I still don't get why everyone takes it as a fact that the DX08/ DX09 didn't sell well. I have said all this before, but I think it is worth re-posting it here.
Sure, the DX08 can still be had for retail price at many outlets... but I think that has more to do with Hot Toys knowing there would be a HUGE market for these and producing a quantity sufficient to cover such a demand.
We shouldn't all assume because the figure is readily available that is by any means an indicator that it wasn't a hit. It just means they made enough this time. When I think of pictures of collections, I almost always spot the pair of 1989 Batman DX figures in there... Even if it is there only representation of Batman (that is the case for me). And I think these (along with Reeve Superman) were "gateway" figures for many current Hot Toys collectors. A lot of people became aware of Hot Toys thanks to these. I even know many folks who count those 3 releases as the ONLY Hot Toys they own.
There was such pent-up demand for high-end quality representations of Keaton Bats, Nicholson Joker, and Reeve Supes. It had built for literally decades... I am sure Hot toys took that into account when they decided on their production numbers. That is why you see SO many of them. They made a ton, and people bought a ton.
And seeing them available on the boards for reasonable prices or at retail shops doesn't mean a hill of beans to Hot Toys. They have already counted those sales. They have already counted those numbers and cashed those checks for every one you see at retail. What a buyer (be it the end-collector or a retail shop) does with it after it leaves their warehouse doesn't affect them in the least, since they have already been paid and counted that figure in their overall sales. Most retailers saw the demand and ordered accordingly, even if it meant having stock to sell later on down the line... As these still consistently sell.
It is like comparing Avengers Hawkeye with Joker and saying one did better for Hot Toys than the other. Sure, Hawkeye is sold out everywhere and goes for tons of money now, while Joker can still be had for retail price. Does that mean one was successful and one was not? No. It means they didn't produce as many Hawkeyes because they didn't perceive the demand to be as high for him as Nicholson Joker (rightly so) and produced a quantity that didn't end up meeting demand. With Joker, they did... And probably made a lot more money because they had A LOT more units to sell to retailers. Secondary market means nothing to Hot toys... wholesale does. And with wholesale, the more units you sell, the better off you are. So more DX08's out there means more that Hot Toys sold.
I truly believe those Keaton, Nicholson, Reeve trio were massive sellers for Hot Toys as a company. I think the only reason we haven't seen anything else from this license up until now is what many folks have already said: They have other stuff on their plate that takes precedence. Iron Man and the Avengers are HOT right now, so it makes more sense to release those now and maximize profit. The folks that want 1989 and Returns now will still want it in 2014, so there isn't any reason to spend resources and time on that for Hot Toys.
And what is the first figure we see immediately after they have basically run through the deluge of Avengers/ Iron Man stuff? A 1989 Joker... And one that would take the least resources to get out fast.
Sallah
