A question for Bowen scale collectors...

[Hellsbells51]

1. What would you as a collector want to let them know that if they did would endear you to their product?

Production, comic accuracy and quality.

Production - Not liking this 2 - 3 statues a year thing with Koto so production needs to crank out characters similarly to Bowen.

Comic accuracy - Most of us collectors in this hobby want a character they`ve known to enjoy ripped from the pages they have read for years...not some creative twist to the character no one is familiar with. Don`t get me wrong, sometimes new styles are welcomed, but a majority of us want what we`re familiar with.

Quality - Nothing like getting your moneys worth. If the product looks like some time, effort and passion were put into their purchase...we are generally a happy bunch!

2. What would be most important to you? Cost? Statue weight? Paint job quality? Design complexity?

Design > Quality > Cost > Weight

3. Would you prefer action poses or museum poses(or both?)

Museum and semi-action. Elegance is timeless. These are statues, not action figure toys. I like a few action pieces here and there because dynamic statues can be very eye appealing, but they`re harder to display.

4. What would be your top 5 character choices?

1. Guardians of the Galaxy (Annihilation costumes)
2. Loki (museum)
3. Jubilee
4. Moon Knight (Finch)
5. Firestar

[nexus]

1. What would you as a collector want to let them know that if they did would endear you to their product?
Hire a good art director with a passion for the source material. Go 1:6 scale and keep absolutely consistent. Pieces are going to be more expensive than Bowens were so buyers are going to want to feel they are getting their money's worth. Think XM 1:4/SS PFs reduced down to 1:6 scale and that's where the bar should be set. Also, like SS and XM offer exclusives like additional portraits. Solicit 2 to 3/month, commit to teams, and maybe design so that statues can display individually or bases can interlock to form dioramas.

2. What would be most important to you? Cost? Statue weight? Paint job quality? Design complexity?
Design complexity followed by paint quality.

3. Would you prefer action poses or museum poses(or both?)
Semi action/Action. I used to prefer museum, but starts to get redundant.

4. What would be your top 5 character choices?
my Top 5: Angel (Byrne), Psylocke (Lee), Cyclops (Lee), Storm (Lee), Phoenix (Byrne)
Top 5 they should do: Hulk, Thor, Iron Man, Phoenix and Dr. Doom.

The idea of having to replace all of my Bowen pieces is pretty daunting, but if a great line started up that I knew was going to produce all of the characters I'd probably sell them off. And certainly if the company also had the DC license and was going to apply the same formula it would be a no-brainer.

Let the responses flow, folks!

[Batwing]

1. What would you as a collector want to let them know that if they did would endear you to their product?

Well, in addition to comics accuracy and all that, I'd say: publish a plan, ie which characters you'll produce AND STICK TO IT. Nothing worse than disappointing the fans.

2. What would be most important to you? Cost? Statue weight? Paint job quality? Design complexity?

Consistency of scale and proportions.

3. Would you prefer action poses or museum poses(or both?)

Museum

4. What would be your top 5 character choices?

Wonder Man
Nighthawk
Vindicator
Sasquatch
Werewolf By Night

[Bob Morton]

I just want statues with the same comic book feel as Bowen. Many new 1/6 statues do not have the same feel because they put too many details that the comics don't capture. I honestly do not believe that any other company can capture the comic book feeling that Bowen had.

[risingstar]

Originally Posted by Bob Morton

I just want statues with the same comic book feel as Bowen. Many new 1/6 statues do not have the same feel because they put too many details that the comics don't capture. I honestly do not believe that any other company can capture the comic book feeling that Bowen had.

You're right. However, I think many of today's superhero fans never read any of the silver and bronze age books, and perhaps little to none of the modern age books as well. In essence, they're the fans of the movies and cartoons. The pressure to be comics-faithful isn't there as much. Nowadays, we see much more artistic license with the look of the characters than ever before.

[riteguytu]

Originally Posted by Bob Morton

I just want statues with the same comic book feel as Bowen. Many new 1/6 statues do not have the same feel because they put too many details that the comics don't capture. I honestly do not believe that any other company can capture the comic book feeling that Bowen had.

Originally Posted by risingstar

You're right. However, I think many of today's superhero fans never read any of the silver and bronze age books, and perhaps little to none of the modern age books as well. In essence, they're the fans of the movies and cartoons. The pressure to be comics-faithful isn't there as much. Nowadays, we see much more artistic license with the look of the characters than ever before.

Perhaps then the way of the future is change - to somehow incorporate the new with the old...?
I liken it to the Marvel cinematic universe stories and costumes. They are not canon, but can still be enjoyed for what they are...

[iceprince_x]

1. What would you as a collector want to let them know that if they did would endear you to their product?
Great customer service and product matches the promoted looks and design.
2. What would be most important to you? Cost? Statue weight? Paint job quality? Design complexity?
Design complexity paint job quality cost and weight
3. Would you prefer action poses or museum poses(or both?)
Really depends on the character and execution
4. What would be your top 5 character choices?
Jim Lee Jean Grey
X-Men Beast
Ice Man
Archangel
Cyclops

[Josh-a-tron]

Originally Posted by Bob Morton

I just want statues with the same comic book feel as Bowen. Many new 1/6 statues do not have the same feel because they put too many details that the comics don't capture. I honestly do not believe that any other company can capture the comic book feeling that Bowen had.

Really depends on the comics you were reading too. Granted I started in the 80's and from then on art varied widely. Look at Brian Bolland, not many details that guy missed. But then you have artists like Ron Garney, who captures more of that Bowen style you like.

[MrJones]

Originally Posted by riteguytu

With the current hiatus of Bowen designs, say company 'A' got a similar licence and wanted to start producing state of the art 1/6th scale full size statues;

1. What would you as a collector want to let them know that if they did would endear you to their product?

2. What would be most important to you? Cost? Statue weight? Paint job quality? Design complexity?

3. Would you prefer action poses or museum poses(or both?)

4. What would be your top 5 character choices?

Let the responses flow, folks!

Sorry late on the response I promised but better late than never

1. That the final product looks as advertised and also secure shipping. That moment between purchasing a statue and having it displayed is always nerve wracking to me. Even once you get a piece the Styrofoam can be placed poorly and catch an end and *snap*

2. I guess somewhere in between cost and paint. I know they are usually mutually exclusive, you get what you pay for but I'm starting to get to the point where I'd rather purchase a couple adequately priced smaller statues than 1 big one that is all sexed up with details.

3. Museum poses. Hellsbells nailed it, they are timeless

4. Loaded question but safe to say anything Marvel cosmic related.
- Drax
- Living Tribunal
- FS Uatu and Eternity
- I do also like the idea of a Sentry

[nbr3bagshotrow]

My hopes have been raised. I have a source who says Randy's working on starting up again.