They do vary from monitor to monitor. I've even noticed that on this big 27" iMac of mine, if the majority of the screen is white, they look dark here as well.
Been a while since I've posted in here, hasn't it? Damn, time gets away.
Speaking of which, I had a fleeting moment or two of spare time at the office today. Since the lights were set up, I decided to grab some shots of a few figures I have hanging out around and near my desk. For your amusement...