Edition sizes on figures and their popularity

[NASEDO]

A joke to who? .

Are you for real? Has anything Lucas done gotten any respect. Everyone hates the PT and the new cartoon. The new Indy was mixed. SW is losing its credibility. Its a fact, not hype.

 

[thenammagazine]

Are you for real? Has anything Lucas done gotten any respect. Everyone hates the PT and the new cartoon. The new Indy was mixed. SW is losing its credibility. Its a fact, not hype.

That reads like an opinion. It's YOUR opinion, and it's biased. ROTS was the second highest grossing Star Wars move in the series, with TPM being the first. Both of these prequel films outgrossed the OT movies. Sure sounds like "hate" to me. Here's a few little things called facts to support the counter argument:

World Wide Box Office Gross estimated in U.S. Dollars
The Phantom Menace: $922, 379, 000
Attack of the Clones: $648, 200, 000
Revenge of the Sith: $848, 462, 555
A New Hope: $797, 900, 000
The Empire Strikes Back: $533, 800, 000
Return of the Jedi: $572, 700, 000

The Clone Wars, being an animated series intended and destined for Cartoon Network made a respectable $34,000,000 during it's theatrical release (which Lucas admittedly distributed theatrically for fans to enjoy on the big screen) and was the 12th most popular movie despite being an animated venture.

Add to this the millions and millions Lucas has raked in with merchandising. Hell, look at Sideshow's Star Wars releases. Over 90% are sold out, including the overpriced Medicom stuff. Forbes listed George Lucas as #70 in the 400 richest men in America with an estimated net worth of $3.6 billion after the release of Revenge of the Sith. Yeah, seems like a losing venture to me...

EDIT:
This doesn't even include all the millions and millions earned from the Indiana Jones films. Pay close attention to the gross of KOTCS to see just how much people don't "respect" what Lucas has done:
Raiders of the Lost Ark: $383,900,000
The Temple of Doom: $333,000,000
The Last Crusade: $494,800,000
Kingdom of the Crystal Skull: $784,489,033

Add to this all of the new Indy merchandise which is being swept up by collectors and fans alike as if it were the lost Ark of the Covenant!

 

[Darth Cruel]

I don't agree. The more limited, the better. The chase for a limited 12" is part of the game. Having something that not everybody has, is part of the game. Now you can argue about the 'essence' of 12" figures: are they toys, or are they collectibles? But paying between $80 to $100 for a SSC 12", and $150 to $175 for Medicom and Hot Toys 12" figures (at the time of release mind you) qualifies them more for 'collectibles' than 'toys' in my understanding. I bet most of you wouldn't buy high end (sorry for this therm...) 12" figures for your 10 year olds to play with, would you?

Anyway. I scored a Medicom 'Ken the survivor' summer fest exclusive (LE 600), and a Medicom Ichi the Killer 12" anime appearance recently. Only people that would want to have those in their collection, know what it is like...

I hate limited releases. And I hate exclusives. I want everyone who wants one to have one. And I don't support the idea of making few so that just the people at the right place and right time get them.

That, my friend, is a buttload of crap. If Hot Toys doesn't have edition sizes, why is it that we can no longer buy any of the AVP predators like the Chopper Predator, Elder Predator or Celtic Predator from regular vendors? What about the Predator 2 Predator & Battle Damaged version? We can't find them either. Nor can we find Hot Toys' Superman Returns Superman or the original Batman (not the resculpt of the original for Dark Knight). And they say "OUT OF STOCK" on Hot Toys' website. The only chance is paying out the @$$ on ebaY at 2x what they cost retail. The fact that they consistently sell for $200+ tells me that there's still a HUGE market for them. It also tells me, guess what? Hot Toys HAS edition sizes, they just don't announce them to the public.

I actually hope they do re-release these figures. I started late in the A/P lines and refuse to pay the big bucks for them. I am hoping for the Colonial Marines to re-appear as well.

 

[EVILFACE]

Are you for real? Has anything Lucas done gotten any respect. Everyone hates the PT and the new cartoon. The new Indy was mixed. SW is losing its credibility. Its a fact, not hype.

If that was true, then this forum section and the other billion like it on the interwebnets would be dead and void of any kind of traffic.

I've never seen so many people spend so much money on something they "hate".

 

[thenammagazine]

If that was true, then this forum section and the other billion like it on the interwebnets would be dead and void of any kind of traffic.

I've never seen so many people spend so much money on something they "hate".

Me either!

I actually hope they do re-release these figures. I started late in the A/P lines and refuse to pay the big bucks for them. I am hoping for the Colonial Marines to re-appear as well.

I'd love to see it too as I wouldn't mind buying up all the predators at the $150 mark. But I think if they were gonna do it, they'd have already done it by now. So we're stuck playing the 2nd-hand market game.

 

[Puay]

I hate limited releases. And I hate exclusives. I want everyone who wants one to have one. And I don't support the idea of making few so that just the people at the right place and right time get them.

You say it. Its about having fun with your collection and not minding about what you have and others don't or vice versa.

To add on, its the simple fact of sharing. If something is really good why can't there be more people having it.

 

[thenammagazine]

You say it. Its about having fun with your collection and not minding about what you have and others don't or vice versa.

To add on, its the simple fact of sharing. If something is really good why can't there be more people having it.

It's not about sharing. If it was that important to you, you'd make time to get it instead of demanding that others cater to your needs at your convenience. That's selfish. Sometimes you just have to miss out. That's a part of life and guess what? Life's tough. You can't sleep in then get bent at the world for moving along while you were sleeping. You have to work at life and work for what you want. Nobody's gonna write you a free check for sitting on your keester.

Edit: Besides, it's not like Sideshow doesn't give you every opportunity to score an exclusive. They announce the PPO WELL IN ADVANCE of the date (although there are a few exceptions like Snake Eyes). They even give you a second chance to score an exclusive via their wait list. They have it available immediately after the PPO limit expires. They also tell you in the news letters what wait lists are being fulfilled and even tell you separately to get on the wait list as there are pieces that are being offered up to said wait lists. EVERY SINGLE TIME I've had to make a waitlist request on a PPO that I missed, it's been fulfilled.

 

[Puay]

It's not about sharing. If it was that important to you, you'd make time to get it instead of demanding that others cater to your needs at your convenience. That's selfish. Sometimes you just have to miss out. That's a part of life and guess what? Life's tough. You can't sleep in then get bent at the world for moving along while you were sleeping. You have to work at life and work for what you want. Nobody's gonna write you a free check for sitting on your keester.

Edit: Besides, it's not like Sideshow doesn't give you every opportunity to score an exclusive. They announce the PPO WELL IN ADVANCE of the date (although there are a few exceptions like Snake Eyes). They even give you a second chance to score an exclusive via their wait list. They have it available immediately after the PPO limit expires. They also tell you in the news letters what wait lists are being fulfilled and even tell you separately to get on the wait list as there are pieces that are being offered up to said wait lists. EVERY SINGLE TIME I've had to make a waitlist request on a PPO that I missed, it's been fulfilled.

Its my personal view. I have always see collecting as playing and having fun with ones collection rather than an investment, thus I never fancy the idea of PPO. Some exclusive items are so significant that buying the regular edition seems buying something incomplete. Thus the issue isn't exactly about finding time to place that special order. There is also the fact that being an oversea collector, the shipping does cost a bomb.

 

[thenammagazine]

Its my personal view. I have always see collecting as playing and having fun with ones collection rather than an investment, thus I never fancy the idea of PPO. Some exclusive items are so significant that buying the regular edition seems buying something incomplete. Thus the issue isn't exactly about finding time to place that special order. There is also the fact that being an oversea collector, the shipping does cost a bomb.

That doesn't really make sense. In recent memory, I cannot recall a Sideshow Exclusive Star Wars action figure that had an exclusive that made the regular version seem "incomplete." There have only ever been two that I would say came close, but their exclusives, while awesome, didn't affect the figure itself if the exclusive was unattainable. The first was the ESB Han with the Mynock (I have a regular version and he's just fine). The second was Asajj Ventress and her extra head (which shouldn't be an issue for you anyway seeing as how you hate the EU stuff). The rest only come with stuff like a blaster, poncho, goggles, handcuffs, staff, extra hands, a tiny hologram or an extra goblet, etc., really insignificant stuff that should be irrelevant to a collector who collects for the reasons you do. Unless, that is, you're collecting for resale value which would contradict what you're saying.

 

[NASEDO]

If that was true, then this forum section and the other billion like it on the interwebnets would be dead and void of any kind of traffic.

I've never seen so many people spend so much money on something they "hate".

I never said people hate SW, its just its not what it was. And alot of people here dont collect PT stuff.

And how much a movie makes has nothing to do with the collectors market. If that was the case why doesn't SS make Titanic Figures. Some people are just hard-headed. I still collect SW stuff and I'm not afraid to admit the SW has lost some credibility. But that problem because I'm not a geek posting movie earning charts and stuff.

 

[Puay]

That doesn't really make sense. In recent memory, I cannot recall a Sideshow Exclusive Star Wars action figure that had an exclusive that made the regular version seem "incomplete." There have only ever been two that I would say came close, but their exclusives, while awesome, didn't affect the figure itself if the exclusive was unattainable. The first was the ESB Han with the Mynock (I have a regular version and he's just fine). The second was Asajj Ventress and her extra head (which shouldn't be an issue for you anyway seeing as how you hate the EU stuff). The rest only come with stuff like a blaster, poncho, goggles, handcuffs, staff, extra hands, a tiny hologram or an extra goblet, etc., really insignificant stuff that should be irrelevant to a collector who collects for the reasons you do. Unless, that is, you're collecting for resale value which would contradict what you're saying.

I am one that love to recreate movie moments in the 1/6th scale environment. Without his poncho Qui-Gon can't fight Maul in the desert. Without his cantina Blaster Han wouldn't be able to shoot Greedo (hope to see him release in time) . Without the Mynock Bespin Han wouldn't have much to shoot when he puts on his breathing mask. The list can go on. Purely on the issue of display preference I am more affected than others, since most items are props from the movies.

 

[thenammagazine]

I am one that love to recreate movie moments in the 1/6th scale environment. Without his poncho Qui-Gon can't fight Maul in the desert. Without his cantina Blaster Han wouldn't be able to shoot Greedo (hope to see him release in time) . Without the Mynock Bespin Han wouldn't have much to shoot when he puts on his breathing mask. The list can go on. Purely on the issue of display preference I am more affected than others, since most items are props from the movies.

The poncho Qui Gon came with was blue. That's not even movie accurate. As far as the Han goes, you're in luck. Sideshow packed the exclusive blaster in with the regular versions and left out the normal one. So you CAN do the Greedo shootout when he arrives. I believe I addressed the point on the Mynock, but there are still several scenes left for your TESB Han. Finding other relevant scenes is not really that much of a challenge and just adds to the fun.

 

[Puay]

The poncho Qui Gon came with was blue. That's not even movie accurate. As far as the Han goes, you're in luck. Sideshow packed the exclusive blaster in with the regular versions and left out the normal one. So you CAN do the Greedo shootout when he arrives. I believe I addressed the point on the Mynock, but there are still several scenes left for your TESB Han. Finding other relevant scenes is not really that much of a challenge and just adds to the fun.

Thanks for the reminder for Qui Gon's poncho, I am talking my mum into sewing me one. Hah hah.

 

[Mad Old Lu]

I personally like the extras simply because I love the level of detail the Sideshow guys give to all the accessories. I've only started collecting, so I've had to get the regular versions of most of the figures I have now, as I can't quite justify paying the extra $20-$40 for the exclusives. And yes, I do miss getting the extras, even though I agree that most are not crucial to the figure. I'm willing to let them go for the sake of cost in the aftermarket.

And, slightly back on topic, it would be nice to not have to resort to Ebay for the back stock of figures. It's a bit of a hassle, and you don't get the customer service you would with Sideshow if there was anything wrong with the figure. Sideshow also has those great gift cards, but only for in-stock merchandise, and the points system that would also help offset the costs. Having a second run of some figurees through Sideshow would certainly draw in new collectors like me.

The "hunt" isn't such a draw for me, since I just want the damn figure!

 

[thenammagazine]

And, slightly back on topic, it would be nice to not have to resort to Ebay for the back stock of figures. It's a bit of a hassle, and you don't get the customer service you would with Sideshow if there was anything wrong with the figure. Sideshow also has those great gift cards, but only for in-stock merchandise, and the points system that would also help offset the costs. Having a second run of some figurees through Sideshow would certainly draw in new collectors like me. The "hunt" isn't such a draw for me, since I just want the damn figure!

But would it be worth it in the end? Companies don't want to get stuck with product they can't move. Let's take TESB Han for example. He had a total production run (stragglers aside) of 10,000. 2000 for the exclusive with the Mynock and 8000 for the regular run. Sideshow sold 10,000 of them. How many more would they produce to meet the market's demands? Remember, producing less of the item costs more than producing a huge run when it comes down to the individual figure itself. So they would have to increase the price. Then how many should they make? It's bad business to get stuck with a product you can't move. Discounting and giveaways COST the company money so it's not worthwhile.

And what about the supporting but hard to sell figures like Lando? So far, there hasn't been a market to support that figure at all. Sure people are always saying, "I want a Lando!" But not 5,000 or 10,000 people. He's one of the most unbought figures in the history of the Star Wars lines, a guaranteed pegwarmer. If there's ever a figure you'll see hanging around the pegs and shelves, it'll be good ol' Lando.

Edition sizes are a good way for a company to make an impact and them move on to make some other impact somewhere else by moving on and up. Do a run for the masses and let them at it. Those who get it, do, those who don't can suffer the secondary market. It's a part of business in general. How come Ford isn't producing the Model "T" anymore? Or Atari the 2600? Sure there will always be demand for them, but not enough for a mass market rerun.

If I miss an item, Sideshow gives me more than my fair opportunity by waitlisting or settling for the regular edition. If I miss that, it's no biggie. I really enjoy the "hunt" of getting it on the secondary market. Finding the perfect price, the oddball retailer or sniping it off of ebaY.