Angelina
Jolie? Fergie? Kirstie Alley? Who the portrait of the Sideshow’s newly released
Rogue Maquette really looks like? Answer: none and all of them. Sideshow took a
bold step this year revealing figures – especially females – with more
realistic portraits. Greater realism had an interesting side effect on collectors’
perception – which I believe Sideshow didn’t expect –: they found resemblance of
the portrait with real life people. I don’t know how this will impact the sales
but if Sideshow continues to pursue this venue, comparisons like that will
become a rule more than an exception. Is it bad? I don’t think so. In my own
personal opinion, I think the statues look much livelier with said realism; it
adds a completely new level of personality to the pieces that I think is an
admirable feat and a thing that must be valued. I thought Red Sonja Queen of
the Scavengers was the apex of Sideshow efforts regarding female portraits. I
imagined nothing could surpass her. SDCC18 came to prove me wrong; Rogue,
Psylocke, Emma Frost, Elektra, X-23, Wonder Woman, Rebel Terminator and Harley
Quinn have all distinctive realistic portraits with well-defined expressions,
conveying an attitude and, even further, a charisma unseen in this hobby. I’m
fine with the comparisons with real people, they help the figure to get a buzz,
it’s an automatic promotion of the piece among the community what I believe won’t
hurt Sideshow. On the contrary.
Talking
about comparisons, I couldn’t care less about Terminator-related figures but I found
Rebel Terminator to have a striking resemblance with my beloved Natalie Portman
so she instantaneously became number two on my list (in between Little Mermaid
and Harley Quinn). I couldn’t see that coming or even possible (since Sideshow
is terrible replicating real life people). It blew my mind; even though my
sister said the portrait had nothing to do with Natalie at all. Lol. In the end
is how one looks to these more realistic portraits, Sideshow just need to keep
them beautiful. What of course they will.
About Rogue’s
price, I must say it’s out of my league, but by today standards, taking into
account the complex engineering of the figure – sustained only by one hand – and
by being labelled as “maquette” (which Sideshow already made clear are their
deluxe, more expensive line) I don’t think it’s a friendly price but I think it’s a fair price. When one compares the figure with Prime 1 1/4 offerings,
that clock around seven hundred bucks as well, I think it’s even more fair. I
predicted a couple of years ago that a nine hundred dollars Anti-Venom 1/4 statue
from Prime 1 statue would have a disastrous impact on the market. If there’s a
company driving the prices of the figures up, the honor goes to Prime 1 in my humble
opinion. But back to the subject, look at the two Sideshow pictures below:
Now tell me
what you prefer: to spend 300 USD on the left one or 715 USD on the right one?
Of course, you could choose to save your money (which is always the smartest
choice!) but you cannot deny that there’s an immense evolution from one figure
to the other. To say the least. I prefer the term revolution. Is this
revolution worth 400 + dollars? Unfortunately to me it’s too much, but I am a
very financially constrict collector. I can’t buy anything over six hundred
dollars. Once per year. If so! I bought none this year so far. However, to the
collector that buy two or three statues each year I believe is a completely
feasible price for such a high-end statue. Please, compare again the two
pictures below:
Can you see
any difference in the quality of the portraits of these two figures? The first (the
well-versed collector surely knows) is the newest Catwoman 1/4 figure from the all-hailed
XM Studios. I think that it is subpar when compared to Rogue. To say the least
again. Of course, she comes with a bike and god knows how many swappable parts but
I hardly believe it has an affordable price when shipped to US. What surprises
me though is nobody complaints about her price. And even more, I see community praise
the face sculpt of this piece while saying the new Sideshow outings to be
masculine. In my humble personal opinion XM have some great male portraits,
especially villains, but in the female department there’s no match in the 1/4 market
to what Sideshow presented us this year on SDCC. I can’t even imagine what
comes next. And can’t imagine the uproar when Juggernaut price is unveiled. Lol.
That’s how the community is, in my humble opinion again, Sideshow is the
company everybody loves to hate and complain. Sometimes with reason sometimes
not. But, hey, as I said in the last post, I’m a Sideshow fanboy, so I’m
totally biased about my opinions. I would like to close this post with a phrase:
pictures don’t lie. See ya (I hope!).
ADENDUM:
I’ve made a
thoroughly research with the Facebook community about which figures they desire
the most to be made into PFs by Sideshow. From dozens of suggestions I narrowed
the list to around twenty characters (the ones people gave more “likes”) and
created a poll on the “Sideshow Collectibles Fan Page” and another on “Statue
Collectors” Facebook groups. I then contacted Sideshow and shared the links of
said polls for them to analyze. The rep replied me telling that she passed the
links to the Production Team.
I have made
all this effort in order to help fellow collectors (like you, I assume) to show
Sideshow the figures they should consider doing, since the community comprises
the core public of their products. To my dismay, the adhesion to the polls was underwhelming,
as I believe, would be necessary hundreds of votes to get Sideshow attention.
So I came here with a plead: even if you don’t believe, even if just for fun,
if you’re a member of one of the said Facebook groups, take a look, click on
the characters you like, make a difference. The links are below. You may say I’m
a dreamer but I think that if enough of us participate we may surprise
ourselves. Enjoy! I won’t do this twice and I pretty sure no one else will. ;)
BONUS! CONVERSATION :P
IMO its all about opinion... But, even though the quality is better and realism isnt bad, i think ROGUES portrait isnt good and doesnt look like her. It has great quality, but, i really dont like it. Its all opinion.
Manage
Like · Reply · 44m
Bolalaranja Smith
Bolalaranja Smith I must confess I don't like the portrait either. But one cannot deny the qualities of the sculpture regardless its own taste.
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Manage
Like · Reply · 37m
The quality is top notch. The problem isnt the quality for me. Its the design the look itself, it doesnt appeal to me at all.
Manage
Like · Reply · 32m
Bolalaranja Smith
Bolalaranja Smith The ones I like I already named in the post (Little Mermaid, Rebel Terminator, Harley Quinn and, as a very distant dream, the all-hated PVC Swamp-Thing. He is my favorite character and I happen to love the sculpture that much. Done by hand, the old style, is fabulous). I don't like the portrait of Rogue, I would never buy that statue as cool as think it is, it isn't beautiful. And what I seek in those statues is beauty. All forms of beauty, from Little Mermaid, to Rebel Terminator to Swamp Thing. There's no connection between, they don't belong the same universes, they are very different "sculpturally" speaking, but their are beautiful, very beautiful in my eyes. That's what matters to me. And second being from characters I could relate to. Almost all the time, I remembered I don't have no relation with the character Captain Marvel and I have her. Red Sonja I read some stories but beauty alone was what made me choose her.
1
Manage
Like · Reply · 17m
I choose statues cuz of characters I love and the statue being a must for me. Pose, quality, details, all counts. I pre ordered Prime1 sqamp thing cuz it blew my mind. I always liked swamp thing, and, for me the portaits, the extra arm with the sword. Its just amazing for me. Its all about what YOU love and you want. As long as you love it, go for it!
1
Manage
Love
· Reply · 12m
Bolalaranja Smith
Bolalaranja Smith Think I will post what I just wrote in the post. Lol. I think this honesty about the figure must be revealed. Do you mind if I copy and paste on the post your comment as a closure? When I update the blog I Iet you know so you can see it.
1
Manage
Like · Reply · 7m · Edited
Sure thing man! Thanks! Ill look forward to it!
Manage
Like · Reply · 5m
Bolalaranja Smith
Bolalaranja Smith I go beyond, you said it. Is not just beauty, it's love. That is what has to guide me. Beautiful and love are connected, we are visual beings, but love is deeper than beauty. So is a better guide for my choices.
1
Manage
Like · Reply · 4m
No doubt about it! Go for it man, i always say it, i pre order and own pieces i LOVE. Its what matters the most for me.
Manage
Like · Reply ·
-x-x-x-x-
Kristie's face with Angelina's nose.
Manage
Like · Reply · 1h
Bolalaranja Smith
Bolalaranja Smith Don't you want to read? I talk about XM in the end. And make one invite. ;)
Manage
Like · Reply · 1h
I did read it. And I stand by my opinion, humbly. 😉
Manage
Like · Reply · 54m
Bolalaranja Smith
Bolalaranja Smith Lol. Thank you. The post was updated, by the way. I added more content. And maybe add some more. If I find someone to tel what just happened.
Manage
Like · Reply · 4m · Edited
Bolalaranja Smith
Bolalaranja Smith Life got funny and crazy now. Surprising to say the least.
Manage
Like
· Reply · 2m
Bolalaranja Smith
Bolalaranja Smith Bye I need to put an end in this subject on the blog.
Manage
Like · Reply · 1m
Bolalaranja Smith
Bolalaranja Smith Discover. And if possible, use.
Manage
Like · Reply · 1m
Go live once more seeking some answers. All we be revealed.
-x-x-x-x-
A private message conversation that happened.
Hey there. Saw your post linking to your blog and after reading through the article you linked I had a question for you: would you have an interest in exchanging your time writing articles for $ and/or discounts on Sideshow/Hot toys, etc products? I'm a wholesale distributor who recently started up a new website (https://www.toyorigin.com) and am looking for a few writers to come on board to help me regularly publish articles to the blog related to one sixth scale figures, statues, news about the space, stuff like that. Doing article re-writes of articles on competing websites that I want a version of on our website
What's your proposal?
I'll make mine afterwards. 🙂
Open to discussing on the particulars on an agreement, just mostly wanted to check if it was something you might be interested in or not to begin with
What are the particulars, through what medium?
I would be looking for articles written in the toy space. Would probably start with re-writes. so I will link you an existing article that I want "re-written" in your own words while using a set of keywords that I give you throughout the text.
I would like to know how much I would receive for doing this.
O
Oops*
I'm open to negotiating the rate, but it would be per article. Or instead of cash; if you purchase items from Sideshow regularly I am a distributor and can offer you the amount in the form of savings. Cash-wise per article though I'm open to hearing what you think is fair. ~4-500 word articles
So it means is my turn. 🙂
Indeed, haha
Three points has to be made clear from the start. I will be completely honest.
- I’m Brazilian and live in Brazil. My English is self-taught so is not up to represent your company.
- I can try to re-write the articles still if you want. To see if I like or feel able to do it.
- I don’t know the value of such services.
That being
said here’s is my proposal. To work the other way around. Instead of rewriting
things for you that I wouldn’t publish on my blog or divulgate on the
communities, I put you as sponsor of my blog. In every post I make I would put
an advertisement of your company. But I’ll go further. Since you are starting,
to attract new costumers, you could give 20% discount, what I think is a very
attractive number, I would be attracted by it, through a link especially in my
blog. I would put something along these lines: Only on ccfig: 20% off on
ToyORigin. You would send me some pictures of the figures you would like on the
background I would create the banners and direct possible costumers to your
store. Man of Acton Figures, a competitor of yours, gives these discounts periodically
to costumers, hence the suggestion. Plus, I will post only when I find a good
story. It’s how it works for me. The content with my bad English wouldn’t be inside
your company yet you would benefit by my services, of writing, being an active
member of the community (somewhat respected) and divulgate your brand in all
statues communities that really matters. I would like for this services 77USD
per post, is my lucky number :), paid through PayPal. I can begin in this post
that is online right now. It may reach, by the hot subject, 1k readers. I have
already 510 hits. So think fast. And choose one of the products sideshow sells so
I can create the banner and post as soon as possible. That’s it.
(the conversation went all the night until morning and I ended empty-handed as I was and expected. :P)
BONUS 2 - List of Characters on the polls.
Dark Knight Returns 5
Classic Doctor Octopus 4
Nightcrawler 15
Doctor Strange 4
Silver Surfer 11
Adam Warlock 3
Beast 8
Hawkgirl 4
Winter Soldier 3
Bishop 4
She-Hulk 5
Two Face 4
The Riddler 5
The Flash 20
Nightwing 6
Spawn 5
Etrigan 6
Martian Manhunter 8
The Question 5
Red Lantern Bleez 4
Captain Cold 4
Michael Myers 4
Pumpkinhead
Leeloo (Fifth Element)
Moon Knight 8
Bizarro 4
Disney Line of Villains
Nova 2
Iron Fist 4
Conan 5
Captain Cold 4
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