Collector’s Corner Part 1

July 25, 2008 on 2:20 pm | In Collector's Corner, Fans | 1 Comment

Ask and ye shall receive. We’ve heard your calls for a showcase of fan toy collections and now we’re delivering. Up first we have Jason Knize (a.k.a. Silent K on the message boards), who offered up his collection and answered our questions. So enjoy the interview along with the gallery pics of Jason’s collection. Want to show off your collection, drop us an E-mail or head on over the ToyFare message boards and show us what you got (in the topic called “Show Us What You Got”)

TOYFARE: Do you know how many figures are in your collection? Can you give an estimate?

JASON: I would venture to guess 500+, that includes those on display and others in storage.

TF: Do you have your full collection displayed?

J: I do not currently have my entire collection displayed. The pictures shown were taken in January of this year, so I’ve undoubtedly made some additions since (Iron Man movie figures, some eBayed Legends, Mezco’s Heroes, DC Universe Classics Series 1, more GI Joe 25th Anniversary figures and The Dark Knight Movie Masters series). On top of that, I still have my old Star Wars, Super Powers, Ninja Turtles and Toy Biz Marvel collections in storage.

TF: How do you decide what makes it to the shelf?

J: Besides those figures I have in storage (and plan on selling away on eBay), most everything gets displayed, one way or another. Space is always an issue.

TF: What room in your place is your collection displayed?

J: My massive Marvel Legends diorama, as well as my “Clown” collection and G.I. Joe 25th Anniversary figs are all located in my home office. I did, however, convince the girlfriend to allow the NECA/McFarlane Movie figures in the Family Room/Entertainment Room, as well as my Marvel Legends Icons. Our collection of NECA 18-inchers have a home above our kitchen cabinets.

TF: What got you into collecting and how long have you been at it?

J: I’ve been collecting since I was a kid. My parents kept me flush with Star Wars, G.I. Joes, Masters of the Universe, Super Powers, etc., then I eventually moved onto Ninja Turtles and later the old Toy Biz X-Men/Marvel line, and now into my late 20s, Marvel Legends, NECA, DC Universe Classics, etc.

There’s a cute story involved with my parents’ helping me collect as a child. Whenever I was a good kid for an extended length of time (which was common), we would come home from going out, and there would be a brand-spanking-new action figure sitting in the middle of the carpet. My parents dubbed this phenomenon “The Carpet Fairy”. I always imagined a crusty old man with wings and a wand hiding out in the basement with peg-hooks filled with the latest toy-goodness.

TF: What’s your favorite current line?

J: As for my favorite current line, I would have to go with Marvel Legends, even after the move from Toy Biz to Hasbro. My collection of Legends is displayed the most prominently and intricately out of everything I own. The articulation, sculpts and diorama bases got me hooked on the line, the build-a-figure concept kept me around, and now my yearning of some of the more obscure characters Hasbro has coming down the pike is keeping my interest.

TF: All time favorite?

J: At the risk of getting weepy, I would have to say my all-time favorite line was G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero. The scale of this line really lent to Mattel being able to do some awesome things with accessories and vehicles. Also, the figures themselves, at the time, were pretty inexpensive, so it was much easier for a kid like me to amass an army. Alas, I recently sold off my entire RAH collection on eBay, and while it snagged a pretty penny, it left a hole in my heart. Enter Hasbro’s 25th Anniversary line.

TF: If you could only keep one figure from your collection what would it be?

J: Choosing only one figure to keep from my entire collection, although cliche, would be like choosing my favorite child (that is, if I had any children). Let me talk this out. Out of my Marvel Legends, I would probably keep either Juggernaut or The Blob, two of my favorite characters, and awesome representations to boot. My 18-inch Marv from the Sin City movie was a birthday gift from my (ex) girlfriend, and he is pretty brutal. I really love my Rancor Monster from the old Return of the Jedi line. But because it is so fresh in my mind, and the performance was so captivating, I might have to hang on to my Mint In Box Movie Masters The Joker. RIP Heath.

TF: Where do you get most of your figures? Stores? eBay? Flea markets? Stealing?

J: I attain most of my collection from your Targets, Walmarts and Toys’R'Us’, and sometimes my local comic shop has some things I need, but when I was first getting heavy into the Marvel Legends line, I did have to fill some holes by searching eBay, and I still do to this day.

TF: How much would you say you spend on figures a month?

J: I would venture to guess that I drop an estimate of fifty bucks a month.

TF: What’s your Holy Grail? That one figure you want, but haven’t been able to get just yet?

J: I really love the highly detailed movie versions of The Joker, Batman and Iron-Man from Hot Toys. I’ve only seen pictures, but if The Joker figure is under $300 and I can snag him, I would. Also, where the hell is DCUC series 2 around here!? Someone needs to come out with a Venture Bros line, already.

Thanks again to Jason for showing us his collection, who’s up next?

–TJ