Have you thought that maybe Sterns level of QC is the black smudges?... You see it as a fault, Stern sees it as being acceptable, after all - it has passed.

If "anyone" sees this as being acceptable at Stern then there will problems selling future games. I may be a very fussy collector / hobbyist, but there are three KISS Premium buyers waiting to see the build quality "in person" and if I was to tell them that "craters", black smudges, a hand painted Gene head by a 2 year old artist and playfield artwork issues is "acceptable", then I can see their $ going to something else..