So why does something get delayed again like this, this late in the game? It's not like they are redesigning something. [just curious how the system works]
The figure wasn't delayed. It's been released already. It's been out for nearly two months.
Very very very few figures are actually delayed. Not in the sense you are talking about. Where it's a manufacturing or production issue.
The "delay" is that sideshow didn't get there full quota in from overseas. hot toys usually ships out in two seperate orders. If one of those orders is smaller and doesn't fill up a container, or they have another figure/item that will also be shipping but isn't ready hot toys will wait and ship it all together.
But most of the time what people call a delay isn't a delay at all. It's just an adjusted expected arrival. Hot toys gives a 3-6 month release window, but sideshow has to pick a single month to stop the flex payment schedule so...if hot toys say the figure will arrive between Q4 and Q1 2016 that means it will release between October 2015 and April 2016. But since sideshow does flex payments, and won't give that large a release window, they pick an individual month, usually the first month it even has a chance to arrive, and list that as the arrival date. That way all flex is paid (except final payment) before it does release and people don't have to keep making payments after its out, and that full pay buyers know they have to have the funds by that date. But hot toys still has 6 more months until they are late. And then it has to be shipped from hot toys to sideshow. So if it releases at the end of the window in Hong Kong it could actually be 8 months from the initial date sideshow posted on its site and the figure was never actually delayed even a single day.
Occasionally sideshow does the same 3month window, initially, that hot toys announced if it's only a single quarter opposed to a date over two quarters. However this again is misleading, in that the figures don't even ship(usually) from Hong Kong to sideshow (takes a min 30 days on average without in house turn around of 2 weeks) until a figure releases in Hong Kong. So if the manufacturer says they don't expect it to be out until say sep 2016 and ssc says sep 2016...the figure can release on time and still sideshow has to change the date...and people call it delayed. But it's not actually delayed. Lol I just randomly looked and deadpool is listed by hot toys as expected to release July-sept. Sideshow has it July-sept as well. So the figure can be fully done and on its way from hot toys (you could walk into secret base and buy it even) and it could still appear as though it's been delayed if you only look at sideshow. (If it released in September in Hong Kong. Just making an example not saying it will or won't release this way)
I went back and looked over the last year or so and only 1 figure out of 25 was released after the hot toys announced window and that was by three days. But 21 of those 25 had their initial sideshow expected date pushed, 3 actually came early. It's rare that a figure is actually delayed at the production end.
This figure wasn't delayed from hot toys.
(Not trying to preach or pick a fight Craig. You said you didn't know how it works so I tried to explain)
...I think HT is fishing for guys like me who need a fix after not receiving a figure for a month or so; if they push back certain releases they know we'll eventually break down and purchase something that's currently shipping to satisfy the need.
and if they weren't before they are now 
Bummer! I was hoping to get him sooner than this.
