Sexy Geek? Maybe It Should Be Old, Picky Geek

Every New Years that passes, I think about another year that passes and how much closer to the grave I am. There's a lot I want to accomplish and still hope to in my life. I would like to see if my writing can take me anywhere aside from my blogs. I would also like to do a podcast with one of my very good friends. When the two of us are together, we crack each other up and I think we could have a great podcast. We have discussed it and hopefully it will come to fruition. It's really my fault for the delay as I don't have a microphone on my laptop and I would like to have a better laptop as well. Hopefully soon. Most of all, when I do think about things, I do think about my collection and what direction I'd like it to go.

I know I have discussed this topic in previous blog posts, but as of late, I have been really considering downsizing it and concentrating on what I really like to collect. I feel as of late I have been stagnate when it comes to my collection. I haven't really been adding to it, not because I'm out of work, although that does come into play. I just haven't found really anything I've wanted to add. A lot of the stuff that comes out these days are not things I have been quick to open my wallet for. In my opinion, the stuff that comes out is too expensive and your really not getting the best bang for your buck.

There have been stuff that I have been excited for on paper, yet when I saw the finished product I was like, ehhhhhhhhhh. Like the 1966 Batman figures. I only got the Batman and Surf's Up Batman in my collection and I'm fine with that. I wasn't really impressed with the quality of the figures and the likenesses of them. Plus, I was a bit ticked that Robin was only released in a box set and is supposed to be released in another box set with Batman and Batgirl. When that will be released, I don't know. Also, at $22 bucks, these were pretty expensive figures. I'm sure I will get the rest at some point, but not anytime soon.

Don't get me wrong, I know that stuff is expensive these days. It's part of the hobby and if I want to have a sweet collection, I will have to spend, spend spend. I'm just not going to spend anymore on every Spider-Man or Batman item that comes out. I think it's time to concentrate on specific characters or things or people I m passionate about.

1-Batman Pre 1989

I enjoy the Christopher Nolan movies. I really think those are the best Batman movies ever made, aside from the 1966 Batman movie, which I enjoy the hell out of. I will admit something though, I hate the all black Batman outfits. My Batman has grey in it. Blue and grey to be specific. I can't explain the joy I feel whenever I see a Batman figure in those colors. It takes me back to my childhood when I used to sit in my room, watching the Super Friends while noshing on a bowl of cereal or when I opened Christmas presents and got a Batman Mego with Batmobile. So I decided I will start focusing my collection on Batman before the Tim Burton movie. I love the 1966 TV show, so I will buy stuff that fits that part of my collection, vintage or modern releases. I love the Super Friends Batman and have the figure. I want that Hot Wheels Super Friends Batmobile and I also want the statue and will get them eventually. I can concentrate on just this period of the character and have a pretty kick ass collection.

2-Spider-Man

I don't see myself really changing in how I collect Spider-Man. I will probably continue to collect him as is.

3-Statues

One thing I want to do is add more statues to my collection. I figure if I don't spend money on newer releases at Toys R Us or Target, I can save up for some really cool pieces. I have been wanting to start collecting the Batman Black And Whites. I want to pick up the upcoming Adam West Batman statue. There are some really nice Spider-Man pieces I want also like the Origins piece and the half Peter Parker/Spider-Man bust that I drool over each time I see it on eBay.

4-Hot Toys

These are some of the most beautiful and expensive figures you will ever see. I see some of these figures in comic book shops or cons and I just start getting feverish and itchy and I start walking toward the figure like I'm looking for my next fix. I, unfortunately, do not own a Hot Toys figure. Part of it is I haven't had steady work in almost 2 years and part of it is because I spend, spend, spend. I couldn't save a dollar even if I knew I was getting thrown out tomorrow. I'll still be at Toy's R Us buying that cheap plastic Spider-Man that I really don't need. This year, I will try my best to save for at least 1 Hot Toys figure. I'm leaning toward 1966 Batman to be my first Hot Toys figure.

5-Luke Skywalker/Star Wars

I have been collecting anything and everything Luke Skywalker I can get my hands on. I just recently got a Luke Skywalker Titan figure that I love as a late Christmas gift. I will be reviewing it in the near future. I also want to pick up some vintage Star Wars figures and play sets. I still want the Death Star playset. I also need a vintage X Wing too.

6-Beatles

Some of the most expensive collectibles you will find are Beatles items from the 60's. Because of that, most of the Beatles things I will own will be modern Beatles releases. Right now, my Beatles holy grail is the set of Beatles cartoon figures that McFarlane put out. That box set goes for close to $200.00 bucks on eBay.

7- Back To The Future

I really don't go out of my way to pick up Back To The Future stuff, even if it's my favorite movie of all time. I haven't picked up the Funko POP's yet. I haven't thought about grabbing the Hover Board I've seen. If I come across it and feel like picking it up, I will.

So, I've managed to streamline my collecting habits to 7 categories, and that's not even mentioning my sports collectibles. I won't be collecting Kiss or Iron Man or anything else I was picking up before. The Simpsons are a category that I also don't normally collect, but I have picked up a piece here and there and will probably continue to do so. I can also see myself knocking off a category or two in the future. Why?

Well, I need room to walk around. My room is starting to become cluttered. I have no space to display my stuff and in the future, what if I don't have room for display then either? I have always hated collections that look so cluttered, unorganized and I never want mine to look like that. I will display in cabinets and shelves, but I want it to be a neat display. Also, money. I don't have a million dollars to spend on figures and collectibles. I barely have $50.00 at times. I need to pick and choose what to get. I want to pick up the best things for what I can afford.

When going shopping, my buddy and I don't buy just anything anymore. We look for the "Wow" factor. Something that I will not put back after holding it and walking around the store. If I have to think about it, it goes back. Maybe I'm trying to grow up a bit or maybe as I reach my 44th birthday in April, I am starting to realize I cannot own everything. That's not what collecting is all about. It's about picking up pieces that you will be proud to display and never, ever want to let go. I want to be able to look at my collection years from now through coke bottle glasses and smile as I sit n my rocking chair.

I Want To Collect And Save Money

As of late, I've had to make a few tough decisions regarding my collection. As most collectors, I always want to add more goodies to my collection. I want to buy as much as I can. But, I recently had to come to the realization that I don't have the money I had a year ago. My new job doesn't pay me the same salary and after paying bills, my disposable income for my collecting habits has shrunk. So, I had a conversation with myself (Who doesn't have lengthy conversations with themselves?) and realized a few things.

I Can't Collect Everything

I never really considered myself to be a completest. I don't have to collect every figure in a particular line. But ever since I watched a couple of collection videos on YouTube, I've been trying to grab everything. If there was a Batman figure I wasn't crazy about, I grabbed it anyway. If I saw a small Spider-Man figure, I'd still pick it up, even though I'm not a fan of 3 1/4 figures. I was trying to get a collection as large as some of the collections I saw. That's no way to collect. I wasn't collecting. I was acquiring. I realized that no matter what, I'm not going to be able to get everything. I love the Hot Toys figures and I have been dying to pick up some, especially the Spider-Man, Batman and soon to be released Marty McFly figure. I can't afford them, so I am going to have to find a way to have an awesome collection without them.

Plus, I'm not really digging a lot of the stuff that has been released. I think for the price we are forced to pay for these figures at Toys R Us you would think they would be of better quality. Better likenesses. But as long as us collectors continue to buy these figures, the toy companies won't make the necessary adjustments us toy collectors deserve.

All I really want now is the 34 inch Spider-Man, the Marvel Mashers Spider-Man figures and the Spider-Man Titan figures. And the Luke Skywalker Bespin Star Wars Black Series 3 figure. That's it. The stuff I really want (statues, high price point figures) are too expensive for my wallet right now.

Good Bye Comic Books, Hello Trades

I love to read comic books. I have been doing so since I could read and never really stopped. Unfortunately, The time to stop buying comics has come. Why? I'm not really interested in some of the titles that have been released lately. Plus, some of the stories has been less than stellar.

So, for now, the only titles I will buy on a monthly basis will be the Spider-Man titles and Batman books. The rest I will pick up on trade. There a lot of stories I miss out on or want to re-read without paying the premium prices for the actual books.

Another reason is room. I hate boxes and I would rather buy a bookcase for the trade books I will be picking up and minimize the long and short boxes in my space. I still want to try and collect a run of Amazing Spider-Man and Peter Parker books. But that's it. Everything else, trade.

Save And Sacrifice

Like I had mentioned earlier, I would love, love, love to add a couple of Hot Toys to my collection. But really, I don't have $200.00 plus to shell out for one. I could live without them. I have no problem with having a collection sans Hot Toys. I could pick up a couple of Batman DC Direct 12 inch figures for the price of one Hot Toy . But if I really want a Hot Toy, then I will have to do what I did as a kid when I wanted a Star Wars action figure or CD.

Save for it.

Instead of buying that $30.00 Spider-Man Ipod case, put that money away. Instead of buying a 6 pack of Blue Moon, put that money away. In a couple of months, I could have the money for an Amazing Spider-Man Hot Toy or a Spidey statue. Or maybe save that money for a comic con and see if I can get a deal on some of the pricey stuff I covet.

Focus On What I Really Want To Collect

For the longest time, I was picking up whatever I liked. It didn't have to fit into my collection. If I thought it was cool, I was buying it. Now, I can't afford to do that anymore. If I want to be able to add new stuff to the House Of Swag, it's going to be something related to what I collect. As of late, I have been focusing on nothing but Spider-Man and I don't see that changing for a while. Everything I want is Spider-Man related, so it's going to be nothing but Spider-Man for a while.

It's not like I need anything new to review. I am woefully behind on my reviews and I need to start catching up. Here's a sneak peek at just some of the figures I will be reviewing soon.

I have been chomping at the bit to open up these and other figures I have been wanting to review for a while. I hope to have at least one review up this week.

After seriously considering all avenues and options, I think these are the best ways for me to still have a great collection and save a little bit of money in the process. It will be rough. There will be times when my instincts will be to grab that cheaply made figure for 20.00. But if I keep my eyes on the goals, then I will be able to add what I want in no time and still have a full pocket.

Add Another To My Must Have List

Just when I thought I had made my Batman pick up list for the year, I get thrown a curve.

As we know, this year we are celebrating the 75th anniversary of our favorite Caped Crusader, The Batman. So far, we got a great issue of Detective Comics #27 earlier this year to commemorate the event and we got the 1968 Filmation Batman on DVD. Later this year, we will be getting some nice Batman goodies like the 1966 Batman TV Series on Blu Ray and DVD in November, Herocross is releasing an awesome Hybrid Metal Figuration of the 1966 Batman in October, which you can see down below:

You can preorder this from Big Bad Toy Store for $89.99. But earlier this week, I got my first look at the newest Kotobukyia Art-FX statue and it's a must have for me and for probably every Batman fan out there.

We are getting a First Appearance Batman by Bob Kane Limited Edition Statue and I think this looks sick.

I think this is a San Diego Comic Con Exclusive, but kotous.com has a pre-sale going on for this for a cool $39.99. They wouldn't be shipped out until a week or two after SDCC, but that's a small price to pay to get something this cool. Seriously, when I first saw these images I thought this would be a $75-100.00 statue. At $39.99, I will be jumping on this.

And to this all I wanted from SDCC initially was the Spider-Man/Iron Man NECA Scalers dual pack.

Must...Resist...Urge...To...Spend!

Every time I hit a Target or Toys R Us or even a comic shop, I always find something I want to pick up. It never fails. I'm at Midtown Comics, I see a statue that I want. I'm at Toys R Us, I see a figure. Even at the supermarket I see a box of Amazing Spider-Man 2 fruit snacks that I want to add to my Spider-Man collection. Being a compulsive buyer can be a pain sometimes.

Because I have a bad habit of buying and the fact that I have little room, I had to have a discussion with myself. I had to be honest and really think about what I really want to have in my collection right now. Maybe go quality over quantity. This approach helped me make my decision to put back the 2 DC Multiverse 1989 Batman and unmasked Batman figures easier. I may still own them at some point, but initially I wasn't impressed with the size or likeness.

Since I decided to go this route, I have been keeping an eye on some upcoming releases that I would love to own when they come out:

Ever since Figures Inc. released photos of it's 1966 Batman line, I have been wanting to add this Batman to my 1966 Batman collection. I have always wanted a Mego-like Batman figure and now that this is available, I will do what I can to have one to display with my NECA Batman and my custom 12 inch Batman.

Sticking with the 1966 Batman theme, this bank is definitely going to be added to the 1966 Batman collection. This awesome piece won't be released until November, so I will be eagerly awaiting for this to be released. This may be released around the same time as the release of the 1966 Batman TV series on Blu-Ray. November is shaping up to be a awesome month if your a Batman fan.

About a month ago, my buddy George and I went into a Disney Store in NJ. I saw a really nice Rebellion fleet t-shirt that I was thinking of picking up when I saw a 12 inch talking Han Solo figure, which I thought was pretty cool. I told George if they ever came out with a Luke I would buy it. As Biff Tannen famously said, Well looky what we have here. A 12 inch talking Luke Skywalker. I cannot wait to get my mitts on this. The cool thing about the Han Solo figure was it had phrases from the movie. It wasn't a lame actor reading lines. It was the voice of Harrison Ford. I can only assume this one will have actual dialogue of Mark Hamill from the movies as well. This makes it a must have for me.

Ever since I first saw this gigantic 31 inch Spider-Man figure at Toys R Us I have been conspiring to get one. Each time I see it however, I am low on funds. I will be picking up this behemoth at some point real soon. Yeah, I know I complained about lack of room. I don't care. I want it, I want it.

When I saw this picture I shrieked like a 10 year old. I cannot wait until October comes around. This is a must have for my Spider-Man collection. I will probably hit up Dr. Mego for two bodies so I can have all three displayed at the same time. I love the old school Spidey outfit with the webbing under his arms. Very John Romita-ish. This will look great on display.

Unlike many of you, I actually enjoyed the Amazing Spider-Man 2. I went to see it multiple times in the theaters. Although it made a lot of money, word of mouth about this movie wasn't the greatest, but whatever. I think it's the best Spider-Man movie made, edging out Spider-Man 2 for that honor, in my opinion. I haven't bought a lot of Spider-Man 2 merchandise just yet. This bust is something I do want to have at some point. It comes out in October and if I can, I will pick it up. I'd like to build a Spider-Man statue collection and this is one I'd like to add to the small collection I have so far.

Finally, and most expensive of the bunch, I really want this Hot Toys Amazing Spider-Man 2 figure. I do not own a Hot Toys figure. I would love to make this one the first I pick up and then try to add the other Spider-Man Hot Toys figures as I go along. At $200.00 a pop, that will be difficult for me to pull off, but that also won't stop me from trying. If I have to sacrifice a few figures and comic books to make this happen, then I will do it.

With all the cool stuff coming out, I had to make a list of the goodies that I really wanted above all else. It was hard to do, in the end, I think I did a good job targeting the really nice items that I think would look great in my collection. Like I mentioned earlier, quality over quantity will be the mantra for a while as I have other personal things I need to take care of. But, if I can stick to the plan, then I can take care of everything I need to and still pick these up. Once I do, you can be sure to look here for reviews.

Oh, and I do accept donations.

Adam West Joins The House Of Swag

A couple of months ago, I had decided not to pick up the NECA 1966 Batman figure for various reasons, but the main reason was I was going to spend all my dough on the Hot Toys 1966 Batman figure. I have never owned a Hot Toys figure and was frothing at the mouth over owning the figure and making it the first of what was to be a few Hot Toys I would pick up.

But, a few things happened along the way to it's release. I lost my job and I am still currently out of work. I can't right now justify paying over $200.00 for the figure. It stinks, but such is life. If it's meant that I will own that figure, then I will. But it's not looking like I will anytime soon. So, I was to be out of both the NECA and Hot Toys 1966 Batman figures.

Thank God for Entertainment Earth. The toy company runs sales on a weekly basis and recently had the NECA 1966 Batman for half off the retail price. It was too good a deal to pass up, so I jumped on it and I am glad I did. When the package arrived and I opened it up I was pleasantly surprised at the figure.

Here's how the packaging looked when I opened up the box.

Love the packaging. Just screams 1966 Batman. Not only do you get some shots of the figure its self, but thanks to a clear cellophane window, you get to see the figure in all it's bad ass glory.

Once you pull Batman out of the box, you see that he is very, and may I add VERY, securely fastened to the backing board by what it seems like 20 plastic ties. As pleased that I am that the figure was well protected to inside the box, it was a real pain in the Bazooka Joe to untie him from the backing. I swear, us geeks are never happy with anything. Imagine my complaining had he not been tied down.

Anyway, not only do we have Batman tied down, but we also see the accessories that come with the figure secured in plastic that slid into the backing board securely.

So, out of the box, I can tell you he looks fantastic. I was initially concerned by the abs on this figure. It's not a solid piece like it is on the NECA 1989 Batman figure and I cannot understand why. But, you get used to it and it doesn't really bother your after awhile.

This picture doesn't do the figure justice. The likeness to Adam on this figure is pretty damn close, if not dead on to how he looks in the cowl on the TV show. I love the drawn on eyebrows, the blue cowl with black face plate and blue nose. Great facial sculpt as well. It looks like you could pull off the cowl and get another face under there. It doesn't look painted on like with other figures.

There you see the ab sculpt I was talking about. I'm guessing that there is an "ab crunch" to this figure that the 1989 Batman doesn't have. I have to try it out.

The Bat emblem is painted onto the figure and looks great. The paint job here is fantastic as well. The grey of the bat suit to the blue on his trunks and gloves. No messed up paint job on this figure. I also love the sculpting of the gauntlets on the gloves.

The first problem I encountered with the figure was the joints. They were extremely stiff out of the package. the legs on my Batman was pushed back so far that Adam looked like he was thrusting himself out. Not exactly something I wanted to see. To be honest, at times when I was scared to screw around with the figure too much for fear I might break it. That hinders the ability to pose this figure. Maybe the joints loosen up a bit after a while. Frankly, I hope it does. I would like to maybe put this figure in some sort of pose other than just having it stand on my shelf with his arms at his sides.

I love the cape. The fabric just looks so cool on this figure. You can have it hanging off his shoulders or in the Batman "Bat" pose I have him posed in the above picture. It's a pose he dose in a few episodes in the TV series. Once I have the shoulder joints working better, I will try to lift those arms up a bit higher.

Not only can you make Batman's head go side to side, it can go up and down too. As for the rest of his body, he can bend at the elbows, knees, wrists and toes. He can swivel his hips like Elvis as well as his shoulders, wrists, thighs, forearms and ankles. This can make for great posing, but I do have a fear of rubbing off some of the paint at those spots with too much swiveling.

Here's something that I thought was really cool. The belt buckle opens to reveal the communicator behind it. Very cool. The rest of the belt is made of molded plastic. I'm not sure if the belt is removable.

Those toys, where does he get those wonderful toys? Yes, Batman comes with some accessories. He comes with 2 pairs of hands, 2 Batarangs; one folds and can be put into a pouch which hooks onto the utility belt, some string that goes through the Batarangs and can be used as the bat rope, a bat communicator and a piece of plastic that has something to do with the utility belt. To be honest, I haven't bothered to find out what it is.

 Batman is bringing justice to Gotham City.... 4 Horseman style!

The hands are an easy swap. Just pull off the already existing hand until it literally pops out and just push in the one you want into the socket. The accessories will fit nice and snug into the hands.

You have to be very careful with the accessories. I can see that these can get lost really easily. They are small and unless your going to use them when you display the figure, I would put them someplace where you will not lose them. I think Batman would be pissed if he didn't have his Batarang when he really needed it. 2 accessories I really would have loved to have had with this figure would have been the Bat Shield and the bomb from the movie, but I understand that the bomb will come with the Hot Toys figure.

The back of the figure is painted just as well as the front is. The painters did not take any shortcuts with this figure which shows me that they take their work seriously. The belt, as I suspected is one piece that is not removable. I guess if you really wanted to take the belt off, I suppose there is a way, but why would you want to?

NECA did an awesome job with this Batman figure. They nailed everything right with it and it's going to make a great addition to my Batman collection. Just a bit of advice, if you pick up this figure, make sure you get a stand for it. This figure is made of hard plastic and is a bit too heavy to stand on it's own. It will fall over it there isn't a stand holding it up. That's something else NECA should have included. Maybe a '66 Batman inspired stand will be something that they release in the future or maybe a customizer can come up with one. Regardless, if you, like me, can't afford the Hot Toys '66 Batman, this is an excellent option for those who really want an Adam West Batman figure in their collection. If you can get him on sale, even better.

Now, Why Haven't I Started Collecting These?

Let me take you back to the mid 70's. As a kid, I was obsessed with a few things. Spider-Man, Batman, Superman, Star Wars, The Beatles were among the things that kept me busy. But then there was lunch boxes. Man, I loved them. All the different characters, colors shapes and sizes of these things kept me drooling over them. I would always look at my classmates lunch boxes and then look at my brown paper bag.

See, I never did own one. I had to obsess over everyone's lunch boxes and obsess I did. Whenever someone bought a new one I had to be the first to give it the once over. When my mom went shopping I would find a lunch box I liked and would beg her for it. But she never relented. She would always tell me I would lose it. To her, a brown bag was dispensable. To me, a cool looking lunch box was a status symbol. By the time my mom started to consider buying me one, I was already on my way to Junior High School and was perfectly OK with a brown paper bag.

So, now that I am an adult and have started some collections, yet I STILL have not picked up any vintage lunch boxes for my collections or started a lunch box collection. After watching a couple of lunch box collection videos on YouTube,  I started thinking about why I had not picked up any. I came to the conclusion that 2 factors, lack of room for displaying them and money has kept me from picking any up. Vintage lunch boxes have become a costly hobby, but if I do come across any that I can afford, I may start picking some up and finally start that lunch box collection I have been dreaming of since I was 5.

Which ones would I pick up? Well, let's start off with the obvious ones:

Superheroes:

I have been wanting that vintage Batman lunch box forever. It's a pretty expensive lunch box, so I probably wouldn't go after it as a starter for my collection and would probably put it with my Batman collection anyway. The Superman The Movie lunch box would probably be a better one to start off with, price wise. I love the Hulk lunch box, but I never understood why Spider-Man never got his own lunch box. I always see him with other Marvel heroes on a lunch box. As much of a Super Friends fan I am, the Super Friends lunch box is a no brainer for me. I have come lose a couple of time to acquiring one, but could never agree on a price.

The Beatles

These two Beatles lunch boxes will have to wait until I hit the lottery. These are pretty high end pieces.

TV Shows I liked as a kid:

I had fun watching all these shows as a kid and in some cases still do watch them. I would love to pick up these lunch boxes to remind myself why I loved lunch boxes as kid and why I want to start a collection of lunch boxes.

And of course the movies I love:

I have to have the Star Wars lunch boxes. I was and still am a huge fan of Star Wars, but if Luke Skywalker is on the lunch box, it would probably go with the rest of my Luke Skywalker collection. Too bad a Back To The Future Lunchbox was never made. With all the Back To The Future stuff being released, maybe they will make one.

And finally, 2 music acts that I would have to add to my future lunch box collection:

How did I get from Kiss to The Monkees? I love them both, that's how. Even though Kiss has really been annoying me as of late from lip syncing their performance at the Kings/Ducks game at Dodger Stadium to not performing at the Rock N Roll Hall Of Fame induction. Still, the lunch box is something I've wanted for years and would jump at the chance to own one.

After looking through all the pictures and videos of all the lunch boxes that are out there any collection, no matter how big or small, would be a great one. My hope is that one day, maybe I will fulfill the dream of a 5 year old me and one day get that monkey off my back by picking up a few.  The fact is I have loved these things for far too long. For me not to own any vintage lunch boxes is a personal crime and hopefully, one I can make right for my inner kid.