What's up with grown-ups that collect toys/action-figures/collectibles/movie memorabilias etc.? Can anybody justify this weird phenomena or anomalities? Are these wonderful recreation of our favourite characters limited to kids alone? Are there really any rules cast in stone or hard-and-fast rules that says "Persons above the age of .......... shall not be allowed to enjoy the sheer marvellousness of the art known as action-figures"?!! Hardly.....in my opinion, it ultimately falls down to the perceptions of the respective societies that we live in.
But I must ask you, should we bow down to the norms that these status-quo-concerned-societies demand from us? For example, it's considered as a norm when we see an elderly person collects vintage watches (i.e. Rolex, Patek Phillipes etc.) or vintage cars to some extreme! Other 'normal' collectibles include stamps, lighters, matchboxes, frames, first-day envelopes, tobacco pipes, pens, vinyl, carvings, statues, vase, paintings, abstract graphics, concert programmes etc...etc....and the whole smorgasbord of other examples which I could not list here. But when these so-called 'normal' people sees a grown-up who collects action-figures, they'd go like...."What a childish hobby!"....*sigh*
In my honest opinion (and also largely due to the fact that both my wife and I have been ardent collectors since 1999!), action-figures are mere 3-D representation of the characters that we love oh-so-much from whatever TV series or movies or comic books or even from non-illustrated books. This form of 'art-collecting' is oftenly misconstrued as being a wasteful hobby since the collectibles itselves are deemed 'childish' or not up to the par of the normal memorabilias such as the ones I've mentioned earlier. In
the United States alone, most toy-collectors are professional people ranging from lawyers, doctors, engineers, board members of large corporations (?!), senior management staffs.....and the most interesting fact remains that these people need NOT be from the art/graphic/media/design industry to fully enjoy these wonderful crafts.
Well, one thing for certain, I ain't gonna attempt to change any of these perceptions. I'm gonna enjoy what I find gives me the most relief from the stress/hustle 'n bustle of everyday working life...God knows I need it!
As a parting shot, here a few of my favourite toy-enthusiasts' blogs, where "grown-ups" get to talk and rant about their worldly posessions. Some talk solely on 1/6 figures, some extending beyond the realm of figures per se, some dwell into the wonderful world of mechas.....you get the drift! :
What's up with grown-ups that collect toys/action-figures/collectibles/movie memorabilias etc.? Can anybody justify this weird phenomena or anomalities? Are these wonderful recreation of our favourite characters limited to kids alone? Are there really any rules cast in stone or hard-and-fast rules that says "Persons above the age of .......... shall not be allowed to enjoy the sheer marvellousness of the art known as action-figures"?!! Hardly.....in my opinion, it ultimately falls down to the perceptions of the respective societies that we live in.
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