I really dont want to get too much into the whole debate over who is the best and who sucks etc... BUT I will say this, some of those posters lashing out at other people for bad mouthing SS and not respecting other people's tastes are just as guilty for bashing Medicom and Enterbay in the UU thread. I bashed Medi and Enterbay's UU Luke as well, but I'm not attacking anybody else for expressing their love or disdain for another product. i think some people are being quite hipocritical. It says Sideshow up on the top, but I think we have all grown to accept that this forums scope goes well beyond SS.
As far as my take goes, When SS first started the Sideshow and LOTR line, I jumped on board, really impressed with what could be done, as my only real previous experience had been Hasbro. Over time the SS prices kept rising, the quality went up as well, but not at the same pace as the prices.
Much later I discovered Hot Toys, and was once again blown away at just what could be accomplished with a 1:6 figure. I was just as amazed in the jump of quality with HT compared to SS, as I was with SS compared to Hasbro.
I think this experience is where alot of dissatisfaction with Sideshow comes from. The prices are near HT, but not the quality, and while we still have a warm spot in our hearts for SS, we see what could be done with our figures if they were handled with the same attention to detail. I don't so much think it is hate that is driving this thread, as much as it is envy and a desire to have SS either take that next big leap to match HT's quality, or to see what HT could do with our favorite figure line.
I dont consider myself an Iron Man fan, but I was so blown away with the Iron Man figures that I have purchased one and pre-ordered another. If they can make a non fan plunk down $350 for two figures he never thought he would buy, imagine the excitement that would be fueled by a Star Wars line. The 36 pages on this thread are pretty strong proof alone.
For the record, i dont want SS to stop making Star Wars, nor do I think they will anytime soon. I would however like HT to handle certain figures. HT could do the core figures (as I and many have mentioned) and leave the side characters (aliens and clones) to SS. HT's strengths lie in the human head sculpts and unorthodox bodies, while SS is very good with the Alien and Clone figures.
This would be a perfect resolution to this situation.