Seth A. Romo
The concept of what makes a “toy” has evolved in recent decades and this is largely reflective of the consumers who collect them. Gone are the days of toys being simple action figures with a few basic movements with some paint and limited detail.
Toys in mass markets such as Target or Amazon can be highly detailed action figures with multiple points of articulation and unique body sculpts. Companies have recognized that while toy collecting may start from childhood, there is a demographic of collectors whose shelves host their favorite characters (in the box or out of the box) and like any other hobby, are trophies with personal value.
With adults spending nearly $9 billion a year on this hobby, some enthusiasts have turned into influencers that guide consumers and provide feedback to major companies.
Among the influencers out there, several have carved their own space to talk about cool toys and focus on positive celebrations of this hobby. For them, it’s all about love for the characters and the joy of toys.
Meet Asoka the Geek. Over the past ten years, he has grown his Instagram to be one of the more influential accounts to follow. He owns more than 1,000 action figures, loves DC Comics, and talked with Comic Watch to share all about getting into toy collecting.
Let’s start from the top. How has your toy journey been from beginning to present?
I’ve been collecting toys since I was a kid—I grew up on DC Super Powers, Transformers, and G.I. Joes. At one point I thought that I would stop collecting—because that is what is expected of people. But as a teenager I kept collecting and displaying action figures because there was this bug that never went away—especially since I read a lot of comics.
I grew up watching Superman [the Christopher Reeves version] and later Batman with Michael Keaton. These movies were all part of my formative years and as I grew up, action figures did as well. A defining toy line was DC Direct figures that stemmed from the late 90s and those toys had details unlike any other toy line out there.
Fast forward to almost ten years ago, and I started my instagram to showcase the collection I have built as a fun idea after my wife mentioned getting into it. Soon, my audience grew, and I wanted to see how I could engage with more followers. Now, the DC Multiverse line from McFarlane Toys dominates my shelves and I mainly discuss them on my Instagram and YouTube Channel.
So someone wants to collect toys, how do you get them started?
For new collectors, first and foremost buy what you love and what you’ve like for the past five years or so. It’s easy to get swept up in different toy lines and if you decide to dive into everything, you’ll go down a rabbit hole and end up with stuff you don’t want anymore.
I am a DC Comics fan, but I also have a few Daredevil figures. I realized I wanted to focus on DC Comics, so I stopped trying to collect every comic book character. I primarily collect the DC Multiverse line from McFarlane Toys, and I think for a lot of entry level collectors, it’s the way to go. They are available in a lot of stores, there are a ton of characters, and they look great on shelves.
A collector buys a toy, what’s next?
Part of collecting for me is the fun of displaying figures—so I am an out of the box collector. I like to combine different lines or groups on my shelves and with a good stand, toys look great when they’re all together. There are lots of toy companies [aside from McFarlane Toys] that make different comic book characters like Mafex or Hot Toys. I recommend sticking to one style as scaling issues [when one figure’s proportions are bigger/smaller than another] can pop up and make collectors frustrated.
For fans who don’t know what’s coming out, how can they stay in the loop?
There are many ways to stay in the loop. I host the DC Infinite Hour with two other toy influencers every other Thursday and we talk about upcoming releases.
Also, there are tons of other influencers out there who talk about all different lines and characters, so see what you like and focus on having fun. Oh, and try not to be a completist, there are hundreds of toys released a year and it can really add up!
With so many toy companies and characters on the shelves, how can a collector know what a “good” toy is?
A good toy is really all about emotion. An action figure should be something that consumers genuinely enjoy—it’s personal to each person. For many, it is nostalgia, for others it is because it looks cool. At the end of the day, I wouldn’t say buying as an investment is a good idea. A good toy should be something you’re happy to see on your shelf.
Speaking of shelves, I see you created a whole space just for your collection.
I could fill up my whole house with just my action figures. Being in this hobby means running out of space can happen. I built a shed, known as my “Shed of Solitude” after I found out we were expecting a baby in 2019 and it’s a nice way for me to keep my collection together and take videos or do live chats with other toy influencers.
Looking back, what are your thoughts on being a toy influencer?
I find the concept of “influencer” so funny because anyone can be one. If you share a part of your collection and a follower decides that is something they’d like to have in theirs—you’ve influenced someone regardless of your account size.
One of the biggest benefits has been the connections I’ve made. I’ve found fellow toy collectors that live close by and made good friends with other toy influencers. Social media has helped me build a community. Unlike football, where it’s easy to find another fan, toy collectors can be harder to connect with. Building a community around an awesome fandom has been one of the greatest gifts.
One of your core aspects of your account is being positive towards the hobby. Can you share how that is critical and why you stick to it?
This hobby revolves around $20-$30 action figures. It’s meant to be fun so when I critique something I focus on the positives and what could be better rather than tearing it apart. A lot goes into toy making: there’s molders, painters, designers, so if I can encourage others to take joy in this hobby that is important. When you look at the state of the world, these are just plastic things, so why spend time being negative?
Granted, I don’t think companies should put out subpart products—there is a limit, but I focus on the positives because in the end, it’s supposed to be fun.
For more on Asoka the Geek, follow him on Instagram or on YouTube. This interview has been edited for clarity.
