Why no love for Silver Screen Horror 1/4 PF's?

Howdy folks!

I'm not a horror collector, so I wanted opinions by the experts
and collectors here who are. What the heck is up with the
Sideshow Silver Screen PF's? They look great, have low ES's,
and still Sideshow can't seem to give them away! WTF?

Silver Screen Horror Dumping Ground

35% and 50% off is an insane discount, and they don't even
show up as a low quantity alert bar on them. Am I missing
something about this line that makes it undesirable?

JS

I have all the love in the world for them. Its the #1 line I collect and care about the most. The SSE's specifically.

.. but alas, Im just 1.
and Im sure there are several others who feel them same, but put us all together and it seems we still total at much less than the ES on the pieces.

personally Ive noticed the lack of sales in the line for awhile now and am VERY glad SS continues with it anyway. Its where they started and since the color versions are what sell the best, Im glad the B&W repaint is of minimal cost to produce (unlike Hulk would like to suggest)

Alot of people around here seem to really like them, myself included. I can understand why some wouldn't, given the limited color scheme. I currently have all the SSE 1/4 monsters and the only one that I think that is not as nice as its color counterpart is the Wolfman, but it is still nice.

I actually prefer B&W versions, but I'd rather win them in contests. They're way out of my collecting focus.

Silver Screen all the way! Seeing these characters in color just looks goofy to me.

I have the Vampyre B & W and Colored version and also the 12" Vampyre I would love to get ALL but there are soo many things that Sideshow is producing right now, like Marvel and Star Wars, that my money goes to those primarily.

JSAuctionService said:

Howdy folks!

I'm not a horror collector...

JS

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Neither are many of us that is why. They are nice but not sure why I would want a Frankstein bust...

Fubeca said:

Neither are many of us that is why. They are nice but not sure why I would want a Frankstein bust...

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BECAUSE IT WOULD FREAKIN' ROCK!!!!! Oh, sorry, didn't mean to shout...

As to why the SSE don't sell, your guess is as good as mine, but look at the color versions; their edition sizes have gone down with each new release and even they don't sell a ton. I'm just glad Sideshow loves the Monsters as much as some of us and continue to release the pieces anyway!!!

Funny, huh?

All the colored 1/4 versions always sell for more on Ebay than the black/white.

It looks like more people prefer the colored 1/4 but like the black/white 1:1 busts more....

I love the UM stuff, and I have everything from the PF line except Frankenstein, but speaking for myself, I far and away prefer color and the numbers suggest that most (not all, but most) UM collectors do too. Simple as that. And I just don't think the demand is great enough once demand from the hard core UM collectors is met to sell an extra 250 - 500 B & W units.

I understand the appeal of the B & W versions, but for me, the color versions are so much more interesting to look at. From a strictly purist standpoint, I suppose the B & W versions are the best, but given the price, I'd rather have the most interesting thing to look at.

This seems to be an ongoing debate on this board. Color or Black and White? While I am a purist in the strictest since of the term (IE no Monsters on hotrods, no bobbleheads, or caricature items, no "You'll Die Laughing" cards), I prefer color in my collectibles. I would never desire the films themselves to be altered or colorized, yet collectibles are different. I want the extra presentation that a color collectible offers.

Jack Pierce didn't make the characters up in Black and White. He painstakingly detailed these creations and they were in color. Frankenstein's Monster's make up was green. The Wolfman was brown...etc. It doesn't alter the authenticity of a character simply because you prefer color...or black and white. I can understand the Black and White collector's point of view as well. They were filmed in b/w. That's how they remember them, and how they want their collectible. Which is fine. It's just not for me. Much the same way a color PF Mummy is not for them. One thing that blows my mind is that I have heard people over the years ask for a Metaluna Mutant SSE or a Masque of the Red Death SSE. Why? Those films or segments of films were shot in color.

I honestly think the SSE collector's are an interesting (yet vocal) minority. Evident by the production numbers and slower rate of sell through. A perfect example of this is the Wolfman. Only 300 produced and it cannot sell out? Yet 600 Color versions sell through rather quickly. There is also the added idea that since the color editions are released before the SSE's, that the Color versions are the way to go. This shows that the compnay has more faith in the color line actually continuing. One thing I hear "SSE only" collectors say is "I hope they make an SSE version." There is always that apprehension that SSE variants will just "Stop." Perhaps before that character (who is already available in color) is produced. So some people just avoid them altogether.

Did SSC ever make SSE versions of the final wave of 8" figues? The wave that consisted of Dracula, Ygor and Phantom2? If they didn't then you can see what I mean by "stopping" or "abandoning" the SSE versions of these characters. Some people don't want an incomplete line. It's enough for me that they are making them at all. Color or black and white. I just went color for the reasons stated above. One good reason to wait for SSE versions though is for times like these...where they begin to move out stock that isn't selling fast enough for SS.

Gruson said:

Funny, huh?

All the colored 1/4 versions always sell for more on Ebay than the black/white.

It looks like more people prefer the colored 1/4 but like the black/white 1:1 busts more....

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If the SSE UM 1:1 busts were offered with identitcal production runs as the colors, then SSC would be offering them on discount much the way they are the SSE 1/4 PF's. The thing that makes the 1:1 SSE busts so desireable is the fact that only 15 Ardeth's and 35 Dracula's exist. That type of exclusivity is always appealing to a hardcore collector. I wouldn't mind having a SSE Ardeth. Because there are only 15. Not because I prefer it over my color version. That's just my take though. It's painfully apparent that this is somewhat true, however, based on the amount of flippers that buy them up just because of their low production runs.

you always have to factor in how many want instant gratification. Which gives the color a boost in sales strictly cause people dont have the patience to wait on the SSE.
Its obvious the color versions are more popular by far, but I'll bet the difference would be much closer if both the color & SSE versions were released together since day 1.

I'd personally rather have the SSE's myself, but have yet to have enough funds to get one. Dracula and Frank at least, and definetely getting the SSE Bride when she's released.

I just like the look, more reminescent of the actual films and not what the costumes looked like on the set. Just looks more iconic and classic to me.

I'm actually glad they don't sell that well... gives me more of a chance to track them down later...

lcummins said:

BECAUSE IT WOULD FREAKIN' ROCK!!!!! Oh, sorry, didn't mean to shout...

As to why the SSE don't sell, your guess is as good as mine, but look at the color versions; their edition sizes have gone down with each new release and even they don't sell a ton. I'm just glad Sideshow loves the Monsters as much as some of us and continue to release the pieces anyway!!!

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I am with Lonnie, I think the Frankenstein sse Life- Sized bust would be Sideshow's most prize winning peice. Other than the Son Of Frankenstein sse 12 inch figure. That one will always be my favorite no matter what!!!!

But I'm sure you already know that Lonnie! LOL

I too prefer the SSE's to the color ones. The LAM is the only one I have in color and that is only because I got it on sale for 100 bucks. Was still a hard choice to make because I do like the SSE's so much. I think others prefer the colour versions because they like the dash of colour it adds. I can think of one item that I would really like in colour...the mummy's sarcophagus. As for the mummy himself I would rather get an SSE of him with the lid off.

I am all about SSE, but can only afford PF's of my ABSOLUTE fav. characters (in any line) and with Horror, that's Dracula and I did take advantage of the sale. But to make up for the other PF's I can't afford I have SSE 12" and some SSE 8" figures. It makes a nice set up, and it allows me to save money. 1 PF per line (ok with Star Wars it may be 2 or 3) and the rest 12" and busts etc. I can see, after Phibes explained it better, why the color versions are a popular item. i think I'd buy a color Creature PF because that would be too stunning.

Its a pretty good question really and one I can't understand myself. I think though the Universal Horror PF collectors are few and far between. You don't see much talk about them on the Statuefourms as well.

I prefer the SSE's by far, those are the movies as I remeber them and even though the color ones look good, I just don't feel nostaglic about them, it reminds me when Turner Classic Movies colorized some films many years back, I was astonished and couldn't understand it. I realize that though the films were in black and white, the real world is color, but for some reason the Universal crew looks better in black and white.

You'd think between the spooktakular and the Black & White Friday they would have sold through their stock.

I've got my fingers crossed for the SSE Mummy and Bride

Evan

Personally, I dig the SSE's myself because they look classy to me. If I didn't have so much money invested in the other SS lines at the moment, I would snag all four PF's offered at the moment. The discounts are incentive enough to take advantage of it.

Yes. If someone despises their SSE London After Midnight, I feel it would be my duty to take it off your hands so you never have to look at it and feel the shame of owning an SSE LAM. Please PM ASAP so that justice can be wrought and the shiney sliver of peace can once again reign supreme in your collection.