All three were and still are favourites of mine.

If Maza guy's an SF local I'd appreciate the piece even more. Great sculpt and brilliant marketing.

very good points well taken..

i am not saying zollmen & bemon are one-in-the-same..i am making a point about styles of marketing/profiting no matter what end of the spectrum you are coming from...

likening the situation to my analogy of immediate flips versus making a 400%profit on a private toy sale 1 or 2 years down the road...one is a sinner,,one is a saint....but at the end of the day,,,both parties have the same goal

if you are going to criticize one,,,you should really be criticizing the other...(this is why i do not get too wound-up over these issues )

otherwise,,take it for what it is worth...and buy/support the desired toy/company at whatever price/method-of-marketing makes you comfortable..

i,,for one,,love and support both companies..(and have been known to support both the immediate flip & the prized grail priced buy when i thought it was viable & worth it for me )

PLUR dudes!!!!!

This is interesting. They really are following the Bemon model which has certainly retained it's following with mixed criticism. Even if they are selling at high prices like Bemon might be in the aftermarket, it's the consumers dictating the longevity of those prices. And producing low numbers that sell out on a consistent basis is a bad thing for a company? At least Zollmen does have releases via their website and collectors have an opportunity to get them at retail, there has been no chance of this on the Bemon side unless you buy them from CKA or shows. And I'm not sure it's fair to limit small runs to art shows or other events to rationalize higher prices, releases are what they are when they are at the discretion of the maker and are purchased by those that can afford them like anything else.
I think they've released some really killer figures, new designs while still paying homage to the old, with the exception of the potato fella.

i'm with you andy. I really don't get either figure. I don't think I would pay more than $100 for each.

Thanks- Jeb, Blood, Wing- I totally share your views.

The fact still remains- the sculpt and paint apps kick ass. It doesn't matter who created it except that the vinyl must be pulled in Japan, painted by the creator or painted in Japan, to me at least.

I will buy what I like, when I can afford it, and if I cannot share my excitement over a toy for fear of hyping it up and "losing my share" then I'm an ungracious, paranoid, selfish, hypocritical douche bag!

I agree.

well... here was my clue that zollmen is not from japan (i find the mystery interesting)

http://www.rumble-monsters.net/intel/intel_news26.html

Interesting.

The Mazas foot indicates its made of vinyl that was pulled in Japan, are its attackers claiming this is false and it was pulled in China?

If the argument is that the Maza is crap because it was allegedly designed by a Westerner then produced in Japan shouldn't that cut both ways?

Silence on the designer's nationality isn't necessarily deception.

If this is about creating intentional short runs to engineer scarcity that's a different issue.

I assume Bemons and Mazas are released that way intentionally and its not new information.

Well if you read earlier posts, the speculation is that Zollmen may also be a board member (in addition to being a westerner). So I think it would be very significant if he/she is "one of us."

I did read them and there's a lot of speculation, attacks, and innuendo but no solid evidence.

Also I've been advised I'm a "sucker" and buy the Maza because of hype.

I may well be a "sucker" but I collect Mazas because the sculpt kicks ass.

I don't think anyone said anything along those lines.


I don't think anyone is saying if it's made by a Westerner it's crap, but more so if it IS and they know how to take advantage it's a bit sketchy.


I think that's all this is about, the rest are just spawned issues and there more for conversation, not some witch hunt.

No offense but you seem a little defensive about it all Krud. I like Maza, I'd buy one for retail or perhaps a bit above, I think if you or anyone paid $250+ for a toy that's less than a year old, you're on the sucker side BUT BUT BUT I'll just say on other figures, I've been a sucker too, most of us have, I'm not too proud to admit it. It is what it is, no big deal.

Don't think of it as "attacking" so much as "questioning." Questioning is a good thing, I don't see anyone here just attacking the figure/company so much as being interested in the roots of it all, the intentions and questioning all of that.

And for those who don't "get" Bemon and Maza, thanks!

So if someone buys a Biskup figure released a few days ago for $600 are they "suckers"?

rjb could be referring to hokkaido (the north island) as the place far beyond from tokyo..

i have always suspected zollmen as coming from hokkaido (seeing the strong garimpo & exohead connections)...exo & garimpo are both from the north island..

Yup.

If it means anything, Zollmen's .com is registered through a Japanese provider.
http://www.whois.net/whois/zollmen.com

Only too glad to be of assistance . . . . kinda wishing I didn't 'get' a bunch of other stuff these days!

Any chance of a spontaneous global economy U-turn by mid-July . . .

If that's retail, no. OK, I guess "suckers" is a rough word. Let me define what I mean: If you pay a huge amount over "retail" or the original cost and it's a newer figure, and they keep getting churned out, than maybe you're falling prey to hype/marketing. Maybe you should step back and chill.

I'm not saying, and I don't think others are (though I can't speak for them) that if you like anything I don't, and buy it, you're a sucker. Nor do I think paying a REASONABLE amount over retail shortly (shortly meaning a year or less) after release is a stupid thing.

How about: Be patient and don't pay crazy flipper prices, especially when lot's of the same sculpt are coming down the tube and PARTICULARLY if that said situation seems to be being manipulated on purpose to scam/profit on us.

If you got the Maza FROM Garimpo or wherever at their price, awesome and I'm jealous as hell! But if you went on YJA and dropped $500+ before fees, ouch, really? Not for me, I'll wait to get the sculpt down the road for less cash. I think, than, you were taken advantage of, but hell it's your cash and I'm not telling you what to do with it.

I'm not condoning or criticizing anyone's purchase habits,
and I didn't buy a Biskup fig a few days ago even though I would have liked to.
Some folks get called suckers while others get praise for spending big bucks?
Really, to each their own.

I should clarify that I was being facetious.

If you're creating credit card debt, not paying it off monthly, and burning your budget on toys you don't truly enjoy then I think those are sucker purchases.

If you can afford what you spend and you'd rather have the toy than the money then I think the "sucker" tag is uncalled for.

I know you were being facetious.
And I agree with what you're saying. It's all relevant.

Why the shadow dance? If someone thinks the Zollmen owner is a board member and from the SF area, let's just get it out on the table. Then, we can at least get a yes, no, or no comment.

I assume Joe must have some intel on this due to his unveiling recently, and apparent dealings with Zollmen. BUT, he cannot be Zollmen, can he, because he has been chasing the GID Maza hard? Still, Joe if you can help us with this, "Who is Zollmen?", please chime in!

And, if Zollmen is a board member, please chime in now before this blows up completely in your face.

[By the way, the Maza is a fantastic design. Kuddos, whoever you are!]

Since this whole Zollmen thing has hijacked this thread, I will now create a new one asking just these questions. Please chime in there!
http://www.skullbrain.org/bb/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=29441

I don't have any personal interest in this discussion, as I don't collect Maza or Bemon. But I found it a fascinating read. Gonna stay tuned to see if the mystery is solved.

there I fixed it for you rich



Ha Harmon this is not a court room and no one is obligated to say anything despite how curious you are. Although I love the idea of holding court on matter. Maybe we can do that at sdcc.

First case:
Skullbrain vs Bemon customs


Also, for the record
Josh and I are here every saturday morning and are always looking to talk about new releases, old releases, MOTU, burgers, Bemons, zags, Gorilla biscuits, upcoming releases, protos and any other general "shop talk". We still enjoy seeing your shiny little faces when we open the doors. Although we may not let out too many secrets I hear Ike sandwiches help

Would the Honorable Lord Bemon be the judge? If so, I think I know how it may go.