Toys and Collectibles

[HassanT]

Bob/ John,

I did enjoy your Toys and Collectibles special. I would recommend doing them every couple of months or when there is something interesting to discuss.

Even though I am HUGE comic book fan, I am not into Toys and Statues that others might be. It is a matter of money and space. And I have the same issue that you guys have, once I start collecting, I feel I need to have it all What I do is get a few of them to decorate my comic book room which I have finally started to re-do this month.

The stuff I generally get is the DC Direct Figures or the Bowen Busts. Although people complain about the DC Direct Figures, I like the fact that I could easily get whichever figures I wanted. Of course, I don't like every line, but that is a good thing from a cost perspective

I think the Bowen Busts (and Statues) are the best. I have found the DC Direct busts to be hit or miss, depending on the line. I would think the Carlos Pacheco line of busts might be something I am interested in, but the GL bust looks only ok. I need to get a couple of the Batman Black and White statues.

The new Kotobukiya Marvel busts looks pretty cool. I like the Cyclops.

Hassan

[BobBretall]

Although people complain about the DC Direct Figures, I like the fact that I could easily get whichever figures I wanted. Of course, I don't like every line, but that is a good thing from a cost perspective

I agree with you on this. I generally like being able to order the figures I want from DC Direct and get them delivered by my shop. I don't have to prowl around 20 different Target/Wal-Mart/Toys'R'Us stores hoping:
a) They have the figure I want
b) It's NOT a short-packed "rare" figure
c) Some toy monger didn't get there before me to snap it up to sell on eBay for $30

[Fnord Serious]

I enjoyed the episode as well and would welcome more general discussion episodes like this. Some suggestions would be to have discussions on your favorite runs, what your personal classics are, favorite characters & teams, etc. It would be interesting to have an occasional episode talking about your favorite movies, books, etc, although I suppose that is more off-topic than the toys episode.

I'm a casual toy collector. I'll pick one up if it is a character I like, well sculpted, and on sale. Which means I don't have very many toys I really like the Marvel Minimates, but can't bring myself to pay full price for them. If I had money to burn, I would have a full collection of Minimates, any DC Direct figures of favorite characters, and whatever statues and vinyl toys catch my eye. I don't care for a lot of the Marvel Legends sculpts or any toys that have bulging muscles with ropey looking veins all over them. It grosses me out.

[HassanT]

Although people complain about the DC Direct Figures, I like the fact that I could easily get whichever figures I wanted. Of course, I don't like every line, but that is a good thing from a cost perspective

I agree with you on this. I generally like being able to order the figures I want from DC Direct and get them delivered by my shop. I don't have to prowl around 20 different Target/Wal-Mart/Toys'R'Us stores hoping:
a) They have the figure I want
b) It's NOT a short-packed "rare" figure
c) Some toy monger didn't get there before me to snap it up to sell on eBay for $30

Since I have girls, it is even harder for me to convince them to walk down the action figure isle

[Squire]

I enjoyed this episode. I don’t collect figures or statues myself, but it was interesting to hear the similarities and differences it has to collecting comics.

[BobBretall]

Since I have girls, it is even harder for me to convince them to walk down the action figure isle

Hey, the JLU line has Supergirl, Huntress, & Wonder Woman! (and others!)

I have extras of all 3 of these figures, Hassan, I'll bring them to you next weekend for your daughters!

Time to get those young ladies hooked on some cool female super-heroes!

[JohnMayo]

The discussion about toys and collectibles has me considering taking some photos of a few of my other collections and putting them up on the site.

I've got a modest collection of Rubik's Cube type puzzles and a fairly complete collection of Power Rangers morphers and battlizers.

Do any of you guys collect things that fall outside of the scope of comic book related items?

[HassanT]

Since I have girls, it is even harder for me to convince them to walk down the action figure isle

Hey, the JLU line has Supergirl, Huntress, & Wonder Woman! (and others!)

I have extras of all 3 of these figures, Hassan, I'll bring them to you next weekend for your daughters!

Time to get those young ladies hooked on some cool female super-heroes!

Thanks Bob, but you don't really have to.

I have tired to get my girls to read comics, so I am not so alone as they get older My wife supports my hobby but doesn't understand it.

They are into the cartoons and we watch them together. They also got a Bone stuffed doll, which they wanted after I read them the first volume of Bone. Other things I have done are:

- Gave them all of my old DC Digests
- Purchased the Marvel Digests for them
- Purchased the new DC kids books.
- Read them the Jeff Smith Shazam book which they loved. The best thing comment was that Jenna said to me that his costume looks like the Flash.

Jenna and Zara tend to like the old DC Digests or the Marvel Digests more so than the new DC kids book. Jenna saw the Tiny Titans and thought immediately it was for little kids (she is seven). Jenna is a good reader and has started to read Mary Jane on her own. Zara (who is five) does like the Tiny Titans.

I am hoping to take at least Jenna to the Baltimore Comic Con for one day so she can experience the con with me.

So I am doing my part to "save the comic book industry".

[Lord Shaper]

I really loved this episode guys... Even tho I'd love to have even half of the toys you guys have, we have not even a quarter of the toys coming out over here that you have in the US...

For Example we've only just had the Hellboy 2 movie came out here a week ago and I still can't find any of the toys for it and have had to resort to getting them from ebay and paying more than the figures for shipping!

[Julian Lytle]

good episode guys.

I have one comment. About Heroclix.
I'd say that Heroclix now is easier to collect than the earlier sets. Being that the new sets have less figures in them. Also the rarity level has always been there, they just changed the markings on the figures to show what rarity level they are. In terms of chase figures, only 2 sets have had 4 chase figures, that being Marvel Supernova (which sold out) and DC Origins. These figures are in a ratio of 1:100 boosters or usually 1 in a case. Recently there has been only 2 chase figures in each set this year. 2 Supermen in DC crisis and 2 secret Skrulls in Secret Invasion. Overall If you buy a case from the current sets you can get all of the common, uncommon, and rare figures and 3-4 super rares. Through trading with others it is very achievable to obtain all the main figures in the set. Also you can usually by full sets on ebay for about the price of a set. That does not count in LEs from tournaments.

I'm a judge in the game and hang out with alot of people buy tons of heroclix, they actually have it down to science, I got most of this knowledge through osmosis.

[Fnord Serious]

The discussion about toys and collectibles has me considering taking some photos of a few of my other collections and putting them up on the site.

I've got a modest collection of Rubik's Cube type puzzles and a fairly complete collection of Power Rangers morphers and battlizers.

Do any of you guys collect things that fall outside of the scope of comic book related items?

I have a large music collection, both vinyl & cds, and a fair amount of books. I've got lots of little collections: a jar full of 1" pins for local & touring bands I've seen, random non-comics toys, band stickers, even ball point pens! Well, the pens aren't a collection per se because I use them rather than sealing them up in mylar, but I have a fascination with all the different colors and custom printings you stumble across of the common Bic ball point pen.

[BobBretall]

good episode guys.
I have one comment. About Heroclix.
I'd say that Heroclix now is easier to collect than the earlier sets. Being that the new sets have less figures in them. Also the rarity level has always been there, they just changed the markings on the figures to show what rarity level they are. In terms of chase figures, only 2 sets have had 4 chase figures, that being Marvel Supernova (which sold out) and DC Origins. These figures are in a ratio of 1:100 boosters or usually 1 in a case. Recently there has been only 2 chase figures in each set this year. 2 Supermen in DC crisis and 2 secret Skrulls in Secret Invasion. Overall If you buy a case from the current sets you can get all of the common, uncommon, and rare figures and 3-4 super rares. Through trading with others it is very achievable to obtain all the main figures in the set. Also you can usually by full sets on ebay for about the price of a set. That does not count in LEs from tournaments.
I'm a judge in the game and hang out with alot of people buy tons of heroclix, they actually have it down to science, I got most of this knowledge through osmosis.

I was counting the "super-rares" as chase figures. I got out of the game before the advent of the "chase" figure at 1:100 boosters.

I just know when I was collecting that I could drop $200 on a case and not be able to come even close to having a full set (I would always be 5-10 rares and at least half of the super-rares away from a set.) Add in the tournament LEs and I was really not able to collect a complete set, so I just stopped entirely.

Anyway, they successfully drove me away from the game by making the collectible aspect too difficult/expensive.

PS: I would dearly love to get one of those "Starro" figures (because of my JLA obsession), but again, it was something like a tournament prize and I have seen it sold for outrageous sums of money that I'm not willing to pay.

[80sJunkie]

I think the chase figures are a bad idea and probably don't do the toy makers or retailers any good.

The main reason is because there is no "chance" to finding a chase figure. It's either on the peg or it isn't. Because of that, there is no reason for collectors to overbuy to up their chances. Nor does it bring in extra traffic for retailers, because people either never see the chases, or they know that scalpers probably already beat them.

At the same time, the manufacturers still have to come up with a sculpt and produce the chase, which I see no reason to be a cheaper process than designing a new common figure. The only difference is that they can't spread out the cost over a larger production run.

If I find a chase figure, I will pick it up and give it away. Being a comics podcast listener, I know a lot of people who are probably looking for them.

I do the same thing with chase Hot Wheels or TV show Batmobiles with coworkers of mine.

I'm probably like Bob where if I am in a Target, Walmart, drug or grocery store, I have a pathological need to visit the toy aisle.

[Julian Lytle]

good episode guys.
I have one comment. About Heroclix.
I'd say that Heroclix now is easier to collect than the earlier sets. Being that the new sets have less figures in them. Also the rarity level has always been there, they just changed the markings on the figures to show what rarity level they are. In terms of chase figures, only 2 sets have had 4 chase figures, that being Marvel Supernova (which sold out) and DC Origins. These figures are in a ratio of 1:100 boosters or usually 1 in a case. Recently there has been only 2 chase figures in each set this year. 2 Supermen in DC crisis and 2 secret Skrulls in Secret Invasion. Overall If you buy a case from the current sets you can get all of the common, uncommon, and rare figures and 3-4 super rares. Through trading with others it is very achievable to obtain all the main figures in the set. Also you can usually by full sets on ebay for about the price of a set. That does not count in LEs from tournaments.
I'm a judge in the game and hang out with alot of people buy tons of heroclix, they actually have it down to science, I got most of this knowledge through osmosis.

I was counting the "super-rares" as chase figures. I got out of the game before the advent of the "chase" figure at 1:100 boosters.

I just know when I was collecting that I could drop $200 on a case and not be able to come even close to having a full set (I would always be 5-10 rares and at least half of the super-rares away from a set.) Add in the tournament LEs and I was really not able to collect a complete set, so I just stopped entirely.

Anyway, they successfully drove me away from the game by making the collectible aspect too difficult/expensive.

PS: I would dearly love to get one of those "Starro" figures (because of my JLA obsession), but again, it was something like a tournament prize and I have seen it sold for outrageous sums of money that I'm not willing to pay.

Starro was actually sold through diamond after that summer's tournament season. I don't know if you could still get one though. It was 60 dollars i think. It's pretty nice.

[laseraw]

i loved this episode.
i'm loving these topic discussion CBPs please keep 'em coming!

on several episodes i've heard you guys commenting on the figure of the "toy monger", particularly bob in a couple of episodes.
well, each time i hear it i remember SMODCAST #50 (smodcast = filmmaker kevin smith's and producer scott mosier weekly podcast)
in which kevin smith and walt flanagan describe their personal, as well as professional experience on the toy mongering field
walt flanagan runs smith's comic and novelty store Jay and Silent Bob's Secret Stash

i hear the show regularly, but when i hear this i could not believe it.
it is pretty terrible, amazing as well as hilarious.

the topic runs from the show opening till about 30 minutes into the show, then it digresses into sex-talk as the usually do
the show does have an explicit tag on it, just so you know
but its worth it please give it a listen...

if the link doesn't work you can also get it free through itunes

smith and flanagan are the creative team responsible for BATMAN CACOPHONY available for pre-order on the september previews.

funny...