5 Tips for Caring for Loose Action Figures

Just can’t resist taking your new Star Wars figurines out of their boxes, actually tracing their lines with your fingers … maybe making them have a little conversation, or letting Luke Skywalker finally win that fight without losing his hand? Nobody can blame you! And in fact, for most people, there is no point in collecting something that remains in its box for its entire life… there is just no joy. Whether you're into Batman and Robin, Marvel Legends, Avatar, Harry Potter or Captain America Reborn, if you like to play with your toy collection, here are some tips for keeping it in good shape.

1. Summer, bad! Winter, good

Summer is terrible time for your action figures. They hate:

• Direct sunlight, which fades the plastic and can also make it brittle over time
• Heat, which can cause paint to soften, plastic to soften and wear more easily when toys are played with
• Humidity, which can make the paint on your figurines peel.

You'll have to keep a close eye on your action figures during summer. If you want to keep them in pristine condition, storing them in the basement for 3 months of the year would not be a bad idea… if you can suffer that long without them!

2. Dirt and dust

These are not necessarily permanent problems, but over time if action figures are repeatedly played with with oily, grimy hands, the paint may degrade and articulated parts will get all gunked up. They may become difficult to move, and long soakings (argh, no good for paint!) might be needed to loosen dirt that is actually within the joints. Of course, some wear and dirt is unavoidable - if you simply make sure that your hands are reasonably clean before playing with the figures, they should survive well.

3. If you’re storing your figures…

Store them in zip lock bags in a cool place to prevent humidity damaging them. Alternatively, store them with an anti-humidity device in a sealed plastic container. You'll just have to change the pad on the device every so often.

4. Cleaning

Sometimes cleaning action figures can cause more damage than just leaving them dirty. Some guidelines are obvious - don't use caustic cleaners, don't use abrasive pads, etc. You should also:

• Use only lukewarm, not hot water
• Don’t soak your figurines
• Don't use antibacterial soaps - they leave a coating on toys (and you hands) which may degrade the toys over time

In guides to action figures, there are plenty of models that fetch significant amounts, even when they've been kept loose. Don't be afraid to play with your toys … these tips will you keep them at C8 or better.

More Action Figure History

Last time we looked at the very birth of the action figure genre - somewhat after the invention of Barbie, GI Joe was the first male-oriented action figure, and the market landscape soon progressed into offering Marvel Superheroes figurines, and of course, the figurines that everyone most associates with collecting rather than playing, the Star Wars lines. So where did they go from 1977?

FCC Lets Collectors Be

Many of the Gen X toy collectors might not be aware, but in 1969 the FCC actually banned TV shows that were based on toy products. Presumably this was in the interests of preserving competitiveness in the market, or perhaps of protecting kids from violence … no doubt the road was long and twisted that led to that decision. However, the ban was lifted in the 80s, and a veritable explosion of toy-based television shows started being produced. These included He-Man, Captain Power, Voltron, GI Joe … and of course, Transformers!

Toy production geared towards collectors

In the 90s, Marvel Insdustries themselves gained control of Toy Bi, who were making Spiderman figurines etc for them. Marvel was dissatisfied with the way the company was being run, shipping delays, toy design, etc, and decided to take matters into their own hands. They also took a much more grown-up approach to marketing the toys, looking for adult purchasers who were buying for themselves, rather than just parents and children.

Recent action figure developments

Action figures did not stop being made when Marvel Comics stopped being a universal boyhood phenomenon. There are new classics constantly being made, and so people are constantly looking for new figurines. Some of the newest action figure lines include:

• Avatar
• Ben 10
• Harry Potter
• Spawn
• Star Wars - from the new set of films

Action Figure Collections

As societies become richer, gain more leisure time and leisure spending money, and have fewer children, toys become much more popular. For most of us, the toys that we played with as children hold strong nostalgic associations - they evoke memories of carefree days and good times, of hours spent in fantasy and the way our minds worked before the pressures of work and bills impinged on them! Today we're looking at a general history of action figure guides and collecting - you can overlay your own personal history onto it also.

Hasbro

Back in 1964, when Hasbro was known as Hassenfeld Brothers, it began making the GI Joe action soldiers line. These were not primitive toys … they were fully articulated, their clothing was removable and interchangeable, and there were endless accessories in this very upscale version of the toy soldier. Of course, few people could afford them when they first came out … but those little troopers quickly took the world by storm.

The market expands

Of course, such popularity would not go unnoticed. Once the gender stereotypes were effectively broken down, and it was no longer seen as anti-social for boys to be playing with dolls, a company called Ideal launched their interchangeable action figure. It must have seemed like a stroke of genius at the time - they created Captain Action, whose costume and head mask could be changed to turn him into whatever popular comic or TV character people wished.

Mego Makes Small-o Toys

Mego started making Marvel Legends toys in 1972, starting with the 6 Greatest Superheroes line. These toys took the standard size down to 8" from 12", and the line eventually expanded to 34 action figures from the original 6. Mego continued to pander to the traditionalists (much as they could be traditionalists when the trend had only been going for a few years), making several 12" lines, but these were few and far between.

Little Toys for a Big Name Movie!

This was when action figures burst into true fame and mainstream consciousness, in 1977 when Kenner landed the contract to make the Star Wars figurines for Lucasfilm. The early models were pretty terrible compared even to the original GI Joes from ten years earlier - completely articulate, only 3 ¾ inches rather than 12, all plastic, no cloth, etc … but my gosh, did they start a revolution! It seemed the Star Wars figures were a niche rather than a degeneration, and people have loved them ever since.

5 of eBay's Top-Priced Marvel Comics

Marvel Comics formed an integral part of many of our childhoods … the basis for games, fantasies, and many hours of reading and enjoyment. Like all items with a lot of widespread nostalgic appeal or rarity, Marvel Legends Comics can fetch quite a bit on the world's new collectibles marketplace, eBay! Today we're looking at the returns you could expect for some awesome collection pieces from the Marvel Comics range -- both the books themselves, and the associated Marvel Superheroes action figures and merchandise.

1. King Size Marvel Collector's Item Classics, $250,000

Yikes! This is a first edition from 1965, hence the enormous price tag. I'm not so sure about the sale prospects, however. The seller is from Hawaii and has a zero feedback. He doesn't leave much of a description, and states that they have many more in store. eBay will cover the purchase price with their buyer protection program, as stated on the item listing. But I'd just much rather buy this action figures guide from someone with feedback…

2. Total 35,000 Marvel Comics, $39,500

This seller obviously doesn’t have the itme or inclination to split up their bulk comic lot (of over 35,000) to sell them individually … though why they are choosing not to is beyond me, since they say the top retail figure is $280,000 for the lot. Even if it took a year to sell them all, wouldn’t it be well worth it … ? There are plenty of first editions in here, though.

3. Total 200,000 Marvel Comics, $25,000

From the same seller as above, it seems there are fewer number ones in this collection, and the comics themselves are the less sought after ones. A pretty good deal if you have contacts in the comic collection 'industry'!

4. Spiderman Dynamic Forces Diorama Statue, $1000

That price tag is not as impressive as the hundreds of thousands being asked for some of the first edition comics and action figures guides - but considering that this was bought at retail prices in 2003, and is simply a rare item, it makes quite a good investment!

5. Spiderman Premium Format Marvel Action Figure, $799

This standard style Marvel Superhero statue is the sort of thing that can be bought for ordinary retail prices, kept for a few years, and see a solid return on investment.

5 of eBay's Top-Priced Transformers Pieces

Nobody could have predicted at the time that Transformers was released that it would still be gaining fans (and not simply have a fan base gaining in age!) 25 years later. The new Transformers has plugged a bit of a hole in the collectibles market, but it seems that original gear is still very popular. Today we check out just what a nice collection of Transformers action figures or memorabilia could fetch you in a few years time!

1. Transformers figurines, all mint in box, $6,500

This collector has quite a lot of Transformers action figures, although the listing is not very well detailed. There are plenty of photos, though, and it shows how a small collection can easily double in value over a relatively short amount of time. As well as bringing you quite a lot of pleasure!

2. Transformers first edition comics, $5,000

The seller indicates that the Buy It Now price on these Transformers comics is actually quite low, considering that a recent Superman first edition comic sold on eBay for over $150,000. Phew! These were first issued in 1984. The seller is taking offers as well, though not through this eBay page.

3. Transformers Devastator Palisades statue, $2,125

There were only 421 of this statue made worldwide, and at 14 inches tall, this action figure is pretty impressive! The item was opened only for inspection and then returned to its box – not quite mint, but pretty close.

4. Optimus Prime, 43” tall, $1,188

I don't know about you, but I’d be much more comfortable with a smaller Transformers action figure than this one. The head has speakers, the eyes light up, and it is made of ABS plastic and heavy duty vinyl. It is new in the box (though pictured on display).

5. Prime versus Megatron, $1,175

This item is from the historic final battle between Optimus Prime and Megatron, and is still factory sealed. There aren’t many other details on the listing ... the seller should be expecting a lot of calls for this action figure set!

5 of eBay's Top-Priced Star Wars Pieces

Many people believe that the famous Star Wars action figures from the 1970s gave birth to the entire genre of action figures ... whether or not they actually instigated the labor pains of the action figure industry, they certainly remain the most popular and high priced figures in the world today! We’re looking at some of the current top-priced Star Wars action figures and memorabilia on eBay.

1. Metal Darth Vader figure - $21 million dollars

You have to admire this guy’s strategy – he knows that he isn't going to get $21 million for the figurine (it isn’t licensed, it is simply a sculpture), but he’s certainly going to get a lot of clicks from people wondering what a $21 million toy looks like!

2. Original Star Wars Glory Book, $42,000

Unfortunately this price is not a joke. The item up for sale (no bidding) was owned and signed by George Lucas, and includes productions stills, on-set photography etc.

3. Sideshow action figures set, $5,799

These are the sort of items that can easily start convincing people that action figures are not only fun, but a solid investment! The set includes around 50 figurines, so they average out at around $110 each. Many are quite new (the seller didn’t wait 40 years for them to appreciate value!) – Darth Maul, Anakin Skywalker, Qui Gon Jinn and other familiar characters from the first three movies are included.

4. The First Ten Years poster, $6,500

Bidding actually starts on this item at around $4,500, but for a fair comparison we chose to use the Buy It Now price (as is shown on all other items). This is for a SINGLE poster by Drew Struzan, the original artist for the movie posters.

5. Millenium Falcon Extraordinaire, $3,799

Here is another example of a very quickly appreciating piece of Star Wars memorabilia – I’m betting that the original owner didn’t pay this much to Toys R Us in order to take the in-store display home at the launch of Star Wars. It is over 6 feet long and not in perfect condition by any means – but look at that price!