Collectibles! Is there any word that can warm a geek heart so quickly? I haven't addressed them here on the Beat, and not only is it long overdue, it's also timely. San Diego ComicCon is only weeks away, and it's practically the Holy Land for collectors. Already, the list of con exclusives has hit the net, and you can smell the Preview Night stampede brewing.
Every year, this buying frenzy fascinates me, and I find myself gaping at the shelves of action figures, statues, and busts. I covet very little in the way of memorabilia, and I'm always wondering about the people who do. How do they afford it? Where do they put it all? Even on the rare occasion that I do long to own something like Sideshow Collectibles' impeccably dressed Lara Croft, the practical half of me can't comprehend spending that kind of money. Even if I had thousands to drop on such things, I don't think I ever would, for the simple reason that I'd have to dust them. Blech.
Of course, collectibles aren't exclusive to geekdom. But I find the "limited edition" merchandise at conventions to be rather perplexing. I understand why a Mickey Mantle card commands thousands – rarity and historical importance. But I never find it easy to understand why a Lara Croft figure, even if she does have real khaki shorts, can command hundreds. It's only because the industry deems it to be valuable – and I find myself wondering what the hell happens to her when the buyers don't. It's not like there's ever a close-out sale. I know, because I check. And while the saving grace of such purchases is, "It will be worth something, someday!" they very rarely are.
The only collectible that I have ever seen actually shoot up in price is one I really lusted after, but couldn't commit to: Sideshow Collectibles' Ringwraith, pictured above, which now commands a cool $1,000 on Ebay. But really, what is the point of that? Sideshow doesn't get that money anyway, just a sense of artistic pride that it sells for so much nowadays. That's the whole part of limited editions and insane prices that I will never completely grasp. It goes against my rudimentary knowledge of economics and profit.
I'm writing as if I don't spend money on crazy geek things. If you read my drivel regularly, you know that I have a weakness for costuming; it's there that I make my nerdiest purchases. Just last week, I broke down and bought Elizabeth Swann's Chinese pirate sword; and while everyone around me acts as though that's perfectly normal, I can't help but feel a little guilty. It cost less than an average trip to Sephora, but there's always the nagging feeling that I shouldn't indulge such nerdy whims. I can rationalize the purchase of cosmetics or designer jeans; but it's difficult to explain, even to myself, why I want such a thing as a sword or a pair of Lara Croft New Rock boots. (Although, to be fair, those boots have come in pretty handy in the Colorado snow. Everyone covets them now.)
But not all of my treasures are wearable, and like any geek, I love boasting about them. On my wall hangs a real piece of The Shire, or as close as I could come to it. It's a piece of New Zealand greenstone that was found in Hobbiton's lake. It's shaped into the One Ring (of course!) and there's only 100 in the whole world. (I have #2, a friend owns #3.) Even casual LOTR fans begged to touch it – which is why it's now sealed behind glass.
I'm writing as if I don't spend money on crazy geek things. If you read my drivel regularly, you know that I have a weakness for costuming; it's there that I make my nerdiest purchases. Just last week, I broke down and bought Elizabeth Swann's Chinese pirate sword; and while everyone around me acts as though that's perfectly normal, I can't help but feel a little guilty. It cost less than an average trip to Sephora, but there's always the nagging feeling that I shouldn't indulge such nerdy whims. I can rationalize the purchase of cosmetics or designer jeans; but it's difficult to explain, even to myself, why I want such a thing as a sword or a pair of Lara Croft New Rock boots. (Although, to be fair, those boots have come in pretty handy in the Colorado snow. Everyone covets them now.)
But not all of my treasures are wearable, and like any geek, I love boasting about them. On my wall hangs a real piece of The Shire, or as close as I could come to it. It's a piece of New Zealand greenstone that was found in Hobbiton's lake. It's shaped into the One Ring (of course!) and there's only 100 in the whole world. (I have #2, a friend owns #3.) Even casual LOTR fans begged to touch it – which is why it's now sealed behind glass.
I have original printings of The Dark Phoenix Saga and Days of Future Past, which arrived unexpectedly when a friend offered to send me his unwanted X-Men collection. Dropping it into casual conversation is a treat, as someone usually starts demanding to buy them – fat chance. Finally, I have a screen-worn movie costume – in so public a forum, I really can't reveal what it is, or who wore it. But it's a strange treasure, and worth a good deal more now than it used to be. All but the Shire piece are my insurance policies, sellable if I approach starvation. I think, ultimately, this is what makes me a lousy collector.
All of this preamble is just to turn the spotlight on you guys. I know there's nothing geeks love more than bragging about their collections, and I love hearing about what people buy or have custom-made in the name of geekdom. A few of you have mentioned your guilty geek purchases in the comments, and I want to give you the opportunity to really cut loose. Not only will you help me feel better about buying an Elizabeth Swann sword, you too will know you're not alone in extravagant purchasing. As we have a wide range of readers here, I can discover if anyone actually buys from Sideshow. Maybe one of you even owns a Han Solo encased in carbonite or a lifesized Artoo! I turn it over to you. Go crazy, and tell me everything. (And if you have a Ringwraith to sell for under $1,000 .... )
All of this preamble is just to turn the spotlight on you guys. I know there's nothing geeks love more than bragging about their collections, and I love hearing about what people buy or have custom-made in the name of geekdom. A few of you have mentioned your guilty geek purchases in the comments, and I want to give you the opportunity to really cut loose. Not only will you help me feel better about buying an Elizabeth Swann sword, you too will know you're not alone in extravagant purchasing. As we have a wide range of readers here, I can discover if anyone actually buys from Sideshow. Maybe one of you even owns a Han Solo encased in carbonite or a lifesized Artoo! I turn it over to you. Go crazy, and tell me everything. (And if you have a Ringwraith to sell for under $1,000 .... )
1. No collectibles on this end, just a one of a kind I wish I had man'ed up and bought last year. I was in Nicosia, Cyprus for work and came across a shop adjacent to the green line that was, unfortunately, closed. In the window was a scrap metal sculpture of a Scout Trooper on a speeder that I fell in love with right away. Only problem was the roughly (after exchange rates)$2k price tag, which would not include shipping for the massive thing.
I still regret not buying it to this day. Now all I have is a glare filled picture of the intricate beauty: http://horrorsnotdead.com/images/scrapmetalspeeder.jpg
Posted at 3:00PM on Jul 1st 2008 by Peter Hall