An ES of 9000 isnt **** when u consider the ES of the human race. The problem is SSC does a piss poor job marketing their product to the masses. You could grab 10 random people in a shopping mall or collectible comic store, 9 out of 10 of them have never heard of ssc let alone know where to buy one of their products. Comic book stores in may area don't carry ssc products. Can you imagine how many more consumers out there would buy these products if they knew where to buy them and that they even existed in the first place. Its ironic that an ES of 9000 is considered alot because in reality it isn't and if these products were marketed properly and were more readily available/excessible we would be discussing how ****ing hard it is get them, wishing the ES was way larger.
Especially with the superhero movie craze going mainstream. Everyone likes superhero **** now
I think a better measure is among the people who could actually buy these things, which is determined by income and other demographics. In the long run 9000 of the wrong character could be detrimental to moving that character if the market just doesn't support the sale of 9000. The only real concern of a collectibles company is meeting some given level of demand while keeping limited enough to keep customers that sustain the business. Which it seems despite a few collectors, SS is doing.
But I feel you on not knowing about SSC. I've been collecting comics since my childhood and didn't find out about SSC until after graduating college, partly because my comic shop never carried SS. But they carried Bowen, so a Bowen ended up being my 1st statue because it was all I knew. I though Bowen was the end all be all of statues until 2011. I'm not sure how I stumbled across an ad for the Black Panther PF one day but that's how I discovered SS.
At their old prices they would definitely sell. The Mystique PF is what I think is a great statue. I believe it was $250. $360 being the lowest nowadays is not really a fair price. If they did sell these in every comic shop right there boxed up and ready to buy and take home. They'd sell quite a bit I think. This Wonder Woman and $299 the comic shop would sell at least 1-3 a month I think. Times that by every comic shop in the world. It'd be a lot more sales and a bigger company. Sure it'd lose it's exclusivity but everyone would be getting great statues.
If statues were at those old prices but less limited I'd be ok with that. Wonder Woman would be $250-$300, but there'd be way more than 9000 total ES.
But it would change collecting. Those concerned with after market value would probably quit because they wouldn't be able to turn a profit probably at any point. You would really only be collecting if you like the character and/or sculpt, not for any potential value increase whatsoever. It would definitely seal the deal on who collects and why.
If anything it would make the older pieces keep their value...? Would it? I could be wrong but has it been proven yet with all of the revisits now that the original versions still command big bucks? Hulk PF, Thor, Cap? At of the end of the day that 9th Cap PF could be widely available and more affordable but there will always be those who want that older, quality highly limited original piece that less people have and will pay for it. It's just like old baseball cards, the 1st printing of an old important comic, or maintained vintage cars. There's always value in the older piece. Damn I really sidetracked here, lol.
