Collector Spotlight Vol. 2

Welcome back to Collector Spotlight - a regularly irregular interview with a fellow Mezco collector where we pick their brain and find out what's occupying their shelves.

In this edition of Collector Spotlight, we're taking a bite out of the Big Apple with fellow New Yorker, Kyle (@k00lectibles), who gives us a tour of his incredible collection. Read on and get to know Kyle!

Q: Pop culture drives so much of the collectible world, what is your favorite pop culture genre?
A: It's gotta be superheroes because who doesn’t love people fighting in cool costumes while the good guys win? (Well, most of the time.)

Q: Who is your favorite superhero?
A: Spider-Man hands down. I love how he’s just a blue collar guy at the end of the day who tries his best to go above and beyond. His backstory makes him grounded and I think a lot of people see a part of themselves in him, except the whole gaining powers from a radioactive spider situation.

Q: What is your favorite movie of all time?
A: This is a tough one for me! Since I love Spider-Man, I'm going to say Spider-Man 2. I love Sam Raimi's take on the character. I love Alfred Molina as Doc Ock. And as a New Yorker, I love how they portray NYC. In my honest opinion it's a perfect superhero, and overall great, movie.

Q: If you could switch lives with any fictional character for a day, who would you choose?
A: I’d switch places with Star Lord so I could explore the cosmos with my friends while listening to awesome tunes.

Q: When did you first start collecting and what was the first figure you remember seeking out?
A: Technically I started collecting when I was four. I had just seen Star Wars and was begging my parents for a stormtrooper figure because I just thought they looked so cool. One night my dad came home from work with one and I was hooked.

Q: What inspired you to start collecting?
A: I fell out collecting as a teenager because I had a lot of other things on my mind - girls. But The Avengers is what inspired me to start collecting again as an adult. I left the theater in awe and it only made me want to reconnect with my nerdy side. The following day I went to a local toy store and bought the Future Foundation Spider-Man Marvel Legend and ten years later I’m still going strong.

Q: Does your collection have a theme? If so, what is it?
A: I collect a handful of different properties (mostly Marvel, Star Wars, DC, GI Joe, and Rumble Society) but I guess you could say the theme is they’re all 1/12 scale. I'm very strict about that. That way they can all play together when I take photos.

Q: What is your favorite aspect of being a collector?
A: Being a collector has added an extra layer of fun to my life. From looking out for new toy/comic shops on vacation, to opening up figures on holidays, it gives me a child-like sense of excitement. That's hard to come by as an adult.

Q: What was your first One:12 Collective figure?
A: My first One:12 figure was Batman Beyond. By the time I decided I wanted it, it was waitlisted. I added myself to the list regardless then one day a few months later, I checked my email and received a shipping notification out of the blue. It was a very pleasant surprise and one that lead to many more figures.

Q: What is your favorite One:12 Collective figure and why?
A: I’m going to go with Stealth Ops Gomez. The amount of accessories he comes with makes it feel like a dozen figures in one. Also since I preorder most of my figures online nowadays, it felt special to get him in person from the Mezco booth at NYCC.

Q: What is your grail figure?
A: My grail figure is one that hasn’t even been made yet to my knowledge. I really want someone to tackle a highly articulated Knightfall Bane. I always loved his Luchador look over the hyper muscly monster version, and I feel like a lot of Bane figures already out there cover the latter.

Q: Any advice you’d like to offer to new collectors?
A: Embrace it! When I started collecting again as an adult, I definitely felt a little awkward standing on checkout lines with toys, but I wasn't going to let that prevent me from doing what I loved. Plus you’d be surprised by how many people think it’s cool.

Want to be featured in the next Collector Spotlight? Be sure to tag us in photos of your collection on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook!