So I'm kinda like a part time helper and personal friend who meets the xm guys once a month for a beer. They are a small lean team and busy with production stuff so I try to help consolidate community feedback and pass it along when I can. Love the comments, it's exactly things they want to hear. So here's the thing, the xm guys are small players, and the 1/4 scale statues are kinda monopolized by the big players, so as much as they'd like to sell beyond 4 countries in Asia, they are forbidden to do so. With regards to the light up feature for ironman, believe me it was a big dilemma for the xm boys. So they made the decision based on two factors.
1. Throughout their careers, they've been asked to repair statues that has wiring and lighting features which often requires parts of the statue to be taken apart in serious cases. To avoid complications of lighting issues, they felt it was better to keep it as a museum sort of statue like the other characters they are rolling out. In short, less risks for owners who can get the battery leaks etc especially in humid parts of Asia.
2. They didn't just go with their guy feel, they asked old clients and friends in Asia about preference and it was surprising that about 60% of the feedback was to avoid lighting. It wasn't a big win by any means but the fact is no matter which option xm chose, they would disappoint the other group.
they can't do both based on costs restrictions btw.
I know it's not a perfect answer but the xm boys are still building their base and foundation so they are playing it safe. Start slow and small and get to a point they can nego for better licensing rights to roll out the statues in different formats (light up or not) at better rates.
And hey, we've got Andy who can stick light bulbs into statues eh? More business to Andy!
also the likenesses are still not there for me on either portrait, so far it looks as though Hot Toys have come the closest at nailing RDJ...then you have the price tag - way overpriced in my opinion and these are the reasons why I dont think it will sell so well and why alot of collectors will hold out for the SSC MK42 maquette. Finally, and by no means least...they've only gone and got the bloody Arc reactor the wrong way round again!!!
WTF!!!!!
talking of which, I'm attempting to fix the Arc reactor tonight on my Iron Man MKVI Bust 
Nice one Sideshow! 
although not all of them are Sideshows fault! Just fixed the Arc Reactor on Sideshows Iron Man MKVI LSB which wasn't easy....still, all this modding and fixing is really quite therapeutic and helps keep me busy when the wife and kids have all gone to bed 
