Fantastic Interview with Women Who Collect One Sixth Scale Figure

[InfraMan]

If you ever wondered what goes on inside the minds of female collectors, this article is a fantastic read. Women Who Collect One Sixth Scale Action Figures

 

[Antihero]

I also like that female collectors are so polite and mature when they're posting in message boards.

 

[ZombieGuy13]

Good reading. Thanks for sharing. Action figures / Dolls...All the same.

 

[Liz10]

Actually, I never had barbies or other female dolls as a kid, never liked them. You still wouldn't get me to display a barbie or one of those porcelain dolls (creeeeepy). As a teen I started to collect fairy statues, which I still have. I got a few 1/6 fairies later but those are the only female figures you will find in my collection, along with 1 (soon 2) Doctor Who companions. My focus is on male characters from shows and movies I love, when I feel some kind of emotional attachment/connection to them. It started with Doctor Who and then extended to other characters and worlds. What I always loved and still do is horses. I like displaying figures with horses so western themed figures are of interest to me. Tbh I'm not really a fan of all things superheroes although I do like sci-fi, fantasy and action.

 

[BagginsOfBagEnd]

Actually, I never had barbies or other female dolls as a kid, never liked them. You still wouldn't get me to display a barbie or one of those porcelain dolls (creeeeepy). As a teen I started to collect fairy statues, which I still have. I got a few 1/6 fairies later but those are the only female figures you will find in my collection, along with 1 (soon 2) Doctor Who companions. My focus is on male characters from shows and movies I love, when I feel some kind of emotional attachment/connection to them. It started with Doctor Who and then extended to other characters and worlds. What I always loved and still do is horses. I like displaying figures with horses so western themed figures are of interest to me. Tbh I'm not really a fan of all things superheroes although I do like sci-fi, fantasy and action.

Same here, never had any barbies, dolls or anything like that - am making it for it now though! Most of my 1/6 scale collection is made up of male figures, I buy the characters that I like - and come to think of it nearly all of my favourite TV & Movie characters are male.

Some really good points in that article though, I too would love to see more female characters made as 1/6 scale figures and preferably ones other than Black Widow (whilst I appreciate that she is a good seller) it would be nice to get some variety. Agent Carter remains my most wanted 1/6 scale female figure.

 

[The Green Goblin]

I'm about halfway through the article, and I've just gotta say that Myla clearly isn't interested in going into any depth with her answers.

 

[InfraMan]

Good reading. Thanks for sharing. Action figures / Dolls...All the same.

You're Welcome

 

[Star Puffs]

Thank you for highlighting our existence.

I didn't like Barbie or Cabbage Patch Kid-style dolls either. Stuffed animals were always my main thing. I loved Starwberry Shortcake dolls though. A mint in box Blueberry Muffin (which I totally opened) was one of the first things I ever bought on eBay in its early years, which also allowed me to get all the PVC Smurfs I could never find as a kid.

I had some Star Wars figures and superhero Mego dolls (hand-me-downs) too, because my mother was open-minded and modestly interested in such fantasy herself.

The lack of female characters really annoys me. I'd like an evenly balanced collection.

 

[Mr Walker]

If you ever wondered what goes on inside the minds of female...

I've learned not to ask.

 

[a-dev]

The lack of female characters really annoys me. I'd like an evenly balanced collection.

The prevailing thought in the industry still seems to be that the female character - even more than the male character - needs to be ''toyetic'' - action orientated, uses weapons etc etc. I'm guessing they still anticipate so few female buyers that they feel they can only count on the usual boys and their toys market. Meanwhile so many male collectors are wary of displaying female figures with rooted hair in their collections as it makes them feel like they own barbie dolls. This reduces the sellability (if that's a word) of female figures even further.

I'm not sure if or when this will change.

 

[Star Puffs]

The prevailing thought in the industry still seems to be that the female character - even more than the male character - needs to be ''toyetic'' - action orientated, uses weapons etc etc. I'm guessing they still anticipate so few female buyers that they feel they can only count on the usual boys and their toys market. Meanwhile so many male collectors are wary of displaying female figures with rooted hair in their collections as it makes them feel like they own barbie dolls. This reduces the sellability (if that's a word) of female figures even further.

I'm not sure if or when this will change.

I don't think that will ever change, especially the fear of doll hair.

I meant that through customs/off-license figures, I hope to balance my own collection. I've selected action-oriented female headsculpt commissions heretofore precisely because of the desire for the heads to attract wider interest and recoup some of the cost. Debby Harry is the first completely non-action/fantasy/superhero woman I've commissioned, which was a trade for custom clothing work, although I have Jennifer Ehle from Pride & Prejudice under way.

 

[The Green Goblin]

My issue with sculpted hair is that it never looks as good as sculpted hair, mass produced at this scale. The only acceptable one I've seen is Star Ace's Sorcerer's Stone Hermione, and that's because her hair is supposed to be bushy, and a mess.

 

[Lejuan]

My issue with sculpted hair is that it never looks as good as sculpted hair, mass produced at this scale. The only acceptable one I've seen is Star Ace's Sorcerer's Stone Hermione, and that's because her hair is supposed to be bushy, and a mess.

I agree, sculpted hair never looks as good as sculpted hair

I dunno, as production processes improve, rooted hair will be become the norm I think. It's already able to achieve particular looks much better than sculpted hair. Asmus' Gandalf the Grey rooted beard hair customs look much, much better than the stock sculpted beard. Black Widow's rooted hair seems to have improved with each version. Grown men have learned how to sew and iron their costumes... the tide is a turnin'

 

[The Green Goblin]

I meant rooted hair doesn't look as good as sculpted hair!

 

[Stanlore]

So after reading the interview.... female collectors are basically normal people and not some fabled Unicorn?

 

[Stryker2011]

So after reading the interview.... female collectors are basically normal people and not some fabled Unicorn?

That was my thought. None of the answers were particularly startling.

 

[EVILFACE]

The prevailing thought in the industry still seems to be that the female character - even more than the male character - needs to be ''toyetic'' - action orientated, uses weapons etc etc. I'm guessing they still anticipate so few female buyers that they feel they can only count on the usual boys and their toys market. Meanwhile so many male collectors are wary of displaying female figures with rooted hair in their collections as it makes them feel like they own barbie dolls. This reduces the sellability (if that's a word) of female figures even further.

I'm not sure if or when this will change.

Women talking about collecting?

I kid i kid.....maybe

Because that is the case. Gimme Baroness cause she is a cunning backstabbing broad with a gun. Wonder Woman cause she kicks ass and has a shield n sword. Ripley cause she takes no **** from mothers that give birth to acid spewing killing machines. Pamela Voorhees cause them damn camp councilors weren't paying attention. Lara Croft cause she is sexy and has more guts than Indiana Jones. Black Widow cause she is hawt, twirls opponents to the ground and will so kick Thanos ass.

While figures of Beauty and the Beast Belle? Vivian Ward? Lorelai Gilmore? Nope.

 

[Mr Walker]

So after reading the interview.... female collectors are basically normal people and not some fabled Unicorn?

People who collect dolls... well, really, people who collect all this movie memorabilia stuff, none of us are what most people would call "normal". We have cases full of dolls, or shiny tchotchkes. But who wants to be "normal"? Normal is the mundane. The day-to-day. The ordinary. The boring. There's a whole world full of the mundane and the day-to-day tedium out there. It's not an achievement to be normal, nor is it something anyone should strive for, or even desire.

Female or male, if you enjoy what you have, or collect, and they mean something to you, more power to you. A collectible is a collectible. Porcelain cats, dolls, "action figures", prop replicas, whatever. Screw what the world thinks about you and what you do, if what you have means something to you and you enjoy it, just enjoy it, and go nuts.

 

[a-dev]

Women talking about collecting?

I kid i kid.....maybe

Because that is the case. Gimme Baroness cause she is a cunning backstabbing broad with a gun. Wonder Woman cause she kicks ass and has a shield n sword. Ripley cause she takes no **** from mothers that give birth to acid spewing killing machines. Pamela Voorhees cause them damn camp councilors weren't paying attention. Lara Croft cause she is sexy and has more guts than Indiana Jones. Black Widow cause she is hawt, twirls opponents to the ground and will so kick Thanos ass.

While figures of Beauty and the Beast Belle? Vivian Ward? Lorelai Gilmore? Nope.

Well yeah, I don't claim to be an exception to anything I said in that post

I can understand though if female collectors might want figures of notable but non-action hero women given that there are collectors who want figures of non-action hero men like Daniel Day Lewis in There will be Blood.

 

[Star Puffs]

Lorelai Gilmore? Nope.

Just wait till I commission Lorelei and Rory. Mr. Road Warrior will be first in line.