Ghost Rider (2023 Sideshow Con)

[Forps is back]

Originally Posted by Agent_J.Warren

Forps is back - I see your point. I do think Sideshow is vital in maintaining the existence of this hobby, even if only for distribution purposes alone. Hopefully they learn and listen as I do agree not many more mistakes can be made at this point.



As far as factories, some of it is speculation based on conversations I've had, some of it directly from conversation.

Some said they got their start by producing for Western companies first. However, making modern statues is now very difficult and physically demanding on their workers. So they said they make more money creating their own designs and selling directly to consumer. More money in their pockets and more money to help the workers and improve their business. Anyway, that's the very last I'll go on about that and I'm only talking about it again to answer the question. I promise I'm not trying to push some crazy propaganda.



Ended up picking up the XM Beast, so as far as X-Men, mainly Jubilee, Ice-Man, Bishop, Dazzler, Kitty Pride, older variants of Jean Grey and Cyclops, villains like Lady Deathstrike, Omega Red, Apocalypse, Blob, Toad, etc.

Then I'd also like to see an updated, licensed Warbird Ms. Marvel, Fantastic Four.

Then Scarlet Spider, Spider-Woman, more spider-verse villains.

I can easily see Sideshow making a Dazzler (the latest art print is a hint) along with Bishop and Jubilee. Omega Red also. Blob maybe in 2+ years after the market bottoms out.

Ice-man not (he does not translate well in statue form and Sideshow would not take the risk) and Toad also (the ES would be <150).

So there is hope. Especially for Dazzler, i can "smell" that something is coming. The new art print gave us a hint.

So do not lose your hope.

If you want to go the custom route, it is fine. But majority of us here, are not fans of customs, so it is your choice. If i were you and due to a low chance of Sideshow tacking eg Toad, you can go that route, although i, personally, hate customs, not only due to them being kind of a "theft" but also due to my personal disdain for the lack of artistic value along with bad headsculpts, atrocious paints etc.

[Onewiththeforce]

Originally Posted by Agent_J.Warren

No one said Sideshow is cutting checks directly to the factory workers. You're reading what you want to read for whatever reason.

A lot of the factories may provide basic necessities, housing, food, uniform, etc., along with wages, however, I believe most of the factory owners in this type of work would care much more about their employees and try to find ways to make their lives better because they cannot easily replace them.

Creating collectible statues is a very specific, highly-specialized skill. For many years, Sideshow has been ordering production batches in the tens of thousands - for multiple characters. This was on an ongoing basis too for a very niche market.

What Sideshow did was create a symbiotic dependency for which a lot of these specialized factories relied on Sideshow to stay in business.

You cannot re-outfit a factory retrain all of your workers overnight. It's too costly and very time consuming. These statues have become intricate and complicated too.

Why do you think Sideshow's quality control has been so hit or miss the last few years? Seriously, ask yourself. It's because Sideshow does not want to pay the proper rates like it used to and these rates are only increasing as statues have become more labor-intensive.

Sideshow has tried to negotiate to low-ball and pay the same. Now, established, mature factories that create these statues are saying no, not enough money to produce. I believe this is why the customs market has exploded recently. You now have the existence of very mature factories with a specialized workforce. Specialized individuals generally have more agency over their finances and employment opportunity.

What happens next is that Sideshow would go to a lesser-exerpienced factory and underpay/exploit them until they've also had enough and/or skilled up into the next price range.

If you have American/European companies being cheap, trying to take advantage of factories, it 100% impacts the wages of factory workers, especially when the cost of living in China is skyrocketing. China is export-dependent. The majority of these factories are export-dependant. There is still a demand for this product and you had better believe the business savvy factory owner is going to produce for its highest bidder.

And lastly, as far as low ES orders...they 100% will make these. They have an open order period that costs very little to enter. If they get enough preliminary orders they open an official pre-order window. Statues enter production, they get paid, send directly to the consumer. Only difference is that instead of making 3000 ES of statue "n" ... it's 125 of statue "n" , 300 of statue "p" , etc.

Anyway, don't try to come at me because you're some Sideshow fanboy who can't accept the fact that Sideshow continues to make sh-- decisions and dig its own grave

I would much rather spend my money with a company selling me what I actually want instead of having a company make horrible decisions and tell me I'm a bad customer for not buying their sh-- product. I'm over it. If more people continue to go with customs then I'd say the issue isn't the consumer.

[saberhagen]

Originally Posted by Agent_J.Warren

Forps is back - I see your point. I do think Sideshow is vital in maintaining the existence of this hobby, even if only for distribution purposes alone. Hopefully they learn and listen as I do agree not many more mistakes can be made at this point.



As far as factories, some of it is speculation based on conversations I've had, some of it directly from conversation.

Some said they got their start by producing for Western companies first. However, making modern statues is now very difficult and physically demanding on their workers. So they said they make more money creating their own designs and selling directly to consumer. More money in their pockets and more money to help the workers and improve their business. Anyway, that's the very last I'll go on about that and I'm only talking about it again to answer the question. I promise I'm not trying to push some crazy propaganda.



Ended up picking up the XM Beast, so as far as X-Men, mainly Jubilee, Ice-Man, Bishop, Dazzler, Kitty Pride, older variants of Jean Grey and Cyclops, villains like Lady Deathstrike, Omega Red, Apocalypse, Blob, Toad, etc.

Then I'd also like to see an updated, licensed Warbird Ms. Marvel, Fantastic Four.

Then Scarlet Spider, Spider-Woman, more spider-verse villains.

Seems like a pretty obvious list of characters, and yet every year?

I would love a new Warbird, but don?t see that happening any time soon. Any new Cyclops is good with me, just no crouching.

Fantastic Four is the weirdest, but that is probably more Marvel than Sideshow.

[Onewiththeforce]

Originally Posted by Forps is back

I can easily see Sideshow making a Dazzler (the latest art print is a hint) along with Bishop and Jubilee. Omega Red also. Blob maybe in 2+ years after the market bottoms out.

Ice-man not (he does not translate well in statue form and Sideshow would not take the risk) and Toad also (the ES would be <150).

So there is hope. Especially for Dazzler, i can "smell" that something is coming. The new art print gave us a hint.

So do not lose your hope.

If you want to go the custom route, it is fine. But majority of us here, are not fans of customs, so it is your choice. If i were you and due to a low chance of Sideshow tacking eg Toad, you can go that route, although i, personally, hate customs, not only due to them being kind of a "theft" but also due to my personal disdain for the lack of artistic value along with bad headsculpts, atrocious paints etc.

A Dazzler would be great!!! I would love a variant option as well that would showcase a 80-90?s look as well. Blue jump-suit, head band wearing suit.

[ZenLogikos]

Originally Posted by Forps is back

I can easily see Sideshow making a Dazzler (the latest art print is a hint) along with Bishop and Jubilee. Omega Red also. Blob maybe in 2+ years after the market bottoms out.

Ice-man not (he does not translate well in statue form and Sideshow would not take the risk) and Toad also (the ES would be <150).

So there is hope. Especially for Dazzler, i can "smell" that something is coming. The new art print gave us a hint.

So do not lose your hope.

If you want to go the custom route, it is fine. But majority of us here, are not fans of customs, so it is your choice. If i were you and due to a low chance of Sideshow tacking eg Toad, you can go that route, although i, personally, hate customs, not only due to them being kind of a "theft" but also due to my personal disdain for the lack of artistic value along with bad headsculpts, atrocious paints etc.

Getthehellouttaherewiththat... lol

Iceman makes for the most 'artsy' statues around. You should be loving it.

He and Silver Surfer allow for the most artistic expression of human anatomy in the pop-culture realm, since they're essentially naked. It's like sculpting a live model for art class.

[Forps is back]

Originally Posted by ZenLogikos

Getthehellouttaherewiththat... lol

Iceman makes for the most 'artsy' statues around. You should be loving it.

He and Silver Surfer allow for the most artistic expression of human anatomy in the pop-culture realm, since they're essentially naked. It's like sculpting a live model for art class.

Nope. Iceman not. Silver Surfer, yes (well, when he is not sculpted by one of "Sideshow's South American sculpting clan" who nearly destroyed it and delivered a joke of a sculpt. Too stiff of a pose, strange anatomy etc).

Ice-man, nope. He can't translate well in statue form, he will always look like a strange statue either with a transparent (with touches of blue) sculpt or like a junk of big ice cubes.

I am sorry, ZenLogikos, but Ice-man would NEVER get an "artsy" sculpt, not looking like a toy.

Even Harbottle would not be able to do it (or would he?)

Silver Surfer with his "chrome" finish (when chroming the sculpt is possible) which is also a "modern" color (as is white, black. White, black and silver/chrome are the colours of high-tech mansions, futuristic houses etc. They are associated with anything futuristic), gives a leeway for a magnificent sculpt (well, IF you are a good sculptor, ZenLogikos you know what Forps is "implying, ), but Ice-man not.

Sideshow should NEVER touch Ice-man. The sculpt will look like a joke, like a toy, like a transparent with blueish touches sculpt, like a Walmart junk bought for 10 bucks.

(Doom also gives a leeway for a sculptor to show us his abilities. Well, if he has any.... ZenLogikos, you are again "catching" what Forps is implying, lol)

[Tbolt]

Originally Posted by Agent_J.Warren

No, I'm honestly just very frustrated with the hobby because I'm wanting specific characters that no mainstream company will produce.

The last two years with Sideshow I've been wanting them to finish the amazing X-Men line they started and they completely abandoned it. No agenda on my end. I'm just frustrated and want to vent. I'm mostly done with the hobby at this point anyway. Just waiting on a few more pieces so that I can call it quits and move on. I'm a neurotic completionist and what you're reading is me having a tantrum about not seeing the statues I want to see. I'll end it at that. I apologize for the commotion.

Yet you felt the need to come on here and rail against Sideshow and try and make it seem like the only way to support the factory workers is to support crooks ripping off others IP so they can produce their unlicensed version of Joker, Wolverine, etc. None of that makes any sense. You are the one that came into this and many other threads bashing Sideshow and promoting customs. Back when we still had moderators you would have been gone.

[ZenLogikos]

I own four Icemans, including SS previous effort, and none look like toys to me.

The ones I don't own...I completely agree, look cheap and tend to look like toys.

So, our difference of opinion is that you think 100% look like toys, and I think...~85% look like toys. lol :P

[Forps is back]

Originally Posted by ZenLogikos

I own four Icemans, including SS previous effort, and none look like toys to me.

The ones I don't own...I completely agree, look cheap and tend to look like toys.

So, our difference of opinion is that you think 100% look like toys, and I think...~85% look like toys. lol

Our only hope for a magnificent Ice-man sculpt is Will Godbottle. Even Canale would not be able to do it (Canale is better at primal, animastic characters). Iceman needs a finessed sculptor, a magician. And when we talk about a magician, the first name coming to mind is Will Godbottle.

Harbottle or Panfilova in the near future (she is quickly ascending, she is a mini-Harbottle in the making) are our only hopes for a decent Iceman sculpt. But we are talking 4-5y in the future.

Sideshow during this climate surrounding the hobby would never take the risk for an Iceman, even a Harbottle's one.

Whereas a Dazzler by Godbottle........

(fasten your seatbelts and prepare your wallets if Godbottle is sculpting a Dazzler.....A pre-set ES and a bloodbath to preorder one would be a given)

Ahhhhh and Zenlogikos, did you catch my irony regarding Silver Surfer and Doom recent offerings or....?

[ZenLogikos]

Godbottle.

Kicking it up a notch, eh?