Factory X: They Deliver! An interview with:
Dave DiPietro, President of Factory X
Chances are, if you collect fine movie prop replicas, you are familiar with the company known as Factory X. A couple months shy of their second anniversary, Factory X has already made a tremendous impact in the world of high quality collectibles. I spoke with company president Dave DiPietro about Factory X, their current and future licensed properties, and the secret behind their success thus far.
Dana P.: Well Dave, how about giving us a little background on Factory X?
Factory X: Factory X was founded on the belief that we desired to make pieces that we ourselves want to own. Everyone at Factory X is an extensive collection owner, be it Japanese Anime, statues, swords, whatever. Our CEO has a collection of over 8000 comics dating back to the Golden Age. And it’s this love for fine collectibles that shows in our own product lines. We do not want to put out an inferior product as much as we don’t desire to own something sub-par. And with us celebrating our second anniversary this June, we want to continue to make big strides and even bigger splashes.
DP: What would you say has been your most successful line thus far?
FX: Definitely Blade, with Gladiator right on its heels.
DP: Would you care to elaborate on the Blade license?
FX:Certainly. Our Blade license (and Blade 2, which was included in the original license) has kept Blade prominently alive. When you consider that this is a movie that came out a few years ago, and yet our products keep selling, we know we’re doing something right. Our Sword of the Daywalker, Throwing Glaive, and Blade Statue have been so successful in fact that when the crew working on Blade 2 saw our products they commissioned us to provide them will all the glaives and swords used in Blade 2. We even made two new glaives that Blade will use in the film. You’ll be able to see our name in the credits at the end of the film.
DP: When will new Blade merchandise be available?
FX: Up first we have a Deluxe Blade Sword of the Daywalker, which is a very high-end version of the sword, to be released later this year. Our current sword’s blade is made of 420 stainless steel, which is perfect for decorative display, since it will not rust. The handle is zinc, black powder coated, with polished raised rings. The tang is a rat-tail tang. (Note: a tang is an extension of the sword’s blade by which the blade is attached to the handle. A rat-tail tang tapers to a thin width.) Now, the deluxe sword will have a high carbon steel, hand forged blade, which will be hand polished with a full tang. The handle will be made of nickel, once again black powder coated. The rings will be brought up to a mirror polish. This sword will actually emulate the sword in Blade’s apartment as seen in Blade 1. The handle can be disassembled like a katana, in order to see the armorer’s mark and edition number etched on the tang. We’re talking a full-fledged battle-worthy sword, capable of chopping down a small tree.
DP: Wow, that’s pretty impressive. Do you have any idea on the cost yet?
FX: This item will retail in the $400.00 range, and it will be a limited edition. Some other Blade items in the works are a Blade Mini-Bust, and possibly a new statue for Blade’s new look from Blade 2.
DP: Well, that pretty much covers Blade. How about Gladiator?
FX: Gladiator has been wonderful. Due to continued interest in the film, product demand is high. The Helmet of Maximus is made by hand, one at a time. In fact, 20% are rejected by us as not meeting our standards. Everyone who sees the helmet is simply blown away. It complements our earlier piece, the Sword of Maximus. By the way, for those of you wondering why the Sword of Maximus is so big, it’s because it is based on an actual Roman cavalry sword, which were naturally longer in order for horsemen to reach their opponents. Some follow up pieces we’re working on are the Sword of Tiger the undefeated gladiator (until he met Maximus) which will have tiger claw decorations around the hilt, and the Helmet of General Maximus, the one with black horsehair crest. So there will be two pieces from the German campaign, and two from the Colosseum. The new helmet and Tiger’s sword should be out sometime this fall.
DP: That sounds very interesting. Now, how about some upcoming lines? I know that you mentioned The Mummy Returns earlier…
FX: The Mummy Returns has some great stuff that we’re really looking forward to making. In fact, I’ve got the Sword of the Scorpion King on my desk as we speak! It’s an absolutely beautiful weapon. It has two scorpions, one on either side of the blade, with the raised stingers/tails making up the hilt. The blade has a gleaming golden/bronze finish that we’ll reproduce, possibly as a bronze overlay over the steel blade. This is going to be one wicked sword, with a June or July release. Another item that we’re looking at doing is the Bracelet of the Scorpion King, the one The Rock wears with the head of Annubis. And maybe, just maybe, the double bladed Battle Axe of Imhoptep. Pygmy mummies better watch out when you wield this!
DP: Pygmy mummies? I guess we’ll have to wait until the movie to see what that means!
FX: Next up, the license that we think will really make an impact is what we’re calling the Marvel Universe Collection. These are going to be usable props made in a one to one scale format, based on The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe. These are going to have exact specifications corresponding to their Marvel Comics counterparts. So when it says that Captain America’s shield is 30” in diameter, our shield will be 30” in diameter.
DP: This sounds too good to be true. Let’s hear the details!
FX:Well, we have five items making up the first assortment. They are Cap’s shield, Thor’s hammer, Iron Man’s helmet, Doctor Doom’s mask and cowl/hood, and Nick Fury’s gun and S.H.I.E.L.D. badge. Each piece will be of the same quality as the products from our other lines, and will include high quality display plaques or stands. The breakdown is as follows:
Captain America’s Shield: Cap’s shield will be solid metal, probably aluminum, with the two leather straps that he uses to hold it or sling it over his back. We tried steel at first, but it weighed way too much. Aluminum will give it a weight that feels light enough to hoist and carry around.
Thor’s Hammer: Mjolnir, Thor’s hammer, is the one that everyone here can’t stop picking up and swinging around. This was the hit of the bunch. It is solid metal, and HEAVY! One of my associates said we better hollow it a bit in order to lighten it, and I said “No way.” We want it to be solid, so that when you pick it up you can believe that the Thunder God can smash his way through things, or whirl it about and take flight with it. And, wait until you see the classic inscription engraved on one side of the hammer! It’s straight out of the comic book. “Whosoever holds this hammer, if he be worthy, shall possess the power of Thor!” It will also have the leather wrapping on the handle and the leather thong.
Iron Man’s Helmet: This will probably be one piece. We tried making it out of two pieces, but it was too tricky to get the two to fit together and still look as sharp as the one-piece model. The gold section will probably be high polished brass, and the red will be an anodized red. And it will be wearable!
Doctor Doom’s Mask: Doom’s mask will be made of steel, with leather straps to tie it in back of your head. It curves partially over your forehead just like his, and we’re including the hood/cowl with the two gold circles by which he attaches his cape to his tunic. This will be perfect for a costume.
Nick Fury’s Gun and S.H.I.E.L.D. Badge: Both the gun and the badge will be solid metal, of course, with a real nice display piece. Each piece in the Marvel Universe collection will be a limited edition. Cap’s shield will probably be first. We should see at least one, maybe two pieces by the end of the year. And, depending upon the success of the first assortment, we might do a second assortment.
DP: So Marvel fans will get their dream toys at last!
FX: The last line I want to mention is what we’re calling The Warlord Collection. These are originally designed pieces inspired by myth, legend, and history. First up is a sword we’ve named The Argo, which is based upon the myth of Jason and the Argonauts. The sword is based on an actual leaf-bladed sword of the Homeric period; thus it is a very historically plausible sword. Its pommel depicts the multiple heads of the deadly dragon guardian of the Golden Fleece, while its crown is adorned with the trident of Triton, Lord of the Deep. The hilt continues this mythic theme by depicting the shield of Jason on one side, while portraying the quest’s treasure on the other, the Golden Fleece. The blade will be mirror polished 420 stainless steel and the overall length will measure over 26 inches. This sword, as well as every other in this collection, will come with a beautiful display plaque. The
second piece will probably be The Impaler, based upon the history and myth of Vlad Tepes, otherwise known as Dracula.
DP: Wow, Factory X certainly has their hands full of what promises to be some very exciting products.
FX: And we’ve got two more licenses that will be announced by end of the month, so there’s a lot to look forward to from Factory X.
DP: Thanks Dave, and continued good luck with your company.
So there you have it, an exclusive interview with one of the hottest prop, weapon, and replica companies in the world today. Stay in touch with us at John’s Collectible Toys and Gifts because we will be offering every single one of these items through our catalog and web site. Take care, and see you next month, when spring is in full swing!
