There are people who are so caring about their figures that they never even take them out of the brown box. They just stock all of them, exactly as they arrive and never ever got the feeling of holding the piece in their hands, assemble it and just watch if it was a good or a bad choice to buy it. If you suffer from this problem know you’re not alone. I don’t know what passes in someone’s head to act like this, but it happens. Often. To many people. I would like someone to behave like that to testify about their feelings regarding collecting this way.
In a lesser
degree, and the most common case, I think more common than it should be, there
are those that take the figure out of the box, examine to see if everything is
in place and lock the figure down in the box again never to see the light of
day again. I think this is a trend that happens more severely on collectible
figures collectors than in other collectibles cases, since in this hobby the
box is as praised as the figure itself. Even the brown box has an intangible (to
me) intrinsic value. Having said that I have to admit I have several figures I
never took out of the box because I don’t have the proper place to display them…
yet. It’s all set to 2017. Me and my mom will join financial forces to remodel
my room so all the figures can be safely displayed. However, until then, all my
guys and gals are jailed in theirs boxes. I know many of you suffer from the “Curse
of the Unboxed Figures” as if take the figures and keep them out of the box was
kind of dismantle something in or about the figure or in / about you. It’s like
a comfort to know you have them and that they’re all protected. Even if one do
not enjoy the pleasure of seeing his/hers beloved statues.
I believe
that while inside the box, the magic is kept, like Pandora’s box, once open
hell will in some form unleash and break up the magic of the figure. I guess
these collectors content themselves with the utopian image they have from their
figures on their heads. This is a very contradictory behavior to say the least,
since the statues are meant to be displayed and appreciated. Physically not
mentally. I hope I get rid of the “curse” once my room turns into a collectible
friendly environment. And once it’s done I will commit the greatest heresy of
all to any cursed collector: I will throw all the boxes away because simply
there’s not enough space in my house to keep the boxes plus the statues. I bet
some of you even feel a chill down the spine just to think in throwing the
brown box, the artbox, all boxes finally away. But I don’t mind. I’ve selected
very carefully what I collected along these years and don’t plan to sell any of
the figures of my collections. All the ones that had to go are already gone. Some
I really miss (like my Deadpool with chicken hand SS Exclusive or my F4F Skull
Kid and Metroid Varia Suit). But they were gone to buy even better or at least equally
good new statues. So my collection, apart from Japanese anime PVC and hand
painted resin kit models and some Bowen and Diamond Select pieces, and lots of
some other smaller stuff, as some B&W DC Collectible Batmans, is composed now
by Sideshow Statues. And I’m dying of curiosity to see them all displayed
together like one happy big family.
I forgot to
tell. I live in Brazil and more than half of my collection is in my brother’s
basement in US, especially the big SS ones (but also a ton of smaller ones).
Every time we go to visit him or he comes to visit us each one tries to bring
as many figures as possible. What is never too many. The first visit I pay him
in US I was able to bring two big figures: SS Daredevil and SS Captain America
allied against Hydra (or something like that) and a lot of smaller ones. I must
admit that I only had space right now to open Daredevil, since there’s no room
for the old Cap and his raised hand here in my room right now. I must admit too
that I didn’t have the courage yet to throw Daredevil’s artbox away. What I
should have done after all I’ve said. I hate to admit but I’m a little cursed
myself. However, I promised to me that I’ll get rid of all of the boxes once
the reform of my room is over. I hope I keep that promise and do that. I don’t
want and don’t stand to be cursed anymore. And, most importantly, I don’t have
space for the figures and their boxes.
And I don’t want them inside the their boxes either. I want my figures at plain
sight where I can spend all the time I want inspecting mesmerized each and
every piece, switching an exclusive item or another to get a new visual to a
given image etc. I think that’s the reason I bought the figures in first place.
I don’t want to just pile them up in their box never to be seen and live surrounded
by boxes as I live today. And will live even more because my brother is coming
to pass the end of the year holidays here and will most certainly bring some
new stuff. I hope my SS He-Man comes with him. At least this piece. And it will
be another hell of a box in my room (apart some smaller anime pieces he may
bring). I will open He-Man, of course, but will not assemble it because I don’t
know how to put it back inside the box again (talk about clumsy) and, as I said,
I don’t have space to display it mounted yet. Once the reform is done, box will
be banished from this house. I am lucky that Sideshow put all dimensions of
their figures in each reference page so I can give the architect who will
transform my room all the dimensions of the figures that are still in the US so
he/she can calculate the space of the shelves according (leaving some room to
three to four more figures). Yes, I’m planning to give up collecting in the
near future. It became a too expensive hobby to me. And indeed there’s only one
figure I don’t have that still excites the hell out of me that is old rare
Sideshow Hulk, green version (…for now, is good to add). I will most certainly leave
a space separated to accommodate him, since I will join all the money I can to
buy him and close my collection with the grail of all grails figure IMHO. And
will get rid of his box too! I’ll leave an extra space though because one never
knows what will launch tomorrow… ;)
So, to
everyone who suffers from the “Curse of the Unboxed Figure” I want to hear your
comments. How do you deal with it, if it’s not a problem at all, if you feel
anguish, if it has to do with trading value so you never sure what to keep and
what to let go; in one word, what’s your relation with the boxed pieces?
-x-x-x-x-
Oh, and to
those interested in a good fight, or a fight for good, below is the link for
the petition asking Sideshow to begin their payment plans as soon as the figures
are out for pre-order, giving us more months to pay at smaller monthly fees. If
you like this idea, just click the link below and sign the petition. It will
take just a minute and can make a lot of difference to all of us average-pocket
collectors.
Sideshow
payment plans starting along with the pre-orders means more months to pay,
meaning cheaper monthly fees, meaning more easier payments. If you want this to
happen, sign the petition. It only takes a minute but can bring long term
facilities to all of us Sideshow (and Prime 1 and Hot Toy and etc.) collectors.
Who gave you permission to use my picture for your stupid dog shit article? What a load of garbage article this is
ReplyDeleteHey dude, why the rant? It was used only to illustrate the fact that there is people out there who really keep figures on brown boxes.
DeleteAre you ashamed of having this curious habit? Is is what all this ranting is about?
Instead of going on rage you could clarify to other people why you do such a thing. I, myself, do not understand the reason to keep it on the brown box, is it to avoid the decolouring of the original box due to sunlight exposure?
No reason to behave like that, man.
Hopefully you will calm down, and could enlighten us about this subject.
All the best.
I've took out your precious picture from my post. And thanks for the compliments about it. ;)
Delete