I have always enjoyed various Main Stream Superheros, as a kid I would grab metal garbage can lids and be Captain America (the garbage can lids could fly almost as well as his shield), grab a sheet from the clothes line and be Superman, pretend my bigwheel was a bad arse Bat BIke.
As I physically grew up (mentally? the jury is still out on that) I would pick up an occasional comic to read, but I never went full bore into comics, I always told myself I didn't have time.
I met The Vox at work and he inspired and encouraged (peer pressure a lovely thing) to start with Comics, I went nuts with the launch on the New 52, and during the same time The Vox Introduced me to minimates. it became an addiction real fast, it was a great way to see so many different types of Spider Man... J/K it was actually a unique way to learn more about Super Heros and Villans and with so many variations it has been fun hunting down related comics to follow an Arc or see where the ideas came from.
After about 2 years of collecting I believe I am approaching 600 minimates.
They are small, easy to collect and display, there a conversation piece for all ages (my parents take a look at them when they stop by and often remember their days gone by.