AFRAID OF THE NEXT SDCC

I’ve finished my collection (counting the P.O.s) but for one piece that I’m negotiating with the factory, Gantaku, the Balance of Nine Skies Azure Dragon SHCC version. It’s all almost set. Therefore, I already consider it a P.O. Being that way, here’s what’s yet to come:

Putting them all together got me wowed at how many pieces I’ve pre-ordered. It’s a lot to me. All have a special meaning to me, each one gave the “click” and I deeply like them all. Certainly, to my parameters, is a great finale that will slowly arrive in the months to come. And may take years for all of them – along with others – make their way from my brother’s US basement to my room in Brazil. Maybe I will have to wait until 2020 to have them all here. But my room is already being planned by an architect to accommodate all the figures I have and the ones yet to arrive. I hope she can figure it out because my room isn’t that big.

Well, with these statues, I feel I finally completed my collection. The sense of fulfillment is very pleasant, something I never experienced before in around fifteen years of collecting. I think I’m done and I’m very glad I did. It’s not a big collection. I have several Japanese PVC figures I can’t even dare to name, but I can list the resin ones. You will realize I have the tendency to choose underrated statues, having no grail whatsoever. Here’s the list I passed to the architect with the measurements (which I will not mention here):

- SS Hulk Life-Size Bust (green version)

- SS The Thing Maquette (from the infamous movie)

- SS Daredevil OG (the one before the Daniel Bel one)

- SS He-Man

- SS Capitain America Allies Charge Against Hydra

- SS Captain Marvel

- SS Red Sonja Queen of Scavengers

- SS Rebel Terminator

- SS Harley Quinn

- SS The Little Mermaid

- Gentle Giant Babydoll

- PCS Blanka Player 2

- Volks Rei Ayanami

- Prime 1 Batman Beyond White Version

- Diamond Select Marvel Milestones The Thing

- Bowen Man-Thing

- Bowen Silver Surfer Faux Bronze

- Bowen Spider-Man Symbiont Museum

- Bowen Spider Man Museum

- Custom Wolverine Beast Mode

- Gantaku Azure Dragon

- 5 DC Collectibles Batman Black & White

Well, that’s about it. I pre-ordered Harley Quinn yesterday in a leap of faith because the architect isn’t counting with her and I don’t know if Sideshow will deliver on the painting of the figure, what worries me the most, since it is a complex painting scheme, especially the portrait. The architect isn’t certain about Azure Dragon as well. The remodeling will take place in February next year and I believe everything will fit, even though a lot of empty spaces will remain until all the figures arrive in Brazil, the biggest of them to Prime 1 Batman Beyond, a figure I can’t fully grasp the size since I’ve never seen a 1/3 upclose. It will be the second centerpiece of my collection with a dedicated place to it. The other centerpiece being Hulk LSB that will be right at the entrance of my room to cause the impact that this is not an ordinary room but, I believe, a magical room with so much to see and grasp, especially in Brazil, specifically in my region (Northeast) where I don’t know anybody that collect statues. And it will be a pleasure I can only imagine being in a room surrounded by these fantastic characters. I am pretty sure my life will be happier when they come out of the boxes and go to the shelves, all protected with glass, of course, since I don’t have the patience to dust them off. Only Hulk will be “free” because I think a glass box would diminish its impact. I guess Hulk is the figure I love the most, the one I would never let go. Even though it will be very difficult to sell any of my figures for two reasons: first, I’m in Brazil and second, I will have to throw away all the boxes. There’s simply no room for them in the apartment. I don’t know what will happen if I have to move. And I don’t want to think about it. My plan is to stay here till my last breath but chaos-destiny is very unpredictable, one can only wonder. Excuse me, I will smoke a cigarette, can’t do it inside the apartment (where I live with two persons that hate smoking, my mom and my stepdad).

Underrated corner

Well, even though I believe I acquired all the pieces I can possibly desire I am afraid of the next SDCC. Sideshow keeps pushing boundaries regarding portraits, especially female ones. In addition, I geared my collection towards girls. I believe no one will surpass the ones I already have but I thought that when pre-ordered Red Sonja and had to eat my words due to Harley Quinn, Rebel Terminator, and The Little Mermaid. Luckily, I survived unharmed to SDCC 18 but nobody knows what’s just around the corner. And this thought is unsettling to me. I asked the architect to plan my room taking into account free space for three more figures (now two, since Harley Quinn wasn’t on the plan) but I don’t know if this will be possible because I think she didn’t take into account my PVC anime collection with around two dozen figures from 1/7 to nendroids. Anyway, the future worries me because I can’t get “clicked” by any other figure and the possibility exists. What doesn’t exist is room for it. I won’t be able to sell the less desired figure and replace it with a new one because I won’t have the boxes anymore. I could just stop visiting the communities but they are a source of joy to me, I won’t do it. Maybe since my collection is complete I will gradually lose interest in the community but I hardly think so.

I just hope my room becomes a marvelous enchanted place to be. And that I can resist the temptation if it comes. I’m almost certain it will come. Got to be prepared and enjoy the feeling of having every piece I desire. I closed a cicle in my life, a long and delightful cicle dedicated to this hobby and its amazing pieces. I’m done with what I have and it feels good. I thought I would be taken by a sentiment of emptiness but it’s quite the opposite. I feel full, complete, satisfied, happy, and very, very curious about how my room will turn out. How will I feel being in it? How cool it will be to spend some time watching my pieces, these fifteen years of great hits and terrible misses, gaining experience and sharping my tastes, being wowed and disappointed. Was a hell of a ride. But it’s over. Once I achieve the pre-order of Azure Dragon. The rest is waiting. Then contemplating the small world of wonder I built to myself. Living in it. Loving it. Proud of it even though no one gets it. I totally get it and it is all the matters. Until next SDCC… better not to think about it. Live and let live. Thanks for reading.

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NOBODY UNDERSTANDS WHY I COLLECT FIGURES

Statues... statues...

Nobody, absolutely nobody I know understands why I collect statues of pop culture icons (in my case Marvel and DC heroes and foes mostly) and understands even less when get to know how much each piece costs me (I keep this info as secretive as possible because to the average person it is just too shocking). I quite don’t get why I do this. I guess I feel a mixture of passion, enchantment, obsession and compulsion for the statues and happen to find them pieces of contemporary art. All those surrounding me sees them only as pretty expensive and pretty big toys. I guess some part of me never grew old completely or normally, like an underdevelopment of the self that makes me wish the same things I wish to have as a kid but on a completely new level of artistry and beauty. Yes, my first drive to choose a figure is beauty. Not only female beauty (which is the new focus I’m giving to my collection) but an artistic beauty that makes me think and feel that The Thing and Hulk, per example, are beautiful artistic expressions of high-end technology sculpting. No one, even most of collectors, can grasp what I see or feel towards a gigantic head of Hulk with an ugly angry expression. But I see it and I see it every day, several times a day because he’s right beside my computer. I confess I feel a mixture of bless and guilty for owning my humble collection. Things weight heavier for a person living in the third world where so many need the basics to survive with some dignity, where misery is just outside the building for all to see. Yes, when I imagine what one of these poor people could do with the money I spent on my new statue I feel very guilty. I don’t know why I am so blessed, I’m here by a mere trick of chance and this hurts me as much as it relieves me.

It’s not easy to be a collector. If a date enters my room, the first thing that will probably cross her mind is “what a childish ridiculous man! I better leave as soon as I can!” Lol. This probable (or improbable) she will never understand my hobby as nobody around here gets it (apart from my nephews. They love my room and it is not even remodeled to accommodate my pieces yet, have just a few out of the boxes. What they dislike is that they cannot play with them. Lol). But there’s a prejudice regarding collecting figures I don’t know how to fix. Or if can be fixed on the short-term. It’s maybe a too new and niche market the society (especially in Northeast Brazil) is not ready or open to grasp. It’s too strange adults collecting super-hero figures to no end like most of us do. They already grasp women with obsession with shoes and purses and whatever woman beauty needs, men that collects lighters, cars, perfumes, stamps but they just don’t get 1/4 scale figures and up. I must admit I have a prejudice with 1:1 full body figures myself! Lol.

The fact that people don’t get my hobby will stop me from collecting? I wish they could but they can’t, because I’m addicted to it. Space is the only thing that can make me stop. And fortunately or unfortunately space is running low. I hope with the remodeling to have place to four more statues. There are some statues here that I wish I could sell but there are no boxes and I live in Brazil. In addition, I have a craving for non-grail sculpts that lose their value on the aftermarket. But this is not really an issue.  

Due to look so many times to them I kind of get tired of watching the same thing and feel my eyes ask for new sights. I hope with more statues at display it solves the issue. And I plan to change every month the statue that will be beside my computer so to always have a new sight even if the cycle repeats itself (I don’t have a huge collection, you see). I never thought I could get tired of see the same faces but this is happening to me. I don’t know if it happens to you. Would like very much to know your thoughts in this regard.

About addiction. I was far worse, I lost control once and spent seven thousand dollars in one month, almost all the money I inherited from my passed father. It was crazy, very crazy. I had a good explanation to myself to each and every new purchase I did. Later on, I sold most of the figures for ridiculous prices on eBay. I’m not a good dealer at all. Lost F4F Skull Kid, Bowen Chromed Jocasta (from which only 25 were ever made) and OG Chicken Deadpool to name a few. My life as a collector was a bumpy one. Thank god, I put the train back on track and became hyper-picky regarding which statues to collect. I have two I really intend to buy: Sideshow Little Mermaid and Sideshow Rebel Terminator. And have two very distant dreams that are Prime 1 Batman Beyond Golden Version and Sideshow Swamp-Thing (yes, I know it is made of PVC :P). Apart that I have a mild to intense interest in acquiring Sideshow new Harley Quinn (I think her expression unmatched but need to see the production pieces since she has a very complex painting scheme). I only have the money to buy Little Mermaid though. I plan to sell some figures I have at my brother’s in the US to gather money for Rebel Terminator and maybe Harley depending on the results of the sales. I have a pension that is controlled by my mother who is my legal tutor since I’m considered civil incapable by the law. She is very hand tight about money but I’ll try to convince her maybe by the end of next year to acquire Swamp Thing or Batman Beyond Golden Version but I have my mind prepared this just won’t happen. Of all persons she is the one that understands the less my strange habit. As a fellow community member said to me, Facebook groups are the place where we can find and discuss with people who really understands and loves what we do. That’s the plain truth. I feel ashamed to share my collection with others around me but I’m very proud of it with myself. I find relief to meet people like you who understands the hurdles and pleasures (and there are plenty of both) of this hobby no one dares to accept. Or that accepts with a strange expression on their faces. To like it, is too much to ask. Sometimes I stop to think and realize I’m the crazy one. That everybody around me is right. What they’ll gonna do with my pieces when I’m gone? What the purpose of acquiring so expensive figures? Why fill an already tight room with a ton of oversized super-heroes? And the answer that eases me comes from I quote my father repeated often: “a thing of beauty is a joy forever”.

Rest well my father your other two sons are doing great with their lives and you would be proud of them and of what they accomplished. I was always the failure and will always be. Now with a bunch of extra-expensive toys to look at. But I write. I said my dream was to write and you mocked me at the time. I fulfilled my dream. It’s quite different from what I expected. Wasn’t prepared for all this loneliness. But writing fulfills me. It’s what I love to do and what my soul needs as much as my body needs air. Of course, a new love would be the greatest aid I can dream to my life, the end of my loneliness. But who would love a man who plays with toys at 41? Lol.

DOM PEEPS INTERVIEW – A COLLECTOR TALKS ABOUT COLLECTING

I already interviewed several statue creators but I never interviewed a collector. After seeing Dom Peeps museum, the idea emerged and I thought he would be perfect for this article.

1 – Hi, Dom! Pleasure to have you here. When did you start to collect? And when did you started to take it seriously?

Dom Peeps: I started to collect statues at the age of 9 years old. I’ve always taken collecting very seriously. As soon as I got to know about statues/sculptures I quit collecting comic books to be able to purchase more statues.

2 – What was the first statue of your collection? Do you still have it? Can you share a picture?

Dom: My first statue is a batman and robin statue I received for my birthday. I chose the statue myself on a family vacation in Florida at this small kiosk in the middle of Aventura mall. Yes I still own the statue and to add I have never sold a statue that has been part of my personal collection.

3 – What do you do with the boxes? With so many pieces, I just can’t imagine how you manage them.

Dom: I keep and protect every box, I have two garages and 2 storage rooms in my house. Every box is double wrapped to protect from getting any moisture or water damage. So far I haven’t spent any money on storing my boxes in storage facilities.

4 – You told me you have 550 figures on display and two hundred more scattered around your house. Do you intend to display them all? Is there room for the ones left in your museum?

Dom: I have a total of 750 statues. In my new museum area I have around 550 statues that are strictly Marvel and DC. The other 200 are on display in my living room, dining room and spare bedroom which is in the middle of getting converted into a movie room. So to properly answer your question every piece I own is currently on display in my home. I’m not the type to keep pieces in the box.

5 – From all your collection what are your five favorite pieces? The ones you love the most?

Dom:

- One of a kind Wolverine vs Hulk diorama

- Sideshow Wolverine legendary scale figure

- Prime 1 1990 Movie TMNT SET

- Prime 1 Optimus Prime Dark of the Moon

- Dr. Doom on throne ex premium format figure

6 – What’s your criterion to choose a new statue to your collection? What drives you to a new figure?

Dom: What drives me the most is the art, the colors and being a “completionist” I love having an entire set. I only buy statues of the universes/characters I love.

7 – Is there a figure (or figures) you regretted you bought? Which one(s) and why? Did you sell them?

Dom: I haven’t ever purchased an item for myself that I ended regretting, I also never sold a statue from my personal collection.

8 – What do you think about “collectors” who buys figures just to resell them for a profit?

Dom: To be honest it doesn’t bother me. It’s their choice I could obviously do the same but have no time to waste doing this. I buy statues for the art and really don’t have any interest in making money from them. A lot of people don’t have the means to collect the way I do so a lot sale for space or to pay their next sculpture which makes a lot of sense.

9 – To you what’s today’s best company and why?

Dom: I will always be a huge fan of Sideshow because of their variety but I think Prime 1 is the leader today just because of their amazing sculpts and overall quality.

10 – What do you think about the customs market? Do you have any customs in your collection? In this case what led you to choose said custom(s)?

Dom: I think they are amazing, it’s great to be able to create your own statue and get to see it be created or even on display in your own collection. I do own a few but a lot have been purchased because they fell into my lap. I’m not the type to pre-order a custom statue because it’s usually not part of a set or doesn’t fit in great with other licensed pieces.

11 – What do you think about the escalating prices in our hobby? Is there someone to blame?

Dom: I think it’s horrible. I have actually stopped pre-ordering statues because of this. Almost every statue today has decreased in price after its release so instead of paying more on pre-order day I will patiently hunt down the ones I’m missing in the near future on the aftermarket. I think it’s terrible how companies can drive away their number one fans (like me) who have supported them on every release since day one with this incredible increase in price. I think the new competition and customs are to blame. People are spending more on statues today, any company can see that and say why can’t we do the same if they are successfully selling out their products at those prices.

12 – From the SDCC18 and Wonderfest (if you followed them) what pieces get you excited about? Why?

Dom: Every single Marvel/DC statue. I just love seeing new representations of every character and how statues are getting more detailed and paint applications bringing them alive more and more. If I have to pick just a few favorites it would have to be Sideshow's Wolverine, X-23, Harley Quinn and Joker premium formats.

13 – You know death comes to all of us, so what do think will happen to your collection? Got any plans for it? If so, which are your plans?

Dom: I’m planning to reduce it in the far future. I will use the money to travel the world with my wife. I wouldn’t want to leave my family with the burden of taking care of such a big collection.

14 – Is there a company (or companies) you would never buy from? Why?

Dom: No there isn’t. I am very open to all companies. I love to see variety in my collection and to see what other companies can offer once their pieces are released in hand. If I have to pick one it would be Hot Toys because I don’t collect action figures or toys.

15 – How do you see the statue’s market today? Any changes since you began? Please, develop a bit over the subject.

Dom: The market has took a turn for the worst. We are no longer purchasing collectibles that are hard to obtain yet we are paying more than ever to own these so called “collectibles”. There are so many new collectors in the hobby who buy and sell so quickly and so many statues just floating in the community. I don’t feel many people have the same love for collecting it is more a money making business and for me that is the biggest turn off. You will never see a statue sold at 300$ on pre-order and be worth almost 4-5k 10 years down the road like for example a Dr. Doom on throne premium format. The rarity has just gone straight out the window.

16 – What characters you would love to see transformed in 1/4 statues?

Dom: My favorite band Metallica.

17 – Do you think this hobby is addicting? If so, do you consider yourself addicted? If so (once again), how do you control your craving?

Dom: Yes, I do think this hobby is very addicting. I consider myself an addict at 100% but just like any addiction you need to be able to control yourself. If I don’t have the money to spend I will not order any statues but I have in the past used flex pay options or also made arrangements with monthly payments with collector friends to help afford certain statues. Like I mentioned earlier I have today completely stopped ordering any new pieces because prices are just not justified any longer and US$ to Canadian $ conversion does not help me either. I love collecting but I’m not ready to just throw my money in the garbage or put my life in jeopardy over collecting.

18 – There’s much ado about Sideshow new more realistic take on portraits, what do you think about it?

Dom: I’m always opened to new concepts from artists, after all we are buying the art created by them, the way they see, the artist in their eyes at that specific moment. If you’re not a fan of that sculpt or vision all the more reason to keep your money in your pocket. I don’t know many people who complain about the Mona Lisa and ask Leonardo Da Vinci to change the way her face looks. Lol. That’s just my opinion, of course. Seems like everyone is an artist today in this hobby.

19 – What do you think about the Facebook collectors’ community? Do you believe they (we) influence the market somehow?

Dom: I think there are pros and cons to this subject. When I was younger I figured I was the only collector who existed. Through time and the development of the internet I slowly began to meet other collectors from forums or on YouTube. Collecting was always great and very low key. Prices were fair and always very easy to find good deals from comic book stores, eBay or Kijiji. Since the creation of Facebook a lot of this changed. Yes it’s great to get in touch with so many collectors around the world but this also created a lot of fake collectors, a lot of people just looking to make a quick buck and many others who think they might become rich from this hobby. People looking at this hobby more as a business. Today a lot of people compare each other from one another. There is a lot of jealousy out there and worst of all a lot of people getting scammed. People sending money to purchase a statue but never receiving it. Send deposits and then sellers deleting profiles. Just not right that these things happen to people who share the same passion & hobby.

20 – Is there a sculptor (or sculptors) you like are more fond of? Could you name them?

Dom: Martin Canale, Pablo Viggiano would probably be my favorite sculptors. They have produced some of my favorite sculpts by Sideshow and are also probably the most talented in the industry in my opinion.

21 – Will you buy the new Wolverine life-size bust from Sideshow?

Dom: Most probably down the road when I find him for less than retail.

22 – Name your three favorite characters.

Dom:

- Wolverine

- Superman

- Batman

23 – Name three favorite movies.

Dom:

- Batman 89

- TMNT 90’S

- Transformers

24 – Name three favorite bands/singers.

Dom:

- Metallica

- Bon jovi

- Eminem

25 – What message/advice would you give to humankind? What life taught you?

Dom: The best message I can give is to follow your dreams, do not let anybody tell you otherwise. We have only one life to live and the best way to live it is with as much happiness as possible and with the least amount of regret. What life always taught me is that nothing comes easy and with hard work anything is possible. I’ve always been a big dreamer and hard worker. I am currently 32 years old. I have my dream job and live in my dream house, which is actually my childhood home that I purchased from my parents. I finally completed my museum in my basement that I have always dreamed about having and did everything with my bare two hands and of course help from my best friends and family. Many people told me I wouldn’t be able to do it or I dream to big but in the end my dreams became a reality and if it wasn’t for my positive way of thinking and never giving up in myself I would have never been able to prove them wrong.

Thanks for the interview! I’m quite sure collectors will love it!

P.S.: if you are interested in reading more interviews, click here. 

I AM A FANBOY. IS THIS A BAD THING?

I even have their t-shirt and the printing and the fabric are not that great
but I'm feel pretty comfortable with it. Lol.

I came to an obvious conclusion watching the Wonderfest: I am a fanboy. A Sideshow fanboy. Though I hear, read, see and know the faults of Sideshow, something in me that grew I don’t know how makes me prefer their statues over the others. Not by far but from a safe distance Prime 1 and XM can’t touch. I won’t mention ECC because I’m not into movie pieces (except for their Gizmo) and they are a selected niche company in an already niche market. So I’ll focus on the big three. I know and I see that XM and Prime 1 have undeniable strengths. XM packaging, the weight of their statues, the creative bases, the attention to detail, the quality of the production and finishing, the daring projects (X-Men vs. Sentinel diorama or Hulkbuster, for instance) the variety of characters offered all adds up to the legacy the company has built and that they deserve. Almost the same can be said of Prime 1 gargantuan figures and bases (minus the creativity). The two of them offer some major works and in some regards their pieces surpass Sideshow’s. It’s a fact I cannot deny. The flaming Ghost Rider in his devilish motorcycle it’s a sight to behold, the beautiful contrast of black and vibrant shades of orange really grabs the eye. But assembling it is almost as puzzle solving. And I don’t like that (I gave up my P.O. on Malavestros for the same reason). To me it breaks the magic of the statue even though these several-pieces figures are done that way to minimize breakage. The intention is the best I just don’t happen to like it. The less parts the better. I start collecting Bowen figures. And yes I know the hobby evolved in complexity and keeps evolving in unbelievable ways since I started collecting, so measures like that are the guarantee to deliver the most astonishing pieces possible. One can give me all the reasons in the world to buy a statue with dozens of pieces to assemble, I don’t care I just won’t get the statue. But enough of this subject.

The one thing I care the most about a statue is the portrait. And Sideshow is simply the king of portraits. They amped the game to extremely high standards this last SDCC (as long as they don’t try to do portraits based on actual people, they completely suck in this category, they’re extremely bad on that. If you want a figure of a celebrity, go for Hot Toys or Blitzway). I was completely blown away by most of the SS portraits shown in 2018, all of them with different facial features, each of them with unique personalities. For this reason alone – my main decision factor to choose whether to buy a figure or not – Sideshow owns me. Completely. I think Prime 1 statues to have lifeless uninspiring portraits while XM have them too generic (apart from Kingpin, Vulture and that old screaming Inhuman’s guy, the name escapes me now). This is the main reason I am a Sideshow fanboy. Added to the fact they tend to do bases that are good in size and don’t distract the attention from the character. I really don’t like convoluted bases with dozens of elements or big ones that overshadow the statue. Prime 1 is notorious to do that and XM in some cases does the same (though with much more finesse, in my opinion).

As a fanboy – what I certainly am – I have the bad side of it, in other words, I have prejudice against other companies. I don’t like this side of mine and try to keep it to myself as best as I can. I try not to go on criticizing other companies on the communities, I think it leads nowhere; it’s impolite and irrational, as I believe any fandom is. It’s quite an emotional thing. And I can’t criticize what I don’t have, what I just saw in the pictures posted by the community or on sites. However, here is my space and I feel free to be more outspoken regarding my tastes.

If I had to choose one figure from Prime 1 and one figure of XM to have which I would choose? As for Prime 1 I would contradictorily go for one of the most lifeless museum-esque figures of their catalogue: Batman Beyond Golden Version. A golden 1/3 Batman would really add up to my collection it would look like a gigantic trophy of sorts and would complement my SS Hulk LSB as the center of my collection. Unfortunately, I don’t have money for it right now. Would have to sell some pieces in order to get him. It’s a case to think. A gigantic golden Batman appeals highly to me. As for XM I know the obvious answers would be Magneto on Throne or Ghost Rider but I don’t like the head sculpt of Magneto, as much as I like the overall design, concept and execution of the piece. It’s the one throne figure to rule them all because it makes sense to me he's seating on a Sentinel’s hand. It tells a story others figures on throne don’t. Unfortunately, I don’t like the portrait and don’t like those mandatory grails every great collector must have in order to prove themselves so. And I don’t like figures on thrones either! Lol. About Ghost Rider I don’t like it because it’s awkward shape turns him a pain to display and I think the main character on this piece is the bike not Ghost Rider. It’s a pretty cool piece beautifully executed but not my alley. I think I would get the Inhuman’s guy, I guess his name is Blackbolt. The screaming portrait is phenomenal and makes one wonder what would happen if the guy did that in the comics.

To finally close this post I will enumerate some pros and cons of Sideshow. Please, keep in mind that despite being a longtime collector (since the Bowen era) I don’t know much about the market as you guys do.

CONS OF SIDESHOW

- Their figures seem poorly or cheaply casted in comparison to XM and Prime 1, hence they’re lighter (or so you say). I love my Hulk LSB but I bet I would love it even more if it was casted in polystone instead o fiberglass. It doesn’t really make a difference while on display but it bothers me I don’t know why. That being said, if I had the means I would buy SS PVC Swamp Thing simply because he is my all-time favorite character and I think the sculpture is just fabulous. (Yes he comes first Batman Beyond Golden Version on my list).

- Sideshow still have quality control issues, though I think this have becoming to be addressed more seriously and I hear less complaints in this regard on the communities than a couple of years ago. I’m optimistic about it but, hey, I’m a fanboy and never got any defective piece. Maybe I’m just lucky.

- It’s a pain to get replacement parts or figures that came defective. Or so I heard.

- Bases can be very simplistic to many collectors.

- Not much variety in characters released. Which I think changed a bit this last SDCC but it’s far from what XM has to offer.

- This is a polemic one, but I really don’t see the point in the Court of the Dead line. I know that to launch a new IP is a tremendously bold step that leads to a lot of creative freedom and the sculptures are just fabulous but I believe it’s a thing that exists more in the mind of Tom Gilliland than outside of it. I ended up ordering Malavestros and canceled it not because I disliked the statue but because (as I mentioned) I disliked it came like a puzzle to assemble what I truly hate.

- Not akin to take much risk regarding characters but then again they launched a PVC statue and have an IP of their own.  

- They suck when trying to replicate real life portraits.

- Head seams. They just turn me off of a figure completely. Sideshow should learn from XM and Prime 1 in this respect. They nailed it. Sideshow is beginning to learn. I'm all over Rebel Terminator because she happen to look like Natalie Portman to me but I don't know how the interchangeable heads will work. The pictures don't show any seam but I believe the production piece will have an ugly seam since there's no necklace or something to hide it.

- They’re capitalist as hell.

PROS OF SIDEHOSW COLLECTIBLES

- The portraits of fictional characters are unmatched. Period.

- The price of the delivered product is the best when comparing to XM and especially Prime 1. Not saying it is cheap but it’s the most affordable high-end collectibles company I’m aware of. (Apart F4F!)

- They still have some artists who hand sculpt which I believe is a dying art and most of my statues are hand sculpted.

- The figures are generally designed to be display-friendly which is a great plus to a collector that have only his own room to show the figures (like me).

- They’ve made me a believer of digital sculpting with what they achieved in this last SDCC. It far surpasses the competition. The portraits and poses and the level of detail are just amazing and could not be achieved by hand sculpting alone.

 - They have the best distribution service on the market.

- They congregate almost all of the great brands, they’re site it’s a joy to navigate.

- The customer service is second to none. (I know many will disagree with that. Lol. But they always solved my little issues).

- There aren’t many substantial delays on their schedules.

I can’t think of anything else. All I know is that I prefer Sideshow style of sculpting above all other companies. And they keeping getting better. I know they’re maybe more money thirsty than other companies but I believe this leads them to stay always on top of the competition which is not a bad thing for collectors. Answering the question of the title, I don’t think it is bad to be a fanboy, it’s limiting in more ways than it needed to be, but so is my money. And I like to spend it in what I truly love and the company that hits my sweet spot is Sideshow. Again I don’t know why. It’s like a favorite band I guess. I consider myself lucky from the financial standpoint though. If I was a Prime 1 or XM fan I would be in real trouble (with all due respect for the companies). I just wonder why there’s so much hate towards Sideshow and only praises about the others. Maybe being at the top attracts this type of hate. I don’t know. You, that is not a Sideshow fanboy, could explain it to me?

P.S.: the experiment testing the power of the Facebook communities mentioned in the last post will take place on Wednesday, one hour after Sideshow Live on Statue Collectors community. Let’s unite our forces and try to make a difference regarding Sideshow line of PFs. I believe dreams may come true. Do you? Be ready. :)

ADENDUM

GOOD NEWS ABOUT REBEL TERMINATOR - If you read my post, you know I hate Sideshow’s figures head seams. I’m very interested in acquiring (if I can) the Rebel Terminator figure since she resembles my dear Natalie Portman (to me at least). My only concern was that it had an awful head seam since the EX is an alternative portrait. Therefore, I asked Sideshow about it and here’s the answer: “As you can see (pun intended), you cannot see any seam anywhere - the break comes all down to the shirt. As such you should have no issue with ordering the item.”

Indeed the only issue I have now is to arrange the money. Someone has to leave in order to her come into my collection. Sideshow is learning from its previous mistakes and seems to have realized that crude head seams are not tolerable by today (high) standards. I’m more fanboy then ever! I have to move things around fast, as the ES of exclusive version is only 350 pieces.

WHY THE SAME CHARACTERS EVERY YEAR? (AND OTHER TOPICS)

I’m a Sideshow fanboy and I’m not ashamed of that (maybe I was just lucky to get all my statues in perfect condition until now). Even so, I must admit that one thing that XM, which I see as the main competitor to Sideshow, excels is in the variety of characters offered. Sideshow is lacking badly in this department. Ok, we’ve got Swamp Thing and Green Arrow and X23 what was kind of a miracle, but this year, once again, we see Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Joker, Harley Quinn, Green Lantern, Spider-man, Thor, Captain America, Iron Man, Red Sonja, Darth Maul, Darth Vader etc. and etc. I don’t know if they choose the characters based on some kind of marketing research but I don’t believe so. If they heard the Facebook communities (the right place to watch because the majority of the hardcore collectors clusters there), they would know that many, many of us want Nightcrawler, Flash, Beast and many others that XM addressed in their line-up. And XM excels even further not being afraid to approach the villains with the same ratio they address the heroes, another thing Sideshow lacks too. It’s always Venom and Joker. I believe they would make the same money if they give attention to other, more low profile, characters. Even more, perhaps. If they were able to simply revolutionize the quality of their sculpts to the level achieved in this SDDC, why don’t revolutionize the choice of characters made as well?

By the way, my greatest concern is regarding the production pieces of these more sophisticated new figures. Once it goes to mass production. The painting jobs of the prototypes were top notch as ever. I’m not paranoid yet because they delivered with Red Sonja and with Wolverine, the two first pieces of that new generation of Sideshow sculpts.

Two things I would rethink on Sideshow are their 1/6 articulated dolls and the obsession with Court of the Dead. They really have to had some classes with partner Hot Toys to learn how to sew clothes that fit well in the character, they’re definitely are lacking on this. Court of the Dead, on the other hand, looks to me as a big effort that appeals only to a few.

0h31. I went to smoke, I never smoke in here where my figures are. Am drinking Coca-Cola Zero with lots of Ice. I live in Brazil and thought while smoking that I am a completely failure in every aspect of my life. First, the law considers me as an invalid citizen. In other words, one that cannot even vote, work, drive, marry, that have to have a tutor, a person to take care of me and control my pension (money). This tutor as for now – and I hope for a great while for sure – is my mother. She is very tight handed regarding money, so to acquire the statues is a complicated process, especially because she thinks I have too many already. I don’t know if I’ll be able to acquire another statue even though I have some money on PayPal because it is an Brazilian account and they do not accept transactions with Sideshow. I’m in a dead end here. Worst I’m in dire straits because I didn’t resist the offer of Blanka (the Brazilian Street Fighter) Player Two Version discount at the time PCS distribution went to Sideshow and bought the figure. My mother already said that if I buy something without talking to her first she would cancel my credit card. I’ll try to lie saying that the Red Sonja (that she knows about and should be my last statue) launched early and the remaining installments came at once. I hope this works. PCS Blanka already arrived at my brother’s in the US. I want badly to acquire The Little Mermaid (me and J Scott Campbell think she is perfect! Lol) and one of the new SS DC or Marvel girls (probably Harley Quinn since her expression is so hard to sculpt and the overall piece from body to base is extremely detailed). However, then again, I don’t believe my mother will believe in my Red Sonja excuse and will cancel my credit card. Let’s see what life will bring me. Apart that, I bought a PS3 game called Persona 5 during Amazon’s Prime Day and to that I have no excuse at all. And I’m not even playing my systems anymore (PS3, Wii U and Nintendo Switch), I’ve got saturated of games, Persona 5 would be my last try. Call me a heretic but although a huge Zelda fan I didn’t dig Breath Of The Wild at all. It’s an artistic masterpiece but there are too much stressful variables that push me away from playing it. I can see the grandiose about it but is not my alley. I don’t believe that at 41 I will get into a JRPG like Persona 5 but the critical and public appraisal was so high that I felt impelled to buy it (an it also went to my brother’s) and give it a try when it eventually come to my hands. Hey, but this post should be about statues. I got carried away.

Here is where a spend the most part of my life and I dream to transform into
a collectors room with all my figures on display.

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13h54. Waked up and saw I told a bit of my personal drama as a collector and as a gamer. And as a human being. Well, maybe I have to give up collecting after Red Sonja. I don’t even know if all my statues fit in my room, since it will be remodeled to accommodate them all and it’s not a big room. It’s my bedroom and office and will become my man cave as well (maybe I’m expecting too much of my room but everything will have to fit, the games, the CDs, the DVDs, the books, the clothes, my statues and figures not to mention my stereo and my bed! The architect will have a hard time to figure this mess out! Lol). In other words, I don’t know if I can accommodate two more pieces. I think there’s space for a smaller figure like the Little Mermaid but maybe there’s no space to Harley, or maybe Rogue, or Psylocke. And I happen to have a bad taste regarding statues, since I only choose underrated pieces which are sold on eBay for prices below the one I paid (Ralph McQuarrie Boba Fett EX, The Thing Maquette – the one based on the movie – or Three A Iron Man anyone?). Well, I’m starting to feel that the new bunch of fabulous pieces Sideshow unveiled in SDCC 18 will not find a way into my collection. What is a pitty. And it’s not. I believe it’s better for me for one side, because this hobby is too expensive to my reality and the display of the statues I dream of is one that is not crowded, I think the visual pollution of some displays too overwhelming and ugly. The display I dream to my room is each PF put side by side. For the smaller figures (Batman Black & White pieces and PVC anime figures) I don’t mind that much if it turns to be a more convoluted display and cannot be any other way since I have about a dozen PF (max) and around 50 smaller figures so there is no way I can display them all side by side.

Returning to the initial debate of this post, I think competition, especially between XM and Sideshow to be very positive for us collectors because one is always trying to surpass the other. Including in quality control. I sincerely think Sideshow is taking more care regarding the mass production of their pieces than they used to do. I remember to hear a lot more complaints from the community about this subject a couple of years ago. Talking about production pieces, I just don’t know what happened to the eyes of the SS Wonder Woman based on the movie, they differ completely from the prototype version. I think they intended to make it resemble more Gal Gadot and changed the blue eyes for smaller black eyes, which didn’t help the figure at all, the result was ridiculous. If I have ordered the piece based on the prototype pictures, I would feel myself fooled and scammed. Thank god I didn’t. But other examples as the new Wolverine and the new Red Sonja proves that their quality control evolved. If I happen to buy Harley Quinn though, I will wait for production pieces pictures before buying, the figure has a very complex and detailed paint scheme and I’m still uncomfortable with Sideshow QC (even though, as I said before, I have no issues with my SS orders so far). In this regard, XM excels Sideshow largely. Their quality control is second to none and you know that what you see is exactly what you get. Same must be said of Prime 1. I believe the big complaint collectors have with Sideshow is quality control of their production pieces, as the prices seem to be stabilized around 500 – 600 for a Premium Format Figure. It’s not a small amount by any means, but collectors are already used to it. Hope pricing stays like this for the time come.

As though I am a Sideshow fanboy and only have Sideshow 1/4 and 1/5 pieces, I greatly admire the work of XM. It just not fit my tastes. If I have to choose between a Prime 1 or a XM piece, I would definitely grab an XM. I’m not too fond of Prime 1 sculpting I think they produce soulless figures, there’s something strange about their pieces, a lack of humanity, personality that bothers me. Not to mention the sizes, 1/3 (most of it) is definitely not for me due to the lack of space issue and because is so big it freaks me. I hate the gargantuan bases as well. And there’s the issue of my brother bringing the pieces to Brazil. My country does not allow oversized luggage to be dispatched and the taxes and shipping costs to Brazil are astronomical. I had to pay twice the original price to have the Hulk LSB to be delivered directly to Brazil (since it could not come by plane with my brother due to oversize).

In resume, I think XM has the creativity, the quality and the variety of characters. It is a company more akin to take risks, sometimes big risks as the Sentinel vs. X-Men diorama. I appreciate that. Their characters have personality and soul. I like that too. Sideshow does not have the same quality control of their pieces and like to play it safe most of the time (albeit they launched the Fairytale Collection, The Court of the Dead line and the Gotham Nightmare duo which are big departures from the more of the same they usually do). That being said, Sideshow has the most beautiful and well-rounded sculptures to my taste. Prime 1 figures look big lifeless museum pieces and I truly dislike them with some notable exceptions like Poison Ivy that I think is magnificent even though is such a massive piece I can’t even imagine the price. Nevertheless everything about the figure is quite perfect, the SS Ivy pales down by comparison, even being a beautiful piece with its own merits it is no match to Prime one offering. For some irrational thing on me, the statue I really wanted from Prime one is perhaps the most lifeless statuesque of them all: Batman Beyond Gold Version. But is an unreachable dream so I don’t care with this contradiction. The only massive statue allowed in my room is Hulk LSB and that’s enough for me.

On a final note, I don’t mind edition sizes if they don’t compromise the final product. Be one among 2k people to have the statue is still pretty exclusive to my taste, considering the planet to have around 7 billion people. Lol. Oh, and I’m having fun with customs being called now “fan art” as if it justified the legal infringements of producing and especially selling these pieces. I cannot complain at all since I’m a proud owner of a “fan art” Wolverine. I also think that the big companies follow the customs market closely as they have used the works of Daniel Bel and Kuchareck Brothers on recent pieces. That surprised me a lot and I thought was an excellent move from the big companies. May this trend thrive, we collectors win with it because we don’t have to pay extortive “fan art” prices for their works and, better yet, the figures come already professionally painted so one don’t have to pay for that either. I know the exclusivists may not agree with me but I’m not rich to pay 1k plus for a statue, so I love these talented artists being contracted by the big guns.

Well, I touched many different subjects on this post. Maybe one too many. But when I start to write I like to put it all out. Would love to hear some opinions. Thank you for reading and sorry for my broken and poor English. See ya! I hope…   

PRIME 1 IS REALLY A BIG PARTNER OF SIDESHOW

Sideshow Swamp Thing must be a big flop due to be made of vinyl and PVC. That’s the only explanation behind the existence of Prime 1 Gemora vinyl figure. To me is pretty obvious that Sideshow asked Prime 1 to launch a second rate character statue in vinyl for a price not distant from the polystone version (given the polystone one comes with many swappable parts and the vinyl version has none).

 Imho this shows how close the companies are. Enough to plot this whole scheme in order to justify the pricing of Sideshow Swamp Thing and help it to sell. I do believe that Prime 1 didn’t have the plan to release this piece in vinyl before the Swamp Thing incident. And I believe the production price shouldn’t be really very distant being polystone or vinyl. I don’t know if the whole prejudice/prejudgment towards vinyl figures proceeds since I didn’t get the Swamp Thing figure in hand to make my mind. But I think I’ll maintain my opinion that the material, be it pewter, polystone or vinyl or whatever, shouldn’t really matter since it looks really good on the shelf. I will not move it, apart from some rearrangement in my room. I won’t carry it with me anywhere nor I plan to sell it so I don’t have any problems with the material whatsoever. I don’t think the final result of Swamp Thing will be any different from the prototype. But this remains to be seen. I don’t believe it will look or feel “cheap”. I really don’t get what that means. But I am still astonished about how Sideshow made Prime 1 launch a vinyl version of one of its figures. I can’t see any other explanation for that. Prime 1 simply didn’t need to. Ironically, the Gamera is a pretty detailed statue regarding textures even in polystone. What makes one wonder if the level of details possible by polystone to be the real reason behind the decision of Sideshow to make Swamp Thing of vinyl and PVC. I believe it was really a way to keep the costs down to the buyer and especially avoid breakage during shipping.

P.S.: Why the figures nowadays come so disassembled? In older times, one needed only to fix the statue to the base and all was done; maybe attach the head and that was it. I don’t like this trend since the magnets of the joints will eventually fade and the parts will fall. One will have to glue them in order to keep them in place then.  

TWO SUBJECTS

I realize that whenever Sideshow launches a new line of characters they start with only two subjects of the two main characters of a given universe. That’s how it happened with the Masters of the Universe line when they brought He-Man and Skeletor as the opening pieces so to grab the most fans possible. It’s a smart move because the bet is high since a line can flop and bring loss to the company. They make at least two so that the piece don’t stay out of context in one’s collection. So they bring a companion piece most that bough the first one would be interest in acquiring. The same move is being taken for the Gotham City Nightmare line. They revealed Batman and will be bringing Joker as the companion piece. However, in GCN case I don’t think the art style of both statues match at all. I see them as two completely different takes on the concept of the line with art directions very different from each other. I don’t know if this will give unity to the line at all. Both are devilish and distorted versions of the characters but in very different ways. I guess the art directors were different for each project. You can take a look and judge for yourselves on the video below.

Did you see how different they are in terms of… everything? I don’t think this is really a bad thing, just don’t give the line the unity, in my head, it meant to have. I think both statues bold and creative and really shows what makes Sideshow different from the other companies. I really hope this line to be a success since I cannot imagine what they can do with other characters from the Batman universe. Though I will not buy this line I will gladly watch what’s the next step, who’s next in line to receive the nightmarish treatment and save pics of the characters for myself as I often do with figures I wish I have but can’t own. (See I still have some sense in my mind. Lol.)

Wish the best for this line as I find one of the most creative and daring undertaking Sideshow ever embraced. I'm all in to creative freedom and this line seems to give Sideshow artists just this, what is extremely rare outside the realm of custom figures. Kudos to the company for that.  

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On a very different subject, who seem to be losing their minds are the money guys from Sideshow. The last two PFs launched by the company cost well above $600. If this is a signal of things to come, the future seems very bleak for the average collector. The figures in question are Lady Deadpool PF and K-2SO PF. Although I didn’t get so surprised with Lady Deadpool price, since she has all the bells and whistles that allegedly raised the production costs and overall final price of Deadpool Heat-Seeker, I was very surprised with K-2SO price. The piece has metal legs, light up feature in the eyes and is a taller statue than average but none of these, nor the Star Wars license justifies such an abusive price for such a simple statue. I don’t know where Sideshow was with its head when priced K-2SO. I certainly hope it’s an off the marker mistake took by the company or else I’ll not be able to afford the pieces I intend to acquire in 2017-2018. To be honest I’m really concerned about the future of collecting. Two years ago the PFs average prices were around $400-450 now as it seems PFs are furiously galloping to the $600 plus average. This is simply unbearable to many collectors and I hope this not to be really a trend. I know and said it before that Prime 1 pushed the prices up with their 1/4 scale figures but each one has different target customers. Prime 1 brings to the table a higher quality product whereas Sideshow (used) to bring cheaper pieces. The quality of the casting of Sideshow cannot compete with Prime 1’s, which has heavier better-finished figures. The only downside of Prime 1 – a trap they set for themselves – is the so-called translucent resin they use for skin that doesn’t seem to support a lot of detail as normal resin does. It works just fine with 1/3 figures due to their sizes but not translate well for smaller 1/4 figures. But I’m deviating from the subject. All I really wanted to say is that the new Red Sonja to be under $500 and the Swamp Thing Maquette be no higher than $750. These are fair prices and everybody gets happy with them. Sideshow for selling well their pieces and the costumers for paying a decent amount for the products they get. Otherwise, the nightmare won’t be only in Gotham City.   

MAQUETTE IS SS NEW NAME TO OVERPRICED PIECES?

I warned you last year that Prime 1 Anti-Venom for $860 wouldn’t do any good to the industry. So here we are at 2017 with one 1/4 figure from Sideshow selling for astounding $1,2k. Sideshow apparently found a new venue to make us swallow overpriced figures. They simply call them “Maquettes”. If you happen to like one of the Maquettes showcased on SDCC17 (Iron Man Mark III, Swamp Thing and Alien Queen) you are in for a bittersweet taste when the figures and their prices be revealed. Looks like Maquette is the “deluxe” line of the company, what frees them to put Prime 1 1/3 scale prices (or more) on 1/4 pieces, what is just preposterous. I may be wrong and Thanos is an exception, along with Voltron’s Maquette $1,250 price tag. However, two are one too many Maquettes to call it a coincidence. I think Voltron due to its size and complexity is an expensive piece to produce but it doesn’t justify the overwhelming price. Let alone Thanos which seems a very simple piece to produce. I’ll give you that he is big (as Thanos should be) but the price is much bigger than any reasonable scale. It’s not an 1/3 scale figure. It doesn’t come close. Well there is the throne, one may add. But with or without throne the price is simply too expensive for a 1/4 scale figure. So don’t buy it and shut the f* up, one may reply. Of course I won’t buy it, I don’t even like or know much about the character to justify such immensely abusively inflated price. But I won’t stop complaining. It is my right as a Sideshow fan to point when the company is being greedy and unfair to its customers.

Come an get me if you can face my artificially inflated price.

So I’m scared with the term Maquette and what it may mean, if people buy these pieces, to the other lines of the company. Per example, how much will the new Wolverine PF cost? The last Wolverine, still available on the site, is up for $480. It has quite an elaborated base, not too far from the mechanical Sentinel hand the new one is on, though the hand is a bigger base. Let’s see the prices of the new figure. Sideshow cannot allege the price (if much higher) is due to the license of the character nor the complexity of the figure, since they’re on par with the Wolverine they’re selling right now. The only thing left to blame is the rising production costs in China. However, First4Figures doesn’t seem to have the same issue (one can only wonder why) since they’re new Metroid Varia Suit 1/4 Exclusive figure (with lighting features all over the body) costs $429. So who is to blame? In my opinion (in the case the new Wolverine comes for a much higher price than the last one and the prices of the new Maquettes hit around 1k) is Prime 1 and it’s 1/4 line, since their price plateau for this line is stratospheric. One can argue that Prime 1 quality is unmatched, that the quality control is virtual flawless, that the Witcher’s bases are very cool and all… but $860 on Anti-Venom? This opened the door to Sideshow overprice their Maquette line. This will make the new Wolverine cost a lot more than the old one imho. This will make my beloved Swamp Thing to be no less than $800, though is not a complex character to produce, just big (so I still dream for a $700 price tag). But Swamp Thing is not 1/3 big to be priced as such. Prime 1 showed the way and Sideshow is gladly following, hitting hard the average consumer of their products. Deadpool Heat-Seeker for $700? Come on. Lady Deadpool for $675? Come on twice. Hulk and Deadpool LSB for $980? Without ES? When the marvelous mixed media Joker LSB costed $700 an year or two back? Come on… Not to mention the ArtPrints that jumped from $90 to $180 only god knows why….

Sideshow Swamp Thing will be the last statue I will buy in my life. Depending on the price. Only because is my all-time favorite character. I never imagined somebody would do a 1/4 figure of him. And a marvelous figure at that I must admit. At first, I was shocked with the bold, daring art direction but grew to love it with passing of time and more images revealed. I just wonder how much it will cost… And the 1/3 Swamp Thing from Prime 1, for that matter… If their prices are somewhere near I’ll get extremely pissed.

On a side note, I know I said I would quit with the last figure I bought but I would never imagine Sideshow to do a Swamp Thing. Never crossed my mind. And now that it is coming into fruition it happens in a market with artificially inflated prices. So inflated I might not be able to afford it. It’s almost ironic if it wasn’t tragic. And yes, I assume I’m addicted to collecting and that will be hard to let go the habit. However, Sideshow forces me to do it and may well force many others too. As the last bastion of affordable 1/4 comics-based pieces, Sideshow is falling short…

Sorry for my broken English I’m a self-taught English speaker and not a good one at that… :P