It's about the character for me. I'm perfectly fine making my own version of a character like that than paying the asking prices getting thrown around nowadays just because I'm not particularly attached to that specific costume/look. Honestly, I used to get caught up considering buying hiked up priced figures too until I bit the custom bullet. For anyone that insists on the actual Hasbro produced figures though, I feel for you guys, but like fosterlager said, just wait it out and a good opportunity usually comes up. I've come away with straight steals on figure purchases hitting up my local comic conventions and used toy shops. Even at retail, a figure that I for whatever reason was anxious to own and bought at a premium online eventually showed up on the shelf. It's all about how patient a collector can be or if they're willing to strike out on their own making stuff, I guess.

im patient as well. I'll never pay 50+ for one of these figs. its just not worth it. Thats why my collection will never be complete even though I have 200 of these things. Its these final figs that will hit my wallet the hardest:

Solid Vision
Classic Havok
Iron Patriot Variant
Firestar
Showdown Doc Ock
Clear Doc Strange
Bag Head Spiderman

also, theres some other random stuff im not going to bother spending money on like: 2 pack figs that are repacks of older figs, package variants, the LUBS, and revisions.

Only one I ever really over paid on was the Nick Fury exclusive, 100! Arg...although does SDCC Galactus and Sentinel count?

oh yeah, im gonna add the SDCC figs to that list. i despise Deadpool so im not getting the taco truck, bu the invaders set and the thor do look nice.

I've never spent over $20 on any single carded figure. and being I started late in the game is why I don't own blade, solid vision and the 1st punisher released. the two that escaped me due to scalpers were baghead and miles spidey. just hope I can find northstar and x-force nightcrawler as some point so all I need to worry about are variants, invaders box set, goliath, taco truck and a few random from other marvel 3.75 series such as anti-venom and shocker from the spidey line...

I was super tempted to pay $30+ on ebay for the SDCC MU Spider-Man 2 movie figure, but passed on it and eventually stumbled across it loose at a convention for $5. Conventions and toy swap meets for the win. =)

I was offered the spidey, b/w cap and thor for $30 and passed due to shipping cost from Canada. still regret it...
I did however hold off on buying the variant electro and then went to a walmart about 30 miles away and found him for $5 on clearance...

Civil War/Secret Invasion Era Avengers

http://i1087.photobucket.com/albums/...psaed8ac91.jpg

A custom isnt an original though...no matter how nice. A modern Babe Ruth baseball card with sharp corners and a a shiney front with holograms is much nicer than one from 1924.... but it still isnt an original.

Vision is worth $70 to $100 loose now.... in a few years it shall be worth even more. After the movie figure comes out interest is going to go through the roof.

You can buy a chevy or a maserati...both are cars. Also a lot of the auctions start low and it is buyer driven high prices... not scalper prices.

Bottom line is if you want a premium item you pay a premium price no matter what industry.

I also passed on a Giant Man/Giant Skrull Man at walmart once and was so sad later.. only to show up at a toy convention a year later and find the BLUE Giant Man pack, sealed, for FIVE DOLLARS! By far, the greatest deal I've gotten on MU ever.

I don't think it's premium myself, but every collector determines what they'll pay or won't pay. And with action figures, prices tend to drop after a line ends, even on the rarities. I wouldn't be surprised to see these at the top of their value right now.

Yeah I passed on Anti-Venom and Shocker was hoping they would get a real MU release..sigh let's see what the new re brand brings us. Who knows maybe the re brand will give us a new solid Vision.

I think those would be exceptions to the rule. They are exclusives and by definition are harder to acquire. Their "retail price" starts out much higher, so in most cases the secondary market price will automatically be higher than a typical retail figure. Sometimes you can get lucky, though.

While that kind of explains part of the appeal for figures like solid Vision and Blade...

...that is a horrible analogy in this case. Both Chevy and Maserati are auto brands that are part of larger auto conglomerates (GM and Fiat, resp.). There's no comparison between them and a toy manufacturer and a customizer. If we were to use a car analogy, it'd be more accurate to compare an off-the-line product from Chevy to something made by Gas Monkey Garage.

True but he's still available on HTS for 15:P Ugh.

Bmorr, I didn't know you needed Classic Havok, Iv'e got 2 amigo...

http://www.toyark.com/attachment.php...1&d=1386715625

It's $10.00 bucks for you (what I paid back in the day for it). PM me if you're interested.

Based upon your explanation, I think it'd be better to say "original" item, since premium by definition implies higher/superior quality, and if that's measured in terms of the aspects most toy reviews usually focus on, like I said most customs have surpassed the original figure.
Pay whatever you think something is worth. If you think $100-200 is acceptable, there are a ton of Visions for sale on ebay as we speak. Go get him... =)

you are a goddamn hero my friend. expect good karma in the future.

And that's why I love the Ark:)

True... everyone here should post their wish list. Post it now! You never know who's watching... I have more MU stuff that some of you might need. But if I sell you something (it's going to be cheap retail price 10.00 bucks), please don't say you need it and then go re-sell it on eBay.

This is my wishlist... what I need is rare so I understand if I have to pay more:

Black Panther (black eyes variant) MOC

Vision Phasing Translucent variant (But it has to have the # 92330 or similar on the back) look at the first pic I posted to see what I mean (5 digit circled #). MOC

Thanos (light blue matte variant) The one on the left of the pic. MOC

http://www.toyark.com/attachment.php...1&d=1386722869
http://www.toyark.com/attachment.php...1&d=1386722869

Here's a pic of the vision I'm talking about (the one on the right).

http://www.toyark.com/attachment.php...1&d=1386723697

I've gotten into customizing a little bit and once I make a custom I'm usually pretty happy with it and save a lot of dough. I plan on making a firestar out of mockingbird once I get a spare. I was lucky enough to find a sentinal for $25 at Ross and a galactus at tj maxx for the same price (discounted due to damaged card). I even saw a 6" movie iron patriot at Ross today for $7. I've decided I'm gonna skip secondary market prices (or at least try my best ;)

Aside from the saving money aspect of customizing, there's also the benefit of not having to wait around for a company to put out a costume with little chance of being made. =)
http://www.macrossworld.com/mwf/uplo...580_368830.jpg
http://www.macrossworld.com/mwf/uplo...580_473481.jpg

^ if that doesn't build some serious street cred I don't know what does!

Ultraman zoffy, that's a sweet looking FF medusa!

You can try your luck with BBTS. Someone ordered a $5 clearance Spider-Man Unlimited (the Ultimate Spidey from wave 18/19) and he got Miles Morales in the mail. It's possible they still have some of the variant and are randomly shipping them still.



The fact remains that if a new Blade or Vision figure was produced interest in those old ones would drop down to MOC completeists only. People just want to have the character on their shelf and have it look good. I guarantee you that a new Blade would be better than the first one. Even when a reissue or remake of a figure isn't as good we still demand go down for the expensive one. People are happy with what they can get for cheap.


Big ups for you my friend. Very classy.
http://i1253.photobucket.com/albums/...ps65222dda.gif