Is the Hobby at an all time low?

[Phoenixblazes]

Originally Posted by SONICobra

tweeterhead beastman
two face (1/4)
deathstroke (1/4)
mr sinister (1/4 - heavily dependent on design and footprint)
ep III obi wan (1/4)

ive had a good run, with these and the few i have on order i think ill be around 100 give or take

A nice solid collection there.

[SONICobra]

Originally Posted by Phoenixblazes

A nice solid collection there.

yeah im satisfied with it, i walk my basement every night and check everything out. some people like large collections, some like smaller - two statues or two hundred as long as you get enjoyment out of them any size collection can be rewarding

[Gothamite]

Originally Posted by Philintheblank

I'm not an idiot, you're a turkey!

Really though...there's nothing idiotic about the idea that the hobby is headed towards a downturn. Increasing prices are pushing current collectors out and I'd be surprised if they're not keeping a sizeable percentage of would-be collectors from jumping in. Add in oversaturation in the market and everything becomes less of a "need" and more of a want that'll be easily had down the road...if you still want it by then. The hype is dying down. The bottom line is these are luxury items that get more and more expensive while becoming less and less unique. I'm not saying the hobby is done in 10 years, but it might be very different.

Again, just because you're bored or have already filled your house doesn't mean that there can't be new entrants or participants.

[Phoenixblazes]

I first started collecting 8 or so years ago, and even back then there was talk about prices hitting ridiculous levels (if they only knew) and that the hobby bubble would burst any day.

Sideshow has always said we represent low single digits to them, and that a large chunk of their customers weren't like us. Where we may finish lines, but these others would only collect a few pieces and where out.

[Atlantisatdawn]

I think a bad economy and big price increases probably has hurt statue sales overall, it's made me more careful about what I buy, and although I've always tried to be that way, i have in the past made a few splurge purchases with stuff that really didn't fit my style, I bought Silk and Supergirl and sold them both, but as a middle of the road collector I hope I can always buy at least 1 to 2 new statues a year, even if that means selling a older piece I'm bored of, I have 2 pre orders this year, both are PCS (Purgatori & Dejah Thoris) and see nothing coming the rest of the year, although "maybe" sideshow surprises me with something cool, but not holding my breath

[saberhagen]

Originally Posted by grphyx1

I think long time collectors get bored. Don't think the hobby is at a low, I think when you frequent the forums and continually focus on the same things, it wears out your excitement. XM changed the game with the added details in their figures, now every company has stepped up their game so their is very little differentiation to garner your attention and hard earned coins, so you brain implodes from too much choice.

I just don't think the hobby is designed for long term collectors in any way. There are always those last few characters that the company will never get to that leaves your roster incomplete. Even with XM, they'll be slogging through the popular DC characters for a while, and now competing with two 1/4 companies.

Originally Posted by jeremydmc

Most of my remaining PO's are 1:6 Tweeterhead....so I agree. LOL

I'm the same, all the PO's are Tweeterhead. I'm a probable on Sideshow's Zatanna, a maybe on their Joker. Waiting on a couple XM 1/4 reveals too.

[Gothamite]

Originally Posted by Mister H

I think Tweeterhead has a chance to be top dog.

[ZenLogikos]

Originally Posted by Dreamland

There?s the price of the hobby going up, but also there?s nothing really new or original coming out these days. I have about 30-40 statues, and basically everything I want or need. I literally can?t think of anything else to come out that I would buy. There are many versions of the same statues coming out year after year, more Batman?s, more Michael Myers, more Marvel characters, more of the same. Once you get one, people don?t usually tend to buy another version of the same statue. Companies keep pumping out the same characters year after year, just different sizes and versions, I would say most of us over 30 years of age have a ?complete? or close to complete collection by now. Everything has been done.

The first several bolded sections state the same thing: that there are many repeats done...which IS true.

But then the last statement says "everything has been done", which is FAR from true.

I'm one of the few I know who's made his character/license list from the start (never heard anyone chime in with theirs), and I have a fraction of what I want. And I AM picky. I only average ~6 statues a year, and it's been slowing, due to the repetition you mention. Producers don't want to take a chance or even bother making statues of lower tier characters that won't sell in the thousands.

If you're a straight up Marvel or DC fan, maybe you could be close to getting what you want, but there is a lot of opportunity to produce more from video game or anime lines.

[Silas Loki]

I get the impression that, some of us here, forget that these companies are nothing but businesses.

Their marketing, with their "reveal shows", etc. and statements like "the people who run the company are artists first, and businessmen second" - is simply B.S. to get you to think you're not buying from a business.

Businesses produce things that they think will sell. And the repeat characters sell. It's simple. Don't blame the companies, blame the community.

I have a LONG list of I.P's, and characters - I would like, but will NEVER be produced by the mainstream companies. Even the "Custom Statue" community is locked into repeats of Spider-Man, Superman, Carnage and all the other usual suspects. Let's be clear, these are unlicensed statue production - and even here the community is buying repeats.....it's quite ridiculous.

One guy from the Custom site said, enough is enough! He tried to break away and start a line of statues based on Historic fighters and Legendary characters. For his first statue - a Samurai, he needed 30 - 40 buyers to make it work........he failed to get even that. Can you imagine, a statue with an ES of 40, not based on Marvel or D.C......and, no beans.

The problem isn't the producers - it's us.

[ZenLogikos]

Originally Posted by Silas Loki

I get the impression that, some of us here, forget that these companies are nothing but businesses.

Their marketing, with their "reveal shows", etc. and statements like "the people who run the company are artists first, and businessmen second" - is simply B.S. to get you to think you're not buying from a business.

Businesses produce things that they think will sell. And the repeat characters sell. It's simple. Don't blame the companies, blame the community.

I have a LONG list of I.P's, and characters - I would like, but will NEVER be produced by the mainstream companies. Even the "Custom Statue" community is locked into repeats of Spider-Man, Superman, Carnage and all the other usual suspects. Let's be clear, these are unlicensed statue production - and even here the community is buying repeats.....it's quite ridiculous.

One guy from the Custom site said, enough is enough! He tried to break away and start a line of statues based on Historic fighters and Legendary characters. For his first statue - a Samurai, he needed 30 - 40 buyers to make it work........he failed to get even that. Can you imagine, a statue with an ES of 40, not based on Marvel or D.C......and, no beans.

The problem isn't the producers - it's us.

I came to that conclusion years ago when PCS Street Fighter dried up and they only sell bikini statues now.

But the other part of that - customs - not everyone knows about. If anyone can point me in the direction of custom groups, especially those doing Street Fighter, I'm all ears. The couple groups I'm in regurgitate the same tired characters, like you say.