The Energon Pub

I make sure my girlfriend knows when something expensive comes to the house. She doesn't care what I spend my money on, but I give her the heads up so she knows to be looking for the UPS guy when he gets there.

I know some people might not own up to this one, but does anyone "hide" their collections, or are they proudly displayed in a prominent part of the house?

I have things set up in my apartment's spare bedroom.

Two Ikea bookcases 75% dedicaded to figures.
Computer desk with a hutch covered in figures.
Guest bed.
Short bookcase for storing board games.

The door is usually kept open so guests can clearly see the collection inside.

typh0id wrote:

Counterpunch wrote: I couldn't imagine substituting my girlfriend, snowboarding three times a week, playing basketball every day, or hanging out with friends, for action figures.

As I've said before, I have phased out a lot of other collections in favor of Transformers...And I have forced myself to pass up some other things, knowing that ultimately I'll be happier having spent the money on TFs...Recently I had to really restrain myself to keep from spending $80 on the new set of Castlevania figures (which are just breath-taking)...And more generally, I have to fight myself everytime I go to the toystore to not start collecting GIJoes again...But I only have so much money to spend frivilously and I don't regret choosing Transformers over other things because I love them the most...

Outside of that though, I have never and would never left a bunch of toys block out things that actually matter, like my son or friends or significant other...Transformers are a HUGE deal to me and have been since I was like 5, but in the end it's just a hobby...

Misquote!

I didn't say that.

My collection garners different views from different people..

My mother for a time thought it was very silly, though that feeling soon changed as soon as she'd seen the movie. After she said she loved Jazz and asked if I had him, I brought the figure round to hers one afternoon. As soon as Id put him in her hand she started trying to transform him, got pretty far to! All of it but the arms

My fiancee is very supportive of my collecting, as she knows I only buy anything when I can afford it. She's even bought a couple herself, on the basis that they are cool (Deluxe Movie Barricade) or cute (Voyager Animated Bulkhead) She was as excited as I was when we first saw pictures of MP Grimlock to, as she's a huge fan of the character.

My friends all have different reactions when they see the two bookcases in my room full of TF's.. One usually looks across the whole thing in a form of dumbstruck awe.. another asks "who's new?" every time they come round, one even asked to have his picture taken with it because of 'its sheer awesomeness' another friend bought Movie Leader Class Optimus Prime because he liked mine and missed the ones he had as a child.

I guess the only person who doesnt really support my hobby is my sister, who says 'its stupid' but in all fairness she doesnt have anything positive to say about much :p heh..

I dont know if its because of my collecting, but my mother, fiancee and friends all want to come and see ROTF with me, which is nice. Nothing would suck more than not being able to share my collection with my friends and loved ones.

Zero-kaiser you bring up a good point there at the end. I got back into collect when I first heard about the movie. Since then my brother (who collected with me when we were younger) and one of my sisters have gotten into it. She remembers my brother and I watching the cartoon and the toys. My brother started buying some figures here and there and my sister has some t-shirts (of the "cuter" characters). My whole family (all 9 of us plus wives/girlfriends are going to go see ROTF when it comes out.

Getting other people into it really makes my collection more fun for me.

SJ21 wrote:Zero-kaiser you bring up a good point there at the end.

..I have my moments

Well, my fiancee has been very supportive of my collecting. I pretty much just stick to classics now, but I've got a massive amount of G1, Beast Wars, Armada, RID, etc., etc. There's a lot of it.

She told me over and over again how she had a Slag transformer as a kid, and when I got her the mini-version... well, she was very thankful

She has since gone on to buy me a War Within Skywarp (to show that she supports my WW cartoon), legends Brawn & Beachcomber, and all 4 of the Premium classic figures that were only available online.

She's also, currently, got my Cryotek captured and displayed on "her" shelf.

Her daughter (who's just turned 12) also thinks it's really cool, and actually asked for Transformers for Christmas. I gave her the Kmart Armada 12 pack and she got very excited, as I didn't have any of those figures (and, as she has said, I "can't play with any of them without her around"). She now has a movie OP keychain that she got with her own money.

All in all, I find myself very lucky to have support like that.

My spousagator is very supportive of mine. Her only problem is that she doesn't really know which ones to get me if she ever comes across any sales or anything like that.

My ex was a snatch about them, it was ok for her to drop $150 on shoes, but me and toys were a different story all together

My friends are definitely cool with it, those who aren't interested i them have nothing negative to say. Those who are peer pressure me into buying more.

All is well in the swamp

Contentagator

When my girlfriend goes out, I give her a list of things I am looking for. She is usually cool about checking for me. If I don't give her a list, she looks and gives me the rundown via phone.

Counterpunch wrote:
Misquote!

I didn't say that.

Ooops...Sorry man, my bad...

I was in Target last night and I had to make a tough decision. I was checking out all the new GI joe toys coming out. They look great. It was all I could do to not pick up some of the sets they just put out.

If I started buying stuff in other lines of toys from my youth, I could see that starting to overwhelm the house. I think my girlfriend would disapprove of another collection trying to creep in there.

My idiot exhusband thought it was silly, but then again, he listened to Dan Fogelberg and Christian metal, so how much is his opinion on what's 'cool' worth?

He pretty much ignored my collection of comics and toys. I suspect he was a bit embarrassed--he insisted that very few should be 'visible' in areas where he'd bring guests. He somehow thought having a wife who collected toys would prevent him from getting a promotion. Not sure how. But then again, he also made me hide my Latin Bible for the same reason.

HOWEVER. When we got divorced, he did what I personally deem to be the sneakiest, low-downiest, utterly despicablest and unforgivable thing ever. He went through my stuff and took *one* at random. So, like whole series of comics? He snagged a random issue. He swiped a random Seeker from all of my Seeker collections. He swiped one disc from my DVD series (so, like, my TF Cybertron is short one disk).

I'm still trying to backfill my collection from his petty vengeance.

But he wonders why I don't want to be friends? I want to force a gasoline enema on him and set it on fire.

HK, hell hath no fury like a woman whose toy collection has been raped.

hellkitty wrote:HK, hell hath no fury like a woman whose toy collection has been raped.

HK, your ex sounds like an ass, you're better off without that kind of negitivity.

SJ21 wrote:I was in Target last night and I had to make a tough decision. I was checking out all the new GI joe toys coming out. They look great. It was all I could do to not pick up some of the sets they just put out.

If I started buying stuff in other lines of toys from my youth, I could see that starting to overwhelm the house. I think my girlfriend would disapprove of another collection trying to creep in there.

Heh, I know that one. I was never big on Joe when I was growing up, but a number of the newer Joe items, (Resolute, HOH, the 5 & 7 Packs) are simply great. I have started to pick up a few but I have tried to set a defined limit of what I'll go after, so hopefully the impulse bug that I have with TF's won't affect these as much.

The limit isn't as much for my GF benefit or to hide it from her, but a lack of space at our apartment. FYI the limit is that I'm only going to build a Cobra force of about 30 figures (not including non-display pieces from multi-packs) That I'll slowly work over the next year or so.

hellkitty wrote:My idiot exhusband thought it was silly, but then again, he listened to Dan Fogelberg and Christian metal, so how much is his opinion on what's 'cool' worth?

HOWEVER. When we got divorced, he did what I personally deem to be the sneakiest, low-downiest, utterly despicablest and unforgivable thing ever. He went through my stuff and took *one* at random. So, like whole series of comics? He snagged a random issue. He swiped a random Seeker from all of my Seeker collections. He swiped one disc from my DVD series (so, like, my TF Cybertron is short one disk).

Like you said, that is one of the worst things I have ever heard. I am a pretty anal person about stuff being where it is supposed to be, and that would drive me insane. From his side of it though, that is one of the most creative things I have heard. Horrible but creative.

Editor wrote:Heh, I know that one. I was never big on Joe when I was growing up, but a number of the newer Joe items, (Resolute, HOH, the 5 & 7 Packs) are simply great. I have started to pick up a few but I have tried to set a defined limit of what I'll go after, so hopefully the impulse bug that I have with TF's won't affect these as much

I was actually more into GI Joe growing up (big family-Joes were cheaper). It is tough to pass on them.

Editor wrote:FYI the limit is that I'm only going to build a Cobra force of about 30 figures (not including non-display pieces from multi-packs) That I'll slowly work over the next year or so.

That is a nice, open-ended limit there. "I can buy this as long as I don't display it." NICE! Luckily for my wallet and my house I have pretty exact specs on what TFs I buy. They have to be direct g1 references. If it isn't a character from G1 that looks like the character and transforms into something similar, I don't buy it. That has taken some self-control lately too. Lots of product out there.

LOL but not quite, I did not mean that I would go out and buy enough HISS tanks to start a Warhammer 40K army but stash them away so I don't count them.

How I ment it was if I by a multipack but only use some of the figs, and store the others. For example, in the case of the recent Cobra 5 pack, I bought it as the Viper and Baroness are simply awesome and they will be part of the display, while of the other three I already picked up the Cobra Commander I perfered (resolute), I don't care for the Storm Shadow as there are nicer ones, and I never really cared for Zartan's character so those three will be put away.

I hope that makes sence.

Ha! Makes perfect sense. I just got an image of an attic door bursting open with toys, but telling the signifficant other "But I only have 30 Cobra's..."

[quote="hellkitty"
HOWEVER. When we got divorced, he did what I personally deem to be the sneakiest, low-downiest, utterly despicablest and unforgivable thing ever. He went through my stuff and took *one* at random. So, like whole series of comics? He snagged a random issue. He swiped a random Seeker from all of my Seeker collections. He swiped one disc from my DVD series (so, like, my TF Cybertron is short one disk).
quote]

I had to comment on this again. That is awful. I am trying to imagine myself going through my stuff, trying to figure out what was missing. AARRRRGH!!!

I don't have a significant other. I do have people with opinions on my hobby though.

My parents hate me for it. I mean, REALLY hate me for it. My friends like me doing it though, and sometimes they play with them.

I'd like to think the significant other would like it, or even bolster my ranks. That'd be nice.

Hard Hacker wrote:I don't have a significant other. I do have people with opinions on my hobby though.

My parents hate me for it. I mean, REALLY hate me for it. My friends like me doing it though, and sometimes they play with them.

I'd like to think the significant other would like it, or even bolster my ranks. That'd be nice.

As I'm sure HK and our other female collecters will atest they are there, so it is possible. I was lucky enough to find someone who not only is ok with my hobbies but also shares in some of them. That's why on Valentines, I got books I wanted, she got flowers and 2 Torchwood figures. All good.

I'm actually about to see how this kinda thing plays out...I recently started seeing this girl who I don't think has ANY idea that I have a few thousand dollars worth of toys in my room because we've only hung out at her place so far...But it's coming, and I'm a little apprehensive about how that one is going to fly

When I was with my GF she would accompany me on jaunts out for new transformers. I remember we both took an extra hour on our lunch breaks from work so I could pick up Unicron from Toys R Us when he was first released! She did seem a bit disappointed too when I decided to sell my collection.

Off topic a bit, but are there other people out there in a similar position to me? I used to have a fairly large TF collection which proudly encompassed four large shelves in my living room; but in recent years I've pretty much sold them all away. I only own one Transformer now - though I am slowly mulling over Universe Inferno (maybe, maybe not). Whilst I don't feel the need to collect any figures anymore, I'm still really interested in TFs and still regularly peruse all the websites!

I guess I might never let go something I've loved since I was four years old.

My ex-fiancee bought me the oversized KO Bruticus and a collection of 33 G2 Transformers for one of my birthdays. 38 TRANSFORMERS!!!Why did I break up with her? Because I'm an idiot that's why!

When we rented a house together, she insisted the collection have it's own room. I miss my den.

We used to enjoy watching Beast Wars together and we'd go on day trips to other towns so I could go Transformer shopping.

We've remained friends thankfully but she was disappointed she didn't get to go to the cinema with me when the film came out but she lived at the other side of the country by then. When we broke up I offered her G1 Soundwave, Megatron and Prowl as they were both our favourites but she said she wouldn't like to break my collection.

The girls in work always enjoy when I bring some in with me. My supervisor thought G1 Soundwave was the coolest thing ever.

Another friend from work who saw the den before I moved out wanted to know why I hadn't told her about it sooner as she could have been there playing with the TF's instead of being bored at home.

A group of my friends insisted on going to see the movie with me on the day it was released because being with such a huge fan would make it cooler.

Last Christmas, my brother, his wife, her brother and their niece came out to visit us. The niece whose 4 or 5 was quite shy as she'd only met us all once before. They weren't sure if she remembered me until I brought down G1 Sideswipe. Then it clicked.

For the next few hours, I ended up entertaining her with about 20 Transformers. She was very good with them and my heart went out to her when she asked me if I'd buy her some TF's next Christmas.

The funniest reaction I got was when I was just getting back into them about 6 years ago. I bought Transformers:the Movie on DVD. This prompted a friend to say he was going to get me to buy him porn. Because if I wasn't embarraseed to go to the counter with the TF dvd, I'd probably be fine with that. By the way, I didn't buy him any.

A friend of mine in work said her niece liked Transformers but was embarrassed to ask her parents to get her some. Though obviously they knew because her mother told my friend. So to reassure my friend, I told her loads of girls like TF's and even ended up bringing her in a spare copy of the 86 movie I had to let the kid keep. Which reminds me I have to bring my 2 disk version in tomorrow for another friend who I've been telling about the film.

SJ21 wrote:My question is, how do your signifficant others feel about your toy collections? Do they wish you were spending your money on other things? What do your friends think about our hobby?

My wife isn't phased by it, and now has a few toys on her desk too (ewoks and astromechs mostly). I don't spend the money on booze or smokes like some people we've known, so that's a plus.

Most of my really good figures (reissues and exclusives) were presents from her. She even gave me Classics Grimlock (which was impossible to find at the time) at our wedding.

She only gets finicky about a toy if it's a character she doesn't like - she actually pays enough attention to me talk about such things that she knows who is who - and so I have to buy those myself. Or if she thinks I'm straying towards completism rather than just getting figures I want.

I hope I can find someone who loves TF's even HALF as much as me...But frankly I'd be happy to find someone who will simply tolerate it and not give me **** about buying them...And not run away screaming when she sees them for the first time...

For some reason, most of my friends who have found out about my collection and obsessiveness over TFs say they wouldn't have guessed I was a type of person who'd be in to stuff like that...I'm not sure what that means but it freaks me out a bit when entering into a potential romantic relationship with someone...

But frankly, if they have a problem with it, it's THEIR problem...I'm not ashamed or embarassed by it at all...

Ok sorry, I'm going off a bit now...I just have a feeling this new girl I'm seeing isn't going to be terribly impressed with my as of yet unknown hobby...

Geez, guys! You make us females sound like we're awfully shallow and judgmental, and about something that even the most stereotypical bimbo-tron female can relate to: *collecting*. Even if your lady-friends don't collect plastic icons of infinite coolness (as we do), surely they collect *something*. Shoes, handbags, postcards, Depression-era milk-glass, Webkinz, those creepy Dept 56 things, right? (It kills me to think so, but someone must keep buying those crackhead-lookin' Snow Babies or they'd've stopped making them by now.)

There's your point of entry. You can *bond* over the concept of collecting. Rather than being an obstacle, your collecting makes you something she can relate to. Sweet!

I mean, y'all are acting like admitting you collect is like admitting you have a thing for dressing up in ladies' knickers and fishnets or carnal relations with squirrels (or both. Me, I don't judge). It's not a perversion, gentlemen!

HK, whose impure thoughts about Starscream *may* be another matter.