizing the Underworld, surrounded by the telltale artifacts of the Court’s main players. The factions are all represented by the tomes scattered about his feet. The candles illuminate the truth of the Alltaker’s rebellious plan to unseat celestial power and balance the universe. The skulls of angelic and demonic conceit lay eschew amidst the memory-currency that is trafficked throughout the realm. The piece radiates with the dark narrative, setting the stakes of the Court of the Dead.
The cast behind this 3D effort is pretty large, but it was helmed by designers Amilcar Fong and Rachel Roubicek, and sculptors Mark Newman and Mat Brouillard. The final paint design was executed by Casey Love. Space being limited here, there’s an additional cast of unsung mortals whose “ten fingering” (as we call "tinkering" in the Underworld) helped make the Malavestros figure happen.
We've seen a wide range of formats with your Court of the Dead collectibles, including the Exalted Reaper General Legendary Scale Figure. Can we expect to see a Court of the Dead life-size bust or life-size figure in the near future?
Tom Gilliland: Yes, we have been working on this for some time. The principal issue is production cost. The 1:1 busts were originally created to showcase the Court of the Dead at conventions and trade shows, and as such have a number of features that are not terribly easy to handle in production. (For example: certain characters have hair and glass eyes.) Were we to put these into production, I’d like to do so in a way that provides Court of the Dead fans with a special piece, but also one that’s not so feature-heavy that only a select few collectors, due to final price, can enjoy it. Producing life-sized collectibles is a balancing act… one that’s not dissimilar to the devil’s bargain at work in the Court of the Dead narrative.
We continue to explore production solutions for 1:1 Court of the Dead collectibles, and no one would be happier to see these become a production reality than myself.
Sideshow has a huge fan following and the Court of the Dead line is no exception. Can you talk about the fan community and interactions you've seen around Court of the Dead? We've already seen some killer cosplay at conventions, and I'm sure there's more to come.
Tom Gilliland: Love this! The reaction from Sideshow fans—and new folks, as well—has been invigorating. It’s a pleasure to pursue one’s own imagination, but to also capture that in others is a real trick, and one I’m very thankful for the opportunity to pursue.
That said, the embrace of finding one’s place in the Underworld factions by fans has been awesome. The “choose your team” immersion of getting into the world was something I’ve always enjoyed when given the chance, and I wanted to pay that back in our effort. I’m very fond of cosplay, as it’s a sibling to all the historical reenacting I’ve done over the years. Seeing people embrace the characters of the Court of the Dead in a very personal way is a big reward, and one I had hoped we could score. Alicia Bellamy’s (aka Vertvixen) dedication to the mortal trespasser Shard; Miya Tamblyn of Arda Wig and Rob Seal’s Kier; Kelton FX and Rachel Day’s Kier; La Cofradia Cosplay Group; along with the numerous others… It’s an honor to have been a focus of their talented creative energies.
The future certainly holds more in this area, as “mourner” (what citizens of the Underworld call themselves) fashion and lifestyle elements are a part of our ongoing strategy. Jewelry makers Badali and Han Cholo are currently engaged in bringing some of these cool artifacts to market so one can wear their faction allegiance or express their Underworld loyalty in a “secret handshake” manner. There’s more aimed at this avenue for certain.
It was announced at Toy Fair that Sideshow is teaming up with USAopoly for an official board game, puzzles, and more. Are you looking to immerse fans in the Court of the Dead world with the new board game? What types of gameplay can fans look forward to?
Tom Gilliland: Gaming is a big part of my life, and a significant part of the Court of the Dead strategy. It’s fun to read about unusual worlds, but far more engaging and satisfying to actually explore them. Our gaming strategy is aimed at a platform of gaming to satisfy the story and sate the curiosity of exploring the world. The Court of the Dead universe is a rich place, so we look to use tabletop gaming, card games, miniatures, and RPG elements to capture plot lines both epic and everyday. I like gameplay that tries to suck you into the narrative, so providing game experiences that reflect both the in-world as well as the birds-eye strategy view are important to both Sideshow and USAopoly’s Project Raygun team.
When we last caught up at Comic-Con, you mentioned that Sideshow had plans to expand the Court of the Dead to other areas of entertainment. In addition to the board game and puzzles, what else is on the horizon for the Court of the Dead outside of the world of collectibles?
Tom Gilliland: Our ambitions for Court of the Dead expressions are limited only by imaginations and integrity. No matter what new stories we tell or product we develop, ensuring that we stay true to the world, telling a meaningful, well-crafted, and entertaining narrative experience is of the utmost importance.
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Check out photos of Court of the Dead collectibles at Monsterpalooza below, courtesy of Sideshow Collectibles, and learn more at:
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