Are You A Star Wars COLLECTOR? Why? What determines what you'll buy?

[Tycho]

I participate in the hobby to build dioramas.

In 1995 I was thrilled to see what was then the most realistic renderings of the Star Wars characters in plastic (that R2D2 is still fantastic!) and there were only 9 different ones.

I had the opportunity to buy to recreate the movie scenes and gather together the appropriate number of Stormtroopers to outnumber 6 good guys (if you count the droids).

Then of course it just blossomed from there in terms of both what Hasbro was producing and what I decided to buy.

I never decided to "collect" in order to have everything they made though. The first figures I consciously remember passing on were the "All New Likenesses" of Luke and Leia, as I already had these characters and THEN (in 1998!) started resenting Hasbro making minor improvements to characters I already owned, so as to try and entice folks to buy the same guys all over again (and Luke Tatooine kept being rolled out there, as he was even this year in Phil Collins disguise).

But I never set out to be a "collector" in the proper use of the term. It's the best "most general way" to describe what I do to non-participants in this hobby, but I NEVER was a completist.

Each non-movie year I might scale way back just how much I buy. But with about every conceiveable army building opportunity done (aside from Expanded Universe Yuuzhan Vong warriors), I don't forsee myself chasing all these little product changes like a blue-coat Han Hoth in a giant, deluxe Target battle pack (honestly, I don't even want that).

So where are you in terms of what you're buying or want to buy (wish list)?

[stillakid]

I buy stuff that catches my interest. Mainly, I get everything that has to do with 3 3/4" scale figures including vehicles, playsets, etc... Why? Don't really know. They look cool, I guess. It's a holdover hobby from childhood. Reasons like that I suppose. Nothing specific like having a need to create dioramas or anything. I just get it.

Other than that, it really is about what catches my interest enough. I have a couple of Don Post Deluxe helmets (Vader, Biker Scout) as well as a few other odds and ends that just looked good or whatever. Again, no specific reasons beyond just wanting some things when they catch my eye.

[Thunderbird]

I try and get everything I can get my hands on. If it has the Star Wars logo on it I want it.

Now with that being said with so much stuff out now it's impossible to keep up with every thing. So the main collection it everything in the Hasbro line. I alway pick up two of each figure (one loose, one carded) and any varitation I find out about. Muti packs are usually two of each,(same as above), vehicles I get just one to open, but keep boxes(I don't have room to store a sealed one) This goes for all the sub-lines (Transformers, GH, Unleashed, deluxe figures, Micro Machines etc...)

Everything else (Cards, books, stickers, seasonal items, etc...) I pick up when I see it and have the cash for it. I love store displays and Promo Items, and pick them up any chance I get.

I'll never army build. I have a hard time finding the time or the room set up the figures and everything else that I have. Right know the SW Room is too full and I need to start taking stuff down to the storage I had to get last year for the over flow. This has been a heck of a good year

[El Chuxter]

Pretty much, I ask myself three questions:

1) Is this something I have already, or is it a marked improvement over an earlier version?

2) Does it suck?

3) Would I display it on a shelf, or will it end up in a box?

More and more, I find most merchandise doesn't fit those three pretty simple criteria.

[Luuuuuuke]

I don't consider myself a STar Wars collector in the classic sense because I only collect the basic figures, and I'm not even close to being a completist. To me, a "Star Wars collector" pretty much collects anything Star Wars, or at least, stuff from different lines. I never have. Not even close.

To be honest, I'm not a Star Wars fanatic. I liked the original trilogy quite a bit, but I was never a fanboy about it. When people mention obscure characters they want made into action figures, I'm clueless about 90% of the time. I don't read the EU books or any of that either. I don't go to conventions, etc. I don't wear Star Wars shirts or any of that.

My interest in Star Wars is relatively narrow.

[Neuroleptic]

I used to collect two of every figure back when the line re started in 1995. Then about the time they started the SOTE I quit that.

Then I went to whatever I truly liked. THen I stopped for a while. Then I sold nearly everything on Ebay to buy an Aquarium. Then my friend got me a shutle tyderium for the target exclusive, and found an old 1980s At-At here in town for a rediculously cheep price and restored it.

Had to have figures for it and the B-wing (only thing I kept aside for a handfull of droids).

So now I army biuld. I'm up to 8 storm troopers for the shuttle and At-At, and a whole heap of droids. (turns out I had a few more than I thought when I moved that were hideing in a box in my closet).

Since my space is limited to one book shelf, I wont be doing that forever.

I also like to buy the loose original figures, find repro or original weapons (wichever I can afford or find) and re make the packageing on my own. It's a lot of fun doing the resurch to make it accurate.

[JediTricks]

I collect what I like, and I like a lot of what's out there for Star Wars so I get it. However, it's starting to ablate as time wears on, my interest in SW LEGO is nearly gone, and Hasbro feels nearly out of gas.

[Jayspawn]

In the beginning (1995 for me) I started collecting EVERYTHING that had the Star Wars name on it. Unfortunatly, after that and having worked for the SW Fan Club for many years -I massed a HUGE, mountainous collection. I realized about a year ago that it was out of control as it literally took over my parents entire basement, a seperate apartment and a storage unit!

I also realizd about the time that the beast -known as Hasbro will NEVER DIE! They will make SW toys long after I die! And i dont want to be collecting them for that long. So I pretty much gave up with the exception of select figures ie: McQuarrie, Boba Fett, VOTC and those of select coolness.

I switched to high-end only ie: prop replicas, minibusts, statues, autographs and idealistically they make me more happy than YEARS of collecting figures ever did.

[DarkArtist]

my overall goal is to have at least one of every figure loose. I have been collecting since '78 and haven't stopped. Still missing a few of the vintage as well as some of the most recent but I hopeful to get them all before the line ends.

[JON9000]

I don't buy vehicles anymore.

I don't buy prequel figures anymore

I don't buy repacks for cardbacks or coins/slides/holos

I don't buy boring figures I know I'll be able to get for $1 next year, like Major Derlin, or figures I have absolutely no interest in.

I don't buy goofy astrodroid repaints, or remakes of figures that are not significantly better (Imperial Gunner)

I don't buy big sets of figures from EE, like the death star briefing

I don't buy EU stuff.

I do buy a lot of figures from OT.

I do buy rehashes if they are a significant improvement over what is already out there (VOTC and just about any update of early potf2 figure, gunner excepted). I love articulation.

I do buy anything from Tatooine in general-Mos Eisley, Droid sale, the cantina or Jabba's palace.

I do buy OT troops, but not to an insane degree- 12 Stormies, 3 Biker scouts...

I do buy the occasional supersweet sideshow or GG item. I have two.