Interesting topic.
As far as I go, there are a few things that I can consider "complete". The NECA TMNT toon and movie lines, barring a Tatsu or Paige Turko April being announced for the movie line. My BTAS collection feels complete for me, as I'm happy with what I managed to get from DCC and the new Scarecrow from McFarlane. I have everything from the NCEA UM line that I have any nostalgic connection to, save a smoking jacket Invisible Man, so that's close to "complete" for me. I'm also pretty much done with Hasbro's SWB line. I have figures of most of the main characters I would want, and save possibly getting the new, better scaled R2, I'm done with that line as far as I can see.
I've been pretty much finished with Marvel Legends for about 2 years, save a random figure or two. I trimmed that collection down to focus mainly on Spider-Man, with only a few other random figures/characters that I liked and wanted to keep. I also have most of any Transformers characters I could want, so that's no longer an active collection.
I have been getting more random unique figures or small sets of figures from lines I don't normally collect when they look cool, so that's been filling what I've been getting the most recently.
I am also truly out of spice, and I really shouldn't be buying more stuff, but we all know the allure of the plastic crack. If I stopped taking photos and doing the kinds of setups I do for them, I could feasibly sell a good third of the figures and assorted bins full of accessories and prop pieces to clear some space out.
I've definitely been feeling like I'm getting close to finished. Collection creep has hit me a few times, particularly when GI Joe Classified hit, but I'm at the point where my "want lists" for each collection are short or non-existent, ,my shelves are full, and each purchase requires something going on to displace something to go in a box.
My current collection started in 2005 with Transformers, and the biggest creep was when I started into 1/12 scale with Star Wars Black, because that exploded into Marvel Legends, DCUC, TMNT, MOTU, and eventually Classified, as well as a number of one-offs like a few Figura Obscura/Mythic Legions, a smattering of Indiana Jones, Diamond Select Toys, Mafex, NECA, etc, etc.
But Transformers has hit near perfect versions of the 84/85/86 cast since it started WFC Siege/Earthrise/Kingdom, plus I have boxes of other cool stuff going back 18+ years, plus vintage.
I stopped buying Star Wars after I had decent versions of the ANH/ESB main cast, plus some extras like some bounty hunters, Palpatine, and a nice little group of stormtroopers. I get tempted with things like the KOTOR cast here and there, but for the most part I'd say I get one figure or less per year for Star Wars.
TMNT has a couple of things that could tempt me, like Leatherhead, a Mirage April, a non-battle damaged, easier to get Mirage Shredder, but I have more than enough of the turtles themselves between my Mirage, 87, 89 movie, and 2012 Revoltech figs.
For Marvel, I buy an occasional figure that tickles my fancy, and still have a short want list like Rachel Summers as Phoenix, but I think I bought maybe six or seven figures over the last year (new Iron Man armors are always tempting).
For MOTU, I think I'm down to just wanting just BA Skeletor and Kobra Khan.
Classified is where most of my toy budget is going, but their releases have practically been using my want list as a check list. They keep going at this rate, I'll be done and out by sometime next year (though if I can get my consistent wave purchases down, it could open some money for Haslab vehicles...)
I think my "completed" collection won't be necessary completed, just narrowed down to releases that fill gaps that I didn't realize were gaps, or one-off figures from new and different lines that catch my eye, like the occasional NECA monster, weird releases like Fresh Monkey Fiction's Santa stuff, or Figura Obscura things. At least getting off the train of buying full or near full waves of any line will still save me some money. I mean, as a collector I don't ever really want to have nothing to collect, but it'll be nice to get the purchases down to just a few per year across all lines.
I don't know if I'll ever stop collecting. But I'm closer now to stopping than I have been in the last 12 years. The economy, space, and a change in priorities being the biggest factors. When the Fwoosh went down for a month, and I didn't really read about figures that month, I was able to refocus and do a huge purge. It turned out it was a break I needed.
I have really reduced what I buy, and I'm glad that I have. I now focus on Figures I really like, and not "side figures" (figures that accompany the figures I really like). I ask, "would this figure survive the next major purge"? And if not, I don't buy it.
As far as a complete collection. I don't look at my collection as a whole but individual collections. Star wars, Muppets, Marvel Legends, Gargoyles, etc.
I find once I complete an individual collection, it isn't as fun anymore. I can sit back, look at it and pick out the pieces that really brought me joy, keep those few, sell the rest, and be just as satisfied. It is eye opening that the thrill of the hunt, and adding new pieces is as much apart of collecting as actually owning the figures. And once that is finished (such as when the line is dropped), I really only needed a small portion of that collection. So going forward I am trying to only buy those few, and be satisfied with that.
Looking at my current collections: Marvel Legends I could call complete. There is nothing more I really "need". I just replace characters with better version at this point. I have added very few new characters these last few years.
For Star Wars, I have a very distinct goal, and that is to replace a list of favorite 3.75" figures with 6" versions. I am close (the list was very long at one point). Around 30 figures would pretty much do it. Unfortunately they are all side aliens with seconds of screen time, and the current Hasbro team does not seem to want to focus on those. I always thought those were the best things about Star Wars figures, and what made them stand out.
For Gargoyles, I could call that complete. Wings are the biggest want. McBeth, and other cool characters would be nice, but not necessary. I certainly won't buy just anything, it has to look really good at this point.
TMNT is the line that just won't quit. NECA has done a fabulous job of splitting things up into new collections (Mirage, Last Ronin, Cartoon, etc). So while I feel my Toon Line is complete, I now want more for the Mirage line, and Last Ronin Line. They've got a hook in me, and now I buy 3-4 different versions of the same key characters (turtles, Shredder, Foot, Triceraton, etc.).
Pokemon, I stick to the original 151, and a few key Pokemon I enjoyed in later games.
I find my new favorite thing is to buy just one or two characters and call it quites. One copy of Popeye, one Hellboy, a couple Transformers, a few GI Joes. A few key and favorite characters that represent that entire universe. Third Party figures that just look cool fall into this area as well.
Interesting. "Done" to me doesn't mean closing my wallet to toys for good. I get too much joy from being a part of this community, scrutinizing high-res photos of new reveals, and, yes, Daddy Capitalism, buying toys, to stop cold turkey. I'm 30 now, so if I stopped buying toys tomorrow, I imagine my collection would look like some well-preserved Kenner figures by the time I die.
The next challenge for me is learning to accept what I've got. While I've dealt with collection creep before, I tend to go in the opposite direction. I've moved across the country twice, so an unhealthy part of my brain is always thinking about how to downsize for the next move (one that I hope never happens). Between that and a keen awareness of the hoarding tendencies in my family, I often have to fight the urge to purge my collection even though it's reasonably sized and bringing me joy.
I'm bad for collection bloat followed by over-purging. I let it get a little out of hand and then I over-compensate by getting rid of too many things that I regret letting go of (I've bought and sold the SWB Dewback three times).
I think my issue with the topic at hand is just that I honestly can't even define what 'complete' looks like for me because that feels very final. If complete -doesn't- mean 'completely done collecting' then what does it mean? Can I really say my collection is complete if I'm spending the same amount of money on toys year after year?
Certainly there are things I'm collecting in anticipation of having other things to go with them, so I'd be downsizing if those things for some reason were absolutely never going to happen. But as long as toys are being made, there's always going to be things I'm actively collecting unless I kind of force myself not to. In which case it's not so much that my collection is complete but that my tolerance for how much I'm spending or how much space I'm utilizing has been reached.
I may eventually feel that my Star Wars collection is done, or my Marvel collection is done, but there's always more. There's always something else out there for someone that just digs cool action figures. I think I can kind of approach it from the perspective of 'what do I feel are the HOLES in my collection' rather than 'what would I buy if given the chance.' In that case you can really only approach it from the perspective of brands. But so many brands are either evergreen or constantly being revived that it's even impossible to say like... 'My Star Wars collection is done' - because then three more movies and two TV shows later and you're 'missing' 14 characters that you REALLY liked.
This topic hurts my brain, at no one's fault but my own.
I think my issue with the topic at hand is just that I honestly can't even define what 'complete' looks like for me because that feels very final. If complete -doesn't- mean 'completely done collecting' then what does it mean? Can I really say my collection is complete if I'm spending the same amount of money on toys year after year?
Certainly there are things I'm collecting in anticipation of having other things to go with them, so I'd be downsizing if those things for some reason were absolutely never going to happen. But as long as toys are being made, there's always going to be things I'm actively collecting unless I kind of force myself not to. In which case it's not so much that my collection is complete but that my tolerance for how much I'm spending or how much space I'm utilizing has been reached.
I may eventually feel that my Star Wars collection is done, or my Marvel collection is done, but there's always more. There's always something else out there for someone that just digs cool action figures. I think I can kind of approach it from the perspective of 'what do I feel are the HOLES in my collection' rather than 'what would I buy if given the chance.' In that case you can really only approach it from the perspective of brands. But so many brands are either evergreen or constantly being revived that it's even impossible to say like... 'My Star Wars collection is done' - because then three more movies and two TV shows later and you're 'missing' 14 characters that you REALLY liked.
This topic hurts my brain, at no one's fault but my own.
It is contradictory that I consider my collection "complete" and wouldn't be surprised to spend the same amount on toys this year. To me, there is a difference, however slight, between buying 20 figures new to my collection and buying 10 upgrades and five characters I didn't expect to get made. Replacing my Marvel Legends Doom with a Mezco Doom feels different than buying a Moondragon figure that's new to my collection. I could've lived with the Marvel Legends Doom. I decided not to because I like participating in the hobby too much (for all that entails).
Probably 2/3 of my collection is Big Two superheroes, so that's primarily what I'm talking about when I say I'm done. When you factor in the number of toys Hasbro has made from licenses spanning Power Rangers, Transformers, Star Wars, and G.I. Joe, I would imagine there are a lot of collections nearing "completion" around here. Various TMNT and MOTU lines have also been around long enough that I'm sure they've delivered most major asks by this point. I think that's what makes "What now?" such an interesting question in 2024.
When I started collecting again, I forced myself to create a list of characters I thought I needed to make a complete collection. Obviously that list has ebbed and flowed over the years, but it informed what I wanted to achieve. I knew what a "complete" video game display would look like. A "complete" X-Men display. A complete Batman display. And so on.
The trouble, if you can call it that, is what the future holds. We've all been speculating for years. I wrote about the Golden Age of Toy Collecting six years ago. I'd argue that we're still in the Golden Age and probably have been since 2015. The question becomes when will the bubble pop? Is the demand going down with companies like Hasbro hammering our major wants for more than a decade? Are there enough new collectors to keep the hobby going long-term? Will price increases eventually force most consumers out? I didn't know the answer six years ago and I don't know now, either.
Now that most of my major wants have been covered (twice over, in most cases), I'm becoming less of a guy tied to specific characters and properties and more of a guy, as you say, who digs cool action figures. My guess, as Xavion said last page, is that the hobby moves toward boutique lines. I don't think Hasbro's going anywhere, but I do wonder how sustainable 100+ Marvel Legends a year is.
I still have limited space, a budget, and tight guidelines as to what I'm willing to pick up, but I'm honestly excited about smaller companies stepping in. If the super-articulated fantasy genre series we've talked about at length in the Hasbro D&D thread sees the light of day, you can bet I'll be there. I'll be selective about what I buy, but I'm also not shying away from the next line that makes me feel like my collection isn't complete. I'm the same fool (or idiot, if you will) who spent all this money on toys.
This could be the Image Comics era for action figures. It could also be the last big hurrah before the industry comes crashing down. I'm not sure, but I have a damn cool collection and I'm excited for whatever comes next.
Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in.
-----Michael Corleone
My NECA toon and movie Turtles collection is done. Same with Gargoyles.
I've slowed down on Marvel Legends considerably, but they always get me with something.
If we ever get a DC line that I actually like (I have a few from McF but they are mostly disappointing) I'd be in.
Video Game figures from games I've played will ALWAYS get me. Aside from Square Enix stuff because it's so expensive.
This is an interesting topic and I think the honest answer is "there is no done". There are literally hundreds of marvel and DC comic characters I would love to add to my collection - so if those get made in a style or format that is compatible with what I already own I will keep buying.
And I love action figure and I get very tempted by cool looking figures even if I have no relationship with the property they represent - though I've been trying to be more disciplined about indiscriminantly buying something just because it looks neat.
I do find that I'm becoming less interested in some things I used to be all in on. Star Wars has become less interesting to me, so buying those figures has become less urgent or imperative. Same goes for MCU figures. I think that specifically has to do with oversaturation. Those used to be mainstays, but eventually, interest can fade.
I quit comics cold turkey when my kids were born. I had been buying monthlies for about a year, but not reading them and letting them physically pile up. That was my cue. So I guess I could eventually do the same for figure collecting?
All of this resonates a lot with me. I have built substantial collections of things I thought were wonderful at the time but then eventually lost all enthusiasm for. I have bought and sold off entire collections of things like Simpsons World of Springfield, NECA Aliens and Predator, Star Wars Power of the Force, even Gothitropolis and Mythic Legions. Sometimes a thing that sparks joy at a certain time flickers out.
But, I'm pretty confident that won't happen with my three main loves - Marvel, DC and MOTU (GI Joe classified is running a solid 4th at the moment, but we'll see if it has the same staying power). However, if those properties move too far away from the size and style I prefer then I can and will stop buying. I have a massive DC collection from Mattel - but I only own a small handful of McFarlane figures and regret most of those purchases. I won't rebuild my DC collection - or even augment with characters in a different size and style to most of what I have. So the only way my DC display grows currently is with customs. But there are tons of Legion members and Teen Titans and JSA members that didn't make it to the line officially, so plenty to work on.
For Masters of the Universe I use Masterverse to supplement my Classics collection but won't replace most of the classics (there are a few exceptions like Two Bad). I do supplement that collection wall with various Ultimates (Thundercats, Silverhawks, Conan). But I like the Masterverse figures well enough and will happily buy any new characters they trickle in to the line - I'm really hopeful they will follow Origins lead and fold in some new Snake Men and such...
And Legends is still chugging along and there are so very many Marvel characters I love and want figures of that it's hard to imagine stopping.
And even if all of those lines folded tomorrow - I would still be looking to expand my displays with customs so I would be buying figures for fodder to make what I could no longer buy.
So yeah, definitely not done
Great topic!
I agree with the general consensus- for a line to ever really be "complete" is a rarity in my mind. With lines like Star Wars, Marvel, DC, etc.- there's always going to be characters or variants I'll want. With my love of Batman, for instance, there will always be villains or side characters I'll want, including the C/D/E list characters that will probably never see the light of day. And even the bigger names that usually get good representation, they're always being updated with new designs, which I'll inevitably want in figure form. Same with Star Wars- there's always cool army builders or aliens that I'll want. Always. And while I've certainly gotten better with feeling like I need every variant and trooper, there will always be characters that I need.
Whereas lines like DST's Nightmare Before Christmas, I feel is mostly done. There's a few small background characters I'd like, but for the most part, I'm quite happy that all the big names and recognizable faces have been done. I'd be happy enough if the line ended now, but even that I feel has legs for me. Perhaps partly because it's a property I know will always get plastic representation, and while close, I don't think anyone has quite made what I consider to be the "perfect" Jack Skellington yet, but I'm also happy enough with the ones I have.
I will say, I've done a pretty good job in keeping my collection limited to a few lines, or at least one line per property. As much as I'd love to get into something like Hot Toys, Mafex, etc., I just can't, unless it's for a specific character I've chosen to collect, ala Scarecrow. I've certainly been tempted by some offerings from other companies, but I've managed to behave. In order for me to really get into something anymore, I have to go into it both expecting and willing to devote a lot of time and money into it. Not that I love to spend money, but for me to really feel like it's worth it, I want a wide roster.
That's why something like the Indiana Jones Adventure Series is, at least currently, a bit of a buyer's remorse for me. I like the figures well enough, but the glaring omissions don't sit right with me. If it really does end now and I were to keep the figures, I'd always look at them with a bit of an asterisk- "I really love them, but I really wish X had been made". Like with my old Pirates of the Caribbean figures; I adore the movies, and will never get rid of the figures, but I lament all the characters we didn't get. Davy Jones and his crew are probably my favorite creature designs ever, and while we got a good amount, I'd have loved more. There was never a Tia Dalma in their 3 3/4" line, but there was in the 6 inch line. There was only a super rare, hard to get Cutler Beckett in their 3 3/4" line, but nothing in the larger scales. No Pirate Lords, Governor Swann, Mercer, Teague, etc. It was sort of the tail end of the phase where big budget blockbusters got some damn good figure rep. Not quite to the Star Wars or Lord of the Rings level, but the 3 3/4" Pirates line covered some pretty good ground! NECA did
For me, even the less beloved movies or characters of a franchise still feel like integral parts, and to not have them just makes the whole thing a little less enjoyable. Missing variants I can deal with, but missing characters is a whole other thang. I dunno. It's weird. But that's nerd logic for you.
All of this is to say, that I don't ever really plan on being done. And I hope I never am. Collecting brings me joy. It's helped me through and out of some dark times in my life, and helped me meet some of my favorite people. Some parts of the collection come and go, sure, whether for space, money, or just general lack of enthusiasm, but I don't think I'll ever get rid of it entirely. I kinda love the fact that some things, some properties, I can abandon for a bit, but come right back to later and the enthusiasm and passion is brighter than ever. I hope to share it all with my kids one day. A lot of people don't get it, sure, but I'm more or less over my embarrassment. I'm surrounded by the things I love, and look at them as little art pieces. Everyone collects something, and should.
Collecting brings me joy. It's helped me through and out of some dark times in my life
These were the words that caught my attention...i agree with this 100%
I think I'll be "done" when this hobby no longer brings me joy. Honestly, I felt that way a little over a year ago. I was just overwhelmed by the size of my collection and constantly looking for new things to add. Thankfully, reorganizing and taking a break from toy related social media re-ignited my passion for this hobby.
I think I'll be "done" when this hobby no longer brings me joy. Honestly, I felt that way a little over a year ago. I was just overwhelmed by the size of my collection and constantly looking for new things to add. Thankfully, reorganizing and taking a break from toy related social media re-ignited my passion for this hobby.
I fully understand this. There's certainly been times where I've looked at everything I've amassed and feel a little overwhelmed or disappointed in myself or whatever. It becomes more of a chore than a hobby. I used to think that I needed every variant or army builder or whatever, and after a while, it became just way too much time, money, and space spent. But in the past year or two, when I've gone through things and gotten rid of some things, or cancelled pre-orders, it's oddly helped me re-ignite my love of a lot of things. Because now I have a little extra money, or extra space, and I can't wait to fill it. Plus, by weeding out all the unnecessary things- the ones I bought just to have- it's helped me appreciate the things I've kept even more. Those are the ones that bring me joy, and now they're not as crowded and can be shown off better. Taking control over my collection, rather than have it take control over me, really helped me see that it can, and should be fun, and ironically we're often the ones that take the fun out of it (rising prices and scalpers aside, of course).
I think I'll be "done" when this hobby no longer brings me joy. Honestly, I felt that way a little over a year ago. I was just overwhelmed by the size of my collection and constantly looking for new things to add. Thankfully, reorganizing and taking a break from toy related social media re-ignited my passion for this hobby.
I’m in a similar place to where you were a year ago. I’ve been telling myself for months that I was going to do another eBay purge at the first of the year to bring in some extra money and clear some much needed space.
It’s the first of the year. Ugh.
I’m just feeling overwhelmed by the sheer amount of “stuff”, yet at the same time, I want to buy more stuff. It’s like the irresistible force (the desire to buy more stuff) meeting the immovable object (too much stuff already).
One thing I will say is that I’ve found that most of my successful “New Years Resolutions” have begun in February. January is tough. The days are short, the weather can be miserable depending on where you live, and whether you love the Holidays or dread them, it takes a few weeks for that Holiday funk to wear off. So I’m telling myself to just get organized and get ready, and once I get rolling, I’ll be fine.
Quick note: The threshold has been raised from $600 in 2023 to $5,000 in 2024 before you have to report any eBay sales on your tax return.
Part of me just wants to donate the figures I’m ready to let go of to anyone who will take them, but then I lose my biggest justification for buying as much as I do which is that I can always sell it and make at least some of my money back. Seeing the money roll in from these purges puts a smile on the wife’s face as well.
As much as I love getting new figures in, I sometimes wish the frequency of releases would just slow down and/or there weren’t so many great lines out there right now…because I don’t seem to have the self discipline to slow myself down! 😛
I think I'll be "done" when this hobby no longer brings me joy. Honestly, I felt that way a little over a year ago. I was just overwhelmed by the size of my collection and constantly looking for new things to add. Thankfully, reorganizing and taking a break from toy related social media re-ignited my passion for this hobby.
I’m in a similar place to where you were a year ago. I’ve been telling myself for months that I was going to do another eBay purge at the first of the year to bring in some extra money and clear some much needed space.
It’s the first of the year. Ugh.
I’m just feeling overwhelmed by the sheer amount of “stuff”, yet at the same time, I want to buy more stuff. It’s like the irresistible force (the desire to buy more stuff) meeting the immovable object (too much stuff already).
One thing I will say is that I’ve found that most of my successful “New Years Resolutions” have begun in February. January is tough. The days are short, the weather can be miserable depending on where you live, and whether you love the Holidays or dread them, it takes a few weeks for that Holiday funk to wear off. So I’m telling myself to just get organized and get ready, and once I get rolling, I’ll be fine.
Quick note: The threshold has been raised from $600 in 2023 to $5,000 in 2024 before you have to report any eBay sales on your tax return.
Part of me just wants to donate the figures I’m ready to let go of to anyone who will take them, but then I lose my biggest justification for buying as much as I do which is that I can always sell it and make at least some of my money back. Seeing the money roll in from these purges puts a smile on the wife’s face as well.
As much as I love getting new figures in, I sometimes wish the frequency of releases would just slow down and/or there weren’t so many great lines out there right now…because I don’t seem to have the self discipline to slow myself down! 😛
If you have a lot to sell, I'd recommend starting slow with eBay. Put up an auction a day, or even an auction a week. The hardest part is forming the habit. Honestly, once you've written your first auction description, it becomes a matter of copying and pasting it and replacing the item name. You could start with something small and valuable or a group of less valuable items. That way you either see a decent chunk of money rolling in or you're able to clear out a big group at once.
My preference is to post everything at once, but I'm also never selling more than 10 items at a time. I like to combine trips to the post office whenever possible, too.
I can't blame you for the January blues. As someone who lives in the Northwest and is getting hit by a lot of rain and, more crucially, a lot of darkness, I agree it's the worst month of the year.
As much as I love getting new figures in, I sometimes wish the frequency of releases would just slow down and/or there weren’t so many great lines out there right now…because I don’t seem to have the self discipline to slow myself down! 😛
That's the main issue. There were years where I didn't collect much at all. Seems in the last 3 or so years things have skyrocketed again. At least for my interests. I guess it doesn't help that I am getting older and have less interest in other things, going out, etc. That said I'm glad I'm a little older as you "kids in the 80s" generation have it even worse than me with releases targeting your nostalgia buttons.
Seems the action figure market might be on a bubble. Really wish some would just slow down and not supercharge and explode. I also have a problem retiring some lines and storing them. Just in the off chance my space configuration changes and I can display them again. Really should retire & store a line or 2 to make space for my newer stuff and sell a few lines I've been sitting on for years / decades.
Count me as someone who believes in always having a eBay store going. I post 5-10ish things a month. Usually in one sitting on a Sunday. No auctions. Just "Buy it Now" and just let it all slowly shake out over time. Price reasonable; neither low or high. Every 6 mos or so drop prices on slow sellers.
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