Poll/discussion: Do you keep just the definitive version of each character or collect multiple versions?

Do you keep just the definitive version of each character or collect multiple versions?

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    41
For most characters, I buy the best version of my favorite costume. Most of the time, the definitive version lines up with my favorite version (Vision, for instance). A counter-example is the upcoming Outbook Storm. She'll replace Jim Lee Storm in my display.

Some folks would be bothered by this because my display is a hodgepodge. All classic Avengers except Iron Man (Extremis) and Thor (Heroic Age/Coipel). My X-Men are all over the map: Giant-Size, Outback, Jim Lee, Astonishing, and Messiah Complex.

The only exception is duplicates, which I try to minimize. Right now, that list is Wolverine, Batman, and Spider-Man. Those figures sit on an overflow shelf with other characters that have no home (Swamp Thing, Hellboy, etc.).
 
TheSameIdiot said:
For most characters, I buy the best version of my favorite costume. Most of the time, the definitive version lines up with my favorite version (Vision, for instance). A counter-example is the upcoming Outbook Storm. She'll replace Jim Lee Storm in my display.

Some folks would be bothered by this because my display is a hodgepodge. All classic Avengers except Iron Man (Extremis) and Thor (Heroic Age/Coipel). My X-Men are all over the map: Giant-Size, Outback, Jim Lee, Astonishing, and Messiah Complex.

The only exception is duplicates, which I try to minimize. Right now, that list is Wolverine, Batman, and Spider-Man. Those figures sit on an overflow shelf with other characters that have no home (Swamp Thing, Hellboy, etc.).
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Now question because your collections and
Mine sound quite similar. When you have redundant heroes in your setup is it a true hodgepodge or do you have variations that make sense? Like for instance you’ll only buy multiple Peter Parker figures if you have one designated for the 616, followed by animated series, your favorite artist, era or story arc? Like for me when it comes to Wolverine for example, my 3 primary Wolverine figures are the tigerstripe costume (I prefer 90’s to the giant sized variant), the brown suit and astonishing suit. Any other variant I own is pretty much focused around the Chris Claremont and Larry Hama run since that’s my favorite era of Wolverine. Other variants are nice but they won’t take pole position over my favorite decade of Wolverine comics. They’re more like undercards if I choose to buy them at all.


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Stoopid_Sandwich said:
Now question because your collections and
Mine sound quite similar. When you have redundant heroes in your setup is it a true hodgepodge or do you have variations that make sense? Like for instance you’ll only buy multiple Peter Parker figures if you have one designated for the 616, followed by animated series, your favorite artist, era or story arc? Like for me when it comes to Wolverine for example, my 3 primary Wolverine figures are the tigerstripe costume (I prefer 90’s to the giant sized variant), the brown suit and astonishing suit. Any other variant I own is pretty much focused around the Chris Claremont and Larry Hama run since that’s my favorite era of Wolverine. Other variants are nice but they won’t take poll position over my favorite decade of Wolverine comics. They’re more like undercards if I choose to buy them at all.


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Yeah, I think we're on the same page.

My Spider-Man figures are classic and Symbiote; my Wolverine figures are brown costume and Astonishing; and my Batman figures are Hush and Knight Crusader.

I have a MAFEX brown-costume Wolverine coming in that'll replace my old 2017 retro-carded brown-costume Wolverine.

I'm currently asking myself if I can justify Hasbro's battle-damaged classic Spidey. The answer is probably yes because times are sad and plastic is happy.
 
I think maybe I have a ridiculous rule about displays vs. collections. I used to do a LOT of action figure photography (I need to get back into it, it was so... harmlessly fun, feels like everything I've ever done for fun I've monetized but that) and I got into the habit of NOT displaying my favorite version of a character because I'd be more likely to need to pull the BEST version down for photos. So I've got, for example, and older brown and gold Wolverine on display because the updated version is better for posing (with the improved claws and face). I had the Walgreens F4 in the display until like, last week because I prefered to shoot the blue with black uniform versions. The display Hulk/Thor/Cap/Iron Man/Widow/Panther/Wasp/Ant-Man/Carol Danvers are all my second-fav for photographing. I have an older Hawkeye in display because Skycycle is objectively the best but I also use HawkGUY in a lot of pics. Older DD and Elektra but that's also because those two from the three-pack are figures I will just hold in-hand and pose when I'm bored in meetings on Zoom. :) (The only exception to this is probably my X-Men, because there aren't that many Gambits, Excalibur Kitty is the best Kitty, Punk Storm is my favorite Storm and will NEVER not be on display, Beast Nightcrawler Colossus really have distinct favorites or only one version I like).

Speaking of, I need a new favorite Squirrel Girl, cos it's kinda crazy there's only been one of her.
 
Like many others, I strive for definitive classic versions but, as has been mentioned, it's not that simple.
However, when we do get a relatively definitive version, depending on the character, I will sometimes pick up multiples so they can be included in different groupings in my collection.
For example I have a classic Dr. Strange in both my magical assortment and on my Defenders shelf. I have 80th hulk on both the hulk shelf and the Defenders shelf, and the OG face off Hulk on my Avengers shelf.

And then there's my insane Galactus display where I have placed all sorts of duplicates, alternate versions, and random extra figures all trying to stop him from consuming Earth.

Oh, and I have gd Wolverines doing cameo appearances all over the place.
 
I like her.

I'm at the point where I'm buying almost everything and figuring it out - pun unintended but obvious. Like, with this new Psylocke figure - what do I do with my kitbashed one? Paint her face Crimson Dawn? Sell it? Put the new one in a new display - she can hang with the 97 crew!

I hate selling off figures and realizing I want to rebuy later. But I also hate having extra figures everywhere JUST IN CASE.

But I think this goes back to world-building - I love being able to represent a universe on my shelf, not just a character. And despite cartoons, characters wear multiple costumes and exist in multiple configurations. So, if it's accurate, I want it represented.

I blame MAC and DST's Buffy lines for doing so many episode-specific outfits that got my brain thinking like this, that they could be displayed in separate vignettes (my friend's word for my collection) so I definitely need all five Buffys. And all 20 custom versions. :)

And if I have 20, not having 21 would make no sense.
 
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It's complicated.

These days I want a definitive, updated artic, pinless, best face print and I'm happy.

But I count 97 Tiger Stripe separate from Comic because it's stylized.

And I want brown with it, but I don't care about any other looks (though I adore the flannel shirt one with the Madripoor head).

I do multiples of my favorites. I have a whole Jean eras tour going on. I don't need to do that with Gambit.

I would do that with Rogue, but I don't like how they executed most of her looks.
 
I'm definitive (Silver / Bronze, if the character existed then) as a rule, but will buy other iterations if the costume is a significant part of my reading history.

That said, I absoluely think Hasbro deliberately releases non-definitive versions before getting to the obvious ones to prey on "can't wait" double-dipping. It has taken a tremendous amount of willpower to not buy the West Coast Falcon or Namorita, for instance.

I'd probably have popped for a 1st Appearance Falcon, but the main Bronze costume is clearly the definitive version of the character. Hopefully that second wave of Secret Wars happens & they don't try a bait & switch, but the longer time passes without a reveal...
 
As much as I’d like to say I only collect the definitive meaning “as I see the character in my mind’s eye”), I admit to buying each definitive costume. I’d rather just get stuff from the Silver, Bronze, and Platinum Ages, to be honest.
 
TheSameIdiot said:
Like Nightcrawler, they nailed it on the first try.
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I'll also buy multiples of dudes like Nightcrawler or disco Dazzler just because I love them, and what if one breaks or something.

Years ago when Legends were brand new when I was working at Toys R Us, I had a dream that I went to work on my day off and found a disco Dazzler. And I bought it and I was so happy in my dream, and I went home and I put it on my nightstand and then went to bed.

In the dream.

And then I woke up and it wasn't there and it didn't exist and I was sad for a good hour.
 
I buy pretty much everything if the costume is interesting to me, so multiples of most characters. And I definitely every Iron Man multiple times.


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