High end collectables killing Sideshow?

[Poelzig]

Granted,many items do sell out,but when something flops,it's an expensive flop.How many Abe Sapiens,naked Beasts,and Pumpkinheads can Sideshow endure?I imagine the license for the more popular lines is costly,resulting in a stratospheric price point for the consumer.(thus the advent for flex pay)Is this why Star Wars and LOTR are more expensive than previous lines?As it stands those on a modest budget are all but left behind.
Is anyone else worried that Sideshow has set themselves up as a US distributer of foriegn toy lines,rather than develope thier own? I fear that they have abbandoned toys/dolls alltogether,all except perhaps for the big two SW and LOTR.Is their advertising in toy trade magazines misplaced?

[EVILFACE]

They will be fine, all businesses go through the same thing.

As for the importing, they importing other companies products over here, but those companies are also offering Sideshow products in their respected countries as well.

[SolidLiquidFox]

I fear that they have abbandoned toys/dolls alltogether,all except perhaps for the big two SW and LOTR.

LOTR 12"? SS still makes those??? :rolleyes:

Seriously though, if SS keeps the edition sizes in check on the least popular franchises they should be fine. Regarding SS importing other company's items and distributing stuff like the Electric Tiki pieces, well, just look at it as diversifying your portfolio. While SS develops their own pieces internally they always have something new to offer as a company.

[Darth Madden]

LOTR 12"? SS still makes those??? :rolleyes:

No kidding, I think it was a special 2 figure run and that was going to be it.

[TheObsoleteMan]

I don't think SSC has abandoned 1/6 stuff, it's just that none of their other lines, LOTR included, sells anywhere near the pace that Star Wars does. They know that they can pump out figure after figure and sell them all, so resources that may have gone to Buffy or Universal Monsters or what have you is all tied up in Star Wars now because it's a sure sell. The reason Star Wars and LOTR figures are more expensive is because of the more detailed costumes and loads of accessories.

[Xeno]

The reason Star Wars and LOTR figures are more expensive is because of the more detailed costumes and loads of accessories.

Perhaps.. or is it just because SW en LOTR are very popular?? Why sell for 40 bucks if you can get 60? (or more ;) ).

[SolidLiquidFox]

Not to mention the licensing fees involved. I am sure a big part of the price point these are set at take that into consideration.

[Morgan the Raider]

The Star Wars stuff sells, and that disappoints me. Not because Sideshow is doing well with the property, but because it's taking away from the products I like that Sideshow used to do. I haven't bought anything from Sideshow since the Brosnan 1/4 scale.

Fortunately for them, the Star Wars offerings are doing wonderfully.

Judging by what's on the horizon, I don't see much of anything for a long time. I'm saving a lot of money, so that's a good thing.

It's painful to watch what Sideshow's offering as a company right now, because I don't care to buy any of it. Quite similar to what DC Comics has done. Where I used to read the majority of their offerings, now I read only a pair.

I just don't like what they're doing. Again, fortune smiles on DC as their books are selling better than they have in years. They're making money and that's their #1 goal. Can't fault 'em for that, but, like Sideshow, they won't be getting my $$$$.

[DarkArtist81]

Not to mention the licensing fees involved. I am sure a big part of the price point these are set at take that into consideration.

Exactly. And no matter what, with SW selling and new figures coming like they are... it makes all other lines look so slow in comparison. But, I have no doubt that they have not forgotten about LOTR or of Bond, Universal Monsters, Buffy, etc....

And you also have to consider that the Star Wars figures in question that kept coming so fast all had pretty similiar clothing. No need to design a new pattern, just use different materials, and a lot of accessories for the Jedi were identical as well. So all they really had to make that was new and different were the lightsabers and head sculpts.

Now, with LOTR.. everything is different every time. It takes a lot longer to figure out the clothing and weaponry, so I expect that it will slow the process down a bit.

Don't worry, this is a good time for SSC. At least it appears so.. :D

[tomandshell]

Their strategy for getting the Star Wars line off the ground has obviously paid off and worked like a charm! Using the same basic accessories and outfits to pump out one Jedi after another during the initial months got everybody excited about the 12" figures and built up a great deal of momentum. From this point on, we will not see figures coming every two weeks like they were in early 2006.

We are finishing our fourth month of 2006, and in that time we have already ordered two LOTR figures. That's hardly a dead line--look at Bond or The X-Files, with one or two figures in an entire year. The only problem with getting the Star Wars line off to such a fast start is that the new fans might expect that they will always be getting a new figure every two or three weeks. That was obviously not going to continue forever--the big splash has been made, and now the pace will settle down a bit.

[pjam]

Their strategy for getting the Star Wars line off the ground has obviously paid off and worked like a charm! Using the same basic accessories and outfits to pump out one Jedi after another during the initial months got everybody excited about the 12" figures and built up a great deal of momentum. From this point on, we will not see figures coming every two weeks like they were in early 2006.

We are finishing our fourth month of 2006, and in that time we have already ordered two LOTR figures. That's hardly a dead line--look at Bond or The X-Files, with one or two figures in an entire year. The only problem with getting the Star Wars line off to such a fast start is that the new fans might expect that they will always be getting a new figure every two or three weeks. That was obviously not going to continue forever--the big splash has been made, and now the pace will settle down a bit.

Also keep in mind this strategy should also pay off with locking Lucasfilm's Indiana Jones Lisence so that may be why so much emphasis has been placed on SW the last few quarters. Indy 4 is quietly beginning to ramp up pre-production; budget approvals, finalizing producer deals, etc as we speak.

[DarkArtist81]

Their strategy for getting the Star Wars line off the ground has obviously paid off and worked like a charm! Using the same basic accessories and outfits to pump out one Jedi after another during the initial months got everybody excited about the 12" figures and built up a great deal of momentum. From this point on, we will not see figures coming every two weeks like they were in early 2006.

We are finishing our fourth month of 2006, and in that time we have already ordered two LOTR figures. That's hardly a dead line--look at Bond or The X-Files, with one or two figures in an entire year. The only problem with getting the Star Wars line off to such a fast start is that the new fans might expect that they will always be getting a new figure every two or three weeks. That was obviously not going to continue forever--the big splash has been made, and now the pace will settle down a bit.

Well said Tom! Exactly what I was thinking.

[tomandshell]

Of course, back to the high end collectibles: They have only sold 50 of the 150 Pumpkinhead maquettes so far...

[Sith Lord 0498]

Their strategy for getting the Star Wars line off the ground has obviously paid off and worked like a charm! Using the same basic accessories and outfits to pump out one Jedi after another during the initial months got everybody excited about the 12" figures and built up a great deal of momentum. From this point on, we will not see figures coming every two weeks like they were in early 2006.

We are finishing our fourth month of 2006, and in that time we have already ordered two LOTR figures. That's hardly a dead line--look at Bond or The X-Files, with one or two figures in an entire year. The only problem with getting the Star Wars line off to such a fast start is that the new fans might expect that they will always be getting a new figure every two or three weeks. That was obviously not going to continue forever--the big splash has been made, and now the pace will settle down a bit.

And now that the Jedi have been adequately covered, Sideshow is going to have to start moving into figures that need much more time to develop. Any future "Heroes of the Rebellion" figures will require more intricate, unique costumes (Bespin Leia, Lando, Padme, etc.). The Sith all look different, and each has their own unique requirements that may take time. Maul's head sculpt. Vader's armor. Palpatine's (hopefully) interchangeable heads. Dooku...yeah he's probably the easiest next to the Vader Sith Apprentice repaint of Anakin.

[TheObsoleteMan]

Of course, back to the high end collectibles: They have only sold 50 of the 150 Pumpkinhead maquettes so far...The fact that SOTA is releasing a huge Pumpkinhead figure probably isn't helping that one any.

[Viking28]

Granted,many items do sell out,but when something flops,it's an expensive flop.How many Abe Sapiens,naked Beasts,and Pumpkinheads can Sideshow endure?I imagine the license for the more popular lines is costly,resulting in a stratospheric price point for the consumer.(thus the advent for flex pay)Is this why Star Wars and LOTR are more expensive than previous lines?As it stands those on a modest budget are all but left behind.
Is anyone else worried that Sideshow has set themselves up as a US distributer of foriegn toy lines,rather than develope thier own? I fear that they have abbandoned toys/dolls alltogether,all except perhaps for the big two SW and LOTR.Is their advertising in toy trade magazines misplaced?

I disagree (and naked beast is actually on the low supply alert) there are just as many "toy/dolls" that have yet to sell out that have been on the site for quite awhile. This company is doing it all, were other companies are either shrinking or closing their doors, Sideshow is growing. These guys are covering so much ground its unbelievable how many choices you can collect from them. These guys most work 24/7 to keep all these releases coming each week.

I also think they are going to continue to grow to become a major distributor (lookout Diamond).

udging by what's on the horizon, I don't see much of anything for a long time. I'm saving a lot of money, so that's a good thing.
It's painful to watch what Sideshow's offering as a company right now, because I don't care to buy any of it. Quite similar to what DC Comics has done. Where I used to read the majority of their offerings, now I read only a pair.
I just don't like what they're doing. Again, fortune smiles on DC as their books are selling better than they have in years. They're making money and that's their #1 goal. Can't fault 'em for that, but, like Sideshow, they won't be getting my $$$$.

About 97% of my collecting funds is going twords Sideshow products now.

[tomandshell]

I also think they are going to continue to grow to become a major distributor (lookout Diamond).

The writing is on the wall. They are already distributing their own stuff by the thousands. Add to that the deals that have been to distribute stuff from Electric Tiki, Medicom, and Hot Toys, and mix in a move to a larger facility with a bigger and better warehouse/shipping space, and you can see where things are going...
:chew

I wonder if even Weta might think about teaming up with Sideshow again for distribution one of these days.

[SolidLiquidFox]

Star Wars, Marvel and then LOTR. That seems to be the order of priorities nowadays over at SS and I think we can all understand why.

I can see the frustration some have (including myself in terms of LOTR 12") but when all is said and done I think SS will keep a good rotation going on the properties they are developing. I think right now PF Boba Fett is taking a big part of their time. At least I would like to think so. :monkey3

SW 12" will slow down at some point but I can't see it happening anytime soon. It is easily their best revenue maker and as a business it doesn't make sense to slow down now no matter what was said before. :rolleyes:

[tomandshell]

I think right now PF Boba Fett is taking a big part of their time. At least I would like to think so. :monkey3

Fett!! Fett!! Fett!!

[pjam]

And now that the Jedi have been adequately covered, Sideshow is going to have to start moving into figures that need much more time to develop. Any future "Heroes of the Rebellion" figures will require more intricate, unique costumes (Bespin Leia, Lando, Padme, etc.). The Sith all look different, and each has their own unique requirements that may take time. Maul's head sculpt. Vader's armor. Palpatine's (hopefully) interchangeable heads. Dooku...yeah he's probably the easiest next to the Vader Sith Apprentice repaint of Anakin.

So true, the lead time must be much longer.

[King Darkness]

IMO ,this will go down as SS biggest year EVER!! The amount of product being pushed out by SS right now is amazing....But I dont think it will be like this forever...There will be a gradule slowing of products...I think right now SS is building for the furture...They have become very "commercial" right now, which is a good thing....For SS to endure for years to come they need a nest egg...and I think that is what they are building right now with big money making franchises like SW and Marvel and LOtR....Once the dust settles and and the smoke clears we will see SS go back to what made the great...More "off the radar" licenses with low ES and more obscure characters.....No matter what or how SS changes in the future it will be for the better....Right now I am very happy with SS and the products coming out from them.....

[tomandshell]

http://www.sideshowtoy.com/mas_assets/large/7142.jpghttp://www.sideshowtoy.com/mas_assets/large/2923.jpghttp://www.sideshowtoy.com/mas_assets/large/2933.jpg

Did somebody say "off the radar"? :D

I wasn't expecting any of these releases!

Just looking at the SDCC exclusive list this year shows that that haven't completely moved away from the obscure items. Twisted Rabbits and Lady Sham are certainly not the most commercial use of two SDCC slots. We could easily have seen more Star Wars or LTOR stuff take their place.

I agree that this is a real time of growth and expansion for Sideshow, and I'm impressed with how often they have given us some surprise obscure items mixed in with the other popular things.

[SolidLiquidFox]

I think Jaws is their biggest off the radar hit so far this year. I think the true greatness of that piece won't be noticed until after is released. :monkey5

[King Darkness]

The only thing I see wrong is the timeing of these, they are mixed in with HUGE franchise annoucements....Its easy for a Pumkinhead or Tremors release to get lost in the Lurtz's and Vader's...or ahything with a big name attached to it....With all the big name products coming out from SS right now and large cost of many of these items its hard to see threw all that....What I was saying, once the freshness wears off of SW and LOrR (and it will,they will always be big sellers but right now we only actually HAVE one SW figure and thats Luke,once there are numerous figures in hand and on ebay the demand will slow)SS can put more of a focus on smaller licences and give them a bigger push, rather than squize them in between Fett's and Frodo's....but thats just my opinion.

[Sith Lord 0498]

The fact that SOTA is releasing a huge Pumpkinhead figure probably isn't helping that one any.

Yeah, but SOTA can't meet a release date to save their lives. Heck, they can't even hit the right quarter most of the time. By their original release dates, we should be into Now Playing Series 5 by now, but Series 2 is a rare find most of the time. Some items never surfaced (the Darkman bust for example).

So I doubt their version of Pumpkinhead will affect Sideshow's version. Although, is there really even that much interest in Pumpkinhead to warrant what SSC is releasing anyway???

[Darklord Dave]

I think SSC has decided they want to remain a certain size company so as not to jeopardize their place in the industry. If they expanded widely, adding a lot of new employees so as to develop a lot of different products it could come back and bite them in the ass. They are not only importing other companies' stuff but a lot of the development of product is out of house, such as all of those above. Star Wars, LotR and Marvel are the only ones that they develop from scratch. Perhaps they liked the business model they pioneered with Weta and have decided to do that on a smaller scale.

I too am saddened by the non-SW lines getting less attention - there's a ton more to be done with Buffy, Bond, even Universal Monsters. And I'd love to see them go after licenses that other companies are picking up such as BG. But the R&D on Buffy's The Judge would be about the same as that on OT Vader - which are you going to concentrate on, a figure that will sell 2000, or 10,000?

[elwood49]

It's painful to watch what Sideshow's offering as a company right now, because I don't care to buy any of it. Quite similar to what DC Comics has done. Where I used to read the majority of their offerings, now I read only a pair.

I just don't like what they're doing. Again, fortune smiles on DC as their books are selling better than they have in years. They're making money and that's their #1 goal. Can't fault 'em for that, but, like Sideshow, they won't be getting my $$$$.

This actually sums things up pretty well for me also. Sideshow's lineup this year is SEVERELY lacking for me personally. I understand they are making a nice profit from the SW 12" toys, and I don't blame them for milking that.

What I do blame them for is allowing the SW PF line and the other 12" lines to suffer so badly. I really think they need to launch a division with a dedicated team solely for the SW 12" line. Those toys are taking up most of the resources right now, and all the other lines have virtually stopped. I don't collect any 12" figures, but I feel bad for those who can't get any new figures in their favorite line.

If Sideshow can't handle the production demands of the new SW line, they should hire a bunch of new people solely to work on that project. They should commission new sculptors, rent new space for the Star Wars team, and hire more staff. This is a MAJOR operation, and Sideshow seems to be overwhelmed with it currently, IMO. When they got the SW 12" license, they should have moved forward on a major company expansion. Now that the new offices are in place, hopefully we'll see something to this effect in the very near future.

And of course, WHERE IN THE HELL IS A NEW STAR WARS PF?!!! It's beyond ridiculous at this point. There has been one announcement (Leia) since Kenobi was shown in early July 2005. This line is also selling very well, and it seems to be forgotten in favor of all the SW 12" toys.

[DarkArtist81]

Yeah, I'm hoping that SDCC is on fire with announcements outside of SW 12 inch. I would love to see a Fett PF (or any for that matter), A new Bond would be awesome as well... Maybe a Giles to finally settle all the Buffy fans fears to rest. And a continuation of some Classic Universal Monster to satisfy those fans.

Oh, and maybe a LOTR announcement or two... make everyone happy.

A guy can dream can't he? :o I mean, Toy Fare was huge... so I expect SDCC to not disappoint either.

[Viking28]

What I do blame them for is allowing the SW PF line and the other 12" lines to suffer so badly. I really think they need to launch a division with a dedicated team solely for the SW 12" line. Those toys are taking up most of the resources right now, and all the other lines have virtually stopped. I don't collect any 12" figures, but I feel bad for those who can't get any new figures in their favorite line.

Didn't they say they were going to release what was it 10-12 SW figures this year? So if they did that all at once you would hear everyone crying that Sideshow was trying to take all their money and drive them from home.
They said from the start the Lotr figure line would not be as intense as the SW 12in line.
As far as the SW and LOTR P/Fs maybe their working on the Indy, Terminator 1/4s, LOTR 1:1 busts also? I mean who knows (besides Sideshow) it's all just a bunch of crazy speculation

[galactiboy]

I'm personally buying a lot more from Sideshow than I ever have in the past. I only collect their 1/6 figures, and have around 30 non-SW figures, but since they've started announcing SW and LOTR figures I've been dilligently waiting by my computer for the start times. And it does seem like they have a decent amount of lines since they curently for pre-order they have the terminator figures, an Angel, Jason Vorhees, as well as a couple of Scarface Ermey and Chuck figures. Not to mention the new Freddy figure coming out at SDCC. That still seems like a lot, especially when you throw in all of the Hot Toys and Medicom releases.

As for the Pumpkinhead statue, that was probably a bad idea :monkey2

[gambit]

As for the Pumpkinhead statue, that was probably a bad idea :monkey2

You know what, for the first time I heard pumpkinhead by SS and I love movies. I totally agree that it is a bad idea

[Protozaius]

And of course, WHERE IN THE HELL IS A NEW STAR WARS PF?!!! It's beyond ridiculous at this point. There has been one announcement (Leia) since Kenobi was shown in early July 2005. This line is also selling very well, and it seems to be forgotten in favor of all the SW 12" toys.

I wonder if the secondary market is hurting this line. I know that you can pick up the past releases like Luke and Han for a fraction of the original pre-order price. Why pre-order now and pay top dollar when you can wait a year or so a get a deal. Like buying cars, let someone else drive the new cars off the lot and get hit with the heavy asset depreciation.

And Sideshow has taught their collectors well the fine art of waiting. :rolleyes:

[Seaward]

Could anybody help me crunch some actual numbers on some of this stuff? I don't know that sales of non-Star Wars lines have significantly decreased since the inception of Star Wars 12-inch. Does the Sideshow Archive actually list real release dates, as it may be interesting to see how lines performed annually in terms of releases, just to see if things have really slowed down, or if Star Wars is just moving so fast it makes other release calendars appear glacial.

I am thinking it may be worthwhile to see how many releases Uni Monsters, Buffy, and others got annually before the SW license was announced. I know some lines may be outliers do to heavy releases in a short period, like POTA, or simply the logistical end of a line, like Platoon.

I know we all eagerly anticipate a new release, but it could be that clouds the issue!

(Forgive me if I offend any Platoon Fans, I just can't think of any other standout characters that would be saleable as toys, but hey, I would buy Ben Quadrinaros!)

[Poelzig]

I imagine the production cost on higher end items doesn't leave much room for profit,so a small mistake in an edition size or potential fan intrest could be an expensive mistake.On a 12 incher,it's just fabricating a new head and tailoring a new outfit,not a big risk for a few misfires...and I have to admit some of the misfires have been my favorites.(Fritz,for example...or the western figures)
I'd wager Sota's Pumpkinhead will sell out quickly,while the Winston studio version lingers eternaly.Perhaps second best,but it's a smarter piece because it is still a toy,and you wont have to eat pumpkin seed for a month to afford it.

[gdb]

Don't worry too much. The logical progression is that Hasbro buys Sideshow and uses it as a boutique outlet. The more bombs only speeds this progress.

[elwood49]

As far as the SW and LOTR P/Fs maybe their working on the Indy, Terminator 1/4s

Why would I care? I'm getting the CM T-800 and CM Indy. I wish Sideshow would make more of that type of product. The Predator Maquette is BY FAR my most anticipated SS piece ever.

While SS is releasing all these 12" figures, I'll be taking my money elsewhere and ordering the CM Alien later this month. :) When you count the above 2 pieces, that's $4,500 that SS is missing out on.

As for Sideshow, with a few exceptions such as Jaws, the ONLY pieces I want are LOTR PF's, SW PF's, and Stan Winston Studios pieces. Maul is likely the only 1:1 bust that I'll ever buy.

I imagine the production cost on higher end items doesn't leave much room for profit.

I don't think that's necessarily true.

300 Predator Exclusives times $1,000= $300,000. Consider that Sideshow sells the regular Predators wholesale for $600 each. That means that they cost FAR less than $600 each to produce. If they cost far less than $600 to produce, then imagine the profit margin for those sold at full $1,000 retail.

Additionally, let's say that 1/2 of the 750 ES regular Predators go to dealers and 1/2 are sold from the SS website. That means 325 * 0.60 * $1,000= $195,000 + 325 *$1,000= $325,000.

$300,000 (Exclusive Predator) + $195,000 (Regular Predator for dealers) + $325,000 (Regular Predator from SS site) = $820,000.

Let's take the Anakin 12" as the counter example:

1,750 * $55 = $96,250 + 3,500*$55 = $192,500 +3,500*0.60*$55= $115,500

Total = $404,250. Again this is based on half of the regular edition being sold to dealers and half being sold on the SS site.

Of course, the Predator has a higher overhead cost, but this is also a comparison to a Star Wars figure. Imagine the same comparison of the Predator maquette to say... a Buffy figure.

There IS room for high-end products in the marketplace.

[The Josh]

Why would I care? I'm getting the CM T-800 and CM Indy. I wish Sideshow would make more of that type of product. The Predator Maquette is BY FAR my most anticipated SS piece ever.

I don't see why they won't make more stuff like the Predator or 1/4 Indy. I think they are taking their time doing it though to make sure they have it right. No point in rushing that stuff and if CM has them ready well then good for them. Also I think they know their niche and want to keep that collector happy as well.

While SS is releasing all these 12" figures, I'll be taking my money elsewhere and ordering the CM Alien later this month. :) When you count the above 2 pieces, that's $4,500 that SS is missing out on.

Well, with all the 12" and SDCC items they are selling lately I don't think they'll be missing that $4,500 bucks much.

As for Sideshow, with a few exceptions such as Jaws, the ONLY pieces I want are LOTR PF's, SW PF's, and Stan Winston Studios pieces. Maul is likely the only 1:1 bust that I'll ever buy.


Really, other than needing to mix in some more SW PF pieces and get LOTR (both lines) off the ground some more they are going a pretty good job. There have been several Marvel pieces offered over the last few months as well as stuff from other lines and new lines.

What I think maybe you're wanting Elwood is for SS to go totally like CM and only go at the very high end collector. I just don't think that would be a good idea. For collectors like me who are in the market of the 12" to PF pieces going the CM way where items are 1k plus is just not a good thing. That's how I'm taking what your post meant. Please correct me if I'm wrong. :)

[occulum]

I think things are just perfect the way they are.
I dont care about the SW or LOTR lines really. Love the movies, but not interested in the product. But what I DO like is everyone elses' interest in the product.

I'm a horror fan for the most part and i really like the low-run hi-end stuff. And its just a guess but I agree that the profits reaped from those things have got to be miniscule when compared to the SW, LOTR's stuff. So the way I view it is that the popular products enable SS to do the hi-end stuff and maybe even lose a little profit on them. But its those products that make SS so cool. They do the mass products, cash in, and then also the occasional obscure pricey stuff. Its what sets them apart IMO.

So SS please keep cranking out the SW, LOTR lines and throw me a UniMonClassic/Jaws/Reign of Fire bone every once in awhile. Im no money bags and have plenty of patience to spare. :D

PS: now I'll admit I did have a PF Lurtz on order, but just cancelled it. awesome piece though

[Shai Hulud]

As for the Pumpkinhead statue, that was probably a bad idea :monkey2


Actually, It wasnt a bad idea, the 850$ price was a bad idea....

[gambit]

I feel that another thing that killing SS produts is the high ES. Take the Obi Wan PF for example. It is 275 $ but still SS having difficulty to sell all Obi wans. As far as I know they couldn't even sell all the exclusives yet which has an ES of 1250. This shall be something to think on imo.

I know the exclusive item is not so a necessary one but still, we are talking of SW here not elektra. and the regular versions are only selling for 200 $ in ebay.

but dr. doom, on the contrary, increases its price and even the regular is selling for at least 15 % more in ebay. Because the ES is much more lower than Obi wan and also it is a better statue than Obi imo.

So it's like this

[Karl Stromberg]

I wonder if they're gonna sell all the full sz'd T-800s , 6.000 is an insane amount for most folks !!

[NASEDO]

The 12 inch and PF LOTR lines Killed the SSW value. And the high editions also are hurting the company. EBAY cheaper end of story. But LOTR Diorama's would of been much better. The new stuff for me conflicts with the old. Why not try and be unique and bring something different to the market like LOTR Diorama's. Gentle Giant is doing the cartoon thing which is a great idea.

I understand people collect different scales of figures but too much of anything is a bad idea.

And I don't like what I have seen so far from the new LOTR lines. And alot of people complained to. From PF Frodo and 12 inch Aragorn. SSW stuff isn't perfect but much of it is great. So competing with yourself is hard especially when the previous figures where awesome.

[Darth Loki]

There are a lot of collectors out there. I only have 3 pieces of Poly but plan on getting every 12" and most likely every PF for LOTR. SS is doing fine and I see no reason why that would change any time soon.

[Seaward]

I think the SSW LOTR line is almost a seperate entity. That partnership created some amazing collectibles, and having seen a majority of them in person, I was always really pleased with each piece produced. I always loved toys over statues, though, and this is where Sideshow has me hooked. I even think the toy likenesses that I have seen thus far are better (in my opinion) than those produced by SSW. There will be some items where the original Poly has an edge, and nobody did bad guys better, but I am eager to see more of what Sideshow has to offer. As a collector, I will be trying to get as many of the 1/6 figures as possible, and every now and again, I will try and scrimp and save to get a 1/4 scale PF. I adore some of the more "high-end" items Sideshow produces, but could not afford it. The 1/6 lines allow me to get "high-end" toys with great quality and a great price where I could get more than one!

[tomandshell]

Seaward--Best avatar ever!

(With apologies to Jesseawilson.)

[Darth Loki]

My vote still goes to Jesse.:bouncin :bouncin

[Wor-Gar]

My vote still goes to Jesse.:bouncin :bouncin

Yeah, me too. Jesse's is hard to beat... :lol

[Seaward]

Seaward--Best avatar ever!

(With apologies to Jesseawilson.)

I gotta concede that the Jesse avatar is simply the best! Hypnotic, pendulous, rhythmic, I could watch it all day.

I have been trying to resize a Ricky Gervais avatar, from the Office when he dances like a maniac, highly recommended!

back to the thread: I am about to possibly dip my toe into the higher end of Sideshow collectibles. A retailer made me a very generous offer on a couple of PF figures, namely Freddy, Jason and the Terminator endoskeleton. I have seen these on the web only, but I would appreciate any opinions on these! I will be checking out Captain Toy tonight, but the more opinions the merrier!

I had a collection of LOTR poly, and am selling these to fund a new car/engagement ring, but I wanted to "treat" myself to a little something, and this was a very generous offer!

[danfaz]

Well, I'll just jump in and say I only buy the high end stuff. Of course, I only buy the Alien products, and most of them are in the upper scale catagory, so I really have no choice! :rotfl

[Seaward]

Welcome Danfaz!!! What, no Hot Toys marines standing guard around some of the busts? Those pictures you posted are amazing!

[NASEDO]

The only good thing about the Weta stuff dropping in value is I can now pick up alot of the stuff I sold and didn't get cheap. But I still dont have the money because of all the stuff SS is shipping/making. And alot of the hard to get Weta pieces haven't dropped to much. I still watch the Sam and Bill auctions. Still too much.

[Seaward]

Nasedo, out of everything I sold, Sam and Bill was the only one I had trouble parting with. It is one of the nicest sculpts, but it also captures so much of the "hobbity-ness" of the whole LOTR experience, and for me Sam is the true hero of the story!

[NASEDO]

I need to complete the Hobbits, and I remember someone counting Sam and Bill as part of the Riders series which makes me want it more.

Back to the topic.

SS could help it's sales and bring up ebay prices if it brought back the 2 PIECE LIMIT. For 12 inch figures it should be a must. Collectibles; mint condition so don't open the box. Get 2, one to open and one to play with. But then you twice the canceled orders and higher editions. I knew I should of never tried to reply on this topic. I've been seeing it pop up for the past week but it wouldn't go away. I'm happy with everything.

[SolidLiquidFox]

The regular version is the one to open.

[Wor-Gar]

I'm happily contributing to the increased value of the exclusives by opening every exclusive I have -- that's all I order.

[danfaz]

Welcome Danfaz!!! What, no Hot Toys marines standing guard around some of the busts? Those pictures you posted are amazing!

Cheers Seaward! Well, I have considered the HT Marines, but at the MO, I gotta save all my cash for the upcoming 1:1 Aliens bust :drool

[Seaward]

For the prices for some of the Aliens merch, you gotta save up your money, and then rob the guy next to you! :google

[danfaz]

:rotfl aint that the truth!