Why do you collect? Reflecting on my life...

[Confessional]

Interesting question/read…

As others noted, human nature to seek and gather, then implement our own systems of clarification and classification in an effort to makes sense of and give meanings to things in life. Root cause; fair enough. I'm good with that.

I don't really have a need or desire to relive the childhood-experience; thankful for good memories that matter and we carry those forth at any age. But on a very personal and I suppose spiritual-drive-kinda-deal, I collect toys (like art, objects, books, curiosities, etc.) and surround my studio and home with them… as creative fuel. Part of the creative process to be inspired by great things around you as you make stuff or even just contemplate life trying to make good decisions.

[UnderdogDJLSW]

My heart goes out to everyone who has had to deal with hardships. As said much better than I can, you are your own person and know that you have talent and self worth, no matter what anyone could say. I am a very lucky person. My childhood, though from a split home, was a good one. My life now is a great one outside of the non-threatening health issues I have had to deal with. I found Megos again, because I found this site and literally found my Megos again. The buying went through the roof for a while as a combination of I did not feel well and my kids were enjoying them so much. Now that they are older, the interest is fading for them and my "getting" has slowed (5 years ago I would probably have bought 2 sets each of each Batman coming out, BBTheory, etc. Now I just pick and choose), but we still have fun posing them for pictures on vacation, etc. Toys however (especially some very sentimental ones for me) will always take me back in my mind to the original TRU and Kresges of my 70's childhood.

[hedrap]

I've haven't been able to answer the main question until today. The reasoning has changed over the years. When collecting rebooted in college, it was mainly due to my roommates as we were all sort of crazy. None of us were introverts. We practically lived in rock clubs. It was a mix of artists, musicians...I was the film/video/photography guy.

A lot of figures ended up glued to amps or used for stop motion. That flipped into customizing. My Mego's popped up in my parent's basement and my one buddy went ga-ga over the "I wanted those as a kid" vibe. He then found Doc Mego. Got the catalog and bought repro parts. RTM led me to the museum, but I wasn't in the forums until many years later.

I went through a "that which you own ends up owning you" phase after getting married and unloaded almost everything. From 80's Transformers, GI Joe, and He-Man, to complete lines of Batman Animated, Spidey Toy Biz, etc...but I kept the Megos. When I had my first kid, that lead to filling the line via Ebay cause they're child friendly. That's held since about '09, but now I just sold one of my grail figures for the first time. Combined with the sub-par FTC output, and I'm finding it a lot easier to sell. I know some people really love the FTC product, but Bizarro was like a stake to the heart. They have really, really killed my enthusiasm while at the same time, devaluing the originals. My faith really rides with Doc right now.

The next phase is when my kids won't find restoring figures from lots as fun, which isn't far off. They love Mattycollector stuff, and this may be the first Christmas in five years where nothing Megoesque was included. But recently, like this morning, I did get that initial vibe again. I bought a Skeletor based on the original Masters mini-comic look, which is really Frazetta/Savage Conan in design and far from the Filmation Scooby-Doo looking Skeletor. It made me remember how much those mini-comics and their cardbacks fueled my imagination for what could be. I'll keep it for sometime, maybe get the matching He-Man that's coming out. Eventually, I'll sell them.

The one thing I force myself to stay out of, is customizing. It's way too addictive for me as it hits every main creative vein. The way I stop myself is by doing photoshop mock-ups of the figure and box. The visual seems to help satisfy the urge. For now, it's better to live vicariously through the forums. Having non-playable toys around with young kids is like giving a matchbook to a pyro.

As my rule with the turn of the year, I apologize to anyone I may had p$$ed off in the past.

[hedrap]

The last thing my mom said to me before she passed away was that I was a disappointment. That was the lowest point in my life and something I doubt I will ever get over. Believe me I've tried.

As a parent, that actually makes me angry to read. I understand telling your kid you're disappointed in an action or decision they made, but she had no justification for that. That's known as projection.


....unless you forgot to mention when growing up, you were "big bro" to neighborhood rascal, lil' Jeffey Dahmer. Then she had a point...

[MIB41]

^Thanks Tom. I really love all my MM friends and I've gotten some very touching PM's regarding this thread. I'm fortunate to have a fantastic wife and in recent years have reconciled with my dad, so things are good. I just look at kids sometimes and how happy they are this time of year and get sad remembering my own childhood. The last thing my mom said to me before she passed away was that I was a disappointment. That was the lowest point in my life and something I doubt I will ever get over. Believe me I've tried.

Dwayne I am so sorry to hear that. But this is my mantra from having my own definition/expectation of some people (family included) fall well short - You can only control yourself. People, no matter WHO they are, can (and will) say and do things, intended or not, to hurt you. So my personal self-worth comes from my own definition, not what others say or do to me. And anyone who makes extremely personal and hurtful comments to another are people that have deeply conflicted feelings about themselves. There's no other reason to do that. Translation: I don't take ownership of what people say. I'm my own critic and don't believe in letting someone else set that standard. Accountability starts first with me and what I say and do, as well as what I bring in from the outside to assess myself.

So as terrible as what your mom said to you on her deathbed, ultimately that's on HER, not you. So don't own that. She might have been your mom, but she was also a separate human being with her own flaws and struggles. Clearly she couldn't see through those issues to have something of merit to say before she closed her eyes. That's very sad. And who knows, maybe the disease played a role in how that came out. Bottom line: You are your OWN person Dwayne. And from my experience, you're a fine individual. Very talented; Very giving; and very personable. Don't let anyone step into that circle and redefine you buddy. You have allot to offer and I'm glad I've had the pleasure and experience to know you through our own chats and experiences beyond the forum. Look around you. You've got your own home, a wife, and good friends. I think you should give yourself a Merry Christmas to go with that. I like what I see. All my best!

[megoscott]

I think it's absolutely natural that some people collect as a result of unhappy childhood memories as much as happy ones. I have a lot of happy memories playing with my toys and that feeds my impulse to collect, but at the root of it there were also times when my toys were a refuge and escape from less happy times--loneliness, fear, feeling abandoned. There are a couple of memorably unpleasant events in my early life revolving around toys that left enough of a mark that now I have whatever damn toy I want, thank you very much. We're humans, we do things for complicated reasons.

[palitoy]

I'd wear that like a badge of honour - if you're a disappointment to the type of person who would call their kid a disappointment... well... that's probably a good thing.

Agreed, that's an unhappy person lashing out, it's very sad. Easy to say, hard to actually do but I'd invest nothing in that.

[Captain Big Trousers]

The last thing my mom said to me before she passed away was that I was a disappointment. That was the lowest point in my life and something I doubt I will ever get over. Believe me I've tried.

I'd wear that like a badge of honour - if you're a disappointment to the type of person who would call their kid a disappointment... well... that's probably a good thing.

My life is all about breaking the cycle. My kids are growing up in a happy household.

[Iron Mego]

We didn't have a lot of money either, but my sister and I never suffered true need (we were fed, clothed, and loved). There are, however, MAJOR toy disappointments from my childhood that have lasted up through adulthood. I was actually posting a daily countdown of this on my Facebook page until it started to feel like I was being an ingrate, and then I flipped it to posting about the awesome things I did get.

Anyway, Dwayne, your story is heartbreaking and I'm happy your getting those toys now that you missed out on back then. I know picking up a Mego Iron Man or Cornelius--two I really wanted when I was a kid--made me happy when I finally did get them at age 40-something.

[monitor_ep]

Lets see as a kid I collected Megos, comic books and information on comic book characters in the media

Years later I still collected information on comic book characters in the media, vhs, laserdisk and dvd

A little more than 15 years ago it was JLU, information on comic book characters in the media, dvds, vhs

Now Re-Megos, dvds, information on comic book characters in the media

Years from now, Re-Megos, Megos and information on comic book characters in the media

[Spyweb007]

I had a good childhood, many of the toys in my collection are the same ones I had that I kept over the years. Not sure if there is a reason I collect now other than the fact that I never stopped liking these toys. I've always had them, and never got rid of them, so I've always had a collection to some extent. When I look at my Mego Captain America, I remember the time his shield went flying over the fence into the woods and my older cousin had to climb over and find it for me. I like adding new stuff to my collection that I never had, but most of these little plastic guys have been with me as long as I can remember.

[Earth 2 Chris]

I was very blessed to have two parents who wanted their kids to have more than they did. You would think that would be a given, but I've found unfortunately it's not. My parents were both pretty poor as children, especially my father, growing up on a farm with many siblings and few toys. He did have some, and a loving environment, but nothing like me or my kids have. Also, my parents worked under the "they are only kids once" philosophy, so we were fairly spoiled. I think sometimes maybe TOO much. I think my parents may have went a bit beyond their finances at times to give us a really good Christmas. I know my dad worked a lot of overtime and also worked in tobacco when that was Kentucky's major export. We never took a REAL vacation as kids, but my God we had toys...and friends over...and good times. I guess they were wrong...I wasn't only a kid once. For some reason, I went straight from playing with to "collecting" these things. The only thing that has curtailed that drive a bit is I want MY kids to have just as good, if not better, childhood than I did (which would be hard to top, honestly). So, I find myself more interested in spoiling them than myself these days.

I do feel so VERY lucky to have had such a great and wonderful childhood. It really pains me to hear of stories like Dwayne's and others who had similar situations growing up.


Chris

[boss]

I loved you in Coal Miner's Daughter.

My story is pretty typical I guess. I was a shy kid and didn't make friends easily.
My mother Margaret was kind of a cruel, religious fanatic that walked around in a black cape.

My class mates would constantly taunt me. In senior year the prettiest girl in school took pity on me and got her boyfriend hunky
Tommy Ross to take me to the prom. But this mean girl Chris Hargensen had other ideas and right when they crowned me prom queen
they dropped a bucket of pig's blood on my head so I used my telekenisis to seek revenge on all of them!

Shortly after that I found a Mr.Mxyzptlk and a Maskatron at a garage sale and have been collecting vintage figures every since!

Merry Christmas Everybody!

[Mr.Marion]

I'm starting to lose interest in the hobby. But I did go on tear buying and seller over the last two months. Picked up a mego Tarzan, Aquaman, boxed Davy, and the Hall of Justice. Maybe I'll sell some loose ends and pick up a grail piece and call it a day. Sometimes it feels like I love the hobby more than it loves me.

[4NDR01D]

I've just always liked collecting things I guess, the thrill of the hunt maybe? Comics when I was a kid, records in my teens/twenties, toys in my thirties.
I'm sure my toy collecting started as purely nostalgia for childhood toys but it quickly moved into aesthetics. So I guess currently that would be my answer, aesthetics.
I feel what I collect says something about myself in a subconscious way. I've always considered certain toys to have a bit of a "punk rock" feel to them. Maybe because all the cool "ma and pop" type underground record stores would have cool things on their shelves too. like Frankenstein models, or a Hugo man of a thousand faces with a mohawk and a pin through his nose, theirs something sorta "counterculture" to certain toys. Sometimes it's because the toy has mysterious charm to it (japanese toys from shows I've never seen or heard of can drive me crazy). However I will say I think I'm transitioning from a "quanity" to a "quality" mindset the longer I collect.

And Dwayne I'd really like to recommend the documentary "The Treasures of Long Gone John", I think you might really relate. I recommend it to any "collectors" though.