The Energon Pub

alternator77 wrote:what i do hope for eventually is a downsized magnus with armor from takara so he is in scale with prime and megatron.

Who's to say that isn't the plan for MP-10? Smaller Convoy with trailer ... trailer combines with Convoy to form Powered Convoy ... and we all know what happens after that!

Burn wrote:

alternator77 wrote:what i do hope for eventually is a downsized magnus with armor from takara so he is in scale with prime and megatron.

Who's to say that isn't the plan for MP-10? Smaller Convoy with trailer ... trailer combines with Convoy to form Powered Convoy ... and we all know what happens after that!

and then the inevitable urine yellow repaint

lol ... don't diss the Matrix Glow!

I feel like I've missed so much in the week I've been gone. I know I'm late to the party...but here goes:

REALLY? Come one guys, certainly you can see how this would suck for Anemis or whatever the hell the poor saps name is. I've made some customs. It takes ALOT. I sell some of what I make, but I start every auction at $0.99USD so it is only worth what the market will bare. BUT, the reason I make customs is because I just love this ****! I can't go in start a massive battle with my collection, but I can take some figures and REALLY get inside them and see what makes 'em tick. I put approx. 200 hours into my Abominus custom. viewtopic.php?f=143&t=73106&hilit=+abominus
I would feel cheated if someone took my creation and copied it.

And really, the "customizer is just as bad as the KO company" argument is near sighted and totally lacks empathy.


If Andy Warhol used paint supplies and canvas made by Crayola to create his art, would people then argue that he is a phony because he did not make his own paint? That Marylin Monroe was not an original concept? That he is no better than the plagiarist who then copies and prints his work?

Have you looked at this guys prices ??? We are transformers collectors, not fine art collectors. I could see anywhere between $300-600 dollars being an acceptable price. But $1200-2200 ??? Get real. With all due respect to this talented individual, his prices are just not realistic. Except for a few really rich collectors who buy Lucky Draw figures, I don’t think anyone’s popping on these. Not even the most famed collectors on this site. It’s one thing to pop a grand on a G1 Fortress Maximus because he is considered to be the crown jewel of all vintage collections. But to pop over a grand for something brand new ??? He is practically rolling out the red carpet for KO companies. Asking a more realistic price would be a deterrent to bootleggers.

I don’t know if he is using a mold or carving the parts by hand. If he is using a mold he is really asking too much. If he is carving the pieces by hand, then I totally understand his price. However charging the price of an original Salvador Dali or Andy Warhol print is not gonna go far in a hobby which is predominantly middle class income people. And if any of you guys ever watch “Pawn Stars” on the History Channel, you learn the sad truth about how much most collectibles are really worth when it comes time to actually sell them. So most collectors won’t even touch these super high end figures. The most likely buyer in this case would be an Ultra Magnus fan. I wanna see how many Ultra Magnus fans pop at $1200. Then I wanna see how many collectors would pop at say $400. How many of you who think I am a heartless a**hole would turn around buy the bootleg if Peaugh or EmGo reviews it and gives it 2 thumbs up ??? I bet half of yall would.

If an individual gives a fair price, I would never condone bootlegging his products. I’ve bought from several one man companies and I will continue to buy their original work directly from them because they give fans good products at fair prices. That’s showing love. And when you show a lot of love, you get it right back.

I don’t expect everyone to agree with my opinion, but I don’t mind explaining the logic behind it. Even if it comes from another culture that you may consider “ghetto”.

305 all day…I’m out.

Again, though, your argument boils down to "I can't afford it, so Knock it Off."

Who are you to consider what's fair in the price of the trailer? If he could make a whole bunch and sell them for $200 a pop, don't you think he would? Don't you think he deserves a fair price for the man hours he's putting into making one of these things by hand? I think you're confusing him with Fansprojects who, at least, has a factory of people they pay to make this stuff. This guy does it himself. And I think you're greatly underestimating exactly how long something like that would take to make.

I don't think you're heartless, but I do think you've shown yourself to be pretty selfish in regards to TF collecting. And prone to fooling yourself.

If you can't afford it, then don't buy it. It's certainly too rich for my blood. But I wouldn't jump for joy if a fellow fan's work is copied as you seem to even if that means I wouldn't be able to own it. And I'd think twice before buying it if it were KOed, even if Preaugh gave it a rave review.

Rated X wrote:Have you looked at this guys prices ??? We are transformers collectors, not fine art collectors. I could see anywhere between $300-600 dollars being an acceptable price. But $1200-2200 ??? Get real. With all due respect to this talented individual, his prices are just not realistic.

Just a correction, as someone who has followed Mark's customs for years, the 'general release' trailers are $800 a pop. He has almost finished a current batch of 10 of these, done by making up his on molds and such I believe.

The $1200 you refer to is a single, scratch built version of his trailers that featured lots of added extras, such as LEDs and such. There was only one of these made.

So I don't know if that changes your opinion or not. Just the bulk made trailers are not $1200.

As for me, I'm not surprised at the price, given. If you go to various customizers and get a quote for a custom figure that's Masterpiece size, it seems about average.
Sure we are collectors, but hey.. There will always be various collectibles that go for higher prices.
I mean, just look at Henki Wildrider. Isn't he going for $500 these days? And he was mass produced and no where near a MP size.
But I wouldn't want KOs of him released. And neither would I want KOs of Mark's stuff released, if he doesn't want them. If I can't afford them then I just move on.

dc2k5 wrote:

Rated X wrote:Have you looked at this guys prices ??? We are transformers collectors, not fine art collectors. I could see anywhere between $300-600 dollars being an acceptable price. But $1200-2200 ??? Get real. With all due respect to this talented individual, his prices are just not realistic.

Just a correction, as someone who has followed Mark's customs for years, the 'general release' trailers are $800 a pop. He has almost finished a current batch of 10 of these, done by making up his on molds and such I believe.

The $1200 you refer to is a single, scratch built version of his trailers that featured lots of added extras, such as LEDs and such. There was only one of these made.

So I don't know if that changes your opinion or not. Just the bulk made trailers are not $1200.

As for me, I'm not surprised at the price, given. If you go to various customizers and get a quote for a custom figure that's Masterpiece size, it seems about average.
Sure we are collectors, but hey.. There will always be various collectibles that go for higher prices.
I mean, just look at Henki Wildrider. Isn't he going for $500 these days? And he was mass produced and no where near a MP size.
But I wouldn't want KOs of him released. And neither would I want KOs of Mark's stuff released, if he doesn't want them. If I can't afford them then I just move on.

I get what youre saying but I feel this guy has the talent to be looking for a business connection. Im sure Fansproject started with one or two really talented guys. They found sponsors, investors, and made it happen. If his products are that great, Im sure he can make it happen. But it seems like he is content where he is. And all im saying is that the nature of supply and demand usually leads to KO's.


By the way, a KO of classics Rodimus is in the works and Im sure wildrider will get a KO. No offense, but I support this move. The figure should have never been made in such small numbers. Look at the outrage with Thundercracker and all the KO's now. Did Takara learn nothing ???

Rated X wrote:

dc2k5 wrote:

Rated X wrote:Have you looked at this guys prices ??? We are transformers collectors, not fine art collectors. I could see anywhere between $300-600 dollars being an acceptable price. But $1200-2200 ??? Get real. With all due respect to this talented individual, his prices are just not realistic.

Just a correction, as someone who has followed Mark's customs for years, the 'general release' trailers are $800 a pop. He has almost finished a current batch of 10 of these, done by making up his on molds and such I believe.

The $1200 you refer to is a single, scratch built version of his trailers that featured lots of added extras, such as LEDs and such. There was only one of these made.

So I don't know if that changes your opinion or not. Just the bulk made trailers are not $1200.

As for me, I'm not surprised at the price, given. If you go to various customizers and get a quote for a custom figure that's Masterpiece size, it seems about average.
Sure we are collectors, but hey.. There will always be various collectibles that go for higher prices.
I mean, just look at Henki Wildrider. Isn't he going for $500 these days? And he was mass produced and no where near a MP size.
But I wouldn't want KOs of him released. And neither would I want KOs of Mark's stuff released, if he doesn't want them. If I can't afford them then I just move on.

I get what youre saying but I feel this guy has the talent to be looking for a business connection. Im sure Fansproject started with one or two really talented guys. They found sponsors, investors, and made it happen. If his products are that great, Im sure he can make it happen. But it seems like he is content where he is. And all im saying is that the nature of supply and demand usually leads to KO's.


By the way, a KO of classics Rodimus is in the works and Im sure wildrider will get a KO. No offense, but I support this move. The figure should have never been made in such small numbers. Look at the outrage with Thundercracker and all the KO's now. Did Takara learn nothing ???

Rodimus is f**king easy to come by, just buy ether the 3 Pack with Cyclonus and Galvatron for around 40, or buy the RTS two-pack for 20, both of those options come cheaper than the upcoming KO. And why shouldn't Wildrider have been made in limited numbers? It's a simple repaint and it does not combine, most people bought it to complete their Henkei collection or as a SG Rodimus. It appeals to nobody else.

Also how many times do I have to say this, but Henkei Thundercracker was made in almost unlimited quantities, they made them to order, which is the reason that the pre-order counter on the website went all the way up to 9999 (it's maximum) after just 2 weeks of pre-orders. There are more Henkei Thundercrackers than Henkei Optimus Primes and that got reissued.
Also the KO Henkei seekers are more expensive than the original toy retailed for. If you couldn't afford the original when it came out how can you afford the KO?

You know why Marksproject stuff is that expensive? The original Ulta Magnus trailers he made used MP Prime parts for the head and arms, so that's 100 dollars he had to invest, the rest of the parts are all hand made by him. Making one of these figures takes a hell of a lot of time and resources. Every thing is hand-made, so he started raising the price to stop the masses to order from him since he still had to go to work. But that did not work, in fact he has since made this his full time job, because people won't stop buying from him. So yes, he's pretty contempt with the way things are. He does not deserve to have his work stolen from him.
So don't try and tell him how to work if you won't even take the time to read-up on the way he works on his website.

It shouldn't be too long before we know for sure if PP04 is Ultra Magnus armor. igear said to check your PP03 for word of their next project so I am assuming they are refering to PP04.

Rated X: I don't want you to argue this anymore until you go out to a hobby store, buy a bunch of materials and then make something all on your own and try to sell it. You have made it blatantly clear that you have no understanding whatsoever of what exactly goes into making a completely custom collectible.

Keep in mind that not everyone has the abilities of FansProject to make make injection molds and all the stuff needed to drive the cost down. I can say that the FP City Commander sets would have probably been $500 a piece had they not been able to mass produce them. Mark makes these things to order. That means, he doesn't build it until you order it which is an awesome touch to me. Makes it a little more personal when you think about it.

After you finally make that custom figure, I want you to try to market and produce that thing. Afterwards, you'll see just how much of a nightmare it actually is for artists to get their stuff promoted.

Hasbro and Takara make stuff significantly cheaper because they can produce stuff on a much larger scale than any 3rd party group out there.

While I think it's wrong dude's design is potentially getting ripped off, I still don't understand why this is any worse than iGear KO'ing HasTak's stuff...

Kibble wrote:While I think it's wrong dude's design is potentially getting ripped off, I still don't understand why this is any worse than iGear KO'ing HasTak's stuff...

It's not. Some people (like myself) don't have much of a problem with a multinational company getting ripped off, but do int he case of a smaller company or (in this case) individual. But if you don't differenciate between big companies and an individual's product it's no worse. It's all just as bad.