Statues and maquettes are big business.
Collectors will plunk down major coin for 3D likenesses for their favorite characters / properties.
Now, I will fight ANYONE to the death who refutes my claim as being one of the world's most intense fanatics of the Marvel Comic's character; THE MAN-THING...
However, even I don't see the need for THIS:
A $499.00 "comiquette" of the MAN-THING!Manufactured by Sideshow Collectibles it's a lovely piece (complete with light-up l.e.d. eyes).
Standing 18.5" High (469.9mm) x 22" Wide (558.8mm) x 16" Deep (406.4mm), and weighing in at over 15 pounds, it is a GIANT.
Would I love to have one?
Well, duh. SURE I would.
(although, it has already sold-out at the manufacturer level)
But with the economy as it is (and this is not even taking my recent employment situation into account)... I would be hard-pressed to justify dropping 5 bills on this.
This is exactly the kind of thing that has been gnawing at my completist collector's mentality as of late.
I've been feeling more like prey than a prized fan or customer.
Marvel (and many other such companies) are tapping deeper into the wallets of the declining numbers of their fan base and - seemingly - been taking our love for granted.
At one time, only the most popular characters garnered such treatment, and slowly over time, the lesser known properties had been given the special treatment - much to the delight of their small (but very loyal) fanbase.
However, over the years we've seen just about every lesser known entity being given "life" in such a high-profile manner.
It has got to the point where many bloggers are astounded when the newest statues and busts are solicited, that the dregs of the character property pool are being turned into high-priced collectibles.
It is to the point where every character is getting multiple statues, every old storyline is being reprinted ad nauseum in deluxe hardcovers and the fans are being asked to spend more and more.
I own every representation of the Man-Thing (there are more than you may think) and Doctor Strange, among other properties... but I have been forced to take a more serious look at these items as of late.
(of course, if anyone out there wanted to take up a collection and buy one for me... well... I wouldn't stop them.)
Many OLDER items are still highly sought after, and as rarer items (before the production numbers on such things has exploded to "1990s Image comic" proportions) and many of those older items are still "worth" a high price tag.
But $500 for a giant Man-Thing statue?
If the economy wasn't as it is (and I was still gainfully employed)... I'd probably be trying to rationalize a way to order this. But would that make any sense?
So... what do YOU guys think?
Is it a case that ANY character is now viable for such a treatment?
Or are we being fleeced?
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2 comments:
I've long given up being a completist.
If I don't like it I don't buy it.
Bendis writes a bad Dr Strange? I just pretend it didn't happen. After all it's only fiction.
I have to put up with the odd gap in continuity, but in a way, that just makes it more life like.
We lose track of someone we know for a few months and when we see them again, they're doing something different.
In fiction at least, I find the gaps more magical than a bad story.
We're being fleeced!
After having to dispose of much of a life's collection of film/tv/comics material in order to move to the other side of the world I've taken to collecting information rather than the actual things these days.
Trying to sell stuff off made me realise that no matter what the guide books and dealers tell you few collectables actually sell on the second hand market for more than they charge us new.
As for comics, I buy to read, not invest, so I wait for them to turn up in the recent back issues bin at £1 each or pick them up cheap on e-bay.
At £499 they never had a change of getting any of my cash.
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