What makes a successful Transformers collector? Is it the number of toys you have? The value of the pieces you possess? Or is it the knowledge you have of the different figures released?
There’s only one true yardstick in truth – whether you think you’re successful. It doesn’t matter what other people say or think about you as a collector. After all, a generous application of money is more than enough to plug any gap, real or imaginary, in your collection. The point is, if you feel you’re successful as a collector, then you are.
But even after you’ve reached the lofty title of successful Transformers collector, there’s still room for improvement. How? By constantly questioning your collection. And so here I present the ten questions that every successful Transformers collector should be constantly asking themselves.
1)Do I know the fiction and accompanying back story for each figure?
You don’t know have to know it in excruciatingly painful detail, of course (like “he had a miscoloured finger for 5 seconds in that episode”), but you should know their character, history, and aspirations. Why? The core of Transformers isn’t that they are form-changing contraptions of metal, but they are rich, colourful characters given form as transforming robots. So appreciating the story behind each figure is just as important, if not more, as appreciating the aesthetics of the figure.
Honestly, everybody can appreciate the design and engineering of a toy. But not that many can understand the rationalisation of having such a character in the franchise.
2)Can I name everyone in my collection and recall how I got them?
Unless your collection is comprised solely of current series, chances are that you’ll have had to go on the secondary market to acquire some of your pieces. And dealing with eBayers, other buyers and sellers, and just anything outside of a structured retail environment will entail some tales. Whether or not it’s the friendly seller who became a real friend or the unpleasant oaf who demanded to know your salary (whatever for, I do not know), there’s always an interesting story, location, and person involved with your purchase.
You should be able to remember them, because the community is as much part of the collecting experience as the actual toy is.
3)What is the next figure I’m going to get?
A collection is never complete. Anyone who says so will probably be back in a few months, hunting down another figure. So this is something we need to acknowledge – stepping into this hobby generally means there’ll always be another figure to purchase.
Knowing the next figure you’re going to get gives you an aspiration, a goal, a target to head towards. It gives your collecting a stronger sense of direction, since you know who’ll be joining your shelves soon (and by corollary, where and how and why he fits into your collection) (I use “he” because you do not need a reason to add another female Transformer to your collection, female bots are always cool).
4)What is the next figure I’m going to let go of?
It’s impossible to continuously collect and not sell anything off – unless you stay in a black hole, there’ll be no space soon. That’s a woe I’m sure every Transformers collector faces at some point. So the only solution is to sell off some of your existing pieces.
Sell off?! Blasphemy, you say! It may seem so at first, but think about it. Our tastes change. Our world view evolves. What was once a figure that brought you so much joy and excitement now rests on your shelf as an untouched toy that stares forlornly at you, waiting for you to pick it up again and love it like you once did. But if it’s reached such a state, then it’s time to sell this toy to someone who can enjoy it the way you used to when you first bought it.
And with the vacated space, you can buy another toy, that you’ll appreciate far more than the one that you barely look at now. Everybody wins!
But for that to happen, you need to make the cull now. For only by deciding what you do not want any more, can you decide what you do want in the future.
5)Why do I collect?
Ah, the standard raison d’etre question. The first answer that leaps to mind is probably because you like it. I mean, that’s the rationale for us doing most of the things we do in the first place, right? Because we like it.
But think about it with an end goal in mind. What exactly do you want to do with your modest collection? Take photos and post it on social media to garner a thousand Likes? Create web comics and tell the untold stories that have been percolating in your mind? Transform them and exercise the creativity of your mind? Show off your collection to other collectors and label all your pictures “my humble collection” (seriously, nobody really thinks their collection is humble, come on)?
For me, it’s to assemble an army with which to conquer the world. No la, it’s so that I can one day tell an epic tale of Transformers in the form of a web comic that will last generations.
I kid you not. That really is the goal of my collection.
6)If nobody knew about my collection, would I still collect?
This is a variation on the “if a tree fell in the forest but nobody heard it, did it make a sound” quote, but as mentioned earlier, a large part of collecting is bragging about it to other collectors. Don’t “pshaw” me, you humblebrag every time you post a photo labelled “my humble collection.” You’re not humble.
The thing is, as a community we do thrive on this sort of reverse-oneupsmanship, but would you still collect in the absence of a community? Would you collect if nobody ever saw your collection except you? This is linked to the raison d’etre for your collecting, but it’s also a great way to review your motivations for collecting. What pleases you about your large number of Transformers figures?
7)Who is my favourite figure and why?
It’s not so much the “who” that you should think about, but the “why.” Is it aesthetics? Is it your favourite figure simply because it looks good? Surely your decision for having a favourite goes beyond that, and as a successful collector, you need to have deeper and stronger reasons for picking favourites and giving value to your number one Transformer.
In any which case, mine is Victory Saber. Why? Within G1, sans Fortress Maximus & Scorponok, he’s the most powerful Transformer alive. He’s the combination of two Supreme Commanders (Star Saber and God Ginrai who gets rebuilt into Victory Leo). He’s got virtually all 10s for his Tech Specs. Just Star Saber alone is “great swordsman in the universe” – a title that nobody else, not even his successor, Dai Atlas, ever lays claim too. He’s noble and kind despite his vast power. He has an Optimus Prime-esque head given his faceplate. He has a “son” in the form of Jean. He’s incorruptible. And when it comes down to the crunch, he’s willing to sacrifice himself to save Earth by blowing up the Space Fortress.
Why wouldn’t you like Victory Saber?
So think about why you like your favourite figure, and why everyone should like him or her too.
8)When will I stop collecting?
This is kind of related to question 3 & 4, and it’d be cool if we continued collecting forever. But most likely, real life is going to get in the way, and this is a rather thought provoking question. It’s more like, “under what circumstances will I stop collecting?”
This forces you not just to prioritise Transformers, which is what the previous 7 questions have been asking. This forces you to prioritise collecting in the grand scheme of things, in relation to other things in life. A well thought out answer will probably surprise you because it’ll reveal how important, or how unimportant, Transformers are to your life. Regardless, it’s probably an issue that you’ve never thought about before, and now’s a good time to start thinking about your answer to this question.
9)Am I neglecting anything in life because of my collection?
Also known as “is there anything more important that I should be doing?” This is related to question 8, since it forces you to re-examine your hobby in relation to the things that you’re not doing, but should be doing, in life. It’s a bit different from question 8 since that can be answered in isolation if you really wanted to, but not this one.
It’s not a matter of judgement here, though that question does sound that way. Rather, it’s asking if there is something else in life that we may turned a blind eye to, inadvertently of course, in the pursuit of yet the next vintage figure.
10)Do my toys make me happy?
Too often, once we’re in the throes of a collecting frenzy, our satisfaction comes form having completed everything – rather than experiencing the joy of each toy as it comes. Ultimately, these are toys, and toys by themselves are meant to bring joy and fun to their lives – not because they are the last piece of the puzzle. If your Transformers figures aren’t making you happy when you buy them, why are you collecting?
Re-examining this last point might have you shedding some of your collection once you realise that some purchases were there just so you could “complete the whole set!” but it’s going to make you a happier collector in the end.
This article was partly inspired by this post… which honestly, doesn’t say very much more than restate some nuggets of common sense.
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