Anton Phibes
Super Freak
I read that little discussion "over there". I dunno about the sun setting on a company that has so many active licenses and collectors~but I do see some things that annoy me as late. The main one being the NRD on pre-orders.
I will add this,however~there are a lot of collectors of Universal Monsters items that started out supporting Sideshow when they were mass market with 8 inch figures and 12 inch figures. But when SSC started making the higher end exclusive stuff they started disowning Sideshow. I havent been able to figure that one out unless its that they didnt wanna shuck out the bigger bucks for bigger items.
I, for one, am about 95% happy with Sideshow. Since I own or have owned nearly all their Monster items, here are a few of their items I was less than thrilled about:
8 inch line~ I thought the Wolfman's face was a little off, as was Dracula's. Not much to gripe about here. The addition of a final wave consisting of Dr. Frankenstein,Dracula's daughter, and Kharis (Chaney Mummy) would have been nice. I thought they quit too quickly here.
12 inch line~ early offerings of Frankenstein and Wolfman. Frankenstein and Wolfman both suffered from extremely loose joints. Wolfman wasnt fat enough. I think Wolfman's face again, was off. This could just be me being hyper critical of the Wolfman though since he's my favorite(most of the time). Their Glenn Strange Frankenstein could have benefited with a few more crags and wrinkles in his face.
PF's~~ They only one I didnt like was the last Frankenstein they did. His pose was terrible since he was intended to be displayed with the Bride. My favorite of this line is Wolfman(which for the first time Sideshow went with someone who could sculpt lycanthropes with his feet while sleeping: Mike Hill). The least favorite is the Creature for me. I dont like the swimming pose. Especially when all of the others are standing. The winner for "most shattered and horribly uneven paint apps" award goes to the Mummy. I have a perfect one, but there were so many horror stories associated with this one that I am surprised he wasnt the last in the line. Overall this line of Universal Products was probably my favorite.
Diroamas~so much promise and only three figures produced. My only gripe with this line is that there wernt more. Especially since we never got a Kharis Mummy, a staple of 1960's Monsters products.
1:1 Busts~believe it or not, a buddy of mine sold me Ardeth Bey wholesale for $375 upon initial release. He thought the line would tank. I was jazzed and planned to get them all. Until Dracula came out. His head was huge and the paints on mine were terrible, and no medallion. I gave it to my dad who loves all things Bela. I painted my way with commission work to the Frankenstein 1:1 and got a Creature 1:1 wholesale. Space, and the fact that I figured I wouldnt get a Wolfman caused me to sell these off. All at a profit except Dracula which I gave to pops for free. This was probably the line I was least interested in because they were so large. But Mike Hill did an awesome Ardeth and Frankie. I didnt like the Gillman's base. Too boring.
If I could wish for just one more Sideshow Monster product to have been made: it wouldve been a pf of Werewolf of London.
R.I.P. Sideshow Universal Monsters
and you know it!
. Whatre you gonna do if they used color pencils in their sketches,lol.?
