I was going to put this in one of the Display Sub-Groups but I decided against it. It's not about sharing a particular tip, or showcasing a collection, so I figured the General section fits more with this thread's theme, as it's moreso about the figure selection proccess than any tangible attempt at building a display. If some Mod feels that it should be filed under another category, move it, no problem.
Now, we've had lots of threads on how we display our figures, or how we choose what to buy and whatnot. This isn't about that. I've been looking at videos of various collections lately. Big or small, it doesn't really matter. Some are focused on a few themes, others are a hodgepodge. Some have some small groups formed, most are just each figure on its own, maybe with one other, random themes next to each other. So that got me wondering, what if someone wants a more "cohesive" look? What if they want to build a diorama or some such? What if they want to get a figure that fits nowhere with their collection as it is? Such questions formed, and I figured I'd ask here, to see how we do.
Say, you're collecting a lot of Batman. You have Nolan, 89, Arkham, whatever. How do you display them? Do you have a bunch of glass cases reserved only for Batman and just put them there? Do you have your three Arkham figs next to your 10+ Nolan ones? Is 89 sitting alone or with a Returns Batman and 89 Joker? Suppose you collect a bit of everything. You have some movie Sci-Fi classics like a Predator, a Xeno, two T-800s, a Ripley, and so on. Say you have some movie classics like a Rambo, a Rocky, a Godfather, etc. And then some Nolan Batman figures, a couple of Captain Americas. How do you display all that? Just one next to the other? Small groupings? Does Nolan Batman get to stand closer to the Godfather, while the SyFy figures sit alone? Suppose you have a bunch of Iron Men, and you're trying to build a Hall Of Armours. Fine, makes sense. But if you have the Iron Monger, the Mandarin and Whiplashes, where do you put them? If you have all the PS4 Spider-Man suits, and the villains, do they go separately or blended in? If you mainly collect Slashers, but you really loved Jaime from GoT and Bruce Lee, do you buy them or do you let them go as they do not fit with your collection?
I've brought up some examples, but there are tons of variations and combinations; you get the point. Mostly I'm curious if you decide to pass on figures you want if you think they wouldn't fit with your setup, or are worried that they'd lead you to a new theme to collect and you don't feel like going down that road. Also, do you buy only if you have a display arrangement in mind, or do you make it up as you go along? By that I mean, say, you a Captain America and a Thor, but you don't feel like expanding on their lines, or assembling the Avengers. Do you get them, or do you pour more money in your Star Wars corner or some such and don't start any Avengers-related shelves? Plus, do you buy any doubles in order to make up a couple of key scenes and have a diorama sort of display? For example one RotJ look in your Jedi display, another in a Throne Room diorama.
I'm probably missing some instances, but I hope you understand what I'm trying to get across. I've always wanted to display a select few themes and teams, but when I think of how certain characters would need two or more versions to accomplish that, I'm rather hesitant to embark upon it. For example, I've liked the Illuminati since they appeared and always planned to have a Hot Toys version of them. But if I tried that, I'd need double versions of Reed (as he'd need to be displayed with the F4 as well), Xavier (you can't have an X-Display without him and just Magneto) and Strange (without him Loki & Wanda would be the sole Sorcerers, and the connection is too loose to display just the two of them). What about Namor? He can go in the F4 shelf, or with Doom. Black Bolt could easily be added to an F4 shelf, a Cosmic one, or next to Medusa. If I get just one for my Illuminati display, I can't get any other Inhumans and let them without their King. So from the start, I think you have to think of what you really want. Just to collect, or to also display?
Such thoughts made me rethink exactly what I wanted out of this whole thing. Did I want a simple assortment of all my favourites and classics? Did I want to create some specific displays? Just how much was I willing to spent? Just what exactly did I want to accomplish with all this? This and that led me to re-evaluating some things like space and the groups I wanted to assemble. But I'm wondering what you think about all this. How do you approach it all? Do you just want to collect the figures and create a mini museum? Do you want to form a couple of groups and teams? Or do you have something more elaborate in mind?
Now, we've had lots of threads on how we display our figures, or how we choose what to buy and whatnot. This isn't about that. I've been looking at videos of various collections lately. Big or small, it doesn't really matter. Some are focused on a few themes, others are a hodgepodge. Some have some small groups formed, most are just each figure on its own, maybe with one other, random themes next to each other. So that got me wondering, what if someone wants a more "cohesive" look? What if they want to build a diorama or some such? What if they want to get a figure that fits nowhere with their collection as it is? Such questions formed, and I figured I'd ask here, to see how we do.
Say, you're collecting a lot of Batman. You have Nolan, 89, Arkham, whatever. How do you display them? Do you have a bunch of glass cases reserved only for Batman and just put them there? Do you have your three Arkham figs next to your 10+ Nolan ones? Is 89 sitting alone or with a Returns Batman and 89 Joker? Suppose you collect a bit of everything. You have some movie Sci-Fi classics like a Predator, a Xeno, two T-800s, a Ripley, and so on. Say you have some movie classics like a Rambo, a Rocky, a Godfather, etc. And then some Nolan Batman figures, a couple of Captain Americas. How do you display all that? Just one next to the other? Small groupings? Does Nolan Batman get to stand closer to the Godfather, while the SyFy figures sit alone? Suppose you have a bunch of Iron Men, and you're trying to build a Hall Of Armours. Fine, makes sense. But if you have the Iron Monger, the Mandarin and Whiplashes, where do you put them? If you have all the PS4 Spider-Man suits, and the villains, do they go separately or blended in? If you mainly collect Slashers, but you really loved Jaime from GoT and Bruce Lee, do you buy them or do you let them go as they do not fit with your collection?
I've brought up some examples, but there are tons of variations and combinations; you get the point. Mostly I'm curious if you decide to pass on figures you want if you think they wouldn't fit with your setup, or are worried that they'd lead you to a new theme to collect and you don't feel like going down that road. Also, do you buy only if you have a display arrangement in mind, or do you make it up as you go along? By that I mean, say, you a Captain America and a Thor, but you don't feel like expanding on their lines, or assembling the Avengers. Do you get them, or do you pour more money in your Star Wars corner or some such and don't start any Avengers-related shelves? Plus, do you buy any doubles in order to make up a couple of key scenes and have a diorama sort of display? For example one RotJ look in your Jedi display, another in a Throne Room diorama.
I'm probably missing some instances, but I hope you understand what I'm trying to get across. I've always wanted to display a select few themes and teams, but when I think of how certain characters would need two or more versions to accomplish that, I'm rather hesitant to embark upon it. For example, I've liked the Illuminati since they appeared and always planned to have a Hot Toys version of them. But if I tried that, I'd need double versions of Reed (as he'd need to be displayed with the F4 as well), Xavier (you can't have an X-Display without him and just Magneto) and Strange (without him Loki & Wanda would be the sole Sorcerers, and the connection is too loose to display just the two of them). What about Namor? He can go in the F4 shelf, or with Doom. Black Bolt could easily be added to an F4 shelf, a Cosmic one, or next to Medusa. If I get just one for my Illuminati display, I can't get any other Inhumans and let them without their King. So from the start, I think you have to think of what you really want. Just to collect, or to also display?
Such thoughts made me rethink exactly what I wanted out of this whole thing. Did I want a simple assortment of all my favourites and classics? Did I want to create some specific displays? Just how much was I willing to spent? Just what exactly did I want to accomplish with all this? This and that led me to re-evaluating some things like space and the groups I wanted to assemble. But I'm wondering what you think about all this. How do you approach it all? Do you just want to collect the figures and create a mini museum? Do you want to form a couple of groups and teams? Or do you have something more elaborate in mind?