Collecting: Did You Intend to Go This Far?

[Darth Broem]

Well I simply will not financially or spacewise be able to keep up my current pace.  Even it has leveled off the past few years.  I never expected Hasbro to churn out the amount of figures it has.  I never would have dreamed we see what 40-50 different Lukes alone.  Might be exagerating but not by much. 

I am glad they have put out a lot of obscure characters over the past 10 years.  However, I am disappointed some figures have not been made like the Tonnika Sisters, Yarna, Hermi Odle, among others.  The 12 inch line has been a disappointment the past 2 years.  Some stuff is really cool but other stuff is just completely lame.  It irks me that they never threw  a 12" Hammerhead and other cool looking aliens, droids, pilots to the masses.  The idiots did not put out a Yoda until the end of the year for AOTC.  Again they follow up by not putting a Yoda out this time either.  IDIOTIC!!!!!!  Not even a damn 12  inch Kenobi.  Although I expect a Kenobi later in the year especially if Bariss Offee and Shaak Ti are coming (which is an example of a cool 12 inch product)

I am upset that more playsets were not made like a Death Star or Cantina.  Same with some bigger ships. 

Anyway, I do continue to plan on collecting.  Once a long time I ago I thought of myself as a completist.  I kept it up until the beginning of the Saga - AOTC line.  After that I could not do it.  Sometimes they hit it right on the head and wow the hell out of me with their products like Ephant Mon. 

[Ben]

If the figures I've seen from the Early Bird set are indicative of where this line is going next year, it won't be hard to stop buying Star Wars figures. They just look like crap, at least from that one pic.

I might stick around for all-new never-before-done figures, but I doubt I'm going to buy this stuff all over again. And there is no way in hell I'm gonna keep going until 2018.

[Commander Cody]

HMI, I can't believe you dislike what was shown. I really like 'em, personally.

And no, I did not intend on going THIS far with my collection. Who knew that a line like the crap that was POTF2 would start this crazy hobby for me?

[Ben]

At this point, post-VOTC, it's hard to like figures of those characters in those specific costumes anymore, at least for me.

I do kind of like the Luke, but since I'm loathe to pay $30 or more, since I'd have to order from WM.com and pay shipping for it, eh.

[Darth_Anton]

I wan't planning this far ahead back in 95, but I'm in this for the long haul. I think my Dad is to blame, he made me stop collecting just before the original POTF run and I think the frustration fueled my current collecting habits.

[Commander Cody]

At this point, post-VOTC, it's hard to like figures of those characters in those specific costumes anymore, at least for me.

I do kind of like the Luke, but since I'm loathe to pay $30 or more, since I'd have to order from WM.com and pay shipping for it, eh.

I did not love the VOTC Luke and this one looks to be a lot better. R2 is just R2 and looks to be the older version. Chewbacca is basically the same as the VOTC and Leia looks to be an improvment, so while I agree, I think there is still room for improvment.

[Newman]

When I was 6 I doubt I knew that my admiration for Star Wars figures would grow into an obsession.  However I did know that this was something I wanted to get into and 9 years later here I am with a room full of Star Wars toys. So no I didn't believe that it would go this far.

[Matt_Fury]

I didn't plan on it going this far....but I also didn't expect them to make so much stuff! 

[Brian]

I started thinking about this again lately, as I've been rearranging things in our office/collection room.  To touch on the original subject, I didn't think I'd go anywhere near this far (or that the line itself would go this far).  At the time, I started out picking up loose POTF2 figures that I had missed, then the current ones, never giving a thought that I'd be buying 60+ figures a year 10 years later.

Now, looking at how much crap stuff I have, I'm wondering what the future holds for collecting.  I still really enjoy collecting the 3 3/4" Star Wars line, and this year has been one of the best years yet as far as nice figures go I think, but it sure has been getting tougher to keep up with financially.  I've mentioned it in other threads, but I wouldn't mind a line that was a little more scaled back in releases - closer to 30-40 figures a year (in the basic line) instead of the 60 or more we get these days.  Anyways, I'm curious how much longer this will go.  I made (and continue to make) the mistake of getting into other lines as well - popping in and out, here and there.  The lines I've primarily stuck with overall though have been Marvel/DC stuff, which I hope to continue too.  This year I've also picked up Joe and Transformers stuff, again with nostalgia kicking in.  I largely missed out on the last MOTU re-start, but kind of regretted it, and I could see myself buying in if they did some sort of anniversary style line there.  Again - limited would be best.  But, overall, I've always tried to stick to collecting Star Wars primarily - and then one "other" line.  That hasn't always worked out though.  As I'm thinking towards 2008 now, with DCU Classics and Indiana Jones on the horizon, I'm re-evaluating things once again.

Anyways - long story short - how long do you think you'll continue collecting?  Will you go on forever, and if so, where will it all go?   I'd likely stick with the Star Wars line until the end, unless it got really expensive or unrecognizable to me.  I'm all for some EU stuff here and there, but to be honest, if the line got to the point where it was devoid of Han, Luke, Vader, Stormies, Chewie, etc. I don't know how much interest I would have.  At the same time, I wonder how much better we can get than some of the versions of the main characters/army builders we have already.  Of course, I'm sure the same things were said in the POTF2 days.  Like Scott mentioned I believe earlier in this thread, I've always been the type of person who has collecting something throughout my life - toys, comics, sports cards, etc., so I could see myself continuing to collect something in the future.  My budget doesn't necessarily allow for the higher end stuff, so its mostly been the retail "action figure" lines for me thus far.  I have to say, as an example, I kind of like hearing the DCU Classics team come right out and say "5 waves, 5 figures per wave for 2008", knowing that by the end of the year you'll spend $250 and have 25 figures (and 5 BAFs) to show for it.  I know its a different beast than Star Wars entirely, but I guess having that lower price (over the course of a year) and less releases to find room for is kind of a relief.  Anyways, what does the future hold for your collecting tendencies, if you had to guess?

[iFett]

I was hardcore into Joes, Transformers, and MASK as a kid in the 80's then I foolishly sold everything off in the mid 90's.  I had a few SW figs/ships, but nowhere in comparison to the other lines.

I started back up again in 99 with TPM and I've been full steam Star Wars eversince.  I have pretty much all of the carded figs/boxed vehicles/multipacks, MicroMachines, Titaniums, Unleashed so you can imagine what an issue I have with space.  I managed to pick up almost all of the vintage Tranformers off Ebay and I've stuck loosely to each offspring since RID.  I was into the JOE reissue stuff back in 00 but I had to dump all of that off as three lines was getting to be too much.  But then I started dabbling into Spawn/McFarlane and some other stuff.  Now it seems I'm in for the long haul on the 25th Joe stuff     Oh and I started getting back into LEGO.  I'm on my third large set right now after the Star Destroyer - this is good stuff!

As it is right now?  I either need to open everything that's not already opened or I'll just need to stop collecting completlely....Plain and simple.  I have no more room.  I never thought I'd actually collect enough crap that I'd have to simply stop collecting due to the fact that I just don't have the room for it.

[john todd]

Did I ever expect Hasbro to go this far though?  Hell NO!  

this was exactly my feeling.  i had always figured the fad would die down and hasbro would stop making SW and i would have my "complete" collection.  i am glad i didn't keep plugging away.  how many figures are in a modern complete collection now?  i have about 400 and stopped during the aotc run.

[EdSolo]

I never thought I would end up with what I currently own.  I started back in early '97 when I was senior in college.  My Mom had gotten me the mail away Han in ST disguise.  I stopped by a KB shortly afterwards and picked up Boba Fett, Han in Carbonite and Jedi Luke.  A few months later, I had about 35 loose figures...I was coming pretty close to catching up with every figure that was out at the time.  Then, there was a mail away figure...Muftak and Kabe I believe.  They required a current receipt.  Well, I did keep the old cards from my loose figures, so that is when I decided to buy one loose, one carded.  Around the same time, my Mom took me shopping for my birthday.  Toys 'R Us had several 12" figures for $10/each.  Lando and Ackbar were among them I think.  That is when I started collecting the 12".  Toys 'R Us also had vehicles cheap around the same time ($20 AT-AT) so I started buying vehicles.  I found ebay in 1999.  That helped me fill all my holes in 3 3/4" figures, 12" figures and vehicles.  I went to midnight madness for Ep. I and bought all the Hasbro stuff...same thing for AOTC.  Then there was C2 and I found the Master Replicas booth.  I purchased the Anakin FX.  When I got home, I went to the website and purchased the Han Blaster since Han is my favorite character.  My wife (gf at the time), said if she were a collector, she was just get the MR stuff.  That sent me down the high end path.  She even encouraged me to get the AT-AT when I was going to pass on it because of cost.  Once Hasbro ditched the 12" line, I figured I was done.  I was a little leary about Sideshow because of the price increase.  I said I would order the Jedi Luke and wait till it shows up just to see how it was.  Well, that didn't work.  Next thing I know, I have at least a half dozen figures on preorder before ever receiving Luke.

At this point, I have so much stuff that I have trouble displaying it all.  I'm in the midsts of building a collection room so at the point I'll finally be able to see how far I've gone...much farther than I ever thought back in '97.

[TheBlackDog65]

I was gung ho with POTF and POTF2 getting most of the figures. With Episode I and POTJ I got at least one of every figure (usually multiples).  Then with Ep. II I backed off and collected those figures I really liked and wanted since I felt some of the Saga Wave left something to be desired. I went full balls out with Ep. III because I really liked that line, and stayed up with the figures through the post Ep. III. This year though I think I really shocked my wife. I have only purchased about 20 figures that either I or my son has wanted.  I display only those figures that reflect a scene, or that I personally like in my office. I basically have stopped actively collecting the 3 3/4 line.  I do still collect, but it is more Sideshow, Weta etc for LOTR and SW and it is items that I want to have and display. The all consuming fire ended for me and it will stay that way.  Do I love Star Wars? Yes. Am I still a huge fan? Yes. Do I feel I am still a collector? Yes. But in the end, I feel I am now in charge of my collecting and collecting is not in charge of me.  Part of that is age, (I'm 42), and part of that I think is finding other avenues that are just as rewarding personally.
Maybe another question is for those who have basically really backed down or stopped on the 3 3/4 line, how did you do it? I know I quit coming to boards, watching for my patterns of when figures were going to hit the shelves, not actively hunting (and I have to say I have picked up ALL of the figures I have wanted this year by going in during normal store hours) and staying close to a friend who also wanted to back down. Basically, or 5 or 6 weeks, I stopped collecting. Now I save about $300 or $400 a month (depending on how active the current line is) and I use that money to fund playing golf with my son, being part of a local hiking club, and saving most into either my 401K or into investments, or into our vacation fund so we can go to places in the country and world we want to take our kids (who are now 13 and 14) before they are too old and too involved in things. 

[Darth_Anton]

I'm reaching a turning point. 12 years of a carded collection is really taking up space and with my lack of enthusiasm for the PT and even less for EU, it has to stop sometime. I've decided that this year is my last carded year. The coins give it a certain symmetry to end it on that note. The question is, will I limit myself to the OT or not?

I still blame E1 for dragging it out this long. I had stopped doing carded then, but when TRU dumped the figures to $2, I was able to put together a complete carded set.

[JediJman]

I collected vintage as a kid and just picked up the POTF2 Fett in '95 because he looked kind of cool.  An overflowing SW room later says "NO...I did not intend to go this far, but I am lovin' it!"