Though there are a couple exceptions, based on edition sizes from the BD website, it seems action or semi-action poses outsell museum poses by quite a bit.
Black Panther: Action: 2000 vs. Museum 900 (+ 300 Modern Variant)
Ghost Rider: Action: 1000 (chrome variant) + 2000 vs. Museum: 1000 + 800 (Blaze variant)
Hawkeye Action: 2400 vs. Museum: 1000
Hulk: Action: 2500 vs. Museum: 1400
Iron Man: Action: 1500 vs. Museum: 750
Juggernaut: Action: 2000 vs. Museum: 1000
Punisher: Action: 1750 vs. Museum: 750
Silver Surfer: Action: 3500 vs. Museum: 1000
Storm: Action: 3000 vs. Museum: 1000
Thanos: Semi action: 2000 vs. Museum: 1100
Thing: Action: 4000 vs. Museum: 950
War Machine: Action: 1500 vs. Museum: 700
Wolverine Brown: Action: 3000 vs. Museum: 1500
Wolverine Yellow: Action: 1000 (Bowen) + 4000 (Newman) vs. Museum: 1600 + 300 (belt variant)
Exceptions:
Daredevil: Action: 1500 vs. Museum: 4000
Thor Classic: Action: 2750 vs. Museum: 3000 vs. Semi-Action: 3000
Based on these sales figures it seems like action and semi-action are much more popular or at least sell better than museums.
Which BD characters currently only done in museum would you buy in an action or semi-action pose?
You have to remember that many of those high ES statues are from years ago when statues were cheaper...so a lot of them are not necessarily more popular than the other.
To answer the poll...Colossus is a must (along with Jim Lee Cyclops). I forgot to pick Quicksilver!?
Oh man, I would definitely buy a Vision like the one you posted, but I don't know how, if it's even possible, to edit the poll. I think I left him off because I considered the other one semi action because he looks like he's doing something.
My subjective definition of museum is "just standing there, not doing anything at all, looking like they're waiting in line for something or bored or basically not impressed with something like McKayla Maroney" so I didn't think he really fit in with the other plain museums.
And to your point about higher edition sizes back when they were cheaper, that still kind of supports this theory that action poses sell better because the one higher ES for a museum was Daredevil. Plus, Classic Action Thor just came out and still hit 2700 compared to the higher edition sizes/cheaper statues of the past.
Oh man, I would definitely buy a Vision like the one you posted, but I don't know how, if it's even possible, to edit the poll. I think I left him off because I considered the other one semi action because he looks like he's doing something.
My subjective definition of museum is "just standing there, not doing anything at all, looking like they're waiting in line for something or bored or basically not impressed with something like McKayla Maroney" so I didn't think he really fit in with the other plain museums.
And to your point about higher edition sizes back when they were cheaper, that still kind of supports this theory that action poses sell better because the one higher ES for a museum was Daredevil. Plus, Classic Action Thor just came out and still hit 2700 compared to the higher edition sizes/cheaper statues of the past.
What I'm saying about the ES of years past is that BD was able to produce these cheaper and sell them cheaper so the ES would naturally be larger. Focusing on most of the larger ES items you listed, most of them are older statues. The museum DD was a phase one 1998 statue, while the action DD was a 2008 production. The action Thor was a groundbreaking statue IMO and I think that attracted a lot of attention.
Look at the year comparison below, you'll see that all (except Silver Surfer) the higher ES statues are older than the lower ES. Not trying to burn down your theory, all I'm saying is that it may not be just about action vs museum popularity, there are many other factors that take into account on ES:
Quote:
Originally Posted by Scribe
Though there are a couple exceptions, based on edition sizes from the BD website, it seems action or semi-action poses outsell museum poses by quite a bit.
Black Panther: 2004 Action: 2000 vs. 2010 Museum 900 (+ 300 Modern Variant)
Ghost Rider: 2004 Action: 1000 (chrome variant) + 2000 vs. 2009 Museum: 1000 + 800 (Blaze variant)
Hawkeye 2006 Action: 2400 vs. 2011 Museum: 1000
Hulk: 2006 Action: 2500 vs. 2009 Museum: 1400
Iron Man: 2009 Action: 1500 vs. 2011 Museum: 750
Juggernaut: 2005 Action: 2000 vs. 2012 Museum: 1000
Punisher: 2006 Action: 1750 vs. 2011 Museum: 750
Silver Surfer: 2008 Action: 3500 vs. 2005 Museum: 1000
Storm: 2001Action: 3000 vs. 2012 Museum: 1000
Thanos: 2005 Semi action: 2000 vs. 2011 Museum: 1100
Thing: 1999 Action: 4000 vs. 2012 Museum: 950
War Machine: 2010 Action: 1500 vs. 2011 Museum: 700
Wolverine Brown: 2001 Action: 3000 vs. 2008 Museum: 1500
Wolverine Yellow: 2008 Action: 1000 (Bowen) + 2001 4000 (Newman) vs. 2008 Museum: 1600 + 300 (belt variant)
Exceptions:
Daredevil: 2008 Action: 1500 vs. 1998 Museum: 4000
Thor Classic: 2011 Action: 2750 vs. 2007 Museum: 3000 vs. 2001 Semi-Action: 3000
Based on these sales figures it seems like action and semi-action are much more popular or at least sell better than museums.
Which BD characters currently only done in museum would you buy in an action or semi-action pose?
Last edited by Hellsbells51; September 29th, 2012 at 02:55:27 AM..
I don't care if it's action or museum. I just want a great looking statue.
I also don't think it should be either/or with just action or museum as the only choices. Many of my favorite Bowen statues, like Colossus and Vision, aren't strictly either and are more of a semi-action pose. I think Randy does his best work when he's not restricted to keeping it one way or the other. A museum pose with a little action in the arms or turn of the body is a lot more interesting than a straight museum pose, IMO.
What I'm saying about the ES of years past is that BD was able to produce these cheaper and sell them cheaper so the ES would naturally be larger. Focusing on most of the larger ES items you listed, most of them are older statues. The museum DD was a phase one 1998 statue, while the action DD was a 2008 production. The action Thor was a groundbreaking statue IMO and I think that attracted a lot of attention.
Look at the year comparison below, you'll see that all (except Silver Surfer) the higher ES statues are older than the lower ES. Not trying to burn down your theory, all I'm saying is that it may not be just about action vs museum popularity, there are many other factors that take into account on ES:
Totally see your point. I'm sure there are lots of variables we could argue like regardless of which comes out first, the one that comes out second is going to sell less because some people don't really have a museum or action preference, they just don't want multiples of the same character. Or maybe when the second one comes out some people sell their old one and buy the new one if they like it better.
Would be interesting to hear RB's take on why action edition sizes are usually larger and what he thinks sells better or is more popular.
I don't care if it's action or museum. I just want a great looking statue.
I also don't think it should be either/or with just action or museum as the only choices. Many of my favorite Bowen statues, like Colossus and Vision, aren't strictly either and are more of a semi-action pose. I think Randy does his best work when he's not restricted to keeping it one way or the other. A museum pose with a little action in the arms or turn of the body is a lot more interesting than a straight museum pose, IMO.
Totally agree with you TF. I don't mind a semi-action like Colossus that I guess some people would consider a museum (I don't know the exact definition of museum lol) because it doesn't look awkward sitting next to action poses.
I wonder if anyone has ever asked Randy if he just lets the sculptor pick whatever pose they want to do or if he has input or veto power over a pose he thinks might not sell a well.
I wonder if anyone has ever asked Randy if he just lets the sculptor pick whatever pose they want to do or if he has input or veto power over a pose he thinks might not sell a well.
Mr. Bowen art directs every project from what I understand. He also "signs the checks", at least figuratively if not literally, so I have no doubt he can veto any pose that he thinks is awkward or unflattering for the character. There are several times he's related having to do just that, although it's his own work that seems to get the critical eye a lot more than other's stuff.
At the same time Mark Newman recalls in his recent interview how Randy liked the unusual pose for his Spider-Woman statue and just basically said "Let's do it". So he obviously also knows better than to over-direct a project if the basic appeal is already there.
I think he does an outstanding job for someone who wasn't specifically trained to be an art director (as far as I know). Then again I've always believed that one of the secrets to his success is that he knows what he likes and a lot of us happen to like the same things.
If you were to add all the museum Hulks together vs how many actions Hulks were made I feel like there are actually more museum Hulks out there. The same may be true for Wolverine.
I like action, museum, and semi action statues that Bowen has produced and I hope we continue to see some of all options. Action statues do seem to be gaining in popularity and I like that. Really looking forward to my Action Cap!
I think an Archangel museum hasn't been made yet because the large wings are just too problematic for a museum treatment. Most statues have him suspended to fully utilize the dramatic effect of his fully-extended wings. Having them folded behind him would lessen that effect considerably. Having them extended, but at a weird angle to compensate for him standing would not be popular. Designwise it's a difficult statue to produce, but I have little doubt BD will figure a way to do it successfully at some point.
I just don't see it happening anytime soon.
I think an Archangel museum hasn't been made yet because the large wings are just too problematic for a museum treatment. Most statues have him suspended to fully utilize the dramatic effect of his fully-extended wings. Having them folded behind him would lessen that effect considerably. Having them extended, but at a weird angle to compensate for him standing would not be popular. Designwise it's a difficult statue to produce, but I have little doubt BD will figure a way to do it successfully at some point.
I just don't see it happening anytime soon.
If I get the chance this week, I'll try draw a cool way to have his wings folded so that it looks good as a museum. I think having them folded simply behind him will still have a great effect on a museum statue. I'm sure Randy will come up with something better, but I'll give it a shot.
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