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.

Some Random Thoughts

A lot has gone down since I was blogging regularly that I have not been able to post my opinions on at the time they were news worthy. I'm feeling like sharing those thoughts now.

Remember, these are my opinions and mine alone. If you don't agree with my thoughts, be nice about it or don't leave a comment. If you agree, that makes you smart. (I keed, I keed)

1-I'm Not So Sure About The Ant-Man Movie

Now, don't get me wrong. I do think that Ant Man should be a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He was an original member of the Avengers in the comics. He was a part of the Ultimate Avengers straight to DVD movies and he was a part of the very awesome Avengers Assemble cartoon. Ant Man is an important character and he deserves his time in celluloid.

My issue is I am having a problem deciding if he is worthy of a stand alone film. I mean, unless your a big time comic book fan, chances are you may not even know who the character is. Which may be why his is getting a movie. To introduce the character to the movie going public and possibly set him up to join the Avengers for two part Avengers: The Infinity Gauntlet in 2018 and 2019. If that is the thought process, then it may be a smart move on Marvel's part.

If I was it was up to me, I would have had Hank Pym in the first Avengers movie. Even if he wasn't going to be a part of the alien invasion of New York at the end of the movie, at least have him as a scientist for S.H.I.E.L.D and make some sort of reference to the fact that he becomes Ant Man at some point. Maybe have him d
iscover his power to shrink and grow or even show the suit. Maybe the not so knowledgeable fan wouldn't get the reference, but the seed is planted for later use.

And another problem for me is they aren't even making Henry Pym the main character. Henry Pym is going to be an older character, played by Michael Douglas. Paul Rudd will be playing a totally different character. Why not have it Hank Pym? And will we see the Wasp in this movie? Which character is playing her if we do?

I like Paul Rudd and I've always been a Michael Douglas fan. I really hope this movie does well. After the success of Guardians Of The Galaxy, are you betting against Marvel? I'm not. But by the same token, I also wouldn't be surprised if this is Marvel's first disappointment.

2-What In The Uncle Ben Is Going On With The Spider-Man Franchise?

A lot has happened since the end of the Amazing Spider-Man 2's run in theaters. Rumors have been abound that Sony and Marvel would be meeting in a "Spider-Man Summit" in January 2015. The Sinister Six had been scrapped and it was on again and due to start filming. Andrew Garfield was fired as Peter Parker/Spider-Man for opening his mouth about Sony executives sticking their noses in during the filming of Amazing Spider-Man 2 and then not showing up for a very important Sony dinner, which insulted the executives. There have been so many rumors that I really don't know what to believe anymore.

Here's what I do believe. I do believe that Marvel and Sony were going to discuss a possible Spider-Man appearance in Captain America: Civil War. If you have read the story, you know that Spider-Man was one of the main characters in that story arch. In my opinion, you can't have a Civil War without him. I mean, he revealed his secret identity to the world because he sided with Tony Stark at first before realizing that he's heart was not in on Stark's beliefs and moved over to Captain America's side. Because nothing could be agreed upon, Spider-Man will not be in the picture and his role in the story has been, presumably, given to Black Panther.

I also believe with the departure of Amy Pascal as co-chair person of Sony Entertainment will open up negotiations to allow Marvel to eventually be able to use Spider-Man in future Marvel movies as well as start a franchise for Spidey. Pascal was championing Garfield as Spider-Man and when he was let go it might have been the beginning of the end for her. Do I think we may see a Spider-Man reference at the end of Avengers: Age Of Ultron? No, but we may see something at the end of Captain America: Civil War. I had heard he may appear in the upcoming Thor movie, but I really don't think it makes any sense for him to show up in that film.

Either way, would it really shock anyone reading this that an announcement be made during this summer's San Diego Comic Con? Can you imagine Kevin Feige on stage talking. The lights go down and a Spider-Man logo comes on the screen with Marvel's logo as well as a release date for a Spider-Man movie? I think the crowd reaction would be louder than the one that the 1 minute footage of Batman Vs Superman got.

3-So Marvel Is Now Copying DC Comics?

OK, admittedly, I have not read a comic book in a few months time. Not that I have lost interest in reading them. Because I have been out of work for most of 2014, I decided that I would give up buying single issues and just read the trades instead. Would save me money (kind of) to wait until the collected works of a particular story arch come together under one cover. Plus, it saves me storage room. But, I do try to keep up with the happenings in the comic book world.

Which is why when I heard the announcement for Secret Wars and how it would end the Marvel Universe as we know it made me go hmmmmmmm. 

I know most of you already know what's coming up in Secret Wars. But in case some of yo missed the memo on this, don't worry. The Sexy Geek's got you covered.

Basically, what will happen is by the time the first issue of Secret Wars hits the stands in May, every world in the Marvel Multiverse will be destroyed with pieces of each coming together and forming Battleworld, which is where the story will take place. 

After the Secret Wars story arch ends, there will be a whole new world combining elements of not only the Marvel Universe and Ultimate Universe, but maybe other worlds as well coming together to form the All New Marvel. Essentially, they are taking the best of each world and making one. They may actually bring back old characters in this new world, so if they wanted to bring back Uncle Ben or Gwen Stacey, they can. 

Is this a reboot? Sure as heck seems like it. 

This smells to me like what DC did with Flashpoint a few year back and restarting their universe and forming New 52. A lot of DC fans didn't like it then and some still don't to this day. Once can argue that only a few titles, like Batman, Justice League, Aquaman and Green Lantern are good reads under the New 52 banner. That may not be a fair statement, but I'm just going by what some of the regular comic book readers I know have told me. 

Now, is this what Marvel is going for with their "reboot"? I don't think so. I think that with the success of their movies they have gained a lot more people jumping aboard the Marvel bandwagon, people who may not have read a comic before or kids who seen the movies are are now just starting to read the books themselves. I see this as a way for Marvel to clean up their universes and make it into one tight universe so many readers can follow the stories of their favorite characters. Maybe even make the books in line with he movies, which may or may not be such a hot idea.

I think it could be a good thing as long as the stories are good. I am now more open to change when it comes to comics than I was before. Remember, I was pissing and bitching about how making Doc Ock switch bodies with Peter Parker and killing him off was a bad thing until I read Superior Spider-Man and realized it was a damn good read. I also think I felt better about it knowing with Amazing Spider-Man 2 coming out soon they would have to bring back Peter Parker, so I relaxed and enjoyed the story arch, knowing I'd have my Spider-Man back. What I'm saying is, let's not be so quick to dismiss what Marvel is trying to do. Let's read a few issues of the All New Marvel before we formulate an opinion. If there wasn't a New 52, do we get Court Of Owls, Throne Of Atlantis or Death Of The Family? As long as they don't change too may things, I think this could be a good thing. Now, if Marvel listens to some geniuses and make Milo Morales the only Spider-Man I may not be too pleased with that.

Again, these are just some of my own opinions on what's been going n the past couple of months. I may be wrong in some of what I said. I may be off base on some of my theories or just insane, which wouldn't be the first time I was accused of that. That's why I love talking comics and all things comic book related. There are so many different opinions and thoughts and some awesome conversations are sure to come up within the next few months over these subjects. Let's see what happens and if we, as fans accept what we are given.

I'm Baaaaaaack! And I Have A Figure To Show!

It's been a while. 4 months to be exact. 2014 was not the greatest year for this Sexy Geek. I lost a lot and one of the things I lost was the passion I had to blog about pop culture. It's not that I didn't love all the things I wrote about. I still love Batman and have been dying to get the '66 series on Blu-Ray. I still love comic books, even though I haven't really bought any in a long time and I am really lost. I went to buy all the Spider-Verse issues last weekend to catch up and was told there was another story line along with it to read. Way to confuse me Marvel! I've also been following the big announcement that Marvel made last week regarding Secret Wars and the impact it will have on the Marvel Universe after, which was what I was going to blog initially. But two things happened. I realized that I am out of the comic book flow, so I may not be the best person to state any opinions on this topic.

And I won a contest.

Let me explain, over on Facebook, I follow Funko and every Friday, they run a contest. I have entered a few, never winning any. Then during New Year's week, I get a notification from Funko on Facebook that I won the last contest I entered. I was beyond thrilled, to say the least. When the package arrived last Saturday, I was beside myself with joy.

Look what I won.

I won a Distressed Amazing Spider-Man 2 Funko Hikari. How freaking awesome is this thing? I had seen Hikari figures in Barnes N Noble before, but never picked any up because I really couldn't afford the 50.00 price tag these figures carry. But thanks to the kindness of the good folks over at Funko, I now have a Hikari of my very own. Let's take a look at the box.

I absolutely love the back light effect this box gives off. Spidey looks amazing (no pun intended) against the black of the box.

Now, against my better judgement, lets take Spidey out of the box and take a closer look at him.

Wow, this keeps getting better and better. This figure is numbered 1 of 750. I have the very first figure made. Even if it's not, I'm sticking to that story.

Right out of the box I can tell you this one awesome figure. The figure seems to be made of a heavy plastic. It feels heavier than a POP or one of their bobbleheads would. The fact that it's taller may have something to do with that as well. I also like how the colors pop out on this figure with some backwash on it as well. You can definitely see the Japanese influence in these figures.

The back of this figure looks great as well. If your wondering about articulation, There is very little, much like with a POP. The head does a full rotation and the arms will rotate as well, but that's pretty much it. Who cares? This figure is pretty damn sweet.

Just in case you wanted to see the tag on the figure.

And a close up of Spidey's mug. You can really see the fantastic work that went into this figure when you look at it up close. Ok, I'll stop drooling now.

For size comparison, I bought out my Spider-Man and Amazing Spider-Man 2 POP vinyl figures and you can see the Hikari Spider-Man towers over his smaller brothers. I wanted to have my Amazing Spider-Man POP join the others for this picture but it was too busy avoiding Sony executives.

Again, I cannot thank Funko enough for this awesome figure. It made this Spider-Man collector a very happy geek and it will have a prominent place in my Spider-Man Funko collection forever.

By the way, The Sexy Geek's House Of Swag is now on Facebook. Please swing by and like the page. I plan to add my blog posts from the House of Swag and The Sports Room on to the page as well as have conversations and post pictures of newsworthy items. You can check it out here:
https://www.facebook.com/TheSexyGeeksHouseOfSwag

I hope this is the beginning of my return to blogging. As long as I have something to say or a new item to show off, I will still continue to post blogs. It's one of the few things I feel I am good at and as long as I enjoy blogging (and I do), I will keep at it.

So I Walked Into A Bookstore The Other Day...

Don't you hate it when you go out some place, not looking to pick anything up, yet you walk out spending a some of your hard earned green backs? Neither do I.

I went to pick up some photos over by Union Square yesterday. Since I was in the area I decided to stop off in Barnes N Noble to use their facilities and see if there was anything interesting.While there, I stopped by the section that had POP figures. Unfortunately, I didn't see anything there so I moved along. While passing by this section where the Walking Dead stuff was, tucked between a couple of zombies I found this cool Spider-Man item:

Not sure where I would put this as I don't own a computer monitor, but it's going to look pretty sweet with the rest of my Spider-Man Funko collection.

So, I went to pay for the Spider-Man computer sitter when I noticed a huge display of POP figures right by the registers. Yeah, go ahead and put a huge collection of items that I'm going to want to purchase right by the register. Genius.

While standing on line, I peruse the Funko Pops on display when I saw them right next to each other. I knew it was fate that they would be coming home with me.

Anytime I can pick up a new Luke Skywalker item for my Skywalker collection, I am grabbing it. I had heard of a new Luke Skywalker POP in his Hoth gear paired up with a Wampa and I saw it at Barnes N Noble, but I decided to pass on it as it was a bit pricey. But I did find this Luke solo (No, not Han), so he came home with me.

But Luke was not alone. Right next to him was a POP I had been looking for:

Spider-Man, of course. Duh.

I had been looking for this Amazing Spider-Man 2 POP ever since the movie came out, yet I had trouble finding it. I was all set to order it from eBay like I did with the first Spidey POP, but lucky for me, he and Luke were chilling out, waiting for this sexy geek to grab them both and bring them home.

Since I'm here, Let's take a look at Spidey out of the box and check him out.

Right off the bat, I love the sculpt on this POP. unlike the last Spider-Man, the web lines are not colored in, but it doesn't take anything away from this figure. The Spider symbol is also larger on this POP then the last one as well.

Check out the eyes on him. Awesome job Funko.

Here's the back of Spidey. The paint on this figure is fantastic. There is nary a sploch, messed up line or anything negative to say about the paint application on this POP.

Heck, I even like the Spider on his back.

I always said two Spideys are better than one. I initially thought that the blue on the ASM 2 was lighter, but that isn't the case. The eyes are also wider on this POP. To tell you guys the truth, I can't decide which POP I like better. To me, both have great qualities that I love and because of that, I'm not going to even try to figure out which I like better, so NAHHHH!

What made this trip to Barnes N Noble even sweeter was that I had a 30 % off coupon, so this sweet shopping spree cost me less than $20.00. As Mel Brooks once said, "It's Good To Be The King".

Infinite Marvel Legends Superior Spider-Man

When Marvel announced that they would be cancelling the Amazing Spider-Man book and replacing it with a new title called "Superior Spider-Man", I remembered feeling outraged. How dare you cancel one of the cornerstone titles in your universe, I remembered thinking. Then I found out that Peter Parker wouldn't be Spider-Man in the new book, It would be a reformed Doctor Octopus, inhabiting Parker's body. My radioactive spider blood boiled over and reached critical mass. I was pissed, to say the least.

Then I calmed down and read the book. I have to admit, Dan Slott did a good job writing this book, While I could never find myself rooting for Doc Ock, I kind of liked a more darker Spider-Man/Peter Parker who thought he was better than everyone else. I always knew that Peter Parker would return, so I just enjoyed the book until the return of my beloved hero.

One of the things I liked about the new Spider-Man was the costume. It's a pretty bad ass suit and I was kind of hoping that Parker would have kept it a bit longer before returning to the traditional red and blue suit, but that didn't happen. Still, I was glad to have the real Spider-Man back and didn't give a second thought to the Superior Spider-Man suit. Plus, we didn't have to see those spider legs that Ock put on the suit late. Thank God.

When Hasbro announced a new line of Spider-Man figures, I of course was interested in seeing which characters we were getting. When I saw that a Superior Spider-Man figure was getting made, I knew I would be adding one to my Spider-Man collection. When I saw the prices of the figures, I knew I would be finding another way to add one to my collection. Thankfully, I found one on eBay for 10.00, shipped, that was out of the package. I didn't mind cause I would be opening it anyway. I put in a bit and won it, saving myself 10.00 in the process.

Seeing this figure in person, out of the package, I was pleasantly surprised how good this figure looked. This has to be one of the cleanest Spider-Man figures I have seen in quite some time. The paint is brilliant. There is not one sploch or messed up line to be found on this figure. Because it was an opened figure, it did not come with the Goblin's leg like it did in the package.

I love the eyes Hasbro gave this figure. Almost translucent, Almost like the Spider-Man figure that was released a few years back that had light up eyes that conveyed Spider Sense (Still looking for the figure, btw). As you can see, the paint on this figure looks great. The red just pops out at you and complements the black paint well. They did a good job painting the spider on his chest, but the webs doesn't look right, especially on his head. They look crooked in the most noticeable place on the figure, so there's a strike right there.

The back looks as good as the front. Well painted and the spider on his back is painted as well as the one on the front is. But you can see the messed up web lines on the back of the head also. I guess the guy who painted them on has a problem with heads.

The articulation on this figure is pretty good. The head has a full head spin and can look up and down. The shoulders can go back and forth, but has limited up and down movement due to the neck piece on this figure. There are biceps swivel, bend at the elbows and wrist spin. There is an ab crunch, hip swivel, thigh swivel, knee bend, ankle swivel. The leg can also kick up, but can't go back at all. It just goes off to the side a bit. I'm not a huge fan of posing my figures, but it's nice to know that I can get some cool poses with this figure if I really wanted to.

Even though I didn't get the Goblin's leg, I did get the interchangeable hands that came with the figure. As you can see, I got a pair of thwipping hands to swap out with the figure. The hands come off rather easily, so I had no trouble sticking these onto the figure.

I like the idea of having interchangeable hands. I would have also liked it if this figure came with a set of closed fists and some webbing that could be slid under the wrists so it could look as if he was shooting webs from his web shooters, but I guess we can't have everything we want.

Plus, would it kill Hasbro if they added stands to these figures again?

Overall, I like the figure. I think Hasbro did a great job with this figure, some minor issues aside. I like the sculpting and paint job on this figure. The articulation on this figure is just enough for me and the interchangeable hands help me with posing, if I chose to a some point. I would recommend this figure to any Spider-Man/Marvel fan for their collection. Aside from the Marvel Select Disney Store Exclusive, this might be the only time this figure is made for a while, so get yours before, like Doctor Octopus, it fades away.

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.

My Most Prized Possession

I have been a fan of Marvel Comics for as long as I could read. I remember getting a copy of Origins Of Marvel Comics and Here Comes The Bad Guys as a birthday gift. I remember reading the origins of The Fantastic Four, Thor, The Incredible Hulk, Doctor Doom, The Green Goblin and Doctor Strange. Heck, I still have that copy of Bring On The Bad Guys, all beat up as it is. But inside Origins Of Marvel Comics, I read a story that cemented my love of comics for the rest of my life and that was the origin story of the Amazing Spider-Man.

I loved the fact the Peter Parker was not much older than I was (Actually, since I was probably 6 at the time, he would have been a lot older than I was). I like the fact that he had such cool powers and dressed in a weird costume. Instantly after reading the story, Spider-Man became my favorite super hero. I read as many Amazing Spider-Man, Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man and Marvel Team Ups as I could get my hands on. Sure, I still loved watching Batman and Super Friends on TV, but Spider-Man was the man to me. I owe a huge thank you the man who helped create this wonderful character. Stan Lee.

Now, I know half that thank you would also go to Steve Ditko, who was just as instrumental to bringing Spider-Man to the heights of popularity that he enjoyed, plus he is now credited as a co-creator of the character. But since Mr. Ditko has now since become a recluse, I can only express my gratitude here to Mr. Ditko.

 Now Stan Lee on the other hand is still touring the country at the ripe young age of 91 years old. This man should be celebrated for without him, there is no Fantastic Four. There is no X-Men. There is no Avengers. There are no movies to spend our hard earned bucks on or cartoons on TV or merchandise to pick up. Without Stan Lee, life would have been all DC Comics. Not that it's a bad thing. But last I checked, Spidey was shooting webs at Marvel.

One of my dreams is to meet Stan Lee. Unfortunately, I have not as of yet the closest I have yet to come to meeting him was at last year's Comikaze. The line though was way too long and I didn't want to put my girlfriend and her daughter through that. Not that they would have minded. They are so awesome that they would have waited and had fun doing so. Maybe another time.

My most prized possession is a Stan Lee item. See, a few years back, Stan was still signing his mail (He's long stopped doing so) and I wanted to send something Spider-Man related for him to sign. Now, I wasn't going to send a comic or a DVD cover of Spider-Man to him. Mo, I wanted to send something meaningful to me for him to sign. One day, as I was reading a Spider-Man comic, the idea came to me. I went out and bought a poster of Amazing Fantasy #15. The very first story I remember reading of Spider-Man. So, I packed it up and sent it to his POW Entertainment offices along with return postage.

A couple of months later, this came back to me:

Sorry about the bad picture. I took this with one of my old cell phones which had a crappy camera on it.

But this doesn't look too bad though.

This poster is my most prized possession. To have, essentially, the father of Spider-Man sign my poster is just amazing (No pun intended) to me and I will cherish it for as long as I live. My plan is to be able to have it professionally framed and hung on my wall in the very near future. For now, I have it guarded by 4 ravenous pit bulls and it's also booby trapped. No one is getting this poster if I can help it.

I may never get an opportunity to meet the man who is responsible for hours of enjoyment as a kid, teenager and adult. I can only hope that many of the people who get to meet him express to him just how much happier he made their lives with his creations and fantastic books. Hopefully, one day, I will have that chance. Hopefully, I will have the opportunity to walk up to him, knees shaking, extend my hand out and simply say Thank you. Thank you for all the wonderful stories and characters you created. That, my fellow geeks, would mean a lot to me. Just as it has, I'm sure, to all those who already had the good luck to shake the hand of Spider-Man's dad.