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I was going to put this in one of the Display Sub-Groups but I decided against it. It's not about sharing a particular tip, or showcasing a collection, so I figured the General section fits more with this thread's theme, as it's moreso about the figure selection proccess than any tangible attempt at building a display. If some Mod feels that it should be filed under another category, move it, no problem.

Now, we've had lots of threads on how we display our figures, or how we choose what to buy and whatnot. This isn't about that. I've been looking at videos of various collections lately. Big or small, it doesn't really matter. Some are focused on a few themes, others are a hodgepodge. Some have some small groups formed, most are just each figure on its own, maybe with one other, random themes next to each other. So that got me wondering, what if someone wants a more "cohesive" look? What if they want to build a diorama or some such? What if they want to get a figure that fits nowhere with their collection as it is? Such questions formed, and I figured I'd ask here, to see how we do.

Say, you're collecting a lot of Batman. You have Nolan, 89, Arkham, whatever. How do you display them? Do you have a bunch of glass cases reserved only for Batman and just put them there? Do you have your three Arkham figs next to your 10+ Nolan ones? Is 89 sitting alone or with a Returns Batman and 89 Joker? Suppose you collect a bit of everything. You have some movie Sci-Fi classics like a Predator, a Xeno, two T-800s, a Ripley, and so on. Say you have some movie classics like a Rambo, a Rocky, a Godfather, etc. And then some Nolan Batman figures, a couple of Captain Americas. How do you display all that? Just one next to the other? Small groupings? Does Nolan Batman get to stand closer to the Godfather, while the SyFy figures sit alone? Suppose you have a bunch of Iron Men, and you're trying to build a Hall Of Armours. Fine, makes sense. But if you have the Iron Monger, the Mandarin and Whiplashes, where do you put them? If you have all the PS4 Spider-Man suits, and the villains, do they go separately or blended in? If you mainly collect Slashers, but you really loved Jaime from GoT and Bruce Lee, do you buy them or do you let them go as they do not fit with your collection?

I've brought up some examples, but there are tons of variations and combinations; you get the point. Mostly I'm curious if you decide to pass on figures you want if you think they wouldn't fit with your setup, or are worried that they'd lead you to a new theme to collect and you don't feel like going down that road. Also, do you buy only if you have a display arrangement in mind, or do you make it up as you go along? By that I mean, say, you a Captain America and a Thor, but you don't feel like expanding on their lines, or assembling the Avengers. Do you get them, or do you pour more money in your Star Wars corner or some such and don't start any Avengers-related shelves? Plus, do you buy any doubles in order to make up a couple of key scenes and have a diorama sort of display? For example one RotJ look in your Jedi display, another in a Throne Room diorama.

I'm probably missing some instances, but I hope you understand what I'm trying to get across. I've always wanted to display a select few themes and teams, but when I think of how certain characters would need two or more versions to accomplish that, I'm rather hesitant to embark upon it. For example, I've liked the Illuminati since they appeared and always planned to have a Hot Toys version of them. But if I tried that, I'd need double versions of Reed (as he'd need to be displayed with the F4 as well), Xavier (you can't have an X-Display without him and just Magneto) and Strange (without him Loki & Wanda would be the sole Sorcerers, and the connection is too loose to display just the two of them). What about Namor? He can go in the F4 shelf, or with Doom. Black Bolt could easily be added to an F4 shelf, a Cosmic one, or next to Medusa. If I get just one for my Illuminati display, I can't get any other Inhumans and let them without their King. So from the start, I think you have to think of what you really want. Just to collect, or to also display?

Such thoughts made me rethink exactly what I wanted out of this whole thing. Did I want a simple assortment of all my favourites and classics? Did I want to create some specific displays? Just how much was I willing to spent? Just what exactly did I want to accomplish with all this? This and that led me to re-evaluating some things like space and the groups I wanted to assemble. But I'm wondering what you think about all this. How do you approach it all? Do you just want to collect the figures and create a mini museum? Do you want to form a couple of groups and teams? Or do you have something more elaborate in mind?
 
I don't have the space to allocate "exclusive titles". I am not a completelist so chances of me having 10 figures from the same line (except resident evil) is rare. I have 1 shelf for Resident Evil, the rest are just mix & match. As long as they look ok together i am ok. Futuristic guys stand together, casual guys together, i also rarely mix scales as it makes things look messy. For example a 1/6 shelf of G.I Joe would look messy if you put the 3.75" together with them. But i do put some small stuffs as decoration and there are shelves mixed with 1/6 statue and nendoroids. It's all about presentation. For something you look at everyday, they can't be too clusterfucked or stacked.

I envy folks that have shelves full of stuffs, all line up front to back, but they look really messy even though they are lined up perfectly. I prefer more space between each figure, this is why i don't go for complete collection as i know i won't have the luxury of enough space to display them properly.

If money wasn't an issue i could build a museum room and keep extending them as the collection grows. Since money is not an issue i don't need to worry about the aftermath either.
 
I don't have the space to allocate "exclusive titles". I am not a completelist so chances of me having 10 figures from the same line (except resident evil) is rare. I have 1 shelf for Resident Evil, the rest are just mix & match. As long as they look ok together i am ok. Futuristic guys stand together, casual guys together, i also rarely mix scales as it makes things look messy. For example a 1/6 shelf of G.I Joe would look messy if you put the 3.75" together with them. But i do put some small stuffs as decoration and there are shelves mixed with 1/6 statue and nendoroids. It's all about presentation. For something you look at everyday, they can't be too clusterfucked or stacked.

I envy folks that have shelves full of stuffs, all line up front to back, but they look really messy even though they are lined up perfectly. I prefer more space between each figure, this is why i don't go for complete collection as i know i won't have the luxury of enough space to display them properly.

If money wasn't an issue i could build a museum room and keep extending them as the collection grows. Since money is not an issue i don't need to worry about the aftermath either.
I don't have much space either ATM. But I'm structuring it all based on hypotheticals, so lots of them are very likely to never get made. In my case I find that it's easier to think in terms of displays rather than singles, because I can group them up and not get caught up in random one-off spur-of-the-moment purchases.

It is true that you can end up with tons of clutter if you're not careful though. It stops being a personal collection and just becomes a hoarder's pile.
 
Interesting thread, darthkostis.

In my collection, I've got many different lines and I try to display each line, depending on the size, on its own shelf, shelves, Detolf or bigger display case, if the line is big enough.

For example, my "Man of Steel" collection fits neatly in one Detolf shelf (Supes, Jor-El, Zod and Faora.) My "Alien/Aliens" collection fit on two Detolf shelves and the top of the Detolf (Power-Loader can't fit inside a Detolf.) My "Lord of the Rings" collection, on the other hand, has it's own nicely sized display case, because of the large number of figures.

The one-offs, which I do have a good number of, get displayed with similar "genre" figures in order to at least provide some semblance of organization. For example, I've got Jack Harper (Tech-49) from "Oblivion" alongside Deckard from "Blade Runner" on a Detolf shelf. I can add other Sci-Fi related one-off figures there, when the time comes. Already thinking of adding my only Predator (Berzerker) and the Nolan figure to that shelf... hmmm...

I personally don't like having a mish-mash of different genres being displayed together. To me, it just throws the collection off. I have a bud who did this, jamming different figures from different lines on several Detolf shelves and I referred to those shelves as his "Studio 54"... :lol

But if one is strapped for display space, there may be no other alternative than to display them this way.
 
I geneally tend to allocate space with theme, but the themes could be as far reaching as "space" or as narrow as "dystopian". Nothing is allocated to a brand per se in my space, and more often than not, I tend to conflate wildly different brands, themes, etc. together. I assume that makes me the minority here
 
Interesting thread, darthkostis.

In my collection, I've got many different lines and I try to display each line, depending on the size, on its own shelf, shelves, Detolf or bigger display case, if the line is big enough.

For example, my "Man of Steel" collection fits neatly in one Detolf shelf (Supes, Jor-El, Zod and Faora.) My "Alien/Aliens" collection fit on two Detolf shelves and the top of the Detolf (Power-Loader can't fit inside a Detolf.) My "Lord of the Rings" collection, on the other hand, has it's own nicely sized display case, because of the large number of figures.

The one-offs, which I do have a good number of, get displayed with similar "genre" figures in order to at least provide some semblance of organization. For example, I've got Jack Harper (Tech-49) from "Oblivion" alongside Deckard from "Blade Runner" on a Detolf shelf. I can add other Sci-Fi related one-off figures there, when the time comes. Already thinking of adding my only Predator (Berzerker) and the Nolan figure to that shelf... hmmm...

I personally don't like having a mish-mash of different genres being displayed together. To me, it just throws the collection off. I have a bud who did this, jamming different figures from different lines on several Detolf shelves and I referred to those shelves as his "Studio 54"... :lol

But if one is strapped for display space, there may be no other alternative than to display them this way.
That's more or less my line of thinking. My "problem" is that I have some/great affection for a variety of things, and I'm trying to trim it to the essentials. I have to think whether it's worth setting up a new type of shelf if I just want one or two figures that are from a particular license or general theme. Do I buy a one-off that I like, or do I keep expanding on an already set-up shelf? Just how many "copies" do I get? Do I buy for a general display or for specific groups/formations? I'm tempted between classics like Alien and Predator, that I have no affection for (I prefer Alien due to the lore and the games, but I'm not sure if it's enough to get anything beyond maybe a Xeno; I think it being linked with predator sours me on it), or planning for a more expanded Star Wars or MCU X-Men (when they hit) collection. I was planning a movie Sci-Fi shelf (separate from my Cyberpunk one) but beyond those 80s franchise that I don't care about, most of my wants come from Videogames or old comics. Isaac Clarke isn't as iconic as the Predator or Doc Brown, but I prefer him. Logically I should get him and Master Chief over a Predator, or get the Mass Effect crew over the Ghostbusters, despite the GBs being far more iconic. These are all hypotheticals since I don't see these vidya licenses getting any action anytime soon, but you get my point. You mentioned Oblivion and that's a film I rewatch for its aesthetic every year, so I'd take a representation of Jack over a Pred based on emotional attachment, even if he's vastly less memorable. That's the kinda thing I feel one has to deal with, do away with "pop culture grails" and just go for what you really, truly like. These things cost 300 euros per piece, they're not cheap.

In the end, I don't want to end up with a cluttered space that has everything and the kitchen sink as far as themes and licenses go. Even if I had all the money and space to create multiple big displays, they'd eventually get jumbled up together and nothing would stand out. If I pour the cash and get all the Sith & Jedi, it'd make for a great wide display. But if I try to replicate every "classic", aside from the required funds and room (which I don't have, I'm not a millionaire) it'd just end up looking cluttered and meaningless. If I could I'd grab a couple of HT Iron Men and make a Hall Of Armour just to have one because I've loved Iron Man for decades. But that's the one-off indulgence that'd turn into a centrepiece, not a display lost amongst countless others.

You don't want to look, years later, at a room filled with plastic and feel that maybe 20% of it all was worth the cash and still has some value to you. And that goes for a movie/comic/whatever collection too. I used to want to buy all the Omnis, from the "classics" to just complete character chronologies. But that's both not viable and without meaning. It's all a bunch of pop culture, it's not important enough to be "classic" beyond a vague understanding of the term. I'd rather buy an extra Batman Omni than buy the ones for a more "critically acclaimed" series that I didn't care for like Preacher.

As I see it, the point of such collections are to get a couple of personal pieces that stand out. It's better to buy two identical RotJ Lukes and have one in a diorama with Vader and Palpatine, and another with all the Jedi, than to get a flavour of the month figure that you have no attachment to and will end up cluttering the shelf.

I geneally tend to allocate space with theme, but the themes could be as far reaching as "space" or as narrow as "dystopian". Nothing is allocated to a brand per se in my space, and more often than not, I tend to conflate wildly different brands, themes, etc. together. I assume that makes me the minority here
You mean you mix up scales and brands as in you have a 1/6th Kirk next to an Enterprise replica and Aragorn's sword, or do you mean just a general detolf with one figure next to the other regardless of their maker (3Zero, HT, etc) and theme (horror, syfy, etc)?
 
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Mostly I'm curious if you decide to pass on figures you want if you think they wouldn't fit with your setup, or are worried that they'd lead you to a new theme to collect and you don't feel like going down that road. Also, do you buy only if you have a display arrangement in mind, or do you make it up as you go along?
[...]
How do you approach it all? Do you just want to collect the figures and create a mini museum? Do you want to form a couple of groups and teams? Or do you have something more elaborate in mind?
Nice idea for a thread!
Let me preface this by saying that I don't see my collecting habits as something static, but rather evolving over time. I've been collecting my entire life (I'm 34 now), and I've gone through a few "phases" over time.

In high school, my entire bedroom was covered in shelves with hundreds of figures. I had Hasbro Star Wars, Mcfarlane Spawn, originals, movie maniacs etc., some random figures from Marvel Legends, SOTA Street Fighter etc. Add some SW posters and lightsabers, and there wasn't a corner without any memorabilia of some sort. I simply bought whatever I liked, and was also strongly driven by what the market offered and I thought looked cool.
When I started studying, I put most of it in boxes and only took with me my 10-15 favorite 7 inchers and some Hasbros. I wanted less visual clutter, so I became more selective in what I bought. I had also recently discovered 12 inch, which became my main focus quite quickly and has remained it since.

With a focus not to want to clutter too much and budgetary constraints, it forced me to be very selective in what I buy. Within that focus, I think I can best describe my selection process from then onwards as simply buying whatever figure I *really* want, regardless of whether it fits whatever I currently have on display. I'm not a completionist and over the years have begun to actively fight the "gotta collect 'em all" mindset in all aspects of my life, so I'm not afraid of going down a specific road when I buy something of a franchise I didn't own before. To give an example: I recently pre-ordered the HIYA ED-209 because I've always loved the character design and the movie. I don't need a Robocop in my collection anymore though - I had the McFarlane one back in the day - so ED-209 will simply happen to be the only representation of that franchise in my collection.

While my main collecting focus in terms of franchises changed slightly over time, I mostly collect core characters that I developed a strong connection with during childhood and teenage years. I don't mind having multiple versions of the same character, but do go for my favourite looks. So in the end, that means I essentially curate my collection by often buying updated versions of the same characters, and then selling the old ones. I heavily customize most of my figures as well to get them exactly how I want them, so I don't automatically buy a new one when it comes along, but rather use parts to upgrade my versions.
I have a handful of characters I still want in my collection (e.g. Blade from the first movie, Jaws shark/Bruce), but the right version simply hasn't come along yet.

When I display my figures, I used to try to group figures in themes, per shelf. That was quite a lose concept though. As you can see in my collection shot below from beginning 2020, a theme can go from micro to macro: scene specific (ROTJ throne room), same movie (Terminator 2), movie trilogy (SW Sandtrooper & ESB Fett), character universe (comic Knightfall Bane & TDK Joker) or type of character (horror/villain: Predator, Freddy Krueger, & Ringwraith). Any grouping beyond the same movie was really mostly due to space constraints though.

I'm currently in a transition period in terms of displaying my figures. My wife and I bought a house last year, which opened up a whole new realm of possibilities. I'm renovating my new collection room now and have quite a specific plan for my display. In short, I'm going for 1 figure per shelf, except for characters that truly fit together, such as ROTJ Vader and Emperor. I like how that allows me to appreciate each figure fully.

Finally, I am also planning to build a 1:6 Sandtrooper diorama (sand dunes or Mos Eisley, not sure yet). I think that's one of the few instances where my display plan actually influences what figures I buy: I think 3 Sandtroopers would look best, so I need to buy a third one at some point - either custom or HT, whatever comes first.

Here's my collection from before I moved last year, for reference.

IMG_1917_2_small.jpg
 
...As I see it, the point of such collections are to get a couple of personal pieces that stand out. It's better to buy two identical RotJ Lukes and have one in a diorama with Vader and Palpatine, and another with all the Jedi, than to get a flavour of the month figure that you have no attachment to and will end up cluttering the shelf.
I quoted this particular paragraph, as I think you nailed it, as far as my collecting goes, as well.

It's been said many times in this forum, "collect what you like", and it really does end there. I also try to get those personal pieces that mean something special, as far as the character goes. But sometimes I do pick up a figure that just grabbed my attention with either the level of detail or just the uniqueness of it. (one example as the Korean War Marilyn Monroe figure, which just caught my eye and I now have her displayed with an old BBi F-86 Pilot figure.

I will admit that while I collect for myself, there's something really cool in sharing this hobby with a bud(s) who appreciate it, as well. Going over to each other's house to check out the latest acquisition and "1/6 hobby talking" can be great.


...Here's my collection from before I moved last year, for reference.

View attachment 538133

I have to say that your displays are right-on. Each shelf has it's own theme and looks super cool.
 
It's been said many times in this forum, "collect what you like", and it really does end there.
Fully agreed. I don't understand the sentiment of getting a figure simply to complete a "set", if you don't really care for that character. Why would I get a Robin to complement my Batman forever if I never cared much for him?

If you like a lot of things, as pretty much all of us do, it comes down to forcing yourself to be selective. Simply because we are collectors doesn't mean that we need to own a physical (or digital) representation of everything we have ever liked in our lives.

Choosing of course is the hard part. There is no mathematical formula we can apply, as its mainly an emotional decision. Budget and space constraints naturally influence that decision, but should not be the (sole) driver IMO. If they are the only reason for being selective, that implies there's some hidden axiom that says that with unlimited money and space, one has to buy everything. If that was the case, I think a lack of impulse control and a hoarding mentality are deeper rooted problems that need to be identified in oneself. If you are constantly feeling "if only I had (a bit) more money/space", I think you are never going to be happy or fulfilled with this hobby. Creating a strict character/franchise/[...] selection as a result of that feeling is only fighting symptoms.

I have to say that your displays are right-on. Each shelf has it's own theme and looks super cool.
Thanks! Although I do have to say that I'm not a fan of mixing 7 inch figures with 12 inch in the same display.
In my new display, I'll have a separate shelf for that scale on the opposite wall of the Detolfs.
 
Nice idea for a thread!
Thanks!

With a focus not to want to clutter too much and budgetary constraints, it forced me to be very selective in what I buy. Within that focus, I think I can best describe my selection process from then onwards as simply buying whatever figure I *really* want, regardless of whether it fits whatever I currently have on display. I'm not a completionist and over the years have begun to actively fight the "gotta collect 'em all" mindset in all aspects of my life, so I'm not afraid of going down a specific road when I buy something of a franchise I didn't own before. To give an example: I recently pre-ordered the HIYA ED-209 because I've always loved the character design and the movie. I don't need a Robocop in my collection anymore though - I had the McFarlane one back in the day - so ED-209 will simply happen to be the only representation of that franchise in my collection.
See, I could never do that. Get a Ledger Joker, because he's iconic, without at least one version of Batman. I've always been plagued by completionism, and while I can ignore the Robins and the Two-Faces, if I get a Joker and a Ras, I'll need a Batman, period.

While my main collecting focus in terms of franchises changed slightly over time, I mostly collect core characters that I developed a strong connection with during childhood and teenage years. I don't mind having multiple versions of the same character, but do go for my favourite looks. So in the end, that means I essentially curate my collection by often buying updated versions of the same characters, and then selling the old ones. I heavily customize most of my figures as well to get them exactly how I want them, so I don't automatically buy a new one when it comes along, but rather use parts to upgrade my versions.
I have a handful of characters I still want in my collection (e.g. Blade from the first movie, Jaws shark/Bruce), but the right version simply hasn't come along yet.
I honestly dread having to update anything. I want to be done within the decade. I won't rule out buying my Top 5 in newer versions or some such, but if I had to go around updating the Sith every 5 years I'd go nuts. I suppose it's because of how I approach collecting, as a way to close the various chapters, instead of solely for the sake of it.

When I display my figures, I used to try to group figures in themes, per shelf. That was quite a lose concept though. As you can see in my collection shot below from beginning 2020, a theme can go from micro to macro: scene specific (ROTJ throne room), same movie (Terminator 2), movie trilogy (SW Sandtrooper & ESB Fett), character universe (comic Knightfall Bane & TDK Joker) or type of character (horror/villain: Predator, Freddy Krueger, & Ringwraith). Any grouping beyond the same movie was really mostly due to space constraints though.

I'm currently in a transition period in terms of displaying my figures. My wife and I bought a house last year, which opened up a whole new realm of possibilities. I'm renovating my new collection room now and have quite a specific plan for my display. In short, I'm going for 1 figure per shelf, except for characters that truly fit together, such as ROTJ Vader and Emperor. I like how that allows me to appreciate each figure fully.

Finally, I am also planning to build a 1:6 Sandtrooper diorama (sand dunes or Mos Eisley, not sure yet). I think that's one of the few instances where my display plan actually influences what figures I buy: I think 3 Sandtroopers would look best, so I need to buy a third one at some point - either custom or HT, whatever comes first.

Here's my collection from before I moved last year, for reference.

View attachment 538133
I'm trying to group my figures by theme if they're one-offs, or just do a few general sub-groups if the license is too wide. I like how you have it all set up, clean and tidy. Are you going to be building any mini-dioramas for your single figures?

If you like a lot of things, as pretty much all of us do, it comes down to forcing yourself to be selective. Simply because we are collectors doesn't mean that we need to own a physical (or digital) representation of everything we have ever liked in our lives.
That is a good point and one that's hard to fight through. You start seeing your collection as a physical representation of all your nerdy interests, and completionism overtakes you. The trick I think is to realise what you don't like anymore, discard it, then categorise the rest in tiers. Some licences you like enough to get the MC, others to get the protagonist and antagonist, others to want a small supporting cast, and one or two you want to have those big displays. You just have to know what you want and need beforehand.

I quoted this particular paragraph, as I think you nailed it, as far as my collecting goes, as well.

It's been said many times in this forum, "collect what you like", and it really does end there. I also try to get those personal pieces that mean something special, as far as the character goes. But sometimes I do pick up a figure that just grabbed my attention with either the level of detail or just the uniqueness of it. (one example as the Korean War Marilyn Monroe figure, which just caught my eye and I now have her displayed with an old BBi F-86 Pilot figure.

I will admit that while I collect for myself, there's something really cool in sharing this hobby with a bud(s) who appreciate it, as well. Going over to each other's house to check out the latest acquisition and "1/6 hobby talking" can be great.
Personally, I'm torn between the things I want and the ones I "want" finish off my collections. I don't care the same for all the characters in my list, but I still have to get them in order to close the chapter. If I keep an IP in my list, then I have to go "all the way". Granted, "all the way" depends. I don't need to buy all the X-Men for my X-Display, but I still need around 10, even though maybe 3 are the ones I truly like, in the way I like Doom and Vader.

I've cut a lot of stuff the last few days, but I'm still not done. For example, I trimmed my GL wishlist. I love the concept of GL, but I realised I only much care for the Johnns era, and Hal/Sinestro are my favourites. It'd be cool to have all the GLs, but I don't care enough for Guy or John to get them, especially when I have to complete my X-Line or the money-sink that is Star Wars. So if/when WB attempts GL again, I'll be sticking with 5 or so figures, not all of them. I don't care for Saint-Walker or Larfleeze enough to drop 300 on each. Hal & Sinestro, maybe Atrocitus & Black Hand plus their Parallax forms will be enough (maybe a small Ganthet as well). I'm trying to keep my "big displays" to a rather low number so that they can stand out. I still need to cut more things though. One-Off videogame and movie characters, entire comic lines that I had to purge so as not to fall down the hardcover rabbit hole.

The way I see it I need a whole room to put my figures and comics in and just say I'm done. I need to do that to be over. I can play around with it, cut and trim, but the important things have to be in there so that I can put them to rest. I do have a couple of actual favourites that I'd buy doubles off to display elsewhere as well, but that's another talk.
 
This is a really interesting thread, I wish I would have seen it earlier.

I have a relatively small collection (around 40 in hand) so that makes things a little easier for me than for some others.

However, I am trying to be thoughtful about how I want my collection segmented and displayed as my basement renovation is complete but I am still trying to acquire my display cabinets (IKEA Billy Oxberg cases with doors) they are hard to come by currently.

In any event my collection started out as a solely Marvel endeavor. I started with my favorite character Thor (TDW Heavy Armor) then I moved on to other Avengers. I mainly collected just figures that I liked as a kid and were part of the MCU. So my plan was just to display them together. As it is I am being careful bk I want to limit my marvel collection to 60 figures so I have to be mindful because of Fantastic Four coming and Dr Doom probably plus some X Men

But I have also started to collect a few DC characters even though as a kid I collected almost exclusively Marvel with the exception of Batman here and there. I picked up BvS Batman and a Justice League Superman, Zod, and I have Wonder Woman, Joker (inArt) and Cyborg on PO. My plan is to collect a few other Snyderverse DC figures and some like Green Lanterns, Black Adam, Black Manta, Riddler, Cat Woman.

Ultimately will have my Marvel figures and Dc figures in different cabinets, that is about the extent of the “thematic” element of my collection.

I love Mandolorian and wanted to get the Beskar armor version and the Heavy Mando but I did not bk I knew that I would have to also have to have several other Star Wars figures which would be a slippery slope and would create a space issue for me at some point
 
This is a really interesting thread, I wish I would have seen it earlier.

I have a relatively small collection (around 40 in hand) so that makes things a little easier for me than for some others.

However, I am trying to be thoughtful about how I want my collection segmented and displayed as my basement renovation is complete but I am still trying to acquire my display cabinets (IKEA Billy Oxberg cases with doors) they are hard to come by currently.

In any event my collection started out as a solely Marvel endeavor. I started with my favorite character Thor (TDW Heavy Armor) then I moved on to other Avengers. I mainly collected just figures that I liked as a kid and were part of the MCU. So my plan was just to display them together. As it is I am being careful bk I want to limit my marvel collection to 60 figures so I have to be mindful because of Fantastic Four coming and Dr Doom probably plus some X Men

But I have also started to collect a few DC characters even though as a kid I collected almost exclusively Marvel with the exception of Batman here and there. I picked up BvS Batman and a Justice League Superman, Zod, and I have Wonder Woman, Joker (inArt) and Cyborg on PO. My plan is to collect a few other Snyderverse DC figures and some like Green Lanterns, Black Adam, Black Manta, Riddler, Cat Woman.

Ultimately will have my Marvel figures and Dc figures in different cabinets, that is about the extent of the “thematic” element of my collection.

I love Mandolorian and wanted to get the Beskar armor version and the Heavy Mando but I did not bk I knew that I would have to also have to have several other Star Wars figures which would be a slippery slope and would create a space issue for me at some point
That's a very good way of going about it. In my case I'm all over the place, so while I'm less prone to buy characters that aren't absolute favourites/wants, it's all too spread out and it makes displays difficult. But lately I've started coming up with ways to merge franchises/brands together by going with thematic groupings, and it's working pretty swell; in theory at least.
 
That's a very good way of going about it. In my case I'm all over the place, so while I'm less prone to buy characters that aren't absolute favourites/wants, it's all too spread out and it makes displays difficult. But lately I've started coming up with ways to merge franchises/brands together by going with thematic groupings, and it's working pretty swell; in theory at least.
Sounds like a great approach, particularly when a person has a lot of figures from different franchises.
I would love to see some pictures of your set up when you have time
 
Sounds like a great approach, particularly when a person has a lot of figures from different franchises.
I would love to see some pictures of your set up when you have time
Oh, I'm a loooooong ways from that. I'm still in wishlist mode while gathering randoms as they come. Everything's in boxes. None of my top wants ever got figures. X-Men, FF/Cosmic & Horror were my Marvel go-tos, and the MCU still hasn't caught up. Green Lantern bombed and Vertigo DC is unlikely to be properly adapted. Videogames rarely get proper merch. Really, I don't get swayed by the movies, I collect based on the source. So I never bought any Avengers or JL and the such. I waited a decade to get an Iron Man and he's been in my Top 10 ever since I was a kid. I'm still waiting for a comic accurate Strange. So yeah, I'm taking it really slow. I just hope that they'll pick up the pace in regards to making what I'm into.

But the way I'm going about it is that whatever I end up getting from Mystic Marvel & Vertigo DC, from Strange and Mephisto to JonCon and Lucifer, they'll go together. My NolanBats will go next to my Godfather and so on. Kirk & Spock next to my Doctor Who Doctors and Hal & Sinestro. I find it better to break it down to thematic groupings, from 7 and onwards, so that I can have them in this left to right sort of display, where every figure gets some space, there are enough to build a scene, and the entire thing tells a story. I'm at this point where I'd rather get one or two figures to represent a franchise and go through the list of most things I've interacted with, than try and go in too deep into anything specific.
 
Oh, I'm a loooooong ways from that. I'm still in wishlist mode while gathering randoms as they come. Everything's in boxes. None of my top wants ever got figures. X-Men, FF/Cosmic & Horror were my Marvel go-tos, and the MCU still hasn't caught up. Green Lantern bombed and Vertigo DC is unlikely to be properly adapted. Videogames rarely get proper merch. Really, I don't get swayed by the movies, I collect based on the source. So I never bought any Avengers or JL and the such. I waited a decade to get an Iron Man and he's been in my Top 10 ever since I was a kid. I'm still waiting for a comic accurate Strange. So yeah, I'm taking it really slow. I just hope that they'll pick up the pace in regards to making what I'm into.

But the way I'm going about it is that whatever I end up getting from Mystic Marvel & Vertigo DC, from Strange and Mephisto to JonCon and Lucifer, they'll go together. My NolanBats will go next to my Godfather and so on. Kirk & Spock next to my Doctor Who Doctors and Hal & Sinestro. I find it better to break it down to thematic groupings, from 7 and onwards, so that I can have them in this left to right sort of display, where every figure gets some space, there are enough to build a scene, and the entire thing tells a story. I'm at this point where I'd rather get one or two figures to represent a franchise and go through the list of most things I've interacted with, than try and go in too deep into anything specific.
I hear you Victor.

And yeah it would be super cool if Hot Toys made a Mephistopheles. I remember when there were rumors that he was going to be in Wanda Vision, I was really excited for that possibility and hence the potential for a figure to be made. At least it seems like the MCU is slowly working its way toward a comic-accurate Dr. Strange and a very “witchy” Scarlet Witch that I remember you want.

I also prefer the figures to be more comic accurate, that has been the criteria I have been using since I have been collecting (when there is a choice between versions) because I have a one figure per character rule I try to get the most “definitive” version I can. That said I am already in my 50’s so I don’t have the time to play the really long game as you do 😁

All of my figures are still in boxes in the attic or in the storage area of my basement. I am really looking forward to actually displaying them soon …I’m not getting any younger
 
I hear you Victor.

And yeah it would be super cool if Hot Toys made a Mephistopheles. I remember when there were rumors that he was going to be in Wanda Vision, I was really excited for that possibility and hence the potential for a figure to be made. At least it seems like the MCU is slowly working its way toward a comic-accurate Dr. Strange and a very “witchy” Scarlet Witch that I remember you want.
Yeah, the MoM designs were a step in the right direction, but they're still not yet there for me, so I'll keep waiting. With Theron as Clea and the MoM stinger I'm hoping they'll get to a proper Dormammu too, but we'll see.

I also prefer the figures to be more comic accurate, that has been the criteria I have been using since I have been collecting (when there is a choice between versions) because I have a one figure per character rule I try to get the most “definitive” version I can. That said I am already in my 50’s so I don’t have the time to play the really long game as you do 😁
Personally I want to be out of the game by the end of this decade. This isn't something I want to be doing forever. And I'm sure that the same way prices are rising now, by then we'll have new techniques and new versions of all the classic characters and here we go again. Nah, I want to be done rather soon. I figure by then they'll have made the major X-Men, Cumberbatch will exit the MCU and thus the witches/wizards will stop, and so on. I don't worry too much on the Marvel front, it's the fact that I'll probably never get any DC Vertigo figures or most of my videogame wants that disappoints me. But hey, if I get maybe 60% of my wishlist it'll be good enough.

All of my figures are still in boxes in the attic or in the storage area of my basement. I am really looking forward to actually displaying them soon …I’m not getting any younger
Ain't that the truth. But I can't start displaying until I get at least one foul display/grouping, and I'm still long ways off.
 
This is a cool thread and something to really think about. My now really small collection has no cohesion and even when it was larger, it still lacked any type of display cohesiveness. I used to try to collect all the Avengers, but that never lasted long as I hated how crowded it all looked. I guess that's what I'm really about now, keeping the display uncluttered. I'm very selective nowadays after first getting into and buying everything Hot Toys back in 2008.

Currently I only have four figures, so there's really nothing to organize. They all have their own detolf and sit with various props that I have. For instance, I have Bucky displayed on a shelf above the Gerber knife from the infamous CA:TWS knife fight scene. Doc Strange is above a 1:1 Eye of Agamotto replica. That may sound like some sort of cohesion, but it's really not, I just happen to have some 1:1 things that go with those two figures. My Alejandro (Sicario) figure is above the steak knives from Squid Game. And the display order can change at any time and it usually does when I do a deep cleaning of the shelves.

This is probably the only unique type of display thing that I would do - I will group figures by similar jobs/roles in a movie or perhaps by filmmaker or who the actor is. I had, for the longest time, Sherlock and Doctor Strange side-by-side. I also have had Agent K (BR 2049) next to Alejandro. (Sicario). And if I had a Han Solo, he probably would have been by Star-Lord.

Like there's order in my display, but really it's chaotic order and would only truly be understood by me. :lol
 
This is a cool thread and something to really think about. My now really small collection has no cohesion and even when it was larger, it still lacked any type of display cohesiveness. I used to try to collect all the Avengers, but that never lasted long as I hated how crowded it all looked. I guess that's what I'm really about now, keeping the display uncluttered. I'm very selective nowadays after first getting into and buying everything Hot Toys back in 2008.

Currently I only have four figures, so there's really nothing to organize. They all have their own detolf and sit with various props that I have. For instance, I have Bucky displayed on a shelf above the Gerber knife from the infamous CA:TWS knife fight scene. Doc Strange is above a 1:1 Eye of Agamotto replica. That may sound like some sort of cohesion, but it's really not, I just happen to have some 1:1 things that go with those two figures. My Alejandro (Sicario) figure is above the steak knives from Squid Game. And the display order can change at any time and it usually does when I do a deep cleaning of the shelves.

This is probably the only unique type of display thing that I would do - I will group figures by similar jobs/roles in a movie or perhaps by filmmaker or who the actor is. I had, for the longest time, Sherlock and Doctor Strange side-by-side. I also have had Agent K (BR 2049) next to Alejandro. (Sicario). And if I had a Han Solo, he probably would have been by Star-Lord.

Like there's order in my display, but really it's chaotic order and would only truly be understood by me. :lol
That's how I'm thinking of setting up my stuff too. I wanted whole displays for this and that, and eventually I realised that I didn't care that much and it'd be a waste. So I'm coming up with thematic displays in my head, and I'll get to work setting them up when I have gathered enough. For example I want enough SW figures for them to have their own corner, but I'll also have a more generic "Sci-Fi" area, which would include Hal Jordan & Sinestro to represent GL, Kirk & Spock for ST, Thanos & Adam Warlock as stand-ins for the Infinity Gauntlet/War/Crusade/Watch/Saga, Cyclops & Phoenix for the X-Men, and so on. I've found that barring very few exceptions, from most IPs I like a character or two, at least enough to spend the cash on the them, so I think it's better to have some set ups connected through the genres rather than try and go all-in with C-Listers in everything.
 
I've found that barring very few exceptions, from most IPs I like a character or two, at least enough to spend the cash on the them, so I think it's better to have some set ups connected through the genres rather than try and go all-in with C-Listers in everything.
This is exactly how I collect. Sure, I enjoy the MCU well-enough, but there are very few of its characters that I care to drop $300+ on. I've also noticed that I hate when I have a lot of the same color-themed figures. Marvel uses a lot of red/blue. At one point, I had Spidey, Cap, Strange, and Iron Man and it was just too much blue and red. I cannot wait for InArt's Joker just to break up the blue that I have from Bucky, Strange, and Arthur Morgan right now. :lol

The idea that you have for you display sounds right up my alley. Should you ever get around to making it how you want, I would sure love to see some pictures of it all.
 
This is exactly how I collect. Sure, I enjoy the MCU well-enough, but there are very few of its characters that I care to drop $300+ on. I've also noticed that I hate when I have a lot of the same color-themed figures. Marvel uses a lot of red/blue. At one point, I had Spidey, Cap, Strange, and Iron Man and it was just too much blue and red. I cannot wait for InArt's Joker just to break up the blue that I have from Bucky, Strange, and Arthur Morgan right now. :lol
I get what you mean. The truth is that a lot of pop culture characters are far too similar and basically just certain genre-focused types with some aesthetical variation. And even then the costumes and colour schemes far too often overlap. It makes sense to be more choosy. How many Mad Scientists or Generic Gruff Action Guys can one buy?

The idea that you have for you display sounds right up my alley. Should you ever get around to making it how you want, I would sure love to see some pictures of it all.
Thanks! And I'll certainly share pictures here in... 2032, with how slowly I'm gathering my wants...
 
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