[AndyCR75]

A bit slow at work right now, so I just feel like writing.

Ok so here on ToyArk, Marvel clearly rules. You have the occasional DC updates, and NECA information, but 90+% of the traffic here is Marvel.

I'm guessing we are a cross section of people. Likely 99% male. Likely from an extremely wide variety of socioeconomic backgrounds. We could have some young teenagers in here, and some grandfathers. Rich and poor, fat and skinny, short and tall, etc. It's funny how a shared interest (passion lol) can bring folks from all different walks of life all over the globe together.

But what is it? What is it about Marvel figures that we absolutely love? Is it that they were a huge part of our childhood and invoke good memories? Is it that we still follow the comic series and the figures are just an extension of that interest? Is it that we collect all sorts of figures and Marvel just happens to be one of them?

There is something very interesting about the nature of collecting. Whether it be coins, stamps, Hummels, old Playboys, or action figures...there is that need to just keep them coming.

Now some are more extreme than others. I wasn't always a completionist. It started in Spring '09 with X-Force Wolverine. Thought it was so cool, bought him, opened him up, set him on my kitchen counter. Basically did the entire thing with Series 1, only to sell them to repurchase them MOC.

So I look at my collection. Coffins within coffins of figures I will never play with, open, customize...none of that. Who even knows what my collection is even worth at this point, but I can tell you Ive spent too much damn money! When I think how useless of a hobby collecting figures is, it makes me want to eat a bullet. Boxes and boxes of unopened figures that this inner collecting-beast alter ego just HAD to have. Short of a couple Thors, I am once again at 100% completion to date. I want to stop, but I can't. I feel like I'm down 12-0 in the 5th inning of a baseball game. I wan't to quit, but I can't.

Is there OCD involved? Absolutely. For any other completionists out there, you know what I'm talking about. The worst is having the means. I understand not everyone can afford to purchase online, etc or can only purchase 1 figure at a time retail.. I have the good fortune of having a career that affords me to maintain this hobby with little repurcussion financially.

But that's not the point. I am sorry, I am getting long winded now.

In closing, when you really really think about it, why do we collect action figures? To set them up in dioramic poses? Thats silly. We're adults. To customize them? Thats silly. We're adults. To buy them, not open them, stare at them for 3 days, and store them in giant tupperware? Well, not only is that silly, it is absolutely freaking insanely stupid.

But that's what I do.

[Optimus Vader]

One of the reasons I'm so into Marvel figures right now is because the Transformers Dark of The Moon toys are garbage.

As far as collecting goes; I'm sure the clinical answer to why I collect is "to fill a void left from my childhood," which probably is true, but since it's not a problem I'm comfortable filling that void.. often.

[mindmeldx]

I totally hear what you're saying. I'll be 31 in less than a month. I often look at my rather awesome looking collection and think, "what the hell am I doing?"

It definitely started with the first X-men figs from toybiz waaaay back in '91 or '92? The cartoon was just coming out and that got me into the comics. I was always into the super powers figs but something about marvel just grabbed me. Maybe it was because I was bullied, different, whatever the case may be. They gave me comfort. And I LOVED re-enacting the cartoons/comics with my figs. As I grew the love for them never went away. Sure it died down a bit in my late teens-early 20s. But once Marvel Legends began it brought back the passion. In my adult life I'm an artist/actor and make a living doing that. So now I consider (could be considered an excuse) it all an artform. Think of the time and skill that goes into creating these figs. I still open them and pose them in the dioramas (I don't "play" with them anymore) and I do customs. Figures are an artistic expression and that, to me, is a beautiful thing. I mean it could be worse. We could be into dangerous self destructive vices. Some may be but who am I to judge. I think as long if you're still a social person who pays their bills and understands its a hobby and that there is a world out there thats real then what's the harm?

But I do feel what you're saying.

[neatogecko]

Wow. It's like AndyCR has a mirror into my life. I really don't understand the almost compulsive need I have to buy a figure which is probably just a slightly re-colored version of a figure I already have, stare at it for an hour, put it away in a box, and then relax knowing that I have "the whole set".

I've always been an almost exclusively 3.75 - 4" collector. My biggest and longest running collection has been G.I. Joe. When MU first came out I thought it was cool that I could pick up a few of my favorite heroes in Joe scale. Now, a few years later, MU is my favorite toy line and I have become a completionist. All of my MU stuff (as well as all my other toys from the past 5 or 6 years) is still in package (partially because I don't have anywhere to display them until I get my basement finished, and partially because...well...for some reason I just like the idea of having them all in their package).

MU is really the first toy collection I have ever even tried to be 100% complete on. I loved Marvel comics and cartoons as a kid, and even had a few years where I was big into comic collecting. But for a long time I hadn't even touched anything comic related (other than seeing the big budget movies). Now MU has me buying animated dvd's and comic collected editions to catch up on what my favorite characters have been up to for the past 15 years or so.

I love the hobby and it's a great distraction, but man...sometimes it really starts to smack of obsession.

[omega145]

I first started collecting Transformers a few months ago with the release of the MP Grimlock. That bought back grand memories of my childhood and the Transformers that I used to have. After doing research, I noticed how many recent transformers from G1 that had been released and looked pretty cool so I started buying those. I started to not find any new Transformers around anywhere as the stores were not getting them or teh scalpers always got to them. Being an avid comic book reader and marvel collector when I was a kid, I started to take a look at the Marvel Universe figures and immediately fell in love with the small scale which allowed me to display them without taking up a lot of room and the detail on such small figures. This has led to picking up Marvel Legends, DC Universe, and other various toy lines.
Im not a completist or have OCD but I do like having each piece that I find to be unique or remind me of a character that I remembered watching on cartoons or reading in comic books.
All in all, when I joined the military, my parents decided to sell off or get rid of a lot of my childhood toys that were boxed up or still in my room and having this new collection of new and improved figures makes up for that disappointment of losing all that I had.

[Snowflakian]

I collect figures as a two fold thing really.

1. I like having plastic representations, or poseable statues that I can display and look upon. Whether it's marvel, transformers, DC, or whatever else I collect. Each line I collect I've carefully picked as to various reasons why.

MU - For size and shelf space, amount of characters covered, and interaction with other lines of the same scale.

MRS - See above.

Transformers - I stick mostly to generations of seasons 1-3 bots but let that grow bigger to comic characters on occasion. I do pick up movie figures here and there though that can either fit in generations, or a prime display. I also collect certain characters for the movie line for usage with my Halo megablok figures, (HA made me get into halo megablocks).

Super Sentai - I tend to stick to the candy kits. The size allows me room to display many on a shelf, and they have all the features minus the electronics of the DX figures. Plus they can pose so much better. I also love how they are universally combinable between all series.

DC - I stick to the joescale if I can, focus more heavily on GL, but I do try to at least get the major teams like the titans, JL, and JS.

Halo Megabloks - Well thanks to a friend I got addicted to Red vs Blue again, and with the Transformers clip system and HAs the megablok figures are great. I can have the aliens riding movie shockwave, movie brawn, or even generations warpath/hardhead. Not to mention all the HA basics that just look amazing with halo megablok figures like Sandstorm, and the fan mode mecha walker.

2. I collect now, so in my future when I do finally decide to settle down and have kids, I can pass my collection on to them if they are interested in such brands. So other than the new toys that come out later they like when I'm done collecting, they'll have all the characters their papa enjoyed as a child and 'man-child'.

Kind of a spend it now while I have no responsibilities like that, so I don't have to spend it later.

Other than that, it's just a great way to be nostalgic. Look at a display shelf and remember all the fun times as a kid, and stories I read or watched as a kid that I enjoyed, without actually repeating that if they don't hold up to the memory lol.

[Tarquinius]

I think that the question of "why" can only be answered on an individual level.

Collecting is one thing, but we are collecting toys, which is typically associated with children.

Now who on here, has had a crisis in trying to admit to others that they collect toys? Girlfriend? Family? Friends? I can say I have. But why? Because toys don't seem to be part of an adult life.

But its not wrong to collect toys. From a psychological prospective (I'm a graduate student in psychology lol), one would say for most of us it is "regression in the service of the ego." That this form of collecting takes us back to a simpler time (regression) so as to preserve ourselves from the inner and outer conflictions in our lives (in service of the ego). Thats kind of taking a family/inner conflict spin on it.

Existential thought: It is a part of the human condition. We choose this path for better or for worse and it is not wrong, it just IS.

Behavioral: We are operating off of the reward we receive from getting an object that we find appealing. We also may find it appealing because of how we've been conditioned to feel about that toy while we were a child.

Does this answer any questions? I probably say not, because collecting for us doesn't seem wholly dysfunctional. If you feel embarassed for collecting toys, you are poverty stricken, homeless or isolated because of it, then yes it is dysfunctional and might fall in one of these categories.

Regardless, why do we collect? The bottom line is we all have our own personal stories into why we do. We all get different highs and lows from it, just as Andy described. A further question would be why do we continue to collect, and how do we rationalize decisions in our collecting. (this toy vs toy or the rent check vs this toy).

Lots of interesting questions, but again, no one can answer it for you. We just have to be aware what our 'process' is.

[stjuggernaut]

I just for some reason; like to have a little 3d (or is it 4d?) representation of a character i like. I love looking at them on the shelf. i open every one just to see it stand on the shelf. not even in a dynamic pose. just static.

it is a bizarre hobby for an adult really but atleast we can all sit in a circle and stand up 1 by 1 and talk about our addiction together.

[roadrevenge]

I’m 26... I started with a few figures of Transformers from the first live action movie. I was just going to pick up the ones that actually showed up in the movie and place them on the wall in package.

Then one day surfing eBay, I came across a huge lot of Spider-Man toys from the 90's which I used to own and play with, and the price was right. So I got them... and it all went down hill from there. I wanted more... I started hunting for as many as I could get to complete the set. Then after I got as much as the set as I could find, I went back to the Transformers Movie toys and got all the ones I was missing...

Then it just got worse and worse. Each new set of figures I saw that I liked or reminded me about something I used to own as a little kid I got into. Even if I didn't have the real funds to buy them I got them anyways, only because I figured that I could deal spending that amount now then later on down the road hunting it down only to pay x10 the original price.

I have calmed down a lot though... I don’t have a huge collection like some people. I have about 500+ all MOC with at least half of my collection packed away, the rest up on my computer room walls. But one of my biggest collections is Marvel Universe. I guess I got those only because I missed the whole Marvel Legends era and to go back and hunt all them down cost way too much.


That’s my story... don’t' know if it belongs in this thread... oh well

[Tiberius]

Im 22 and open 90% of them, customize 5% of the opened ones, and keep 5% in its box. For me, Marvel Universe collecting has to be done online now. My Walmart told me they won't be holding them anymore, and I cant aford to travel 120km [74 or so Miles] to go action figure hunting and return empty handed 85% of the time. Sadly though, finding the figures in the wild is what makes it so fun!

I collect for a number of reasons. One is that it gives me something to do, something different, something that not many people in my small town do or even care about. Another reason is my childhood. Not because of TV shows, or comics [although they are the main reason I collect MU over Gi Joe, DC, ect] would be because my Grandfather. As I kid I would have my Gi Joe figures and I would bring them to his house all the time to amuse myself while my parents are working for the day. He would play with the figures with me, and put them in "Dirty Sex" positions and get a chuckle out of that. So for that reason alone is why I even collect, to stay in touch with the kid within me, which obviously is in all of us if we collect any sort of toy.

Did this answer any questions? Maybe a few, not all, but that is why I collect :P

[Snowflakian]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tarquinius

I think that the question of "why" can only be answered on an individual level.

Collecting is one thing, but we are collecting toys, which is typically associated with children.

Now who on here, has had a crisis in trying to admit to others that they collect toys? Girlfriend? Family? Friends? I can say I have. But why? Because toys don't seem to be part of an adult life.

I agree with everything else you said. I just wanted to point something out here.

How is collecting toys any different than any other adult collectible? Precious moments, collector edition barbies for princess diana, the presidents, among many others that are aimed squarely at adults and not even your average toy collectors? They display them on shelves and special clear containers with stands... Not much different than we do with figures.

While we focus on the toy aspect of it, we should really be more focused on the collecting aspect, or that drive to have them all. Which then goes hand in hand about your questions about dysfunctional, choices between this item or the rent etc.

What you collect really is irrelevant, it boils down to why do you collect.

I was raised in family that collects. Maybe not toys, but my grandma is all over precious moments as is my mom. My grandma collects comemorative barbies like gone with the wind or the presidents or diana as mentioned, and other hobbies exist like coin collecting or stamp collecting among others that many would view just as silly, but to each their own for the hobby they enjoy.

So yeah, I personally never put much thought into it's weird to collect toys or not. To me that has always been others shoving their perceptions of what's okay and what's not onto others. To me, it's no different than the above mentioned things, or any other collecting centric hobby like baseball cards. In fact it's probably much akin to them when you look at the prices many pay, and how the values fluctuate and when. Ditto to comics that many out of ignorance view as a medium for children.

At least this is why to me I've never been ashamed of it, and if anyone tries to make me ashamed of it, I'll point that out. Sometimes I just don't feel like putting up with it and will make an excuse, but most of the time, I'm loud and I'm proud about it.

So I guess really, my collector-centric nature was inherited via my surroundings and parentage. Not even going to dive into the whole nature vs nurture aspects, I'm just going to call it both.

[AndyCR75]

Its really great to get insights on everyone's backgrounds, thoughts etc. Pretty cool ready everyone's different perspectives.

[Tarquinius]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snowflakian

I agree with everything else you said. I just wanted to point something out here.

How is collecting toys any different than any other adult collectible? Precious moments, collector edition barbies for princess diana, the presidents, among many others that are aimed squarely at adults and not even your average toy collectors? They display them on shelves and special clear containers with stands... Not much different than we do with figures.

While we focus on the toy aspect of it, we should really be more focused on the collecting aspect, or that drive to have them all. Which then goes hand in hand about your questions about dysfunctional, choices between this item or the rent etc.

What you collect really is irrelevant, it boils down to why do you collect.

I was raised in family that collects. Maybe not toys, but my grandma is all over precious moments as is my mom. My grandma collects comemorative barbies like gone with the wind or the presidents or diana as mentioned, and other hobbies exist like coin collecting or stamp collecting among others that many would view just as silly, but to each their own for the hobby they enjoy.

So yeah, I personally never put much thought into it's weird to collect toys or not. To me that has always been others shoving their perceptions of what's okay and what's not onto others. To me, it's no different than the above mentioned things, or any other collecting centric hobby like baseball cards. In fact it's probably much akin to them when you look at the prices many pay, and how the values fluctuate and when. Ditto to comics that many out of ignorance view as a medium for children.

At least this is why to me I've never been ashamed of it, and if anyone tries to make me ashamed of it, I'll point that out. Sometimes I just don't feel like putting up with it and will make an excuse, but most of the time, I'm loud and I'm proud about it.

So I guess really, my collector-centric nature was inherited via my surroundings and parentage. Not even going to dive into the whole nature vs nurture aspects, I'm just going to call it both.

I agree with a lot of what you said, and really I think we mean the same thing, but I didn't do it justice.

It isn't something to be ashamed of, but if you are that is a part of your dysfunction. Cognitively you are thinking and reflecting upon some sort of your conflicted self. You have an image of yourself which is suppose to go hand in hand with the norms of society, but instead you don't feel like you do because of your hobby and thus you feel ashamed.

I agree with you and everyone that it isn't wrong, but for some people their dysfunction with collecting ANYTHING starts with comparing their real self with their ideal self.

Another point of thought Andy: Collecting toys or anything really, has one great pitfall. We all have the same toys. There are a few of us who have the extremely rare and significant figures but on the whole we all have the same Iron Man and same Wolverine. So WHAT IS THE POINT TO IT?!

Truthfully, you have to go beyond the figure. You have to make it your own. Customize something that sets you apart from any other collector, build a cool diorama. You have to make it your own. Thats why a good portion of us open up our figures and make it unique to us.

If you wanna try something new, buy an extra Iron Man or whatever, and just screw around with it and try customizing it. But do something with your collection that sets it apart and the appreciation of your collection will double.

[Shawn Woodbeck]

I think for me collecting is a way for me to relax and escape. Growing up I collected Marvel comics and they provided me with relaxation and escape to another place. I found I could relate to characters like Spiderman and
the Hulk (especially during puberty). My comics have long since disappeared but, now through the MU figs I can go back and reminisce.

Originally, like others, only wanted to collect a few of my fav figs ie Hulk, Spiderman, Human Torch. It quickly changed to: "I HAVE TO HAVE THEM ALL!" I am a completist now and proud of it. I'm like a kid in a candy store
when a new set is about to come out and a bulldog when I'm trying to get that elusive or hard to get variant.

I have also bought for all 3 of my sons when they showed interest and asked questions about that particular character. It makes me proud that my kids take an interest in something I like. I feel like they're carrying on a tradition.

[omega145]

Great thread with a lot of spot on comments and analyzation. Thanks to everyone for sharing and showing what great forum members there are on toyark.

[DogFashionDisco]

Read James Gunn's The Toy Collector

[ludovicotek]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DogFashionDisco

Read James Gunn's The Toy Collector

This!!!!

[Snowflakian]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tarquinius

I agree with a lot of what you said, and really I think we mean the same thing, but I didn't do it justice.

It isn't something to be ashamed of, but if you are that is a part of your dysfunction. Cognitively you are thinking and reflecting upon some sort of your conflicted self. You have an image of yourself which is suppose to go hand in hand with the norms of society, but instead you don't feel like you do because of your hobby and thus you feel ashamed.

I agree with you and everyone that it isn't wrong, but for some people their dysfunction with collecting ANYTHING starts with comparing their real self with their ideal self.

Another point of thought Andy: Collecting toys or anything really, has one great pitfall. We all have the same toys. There are a few of us who have the extremely rare and significant figures but on the whole we all have the same Iron Man and same Wolverine. So WHAT IS THE POINT TO IT?!

Truthfully, you have to go beyond the figure. You have to make it your own. Customize something that sets you apart from any other collector, build a cool diorama. You have to make it your own. Thats why a good portion of us open up our figures and make it unique to us.

If you wanna try something new, buy an extra Iron Man or whatever, and just screw around with it and try customizing it. But do something with your collection that sets it apart and the appreciation of your collection will double.

No, you did fine. I realized as I typed that as you said, I covered much of the same aspects. You just covered the entire dysfunctional/shame other's perceptions better than I.

It's the same as Coin collecting and stamp collecting though. The QC of the figure you have, the minor differences, the grade, how it ages, plus the sentimental value you put into it.

Sure customizing is great to expand your roster, but even then, you're buying doubles. One original, one to tweak. Similiar to as I suggested Precious moments collectors or snow globe collectors. They buy the same, sometimes different ones from different areas, or special release ones, or even just a double to hand paint themselves. Just as we have con exclusives, subscription service ones, and special retailer packs or exclusives.

[DogFashionDisco]

I have never had a drive to collect every figure in the Marvel Universe, just most of them (because the characters are legitimately interesting and well made). Yes, I realize that I'm still filling time and space with plastic figures that my future kids will likely ignore and/or loathe, but these bring back an element of my youth, and the detail and creativity behind the initial characters and more recent action figure adaptations give me something to appreciate in such a dead, cold world of poorly thought out characters and ideas.

[Tarquinius]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snowflakian

No, you did fine. I realized as I typed that as you said, I covered much of the same aspects. You just covered the entire dysfunctional/shame other's perceptions better than I.

It's the same as Coin collecting and stamp collecting though. The QC of the figure you have, the minor differences, the grade, how it ages, plus the sentimental value you put into it.

Sure customizing is great to expand your roster, but even then, you're buying doubles. One original, one to tweak. Similiar to as I suggested Precious moments collectors or snow globe collectors. They buy the same, sometimes different ones from different areas, or special release ones, or even just a double to hand paint themselves. Just as we have con exclusives, subscription service ones, and special retailer packs or exclusives.

Its definitely true that this feeds one bad habit, which is the over consumerism. But again, I feel like this another common but not universal issue. Just helps answer some of the WHY question. Defintiely not applicable to everyone, like me for example. I'm perfectly content with having a collection of just figures produced by Hasbro, not customized.

[ad1976]

When I was a kid, we didn't have a lot of money so I would have to use paper cut outs for my action figures, which always stuck with me I guess. As the years went by, rather than lament this, I came to appreciate how toys were such a great creative outlet for me. In many ways, it opened my mind in ways that gave me a heads-up later on down the road.

Now, I'm making good money, have 2 kids (both are girls and know each of my MU figs by heart which is funny), been married 10 years, and own several properties in my city. If anyone questions my hobby as childish, well...I'm handling my duties better than most people I know so I just ignore the haters. As it is, everyone who comes into my house loves looking at the collection anyway!

I say, keep at it to the degree and depth you want, regardless of what others may say or think.

[behindthemask]

I think when you get to the point of stealing toys because you can't afford to buy them but crave them or spend your grocery $$/rent money on toys you have a problem. Not to say I haven't spent my last $20 on toys haha, but I know my limit and my rents gets paid. I don't have the financial means to shop online as much as some do, or have the luxury in aquiring an entire wave with the click of a button, I have no car so hunting is limited, especially with the # or retailers that stock toys let alone MU. I have over the years narrowed my toy collection down from anything that looked cool to strickly Marvel. If I had the means and time I would try to aquire every Marvel Icons,legends,universe,showdown and masterworks figures, then go for the big statues and 1/1 scale stuff *aka won the lottery. But I don't so I buy what I can, preferably on sale or stagger it, like this pay I can get 1 toy, *Like a parent I have my own nagging voice say " you can only have 1, decide" lol. Some paychecks I go nuts and drop $200, but it doesn't happen often.
I try to find toys through other collectors in bulk lots/loose lots to cut down on overall price. Like 5-6 months back I snagged nearly 20-30 Marvel Legends figures for $250, but it included 3 complete baf's sentinel, galactus and mojo. I would love to get to my dream set up eventually, but I'm a collector with other priorities, such as my gf, tattoos, music, movies, games, my art etc... So for me collecting is a nice way to fill a void, or self destructive habbit that leaves me nothing to show. As for the question, I think some collectors do it for potential monetary gain, we all see the 40 yr old virgin, if your smart and keep the rare stuff moc, it's worth big $$ down the road. MU is the new ML and some ML is worth a shit ton, so why not MU. The other half does it out of pure love of the action figure art form/comic/cartoon/movie related love of Marvel and the ability to own wolverine and pose him, rip his head off, paint it and not here him say "What's up bub" haha. I love me some plastic crack!

[ad1976]

I can relate to this a great deal. When I was a kid and Marvel introduced The Beyonder, I kept reading this word "omnipotent" over and over again. I finally looked it up in the dictionary and understood, it really blew my mind that the Beyonder was "omnipotent"....it was so beyond anything I understood at that time. Examples like this bring me back to how toys shaped my view of the world, opened it up more specifically.

I try to encourage toy playing with my girls to foster the same qualities; imagination, curiousity, engagement in a larger world, etc. Even though I know they won't necessarily carry on my collection (that would be a bit weird I admit) I know I will have done my part in expanding their minds in the way I did back in the day.

[Tarquinius]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ad1976

I can relate to this a great deal. When I was a kid and Marvel introduced The Beyonder, I kept reading this word "omnipotent" over and over again. I finally looked it up in the dictionary and understood, it really blew my mind that the Beyonder was "omnipotent"....it was so beyond anything I understood at that time. Examples like this bring me back to how toys shaped my view of the world, opened it up more specifically.

I try to encourage toy playing with my girls to foster the same qualities; imagination, curiousity, engagement in a larger world, etc. Even though I know they won't necessarily carry on my collection (that would be a bit weird I admit) I know I will have done my part in expanding their minds in the way I did back in the day.

Thats a very interesting point. I will always remember my 7th grade Drama teacher (it was a required class ok!!!?!?!) saying imagination is something that teens and eventually adults start to lose or dwindle down to more conventional means, and that true child-like imagination can only be recaptured when you are playing with a child (ala that ability to see that refrigerator box as a space ship).

Now I don't know how much of that I agree with, but it is definitely an interesting reflection that as people we tend to lose that imaginative spark. I remember saying to myself from that point on that I was gonna stay connected with my toys to try and always have that spark. So thats MY reason for collecting toys.

[vwong19]

I love the responses that have been given so far. Obviously we are all adults here and we do not have justify our collecting habbits to anyone (maybe except the wife). Personally I have a list of reasons why I collect.

1. The figures are 3 3/4", similar scale as GI Joes which I grew as a child. I spent countless hours playing with my Joes with my little brother and have nothing but fond memories of that past time. As a child I always wished I had the resources to purchase every Joe and army-build on Cobra so I could reinact battles scenes from the TV show. Unfortunately we didn't have the funds, but we made the most of what we had and I swore that when I had a job, I'd spend all my money on toys.... of course as I grew older, I found other interests such as cars, travel, girls, etc, which put that childish desire on hold.

2. It's good timing.... since I became interested in the Marvel Universe last year, it is not too late and not too soon to start collecting this line. It's too expensive to go back and collect toys from my childhood (i.e. original GI Joes). Before I collected Marvel I did collect GI Joes 25th. I didn't grow up as a Marvel fan, but having seen what has already been produced after 2 waves, I was impressed by the diversity and scope of the line.

3. Nice package.... I really like the artwork on the cards. The package is relatively compact and like to hang them up on my pegboard in my Man Cave. Each character is a good representation of the comic book. I'm not a fan the movie representations. I like the fact that each card has a series # and figure # to help me organize them.

4. I like Marvel comic books.... I started reading Marvel comic books as a result of the required subscription to obtain the exclusive Archangel. Prior to that my only exposure to Marvel was the movies and Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Hero cartoon. The subscription has been money well spent, as I've read over 300 comic books in little more than 3 months. I aim to catch up on the recent Marvel events. This has introduced me to a lot of the characters that I've been collecting and had little knowledge of.

5. Comic-Con.... I went to my first Comic-Con last year. At the time I wasn't into MU or comic books, but liked GI Joe and Transformers. The experience was very fun and exciting. My first site of Galactus was at the Con.... which I regrettably did not purchase.

6. Price is right... obviously I would love for them to be cheaper, but in reality, they are not that expensive to acquire. It's not like we're collecting vintage automobiles or rare artifacts from the Civil War. When I first started collecting, they were cheaper. Now they have gone up as much as 50%, but that is still within the acceptable range especially when compared to what scalpers ask for.

7. Online resources and community... eBay, BBTS, HSH, Amazon, are Toyark are a big reason for my collecting. The reinforcement of the overall desire for these figures further motivates me to buy them. There is anticipation from previews of future releases which wet my apetite. Blogs of other people's collection further makes me want to acquire them because individually the Marvel action figures are nice, but as a collection they look awesome.

8. Two boys.... I have 2 young boys. My 3 year old loves Transformers because I have a Transformers collection (which is now partially his). We watch Avengers every Sunday and play with my loose Marvel action figures. Ever since my kids were born it has reignited my childhood desire to buy toys and collect them all as I expressed in my first reason for collecting.

9. It's fun....