Since I kind of got brought up...I have to say I laughed and laughed when I read Gino's criticisms. Not only was he completely wrong on certain details, his claim that the Quasimodo helmet didn't even belong in the top 10 was just that: Laughable. He has a history of bashing anything that doesn't conform to his own views or competes with his own products, so it's become difficult to take him seriously. As you've correctly observed, he only ever bashes unlicensed stuff, but he will do this whether his own competing product is licensed or not. I'm sure if the Anovos Vader was unlicensed he'd be bashing that, but I suspect that LFL/Disney would have Views on him bashing a fellow licensee.
If you want to call my helmet inferior to a direct mould pull then feel free. In some respects you may be right, though of course the extent of the clean up should be taken into account. It's less direct than eFX would have you believe. However a number of people have sold their eFX helmets to buy mine, and those with the chance to compare them directly have said that Quasimodo makes the eFX helmet look like a toy. I distinctly remember when MR was producing lightsabers, and guys here and elsewhere were producing their own, unlicensed versions. Everyone seemed to think they were comparable, why is it different now?
I agree with you that the Anovos business model leaves something to be desired, however your complaints seem to be based mainly on the fact that you don't see them being hounded as much as eFX about it. The model that they have chosen is essentially crowdfunding, the nature of which is that initially it can be difficult to see where the money is going. Are they using the money from one product to fund another, as you put it? Certainly possible, but as long as they are aware of their funding levels and financial capabilities, what does it matter? This is how business works; money comes in, money goes out. If the money coming in exceeds the money going out, you have a successful business. Where the funds are allocated is up to the people in charge. Would you like them to publish their accounts?
I'll be quite candid, I don't really follow Anovos. I'm unaware of what their waiting times are like, because I'm not really a costumer, I like props. I did get the TK, and yes, I waited patiently for it. Delays happen, but there was always an updated date for when they expected them to ship. eFX seem to have had a really rough time with the biker scout helmet, and it's their total lack of communication that has had them raked over the coals, rather than the delay exactly. The fact that they seem to have had a somewhat relaxed attitude to both the delays and the communication hasn't helped. I saw a video with Brian of eFX actually making a joke about some new product, and how 'knowing us' he said, it was scheduled for 2016 but would probably actually be 2018. True perhaps, but ill advised.
And maybe I missed something, but why are you asking for a breakdown of costs of manufacturing injection moulded plastic?
