The Willow Polystone Statue

[Chapter 2099]

This thread cracks me up. I love my true freaks friends, but come on guys, can't you see that Star Puffs is doing this on purpose to set you off? And no matter what he/she responds with, I will not reply or get angry, etc. Because it's all on purpose. Star Puffs is like a guy named Alister I knew. All he wanted to do was post on the buffy boards and get people riled up. Pretty sure he was banned several times. Just let he/she talk to themselves in here, and let us freaks get back to life.

Meh. I just like having a little fun. A little controversy is good for Whedonville once in a while.

I started to reply to Star Puffs last post, then I remembered I was talking to a poster named "Star Puffs"...whose contribution to Whedonville at this point speaks volumes.

Point well taken, Buffy Girl.

 

[Star Puffs]

It would have sold probably if there was no NRD.

What kind of man would let a $20 deposit stand in the way of sexy, sexy polystone?

 

[Something Sexy]

What kind of man would let a $20 deposit stand in the way of sexy, sexy polystone?

Clearly you don't understand how things work with SSC orders and their customer base. Pre NRD most of their ex would sell out for flipping purposes and there was no penalty for canceling. Now that there is a NRD on ex it takes a long time if ever for a majority of their ex to sell out.

I don't think their is any question about the much smaller Buffy fanbase. Especially with SSC products.

 

[binky]

This thread cracks me up. I love my true freaks friends, but come on guys, can't you see that Star Puffs is doing this on purpose to set you off? And no matter what he/she responds with, I will not reply or get angry, etc. Because it's all on purpose. Star Puffs is like a guy named Alister I knew. All he wanted to do was post on the buffy boards and get people riled up. Pretty sure he was banned several times. Just let he/she talk to themselves in here, and let us freaks get back to life.

Jeez, what was the point of this? You don't think this was a type of "reply?"

 

[Star Puffs]

This thread cracks me up. I love my true freaks friends, but come on guys, can't you see that Star Puffs is doing this on purpose to set you off? And no matter what he/she responds with, I will not reply or get angry, etc.

You keep claiming you are ignoring me, but then keep posting about me. My criticism is about the serious issue of inappropriately objectifying women and disrespecting female fans.

And this "he/she" stuff is just petty. I told you I was a woman when you erroneously called me "him" weeks ago. To feign ignorance in such a deliberate manner is a deliberate personal attack.

It says a lot about you too that you attack a woman making a critique about sexism by deliberately pretending to 'not know' my gender. I guess the message is good little girls keep their mouths shut.

Just let he/she talk to themselves in here, and let us freaks get back to life.[/COLOR]

Because it is not like sueworld, binky and others agree with me. And once again how can my criticism have been 'keeping you from your life' when you claimed you were ignoring me from before X-mas?

I notice none of you who love the statue took such umbrage at the grotesque opinions of Blackthornone on young women, which even caused a mod to comment. Again what does it say about you that I upset you so much but a truly vile misogynist does not?

 

[binky]

Clearly you don't understand how things work with SSC orders and their customer base. Pre NRD most of their ex would sell out for flipping purposes and there was no penalty for canceling. Now that there is a NRD on ex it takes a long time if ever for a majority of their ex to sell out.

I don't think their is any question about the much smaller Buffy fanbase. Especially with SSC products.

The prices on their stuff is also way too high. It's basically gone up by 50% the past few years. The price of the poly is hard to swallow when the quality isn't there to justify it.

"Especially with SSC products" = niche more and more. Smaller edition size = bigger prices to make a piece profitable. Vicious cycle. It's probably why they have to concentrate on the adolescent male market already in place they, GG, and Bowen built up with superhero and movie licenses.

It hurts to say it, but I don't think Buffy is a compatible license for Sideshow anymore.

 

[Fetunche]

You keep claiming you are ignoring me, but then keep posting about me. My criticism is about the serious issue of inappropriately objectifying women and disrespecting female fans.

And this "he/she" stuff is just petty. I told you I was a woman when you erroneously called me "him" weeks ago. To feign ignorance in such a deliberate manner is a deliberate personal attack.

It says a lot about you too that you attack a woman making a critique about sexism by deliberately pretending to 'not know' my gender. I guess the message is good little girls keep their mouths shut.



Because it is not like sueworld, binky and others agree with me. And once again how can my criticism have been 'keeping you from your life' when you claimed you were ignoring me from before X-mas?

I notice none of you who love the statue took such umbrage at the grotesque opinions of Blackthornone on young women, which even caused a mod to comment. Again what does it say about you that I upset you so much but a truly vile misogynist does not?

I'm a guy and I objected to the statue too, I want a Willow statue not an Alyson Hannigan in short skirt statue. I have no objection to sexy depictions of characters male or female where appropriate. Vampirella wears next to nothing in the comics so a sexualised statue is ok, Willow did not. I did order it to support the line and intend to paint her midriff and legs to look like a T-shirt and tights when she arrives. Faith on the other hand can be sexy as they like.

 

[BuffyGirl]

I'm a guy and I objected to the statue too, I want a Willow statue not an Alyson Hannigan in short skirt statue. I have no objection to sexy depictions of characters male or female where appropriate. Vampirella wears next to nothing in the comics so a sexualised statue is ok, Willow did not. I did order it to support the line and intend to paint her midriff and legs to look like a T-shirt and tights when she arrives. Faith on the other hand can be sexy as they like.

That's a really great idea. I can't wait to see! Make sure you post photos.

I've said I don't think it's the true Willow but I love it and I must have it.

Also, Star Puffs, God would not appreciate me arguing with you. It's not my intention, and to be honest, I didn't pay attention to your sex. Not against you, I was just lazy. Even right now I totally forget what you said. But once I read up and have another look, I wont forget.

 

[Chapter 2099]

Is it 2nd Quarter yet? Willow, where are you????

 

[BuffyGirl]

Ugh, I know. My savings account is just waiting to have a withdrawal.

 

[sloaner]

I'm a guy and I objected to the statue too, I want a Willow statue not an Alyson Hannigan in short skirt statue. I have no objection to sexy depictions of characters male or female where appropriate. Vampirella wears next to nothing in the comics so a sexualised statue is ok, Willow did not. I did order it to support the line and intend to paint her midriff and legs to look like a T-shirt and tights when she arrives. Faith on the other hand can be sexy as they like.

My buddy is getting this one and he isnt 100% sold on it as willow was more of a shy girl and dressed a bit more tame than this. Its still a cool statue. Plus his gf wouldent let him get Vampirella

 

[sloaner]

Just because Alyson Hannigan did something as a professional actress does not mean she would feel it was appropriate for a given character she played.

More importantly, can you seriously tell me Joss would recognise in this Willow piece the character he created? Willow is not just another teenage girl trying to be sexy in a conventional manner, like Buffy or Cordelia. That is what made her character special. This piece disrespects that difference.

This piece is as accurate as doing Xander or Oz as muscle-bound jocks.

Who buys these things...... maybe sideshow just wants to sell as many as possible. I'm not saying women don't buy from SS but I think its mostly guys.

 

[BuffyGirl]

Woman here. But yes, mostly guys that we are aware of.

 

[sloaner]

Which is too bad, it would be nice to have more ladies collecting.

 

[risingstar]

Which is too bad, it would be nice to have more ladies collecting.

It would be. However, the industry would have to accommodate and recognize the interests of more women, which may not be Batman and Superman or hot looking Willows. My suggestion? Why not just simply ask women what they want?

 

[Star Puffs]

Which is too bad, it would be nice to have more ladies collecting.

And here was a major lost opportunity in that regard. With potentially the majority of fans being women, Sideshow should have maximised interest with a more accurate design.

Instead they chose an aesthetic that appeals almost exclusively to a subset of devoted male collectors (admittedly a reliable target audience). They shut out most women and a certain number of men who dislike that 'sexy' style either in general or when it is out-of-character, as in the case of Willow.

There is an added issue that I have not mentioned to date. With Willow being a pioneering bisexual character, it send a less than progressive message when only men are considered vis-à-vis her sex appeal.

 

[Anzik]

I think its fair to say that SSC has made several very nice items that sat in the warehouse and collect dust. In the end they need to make a decision about staying true to the character or making an item that will outsell the 'accurate' version 2 to 1. One may think its sexist and shallow, but the Buffy statue is more busty and less skinny than Sarah Michelle Gellar, and the Faith is thinner than Eliza Dushku was in Buffy. None of the pieces are truly accurate but the sexier version will sell better and they are in a business to sell, not to create accurate art.

 

[binky]

While I can see it was a business decision meant to maximize sales to its core audience of young male collectors, Buffy isn't the same kind of license as Marvel or Batman or Star Wars. By discounting Buffy's core audience by making this Willow statue so far off the actual (already well-loved) character, I really believe they left more new sales on the table than any old ones from non-fans they would have lost. And really, who buys statues from properties they aren't fans of? Or more precisely, who besides kind of creepy pretty-girly "art" collectors collect character statues of licenses they aren't fans of?

Of the actual Buffy fans who preordered this Willow, would you have passed if she WASN'T sexied up, but was in a character-true outfit with a character-true pose?

I can't imagine if you are a Willow fan that you could say yes to this question. If that's the case, then they would have kept those sales, added ones from new (and old) collectors wanting an authentic Willow collectible (possibly expanding their own customer base), and lost just the small percentage of non-fans who just collect pretty-girl statues.

If Sideshow really thought sexing up Willow, of all the characters (not Faith or Buffy for whom such a strategy is much more logical because that was supported in the show), would sell more of her, then I really have to question how well they know this show and its fanbase. Certainly not like they used to when "authenticity" to the property was one of their strategic and well-advertised goals. Notice that word is nowhere in the product description.

I appreciate that they're even trying to still make Buffy merchandise, but this one missed the mark when it really could've been so much more if only they'd strayed from their formula of girly statues--finally, a nice Willow collectible with a pleasing portrait that could've possibly expanded SS's fanbase and paved the way for more hits down the line. Frankly, with the slow sales of Willow, I wouldn't be surprised if Faith were the last release, given their penchant for giving up on a line as soon as it stops being profitable. What kills me is that the reason they don't sell stuff out is usually because of exorbitant price and/or quality issues.

 

[Anzik]

Personally I would have liked a confident, sobered season 7 Willow. I don't have access to their sales numbers so I don't know who decided to sex her up but on the other hand if they were trying to cash in on the sexually frustrated fanboy market the statue would have been her kissing Tara or Kennedy.

 

[BuffyGirl]

Personally I would have liked a confident, sobered season 7 Willow. I don't have access to their sales numbers so I don't know who decided to sex her up but on the other hand if they were trying to cash in on the sexually frustrated fanboy market the statue would have been her kissing Tara or Kennedy.

Yeah, I would totally own THAT statue. True story.