Happy to report that my Batman Collection photo got published in Discovery Channel Magazine :)

Benefits and privileges of blogging :)

Some weeks ago, someone from Discovery Channel magazine contacted me and asked me for a high resolution photograph of my Batman collection which she had seen on my toy blog that I had taken some years back. She said she wanted to publish it in the Discovery Channel magazine. So it was quite a nice surprise to receive the magazine in the mailbox today with the picture of my Batman collection in it as part of an article titled "Toy Story". I've scanned the pages in their entirety and have posted the pictures / pages here in my toy blog for those of us who can't get hold of the magazine. It does make for quite an interesting read and I think most of us will enjoy it :) Click on the pictures for a bigger and better view, especially if you want to read the text.

Some of the text:
CAUTION: ADULTS AT PLAY - As borders blur between young and old, more grown-ups now find that the pleasures of youth aren't necessarily just for the young anymore (written by Eric Talmadge of Discovery Channel magazine). Scroll down to read more.

Youth, they say, is wasted on the young. Who hasn't looked back on their younger days and wished they could somehow experience once again the pleasures of play. The sheer enjoyment of winning a game, no matter how silly or pointless the game might be. The thrill of having a box full of TOYS, or a collection of marbles, and the joy of sharing and comparing these prized possessions with their friends. Whatever happened to these simple pleasures? Could we ever feel that way again?

Time to grow up? Not so fast! Researchers are finding that one answer to the eternal question of how to stay happy longer lies in rediscovering the very things we took the most joy in as children. Forget about the Peter Pan Syndrome, these researchers say. As such, for millions of people throughout the world, toys and games are just what the doctor ordered.

Amazing Parent-child Cosplay

Old Hobbies, New Joys + Robots and Ray Guns

274 Transformers Toys (101 Autobots, 81 Decepticons and 92 licensed products) sold for USD $1 million, or nearly US$3,650 per toy!

And here's why my humble Batman collection got featured :)
Rise of the Fans: Collector Alex Teo, alias Toy Haven, tells DCM he has turned his Singapore home into a mini toy museum, with his collection proudly displayed throughout the house.

To give you an idea of the size of Alex Teo's collection, the selection of Batman collectibles pictured comprises less than five percent (5%) of the items he has displayed in his home.

Attendees dressed as Hourman, Atom and Flash during the 40th Annual San Diego Comic Con in 2009

The article goes on to say that "Toys, games and nerdy collections are officially okay, and no longer just for kids. The time has come for you to get your vinyl, comics and Wii on."

Yuji Ueda, who produced a 2013 documentary "Tokyo Toy Guy" visited six cities to feature some of the world's top Batman memorabilia collectors says it best:"At some point, every kid in the world has played with a toy. What really counts is merely experiencing the joy of a toy. It's the natural, childlike pleasure you get from something."

Recently I came across this definition someone shared on Facebook on the two kinds of model kit and figure collectors (based on attitude):

The Happy and Passionate Collectors who really enjoy the hobby. They enjoy buying the stuff because of the happiness it brings to own them. Often times they are eager to share their knowledge and experiences to co-collectors who are most likely walking down the same path. Seeing other collectors finally getting the stuff they were looking for makes them happy. They are sincere and very open-minded individuals who love to share a laugh :)

Then there are the Competitive and Too Proud collectors who think collecting is a contest. They love to look down on others who cannot afford the hobby, as if they are not on their level. They do not really love the hobby, but they only love the attention the hobby gives them. They cannot take criticism lightly and talking with them might end up in an argument especially if the topic is against their beliefs. Sharing is mainly bragging rights for them. They would not even share info or tips to help collectors. If you meet them personally, they don't usually have a friendly aura. They love to make jokes at the expense of others.

Sadly I've come across both kinds. Some of the latter (ugly collectors) seem to be the new generation Hot Toys collectors who only buy Hot Toys, think highly of themselves and their Hot Toys collection and have no interests in any other collection of toys, unless it's Hot Toys! They give a bad name to toy collectors because they don't seem to enjoy the toy. They are just out to show off that they have the means (money) to buy the toy and multiples of the same Hot Toy if it's an exclusive and they will flaunt it in your face so that they can brag about how many very limited edition Hot Toys figure they have! They do not even open the box to appreciate the toy. It stays sealed the day they got it because they want it MISB (Mint In Sealed Box)! It's different from carded and clam shell figures because for those, you can still see the figure inside the packaging. One cannot see a Hot Toys figure in its sealed box unless one opens the box to examine and appreciate the figure and its intricate details. Where's the joy? I pity them.

Happy collecting guys and gals :) Don't give in to the dark side of toy collecting.