Well, with a new place comes new storage and display challenges. Already I'm weeding out a few tpbs as I search for that pesky Killing Joke to pass on (but it seems to have vanished!) but also it's time to reassess another recent habit: the action figure.
I'm not a huge toy fan and when comic-related action figures began reappearing in the 90s, they were pretty awful. Somewhere along the way though, I picked up an action figure (probably the movie or X-Men: Evolution Cyclops) and slowly but surely others joined until I had a legion of the buggers. Set up for display not play, I figure they're just acceptable as ornaments, just as other people have knick knacks lying around.
Generally I'd pick up figures of characters I liked (unless they were truly awful) or bargain figures or figures that just plain appealed to me. DC Direct vastly outnumbers the awful Marvel figures except on the Minimate front, having picked up a ton on eBay as I figured it was a cheaper and more manageable way to build a cast of characters.
Until I figure a place to put a glass display case, my figs are currently boxed up and I vowed not to pick up any more due to space and monetary reasons. Then I saw the movie Iron Man fig and had to get it (he now stands alongside the New Frontier Dr Fate by my PC--the only other similar item is an animated JLU Flash paperweight/bust thing).
I'm hoping not to be tempted by anymore figures...but there are some nice Marvel Minimates, the Nova figure a JLI wave from DC Direct and a batch of Crisis figures including Reverse Flash (GOT to have him, one of comics' coolest costumes) so already I can see my plan going out of the window...
3 comments:
Not a huge toy fan? Bwah-ha-ha ha-ha! Before you started venturing north, I hadn't bought an action figure since Secret Wars, now I've got two dozen of the buggers from the sales cluttering up my shelves. Though I suspect you have that number in Cyclops figures alone. You've corrupted me with your plastic worshipping ways.
Reverse Flash? Isn't that just the Flash painted yellow? A bit like Kid Flash. Thought you had every Flash variant going by now.
Do you keep them in their original packaging (to maintain their collectability) or not?
I've only got a Jay Garrick Flash, an excellent Wally West Flash and a rubbishy Wally Kid Flash so I'm really looking forward to the Reverse Flash at last (although I do have the Justice Lord Flash from the JL cartoon, which is practically the Reverse Flash--ooh and I do have a JL Flash --and a Wally Minimate...)
Cyclops...think I have about 9 (including the GI Joe-style one you picked up for me), plus a great Bowen statue and three Minimates (Byrne classic, Quitely New X-Men and Cassaday Astonishing).
I used to pick up the occasional thing, justifying it as a fun ornament that is an indulgence as I don't smoke, drink much or have a car or kids to maintain. Purse strings are much tighter now so I'll have to be selective over any future buys, having already resisted the lure of several figs lately...
And as they are primarily bought for display, practically everything is cracked open out of the packaging (usually as soon as I get to the pub!). The only real exceptions are my Mulder and Scully figs, Spike and Faith (I once had the entire Buffy cast -sans Angel- but have only kept these and Oz, another early addition to my assortment)and Blue Beetle and Booster Gold, both DC Direct figs and Minimates...I desperately want to crack open the blue 'n'golds but I also want them pristine BECAUSE they're bluen 'n' gold!
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