UA-100768763-1 Jump to content

So… Why do you collect minimates?


Recommended Posts

I have been a toy collector my whole life, starting with Star Wars and G.I. Joe. When the Toybiz Marvel line came along, I bought a few, but Marvel Legends really brought he addiction out. However, collecting ML was becoming frustrating and rare variants were going for sometimes hundreds of dollars. I was still collecting them, but more out of obligation.

I was really into Daredevil comics at the time, and had just put together an almost complete run of the original run of comics, so when I saw Marvel Minimates Wave 1 solicited and it featured DD characters, I was hooked! I went to my LCS at the time and made my first special order through the Diamond catalog for a full case of Wave 1, because at the time, that was the only way to get the variant pack, which was 1 per case.

Well, since Waves 1, 2, and 3 were all solicited at the same time, I went ahead and ordered a case of each. Once I got them in-hand, I was hooked. I quickly did the math and found that for the money I was spending on 1 or 2 rare Marvel Legends, I could have a full case of Minimates, without having to do any extra work to track them down! For a while, I still bought a few ML here and there, but my commitment was to Minimates from then on out. I finally sold off most of my ML collection a few years ago, with zero regret.

DST hooked me because they weren't afraid to launch their Marvel line with characters that are usually treated as second-stringers, and despite the moaning we sometimes do over character retreads, they still provide the most variety of any comic themed toy line on the market.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I started collected the Star Trek action figures when Playmates came out with the 4.5"/5" figures in 1992. I typically only bought the crew members but I then quickly started getting all the of them. I have all of them except a few very rare exclusives (I believe I am only missing 6 figures). When the 3" Star Trek Minimates came out I was immediately hooked. I had also collected all the AA Star Trek 7" figures. I had to give up on the 7" figures as they became more expensive and harder to come-by. Then I got word that the 3" Star Trek Minimates were cancelled and that we would never get more than the seven that were made. Of the 3" Star Trek Minimates I got a set in both the tubes and on the card. I only wish the exclusive Kirk with Tribbles also came in a tube but I have two complete sets still completely in the packages as well as two sets that have been openned and displayed and played with.

When I got word that DST was going to make the 2" Star Trek Minimates, I was thrilled to get Minimates again. That also got me interested in the DC Minimates. I was never really into Marvel but I did pick up a few over the years to use as parts for my customizing of Star Trek Minimates after the 2" Trek mates were cancelled. So you can imagine my surprise when the new Legacy Line was announced. I have purchased a total of 4 complete sets of both the TRU line and the LCS line as well as a few extras of Kirk, Picard and Archer. I have also picked up a few of the Battle Beasts Minimates, the Ghostbusters Minimates and the Walking Dead Minimates (eventhough I do have a fear of zombies and will not watch the tv show nor read the graphic novels). I have a few exclusives like the clear blanks in orange, green and blue, I have also gotten a few of the Red Cross minimates and I even got a Ghostbuster promo blank. I did get some of the Battlestar Galatica merely to use for parts but a few of them have made it to the keep for collecting section of my stash of minimates. I have both versions of the Munster's Koach (color is open on display and the b&w one still in package on display at work), I have K.I.T.T that I just got on vacation (the one with Michael Knight in red shirt), as well as the first Back to the Future Delorian and the third one where it has been coverted to a hovercar. I do also have one BSG Cylon Raider (the one without battle damage).

I have come to find more enjoyment in my collection of Minimates by being more involved in this Multiverse Community than I ever thought possible. So Thank You to all of you for helping me enjoy my collection and customizing of Minimates.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

For me, the first thing is that I just like the way they look. They appeal to me on an aesthetic level. I'm talking the basic Minimate structure mind you--the sculpting can sometimes go overboard and detract from what I perceive to be the distinctive nature of Minimates. The second, related thing is the level of detail and options. Blue Beetle and Booster Gold were my gateway drugs, because I liked the characters, and I thought they were neat looking "LEGO guys." But when I took them home I really started realizing how dang cool they were. The articulation was phenomenal. The details were small but crisp and vivid. You could remove their masks and see their faces beneath! I went back and bought up some more DC guys. . .then went back and got some more, etc.

But longer term they have appealed to me due to the vast array of licenses (many of which I like) and uniformity. It is cool being able to pose Madonna next to Marty McFly next to Peter Venkman, next to the T-800, next to the Man with No Name, next to 500 different Spider-Men (this is also something that feeds my unfortunate 1/6 scale addiction). There is a value in the fact that the line is still vibrant, and more figures/licenses are coming out all the time. I think my interest in Kubricks has really waned, in part, because the line has stalled (though I don't think they are as aesthetically pleasing as Minimates). And like Shane, I think this community has also played some role. This is by far the best forum I've ever been a member of, and I've met lots of people here (in a manner of speaking) who keep me coming back.

But I generally don't collect licenses I don't care for, or characters I don't think are attractive Minimates. The fact that so many Minimates still get purchased by me is a testament to DST's ability to do things right in my eyes.

Well put.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

For me, it's several reasons.

First and foremost, Battle Beasts are my absolute favorite toyline. They have been since I was 4 years old. When I saw that they had acquired the name and were possibly going to make their own figures, I was jumping for joy. That is what initially drew me into the world of minimates. Admittedly, Battle Beasts are the number one reason I collect minimates, however since getting exposed to the figures, I have started venturing off into other minimates, such as some of the marvel stuff, mainly Iron Man and Thor, Halo, Thundercats, etc... I am certainly one of the collectors that actually prefers more sculpted pieces included with the minimate rather than the more minimalistic mates.

Secondly, of the the toy lines that I do collect even outside of Battle Beasts, I tend to keep to smaller figure toylines. I honestly don't have much interest in figures that go beyond 2 1/2" or so in height. I used to collect a bit of 3 3/4 stuff like Star Wars and GI Joe, but ended up finding myself much preferring smaller figures. Since, I have consolidated my collection to just include pretty much only mini-figure lines, with the very rare occasion for a display only piece.

Also, I am a huge fan of customizing figures. I love creating my own characters and then trying to bring those characters to life. Sometimes I come up with a character before hand, and work hard to create a figure to match that vision in my head. Sometimes, the character comes together literally while I am fitting different pieces together. I have cut my fingers so many times on xacto blades over the years cutting apart pieces to use in a custom. Once I started getting into minimates, I began to really appreciate the system of a standard body with interchangeable pieces. I still do cutting from time to time to get pieces to work, especially fitting non minimate pieces to a minimate custom. But it has really opened up a lot of different possibilities that are much easier to test out and work then I would do normally with my other custom figure lines.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have collected toys for as long as I remember and I used to go into TRU and just find something that looked cool and buy it just satisfy my addiction. One time I found the Spider-Man five pack with the hidden Rhino in it and I snagged it and immediately loved them and bought as many as I could. I recently have scaled back my collection, only because of finances, but if I had the moola I would buy every minimate even if I didn't care about the license because I just plain love these mini figures. But as it is I pick and choose the must haves.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I bought the Grey Hulk/Rhino 2-pack at Tower Records in late 2004. I hadn't read a comic book in over ten years. After opening the pack and fiddling with them, I was instantly hooked. I had a powerful wave of nostalgia for my junior high and high school days of collecting comic books.

I credit Minimates for giving me a new hobby, meeting cool people on the forums, learning how to use eBay, reading comics again, and endless hours of enjoyment. The DC Minimates led me to start reading DC Comics which I had never really done since I'm a Marvel nut.

I consider myself a "completist" opener. This means I buy series like Halo that I have no knowledge of and no experience with playing the video games. I appreciate the pop culture aspect of these and any kid or man-nerd instantly recognizes them. I think my completism will end as soon as Agent 88 arrives though unless I can get them all in a good deal. The price for getting all of these along with it being an unknown property that I have no connection with limits my desire to spend a lot of money on them. To me they are kinda cool as "Diggers Minimates" and I ordered a bunch of ninjas, but that's it so far. I said the same thing about Goth Girl but I ended up picking her up on eBay so who knows.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here's why I got into Minimates specifically:

http://minimatedatabase.com/figure.php?i=30&n=Captain+America then

http://minimatedatabase.com/pack.php?i=82&n=New+Wolverine++Phoenix then

http://minimatedatabase.com/series.php?i=23&n=Wave+13 then

http://minimatedatabase.com/series.php?i=75&n=Wave+1 and http://minimatedatabase.com/series.php?i=58&n=DC+Minimates+Series+1.

(Hail Ivan!) with some others along the way. I had nibbled at the Marvel bait, but it was BSG and DC that got me good and hooked. Starting with Wave 25 I was a full-time, preordering-every-Marvel-wave junkie.

More generally, (1) the beautiful simplicity of the Minimate design is magical. They look nifty and have good play value, especially once you factor in all of the licenses. (2) The price point is just right. Toys are expensive and it's hard to justify spending $20 on a single mass-market toy. Minimates have always been an incredibly good deal. (3) The community makes it easy to get comfortable as a collector. Without pointing fingers, there are other toy forums where there is a big competition to be the realest collector or a truer fan or somesuch. I don't like that. Everyone here is so nice and helpful. (4) DST (and AA before) kind of rock. You really get the impression that everyone involved are fans of what they are doing, and that just really comes across in the presentation of the merchandise and in how they deal with the fanbase. I think it is just amazing how open Chuck and Zach can be. It makes me want to support their business with my dollars.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There size, realitive low price, articulation, and the wide selection of cool characters especially comic related. I've also always been impressed the way they can capture the essence of a character in such a tiny figure ie Wave 9 assault Punisher.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

"Attitude is better than latitude"

Minimates definitely have attitude and yes they arent huge compared to a lot of other Marvel Toy Lines.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Growing up I always wanted my toys to exist in the same universe, but the scale was never right. Cobra Commander couldn't hang out with Skeletor, it looked ridiculous. Having so many in the exact same form with interchangeable parts is infinitely appealing to me.

I collected the first few Marvel waves, but then stopped for one reason or another. Then I bought some Captain America movie minimates for my nephew's birthday and realized how much improvement had been made on an already cool design. Then I saw that Walking Dead minimates and I was back in. I told myself I'd only pick up TWD and some more Marvel guys, but soon I was picking up Expendables, SFxT, Universal Monsters, and army building MAX police officers, etc. I reviewed the MAX zombies set on my zombie blog and got a comment from Zach, which I thought was amazingly cool. That eventually led me here to the multiverse.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Minimates are as close to retail perfection as this nerd has ever seen.

These are essentially "impulse-buy" pricepoints. Sure, the larger packs are pricier, but at the 2-pack prices from the time the line started 10 years ago to today, they continue to be great value for the price. So many things I'd have a passing interest in in another format becomes an Instant-Buy in Minimate form. As much as I liked Terminator/Star Trek/etc, I've picked up only a smattering of other lines pieces due to cost and size. But I've bought every single Minimate religiously. I've never bought a Lost In Space product before, save for maybe the old Johnny Lightning $6 die-casts, and now I really want everything possible from that license. I've never bought a single Thundercats, Universal Monster, Knight Rider, Munsters, BTTF or Battlestar Galactica item before, but for Minimates, the price was right!

Minimates are my generation's Mego's. Large variety of licenses in a similar affordable format. Ultimately customizable. Willing to give us characters that no other company will. It's rare to get supporting cast with any license that's not Star Wars, so Minimates provide a more complete lineup of characters. And what doesn't get made is easily customized or quick-customed (for the most part)

And the biggest draw? The artistry! There's plenty of cheap toys out there, so why Minimates? The characterization present in the facial expressions. There's so much personality infused into 2 inches of toy. I can slap a coat of pain on anything and call it a different character, but to replicate a DST-style face is the real trick. Especially with no noses, DST really manages to work miracles with their artistry.

Minimates give such personality to their minimates that properties I have no interest in, no knowledge of, or little interest in become interesting to me. And it's inexpensive enough to collect them all. ($30ish for a set of 8 minimates equates to only 3 Marvel Universe figures!) So I want them just for their artistic appeal to me. If I like the design, I want it! I never even watched Lost In Space, but that Robot is one neat toy! And the appeal is that he's in scale and stylisticly fits in with my entire minimate collection. I have no interest in an out-of-scale accurate replica of any size. And I like old Horror and Sci-Fi designs, mainly due to Minimate Wishlisting.

And the best part about retail perfection? I can GET them! None of this one-per-case rare variant nonsense. I can order a full wave and it's all good! I'm done with "The Hunt", I refuse to waste time, gas & money searching for toys. I like to look, but I don't want to be forced to "chase" anything. I've not been thrilled with a lot of the promo-mates, but they are the exception, not the rule. Hasbro's Marvel lines are unbelievably frustrating to collect. Minimates don't require me to prebuy an entire case just to get a full set.

I collect a TON of stuff: Star Wars, Lego, etc. But Minimates remain my passion for the reasons I just gave. But my passion was ignited by buying those TRU 4-packs with 5th "hidden character" and just playing with them and breaking them apart to custom make different figures. It was just a lot of fun! It really spoke to the toy-collector in me.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

For me I always loved smaller figures. I had m.a.s.k. and all the knock offs, then I moved on to zbots and whatever fad was going on. Lego was my next love, the mini figs were iconic and easy for a starting customizer, but expensive(no blind bags back then :( ). I started yearning for more articulation so I dropped the minifigs and picked up my transformers collection. Hasbro had me for a while, the cybertron trilogy and classics were my jam. I collected them till the bayformers came about, I just really really hate what bay did for the universe and the character designs.

I was thinking about picking up lego again but this was around 2009, the 25th anniversity of ghostbusters. My home page was a ghostbusters fan site and there was news everyday, about the game and Mattels line. Then I saw a picture of what peaked my intrest, gb Kubricks. I looked into them and found them incredibly tempting but realized they would be expensive and import only. Sad, I went back on my computer to find that another company got rights to make ghostbusters figures called minimates. Looked into them, found this site and got really happy. The next time I was out at toys r us i found the marvel wave with hulk/iron man, Spider-Man/green goblin and punisher war zone two pack. I was blown away that punisher came with so many accessories and that they all could be stored on the figure.

I echo alot of the same points of intrest for the figures, the amount of articulation, number of licenses, and general attitude towards the licenses shows these are for collectors by collectors. I hope minimates are around for awhile, I have no problem buying into lines if the designs are solid and the figure is intresting. These have been great stories guys, always fun to to learn why different people got in to the figures.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I just like Minimates, so I started to collect a bunch of different licenses before scaling back to only TWD. I eventually found the MU to be much too large and certain figures I wanted are simply too expensive. No way in hell am I ever going to own Psylocke/Gambit at current prices, and that alone frustrated me to the point of not wanting any Marvel. Check my Haves and Wants!

I enjoy the juxstaposition of gore/violence and cuteness The Walking Dead minimates offer. Every one of them is adorably bad ass, most zombies have unique sculpting and they served as the biggest catalyst for my finally reading the comic book (like many, I only watched the show). Really hoping TWD mates go on for a long time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...