Any interest in a repro Aquaman vs The Great White Shark set?

[MIB41]

I think once someone has this in hand and can review the product, only then will you see if that price holds. Personally I have enjoyed seeing the progress shots. But I've also been keen to the fact this has been one big, long tease to market the item and gauge interest. Fair enough. Where I do step back with skepticism is the "feed the family" comments.

Anyone who has customized or started a small company will tell you, there are plenty of unaccounted hours, costs, and effort that never find balance with the final price tag. Hence the true meaning of "Labor of Love". You absorb that in the beginning, but eventually find yourself in the black if you make and price your product successfully.

As an artist, I admire the work done by those you have drafted into this venture. As a businessman I respect the risk of your investment to create a quality product and start your own enterprise to meet demand in this field. But as a buyer, I hesitate to pull out my wallet if your price is reasoned and advertised here to feed families and make a "lucrative" return before you've even built a name for yourself in the business. That leaves me cold. I hope you make a profit. I hope this supplements your main income. I just wouldn't use that as public reasoning in your pricing. Because, intended or not, that plants the wrong message in the consumer's mind. No one expects you to give it away. But no one expects you to be pricing it to bump you into another tax bracket either. I wish you much success. But please remember before you own the garage, you've got to sweep the floors. Build the reputation first and the money will follow.

[The Bat]

I have agree with MIB41...that if you price it too high to re-coop ALL your costs...then you run the risk of not selling very many at all.

You said it's a "labor of love"...but also state the it's to help you and your Mold maker feed your Family's. That sounds more like business venture to me. No offence intended.

[reevefan78]

If you are interested in purchasing this item once we have completed it please pm me. If you are not interested in purchasing it please do not pm me with criticisms or complaints about it. I no longer feel it is a good idea to discuss pricing on this thread. Sorry for any inconvenience this has or will cause anyone but I want to keep this thread fun and not have this turn into a back and forth debate regarding pricing and whether our reasons are sound or not. It will be what we decide is fair for our part in it and anyone that wants on board is more than welcome and anyone that doesn't won't hurt our feelings.....we just ask that you not be critical or judgmental of us for our reasoning by posting it on this thread. Please help keep this thread fun for all. Thanks in advance for your compliance.

[noelani72]

[B][COLOR="DarkRed"]Hello all,

2. If so what would be a good price point that collectors wouldn't mind paying that would allow them to have a repro of one of the "Holy Grails" of mego sets and also allow for the project to be worth investing in on my part?

..quoted from the very first post of this thread that dates back to October 2010.

sorry you didn't like the price conversation...think I am out.

[sauce]

You're gonna have to get this thread locked to stop conversation.

And maybe it's just me, but it does suck the fun out to suggest that folks are sucking the fun out by discussing the price. I mean, why did you even start this thread? To discuss a cool project that you feel passionate about and that you would eventually sell in multiples, no?

You could just name your price and be done.
But people pretty much just talk about whatever they want to talk about.........especially on a discussion board.

[sprytel]

You're gonna have to get this thread locked to stop conversation.

And maybe it's just me, but it does suck the fun out to suggest that folks are sucking the fun out by discussing the price. I mean, why did you even start this thread? To discuss a cool project that you feel passionate about and that you would eventually sell in multiples, no?

You could just name your price and be done.
But people pretty much just talk about whatever they want to talk about.........especially on a discussion board.

Couldn't have said it better myself.

[reevefan78]

You're gonna have to get this thread locked to stop conversation.

And maybe it's just me, but it does suck the fun out to suggest that folks are sucking the fun out by discussing the price. I mean, why did you even start this thread? To discuss a cool project that you feel passionate about and that you would eventually sell in multiples, no?

You could just name your price and be done.
But people pretty much just talk about whatever they want to talk about.........especially on a discussion board.

Good point and maybe this thread has reached the end of the line at this point......we'll see. I can understand why friends of mine prefer to keep certain things to themselves or in private (i.e. pm's). Divulging too much information in a thread can sometimes backfire on a person. I know a lot of sites like this one forbid discussion of price and/or money and I can see why. Therefore I will keep the thread's focus on the project's progression from now on and will refrain from discussing price on the thread. If anyone is seriously interested they can simply pm me. Otherwise we will "test the waters" and try our luck with Ebay.

[geoffdude]

Wow.

Many of you should just be ashamed of yourselves. I've purposely stayed out of this thread for the most part because this is Kris's show.

In tracking back, most of the "price" topics in this thread have come from people other than Kris. I know he has mentioned MANY times he didn't know what the price would be... and that's a fair reply which should have taken care of any price issue until the project was done and ready to be offered.

I'm a professional Graphic Designer, Artist, whatever (though I did not do the Design work on this box). The work that went into reproducing the box would basically amount to $2000+ so far if being paid by a client to a skilled Designer, for all that has been done there with creating camera ready artwork. I can't even imagine, or guess, how much it would cost for the mold and sculpting work being done on the Shark. I'm sure that's safely into a couple of grand as well. Plus, all the work the project manager/Kris has put into this (his time is worth something too).. say a Grand. Basically somewhere between 4-5 Grand is where this would be on any given day if this was being done as a client, work-for-hire, situation. That is some serious change to fork out just for the "love" of something.

I don't know what Kris's final price for the set will be, but I know it will be fair, and it will be for a repro of a rare item, and the only one available that even comes close to an original. Add that fact to the AMOUNT of work that has gone into this so far and I can't see how anyone could ever get this set otherwise for what will be I'm sure a reasonable price based on cost and man hours.

I'm not involved in this project other than helping get the box graphics as clean and true as they could be, but during my time assisting there, I've come to know Kris pretty well. A nicer guy, honest and genuine person I've rarely met.

He gives updates because HE is excited, and hopes you will be excited too. He shares the news and the pics because where else would anyone have an appreciation for this project? No where. So, let's not worry about price just yet, or that he's trying to get rich, or being vague, or whatever... given that this project is still in progress, just enjoy the ride and let all see where this goes together, while being supportive of the person taking on this incredible task.



Regards,

Geoff

[sauce]

Geoff, good post (except for the "ashamed" part, I'd say), but I don't understand how the wolf in sheep's clothing relates.

[reevefan78]

Geoff, good post (except for the "ashamed" part, I'd say), but I don't understand how the wolf in sheep's clothing relates.

The 'Wolf' is a private joke between Geoff and I......I think it was meant for me mostly and I definitely 'got the joke'. Good one Geoff!

Thanks buddy for the support and your post. Most folks will never know the time, money and effort that we who are involved in creating this project had to go through to get it to this point and that's okay. No matter what we want to make sure that we do our dead level best to stay faithful to the Mego look while safeguarding collectors (like me, Geoff and others) who own original Mego Great White Sharks. At least no one will ever be able to pass one of ours off as an original Mego product.....we were adamant about removing the Mego logo, adding ours, walling off the back of the throat, making the main body one piece, removing the motor (but the shaft and prop will be present) and thickening the tail fins ever so slightly. All these modifications take time and money to accomplish. We didn't however make major modifications to the overall look or body from the exterior and we are going to match the color by casting it in resin as closely as can be achieved to my original shark. The eyes and teeth as well as the prop will also be very closely duplicated to match the Mego version.

We hope that people will come to understand what we have tried to accomplish here and that my wanting to do this project wasn't in vain....I simply wanted to put this awesome collectible in the hands of others that cannot afford or cannot locate an original Mego Great White Shark. I just love the simplicity and crudeness of this little collectible item.....the one I had as a child was well played with and I still have very fond memories of recreating scenes from JAWS with it. My hope is that those that choose to purchase one will cherish it and that it'll have a special place in their collection as well for years to come.

[sauce]

The 'Wolf' is a private joke between Geoff and I......I think it was meant for me mostly and I definitely 'got the joke'. Good one Geoff!

Let's see if I can figure this out. . . . you and Geoff laugh at how you both think that other members of this forum think that this forum thread is analogous to a wolf in sheep's clothing, but that's ridiculous, so you just privately laugh about it publicly on that very same forum thread.

That's a pretty cool joke!

[geoffdude]

No.

In fact since the initial involvement on my part in this with helping Kris, providing scans from my box, we have talked very little. (We're both rather busy).

The wolf relates to his first email to me and my initial response, which included a reference to the movie "Hangover"... and the fact I very rarely socialize.

Regards,

Geoff

[reevefan78]

Let's see if I can figure this out. . . . you and Geoff laugh at how you both think that other members of this forum think that this forum thread is analogous to a wolf in sheep's clothing, but that's ridiculous, so you just privately laugh about it publicly on that very same forum thread.

That's a pretty cool joke!

Oh man.......you guys are making my brain hurt! Maybe what we need here are more hobbyists and less free time spent trying to 'read between other peoples lines'....yes? LOL.

[sauce]

Nahhh, we can just get rid of the hobbyists around here and still be fine.



. . . . uhhhh, what???

And now, I leave you with this private joke to myself:

[reevefan78]

Nahhh, we can just get rid of the hobbyists around here and still be fine.

http://jonnydward.net/blog/wp-content/themes/UpstartBloggerFuturosityMag/ub_futurositymag/images/confused.png

. . . . uhhhh, what???

And now, I leave you with this private joke to myself:
http://fc00.deviantart.net/fs39/i/20..._by_JMoona.jpg

So you see yourself as a wolf in shark's clothing....is that it??? I've heard of "Sharktopus" but what in Sam Hill do you call this poor creature? It looks like something that would be produced by Roger Corman (the 'king of B-movies') and shown on the SyFy Channel.