Click on the picture to see this Collection!! Name: Dave Huffman Location: Portland , Oregon

1- What is it that you collect?
Marvel action figures, Marvel Legends mostly, but also some of ToyBiz’s Classics that are compatible, and Marvel movie figs. I have a small Marvel Select collection too, but I’m much more selective with them, only picking up certain figures. With Legends I’m a completist, and with the Marvel movie figs I want the best of each character.

2- What was it that brought you to collecting? And what is that keeps you going?
I loved Marvel as a kid. I stopped reading comics at a fairly young age though, but kept a place in my heart for Marvel. I used superhero names for my computers, so one day I was googling for a Thor figure to put on a PC with the same name, and I discovered Marvel Legends. The figures were right from the era I grew up with, and I was blown away with the quality. I’ve been hooked ever since. I also really enjoy playing with Photoshop, and enjoy maintaining a gallery of my figures. The photography is a big part of the hobby for me.

3- When did you start collecting?
My first Legends figures were ML wave 2 Thing, Torch, and Namor. Bought all three and was just amazed. I think I picked up Lizard and Doc Ock from Spider-Man Classics the next day. So that must have been maybe two years ago?

4- Why (what you collect) example: Batman, Star Wars, Transformers, etc…?
Marvel Legends are the toys I would have killed for as a kid. I try to keep my collection just to that, so that it doesn’t overwhelm, my budget, my space, my time, and my life.

5- When did you start displaying them?
As soon as I bought them, but after awhile I started to realize I was running out of room on the shelf, so started brain storming for the way I’d like to display them. The idea of the building came from a drawing of all the Marvel characters I saw once, and it allowed a realistic backdrop that did the sculpts justice, and allowed tiering them to better utilize the space.

6- How do you get your inspiration to organize and display your collection?
The picture that inspired it is in my gallery. My mansion is not exactly the same, but it’s supposed to look like a mansion, a headquarters. I later added an alleyway shelf because the Spider-Man villains from the Spider-Man Classics line were overwhelming the villains in the display, so I wanted to move them out to their own area.

7- Do you have a favorite character(s) you collect?
My favorite Marvel character was and is Hulk. I didn’t really intend to be a completist with that line when I heard about it, planning to basically do what I do with the Spider-Man classics line; buy all the unique characters, and buy a Hulk when it was better than the one I was currently displaying. However, the quality of the line was so impressive, plus there was a lull in the Legends line at the time, I bought every single one.

8- Which item in your collection would you say is your absolute favorite and why?
I guess I’d pick my favorite figure to be Gamma Punch Hulk. He’s my favorite character, and he’s an amazing sculpt, with real emotional anger in his face.

9- Which item was the most difficult to obtain? And which one is your prized possession?
Most difficult to obtain was the clear version on Invisible Woman. It was a variant box set, so I’ve never seen one at retail and probably never will, just because the stores don’t move as many units. I made a trade for her that ended up being a scam and I got screwed royally. However, I was able to make another trade with a fellow collector thankfully. I just loved that version of the figure; I felt it showcased her power and made her a very unique and interesting character. Plus, of all the teams in Marvel, the Fantastic Four cries out the most for completion. Four is right in their name, and is on their uniforms, so its an obvious hole to have only 3 of the characters. Plus, of all the teams, the Fantastic Four is one of the most iconic, and is also the most stable lineup in the Marvel universe.

10- What is the oldest item you own? And the one with the most value?
I still have 4 Mego figures that I played with as a kid; Hulk, Thing, Iron Man and Spidey. I have them displayed on a book shelf in the same room. They are my “When I was a kid, this is the best they could do.” Their purpose is to stand in stark contrast to the high quality figs now in my collection.

11- What inspires you to purchase an item to add to your collection?
I want to finish collecting what I personally consider to be the essential characters, to complete what I consider the essential lineups of the teams. Fantastic Four is complete, but I really need more Avengers characters. Avengers were my favorite team when I was a kid. A few more are coming out soon, but I really feel like I won’t have the essential team until I have Scarlet Witch, and hopefully her brother Quicksilver as well. Dr Strange is coming, which helps complete my essential Defenders, but I wish I could get Valkyrie too, though I probably never will. What I consider my essential X-Men characters will be pretty complete by wave 9. I’ll probably still remain a completist with the line, but these are the one’s I feel I’ve got to have before the line ends.

12- Customizing figures and statues has become very big, have you ever purchased a custom figure or statue and have you ever tried making one?
Nah, I’m pretty happy with what ToyBiz is putting out, and feel like anything I’d customize wouldn’t fair well standing next to one of their pieces. And as much as I respect the customizing hobby, I haven’t seen many customs that I think would not suffer that fate in my eyes. I’ve tweaked a couple of figures, removing their action features if it’s easy to do and such, but other than that I like to display them as they were sold. I concentrate my customizing skills on the dioramas.

13- What do you think of the custom Craze?
I enjoy looking at the work, and I’m glad it’s helping propel the industry. The more successful the line is, the better my chances are of the ML line continuing.

14- Where do you make most of your purchases from? ebay seems to be a favorite with collectors these days, are you an ebayholic?
I’m pretty hard and fast about not feeding the scalpers. I either find it myself, or make a trade. If I find extra of figs I know are in demand, I’ll maybe pick them up. I’d never sell one on eBay though, regardless of the price. I’ll hold it for a later trade, or I’ve even just sent it to a fellow collector for good will. I bought a couple out of production figs from eBay, but never something that’s just being scalped.

15- Is your collection insured?
Well, I assume with my website gallery it’s documented well enough that it’d be covered by homeowners.

16- What is missing from your collection that you hope to one day acquire?
Scarlet Witch tops my list as the figure not yet announced to be made, but that I consider essential. There are others I’d like too, of course, including Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. I’d love to be able to add myself to the collection some day.

17- What is the usual reaction when people see your collection?
I’m usually expecting people will think I’m a freak, but most of the reaction is very positive. I’m old enough now that I don’t really care if someone thinks I’m weird, so long as I enjoy it.

18- Do you attend conventions for some of your purchases? Could you tell us about that?
I haven’t yet. I considered going to SDCC, but just couldn’t justify the expense. If I could tie it into a business trip, I’d go.

19- Most collectors today go on what they call a toy run, do you participate in that as well? And what are your favorite spots? Do you have a routine?
I do, I often burn my lunch hours looking around, and usually hit at least one on the way home from work. It’s getting harder though I think, so the most recent wave I just ordered on line. Also, there are fewer outlets to check now, with KB closing so many stores, and some places dropping the lines. I keep up on where figures are arriving, which chains they’ve been seen at, but sometimes I’ll just hit some stores I have been to lately to keep tabs on them.

20- How do you decide what to take out of the package and what stays sealed?
I don’t buy stuff as investments; I buy them because I like them, and so I open everything. I used to keep my variants unopened, but I eventually even opened those. Seems wrong to never open and enjoy them.

21- At what stage do you think your collection will be at 10 years from now, do you think you would have grown tired of it?
I don’t know, hopefully I’ll have completed all the characters I will have wanted in a year or so. However, if they keep making them better and better, if they’re still making them, I might still be collecting.

22- What advice would you give someone who just started a collection?
Send me Dark Phoenix if you find her.