Just to add a fez more things I thought:
- I get BrooklynWolf points, and agree with a lot of them.
- I do believe it's greed from Hot Toys, but at the same time, I don't see that as a problem. I think it's healthy for a company to be greedy as long as it doesn't lead them to shady practices (and by that, I mean cheating taxes, slave labor, etc).
- I think Hot Toys improved in a lot of factors over the years, but did lower some "bars" (like the accessories that everyone complains about). But I do believe that they have to make choices and they are probably done with the goal of selling more, which means targeting more people. If they see it doesn't work, they will change it. If it's working, they will keep going. It's naive to believe a company will keep the same practices as they grow (when they do, it means that they did had a sustainable business model from the start, which is rare).
- one of the reasons license fees are high is to prevent your brand of being used by any small company that doesn't know what to do. That way, you select the companies you work with and keep your brand associated with higher quality. That's why most companies start with smaller brands or even unlicensed products.
- I hate (really do) when people think that someone that is unhappy with something in his hobby, which is always a passion (if it wasn't, wouldn't be a hobby) shouldn't complain. I see that with all companies here, there are always the apologists that jump to defend their "perfect" company (and it's even funnier if you look at their posts on other companies products threads, how much the tone changes).
- I have no Captain America figure in my collection cause none really hooked me (I almost bought the Strike suit, which I like a lot, but the reviews on that figure made me give up). I'm not sure if I will get the Civil War one, but I won't get the promo, for sure (I dislike promo/exclusive pieces, so, I only get them when they blow my mind. I usually have no problems with convention pieces, as they are usually easy to get).