It's interesting that this topic came up. I had just drafted and email to the PSWCS group asking similar questions about people that are still completists.
Back in 1995 when the POTF2 line first came out I made the decision that I wanted a complete carded collection and for a long time I even bought two of many figures so that I could open one. I kept going and when the prequels were announced I kind of had it in my mind that I'd keep that carded line complete through the final film. I pretty much succeeded. I skipped the unnumbered Saga HOF figures and I missed out on some of the 2004 POTC figures but that was more because they didn't show up locally.
As of December 2005 I've stopped collecting every figure in the basic line and the ones that I have bought, I've opened. The exception to that are the AT-AT Driver figures I picked up as he's my focus character. When I hit the stores I still feel an urge to buy up all the new figures but so far I haven't given in to that. It's only ever been the Hasbro figures that have done that to me. I never felt that need to have everything in any other line whether it's Lego, Sideshow, 12" Hasbro, GG or whatever. I didn't even feel the need to buy every vehicle or playset although I have bought a lot of them.
Besides needing to find a stopping point for my carded collection (space is a big issue with that) I also was becoming more and more turned off with collecting. There are so many completists on the various forums that feel they're entitled to so much that it sucks your soul out just reading their posts. I worked hard on my carded collection, kept up with news and hit stores whenever possible and it pissed me off to no end when a thread would start up with someone whining and moaning about missing out on some figure and the scalpers are evil and army builders suck, blah, blah, blah. And when you asked how often they went toy hunting they'd replay with "oh, well, last week at noon on Tuesday I hit WM for 5 minutes..."
Well, that's not getting it done. It's the same whether it's Hasbro figures or on-line exclusive Sideshow figures or an SDCC exclusive bust. Everyone is entitled and if they don't get that one piece it's doom on the licensee, doom on Lucas, doom on scalpers..."I'm out, **** [insert company], don't they know I buy ALL their pieces? How can they do this to ME? I'll show'em, I'm selling out!"
I never felt that way about the Hasbro figures and never felt any entitlement when it came to collecting. Even as a completist I couldn't even empathize with them and in the end it helped wean me off my complete carded collection.
I'm a lot happier not spending $50 or $60 every week on new figures. I've been able to buy some cool things that I might otherwise have skipped in favor of Hasbro figures. The clutter in my apartment isn't growing now and I'm feeling happier about collecting.
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