Okay - Robert and I have touched on this a bit, and I want to make it official. It seems that the majority of DC Direct statues and toys focus to much on Superman and Batman - and when it comes to statues, let's include Wonder Woman. They have an entire DC Universe to play with and they tend to throw out their heavy hitters time and time again.
One of the things that I love about the Bowen Designs line of statues and mini-busts is the fact that he covers everyone in the Marvel Universe. And while I may not want quite a few of the characters, I am constantly reading posts of people out there who do like them. OR - even better - I find and hear of people buying statues or busts that simply add to their collection of hero and busts. (You can check it out at Statue Marvels. Click on the link and find out for yourself!) So, two points to Bowen Designs for providing us with some great stuff - and kudo points to Marvel working out the details to let him do it.
As for DC Direct, COME ON! There are some other people in the DC Universe that I would like to see some more of - in regards to toys, statues, and even TV Series. Granted - they are expanding out on their DVD sets, but take the concept and GROW.
Okay, I'm done.....for now.
5 comments:
Hm. As a retailer, I have a choice. I can publish toys and statues under the "big three," and make a mint, or I can publish toys and statues using the obscure characters that the mainstream does not know about, taking a risk.
Hmmmmmmmmmm...
Nope! I'm going to go with the big three. It's cowardly, but I get to stay in business!
I understand what ya'll are saying, and it stinks as a collecter, but that is the mentality behind it.
I completely hear what you're saying Caleb and as a retailer who is taking considerable risk buying these items either as stock or as an order for someone, you have to know you're going to sell the item.
However as a fan who has started collecting a number of series and been burned, I'm not starting new DC runs of anything if it starts with Superman or Batman. Do you know how many Superman and Batman pieces I own? A lot. I'm going to add Spider-Man in there to from the Marvel side. Plus if a series begins with Superman or Batman, I'm not as likely to start it and if I don't start it, when the other characters come out, I'm not as likely to buy. Therefore, You actually lose out on potentially several sales because I'm not buying Superman or Batman and yet as a completionist, when a character is released I do want, I'm not as likely to buy it because I don't have the series.
Zimm's right about the Bowen philosophy. I can buy the obscure characters and am not as committed to buy a whole series. Almost every Bowen piece has sold out and becomes hard to find.
Actually Bowen Designs has done quite well for itself selling out every piece. With Bowen Designs you get to interact with Randy Bowen on Statue Marvels. Randy will actually listen to fan input on everything from sculpts/paintjobs and even for character requests. With DC Direct they keep making the same crap over and over like the clueless corporation that they are.
Totally agree with Anonymous. In my humble opinion, Bowen Design sets the bar and few have been able to keep up.
While I agree with many of Anon's points, including that Randy Bowen is a great guy and has made himself very available and that DC really markets their core characters way too much, I don't dislike many of the products DC Direct releases. They have done great busts and statues and etc., etc., etc. DC released the Ame-Comi PVC statues and they are just now getting around to releasing a Batman. Yeah, I know they did Batgirl, Supergirl, and Wonder Woman, but you still have to give them props.
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