Welcome back to Collector Spotlight – a regularly irregular interview with a fellow Mezco collector where we pick their brain and find out what’s occupying their shelves.
In this edition of Collector Spotlight, we’re taking a bite out of the Big Apple with fellow New Yorker, Kyle (@k00lectibles), who gives us a tour of his incredible collection. Read on and get to know Kyle!
Q: Pop culture drives so much of the collectible world, what is your favorite pop culture genre?
A: It’s gotta be superheroes because who doesn’t love people fighting in cool costumes while the good guys win? (Well, most of the time.)
Q: Who is your favorite superhero?
A: Spider-Man hands down. I love how he’s just a blue collar guy at the end of the day who tries his best to go above and beyond. His backstory makes him grounded and I think a lot of people see a part of themselves in him, except the whole gaining powers from a radioactive spider situation.
Q: What is your favorite movie of all time?
A: This is a tough one for me! Since I love Spider-Man, I’m going to say Spider-Man 2. I love Sam Raimi’s take on the character. I love Alfred Molina as Doc Ock. And as a New Yorker, I love how they portray NYC. In my honest opinion it’s a perfect superhero, and overall great, movie.
Q: If you could switch lives with any fictional character for a day, who would you choose?
A: I’d switch places with Star Lord so I could explore the cosmos with my friends while listening to awesome tunes.
Q: When did you first start collecting and what was the first figure you remember seeking out?
A: Technically I started collecting when I was four. I had just seen Star Wars and was begging my parents for a stormtrooper figure because I just thought they looked so cool. One night my dad came home from work with one and I was hooked.
Q: What inspired you to start collecting?
A: I fell out collecting as a teenager because I had a lot of other things on my mind – girls. But The Avengers is what inspired me to start collecting again as an adult. I left the theater in awe and it only made me want to reconnect with my nerdy side. The following day I went to a local toy store and bought the Future Foundation Spider-Man Marvel Legend and ten years later I’m still going strong.
Q: Does your collection have a theme? If so, what is it?
A: I collect a handful of different properties (mostly Marvel, Star Wars, DC, GI Joe, and Rumble Society) but I guess you could say the theme is they’re all 1/12 scale. I’m very strict about that. That way they can all play together when I take photos.
Q: What is your favorite aspect of being a collector?
A: Being a collector has added an extra layer of fun to my life. From looking out for new toy/comic shops on vacation, to opening up figures on holidays, it gives me a child-like sense of excitement. That’s hard to come by as an adult.
Q: What was your first One:12 Collective figure?
A: My first One:12 figure was Batman Beyond. By the time I decided I wanted it, it was waitlisted. I added myself to the list regardless then one day a few months later, I checked my email and received a shipping notification out of the blue. It was a very pleasant surprise and one that lead to many more figures.
Q: What is your favorite One:12 Collective figure and why?
A: I’m going to go with Stealth Ops Gomez. The amount of accessories he comes with makes it feel like a dozen figures in one. Also since I preorder most of my figures online nowadays, it felt special to get him in person from the Mezco booth at NYCC.
Q: What is your grail figure?
A: My grail figure is one that hasn’t even been made yet to my knowledge. I really want someone to tackle a highly articulated Knightfall Bane. I always loved his Luchador look over the hyper muscly monster version, and I feel like a lot of Bane figures already out there cover the latter.
Q: Any advice you’d like to offer to new collectors?
A: Embrace it! When I started collecting again as an adult, I definitely felt a little awkward standing on checkout lines with toys, but I wasn’t going to let that prevent me from doing what I loved. Plus you’d be surprised by how many people think it’s cool.