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Sey hallo to my lille fren!
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Tucson, AZ. - a hundred miles from anywhere and three feet above Hell
Posts: 143
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I think the State of the Industry is doing fine and the best is yet to come.
There is a greater diversity of products, of genres, of outlets, and availability, in the whole of this industry that has ever been. Any one, almost anywhere, can get almost any product produced, or pre-ordered, than has ever been before. More companies are putting their best foot forward to get customers to their product.
So, does this mean that the State of the Industry is winding down?
Yes, we have all seen significant cost increases in the pieces we want over the last few years, but, hasn't housing costs gone up? Gas, anyone? Who bought a gallon of milk this morning?
This industry, like any other, is filled with so many people that believe they can get a quick buck for flipping a piece -- and if you can make a buck or two, from flipping, go for it, don't we all work for a living? When I start to hear that the bottom is falling out, it is usually the flippers who say it first. Because they can't make the same profit on the last piece they sold as they will on the next piece they will sell.
I think it is a 'head in the sand' viewpoint to think that anything will stay the way it is, all things change at some point, sometimes good, sometimes not.
So, will this industry survive?
I say, of course.
Comics have been around since the early 1900's, they were produced as satirical pictures in the newspapers, they evolved in to Sunday color supplements, then comics, where the pages counts were very high to today's standards, now comics ship weekly, have digital coloring processes, and you can find out what will ship out next week before it arrives.
Isn't that progress? Isn't that the model for the industry? Hell, that's THE history of the industry. A change will come along, and the scene isn't the same any more, but it still goes on. Didn't Marvel go bankrupt a few years back? Wasn't DC bought by a world wide corporation? It didn't seem to ruin the books they put out today.
Don't those characters by those and many other companies still inspire and awe a lot of us, and are there for any one else that wants to take a look? And look at how varied the products are out there and available. All things from comics, to books, to statues, to busts, to toys of all sorts.
So, again, the state of the industry, for statues and that arena, I believe it is alive and doing well.
As far as the issue of collecting, I have always said to my friends, my family, any one who asks, buy what you like, and sometimes that goes into completionism, because, some people like to say, "I have every one of those ever produced."
I think the statue and bust industry is matured and broadened to a high degree. I remember going to Bowen's website (many years ago) when he was listing Ant-Man. Now, I go through the latest Previews, and see the upcoming stuff from Bowen, Dark Horse, Gentle Giant, Sideshow, Moore, and all kinds of other guys. And the quality is incredible.
How is this industry alive and doing well? When Bowen was producing Ant-man, what else was available? What's available today? That's got to be progress that there are more products available, if no one was buying, it wouldn't be made.
I don't necessarily think more product or more diverse product equals better industry, but it is certainly got to be a factor.
And yes, I remember the early 90's, when every comic had a chrome cover.
But look what's happening today in that area.
And look what's happening with statues and busts today
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