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Click on the picture to see this Collection!!
Name: Victor Farr
Location: Cleveland, Ohio |
1- What do you collect?
85% of my collection is made up of all things McFarlane. I have a nearly complete collection of McFarlane Spawn, Sports, Movies, Music…you name it. The other 15% is made up of higher end horror collectables. I also have a few marvel bits that are near and dear to me.
2- When and how did you start collecting and what keeps you going?
I was a fan of comic based toys ever since I was a wee lad. I carried a Mego Hulk with me everywhere I went as a kid. When I stopped playing with toys I began reading comics and that lead me to begin collecting figures around 1993 or 94. The constant flow of high quality, well designed, and amazingly sculpted keeps me going. The entire toy industry has made huge leaps and bounds in the last 10 years. I cant wait to see where the market goes in the next 10 years…and ill be around collecting then too!
3- Why do you collect?
I love seeing my favorite comic characters come to life in miniature form. I also love the sports for display purposes. I’m a huge Colts and Red Wings fan, so its cool to get good likenesses of those players.
4- When did you begin to display your Collection?
I used to live in a smaller house in the city, and my collection was mostly packed up. A couple years later I moved out to the ‘burbs a bit more and bought a bigger house. At that time I dedicated the smallest bedroom to be my computer and collection room. It did the trick for about 6 years, but I severely outgrew it. This past summer I actually added on 1000 sq ft to my house for a dedicated collection display area.
5- How do you get your inspiration to organize and display your Collection?
Everyone that sees my collection says it looks like a store. Personally, I have never seen a store that was this organized! I like to think of it more as a museum. The room is organized chronologically from left to right by series. It makes it very easy for me to find a figure or to see if I’m missing a figure when I’m hunting online.
6- Do you “Collect ‘em all”, or just the ones you like?
I am a tragic completist as well as a variant hunter. I’ve got to have them all!!!
7- Do you have a favorite character that you collect?
I was a huge fan of the Marvel character Thanos. I make sure I never miss a comic of collectable that he is a part of.
8- Which item in your Collection would you say is your absolute favorite and why?
McFarlane Monsters Play sets – Dr. Frankenstein 2. I love grassroots horror stuff, and to me that set epitomizes the perfect Frankenstein.
9- How much do you spend a month on your Collection?
If I actually knew that number, I would probably hate myself.
10- Which item was the most difficult to obtain?
I collect Texas Chainsaw Massacre based stuff, and they made an Atari game based on Leatherface. It was only sold at sears and was recalled very shortly after it was released. I know its not an action figure, but it took me forever to find.
11- What is the oldest item you own and the one with the most value?
Oldest would be MIB Mego Hulk. Most valuable is tough, I have a lot of original sculpts and super rare stuff. The stuff brings good money, but its really a matter of what someone is willing to pay.
12- What is your “Holy Grail”?
Right now I would have to say my Grail is the World Series Barry Bonds. They didn’t make many, and they got expensive fast.
13- What inspires your to purchase an item to add to your Collection?
Mostly it’s for the sake of completion. For me, completing a series is very satisfying. Otherwise, if the figure is very well done and it based on something that interests me, ill buy it.
14- Customizing figures and statues has become very big, have you ever purchased a custom figure or statue and have you ever tried making one?
I actually do a lot of customizing myself. I love doing it. I mostly do stuff for other people, but I have quite a few in my collection as well.
15- Where do you make most of your purchases from?
I buy almost exclusively online. Killertoy.com and Spawntoys.com are the two biggest. I shop eBay a lot for older stuff.
16- Do you ever get hassled about being a toy collector?
No, not really. I keep my gun collection in the same room. ;)
17- What will happen to your collection after you've passed away?
It’s willed to a fellow Spawn nut.
18- Is your collection insured?
Absolutely. You can be too careful. Farmer’s Ins has a very good rider policy for collections.
19- What is missing from your collection that you hope to one day acquire?
A visit from Todd to sign the wall of my collection room.
20- What toy did you have as a kid that you most wish you had kept or, at least, kept in good condition for your collection?
I wish I had kept my Silverhawks. Man, I loved those figures. I played with them like toys should be and they got really beat up. I wouldn’t mind having my Thundercats either.
21- What is the usual reaction when people see your collection?
The top 3 are:
1)
*blank stare in disbelief*
2)
It looks like a store, are you selling these?
3)
Have you lost your mind?
22- Do you attend conventions for some of your purchases? could you tell us about that?
When I was in college I used to go to Pittsburg comic-con, Mid-Ohio, WW Chicago, and bother of the Detroit local comic conventions. I used to read a lot more comics back then, and I was also into getting comics signed. I wish I had the time to still visit those shows, but my schedule doesn’t really allow it.
23- Most collectors today go on what they call a toy run, do you participate in that as well? And what are your favorite spots? Tell us about your routine.
I used to do A LOT of toy running. I had a route I ran every Tuesday and Thursday. It was Toys-R-Us, Wal-Mart, EB, Gamestop, the local comic shop, KB, and then another Toys-R-Us. Again, I don’t have time for that anymore, so I buy most of my stuff online. I still buy from my local Toys-R-Us though.
24- How do you decide what to take out of the package and what stays sealed?
I open one spawn fig from each series. All my non-McFarlane stuff gets opened and displayed.
25- 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’ve been going strong for about 13 years collection action figures, and I collected Hot Wheels before that. I think collecting is in my blood. Will I always collection action figures? I would think so, but ya never know!
26- What advice would you give someone who just started a collection?
Don’t go crazy at first. It’s a very cool hobby, but it can also be very addicting. It seems to me a lot of new guys come in and buy a ton of stuff right off the bat and either get into money trouble and have to sell or they get burned out quick.