Retro Cable - Who are the lucky 250 (+30)?

[ickwinzs]

yeah I am a buzz kill, LOL

[crankyjammies]

Originally Posted by Hellboy

Maybe the fact that those companies aren't really viable anymore in today's market should tell us something?

All I'm saying is I think APs lose a bit of their appeal when they become commonplace in the general market.

Exactly.

[ratchet]

Originally Posted by ickwinzs

Except for those poor souls who don't realize that ap are just extra statues or busts from the runs to cover breakage and such. so they really aren't anything special. But they sure sound good to the uninformed.

Exactly.

[Hellsbells51]

Originally Posted by crankyjammies

Haha. Still, that statue is one awesome piece. And I'm saying that even though I'm not a Cable fan. All the owners of these pieces should be proud.

I just don't like the idea that they could AP a lot of statues and we wouldn't even be sure if they followed the ES of just 280. If you ask me, they should've made a new ES for the AP's. So instead of putting AP of 280, they should've been numbered as well.

The real ES is 250. I believe 280 is on the AP's because they received 30 AP's so Bowen may have factored those in when writing in the ES. 30 sounds about right because usually a company receives 10% of the lot as AP's. Some AP's don't even list the ES.

As common as it is to get an AP from Bowen, it still is a fact that they are harder to obtain than regular ES. These statues were Collector's Club Exclusives and limited to only 250! So they are rare in itself! Then you throw in the fact that they are AP's...that's an ES of possibly 30 and it makes them even more scarce.

[Hellsbells51]

I understand the down play of AP's, but honestly...would you rather have a company let them collect dust in a warehouse or hand them out to their company workers!? Not me, I'd rather they sell them to the collector's who will actually admire them for what they are.

Sideshow handles them well with their annual auctions for a good cause, but you see some slip out to retailers which in turn sell them for crazy amounts! Bowen gets theirs to the collectors...some might be up there in price, but many have been had for less than the aftermarket going rate. I like that.

What are some of your solutions for Bowen handling their AP stock?

[crankyjammies]

Originally Posted by Hellsbells51

The real ES is 250. I believe 280 is on the AP's because they received 30 AP's so Bowen may have factored those in when writing in the ES. 30 sounds about right because usually a company receives 10% of the lot as AP's. Some AP's don't even list the ES.

As common as it is to get an AP from Bowen, it still is a fact that they are harder to obtain than regular ES. These statues were Collector's Club Exclusives and limited to only 250! So they are rare in itself! Then you throw in the fact that they are AP's...that's an ES of possibly 30 and it makes them even more scarce.

I am aware that its original ES is 250. As you said, some APs don't even have the ES written on them. So that makes me wonder, is it possible that they could have made more than 30 APs? Since you have no way to really account for every last piece, there is no way to find out if they really just made 30. This fact, renders the whole idea of an edition size useless.

Let the conspiracy theory discussion commence.

[crankyjammies]

I'm the kind of collector who doesn't really care about what number in the ES I got or if it is AP or signed and sketched by Randy Bowen since you're never going to see these when you display the statues. One thing I do care about is the statue itself.

Now here comes MY problem with low edition sizes and (POSSIBLY) unlimited APs: With Bowen claiming a certain statue as having a low edition size, collectors and retailers would raise the asking price in the after market (sometimes, dramatically) and collectors buy them thinking "this price is fair since the ES is only 250!". So they end up really shedding a bunch of cash on that one statue. But in reality, with APs being circulated and widely available in the market, this should reduce the value of the statue.

Ask yourself these: What could be their intention in making APs? Why not just increase the ES?

[Hellsbells51]

Originally Posted by crankyjammies

I'm the kind of collector who doesn't really care about what number in the ES I got or if it is AP or signed and sketched by Randy Bowen since you're never going to see these when you display the statues. One thing I do care about is the statue itself.

Now here comes MY problem with low edition sizes and (POSSIBLY) unlimited APs: With Bowen claiming a certain statue as having a low edition size, collectors and retailers would raise the asking price in the after market (sometimes, dramatically) and collectors buy them thinking "this price is fair since the ES is only 250!". So they end up really shedding a bunch of cash on that one statue. But in reality, with APs being circulated and widely available in the market, this should reduce the value of the statue.

Ask yourself these: What could be their intention in making APs? Why not just increase the ES?

I hear what you're saying...I am typically the same way in that I don't care about ES or whatever, but it's great to know you have something rare or expensive in your collection. Just having a statue brings enough pleasure for me, but knowing it's rare or expensive is the cherry on top!

Bowen can't have an unlimited amount of AP's or the warehouses that produce them would be handing them out for free and it would make no sense. All production companies are alloted Artist Proofs (which are typically 10% of the ES) and are to do with them as they please. Most companies use them as replacements and some don't.

Bowen can't tell the warehouse they want 300 AP's because that's not free labor.

[Henry Pym]

I heard that Randy has about 50 of these hidden under his bed

[crankyjammies]

Originally Posted by Hellsbells51

I hear what you're saying...I am typically the same way in that I don't care about ES or whatever, but it's great to know you have something rare or expensive in your collection. Just having a statue brings enough pleasure for me, but knowing it's rare or expensive is the cherry on top!

Bowen can't have an unlimited amount of AP's or the warehouses that produce them would be handing them out for free and it would make no sense. All production companies are alloted Artist Proofs (which are typically 10% of the ES) and are to do with them as they please. Most companies use them as replacements and some don't.

Bowen can't tell the warehouse they want 300 AP's because that's not free labor.

I was exaggerating of course, but yes, I get what you're saying. Your explanation does make a lot of sense.