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| Statues... statues... |
Nobody,
absolutely nobody I know understands why I collect statues of pop culture icons
(in my case Marvel and DC heroes and foes mostly) and understands even less
when get to know how much each piece costs me (I keep this info as secretive as
possible because to the average person it is just too shocking). I quite don’t
get why I do this. I guess I feel a mixture of passion, enchantment, obsession
and compulsion for the statues and happen to find them pieces of contemporary
art. All those surrounding me sees them only as pretty expensive and pretty big
toys. I guess some part of me never grew old completely or normally, like an
underdevelopment of the self that makes me wish the same things I wish to have
as a kid but on a completely new level of artistry and beauty. Yes, my first
drive to choose a figure is beauty. Not only female beauty (which is the new
focus I’m giving to my collection) but an artistic beauty that makes me think
and feel that The Thing and Hulk, per example, are beautiful artistic
expressions of high-end technology sculpting. No one, even most of collectors,
can grasp what I see or feel towards a gigantic head of Hulk with an ugly angry
expression. But I see it and I see it every day, several times a day because
he’s right beside my computer. I confess I feel a mixture of bless and guilty
for owning my humble collection. Things weight heavier for a person living in
the third world where so many need the basics to survive with some dignity,
where misery is just outside the building for all to see. Yes, when I imagine
what one of these poor people could do with the money I spent on my new statue
I feel very guilty. I don’t know why I am so blessed, I’m here by a mere trick of
chance and this hurts me as much as it relieves me.
It’s not
easy to be a collector. If a date enters my room, the first thing that will
probably cross her mind is “what a childish ridiculous man! I better leave as
soon as I can!” Lol. This probable (or improbable) she will never understand my
hobby as nobody around here gets it (apart from my nephews. They love my room
and it is not even remodeled to accommodate my pieces yet, have just a few out
of the boxes. What they dislike is that they cannot play with them. Lol). But
there’s a prejudice regarding collecting figures I don’t know how to fix. Or if
can be fixed on the short-term. It’s maybe a too new and niche market the
society (especially in Northeast Brazil) is not ready or open to grasp. It’s
too strange adults collecting super-hero figures to no end like most of us do.
They already grasp women with obsession with shoes and purses and whatever
woman beauty needs, men that collects lighters, cars, perfumes, stamps but they
just don’t get 1/4 scale figures and up. I must admit I have a prejudice
with 1:1 full body figures myself! Lol.
The fact
that people don’t get my hobby will stop me from collecting? I wish they could
but they can’t, because I’m addicted to it. Space is the only thing that can
make me stop. And fortunately or unfortunately space is running low. I hope
with the remodeling to have place to four more statues. There are some statues
here that I wish I could sell but there are no boxes and I live in Brazil. In
addition, I have a craving for non-grail sculpts that lose their value on the
aftermarket. But this is not really an issue.
Due to look
so many times to them I kind of get tired of watching the same thing and feel
my eyes ask for new sights. I hope with more statues at display it solves the
issue. And I plan to change every month the statue that will be beside my
computer so to always have a new sight even if the cycle repeats itself (I
don’t have a huge collection, you see). I never thought I could get tired of
see the same faces but this is happening to me. I don’t know if it happens to
you. Would like very much to know your thoughts in this regard.
About
addiction. I was far worse, I lost control once and spent seven thousand
dollars in one month, almost all the money I inherited from my passed father.
It was crazy, very crazy. I had a good explanation to myself to each and every
new purchase I did. Later on, I sold most of the figures for ridiculous prices
on eBay. I’m not a good dealer at all. Lost F4F Skull Kid, Bowen Chromed
Jocasta (from which only 25 were ever made) and OG Chicken Deadpool to name a
few. My life as a collector was a bumpy one. Thank god, I put the train back on
track and became hyper-picky regarding which statues to collect. I have two I
really intend to buy: Sideshow Little Mermaid and Sideshow Rebel Terminator.
And have two very distant dreams that are Prime 1 Batman Beyond Golden Version
and Sideshow Swamp-Thing (yes, I know it is made of PVC :P). Apart that I have
a mild to intense interest in acquiring Sideshow new Harley Quinn (I think her
expression unmatched but need to see the production pieces since she has a very
complex painting scheme). I only have the money to buy Little Mermaid though. I
plan to sell some figures I have at my brother’s in the US to gather money for
Rebel Terminator and maybe Harley depending on the results of the sales. I have
a pension that is controlled by my mother who is my legal tutor since I’m
considered civil incapable by the law. She is very hand tight about money but
I’ll try to convince her maybe by the end of next year to acquire Swamp Thing
or Batman Beyond Golden Version but I have my mind prepared this just won’t
happen. Of all persons she is the one that understands the less my strange
habit. As a fellow community member said to me, Facebook groups are the place
where we can find and discuss with people who really understands and loves what
we do. That’s the plain truth. I feel ashamed to share my collection with
others around me but I’m very proud of it with myself. I find relief to meet
people like you who understands the hurdles and pleasures (and there are plenty
of both) of this hobby no one dares to accept. Or that accepts with a strange
expression on their faces. To like it, is too much to ask. Sometimes I stop to
think and realize I’m the crazy one. That everybody around me is right. What
they’ll gonna do with my pieces when I’m gone? What the purpose of acquiring so
expensive figures? Why fill an already tight room with a ton of oversized
super-heroes? And the answer that eases me comes from I quote my father repeated
often: “a thing of beauty is a joy forever”.
Rest well
my father your other two sons are doing great with their lives and you would be
proud of them and of what they accomplished. I was always the failure and will
always be. Now with a bunch of extra-expensive toys to look at. But I write. I
said my dream was to write and you mocked me at the time. I fulfilled my dream.
It’s quite different from what I expected. Wasn’t prepared for all this
loneliness. But writing fulfills me. It’s what I love to do and what my soul
needs as much as my body needs air. Of course, a new love would be the greatest
aid I can dream to my life, the end of my loneliness. But who would love a man
who plays with toys at 41? Lol.
