What's In The Box?

When it comes to toy collecting, one of the most basic divisive aspects that splits the community straight down the middle is whether you open your toys or keep them in the box. While there is no right or wrong way to collect, and what you do with what you collect is ultimately your business, there are definite advantages and disadvantages to both sides. And it’s up to you as to what you value most in your collection.

The Best Of 2022: First Quarter

And here we go again! New year means more new toys. We’re just three months in and there already is quite a lot to write about. So let's get the ball rolling with my favorite picks for the first quarter of 2022.

New Blood - 3rd Party Rundown 2022 Part 4

So here we are in the final part of this 3rd Party roundup for 2022. Since the last time I wrote about the scene a lot has changed. Some companies have ceased to exist while others have remained alive and well. And of course we have had a number of new players come in to try and make their own mark in the 3rd party scene. So let’s get to know some more of them shall we?

Alive And Kicking - 3rd Party Rundown 2022 Part 3

The 3rd party Transformers scene is alive and well! Even with all the numerous dead and inactive companies that I wrote about in my two previous posts, there are a whole lot more out there still churning out unofficial Transformers products. How each of these companies outlasted others through the years is varied. But one thing a lot of them have in common is that they are not trying to be everything to everyone. They know who they are and what they’re good at making and have stuck to it. At the end of the day, it’s all about the product. And these companies have basically survived because they continue to regularly produce some damn good toys!

Treading Water - 3rd Party Rundown 2022 Part 2

The Third party Transformers scene is one that is constantly changing. Through the years we have seen many companies just disappear without a trace and other newer ones popping up to take their place. In the previous post, I covered companies that have most likely called it a day and are no longer around. This time, I will go over companies who are sort of stuck in a sort of holding pattern. While we haven’t seen anything really new from most of them, for one reason or another, I’m not quite ready to consider them done.

Dead and Buried - 3rd Party Rundown 2022 Part 1

In one of my favorite toy discussion podcasts, the hosts were so frequently asked by their listeners “where they saw the Transformers 3rd party scene going in the next five years” that it soon became a running joke that they would constantly ask each other. Ironically, almost exactly five years ago, I wrote about all the numerous 3rd party companies that I had first hand experience with regards to their products. It turned out to be quite an extensive piece as one post turned into five. Anyway, here we really are, five years later since those posts and the 3rd party landscape, while still alive and kicking, really has changed quite a bit. A number of the companies I previously wrote about, have gone the way of the dodo bird while others have popped out of the woodwork to take their place.

Wishlist 2022: Everything Else

While the entirety of my toy collection can be basically broken down into three major lines that I am actively collecting, namely Star Wars Black series, Marvel Legends and Transformers, there are still other smaller properties that I find myself dipping my toes into from time to time. While none of them are thankfully on the scale of the aforementioned big three, there are still a good number of “other” toys that I am hoping to see released or at least announced in 2022. So here is my wish list for everything else.

Wishlist 2022: Transformers

When I first started collecting toys as an adult back in 2007, it was all about those Robots in Disguise. As much as I love Star Wars and Marvel Superheroes , it’s the Transformers that easily take the top spot in my collection. So with that firmly established, let's get started on which Transformers characters I am hoping to see in 2022.

Wishlist 2022: Marvel Legends Part 2

With a rich history of comic book based superheroes and an expansive and ever growing Marvel Cinematic Universe, there is definitely no shortage of characters that I am still wanting and waiting to add to my Marvel Legends collection. So much so that I felt it would be an unfulfilling exercise to just come up with a wishlist of ten items that covered both sides of my collection. So two lists it is. In the last post I tackled my comic book wishlist, and so now let's get to the cinematic side of characters that I am hoping will be at least announced in the next 12 months.

Wishlist 2022: Marvel Legends Part 1

Of all the lines I currently collect, Marvel Legends is the one I buy the most of every year. And like many collectors, my Legends collection is two fold, one based on the comics that I grew up reading, and the other on the ever growing Marvel Cinematic Universe. And each collection has quite a number of missing characters that I’d like to see in the next 12 months. So while this may seem like a cop out, I decided to make separate lists for each..so let's get going with the first part.

Wishlist 2022: The Black Series

If there is one that is certain in toy collecting, it’s that it never ends. Unless you manage to quit cold turkey, there will always be something “missing” from your collection or something new and shiny you will be tempted to buy. So let’s do something new to kick off 2022. I thought that it would be a fun exercise to make out a wishlist of new toys that I am hoping will be at the very least officially announced in the next 12 months. And come 2023, I can revisit this list and see how many or little items actually came true!