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Post by spockoda on Feb 5, 2015 18:35:57 GMT -6
If you are reading this, an assumption could be made that you collect action figures. I am asking "Why figures?". Why not coins? Or stamps? Even if your personal collection is multi faceted and you collect something like comic books and figures I ask the same question.
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Post by kylefromdirtnapp on Feb 7, 2015 20:42:48 GMT -6
Stamp wars aren't as much fun.
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Post by spockoda on Feb 7, 2015 22:27:01 GMT -6
I would probably have to see a shrink to see if there are any deep seeded reasons as to my own personal answer to "why figures?" but I did like figures as a kid and I seemed to naturally gravitate to collecting things. In the 90's, as soon as Playmates started making the 5 inch Star Trek figures and Kenner/Hasbro started the Star Wars figures again that pretty much got me started.
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Post by 3 3/4"collector on Feb 8, 2015 4:57:17 GMT -6
I have no idea why and have often wondered. I to some point think it started right after I graduated in 90 and had my first full time job and money, that same year I went to a flea market in town and stumbled on a fairly large toy collecting booth in the side of the building. up to that point I had no idea there was really anywhere to buy toys that weren't new. I immediately found all the g.i.joes and star wars figures I had at home, except not beat to hell. anyway my point was going to be I was a very poor child, and I think I started because I was buying all the figures I wanted as a kid and never had, and of course replacing the figures I did have but I had worn the hell out. but I haven't a clue why I have continued far past the toys I didn't have as a kid, well technically I guess you could say these new toys ARE toys I didn't have as a kid as well.
ive often wondered if I would still collect figures if I were wealthy. I mean if I really had money to just burn I know I would collect antique vintage weaponry and armor. and I would probably collect a lot of other things as well. but I suspect I would also still collect figures. I sort of guess the real question is why am I collector in the first place, why do I feel a need to collect and gather things. a need that many other people don't feel.
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Post by rihia2k on Feb 8, 2015 13:42:23 GMT -6
The question is deceptive in its simplicity. But takes a little thought to answer honestly.
I've always loved form and faces, it's practically all I drew as a kid. A certain drawing/painting of figure or facial expression would always captivate me. While I loved particular themes, eg. Knights or cops, etc, it could be an image of a janitor or a fruit bearing girl which could fascinate me if it were drawn just so. I always loved things like artist's marionettes as a kid (still do) so action figures felt instinctively natural in my hands.
I still find myself idly posing a figure in my hands during conversation or while watching a program.
That's the stripped back analysis, the other side to my collecting now is simple; just nostalgic themes and designs.
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cmc1214
Garage Sale Scavenger
Aug 17, 2013 18:32:32 GMT -6
Posts: 34
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Post by cmc1214 on Feb 8, 2015 14:22:05 GMT -6
I enjoy displaying action figures and toys. I enjoy the movies and TV shows that they come from. And the last thing I enjoy acquiring new items.
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80m8
Forum Lurker
Jul 31, 2014 9:37:24 GMT -6
Posts: 14
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Post by 80m8 on Feb 8, 2015 15:10:42 GMT -6
It bring me some good memories when is was young it was my favorites toy, and this hobby is like a treasure chase never ending
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Post by anna on Feb 8, 2015 16:04:49 GMT -6
Why? my question is "Why not?"
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Post by spockoda on Feb 8, 2015 16:23:45 GMT -6
The question is deceptive in its simplicity. But takes a little thought to answer honestly. I've always loved form and faces, it's practically all I drew as a kid. A certain drawing/painting of figure or facial expression would always captivate me. While I loved particular themes, eg. Knights or cops, etc, it could be an image of a janitor or a fruit bearing girl which could fascinate me if it were drawn just so. I always loved things like artist's marionettes as a kid (still do) so action figures felt instinctively natural in my hands. I still find myself idly posing a figure in my hands during conversation or while watching a program. That's the stripped back analysis, the other side to my collecting now is simple; just nostalgic themes and designs. I collect different figure lines but the nucleus of my collection is Star Wars and Star Trek. Perhaps I feel like the figures of these fictional characters bring me somehow closer to the source matter or like if I have, let's say a figure of Captain Kirk, I have a tiny tiny piece of Star Trek. I guess this would be where the shrink could come in .
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Post by justrygt on Feb 8, 2015 22:13:57 GMT -6
Those are all great reasons . I definitely have a love for character design . I did ask myself if I would be content with only collecting statues. Then I was reminded of how cool it is that my figures can change poses and interact with toy vehicles.
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toy tracker
Toy Aisle Terror
Jul 6, 2010 9:02:09 GMT -6
Posts: 84
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Post by toy tracker on Feb 10, 2015 11:32:12 GMT -6
I love toys overall, i think they are better an dmore fun than stamps or coins, etc. But that is just an opinion. Perhaps is because they remind of my childhood and its fun times, not saying that being an adult is not fun. i can buy what I want now!
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Post by underworldwarrior on Feb 10, 2015 12:40:35 GMT -6
I have been collecting figures for years and years now I love the nostalgia of it and also all the toys I wanted as a kid and never had or couldn't afford I now have the pleasure of owning them and or tracking them down still its a very rewarding hobby especially when you come across a toyline you never knew existed as a child but own it as an adult and think about how into it you would have been had you had them as a kid
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Post by figuremod73 on Feb 19, 2015 13:55:49 GMT -6
Childhood nostalgia mostly. I also like to see them displayed together. I only have a small collection at the moment but find great satisfaction in adding to them.
My collecting really just centers on cartoon related things to that I use to watch on Saturday mornings. I havent started yet but I'm sure eventually I will concentrate on vintage smurf and bug bunny figures.
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Post by waywardmonk on Feb 20, 2015 19:43:55 GMT -6
Stamp wars aren't as much fun. Haha, but penny wars are! As dopey teenagers, some buddies and I got it in our heads to fling 1000's of pennies at each other for fun. Stupid, stupid fun... To answer the question: I collected rocks, fossils, stamps & coins as a child. I think collecting just came naturally to me. In the late 70's I amassed a nice sized Star Wars collection, but never considered it "collecting" cause they were just toys I loved to play with. I played with them till they were thrashed and got rid of them in high school because I had grown out of them LOL In my 20's I became a huge fan of Star Trek: The Next Generation. I happened to see some of the Playmates figures in a store and thought they it was silly that they were making figures of the main actors in different outfits (It was late in the Playmates run). I think nostalgia for my old Star Wars figures I had as a kid built up inside me and one day I picked up some of the Star Trek figures. Soon I had a large collection and then got into collecting the new Star Wars figures too when they came out. After Playmates stopped making Star Trek figures and I got tired of how the new Star Wars toys were changing I got out of collecting for awhile. I started again just a few years ago. I played a lot of D&D as a teenager and I never forgot seeing a picture of Skullman in an issue of ToyFare in the 90's. One day I got it in my head to look for one. I had some AD&D and He-Man figures as a kid, but didn't like the way they were designed too much. Discovering Remcos and Mannix figures as an adult has been a way of having the fantasy figure collection I wanted to have when I was young.
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Post by bowheadwhale on Mar 4, 2015 13:26:40 GMT -6
Why figures? In my case, it's mostly a nostalgic feeling. As a child, I played with toys; so, no wonder I collect the toys that were the hot thing back in the 1980's. Yet, the thing is, I don't collect only 1980's toys: I also have a respectable collection of rare/unknown species animal toys (Safari ltd, Bullyland and such) and, since 2012, an Epiphany beans collection.
If you ask me "Why rare/unknown species animal figures", I will answer it's because I like to encourage manufacturers to make more figures from unknown species. A child who thinks the animal world is limited to lions and giraffes won't tend to want to save long-nosed bats or bowhead whales, because he/she won't even know they exist. Everyone loves Bottlenose dolphins, but the Baiji dolphin disappeared from the face of the Earth in 2006 without anyone to be aware of it! But don't you think things would have been different if Baiji dolphin toy figures were produced, so children would have been conscious of the existence of this species, as well as its critically endangered situation? Funds could have been raised to save it. But people give funds only to help save animals they know of: millions of dollars are raised every year to save the Giant Pandas, but very few bucks to save Kodkods, simply because they don't even know what they are... and don't bother to discover them. See what I mean? And it's not by producing more already overproduced lions and giraffes that toy manufacturers will help chang things! It's only by producing figures of unknown species like Leafy Seadragons or Hyacinth Macaws that they will help people get more conscious of the biological variety of or planet.
As for Epiphany beans... I started collecting those plain porcelain miniatures when I realized that we North Americans totally abandonned a celebration that should be part of or culture: Epiphany. Epiphany, traditionally celebrated on January 6th, is actually the third and last celebration of the Christmas period. In european countries like France, Italy or Portugal, Epiphany is just as important as Christmas, which is just logical: the Christmas celebrations were originally put in the calendar by the Celts to underline the disappearance of the Sun (longest nights) and its comeback (when days start to go longer). The Christmas tree is a fir because it remains green all winter long; as for the Epiphany pie, it symbolises the Sun. So, collecting Epiphany beans is somehow a way for me to get this tradition back in my continent.
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greenthirteen
Forum Lurker
Aug 15, 2013 14:55:24 GMT -6
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Post by greenthirteen on May 10, 2015 12:36:40 GMT -6
I agree with "why not?" as well.
It clearly brings nostalgia of our childhood, which for most was some of the greatest early memories we have.
and you can do a lot worse, you can collect beanie babies, or bottle caps, or even VHS tapes! I'm sure there is a collectors gene imbedded in our brains somewhere, as not everyone is susceptible to the collectors bug.
My question is this, the younger generations have a heavy emphasis put on being against material things and collecting. So what happens to all these so called collectibles in 20-50 years? who will continue carrying the banner of collecting if the next generations simply do not care? And what will it do the their values?
I wish I had any kind of answers for these questions, but alas I do not, what say you all?
Cheers, SIN......
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Post by spockoda on May 10, 2015 18:33:11 GMT -6
The younger generation is against material things? All the video game systems, phones, tablets, etc aren't material things? The younger generation seems to be so enthralled with these things they have no time to notice much else. They may have shifted what material things they are into but from my point of view they are still very interested in material things. And they don't collect things as much? Well, that one might be true. I have no basis of information to say yes or no to that point. You also said they are more into life experiences. How, sitting in front of one of the electronic devices I previously mentioned? Your observations on the younger generation are interesting.
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Post by Thor Laserpunch on May 10, 2015 19:48:37 GMT -6
Kids still play with toys. I think. I would say at least half of the people who buy Imaginext figures are buying them for kids. Well, 40%... maybe.
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Post by spockoda on May 10, 2015 21:57:48 GMT -6
Kids still play with toys. I think. I would say at least half of the people who buy Imaginext figures are buying them for kids. Well, 40%... maybe. I would think though if young kids liked toys like they once did companies wouldn't shy away from having more product in the shrinking toy aisles. The only thing I am not sure of is has the figure market shrunk due to the adult collectors/speculators giving up due to lack of disposable income or is it lack of kids wanting them as they did in years past? A combination of these things? Another reason/reasons?
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Post by Thor Laserpunch on May 11, 2015 18:13:44 GMT -6
Kids still play with toys. I think. I would say at least half of the people who buy Imaginext figures are buying them for kids. Well, 40%... maybe. I would think though if young kids liked toys like they once did companies wouldn't shy away from having more product in the shrinking toy aisles. The only thing I am not sure of is has the figure market shrunk due to the adult collectors/speculators giving up due to lack of disposable income or is it lack of kids wanting them as they did in years past? A combination of these things? Another reason/reasons? If anything there are more toys now than ever. If toys have less of a presence in brick and mortar stores, I'd have to think it's because there's a much broader selection and probably better bargains online. Plus I'm sure the aisles are picked clean of anything desirable by scalpers on a regular basis.
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Post by spockoda on May 11, 2015 18:46:29 GMT -6
It seems the opposite to me. It used to be toys(meaning figures)were made for any sort of action/adventure/sci fi/fantasy movie that just came out. Plus the adult oriented collector lines. There was KB stores, etc. At least at retail, it seems toys to me are becoming less and less relevant. Maybe "the action" so to speak has gone more online, which I would say it definitely has.
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Post by Thor Laserpunch on May 11, 2015 19:21:51 GMT -6
They still make them, but the figures geared towards kids are largely throwaways in my opinion, not much better than dollar store junk. I think the toys kids are interested in are mainly Legos and video game oriented figures like Amiibos and Disney Infinity and whatnot, so yeah, I guess to some extent you're right. What's staggering to me is the amount of action figures specifically aimed at adults where it's nothing for one figure to cost $30, not to mention all the lower end Funko-ish designer junk that people eat up. And they make figures for stuff that never would've had a toyline when I was a kid, like Breaking Bad and the Walking Dead... or if they did make them they'd be bastardized and sanitized for Junior's protection like the Kenner series that were based on R-rated properties. Now you have 5 or 6 companies making pretty intricate or very high end figures based on Aliens.
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Post by spockoda on May 11, 2015 20:56:33 GMT -6
They still make them, but the figures geared towards kids are largely throwaways in my opinion, not much better than dollar store junk. I think the toys kids are interested in are mainly Legos and video game oriented figures like Amiibos and Disney Infinity and whatnot, so yeah, I guess to some extent you're right. What's staggering to me is the amount of action figures specifically aimed at adults where it's nothing for one figure to cost $30, not to mention all the lower end Funko-ish designer junk that people eat up. And they make figures for stuff that never would've had a toyline when I was a kid, like Breaking Bad and the Walking Dead... or if they did make them they'd be bastardized and sanitized for Junior's protection like the Kenner series that were based on R-rated properties. Now you have 5 or 6 companies making pretty intricate or very high end figures based on Aliens. Yeah, the lines that the figures cost around $30 each that you mentioned are too rich for my blood. And unless you get them as soon as they come out the prices jump to a point where I could no longer consider the line financially viable to collect, as in Masters Of The Universe Classics, G.I. Joe, etc.
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