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.

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.

My Geeky Christmas Wish List

It looks like Batman didn't get what he wanted this year. Or maybe getting caught in one of The Joker's traps has something to do with the humbug up his butt. Either way, I'm sure this look is not the one he thought he would have by the Christmas tree.

Christmas is one of my favorite holidays. It's the one day of the year when I feel that we can have peace and harmony.... and presents. Maybe it's the greedy miser in me, but I love seeing wrapped presents under the tree with my name on it. As a kid, I remember getting such cool gifts as Mego Batman, Spider-Man and Superman figures, Mego Batman Command Center, Star Wars figures, Remco Batman CSF Copter and the Coleco Pac Man Mini Arcade are some of my favorite presents I recieved as a kid. I cherish my memories of opening those gifts and playing with them to death. Or in the case of my mom, headaches because I would play my Pac Man game early in the morning when everyone was sleeping. I was such a stinker.

Now that I am an adult, not much has changed. I still want to open gifts and enjoy the heck out of them. I may not play with my toys anymore, but it doesn't mean I don't love what I own and would be thrilled if I was able to open my presents and find the following under my Christmas tree.

NECA Batman

I had both of these figures pre ordered with Big Bad Toy Store, but because they kept getting delayed and in one of my biggest blunders, I cancelled the order. Now that they are out and I have seen both at various comic book stores, I want them, I want them, I want them! As much as I am a '66 Batman fanatic, I happen to think the '89 Batman is a nicer figure because it doesn't have that ugly ab joint that the '66 Batman has. Still, I want them both.

Kotobukiya Art FX New 52 Batman Statue

I have been wanting this ever since I first saw the picture of it. After seeing it in person, I wanted it even more. I love the metallic finish to the suit and the fact that it's magnets that keep it on it's base. Some people complain about the suits the new 52 DC characters have, but I don't mind them. Through the ears since his introduction back in Detective Comics #27, The Batman's outfit has gone through several changes. I actually like this outfit and I love how Kotobukiya made this statue.

DC Direct Silver Age Batman And Robin Statue

I am a sucker for anything classic Batman. I have seen this statue before and have drooled over it each and every time. This statue recreates the classic Carmine Infantino 1964 redesigned Batman. Infantino's Batman is one of my top 5 favorites and if I coul ever locate this statue for a decent price, I will add this to my Batman collection.

Kotobukiya Luke Skywalker Statue

I almost picked this up on several different occasions. I have added some great pieces to my Luke Skywalker collection over the course of the year and would have loved to have been able to pull the trigger each time I came close to. Even though the facial sculpt isn't all that close to Mark Hamill's, I do like this statue a lot. Love that Luke is decked out in the Bespin fatigues. This looks like the scene in Empire Strikes Back when he is looking to save Han, Leia and Chewbacca from the Empire in Cloud City. Take my money, please.

Walmart Exclusive Amazing Spider-Man Figure

It's times like this I wish I had a Walmart close by. Because there isn't one in NYC, I missed out on this figure but I would love to find it. I was wondering why an Andrew Garfield figure wasn't done, but then I saw this figure and have been trying to score one ever since. This figure has alluded my grubby hands,  but I will have it one day.

Hamilton Beatles Figures

I have been wanting these since the 90's. I actually had the John Lennon figure that my mom bought me, but was lost in one of my many moves. Not only do I want it back in my Beatles collection, but I want Paul, George and Ringo too. I don't feel that any Beatles collection is complete without these figures. There is barely any articulation in these figures, but who cares? It's the Beatles and I must have them.

Of course, there is a lot more goodies that I'd love to find under my Christmas tree this season, these were the ones I thought of right away. But, to be honest with you guys, I do love what ever my family and friends get me because they are some of the most thoughtful people around. Besides, the holiday season isn't about gifts. It's about spreading joy and love across the globe and if you ask me, the world could use a lot of love these days. Enough hate and crime and war. I think a great man once sang Give Peace A Chance. It's high time we try what Mr. Lennon sang.

League Assignment:Regrets

No wonder Homer Simpson is my favorite Simpsons character. I always have D'oh moments in life. Actually, sometimes, I think my whole life has been one big D'oh! Even with adding to my collection I can be heard to scream D'oh! Like the time I bought a "vintage" New York Jets bank off eBay only to find out after doing some research that the bank in question was actually not a Jets bank. The seller took a football player bank wearing green and slapped Jets stickers on it's helmet. Luckily, I was able to get my money back without an issue.

Ever since I started collecting Batman there has been one piece that I have wanted for a long time. I wouldn't say it's a White Whale, but it's on my top 5 list of wanted Batman items.

That's it. The 1974 Janex Talking Batman Alarm Clock. As a kid, I wanted this pretty bad. I begged and begged and of course I never got it. Once I restarted collecting Batman, it's been something I have wanted to add to the Batman collection. I really think this would look awesome on a shelf with the rest of my Batman goodies.

Last year, at the Super Mega Show, I found a seller with a working one that still spoke. A lot of the clocks you see don't speak anymore, but this one did and he had the box. The seller was selling his for $50.00. I thought it was a little high, so I decided to walk around the dealer room, come back and hit him with a lower number later in the day. When I arrived back to the dealer table he had already sold it. Now, I cannot find a working clock for anything under 75.00 and that is without the box. D'Oh!

Next up on my colossal mistake list are the McFarlane Beatles figures based on the 1965-67 cartoon series that ran on ABC. When these figures were first released, I had the "I will wait a bit, then pick them up" attitude. Of course, my lazy butt never did get those figures and now they don't sell on eBay for under $50.00 individually. The box set goes anywhere from $150.00 to $250.00. Good luck finding them at a toy show. I have never even seen them at a Beatles con. No wonder I am a Nowhere Man. D'oh!

Finally on my Magical Mystery D'oh Tour is the time I left behind a vintage Darth Vader Collector's Case. I was at a flea market with my buddy, George. We came across a table that had a carrying case. I remember having this as a kid and I wanted to buy back a part of my youth. The dealer was selling this for $10.00. Now, I must inform you all that I had just started collecting again at this point and had no idea what vintage toys were going for. I balked at the price and walked away. Now, I know this collector's case is not all that expensive, unless you are going to buy one still with it's packaging. But I know I won't find one again for $10.00 again. The force was NOT strong with me on that day. D'oh!

Knowing what I have learned over the past few years, I know what good deal is and when to pick up an item. This has helped me score some really awesome pieces for my collections and who knows, maybe I will have the opportunity to pick up the items I passed up on at some point. And if I don't then those mistakes will always serve as a reminder that no matter how smart I think I may be, I will always have a bit of Homer Simpson in me. Now, pass me that can of Duff Beer and box of donuts.

Mmmmmmm, donuts.

Take a gander at these fellow Leaguer's blunders and regrets:

http://www.batcavetoyroom.com/2013/10/regretsi-have-few.html

http://monstercafesaltillo.blogspot.mx/2013/10/league-assignment-my-biggest-regret.html

http://goodwillhunting4geeks.blogspot.com/2013/10/league-of-extraordinary-bloggers-my.html

http://www.nerdcantina.com/1/post/2013/10/my-biggest-collecting-regret.html

http://coolandcollected.com/this-is-probably-why-i-dont-collect-star-wars-toys/

New York Comic Con

I resigned myself to the fact that I would be missing New York Comic Con this year. I was actually fine with it. I am saving my pennies for my trip to Los Angeles to see my baby at the end of the month, so I wasn't even thinking about trying to find a way in this year.

Then, around 4:30 PM Friday afternoon my buddy, Jose, texted me asking me to call him. I ran to my desk at the office and called him back. Turns out he had weekend passes and his friend cancelled for that evening and he wanted to know if I wanted to go.

Um, yeah.

So, after I got off work, I met up with Jose in front of Jacobs Javitz Center and in we went. Jose runs a website called Talking About Games, which talks about makeup and hair styles. Nah, it's a video game website. You can check out the website at talkingaboutgames.com.

Ok, enough of the props. On to the pictures.

I'm pretty much going to let the pictures do the talking here. Unfortunately, since time was limited, I didn't get to see everything I wanted, which is fine. I ha a blast in the time I was there and hope I can make another Comic Con in the future. If you are on my Facebook page, you already seen these, but if you aren't (shame one you), here they are.

Walking up to the entrance

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I would kill to own this.

This too.

I love this poster

Snootchie Bootchies

I still need that Art FX Batman statue.

Love these bust banks.

My favorite booth was the Toyworth booth, which displayed some sweet vintage stuff.

Check out that awesome vintage Batman and the Justice League playset. Drool.

Sweet vintage looking Spidey card from Hallmark.

Awesome Batman stuff. I want them all!

I will be reading this when it's released. I believe it's going to be put out by Dark Horse.

Lola from Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. made an appearance.

We end with Neil Adams. One day, I will have a commissioned Batman piece from Neil. Unfortunately, at $300.00 a pop, that will be a long way off.

Again, I want to thank my buddy, Jose from Talking About Games for the pass to get in. I really enjoyed looking at all the cool stuff. Go check out his website and listen to his podcast as well. I will guest on it one day and knowing the two of us, you never know what will come out of our mouths.

Hope you enjoyed the pictures.