Tag Archives: rant

Dramas of collecting

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The last few days have been a roller coaster of emotions (from a collecting perspective). I have to say that it is not really one of the big world problems, but it is what us as collectors have to deal with.

First of all I received shipping notes for two great statues and I am really excited to add them to my collection. By coincidence they actually will pair off nicely.
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First shipping note was for the delayed Incredible Hulk Premium Format Figure from Sideshow collectibles. I have been waiting for this since I ordered back in April 2014.
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Secondly I received a shipping note for the huge Hulkbuster by Imaginarium art. I am really excited for this as I feel it was the most shine out piece of Singapore Toy and Game Comic Convention 2015 (Still working on Geo so I get to keep this one, may cost me later on).
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Then while I was on the internet looking for trips to New York, as I was planning on visiting in a few weeks for New York Comic Convention. I quickly realized that the flights were pretty cheap, but the accommodation costs in NYC are insane. I searched for a few hours, before it dawned on me that I will not be going and I should have planned further ahead of time. So while sulking to myself and scrolling through social media for something to cheer me up. I managed to do a deal on a piece I have wanted for a long time. I checked the price of the piece and my bank funds… Even though this is going to be the most I have personally spent on a piece. I justified the purchase as I would spend 3 times as much if I did go to NYC. After transferring money between my bank accounts and asking my girlfriend to sponsor me till payday. The Big Chap Maquette from Sideshow Collectables will be joining my collection (yes it did cheer me up).
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Then, while I was riding the wave of pleasure for all of the great pieces I would be adding to my collection, I quickly realized that I do not have the space. I sat down and took the old fashioned approach, took out a tape measure, a pencil and paper, sketched out my room, listed my collection and measurements of my collectibles and cabinet. I even phoned Geo to ask for advice…He just laughed and provided no help at all (to be honest I would have done the same to him). I even resulted to going through the latest copy of the IKEA catalogue. It did take my mind off of the problem for a little, but it wasted 30 minutes of my time, I realized there was no cabinets big enough to encase the Hulkbuster  , that I still hate all of the new Besta range doors (bring back the Tomba!!!) and finally that I am in trouble (space-wise)!!!

So my morning of collecting drama got me thinking that these must be the issues that arise with collectors at some point and I thought I would look at what are the top 3 issues for Radd Titan.
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This is a factor with most things in life. We have brought a lot of collectibles over the last few years. Geo and I have put out over 250 videos and most of them are pieces one of us have owned to give you some kind of idea. So it is not surprising that we are both under pressure form out partners to slow down.

Also, the cost of collectibles is only going up in price and at a pretty fast rate. Premium Format figures from Sideshow used to cost $299 and used to have edition sizes that were a lot lower. In this case it was seen as an investment collectors would feel that they were getting their moneys worth and also if the worse came to worse the value of the collectibles would raise over time. Currently to get some pieces in hand is costing over $1000 even before shipping and the tax and with edition sizes bumped up. Will this lead to the bubble to burst with the oversaturation of product and companies wanting their slice of the collecting market? (This is another topic we will cover on a weekly chat or a discussion on a separate post).
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Space is the enemy 95% of us have to deal with. Geo and I are currently very lucky and we both have assigned Man-Caves for our collections (Geo’s Man-cave…. Alex’s Man-cave). We have both utilised our spaces differently, but we both are adamant that we do not want to overload our rooms with too many collectibles and take the focus off of other pieces.

Geo has a strict plan. He has a list of the characters he is waiting for and his spaces are set aside. Geo is a naïve fool. There will always be pieces that come up that he has not considered and the other point relevant to this section… Pieces are getting bigger!! So when Geo has some spaces set a side (on top of his detolfs or to use two shelves in his detolfs) he maybe in trouble when they do not fit in the locations he has reserved.

I have he same issue really there were 2 pieces I did not have on my radar to join my collection, but then the great guys at Imaginarium Art got in touch and sent us he huge Aquaman on throne each and the even bigger Hulkbuster.. Not to mention I have about 10 pre-orders and a hulk and big chap Alien coming in the next few weeks… So I am in the process of planning out my room again…To be fair… I am pretty screwed (space wise).
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The main issue we have with time is the delays from companies. Geo waited 6 months after the release dates to receive his Superman PF and I have waited an extra 9 months for my new Hulk PF. This is frustrating as the companies have our money for such a long time with out delivering a product. Especially companies like Pop culture shock who I have 10 orders with and 9 are paid in full, but I can not check the progress of my orders on their website (but that is a debate for another post).

Also when statues are displayed at conventions, but then we have to wait a year to pre-order and then over a year to actually receive them. Guess we are just impatient.

Geo is surprisingly patent with waiting for thing to be released and he does not complain as much as I would have thought about delays. He will moan about it a lot and swear constantly, but he will sit on the money till it is released.

On the other hand I am different… First of all it will not bother me so much. I will tell myself that it is for the best. The company is doing all they can to make the product to the best of their ability. Then, while I look through social media and EBay I will see a few things that I wouldn’t mind adding to my collection. I will not bite straight away. I will leave it and maybe go out for a drink with friends. Then when the right amount of alcohol has entered my blood I think about the space on a shelf and the money in my bank and I struggle not to spend. Maybe have another drink, but it does not help. It just makes me almost lie to myself and say it is a good idea. Also with Phones now having full internet access it make it even harder, Facebook post update, new eBay listing matching your saved searches and even YouTube updates saying new videos from you subscribed users. I normally crack and I am terrible as I end up buying without always reading the full description. This has burnt me in the past and I have got a lot better with it.
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Whereas there are still other factors that arise, like final products not looking like the prototypes, issues with quality control or even items being cancelled and my personal favorite or where do I put the latest art box and shipper. The above where the ones that bothered us at the time of writing and yo keep the post at a easy to read post as I know for babbling on.

If you have any topics you would like us to write about please email Alex@RaddTitan.com
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Radd Titan Rant

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Over here in Radd Titan we are normally very relaxed, well I am (Alex).. Geo not so much, but I have come across a little detail that has really bothered me. Maybe more than it should, but it was actually one of the selling points of me buying the new Green Hulk Premium Format Figure from Sideshow Collectibles. Not the main point, but was a factor or me deciding to buy the piece. I am not even going into the paint issues or ill fitting heads that people are complaining about on social media till i get mine in hand.. but here is my rant.
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Let me just rewind a little… Back in 2010 Sideshow collectibles released their line of Hulk Comiquettes. Other than the heads and the colors of the pieces being different, there was not other differences to be seen. All had the same pose, same body sculpt and all had the same base. With my order of heads going Grey, Red, Green (best to worst).

Overall the Grey (Review) and Red were pretty well executed, but to me(I believe Geo too) and a lot of other collectors the green head came out terrible and looked like Mike Tyson. Resulting in the red and grey being repainted green or even collectors commissioning artists to resculpt the hair.

My point here is that I always thought it was really lazy of Sideshow to not tweek the pose a little on these or even make some small amendments to the base. Some thing small… Anything!!!
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So then when the new trio of Hulk premium formats came up on the Sideshow website I was really happy to see that the measurements were different for the Red (20″ x 20″ x 11″ and 18.5kg), with the Green and Grey at (20″ x 15″ x 19″ and 20kg).

See images below. Sorry for the size , but I wanted the text to be clear.
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Now after seeing many in hand photos of the Green and seeing the Red as Geo owns one (Review) it is clear that Sideshow have made the two pieces the same and not put the effort in making them different other than the heads.

In the original prototype photograph from before August 2015 (below left)  it is clear that there is not a plan to have the Hulkbuster hand on the base and the base does look thinner compared to images currently on the website (below right).
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I think that if companies are going to make these change to the statues we order, as customers we should be sent an update and be kept in the loop. Part of me can see that with the success of the movie Avengers : Age of Ultron Sideshow could have used it to their advantage. Telling customers “We are excited to announce that now the Green Hulk premium format will come with the Hulkbuster hand to the base as a tribute…”. Sadly I feel this is not the case and Sideshow have just done this as another trick to add to the increasing tactics of saving money. Cast the same base for all, making production costs cheaper and save money 🙁

It is sad that extra was not done to make the pieces different, even after making it appear that was the case when the items went up for pre-order. I mean I would have ordered anyway, but for over a year Geo and I have been discussing that the bases are different and that it is great of sideshow to do this, not cut corners and not do the same as they did previously with the comiquettes.
I will be receiving my Green hulk in less than a week, so Geo and I will be filming a full unboxing and giving our full opinion on the piece.
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Looking at the measurements on the website and an image I took from Facebook earlier today it is clear that there is not a 8″ difference in the length or a 5″ difference in the width 🙁
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