A Collection of Collections?

[Brian]

We've had a lot of discussions around the forums here about what people collect.  I know I'm often interested to see what other people collect, and if/how they display them, just because I feel like there is so much out there now that is "neat", and is tempting to buy.  Looking around our office (where I can display things - it must be "contained" in this room), there is a part of me that thinks it is starting to look like a "collection of collections".  Things on display in here:

Star Wars 3 3/4" - Figures, vehicles, beasts, etc.
Star Wars Unleashed
Star Wars Galactic Heroes and some Marvel Superhero Squad
Star Wars Glasses
Some Carded VOTC at the top of the wall(s)
Marvel Legends/Spider-Man/etc.
DC Superheroes
25th G.I. Joe
A Couple of Transformers
Various Spidey Collectibles
Small LOTR Shelf (9 figures)
A Couple GG Busts/MR FX Sabers
Small Titaniums Shelf (Star Wars)
A few Potato Heads
Simpsons Couch Gag Setup

Plus a few other miscellaneous things (Sideshow 12" Bespin Han, a few minimates/Kubricks, Bust Ups, etc.  Anyways, it just seems like a lot of crap.  Does anyone else have this issue with their collection?  Maybe most people here are better at focusing in their collecting, sticking to one line - or at least just a couple.  Even within the Star Wars "brand" there are so many different collectibles to dive into, let alone when you get into other areas of interest.  I was just wondering if anyone else has this issue, or if you cut back or leave a lot of other things packed away.

[efranks]

You've hit on one of the reasons that focus and character collecting are popular.  I like the idea of the Galactic Heroes and 2" Unleashed, for example, but they aren't something I wanted to really get into.  But, both lines now have an AT-AT Driver figure so I added them to my character collection.

It's a way to collect neat items from different lines (within Star Wars in this case) and still have a theme that brings them together.  My main collection revolves around Hasbro action figures but my character collection lets me branch out.  I also collect Republic Gunship vehicles so I bought the Transformer and later this year I'll also pick up the AT-AT/AT-AT Driver, meaning I'll have Transformers in my collection even though I wouldn't normally have picked them up.

I do also collect figures from other lines outside Star Wars though.  Notably, GI Joe figures.  But I have enough of them that they form their own collection. The oddball stuff either fits on a shelf by itself or eventually ends up in storage.  I still have the Sentinel Build-A-Figure from the ML line on my bookshelf but the figures that I kept from that wave, Angel and Spider-Man, have long gone into a tub somewhere.  Ironhide and Barricade are on the shelf and, hopefully, Bumblebee will join them shortly.  I'll probably keep them on display, though, as I really liked those movie figures.

I started out as a toy collector before I really got back into Star Wars.  Back in the early to mid 90's I was collecting a lot of things but when the glut of EP1 stuff started hitting I pretty much did away with everything else because my hobby money was tied up.

I'm not sure if he's on JD.com but my buddy Joe Kersavage (some of you here know him) has fun adding 3" (or thereabout) figures to his collection by incorporating them into his Cantina display in his Star Wars room.  He's got some Predator and Alien figures along with Micro Man Batman and Batgirl figures, and even a monkey from the Planet of the Apes movie in there.  So he found a way to buy other cool toys and display them without needing to have an entire area dedicated to them.

But, back to your main question, I mostly did away with other toys besides Star Wars and for the SW lines outside of the 3.75" area I usually pass until I can add an item that fits into my character or vehicle focus.

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