Do You Collect for Aesthetics or Source Material?

[Jay Virtual]

Hey guys, I was wondering what motivates you to collect expensive toys- aesthetics or the fondness to the source material?

I know a guy who's never seen an Iron Man movie, but he has (probably) all the releases. I met someone who has spent thousands on all the Hot Toys Arkham videogame line, but wouldn't spent $5 to buy the games. I also met someone who won't buy a figure until he sees the movie and decides if it's even a good movie, another dude I know will only get heroic characters that would inspire him to do the same, because he thinks having virtuous characters motivates him to go to the gym. I personally don't think any approach is better than the other since it's all down to personal preference, but it makes interesting conversation.

With Hot Toys and statue prices increasing, what compels you to get a high end figure/statue nowadays?

 

[potato]

to some people it's like Rolex, doesn't matter which model as long as it is a Rolex, hell they don't really care about the brand Rolex, they just buy Rolex because it is THE WATCH to buy.

some people only collect rare stuffs, as long as it is rare they will like it, it's the feel of superiority that fulfills them, not the actual item. it could be anything else as long as it gives the same level of satisfaction.

 

[rui no onna]

Source material for me. Favorite characters from favorite movies/properties.

 

[Darth Snoopy]

I collect for both the aesthetics and my love for the source material.

 

[Star-Crunch]

The older I get, the more I find I
mostly only like to collect things that have a major connection to my childhood. At the same time, it has to be aesthetically pleasing in one way or another.

 

[ZE_501]

Source material gets my attention, these days stuff from childhood that retains enough nostalgia that I haven't completely outgrown it to the point of finding it unwatchable.

But my aesthetic standards only get stricter with the passage of time, so it doesn't matter these days how much I love a property or character, the figure needs to be truly excellent with very few compromises.

 

[Sassafras]

Aesthetics and source material. For me the recent barrage of Mandalorian collectibles is a good example. I wanted what I think of as an iconic visual of the Mandalorian. I'm familiar with Iron Studios work, which often is an artistic interpretation vs. crafting an actual scene like the Civil War 1/4 scale figs.

So between Sideshow's 1/4 Mando/Child and Iron Studios, aesthetically for me it was IS.

As to why collect at all, it's a combination of being hand-craft oriented anyway (a well done 1/6 figure can have amazing to-scale details and portraits that are mind-blowing) and it's just cool to have a 3D version of - anything. Like freezing a moment in time. But it always has to be something, on some level I have the warm fuzzies about. I don't flip my stuff or look for a profit.

 

[Lorddrizzt]

First is source, I must like the character to buy it. And then how the statue looks. That is why I have Mythos Vader, Mythos Maul (2nd version), Ventress, but wont be buying Anakin or Obi-Wan (not because of the source, but because they look odd and not well done). And if there was some very cool statue, great pose, but it would be from some crap movies like the sequel trilogy, I would not take it even if it was free.

 

[BACON!]

I did a thread about this subject not long ago: Which do you prefer: Design or a Specific Character?

For me it is about shrinking all that detail down to 1/6 scale. Context is important to me, and I like to make 1/6 scale environments for the figures, but film accuracy does not mean that much to me

 

[generalszabo]

Maybe I'm being a bit stuck up but I never got whole collecting something you know nothing about. Maybe If I had unlimited space and money I'd just buy what looks pretty to me but I have to be more discerning. I know people who collect game statues without having ever played the game but I need to have some connection to it, not just how it looks

Good discussion topic though

 

[Wor-Gar]

99% source material

1% aesthetics

Once in a while I will buy a figure purely for its incredible design or as an example of 1/6 engineering

 

[dukefett]

Almost always source material, I have a few figures that are cool/fun looking but they can come/go from the collection.

 

[Mogli]

Mostly aesthetics as I always bought the coolest looking stuff and also designs that inspire my own drawings, but sometimes great source material can make something look even cooler lol

 

[potato]

Maybe I'm being a bit stuck up but I never got whole collecting something you know nothing about. Maybe If I had unlimited space and money I'd just buy what looks pretty to me but I have to be more discerning. I know people who collect game statues without having ever played the game but I need to have some connection to it, not just how it looks

Good discussion topic though

most people started with something they don't know about but just happen to see it tru a window or as a gift.

 

[matrix69]

I have to love the source material to justify any purchase...

Aesthetically pleasing on the eye is an added bonus

 

[matticus]

Source material is #1, but aesthetics has to be there. It is like reading a good comic, I like to have a certain style to match the story/characters. Lot's of great looking figures, but I have to have something about it with source material. Looking at my figures, I don't have one figure that just looks cool and I got it. They all have something in the source material, the build of the character, that I really enjoy.

 

[shells075]

Usually it is always source material. Nearly every time I have to have an affinity with the character to invest a few hundred quid on it.

I did get the Hot Toys Jack Sparrow though on really just the way the figure looked, having not much interest in the Pirates franchise.

 

[K1LLJOY]

Source material, I don't have room for stuff that just looks cool, I barely have room for stuff I do care about.

 

[Josette]

For 1/6 collectibles and the majority of my collecting over the years, it's always been 100% source material.

I've fallen down the Anime rabbit hole, though, and I've branched out a little on certain figures, like Myethos' fairytale inspired figures, or their Stardust (Vocaloid) figure, which I just fell in love with at first sight. Still, the majority of my anime figure collecting is also based on source material.

 

[willocrew]

These days I’m extremely strict on what I purchase. I’ll generally only buy something that is truly iconic and a significant contributor to pop culture (eg Arnold T2 T-800, or Neo from the matrix or Darth Vader). I do not consider any of the new marvel characters to be iconic enough (maybe Robert Downing Jr’s Iron Man might be the sole exception). Even Batman and Superman has lost much of its gloss due to relentless reboots. You can’t say Keaton’s Batman or Bale’s Batman is more iconic than the other. And for me, due to the high price of 1/6 collectibles, the figure has to be the most single most iconic version in existence for that character.

2) The collectible has to fit in with the rest of my collection. So I’ll rather buy a 1/6 Han Solo in carbonite glorified statue to match with my hot toys ESB Boba Fett, rather than drop the cash on a really cool new hot toys DC figure that’ll get me started on a new line.

3) I limit myself to four 1/6 figure purchases a year.