Sideshow Collectibles Sixth-Scale Planet of the Apes Action Figures

Planet of the Apes 12-Inch Action Figures from Sideshow Collectibles

First released in 2004, Sideshow Collectibles Planet of the Apes figures were the second time the apes received a 1/6th scale format but the first time the figures were fully articulated. A few years earlier, Hasbro had released the Signature Series line of 12" apes figures which were less detailed and much less articulated. 

Sideshow's Planet of the Apes line of figures helped Sideshow Collectibles gain a lot of notoriety for high quality. This was one of the first times collectors were able to see sixth-scale movie figures with this level of detail and accuracy.

At the time, the Sideshow Collectibles Planet of the Apes figures retailed for between $35 and $50 –– Quite a bargain in today's market where figures of this quality can easily retail for $100-200 or more.

Sideshow Collectibles paved a new path for this niche market of adult collectors (i.e. those with lots of cash to spend on action figures). Selling figures direct to consumers via their website definitely helped Sideshow retain as much of their profits as possible by avoiding a middle-man. However, it wasn't long before companies like DC Direct and Tonner started releasing equally detailed figures while jacking up the retail prices significantly over Sideshow.

Figures and Variants of the Sideshow Collectibles Planet of the Apes Figures

While the Planet of the Apes figures from Sideshow were very limited, Sideshow did manage to maximize their profits via variants and re-using parts. For instance, Doctor Zaius was released in his outfit as seen in the original Planet of the Apes film, and then a variant Forbidden Zone version representing the character as he was dressed during his journey to the Forbidden Zone in the second film, Beneath the Planet of the Apes. This allowed Sideshow to re-use the Dr. Zaius figure and only create a new top and pants.

The Mutant Jailor figure from Beneath the Planet of the Apes utilizes the same outfit as the Mutant Leader. Ursus (the least changed variant from the Sideshow Planet of the Apes series) was released with and without a sub-machine gun. The sixth-scale Astronaut Brent figure was released in the same uniform as Astronaut Taylor. Sideshow then re-used the Brent figure and issued it again as a slave version.

Taylor was the most widely varied figure from Sideshow. There were two "astronaut" versions -- one with a beard and one without. Technically the bearded Taylor was known as the Forbidden Zone version. The unbearded astronaut version could only represent the character from the very beginning of the film before the astronauts go into their deep sleep. There was also a Slave Taylor released as part of a two-pack with Nova and a Prisoner Taylor from Beneath the Planet of the Apes.