Why WONT I BUY from SIDESHOW Collectibles Anymore?
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- Опубліковано 4 лют 2023
- Tune in to see why I used to buy so many #statues and figures from #sideshow collectibles and why I don't anymore for my #collection
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Mr. X
12210 Brighton Road
#166
Henderson, CO 80640 - Фільми й анімація
I definitely think Sideshow now has lots of competition than in the past and thier designs are more simple compared to other statue makers...They have really good flexible payment plans which is good for statue collectors on a budget.
And if you're a Star Wars fan Sideshow is great...They do alot of star wars statues,props and busts.
But if you are a really serious hardcore statue collector Sideshow just doesn't cut it anymore.
Who have you started gravitating towards?
@@sf6ftw833 Well as a matter of fact IPA’s are better than regular f***king beers 😂
@@nvcameron4983 IPA's make regular beer taste like dogwater.
@@lunarlives468IPA’s taste like Dogwater
Sideshow is inferior! They make hollow statues for the masses to buy! Keep this hobby for the rich man only who can afford solid statues! Sideshow belongs at flea markets 🤣
As a new collector, Sideshow has been the most affordable and the “layaway” helps me afford some of the higher costing statues. Also, the art prints they have are pretty awesome. They do a lot for for the artist and give them a lot of recognition. Lastly, Sideshow seconds is pretty awesome!
🤦♂️
@@sf6ftw833 Right! Face palming is so rude.
🤦♂️
Yeah I am too! I love Sideshow and the Layaway option helps quite a bit :)
I still buy, but not as often. I’m more picky, I’m sticking to the x-men line, and some of the Star Wars mythos. Can’t have it all, and don’t have enough space for more.
Everything I’ve collected for the past two years has been with Sideshow. Being able to pay with layaway and also with Affirm makes it so easy and shipping is affordable.
I was never a fan of Sideshow, but seeing their new statues I’m becoming a fan, their new Joker I think is the best Joker statue I’ve ever seen. For me it’s perfect, the pose is incredible with one bloody hand with a buzzer outstretched for a handshake, hiding a crowbar behind his back, his body is twisted with his legs crossed. Then a really nice base, a bath of chemicals with skulls in it, with a clown face sign thrown on top of it. And it’s only $600 which is crazy cheap. It’s just an amazing statue.
Then their new Dark Knight Returns Batman with the big bolt of lightning is also amazing.
A lot of good points here. When I first got into statue collecting, Sideshow was more enticing to me and a big part of that was pricing.
Just ordered Prime 1 Dawnbreaker from them two days ago. 30% off and $75 shipping was an absolute no brainier.
That one pissed me off. I have it on order through a distributor and am paying MORE and it’s still not here. I could have got that one for cheaper and faster. Congrats though!
@@TheXtremeChannelMrX See, if you weren't over there playa hatin, you coulda got that SS: Super Sale. J/k, but seriously, I'm at the point where I'd rather wait to see how prices move, because Sideshow. Has been having good sales. Spec Fiction has good early bird prices, but it takes me a while to decide on stuff, and I usually miss out. But SS's payment system is the most modernized. Spec fiction bills shipping as a separate order. Iron Studios doesn't process preorders seamlessly, you have to go back and place an order for the item you pre-ordered. 🙄 Absolute nonsense.
@@bluscorpion The distributor I used was originally cheaper
Valid points! I’ve collected sideshow for 15 years and your point is 💯 valid back in the day there was a lack of competition, they ran the show. Now we have so many choices in different scales and price points that collectors standards and expectations have increased immensely.
Still a great company with the best customer service and affordable pricing, but sometimes we expect more and other companies are filling those expectations.
That is a really nice sweater Mr X. 👍
Hoody
Always informative n good. Like I’ve said previously just found your channel, gonna take some time to get through the videos. Like the one with your wife guessing characters, thought she did ok 👍
I appreciate the follow!
Similar to your story I used to always buy from Sideshow. I think as I grew more into the collection I became extremely upset with their products where I think of them as GALLERY. At times lol. So now I go to spec fiction for a lot of XM pieces. Then I learned a few places from you and a couple other manufacturers from Sideshow because they’re a third-party company. As far as sideshows actual work goes, I think it’s taking a pretty massive dive, and it’s kind of a shame in my opinion. I don’t think it’s a bad place to buy stuff from or whenever you’re buying their particular work I know I’m extremely specific on what I’m going to buy from them. I usually wait for it to be released and watch other people’s reviews before I purchase anything sideshow makes. They do have the best customer service, and their points system like you said is also pretty fantastic! There’s other people like spec fiction and comic concepts, who also have great points as well. Sideshow will forever be a company I will buy a piece or two from when I’m really intrigued, but I think I only have four pieces with them now and only one of them is an actual Sideshow piece lol.
Sideshow Collectibles is my go to company for buying statues. Mainly because of there reward system, which allow me to take advantage of some serious discounts. I'm hoping that this will continue into the future. Right now, it seem like the economic slows is affecting them. I would like to continue to buy from them, but I might have to consider other options depending on how things go.
I think you nailed it with there being much more competition nowadays as opposed to an outright drop in quality at sideshow. But their points and layaway features are the best in my opinion and keep me purchasing a majority of pieces through them.
I’ve actually started going back to sideshow more and more. Compared to some XM not only do they beat them on price but often on design. Sometimes less is more in the design.
As a fairly new collector I primarily order from sideshow for all the points you mentioned. They have, by in large, carried everything I have wanted so far. I am sure as I get more into this hobby I will vary the buying sources more.
I just picked up a very cool piece Mr X, it’s the wall hung big chap mouth closed version, what are your thoughts on that piece, thank you sir for your input
I really like it. I just don’t think it’s true life sized
I am not a huge statue collector, but what I do have is from the Sideshow. What I do know is their reward program is incredible, and so is the customer service and support.
As someone new to statues thanks for sharing the company’s that you order from !
Great video Mr. X
We get a lot of Sideshow stuff here in the UK, I actually really like there 1:6 action figures, I've got quite a few Hellboy & Buffy figures from sideshow, also Is there any statue company's based out of the UK?
Still pretty new to the collecting world been only 3 years but Sideshow was definitely my go to in the beginning. Recently though, Spec Fiction is my main company to purchase through. For me, feels like I’m supporting a local smaller distributor instead of the big corporation in Sideshow. Nothing wrong with Sideshow just my preference. Customer service from Spec Fiction has been extremely on point and I just enjoy scrolling through their site searching for my next piece.
Spec Fiction is my go-to for things I can't get anywhere else. It's thanks to them I have the stunning Darth Revan by XM. To me, that piece is a grail. Love it. SpecFiction has certainly helped me acquire a few hard to get pieces. I'm also getting the InArt Joker from them. Great place for statues/figures.
I like SS. Their prices, customer service, rewards program and payment plans really make it for me. I wish they would do some Predator and Alien pieces again to give P1 some competition since their prices are ridiculous!
Yea I LOVE the Queen and King Alien. Wish they'd do more aliens
I started buying directly from Sideshow and I feel the reason for that is they are well known so a common first recommendation for collectibles. After I started watching channels that focus on collecting, I was introduced to different companies like the ones you mentioned and a few more. Once that happened it changed my behavior, when I want to pick something up I look around more. One of my favorites is BBTS, I find their pile of loot option super helpful. In the end I think it's the variety of options that is likely reducing some of the sales for Sideshow.
I’ve only gone through BBTS a few times but other than delays always been smooth
Nice thanks for the breakdown
Very valid points my bro I got into collecting with sideshow too show I still always show love
I've literally just pre-ordered my 1st sideshow piece yesterday.
In fact it's my entry point into 1/4 scale statues.
I'm hoping I haven't made a mistake
You are. RUN
Nice vid!
Gotta love their payment system. So nice not having to contact them. Just bought jungle hunter through them. Might do City hunter as well.
I recently shifted from sideshow to XM…but I’m a 1/4 scale collector. Since P1 is going 1/4 now…prob will go that direction too.
Just happy there are so many companies to choose from
They’re prices,on one sale or another, can be fantastic. This includes pieces from any brand. Also, if you’re buying one of their pieces, and you want the deluxe, you have to get it from them. Finally, in the past the high quality photos of the pieces they do carry are always better than competitors.
Sideshow pieces have such large edition sizes that they usually sell for cheaper on the aftermarket. I pretty much stick to that now and have gotten my last two pieces well below retail.
I’m brand new to statues. Watching to learn before I make a purchase
Where did you get that hoodie from? Does anyone know?
Bought it over 10 years ago online
Just like you Mr. X I started collecting 1/6 scale Hot Toys & moved to Statues. I love sideshow because of their pts system & lay away program BUT last year I showed them how one of my book shelves gave in and it broke my Thanos & Silver Surfer statues. They asked for pictures to show them that I am not a reseller trying to purchase more statues to sell which I provided. & They agreed for me to repurchase both statues. But due to Financial issues I was not able to buy both at the same time. So I bought the Thanos first. Then when I tried to repurchase the Silver Surfer they changed their mind and wont allow me to do so anymore. That made me actually quit collecting statues.
I still buy from Sideshow. But just as my bourbon pallet has expanded to higher level bottles, my expectations in statues have also expanded. As such they can not compete for the most part. Like you, I only have two on pre-order, although even those are made by different companies. In the end won't abandon them completely. They still are the best cost value out there IMO.
As a retailer, Sideshow is unmatched. Their post purchase support is far beyond the other companies that will just give you excuses saying “our statues will have minor differences”
That is 100% on the nose. SS customer service is amazing, Prime 1 on the other hand absolutely atrocious.
They are great! I get my P1 statues from them. Easy returns if you need to. Granted I’m very close to them, my shipping has never been more than 115 dollars👍🏻
I've purchased from both SS and Spec Fiction since they're both local to me. They both have great deals, offer customer rewards and superb customer service. I recently won a SS contest during the holidays too!
Though I've been interested in evolving my collection into other companies such as Prime 1 & XM, I just haven't pulled the trigger on their offerings at the moment with so many other new companies out there cranking out amazing pieces.
Would love to build my collection to a fraction of Mr. X has!
I've been using sideshow for my 1/6 scale figures been loving them!
My very first statue was from sideshow, and i have multiple sideshow pieces that i have bought. 2 i ordered via the website, and shipping and taxes killed me coming from the US to Thailand, i payed over 1000 dollars for superman call to action and carnage. Luckily i found a distributor here that sells pieces for retail in a place called mega plaza and it really helped boost my collection. Love the x men pieces and picked up some awesome batman statues. I am still waiting to get my first prime 1 piece. I definitely see that prime 1 and customs are coming out with more intricate pieces.
I came into the hobby from the GK and custom angle so Sideshow wasn't the first, second, or even third statue I bought. Some of their Premium Format is hard to ignore, but there is a lot of competition out there.
I buy off and on from Sideshow. I've been buying from them directly ever since they put out the Highlander figures for the 1st time. That was about 18 years ago. I miss the old days when they were doing more themed specials to go along with the holidays like the Halloween specials. Their website was much more interactive back then. They have closed so many lines well before people were finished with them. Spooktacular just isn't what it used to be.
I still buy from Sideshow and other distributors but I just wish that we had more companies out there like Sideshow to offer more competitive prices and shipping costs, so everyone can start this kind of hobby.
I've been collecting 1/4 scales for less than a year and for new collectors you just cant beat Sideshows price range. The quality may not be as good as XM or P1 but there's still some great pieces to choose from. Personally i love Sideshows whole 1/4 X-Men line. That being said i can definitely see myself moving towards the better quality producers as my collection grows and space constraints force me to be a little more selective. I'm hoping to grab that P1 1/4 Superman Hush when it goes up for preorder and it will probably be my first P1 piece so who knows how my outlook might change once i actually see the difference in quality for myself.
Nice as always. I only go through sideshow if there is an EX/DX Version, but will wait for sale for the PFs such as Carnage. Learned I could have saved money on the Symbiote Spiderman if I waited.
I hope prime 1 comes out with another statue that looks as nice as the alien dog that’s not available to buy, I absolutely love the paint job on the head where you can see through to the brain
I used to buy from Sideshow but primarily by XM pieces now because of their Spidey line. I would still order from Sideshow if they come out with something I'm interested in.
Side show is the only place I buy my figures. I like that they are in the US, they have great customer service ,I love their point systems and they have great sales. I will continue to buy from them
I had new berserker armor guts from prime 1 paid off through sideshow and waiting to ship. I was so excited then I got the shipping email and shipping was $480 and I couldn't do it and canceled it. It sucks if it was another time and shipping wasn't as bad I could maybe have that piece on the way right now.
Sideshow reeled me in with my first 1/4 statue (MK7). However, as an Iron Man & Venom fan, I quickly got into Queen & Customs.
I still check Sideshow from time to time to see whether there are any cool new additions, as their service has been great.
As someone in the UK it's all about shipping and customs for me. I have 4 statues with one more on the way. Each statue just for shipping and customs alone is about £100 each. If they had a UK warehouse then I'd buy from them a lot more.
Where did you get that hoodie? My nephew is a huge venom fan and would love that.
Bought it online over 10 years ago
Gret Video... I have the Autographed Bolo Yeung Statue, and an Jean Claude Van Damme bloodsport from PCS coming in soon from Sideshow. I also preordered the Scream 1/3 Statue I think from PCS...
I appreciate Sideshow for their point system oh and also their new premium format Carnage. That piece is beautiful.
The industry is very competitive. Great short vid.
I just started to get into statue collecting and my first statue was the 1/3 scale Wolverine they recently released and absolutely loved. Always looking at their site but other sites have gotten my attention too. Sometimes sideshow just doesn't have what I'm interested in or it's the same thing they have had before
As far as their own statues SS definitely has big hits and big misses, I think they’ve had some big hits recently though with Vader and TDKR. As a distributor I’ll use them every chance I have.
I do think pcs has upped their game but I still wouldn’t have them anywhere near XM’s level. And while I haven’t seen that many Prime 1s in person and don’t like 1/3 scale, I’ve been thoroughly disappointed with every prime 1 I’ve seen in person.
great video. i still order from sideshow. i love the pices they offer like j. scott, cambell
Sideshow was the 1st that I ordered from & I still do. I order from whom ever offers the piece I want.
These "sit down and just talk about a topic" videos are a great palate cleanser in between the statue reviews.
Also I'm just ordering the Darth Vader on throne statue from sideshow then after that it'll be difficult for them to get me to order from them again.
I try and go every other. I actually already have enough statue reviews filmed to cover all of Feb but am trying to pace them out.
@@TheXtremeChannelMrX Sounds great!
As a collector from the UK I only tend to buy from Sideshow if it’s an Exclusive version otherwise if it’s a non exclusive statue I go with a UK retailer as it works out cheaper. Though every time I’ve purchased from Sideshow it’s been a perfect transaction with great customer service and I haven’t received anything damaged so far.
I still use sideshow for most of my orders they have the largest Star Wars selection so it’s a no brainer since it’s mostly what I collect. Also I feel like their 1/4 pieces are still good quality especially for the price!
The daily deals and seconds are always interesting to check out for me
Sideshow has been known for their accurate comic statue representation.
Ive only really shopped with Sideshow but recently have been buying more 2nd hand/used
Their customer service is 100% and that's why I purchase from them. Never had any issues.
And their Alien Queen and Alien King are epic
Im still waiting for a replacement head for my 1/6 scale Snake Plissken figure from 2014. The paint on the face of my figure started to crack after 4 days out the box, in a room with soft weather. Im stuck with a figure full of white scratches in the face...eat shit sideshow (yes im still angry).
never bought from them but agree with you at a certain point the customer service and quality is just as (if not more) important than just price
I mainly go with Sideshow because they are best for my budget. I don't order nearly as much as I use to when I first started, like most new collectors that start, you go nuts with ordering when you first start, but now I'm more select with what I buy and it's mainly through Sideshow and Sideshow statues. The other companies statues are just getting out of my budget reach these days.
Just started with my first sideshow collectibles this week.
I only collect Batman-related Statues and I have some of their PF-Line, but they don't bring anything new. They just re-do the same Characters over and over again. That's my biggest Frustration with SS. Still they have awesome Customer-Service and I've also become a Fan of their Art-Prints. I ordered mostly those at SS lately.
Good thing I watched this. Didn't realize those points expired.
Right now I only have two Sideshow pieces in my collection. Used to have more. Shipping is one thing for me, but I think my taste have changed and I go for more higher quality pieces. Prime 1, Xm, Legendary Beast, and some anime customs from other sites. I recently was gonna pick up a small piece and had it on my cart from SS, but it was 10-12 cheaper from bbts. Lil things like that add up.
I don’t really buy sideshow collectibles anymore either but I will order from them as a distributor. My most recent piece is the Catwoman from Tweeterhead and I love it.
I was going to pick up their new Mythos Vader, but I saw one video review where the guy was changing out the light saber blade, and the hilt of the saber actually came loose in Vader’s hand. That and there were some other minor issues, but still, it gave me pause.
I’m very new to these high end statues, I’ve bought 6 pieces over the past month, if I’m going to spend this much money I’m going to look at the best company that I feel makes the best looking statues and that’s P1. Sideshow needs to come down on price if they want to compete I think. Another company I’m new to in FNC, they seem good, I picked up a couple nice pieces from them on pre order
Fnc is just a distributor, they don’t make anything …
@@TheRoleplayer40k ah yes your correct thanks, I’ll have to look who makes the items I got, one of them it’s 1/4 scale and I have not seen it anywhere but there, but as soon as I made the pre-order, I stopped looking for it elsewhere so who knows. Have a good day bud
I love that Venom hoodie, where did you get it from?
Bought it online over 10 years ago
I mainly buy from Sideshow for the exact reason you mentioned: Customer Service.
Any issue I have, they respond competently and resolve the problem. Especially for my $2-3K orders, I want peace of mind.
I do most of my buying from Sideshow because of their reward program. It's the best In the industry. Specifically for me, the free rewards that use to pour on us were very helpful for purchasing.
Sideshow is a great place to get into statue collecting as their pieces are probably best value for the money. But their es has gotten much greater and that’s turned off some of the more serious collectors who want rare pieces like you, Mr x
I buy there art prints from sideshow and smaller statues plus I build up points and get discount codes that I can use towards another purchase
I started with Sideshow 20 years ago and before that Bowen, Dynamic Forces etc. I use to pick up anywhere from 6 to 12 pieces a year from SS alone. However as competition grew and a once obscure hobby became mainstream everything changed. Over saturation, crazy price hikes and insane ES's and ohh boy customs. The statue game is nothing like it was back then. I still enjoy it but it's definitely lost just a bit of its sparkle. I maybe pick up one or two SS pieces every few years now a days; n those have to drop my jaw. My main purchases come from Prime 1 and only one customs group. I don't ever see myself getting completely out, but less is way more now a days.
what is the jacket you are using? looks awesome
It's a hoody I bought over 10 years ago somewhere online
i havent been buying from them either, but they were my go to as well
Mr X I think you have to take blame or praise, I used to by from sideshow all the time. But I found your channel and I started buying from spec fiction and secret compass. So I am praising you for give us more options. Still haven’t bought direct from XM or prime one yet
Fair assessment indeed. I get it
I started and now I’m into customs
I like sideshow and will continue to buy as long as they produce stuff I want. Last year I bought alot from them. But this year I have very little on order from them. My attention has been turned to other companies because they are making stuff I really want.
I started collecting sideshow premium formats from the get go and loved it but after so many years and rising prices I scaled back on my buying from them.
I also hate the fact that all sideshow seems to do now is batman, spiderman, etc. Its always the same characters. I changed the focus of my collection to focus on just one character so mass collecting different lines from sideshow isn't for me anymore.
I do however order art prints from them. They are my go too for good art to hang on my walls.
I like that pull-over you are wearing! Where do you get them? ":)
Online somewhere over 10 years ago
I do buy from sideshow SOMETIMES usually for sideshow exclusive pieces and the fast shipping I’m in SoCal, and recycle my rewards
I've known Sideshow since they were a garage kit company doing sideshow freaks kits.
I still buy from Sideshow, particularly PCS pieces. That said, their quality was much more on point in the past. Still have the original Warcraft and Diablo pieces they did around 10 years ago.
I have been grabbing up x-men sideshow statues for about 5 years now. I am in no way a "power" collector. I have only got the x-statues I like (Colossus, Rogue, Gabit, Juggernaut, Domino, and I have Psylocke on preorder) and it does not seem like they release a huge amount of their own stuff quickly that I need to shell out tons of money to keep up. So they release a pace I can keep up with and I'm more than happy to buy from them. I find it hard to justify paying over $1k for a statue and then more for overseas shipping. The quality of the ones I have are amazing but I do not have anything else to really judge them buy. I see other companies works in pictures and at cons but I don't find them to be worlds apart. Just about what style you like.
They have produced some sleepers the past couple of years. To me their biggest hit this year is the Darth Vader premium format.
I buy from sideshow for many of the reasons you mentioned. Rewards program, customer service - when there has been an issue sideshow has been quick to take care of it for me. Cost is also a big one vs some of the other companies.
I really enjoyed their 1/4 Sentinel X-men line the past couple years but other than that yeahhhh
I still buy just not as much due to shipping prices. Recently received their black panther absolute hit… top 5 marvel collectible I own. They’re definitely capable of hits.
Hey Mr X, really good question and thanks for the upload. Personally, I think Sideshow have nose-dived in creativity and quality.
I started collecting statues around 2002-ish when “Weta/Sideshow” brought out the ‘Lord of The Rings’ 1/6 line. They were fabulous and actually sculpted by the very same Weta artists who designed and manufactured the actual Trilogy props, makeup’s, appliances and environments. Their first Balrog, Sauron, ‘Mounted Ringwraith’ and “Gandalf on Shadowfax” to name a few really are all truly wonderful, detailed and evocatively ‘sculpted pieces.’ This quality continued across the thirty two pieces in my collection not counting the 1/4 Scale Die-cast Helmets, arms, armour, scale environments and 1/1 scale jewellery. That was such a great time for me with every new release an instant First Day Pre-Order….regardless of the looks my Mrs X used to give me.
Skipping forward a few years with Batman, Sideshow’s PF ‘66 West Batman & Catwoman in mixed media remain sublime, as does the ‘82 Pfeiffer Catwoman, Keaton Batman, all high quality of which you know only too well (although the Catwoman’s portrait is only around 80% though probably due to Licensing cost I’d imagine).
This quality imo continued through to the modern PF of Batman on Arkham’s Headstone, Batwoman and BvS’s Armoured Batfleck were all really great, hefty detailed sculpts with true volume and depth ….(although the BvS Batfleck was awful with an odd, awkward pose and slightly off portrait, and despite being a wonderfully imposing piece, the equivalent BvS Armoured Batsuit was modelled on Actor/Stuntman Richard Cetrone’s face and not Ben’s and also lacked the Kryptonite Spear Exclusive it was patently designed to hold ; but otherwise is still a nice piece) then…what the hell?
Something, Everything ‘changed.’ Whilst I understand the value in swapping to a lighter material to the traditional Polystone and CAD design/3D Printing in order to compete with lighter, more dynamic poses, I’ve felt that this has been at the cost of traditional sculpting/art direction and as a result, my last five or six Sideshow PF’s have all been either ‘ok,’ or just awful.
‘Modern Catwoman on Gargoyle’ is ‘fine’ although to me, the portrait’s lack depth despite though still the best of these; ‘Batgirl’ Robin and Black Canary are ‘ok’ but my last as in FINAL SS PF pieces, PF Batman on Gargoyle, is just unimposing, lack lustre and disproportional with a tiny, tiny head (not what she said) and the latest, unsought PF Catwoman looks utterly ridiculous; with the most bizarre pose and proportion that I’ve ever seen; reminds me of a Hot Toy’s piece after being thrown down the stairs; and once again she has that same, ‘vapid, shallow, photo fit’ 3D Print portrait that all the Sideshow female’s seem to now have. Just compare it to the old Pfeiffer PF or new Tweeterhead to see what I mean.
My latest and last piece manufactured by Sideshow is their New Batmen PF, (#4 I think) ‘Batman Begins.’ I bought it to pair with the Queen Studio’s Ledger Joker but it’s awful..in-fact, I had a hollow, posable vinyl Bat-Begins 1/4 doll back in 2005 that I gave to my nephew to eat which was much better than this.
Compared to my ‘Arkham Batman PF’ this looks just severely disappointing…as if from two different companies or one simply not trying anymore and is content to knock out occasional fourth-tier statue’s to simply maintain a Licensing Commitment whilst flogging everyone else’s merch.
Even their PF Crow bought for my sister for Chrimbo was in my opinion, inferior to a Hot Toy bought a few year’s ago. It was again, simply ‘ok.’
Looking at my earliest Sideshow pieces from thirty year’s ago; then at this latest PF Batman and online pics of that awful rubber-legged, Catwoman with Bat-cowl instantly dismissed, and then at my in hand 1/4 Weta Joker and imminent 1/4 Weta Knightmare Batman, I can see where these two extraordinary companies have parted and taken very different paths. I have the JND Hathaway and have pre-ordered the Darkside and Prime-One 1/3 Catwomen, more than likely order the P1 1/3 Bruce Wayne/Batman combo too….and the Queen 1/4 Knightmare Batman and 1/1 Purearts Bat/Cat/Penguin Masks….why? because…(apart from being a complete and very sad nerd) well…because ‘Sideshow’ as I know it, has gone….and what remains won’t bother trying to up their game and compete. I suspect that they may not even do their own developing anymore either.
I still get as exited and impatient for new Weta statues as I did thirty year’s ago…whereas each new Sideshow piece leaves me feeling sad and disappointed.
They’ve only themselves to blame and whilst I cannot fault their Customer Service, can and do blame their creative choices..wholesale/vendor mentally and lament.
Sorry for the long response my friend but you posited a very intriguing and philosophical question which has been percolating for a couple of years now so thanks for the opportunity to pour it out.
All the best from a beleaguered and totally corrupt U.K run by villains, grotesques, and self-propelled Spitting Image Puppets,
(I bet I’m gunned down now by Black Helicopters and left on the Moors for criticising The Establishment)!
Cheers to you and yours and your continuing informed and amusing buying/collecting guide, it is most valuable and often amusing and you’ve helped me no end over the years.
Spider 🍺🍺
Ps don’t get me started on U.K. shipping and Custom’s Duty!!
Thanks for the thoughts!
I am the same way, I purchased a ton of HT figs and later PF statues, but through the years SS just got left behind. Their constant failures with lines like Alien/Pred/Term on their more recent pieces turned me off. The old Stan Winston/Amalgamated collaboration pieces were amazing, but they never could do it by themselves.
The owner really does not care about in house production anymore and really just wants to turn into the Amazon on the hobby where they distribute and just take a piece of everybody else's products. He does not go to China for QC or anything, they mostly now just rely on their distribution stranglehold and their name. That is one reason the products have slipped, but customer service is still outstanding. Prior to this "sale" season I hadn't ordered anything from them for years. Unless the sales continue, I probably will go back to ordering elsewhere, and even if they do with the higher than everyone else's ship prices it might not matter. Most items direct overseas from P1 are cheaper to ship which is nuts. I hope they can work that out and not be doing that in the future. Their warehouse "expenses" and such are part of their cost of doing business and shouldn't be passed on to the consumer. If they can't make a profit at retail price without overcharging shipping, they need to negotiate a better deal with the manufacturers.
Yea Prime1 is crazy on shipping too, they just increased the shipping on my 1/4 scale Guts by $300, from $740 which was already crazy expensive to $1,010. Over $1k shipping for a 1/4 scale is just bonkers.
@@InfamyOrDeath-__- Cost of statue should have no bearing on shipping charges. Only size/weight/destination.
I don't order from them as much as I use to. In the last year just 1. Buying directly from companies like Prime 1 now a days. But your right about their reward program and giveaways. Won 3 different hot toys and statues from Sideshow.
If you're on more of a budget and don't have a ton of disposable income, Sideshow is perfect to buy from as you can do the "built in" payment plans and their statues are the best bang for your buck, for sure. Some of their pieces are exceptional for the price, like the new Mythos Vader is incredible for the price I got him for (seconds + points). I think their new Batman is also very good.
The Carnage you got is exceptional for the price, I like the Sideshow piece more than the XM piece. Pose and base are more interesting on the Sideshow piece. So they clearly still have their place among the industry, but I think the biggest factor is the level and diversity of competition now. There's just simply more options now, and that's a good thing!
Sideshow customer service is second to none though, they've treated me really awesome every time I've opened a ticket with them. So yes, I do buy from Sideshow. I have 10 open orders from them now and 6 are statues I believe. I've been branching out to XM for their 1/4th scale X-Men line though. And maaaaybe will snag one of the 1/3rd scale Magneto statues.
Sideshow has amazing artists, but I think it comes down to their design choices. They want smaller bases and simple statues to keep the prices down. That way, they keep the cost of production cheaper all the way from design, factory cost, packaging, and shipping. I believe that if they didn't care about raising their prices, they could make more intricate pieces. I still like them, but sadly, they are not producing much now days.
Great comment! I totally agree! I honestly like the smaller footprint of their statues. But I do feel some of the prices they set are still high for what you get. And with edition sizes being such an important factor for many collectors, the prices Sideshow set simply isn't desirable for many. I'm like you, I like what they put out but lately it isn't much... or rather, too much of the same. I mean they released a new Catwoman while the previous one was still in stock! Like, come on!