cidman911 Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 Have any of you noticed the rise of bootleg Minimates on eBay? These past few months when I do searches for cheap Minimates lots, I'm spotting a lot of sets that I'm sure are bootlegs (considering the price point, where they're being shipped from and the eBay seller's other shady items) This week I've seen A TON. Mostly Marvel ones. Here's a picture of some I see. Not trying to condone the sale of fake stuff I just want to raise awareness. Hopefully it helps some of you avoid them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
homestar17 Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 They're not necessarily bootlegs -- just Chinese factory rejects (or ones that have been taken from the factory). A lot of times the hairpieces/accessories/whatever get jumbled up. Most 'mates are made in China. The ones that end up on eBay come from factory workers (or friends/family of factory workers), which is why they are typically priced the way they are. There are however, ACTUAL BOOTLEGS on eBay -- a few people have misappropriated Luke's or whomever's decals (which are not for sale), made customs, then sold said customs on eBay. For a profit on someone else's hard work. These are the bootlegs & should not be purchased. The 'Chinese Factory Liberated' ones are harmless-yet-often-silly minimates. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cidman911 Posted February 8, 2014 Author Share Posted February 8, 2014 They're not necessarily bootlegs -- just Chinese factory rejects (or ones that have been taken from the factory). A lot of times the hairpieces/accessories/whatever get jumbled up. Most 'mates are made in China. The ones that end up on eBay come from factory workers (or friends/family of factory workers), which is why they are typically priced the way they are. There are however, ACTUAL BOOTLEGS on eBay -- a few people have misappropriated Luke's or whomever's decals (which are not for sale), made customs, then sold said customs on eBay. For a profit on someone else's hard work. These are the bootlegs & should not be purchased. The 'Chinese Factory Liberated' ones are harmless-yet-often-silly minimates. So they're pretty much B-Grades? Seems like the problem Nike has in China with it's sneakers. The factory workers will make Nike's shoes according to the quality guidelines, then on their own time, they'll make more to resell on the 'bootleg market' with not quite the same quality build...but close enough. The only one I wanted was Nightcrawler because he's been hard to come by but I can wait to get a real one for a good price. Plus these look kind of flimsy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TM2 Dinobot Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 No, they're not a midnight run or anything like that. From what we can tell, they're left over rejects. They are all earlier mates, and more importantly, they're OLD minimates. Many are yellowing and showing signs of age. This isn't some intrepid factory worker cranking out new ones, but probably what was left behind when DST changed factories. Quality wise they are just as good as regular minimates. Because they ARE minimates. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiniFiend UK Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 Has been said not bootlegs just either factory seconds or leftovers. If yo look at alot of the pictures you will see wrong hair or other items on figures. If your lucky you may get a older figure your missing. Most of thes lots are sold if you read them as a random selection and not as times the ones shown in the photo's. The main reason I can see for buying these would be as a customiser and the would be cheap fodder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buttheadsmate Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 There's been a surge of these lately &, especially in the instance above, they invariably have more than one thing in common . They never come with accessories & they are all from an era when Minimates were sold (....or should I say not being sold ) at Target & TRU or in Darktide DVD packs .......2006. Oddly enough 2 of the scarcest packs you'll ever see on ebay ....the TRU New avengers & Astonishing X-Men 4 packs would have consisted of 8 of those figures in the pic whilst Target would have had the others in their 2006 waves. I think that I'm hardly going out on a limb when I say that 2006 wasn't a particularly golden time for 'mates. I used to call these type of figures 'baldimates' & if you're lucky & not too fussy then there is little wrong with them in my experience although Kitty Pryde often looks more like kitty litter. Best DD ever !!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiniMage Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 These're still available at comic book shops and specialty stores here. Weird seeing things this old next to the newer stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karamazov80 Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 If you have a chance to get a Riot Spidey--factory reject, custom figure, bootleg, etc.--you take it. Don't ask questions, just buy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
homestar17 Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 If you have a chance to get a Riot Spidey--factory reject, custom figure, bootleg, etc.--you take it. Don't ask questions, just buy. I have several available for purchase. Just ask. Please! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karamazov80 Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 (edited) I would, but I could never live down the guilt of taking those masterpieces away from you. Edited February 9, 2014 by karamazov80 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buttheadsmate Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 When it comes to that l'il beauty I cast my guilt to one side .......PM sent Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TM2 Dinobot Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 I actually think I'm out. Riot Spidey was the base for most of my customs for a loooong time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slipstream Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 I just got one of these auctions - they seem fine to me. Yes, there's no accessories, but it was a cheap way for me to complete the Astonishing set, and get the Ben Reilly Spidey. Other than some sticky joints, I don't notice any problems. It's the same thing. Also, this means I have an extra Riot Spidey, Astonishing Kitty, Wolverine, and Beast if anyone's interested..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WinterSoldier Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 (edited) Astonishing, Riot Spidey and Reilly Spidey are rare? Guh. I've had Ben for years and I may have given away some of my Astonishing X-Men, but I know for sure I still have Emma and Cyclops. I can definitely look through my stuff to see if I saved any others. I know for sure I used to have 2x Riot Spider-Man, know I still have at least one. Will check through everything soon. I had no idea! Edited February 10, 2014 by WinterSoldier Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hellpop Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 I think there's some going on here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buttheadsmate Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 Astonishing, Riot Spidey and Reilly Spidey are rare? Guh. I've had Ben for years and I may have given away some of my Astonishing X-Men, but I know for sure I still have Emma and Cyclops. I can definitely look through my stuff to see if I saved any others. I know for sure I used to have 2x Riot Spider-Man, know I still have at least one. Will check through everything soon. I had no idea! Spooky hellpop spooky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WinterSoldier Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 (edited) *squint* Oh. Dang. It was a long night last night up with the future superhero in training, I'm half out of it. Totally thought I had been sitting on some kinda goldmine for a second. at least now I don't feel bad about literally giving most of them away. Edited February 10, 2014 by WinterSoldier Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buttheadsmate Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 (edited) *squint* Oh. Dang. It was a long night last night up with the future superhero in training, I'm half out of it. Totally thought I had been sitting on some kinda goldmine for a second. at least now I don't feel bad about literally giving most of them away. I remember a newbie here (some years ago) who was desperate to get hold of a certain 'Marvel Knights' 4 pack TRU exclusive . Poor guy had it on his 'newbie Wants list' for months....he scoured ebay for months...........he may have been English ? I believe he had seen this set advertised on the back of the other 2 TRU 4-packs he had from the same era.... Nobody ever told him ......nobody dang. Edited February 10, 2014 by buttheadsmate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TM2 Dinobot Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 There there, buddy. it's okay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UK Collector Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 (edited) Not sure if you're talking about me Rob, but you set me straight on that one as well. Edited February 16, 2014 by UK Collector Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buttheadsmate Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 I was talking about myself Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warburger Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 These minimate rejects are nothing to the Lego minifig bootlegs proliferating our local comic shops. They range from $0.80-1 each. Aside from the figures that have been actually released by Lego (Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Wolverine, Spider-man, Hulk)...there are tons of figs that Lego hasn't produced yet like Martian Manhunter, Shazam, Clark Kent, all colors of the Lanterns, all Iron Man armors, etc. It doesn't stop there, the accessories are amazing - base plate, gantry for Iron Man, diorama and the one tru ring for LOTR, etc. From a distance, you wouldn't really notice any difference. For some figs, you wouldn't really notice it at all (e.g. Deadpool, Big Hulk, Spider-man, etc.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cidman911 Posted February 18, 2014 Author Share Posted February 18, 2014 The only figure I want from all that is Nightcrawler but I don't want to spend $18 for a bunch of factory rejects that might suck. Then again I don't want to spend $14.99 on a single Nightcrawler via eBay. Ughh. I hope they re-release Nightcrawler in the near future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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