If he makes classic Spock(Nimoy) and Kirk, I'll buy them without thinking about it. I just can't pay $390 for Zachary Quinto 
I think people who buy Iminime's stuff - which is still way cheaper than Rainman's customs and consistently a lot better imo - appreciate that a small, boutique outfit is going to have to charge a premium for all the overheads even if they aren't shelling out for licenses.
I just don't like the idea of paying an even more premium price for something that's unofficially licensed than what I already pay for something that's officially licensed. Sure the smaller companies have overhead for what they produce too and likely aren't able to make their items in the quantities that a larger company is able to but paying practically double in a lot of cases (compared to what a company like Hot Toys would charge for a similar item) for what can almost be looked at as a knock off product is just kind of silly to me.
To me a knock off is something that's made unofficially. So these companies are essentially making a knock off item and trying to pass it off for the real thing (even if they aren't outright saying it). Just doesn't sit right with me. It doesn't have to be Hot Toys I could really care less who makes the product, but I have more respect for companies who obtain a license rather than not. Just personal opinion though.
One thing I think that you, perhaps, may not realize is just how expensive these licenses are, and the fact that some of them are in such crazy shape that, no matter how much you had, you aren't going to be able to get them. The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, for instance, is such a mess that even HT couldn't do it.
No I understand licenses are very expensive. I just don't think it's right for a company to take licensed property of a studio or whatever it may be and make money off of it without paying the owner of that property. I understand companies have to start off somewhere but essentially by taking someone else's work and cashing in without paying them just seems kind of wrong to me. Also for the record no I didn't realize this about Hot Toys and I'm not necessarily defending them, I'm just going off of how they handle their business now. I wouldn't have supported them either if they were making unofficial items back when. If Iminime gets to the point where they're big enough that they're able to afford to officially license products I'd be more supportive.You do know that HT started out creating unlicensed figures, don't you? They even made a George Lucas, at one point.
For me, if I can get a quality Blondie, I will; regardless of whether or not it says "Blondie" on the box.
Well, I think you can quibble with both points. The way I usually buy from Rainman is the head/clothing set. There, you get a painted head, clothing, and accessories for around $500. No body, and still slightly more than Iminime, but not significantly more IMO. And as for consistently being better, the tailoring from Rainman is absolutely the top of the line. Iminime still had a ways to go last I saw (in part due to cost-cutting leading to lower quality materials), but Rainman's tailor is Hot Toys quality or better. And Rainman is THE master of doing accessories. Maybe Iminime gets more accurate sculpts on balance, but you've got pros and cons on both sides.
Well said.
Fair points as well - although - yeah, as Batfan said, HT started out like that too.
