With all this talk about statues, and by extension action figures, it got me wondering where you folks stand on the issue. I used to buy a good amount of action figures, but lately, I either can’t find any I like, or no longer want to spend $10-20 for one of these things any more. And $150-200 is pretty much absurd.
What about you?
As I said, I don’t want to be “statue guy,” but there is a little bit of me that likes them in a way. But then, I just can’t find any which justify the expense. Perhaps there just isn’t any one character who I want to represent all my comic book love. I’ve just never been able to jump into that pool.
Furthermore, I’ve very much divested myself from the world of plastic as well. Fred mentioned not being able to find the best Wolverine figure, and I have to agree. I’ve never been able to pinpoint that perfect Superman or Batman figure. There are a billion versions, but I never see the classic image I’m looking for. I’m not sure what that image is, but I know they haven’t made it yet. So far, my favorite Superman is the Dark Knight Returns version, which were, I think, the last time I bought any action figures.
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So, full jump from the other thread but
Conor, the invincible statue is pretty cool but I’d never pay that for it for myself. Where does that leave me? Asking for it as a gift?
Here’s how it would go:
My wife: What do you want for Christmas?
Me: This Invincible statue (shows web page)
My wife: So you want me to pay $150 for a statue of a virile young boy in tights? Anything you want to tell me?
Me: Errr, um, I love you?
Moving on, the wolverine thing is frustrating. I don’t want shitloads of little pieces, swords(which he doesn’t need anyway) and whatnot. I don’t want him out of costume with a motorcycle. I want the classic costume, no extra shit, no vehicles. Just Wolvie as he was. That’s all
The problem is that I could probably get it at my comic shop but for God’s sake I have a reputation to look out for. I’m not the toy guy, I’m the comics guy. Jesus, I’d almost rather be the Magic guy. On second thought, no I wouldn’t but still. So this bizarre vanity forces me to look in places like Targét and Walmart where they only have the newest stuff which sucks for all the reasons I stated above
DKR Superman look like he needs to poo
yo guys!
I started out buying marvel legends about 6 months ago, and i hated the price too… and i only wanted the ones i liked.
but its turned into such an obsession that i buy every single freaking one…
ive dropped so much money on this, but they look sweet…
and besides who doesnt want a sasquatch and x-23 figure (me.) but i have them.
im still waiting for nova, speedball, darkhawk, and scarlet spider dammit.
Those DKR are AWESOME. I love them. Unfortunately, I need to buy replacements for most of them. They’ve had a rough go of it the last few years (fallen off shelves, things fallen on them, etc.).
WHERE IS MY SERIES TWO OF THIS SET?!? I WANT DKR GORDON AND OLLIE QUEEN!
classic comic collector ocd
touch the doorknob five times, buy a copy of origins and the new x-23 action figure
it keeps me safe
… and i only wanted the ones i liked… but its turned into such an obsession that i buy every single freaking one.
I have a box full of just about every damn figure from The Phantom Menace somewhere. That was my “rock bottom” moment. I can’t go back there. I see the Kingdom Come figures and I start to get the shakes.
gotta catch em all
gotta catch em all
yes, I have every issue of origins
and all the variants
and the volume 1 premier hard cover
oh for shame
You know what’s cathartic? Selling all those Phantom Menace figures at a yard sales for a buck each.
I kept a few…
“I have a box full of just about every damn figure from The Phantom Menace somewhere. That was my “rock bottom” moment. I can’t go back there.”
I too have Phantom Menace toys in boxes. Also, I have the X-men action figures from the ’90s. Spent too much money on toys that just collect dust. Now I realize that I can like Star Wars and comic book characters without owning everything ever produced about those characters. So no more toys or statues.
However, I do go down the toy aisle every time I am in Target.
However, I do go down the toy aisle every time I am in Target.
Amen, brother!
I can hear my wife’s eyes rolling now. It’s a compulsion!!!
However, I do go down the toy aisle every time I am in Target
So do I and sadly I never buy anything
or is it happily?
not sure
I can hear my wife’s eyes rolling now
I just tell her that I’m looking for rare ones to sell on ebay
and then never buy anything
i think she knows
You
I would totally buy an Optimus Prime re-release. Only if it was the same as the original. But the last time they did that, they were like $50, and I didn’t want it that much.
While Christmas shopping this weekend, I was tempted to buy the Twentieth Anniversary Talking Optimus Prime… for my nephew.
I loved my Transformers as a kid– they were the last toys I really wanted before getting “too old”– but I can’t see dropping any serious cash on them now. Especially these new… things.
(I used to see the new Megatron in toy stores on occasion and shake my head. I would think, “What did they do to my Megatron? Is that supposed to be a ship or something? Why would they do something so stupid to the original?” until I realized I was basically asking, “Why don’t they keep selling children realistic-looking toy guns?”)
One day during my junior year of college, I saw some guy in the elevator with a brand new Star Wars figure and became obsessed with the idea that I could march down to Target and own all the figures on the market in a way that childhood never permitted. At the time, there were six of them. I realized far too late that they were just gonna keep on cranking ’em out.
My rock bottom moment: going to Toys R Us the day Phantom Menace toys came out and ending up being featured on the local news with something like “grown man buying toys” written underneath my face. That, combined with seeing the movie itself, brought my collecting hobby to a grinding, squealing halt. I might as well have been dragged into the public square and doused in hot tar.
Now, I put hooks around the shoulders of my figures and use them as Christmas tree ornaments every year. I still covet some of those Marvel figures, but you’ve all hit the nail on the head: there are 100 Spider-Men and Captains America, but none of them seem “right” to me.
There is no reason you need it. It is dorky and embarrassing on so many levels.
You, sir, may be embarrassed, but I’m not. I have three statues…..And Aliens Bust, an Army of Darkness Ash bust, and a Hal Jordan, Kyle Rayner, and Alan Scott bust. I also have a few figures; those being Superman (Kingdom Come), and Hal Jordan (JUSTICE) and an Alan Scott (Kindom Come). I, personally, dig showing that kinda stuff off. It’s only embarrassing if you make it. Yea, people may shrug it off as “dorky”…but I’ve already invested so much time, money, etc into these characters, whats a few more bucks?
http://www.dccomics.com/dcdirect/?dcd=3546
Oh man….I hadn’t seen this before…..Ey-yi-yi that’s sexy.
http://www.dccomics.com/dcdirect/?dcd=3468
I have ALWAYS wanted this. Everytime I see it I die a little inside.
http://www.dccomics.com/dcdirect/?dcd=3546
http://www.dccomics.com/dcdirect/?dcd=5296
ooooOOOOOoooooo….I’d never seen either one of those. Yi-yi-yi….I fucking love Alex Ross.
http://www.dccomics.com/dcdirect/?dcd=3468
I’ve wanted this one for a while….everytime I see it, I die a little inside.
Here’s a shot from my desk.
http://www.ifanboy.com/superman.jpg
Superman is cusing the sky. I can’t say why, or I will get fired.
“However, I do go down the toy aisle every time I am in Target.”
Funny you should mention that (!) I did exactly that yesterday, and literally just finished rearranging the little figures on the desk in my office to make room for the new addition I bought: JLU Batman.
So, yes, as you could gather, I go more for the cheap little figures than the expensive. What got me started was my local grocery store got in this vending machine of little Marvel figures for $1 (!) The first batch were purportedly bobble-headed, but in reality were bent little plastic-headed guys. Has anyone seen these machines in their cities? I also saw one in London (that’s where I got a Magneto). Anyway, the next batch were just tiny figures with bases, no bent heads, and pretty cool. I lost count of how much I spent trying to get a Spidey from either series, and never did. I do, however, have three bent-headed Hulks and three menacing Punishers. In case anyone wants to trade.
I also put together a Marvel Figure Factory Spider-man yesterday, also from Target–where I went to buy my month-old son a stuffed Spidey for X-Mas that plays songs when you press a button on its foot. He may be months (years?) away from actually playing with this, but I wanted the photo op on Christmas. He is totally going to be my excuse to buy lotsa stuff like this.
I almost got my niece that Itsy Bitsy Spider-man for Christmas, but my sister would probably do something nasty to me if I did.
However, I do go down the toy aisle every time I am in Target.”
my friends hate me for this. oh robs going to the “toy” isle again.
it does help to have a friend who works for toys r us, i get all the kick ass variants….
like tiny head falcon.
It’s kind of funny – as much of a geek as I am about comics/sci-fi/video games, I have absolutely no interest in toys/statues. I have never had the impulse to buy them or have them in the house at all. The last time I bought an action figure of any kind was 20 years ago when I had all kinds of G.I. Joes. Of course, I was 10 and my friends and I actually had battles with them in the backyard. I didn’t display them or put them on my desk or anything like that.
I never walk down the toy aisle in department stores, which my wife is probably thankful for. On the other hand, I can’t walk into a Target without checking out the video games, which is probably just as bad.
I’m currently in Pittsburgh, and I discovered this fantastic store called Groovy. They call themselves a pop culture emporium and have every toy you can think of from your childhood (well, mine at least), including tons of Marvel and DC action figures for like $3-$6 each. They also have He-Man figures, Atari 2600 games, Knight Rider lunch boxes, those McDonald’s collectible glasses…
I swear I could spend all day in that store. I think you can order from them, too.
Erik, I am in Pittsburgh too. Groovy is a cool place, but I haven’t been there in a long time. Eide’s has a lot of cool loose (not like that slutty JLU Wonder Woman action figure) toys. I enjoy browsing there, but they’re a little too pricey for me. Where do you get your comics? I go to Phantom of the Attic in Oakland. In my opinion, the best store in the area.
i don’t buy any figures or statues really, but i saw the walking dead zombie busts that are coming out next month i had to get one.
http://www.comicstatues.com/statues-busts-props-item-667.html
i ordered from a different site that had it for 20$
I can’t think of a place in my house that would be hospitable to a Batman statue. For one thing, there’s the f***ing cat.
I do have an AT-AT displayed in my living room, so it’s not a wife thing.
Sometimes I look back at my toy days the way recovering drunks have to take a fearless moral inventory. I think of the money I spent to get that guy in Oregon to mail me a Lando… calling Wal-Mart to see if anything new had come in, and listening to the clerk’s tone change from sweet to flat as she realized she was talking to one of those people again… it’s probably completely different now. E-commerce and whatnot.
i don’t buy any figures or statues really, but i saw the walking dead zombie busts that are coming out next month i had to get one.
http://www.comicstatues.com/statues-busts-props-item-667.html
i ordered from a different site that had it for 20$
the twd busts are cool
so is this:
http://www.comicstatues.com/statues-busts-props-item-541.html
Last night a friend gave my sons the Superman-Metallo Rock ‘Em, Sock ‘Em boxers. They are awesome. My only complaint is that Metallo is easier to beat than Supes.
And it is superhuge Metallo, too.
The only statue that made me go, “Hmmm… I don’t know if I can live without that…” was the Daredevil statue from Kevin Smith and Joe Quesada’s arc that had Daredevil hanging onto to cross on top of the church. Turns out that I could live without it, in spite of how awesome I still think it is.
Really, I try to keep my comic nerd colors on the down low. I’ve got Fables and Y the Last Man posters in my room, but since they’re framed, they’re now classy, not kitschy.
http://us.st11.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/wizarduniverse_1926_52011837
I know that’s not what you were talking about, but I’ve always dug this one too.
I took my son to a cool comic shop in Charlotte, NC last week end and there were some very cool looking statues in there. I was so tempted to get one of the Hulk fighting the Thing for like $150 but I couldn’t get around the stigma either. It’s enough that a grown man is into comics as it is. I am a nerd but I will only let go so far.
So I did this: I bought my son some really neat action-figures and set them up on his window sill. He loves them and I got my nerd fix.
I have a guitar room in my house that has two strat’s, a G&L, and a Gibson es135 sitting out on stands, with a full pedal board and two awesome boutique amps and they’re all plugged in. This is my cool nerd room. Awesome Hendrix, SRV, Billy Gibbons and BB king pictures. Although I love the Hulk it just don’t mix.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nATu-TBljbI
the Daredevil statue from Kevin Smith and Joe Quesada’s arc that had Daredevil hanging onto to cross on top of the church
Really good one.
I have invested way too much time in buying those damn cute little Lego looking Mini Mate Marvel characters. Also I think I?m about 1000 dollars into it.
Dave, I get my comics from Eide’s. I went to Phantom of the Attic when I first moved here, but I frequently couldn’t make it right on Wednesdays, and I got sick of having 1 or 2 of my titles always sold out. I’m sure PoA has a similar program, but Eide’s pulls my titles and gives me a 15% discount, and they have ended up being the more convenient locale for me.
Groovy is awesome. I recently got a set of McDonald’s glasses from them, one featuring the late, great Mayor McCheese. They were supposedly going to get the Star Wars glasses, too. $5 each, I think.
I was big into the Transformers and Star Wars toys a few years back but after I had bought my 15th Darth Vader I decided to streamline and stick to only stuff I really really liked. At the moment the only line I collect is the Justice League Unlimited line. I really like how every toy matches(looks and style) and how even the expensive stuff is pretty reasonable(with the exception of the Hal Jordan). Plus theres a TON of them out there, so the “gotta get ’em all” thing will keep me busy for at least a few years.
Here’s to hoping for a Batman Beyond JLU toy,
Kevin
Sometimes I think I’m the only comic Book fan in the world that doesn’t give a rats ass about Star Wars!
no there’s two of us
WINNER! WINNER! WINNER!
They are really freaking expensive, but I’d display them proudly!
http://www.dccomics.com/dcdirect/?dcd=7043&lst=new&cat=STATUES
http://www.dccomics.com/dcdirect/?dcd=5295&lst=all&cat=STATUES
Action figures are for kids and money-grubbing collectors. I say save the money and spend it on comics. 🙂
I like that Batman, but the Superman still isn’t “right.”
So last night I went to Toy R Us to continue my Christmas shopping. I saw a giant can opener-like Naruto sword and I remembered the comment you guys made about Uncanny X-Men a couple weeks ago. Some alien with a sword the size of sail boat. Funny stuff. Then I sat there pushing the button of the talking Optimus Prime and recording all the sayings onto my phone. “All we need is a little energon and a lot of luck.”
As far as action figures go, others have put it best:
“I used to do a little, but a little wouldn’t do it, so the little got more and more.”
I resisted figures for quite some time, but I had to get the DC Direct JLA set that was put out. Then I got the Legends Avengers. Then my favorite X-guys…..etc.
Don’t have a lot of statues, as they are pricy. Also, I am running out of room to display stuff, so I have slowed the purchasing for now. Never understood buying something and leaving it in the box, unless it was to resell it later, which I don’t intend to do.
He won’t leave me alone no no no-o he won’t leave me alone
We had Secret Santa at work yesterday so I’ve got a new addition to the desk.
http://www.ifanboy.com/greenlantern.jpg
It’s Hal Jordan from the New Frontier line and it’s AWESOME.
(I was lucky that Josh drew my name!)
Whose head is that at his feet? Kyle Rayner?
Indeed.
I just dropped almost $400 on statues 2 weeks ago…
Thing was, they weren’t for me, they were for my wife. When that happens, well she can’t say shit about how many comics I buy.
http://www.diamondcomics.com/toychest/toys/05_06/43_ff7_statues.htm
Whose head is that at his feet? Kyle Rayner?
Indeed
*spit-take*
That’s a BAD-ASS figure. Good hunting, Josh. I hadn’t seen those yet.
The New Frontier figures.
http://www.dccomics.com/dcdirect/?dcd=4920&lst=all&cat=ACTION+FIGURES
http://www.dccomics.com/dcdirect/?dcd=4919&lst=all&cat=ACTION+FIGURES
http://www.dccomics.com/dcdirect/?dcd=4905&lst=all&cat=ACTION+FIGURES
http://www.dccomics.com/dcdirect/?dcd=4909&lst=all&cat=ACTION+FIGURES
http://www.dccomics.com/dcdirect/?dcd=4911&lst=all&cat=ACTION+FIGURES
I hope they release a lot more. There is now way I won’t buy a Darwyn Cooke designed Batman & Robin figure.
I really like that Green Arrow one, too.
Two figures I really dig…
http://www.dccomics.com/dcdirect/?dcd=6178
http://www.dccomics.com/dcdirect/?dcd=3202
Then I saw this statue…
http://www.dccomics.com/dcdirect/?dcd=4080
Thing is, their faces aren’t quite……right. I dunno. For $150.00, I’d expect Sinestro to at least look LIKE Sinestro.
But now THIS little puppy I honestly think I might throw down for….
http://www.dccomics.com/dcdirect/?dcd=6543
The first statue I will ever buy goes on sale for the first time at the nycc. i think i just decided to go
http://www.apesandbabes.com/tinc?key=XA71I7MR&id=12&design-output-mode=js&design-css-mode=standard
That Hal Jordan statue is just about perfect….EXCEPT for his stupid Dr. Cox curlycue hair.
But I think I can ignore this. Because that is SUH-weet.
Also the GL vs. Sinestro fight is pretty cool, but it’s $200, not $150. But I don’t think the faces are that off. They’re based on Carlos Pacheco’s art, which is why it’s weird.
Cool fred are you rally gonna buy it? I’m going to get the Brandy statue.
http://libertymeadows.com/images/brandystat/index.htm
That’s pretty cool. And I’m almost certain that I want that enough to pay the obscene amount that I’m sure it costs
his stupid Dr. Cox curlycue hair awesome reference.
Dr. Cox curlycue hair.
Wait….so you guys like Arrested Development AND Scrubs? Hell yea…now I can drop references to my two favorite shows and people will actually GET them!
They’re based on Carlos Pacheco’s art
I’m not too familiar with that cat, so there-in lies the problem. Well, that and the fact it’s $200.00 bones. Ooh-chi-mama that’s steep.
I tried my damnedest to get Conor to buy the Jim Gordon figure from Long Halloween today. It was only $10!! It’s a Jim Gordon figure!!!! Based on Tim Sale art!!!
If he’d been in the trenchcoat…
Best version of Jim for a figure?
Year One Jim? (variant, has the shit kicked out of him)
Grizzled older Jim in trenchcoat?
Just saw your daughter get shot Brian Bolland Jim?
Were we aware that there are Marvel action figures that are transformers? Er, “mega morphs”? There’s a giant Hulk robot that turns into a tank. For the Hulk to drive. When the Hulk needs to drive somewhere and have armor.
http://www.toybiz.com/showbrand.htm?id=30&status=active
I feel like I lost some of my innocence today.
after seeing those han solo and chewbacca transformers, i can say that i’m unfazed by this
As for christmas gifts, here is a review appropriate for iFB.
http://news.com.com/2100-1046_3-6145626.html?part=rss&tag=2547-1_3-0-5&subj=news
I’ve noticed the new macs come preloaded with a piece of software called comic life.
http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/imaging_3d/comiclife.html
My son is hooked on this and it looks like this thing could be pretty powerfull.
Here’s a review of comic creation software from c-net:
http://news.com.com/2100-1046_3-6145626.html?part=rss&tag=2547-1_3-0-5&subj=news
Here’s one that comes loaded with the new macs. My son loves it.
http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/imaging_3d/comiclife.html
I absolutely need Marvel Comic Book Creator
dkr Batman is pretty sweet…is there a dkr joker?
dkr Batman is pretty sweet…is there a dkr joker?
Yep.
http://www.dccomics.com/dcdirect/?dcd=3190&lst=all&cat=ACTION+FIGURES
Found this guy:
http://www.dccomics.com/dcdirect/?dcd=5814
for THREE bucks at my shop. Granted, it’s only a few inches tall (wait for it…..wait for it…..”That’s what she said”) but it looks pretty rad.
This British website has the best marvel statues, toys, busts etc that I’ve ever seen. I’m planning on getting the Jim Lee Wolverine and the Ultimate Thor.
http://www.starstore.com/acatalog/Starstore_Catalogue_MARVEL_STATUES__BUSTS__MINI_BUSTS_AND_COLLECTABLES_499.html
BUY dolls? (or is figures… or “statues” … or “action” figures…)
I call them “action dolls,” and I would never buy anything I could make better myself, though Conor and Josh here have shown me some pretty big challenges to match, like the super expensive Superman and Batman, WOW.
The ones I make are about 18 inches high, fully articulated; hand sculpted and painted hands, heads, and feet. Faces are tricky, but the human hand is pretty tricky too. Clothes and costumes I sew myself, mostly cloth, mostly by hand. All original characters, but you lot would clock me definitely and recognize immediately which “archtype” is which. Lately I’m in a retro golden age mood. My non fanboy friend noticed I have a thing for long legs…
One date that didn’t really understand “my doll thing” still forced me to turn one doll so she (the doll) faced the wall — “It’s looking at me… I’m scared” (I’m told I’m good with faces and expressions, and it was a super villian, so that WAS the desired affect)
I was born a poor white child with a stingy mom. Not having the toys I wanted (and the ones my best friend had), I had to learn to make my own, and I’ve always had high standards.
And I’m an idiot. I been so careful about not copying existing characters, that it FINALLY dawned on me that copying existing characters for those that lay down tons of cash collecting golden age comics on ebay are a “gold seam” I have yet to tap…
Conor, if I make a Batman, you’ll be one of the first to get the pictures… a Black Bolt for Josh (or maybe even a fluffy fur LockJaw, fully posable)… Always wanted to do Kirby’s first version of Quicksilver (green costume) and Wanda too…
Price: Your first born child (heh heh heh heh heh….)