How I broke my Action Figure Addiction

In yesterdays live stream it was suggested (Very politely and in good nature) that I might be losing my love for collecting as I only seem to buy figures to review and then sell. This promoted me to explain how my mind set for collecting has changed over the last two years and I thought it made for an interesting piece to share with you all who might not have caught the live stream.
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[@Jake_E57]

You’re not losing the love, you’re improving it by focusing on the love rather than just feeding the addiction.

[@gmon78]

The "buy it now" button on eBay is my downfall! I just bought a GI Joe figure for god sake! Now I'm telling myself I need a Storm Shadow to go with the Snake Eyes I purchased. I haven't been into GI Joe for over 30 years! What the hell am I doing? It's like plastic crack!

[@nbriez-c5914]

Dude!!! I know exactly how you feel, I have never been a joe fan and all the sudden I have like 16 just since February and I dont even know why

[@gmon78]

@@nbriez-c5914 It's a slippery slope man 😂

[@jeremywilson5134]

I can’t believe how closely this resembles how I stopped with Legends. It was so refreshing to just get the ones I wanted versus collecting teams and general groupings of characters I wasn’t even familiar with.

[@edrinshafiq9621]

Action figures are like therapy for me, some people collect painting and can stare at it for hours in order to release their stress, or even to seek inspiration. For me it's action figures, whenever I'm depressed i will play or just stare at them for hours, admiring the work of art. Sorry I'm not good with words but i hope you know what i meant. Dopamine is god.

[@micklestapler4]

Edrin I thought you did a great job of explaining your point , hope your doing well my friend

[@edrinshafiq9621]

@@micklestapler4 thank you so much! Hope your doing well too.

[@bball3048mmfr]

Whatever gets through tough times do it. Staring at your collection of toys works well and that's very wholesome.

This video was really necessary. I’ve started collecting, as many of us, a few lines from the shows I loved in my childhood, Dragon Ball Z, Go Nagai’s mechas (Goldorak and Mazinger), and X-Men. Then slowly I’ve started to fall in this rabbit hole and started collecting not only from the shows I loved, but frome the ones I liked a lot, Gundam, GI Joe, Batman… at that time I was already in the hole. My wife didn’t complain so I went further on, until I realized that I wasn’t enjoying as much as before. Now I’ve become more selective but I still have to manage myself time to time. Sorry for the long post, but Dave, thanks for talking about that kind of “taboo” subject among collectors. Have a good day everyone 👋🏻

[@DisplayingModelBehaviour]

I’m glad it helped bud!

[@micklestapler4]

You think this is a long comment you should check out Foxy 🦊 lol my man goes deep down the information highway 🛣️ hope your having a great day my dude

@@micklestapler4 loool, true that! Peace ✌🏻

[@sergio2603]

At least you were still buying stuff you managed to exhibit, Dave, and have around you. Imagine all the people who have years and years of purchases inside boxes in cramped storage rooms. Thanks for all the videos, Dave!

[@DisplayingModelBehaviour]

That’s when you know there’s a problem!

[@Collect2Disconnect]

You should look under my bed. Yesterday I had to use a skateboard to slide under the bed to get a neca figure out when my gf saw me it take out she exclaimed “why are you always buying action figures at stores when you have brand new ones under the bed still!”

[@saroly16]

@@Collect2Disconnect that's actually sad

[@Williestyle-RobotechxMacross-x]

It is not so much "having figures stored in boxes" that can be distressing. Lots of toy reviewers do not have room to put everything on display, but will use the stored away figures in future. It is when the items in boxes mean nothing to you and you realize those toys are not really coming out of storage boxes again. That is when to sell or gift the stored items ( maybe after a picture or two ). p. s. If a few more of us "collectors" gave their ( still sealed or boxed ) excess items to charity, more kids could have some fun at the Holidays. ☺

[@Collect2Disconnect]

@@saroly16 until I get to the point where I need to rent out a whole storage unit just for figures I’m happy, I only have those under my bed because I have a small display space in my spare room. I’m actually using the unopened figures under my bed as motivation to one day get a bigger house and bigger man cave/ display room to allow myself to open ever single figure and have room to display them. I buy them now and store them under my bed because I know they will be hard to find in the figure and cost more when I do finally have more shelves to display them on.

[@JohnDoe-zm3cr]

Always saw my collecting like growing plant. Sometimes you just need to add to it and allow it to grow, and sometimes you need to prune, maybe even heavily prune. With pruning your collection, like your plants, will be healthier in the end.

[@jasonwoods7802]

I think this is especially important today as there are SO many great lines being produced. You will run out of room in no time and as you said, you can’t appreciate your collection bc it becomes a mass of plastic. I’m in that boat right now where I truly need to cut back and let go of some stuff bc it has become too much and has hindered my ability to live what I have. Plus, the rat race of collecting has become a little exhausting. Just collect what you love!

[@briguy_81]

Good for you man. I ran into the same problem with my comic collecting. I was buying more than I even wanted to read. I didn’t love every series I was getting and just bought them because I always had. I scaled back my pull list and am vastly enjoying my quality picks over my past quantity purchases. I’m glad I came to this realization before I started collecting figures again. I can honestly say that I absolutely love the figures I have on my shelf. I have my buying rules and budget. I plan and never impulse buy. Less can really be more when it comes to enjoying your collection. I don’t even call myself a collector anymore, I refer to myself as a curator.

[@DisplayingModelBehaviour]

Yeah this little obsession can take form in just about any collecting!

[@micklestapler4]

Curator. I like that one . Hope your well Briguy

[@Collect2Disconnect]

@@DisplayingModelBehaviour wish my money collection would build at the rate of my plastic addiction !

[@missboozehound]

I remember as a kid having everything when it came to toys and it was in excess. Also as a young collector wanting everything. It was too much. Now, knowing how to curate my collection was wise.

[@micklestapler4]

Agreed

[@LordRockington83]

Man this is perfectly said. I went thru the same thing. Ramped my collecting during the Pandemic & now I'm realizing being a completionist and hoarder is a huge waste of of money & time. My collecting is much more focused these days. Plus skipping some figures allows me to afford nicer imports.

[@comichero2913]

This really does help, thank you Dave, I keep having this feeling of emptiness, and keep wasting money on things I don't really need, and this, this helped me a lot! I don't need a lot of the stuff I buy, now I will ask my self "Do I need this" every time I go to the checkout spot.

[@themorrislessgroup]

I feel this! Channels like yours help me still feel some of that same dopamine without having to spend the money so that I can actually only buy the stuff I really want to buy but man it’s hard not to get sucked into that completist mindset especially as somebody who has ADHD and is constantly chasing the dopamine

[@markt5090]

Wise words. Something Ive done is every few months I take a few weeks and dont pay attention to releases and dont buy a single figure. During that time I reorganize my shelves, maybe work on adding some paint to some figures I already have, and really just take that time to appreciate where my collection is. If it was gone tomorrow it would suck but our lives are not our collection.

[@Collect2Disconnect]

Yea sometimes I wake up and tell myself you know what today I’m gonna finally add some paint to this fig like I planned 6 months ago” usually the plan never works out lol

[@VainAttempts]

@@Collect2Disconnect it’s overwhelming, been organizing my Star Wars 3 3/4ths for weeks, I have hundreds (about 400+ of them) but I’ve been struggling finding a way that shows off everything and makes sense

[@micklestapler4]

There you go Mark, I do the same with fixing them up whenever they need it( which thankfully is very often) but usually I'm jus switching the display around change characters fighting stance maybe finish that punch the hulk been throwing for like 3 weeks lol anyway hope your well man

[@mre4432]

Dave I went through precisely the same thing! Actually felt happier when I sold off everything I didnt need and gained peace of mind to only buy pieces I love and absolutely have to have from now on

[@micklestapler4]

I'm doing the same at the moment. Focusing on a certain collection that means something to me rather then buying up waves just to have one or two figures that I want . Take its easy Mr.E hope your well

[@sdaeley17]

Dude, this resonated on so many levels! Your openness about your restraint really helped me save money, be selective, and reign in my own collection, selling or giving figures to friends and fellow members of the toy community. Thank you so much!

[@douglasswass3308]

Great video! I’ve been on the fence about quitting collecting and it sometimes feels like an addiction when I’m driving around chasing store exclusive figures. I could definitely use my time more wisely.

[@sabianescoo]

But it’s still fun to be in public and see where it goes from there

[@brianheber8330]

This spoke to me at a very critical time. Trying to step down my addiction so I can stop feeling trapped by it. Really appreciate you sharing your thought process on this.

[@DisplayingModelBehaviour]

Glad I could help dude!

[@howifigure6399]

Good thoughts man. I think it’s something we all need to evaluate periodically. If our hobby is giving us anxiety then it might be time to take a step back.

[@NotBoringFilms]

i think most every collector goes through an epiphany moment where they for some reason take an outsiders in-depth look at their collection, and realize something about themselves. for me it was transformers about 4 or 5 years ago that jogged my mentality. i found a focus within transformers, and rediscovering those characters gave me a focus of how i wanted my shelves to look. i got rid of lots of random toys, and started off fresh. now i only buy characters i like or i think would mesh with other toys in photos. theres just one problem, and i was thinking about this the other day leaving the store: we are in a toy rennaissance! toys are simply amazing these days, and there are so many avenues to follow. more and more i keep looking at mythic legions, and im about to relapse and go broke. ahhhh!

[@JakeV]

I remember feeling myself wanting to complete sets of figures that I had no real connection to, like I got all the Lightning collection MMPR because I thought it would look cool on a shelf, but the reality is I took a few pictures of them and put them in a storage container. I just remember this feeling of missing out on stuff when I didn’t have a lot of money, and now that I’m making way more money, I’ve been buying stuff I don’t have any passion for just because I think I’ll only have the one opportunity to get it. It was literally 5 days ago I decided enough was enough, and I’m starting to get a ton of stuff ready to sell. Let those power rangers go to someone who actually watched the show.

[@docnoc1868]

every words you said is exactly what i felt for my marvel legends when im looking at them piled up just standingthere in the shelf, like in an overloaded train in rush hour..i sell 70% of it and left the ones i like most and bought Mythic Legions, cherry picking the best 4H characters for me and i am happy now.. action figures that are not congested in the shelf and that has room to breathe showing there beauty in awesome poses... now thats very relaxing to look at.... :)

[@christopherxiong]

Thanks for shinning a light on this topic. Everyone is dealing with this for sure.

[@restonslaststand9946]

Good job David! Terrific you got out of completists mode and focus on what makes you happy, and being ok to buy one-offs because you appreciate the art. I still keep some figures boxed to trade or sell simply because they were an awesome deal, and it gives me leverage when a new figure comes out I want, well I'll trade this to lower my cost, or sell it and be able to purchase that new figure without breaking my budget.

[@marveldude9824]

It's good that you established this Dave, and sorry that I haven't been active in the recent streams. I'll try to pop in more often!

[@DisplayingModelBehaviour]

Look forward to seeing you there dude!

[@raff.odinson]

Oh man! This exactly happened to me lol! I’m still buying action figures but I’m trying to be more selective on what to buy but the feeling of I need a new figure still there till I find something new to buy 😆 Great video btw keep them coming!

[@monarcasupremo]

Oh, that "need to buy another figure" feeling! I guess that's the biggest problem. You go on search (perhaps most o the times online nowadays), buy it, wait the mail, receive it with that morning Christmas joy, open it (if you're not a MOC collector), pose it to your shelves and, by the next minute, your head starts wondering "what shall be the next?", "Since I got this one, what else am I missing?"... Yeah, collecting works really closer to an addiction, I sure know! And there is no such a thing as budget or space available, there's only that recorring feeling of "next one please!". And if there's no new release (rare cases) you start to wonder why not getting into another line, another team... I know 2020 was hard, still, somehow is... I, myself, after a long time away from collecting decide to revisit my old o-ring gi joe collection, just those that survived my childhood. All of a sudden I found out I could go to the on-line shopping to buy an accessorie missing, then, next step, why not get that character I didn't have by the time... Then you start to keep up with the news of the relaunching of those toys... Well, its easier to start than to leave it! I do enjoy collecting but, as many here, I now realise that I've been doing it the wrong way. For me, now I know, it should never be a matter of completing a collection, but be able to admire, enjoy and share it. That' s how I 've found this channel. Txs Dave for this video! Cheers for all the community members and for you all, stay safe and peace!

[@jrex9197]

That was me in the late 90's to early 2000's. I bought EVERYTHING! Sounds like I'm about where you're at now, suuuper selective. Still love my action figures. Cheers brotherman🍻

[@marvelingabout8240]

Strong points Dave! Many of us have been feeling the same way more recently, especially due to price hikes because Legends are mostly volume cpllecting. Better than average, Shocker as you pointed out, are the figures that many old collectors are getting rather than just any or almost all.

[@chicomac8450]

This video makes me realize I need to cut back on buying things I have no attachment to. Because I’m tired of being strapped and sad after every paycheck spending what extra money is left over on figures I’ll touch maybe 4 times.

[@blaisebear6850]

Great little video man. So true. Collecting is often just like so many other addictions. Feels good to purge and get down to just the figures you actually enjoy.

[@THEOrize2000]

I feel that. I am studying toy design and still customizing and I am surrounded by toys. I keep trying to get figures that I wasn’t able to get before I made my own money. I’ve been more selective but there are still some cool ones that they keep pumping out. I barely just got into Marvel Legends and already am stopping. In a smaller home it is definitely hard to collect considering I buy and study more than Marvel action figures.

[@jamievaughn1485]

I actually completely sold off all my collecting in 2019 to focus solely on Super 7 figures since they were doing all the 80s lines I wanted and at that time I was over Star Wars. Now my collecting is very precise, I can easily preorder everything and I love it.

[@desert_hunter83]

Completely agree w/ you Dave! 2020 was when I dipped my toe into Transformers 🕳 but quickly got out of that trap lol I did keep Optimus Prime and ‘86 Grimlock 🦖 But then I dipped into NECA, Legends and Classified, eventually it got to that point for me too, What am I collecting? Having so many action figures in the Man Cave and not being able to appreciate all of them because it was just overwhelming 😳 2021 is when I decided to drop Black Series completely, focus on my favorite NECA Predators, Classified villains and classic Marvel Legends Spider-Man and favorite Iron Man suits. Now it feels much more manageable, enjoyable and less stressful ☺️ I can admit to “hoarding” also out of boredom and trying to convince myself that I needed it ALL 🙌 until it reached critical mass, as you said 😉 Love the channel, your livestreams and the Good news 🎙 keep doing what you love how you’re doing it and I’ll keep tuning in - Jeremy 🍻✊😎

[@venomouscollector]

I had exactly the same experience. After a while of getting more and more figures I had the feeling that I appreciated them less and less. My brain had to realize the fun part should be putting some work and posing, taking pictures, making nice displays and not just ordering them all the time. Keeping just the essential ones for you is really the best thing to do. Good for the mentality, good for the wallet.

[@DisplayingModelBehaviour]

I think these experiences are common!

[@mely.8368]

Thats amazing Dave. I said the same thing early 2022. Now I feel better and not so regretful for only getting what I want vs trying to get everything. With that it has been that painful in the pockets 😊

[@DCentFN]

Glad you were able to find you balance. Right before I started a buddy of mine gave me some good advice to avoid over-endulging. Basically, pick a team or character 2-3 at most and just focus on those. If I didn't receive this advice I might've gone down a rabbit hole of items

[@precinct1324]

Thank you for this, buddy. I always try to keep good breaks but this video put it in perfect order and sense.

[@SonnyS994]

I to have been chasing the dragon man for a long time. Stay strong brother, those legends be plastic crack

[@danielmilliken8903]

I needed this at this time in my life. Bittersweet but needed. Thank u ☺️

[@Moriarty.74]

My problem is that I only buy stuff I like for my collection, but there is too much that I like. I've started clearing out lines that I care less about even though I liked the figures I had from that line. So my Thundercats and MotU went bye bye and free up space and money to get more X-Men, some of the new Flash Gordon figures, and that great McFarlane Grifter figure.

[@Williestyle-RobotechxMacross-x]

Dave baby, you know that you got it easy in collecting ( mainly ) Marvel Legends. My collection centers on Macross / Robotech, where the big stars are the transforming vehicles. Even recent standard 5 poa action figures in Robotech sell out super fast and become "collectibles" with high prices to match. p. s. A way to dispose of action figures and toys that have that have lost that "means something to you" factor is to give them as gifts to charity or sell (as you do). It is always best to stick close to what brings your attention and joy to a hobby ( says me as I continue to buy Robotech and Macross Veritech mecha, looking for the "perfect" one, lol ). Thank you for another fun video! ☺

[@MarcoLopez-sl5qz]

I sold my 90's X-force team and other random figs for the same reason, way happier having only figures I want to keep looking at.

[@Hilltopperpete]

This title hit me in the feels. I've managed to avoid all the traditional vices, but little plastic people seem to have have more or less captured all my attention of late. Thank you for sharing your journey!

[@shinobi-Wan]

Thats why I sold my first collection. I was collecting g1 transformers, transformers classics and mighty muggs and I had got overwhelmed by the amount of figures I had surrounding me. I just decided to sell it all which now I deeply regret selling G1 Megatron 🙃. I eventually got back into collecting in 2016 and now I think twice about what I really want. I will watch reviews and get tempted and just ask myself do i really need this figure. I also don't try to complete collections or teams, I really need to have a connection to what I pick up so that I can appreciate it when I have it.

[@DisplayingModelBehaviour]

Yeah seeing a good review often swags me.

[@freakasaur100]

I’m glad you didn’t break your addiction with cocaine

[@DisplayingModelBehaviour]

One step at a time :)

[@freakasaur100]

@@DisplayingModelBehaviour lol my bad, i meant switch from the action figure addiction to cocaine addiction. You still da man!

[@manborg84]

Stay true

[@greggiovanni4788]

I was going to try to be a completist with this McFarland thing but he put stuff out so fast man there ain't no way I'd go broke go hungry and get divorced lol

[@zachknox9564]

Yes sir!!! I found myself offloading about 30% of my collection earlier this year. For me, it came down to quality over quantity.

[@Bongman42088]

First my collection started with one of the 2012 playmates Michelangelo. Then I though to myself; "well Mikey needs his brothers and father." Then it started like; "Oh I'll just collect the things I grew up with or didn't have. Now I'm at hoarder stage. This video really helped and related to me a lot. I am *finally* at that stage where I'm like, "Do I REALLY need this!?" Idk where I'm going with this just typing my feeling but yeah I related a lot to this video.

[@RetroTube1982]

I had a similar realization. It's very easy to see people online buying everything and wanting to do the same. But at some point I realized I'm not a Marvel fan, I'm an X-Men fan. I don't need a dedicated Spider-Man shelf, and Avengers shelf, a Fantastic Four shelf, etc. I never read any of their comics growing up unless they were crossing over with the X-Men. And even with the X-Men, I consider their early '90s Jim Lee looks their definitive versions, so I don't need 100 different Wolverine figures, just one early '90s version. Legends are great, if I had all the money and all the space in the world, I probably would build an entire Marvel universe. But '90s X-Men are my bread and butter, so I'll keep my Marvel Legends collection limited to the mutants.

[@DisplayingModelBehaviour]

Yeah I think is is something we've all encountered at some time or another

[@clubb82]

Dave, you make a great point here. I just recently purged a few figures that I even forgot I had or hadn't even opened having been stored away. Why do I have these characters? Cool factor or are they rare? I now only collect characters who bring me joy to sit on my shelves and I don't get tired of them. Do I really need all the Daredevils in each costume appearance? It's still hard sometimes. Although I was so close to dropping $70 bucks on a Ghost Rider that I wanted, then Hasbro announced the new retro packaging version which would fulfill that character for me. So sometimes it's also good to wait it out.

[@joechapman1546]

This is good advice Dave- thanks. I moved abroad just before covid hit and had all my stuff in storage boxes for 2 years. When i unpacked i started a frenzy of buying new figures for my collection. I know that I now need to kerb this some. Now i'm finding I really appreciate the fewer better quality figures I buy. Your channel and others help me decide the wheat from the chaff too,

[@DisplayingModelBehaviour]

Less is more, quality over quantity!

[@aFoxyFox.]

So what are your favorites and what are some you decided weren't that great? Which ended up being more chaffy and chafing you when you would notice them? Do you play with them and perform little sound effects and scenes?

[@joechapman1546]

@@aFoxyFox. Ha - don't play with them, but try to display them in batles rather than standing around! The main problem is I just havetoo many - not just Hasbro but all slightly smaller older ToyBiz figures- X-men in particular. I'm musch less likely to buy every version of Spider-Man or Wolverine that comes out these days. And now I've unpacked I'm taking stock of evrything and seeing what I can sell oof.

[@aFoxyFox.]

@@joechapman1546 Maybe I'd be interested in buying some from you as well, feel free to contact me at theartismagistra at the g sort of email if you know which I mean. I'd at least love to hear about all you have and what you've built up, up you've sold so far if any, and what is up for sale, if you have an Ebay or something you could link me to that too but what do you use to sell usually? I've dealt with friendly folks who just sell over email and PayPal in order to save on fees and receive the maximum funds themselves without the other companies taking big cuts and stuff. I like the older stuff as well! I'm pretty selective myself overall, and even with being so selective I have amassed so many figures that I love the idea of having but have practically no room for anywhere! At least it motivates me to try to someday own some big house where I can nicely display all my things and play with them as well!

[@joechapman1546]

@@aFoxyFox. Thanks I will contact you.Everything has been in packing cases for a long while, so I'm at the beginning of sorting out what I will sell, so I will probably use ebay or email and PayPal, I'll be in touch.

[@crylok7062]

Man i really gotta reassess my collection. its funny cause when toy galaxy said that eventually every collector culls the herd and forms collection 2.0, i laughed because i didnt see that as a remote possibility. but now i just think about it, in the earlier days i had 20 or 30 figures and every addition added something because it grew the display, Iron Man was Iron Man, i didnt care about the look as much as the character. now i have maybe 400-500 and i look around and there are parts of it that just dont do anything but take up space. in the process of moving now, but when i get everything unpacked maybe ill take the weak ones and finally sell them. i dont dislike them, but i dont love them all anymore. after all, who needs 9 Luke Skywalkers?

[@agiammarco94]

I think that’s one of the things that’s helped me as a collector, I’ve never really stopped since I was a kid but the way I collect has always been about either characters I like, or designs i think are cool. Yes, I do have a lot of impulse buys but most of the time it’s kind of justified (in my head) is how I can use the figure. I wasn’t a GI Joe fan but the classified series makes me one, but I’m mostly keeping it to the ninjas (cause they’re cool) and the foot soldiers as they can be used with any line. Although I think that’s also why I’m ok with how I collect, there’s so much I like that I can collect so I’ve always been picky with what I buy. I mean there have been times of regrets, like most recently I kinda regret getting the RED Optimus Primal cause it’s an iffy figure but I got it on clearance. It’s a touch battle sometimes but I do sometimes go through what I have and filter it a bit, haven’t gotten rid of anything though. EDIT: It just came to my head, but another thing that is a factor in all of this, is it a line or company I like. It's a pretty major factor and why most of the stuff i do buy is probably either Hasbro, mattel or something else. NECA may look great, and they may have a bunch o licenses I want to buy that I have in the past, but their issues keep me from buying them. Same with McFarlane Toys, they are coming out with a bunch of stuff I want to get, but my issues with their figures keep me from it. I also think a lot of how I collect comes down to this: do these figures look good, and do they give me joy when posing/playing with them. If they bring me that than great, if not than buh-by.

[@venomsjunkmail]

I always have collected various things. When covid and lockdowns hit anxiety and depression hit harder than ever. The movie Venom ML got me interested in the line for how good it was. Sadly not all of the figures are as good as that but there's still a few gems in the line worth it. I've bought figures of characters I don't really care about. Like the green jumpsuit Red Skull. It was middle of '21 and one of the first times being in the mall so I stopped at GameStop and figured well I might as well pick it up, but I had no real need of it. I've got plenty of figures on preorder and I'll be grabbing that Ghost Rider rerelease because that's the version of GR I want. I am cutting back though because I have most of the characters I really care about. Outside of new interesting version of Spidey (Japanese, first appearance, RYV), and ones I really like the design of like Moon/Mr. Knight, I'm kinda done. The only thing I'm really hoping to grab is a MvC style Sentinel some day that doesn't cost 500 like the giant child sized Haslab Sentinel.

[@twistedsyncapation413]

This is one of your best videos Dave, and it was just a tangent 😅

[@DisplayingModelBehaviour]

Lol minimum effort, maximum return!

[@aFoxyFox.]

The Foxy Method! I hope you make a lot more like this (I haven't seen it yet, but I'm confident that it is likely a really good one). So long as you can casually discuss just about anything, in an informal and unscripted way, breezing through filming without editing it, the videos being relatively short so that the lack of editing doesn't seem like a big issue, and freely and tangentially being able to explore just about any topic, I think it can become really fun to release multiple videos a day, or pre-film and slow release multiple throughout a week. I think you have an audience that just enjoys watching you talk and joke about whatever at all, and based on the comments, it looks like this one was very relatable for people and probably was good for boosting the sense that you are closer to the audience and more exposed. It is almost as good as when female KZbinrs show themselves in private and intimate moments, like while shaving certain parts of their body. What people are looking for is home-style authenticity, to joke and play around with a best pal in this lonely world where most of them just have a wife, some kids, some pets, their family, their relatives, their friends, and 500 action figures, and no one who really seems to "get" them the way a guy in his parent's attic does. I'm really excited to see what was considered addiction and what was considered overcoming the addiction in this video. I think not enough people probably derive enough enjoyment and playtime out of their things, including their games, figures, books, and comics / graphic novels, and pieces of art. They don't have enough time for them, they easily get more than they can do anything with, and they don't find the time to make much use of the stuff ever. Some people even die suddenly, their entire collections completely gone, leaving behind only a small card with a picture of a Fox on it.

[@TheQuebecDragon]

@@DisplayingModelBehaviour Stop doing like Hasbro!! ;-P

[@MrMomobot]

I pretty much only collect characters I like. So, it's been pretty hard recently, getting rid of a good chunk of my collection. in 2018, when the new Jurassic line came out and I absolutely binged on those figures. As of right now I'm about to sell half of them. but I'm hoping I can get something even better out of it. One new super detailed T-Rex. I tried looking up stuff about, "how to let go of collecting" a couple month's back. really didn't find anything related to action figure/toy collecting. just a bunch of other stuff (still useful though) More people should talk about it. Thanks for uploading this.

[@SkellyDrAgOn]

Started with collecting my childhood GI Joes. I only collect the one's I had as a kid. I'm almost done with those. He-Man Origins came along so I'm buying those now too but only the original vintage style one's because those are my childhood. I'm so glad I've never been a completionist and only like figures that remind me of my childhood. I also collect Superman figures if they look good and any vintage toy I had back in the day if it's not too expensive. One more line I'm collecting is the 90's cell shaded vhs style X-Men because of my childhood. I told myself from the beginning to collect what I love not just like and if I'm not connected to it then pass it by no matter how cool it looks. There will always be another cool looking figure and figures you love. 👍

[@willagnes8376]

Self Control, Budget and Focus are the 3 things every collector needs.

[@handsomebstard]

And a good psychiatrist.

[@TheQuebecDragon]

That was quite interesting. It feels like I got more into how you think and what your mindset is. It also explains why you're keeping those AOA figures, even though you've culled so much stuff. From what your last collection video looked like, I think that even if you actually probably know and love the New Warriors quite a bit, unlike X-Factor and X-Force, you probably got rid of the members you had because they weren't good enough in your eyes or didn't bring you enough satisfaction. Am I right? And are the few Thunderbolts you had still around?

[@DisplayingModelBehaviour]

I’m still holding on the the Thunderbolts!

[@bchccc]

I also create rules to myself: no MCU and no repeats

[@andrepaul3483]

I can relate to this video a lot,man. I mean,I sold all of my Marvel stuff last year because I am not that attached to this world. I bought them back in the day mostly because ML figs were hot at the time. So after selling them,I haven't bought a single Marvel fig since. Then I watched Angel. I was hooked. I am still hunting for those old DST Angel figs tho. Because the characters of this show helped me thru 2021 when watching them.

[@sabianescoo]

This is how I am with AEW & Black Series. But Legends will forever be my true love of collecting.

[@jacobscopperfield7660]

It sucks cause I cant watch the animated xmen cause I'm thinking "Dam I dont have that character as a figure"

[@ruhalfoyls]

Im horrible. I broke my magic addiction only to fall in a warhammer addiction, and now im looking in toy collecting. I need help.

[@baalmetal6]

Damn you're similar to me. Mine was magic addiction, warhammer addiction, DnD addiction, pokémon addiction and now toy collecting addiction.

[@ruhalfoyls]

@baalmetal6 full story for me is pokemon>dbz(cards)>yugioh>magic> pathfinder>magic(ye it pulled me back)>warhammer and toys. (Looking back i ha e been at this for about 25 years and still not learned anything other then "I WANT IT!)

[@jeremyobriant7266]

I have so many figures, I've considered selling many of them but it just seems so overwhelming. 99% of my figures are in storage. I have G.I. Joe, Star Wars, and Marvel figures, all 6", as well as a few smaller IPs, but I don't enjoy them as much as I used to. I started with trying to be a completionist with Black Series (I was able to get most of the red boxes but not all), especially when the new "galaxy" boxes came out, but the first time I didn't get an exclusive figure (I believe it was the exclusive Cad Bane with TODO-360), I was bummed out and once I realized it was folly to try to be a completionist. I have so many Marvel Legends from comics I've never read and who, honestly, I don't care for as figures or as characters. I recently sold my Hellfire Club set, because, like you, I had no interest in the characters or the story. I know I don't have the largest collection but I have a larger collection than most people, I'd say. I really should find a way to sell off a large portion of my collection. Do I really need 6 different (but not that different) Luke Skywalker or Spider-Man figures? This video is definitely strengthening my thoughts on selling.

[@ClaudeGnome]

Something I do is when I suddenly get an urge to buy a figure I’ll force myself to wait a week or two. Usually by the next week my interest is lost. And when it isn’t, I’ll buy it and I’m usually happy with the purchase.

[@DisplayingModelBehaviour]

That’s a good plan. I do the same too

[@mallratz182]

Man 2020 did a number on me. That’s when the gloves came off, I remember ordering the Dark Phoenix 2 pack, Spider-Man and Kraven 2 pack , Ghost Rider Riders series, and the Alpha Flight set just to nane a few. Most were pretty expensive as well.

[@DisplayingModelBehaviour]

Yeah that sounds like my 2020 too!

[@nuka_10]

Proud of you Dave keep it up

[@MrGandymanjr]

I never really got into figure collecting cause I’ve not had disposable income like that. It put me in a position where I get things that are memorable. I’m now in that path of thinking “oh if I get this I have to get this too”. Another thing is that I don’t want to obsess over them, just want to enjoy it and that’s it.

[@aidianajones]

My online shopping addiction stsrted before lockdown, but got way worse during it. I bought things to have a little something to look forward to later on, but it got out of hand fast. Three years later and I'm checking various saved ebay searches almost religiously in case something good pops up. I've had last second near heart attacks from fighting off snipers on ebay auctions, things go "missing" from hermes/evri's warehouses, and spent more than I want to admit on small plastic characters that just stand idle on my many, many *but somehow still never enough* shelves.

[@SpiderFansArt2006]

I have trouble getting rid of things because I always think I'll use it in the future

[@DisplayingModelBehaviour]

I know the feeling!

[@NuBahamut]

This was very therapeutic lol, thanks!

[@_-5163]

Thanks for sharing..I just sold about 40 legends and it felt great 👍

[@morenomight681]

Bro, most scandalous thumb nail I’ve seen 😂😂

[@Collect2Disconnect]

Thought the title was gonna be . Mom finally found my drugs

[@mr.motormaster9881]

i just buy the ones you wanted as a kid, NO MORE.

[@Savage_saint_ny]

David, David, David. As you know I've been here for a while and have supported DDMB with funds and words of encouragement both here and on Facebook. I truly love the super positive spin this has taken. However.... As a former Alcoholic I feel it's important to acknowledge the rock bottom moments that lead to the change of thinking if you truly want to help people with addictive personalities. Not trying to be a downer or dredge up bad memories, but I recall there were a few other factors which lead to the new mind set. Both negative and positive. You have to acknowledge: The Negative- The Japan Incident. The massive sell off started to prepare for the move and continued after the huge monetary loss of its unpredicted failure. The coinciding breakup 💔 could have sent you spiraling without the... Positve: You had the support of the community you built. Sending you 💓, funds, and different types of figures. Most people struggling with addiction don't have these positive aspects. You're fortunate you did. I'm not trying to be a kill joy, or a hater. I just think it's important to acknowledge the facts that stoked the flames of change if you truly want to help people. So yes Multiple Man was a pivoting point. A physical representation of the above negative factors and not being able to have it all. The safety net you unknowingly set up with this community of amazingly caring people (shout out to the 6-1-CLIQUE ❤️) is something most addicts don't realize they have in friends and family. So good for you in seeing it so quickly. Sorry to rant and kind of call you out a bit, but the process and factors are important when dealing with addiction. It's a subject I deal with daily and watching you go through it and coming out on the other side is and can be truly inspirational. ❤️ ya brother and this community you've built. You have a great platform here to help people. You're passion and enthusiasm keep us coming back and garner the acknowledgement you've been receiving. So THANK YOU and please keep Displaying Model Behaviour. 🙏🤘🤙✌️❤️

[@aFoxyFox.]

Do you think David is or has ever been a "real" addict or comparable to people with severe substance addictions? I don't think so. I take this "addiction" thing as a kind of light joke, similar to how people sometimes lightly say "I'm depressed" meaning their mood is down. I think you brought up some great points, like any good Scream-style phone call, but I think what David doesn't acknowledge fully is how Foxy actually controls everything he does. From screwing up his going to Hong Kong, to sending him hypnotic messages that convince him that actual Hasbro gold is cheap plastic garbage, Foxy is that one "friend" addicts usually call "The Dark Lord, Satan". My agents in the U.K. have been gradually buying off his entire collection, leaving him with only the most idiotic characters and figures while convincing him he is doing the right thing. We create enormously expensive HasLabs projects just so that David feels even more pressure to sell off everything he has in order to be left with one grumpy little old man in a giant purple headdress and a tiny robot child. Piglets bionic eye, if it gets installed, will send me direct footage of David's entire living space and any toys he is hiding outside of that attic, as well as images from some other guys place for a lot of the time, but still. My mother works in a Methadone clinic (That is what she said!) and one of the addicts (Real addicts? Prove it!) said that they pay like 100 dollars per some amount of grams of heroin or something? That makes this molded plastic addiction a whole lot cheaper seeming, especially with dealers like Johnny Hasbro and "Side-Eyes" McFarlane from the Irish Mob. "Timothy" Hakura "Revolver" Yamaguchi charges a lot for his sweet plastic, but claims to have a finer sort. I think these guys are all lying to us though, I think they just want our money. Ben Chen and "The Storm Boys" also seem to ask for a lot, letting Johnny and "Side-Eyes" rule the American, Canadian, and U.K. streets. Then there is Damien "Hotty" Toyberg and the other goon, "Sideshow", the rich boys and their designer drugs. The one thing all these guys have in common is their pencil-thin-mustaches (like John Waters), or so my mother tells me. So, based on what you've seen of David's collection, what do you personally think (regardless of his feelings which don't matter at all) he should get rid of and buy or replace to make his collection even better and more to your personal tastes? I think he should make lots of money and get rid of a lot of stuff and replace it with better and cooler stuff like Gans Boy type stuff which is so much more "museum quality" seeming and fascinating overall. I think his Sentinel is that sort of piece too, the big giant Transformers as well. I think maybe he should look for a giant Godzilla, maybe even a life size suit to go somewhere and then his toys will be in scale generally. I think some major new culling can be done for his collection, which is one of the best I've seen among collectors, since so many of them have so much stuff that is just looking like clutter they never even touch and can barely see behind other clutter. I think the designs of a lot of the "classic" and famous characters are just annoying and terrible, and I wonder how David would feel if I took them all for his own mental hygiene.

[@Savage_saint_ny]

@@aFoxyFox. As entertaining as all of your response was; I can see it for what it is. With that said, yes I do believe collecting in the manner we do is a form of addiction. Making light of it may be easy for some but it's just a defense mechanism. It's cool though I wasn't speaking from a podium just sharing my observations on that specific situation. Personally I don't care what David collects. I find him genuine and hilarious regardless. To each their own. Not here for drama in the slightest just trying to help people if I can. If it offended clearly not my intent, if it helps someone great. Have a good day ✌️❤️

[@aFoxyFox.]

@@Savage_saint_ny Oh no, you didn't offend and didn't seem to be trying to offend anyone, I was just joking around or "making light" of things, but not meaning to make light of actual substance abuse or even actual hording. As far as I've seen, David seems to be sort of alright in comparison to people who really have major mental issues and probably can't as easily help themselves or figure out what they are doing so that it reaches really crazy levels, but then there are degrees of course, we're all probably crazy to some degree or by someone's perspective, but I still don't think "toy addiction" is a term meant to be taken too seriously or compared to drug addiction, alcoholism, obsessive compulsive buying, hording, self-destructive things. I liken toy collecting to any other sort of collecting, like stamp collecting or something, some people might get the stamps they like, some get high value ones just for their value, some get entire sets and complete the sets, some go after antiques, some buy all the new ones, they go into albums, are framed and displayed. Some people have a lot, some people have a few, some people might even have storage rooms filled with albums of stamps or other kinds of art or documents, and it could be crazy to someone, but I don't know if it is really as life-threatening as the substance abuse addictions, sex addictions, whatever sort of addictions that are the more serious sorts in the views of most people. I just don't think David is all that serious when he uses the word addiction, at least I hope he isn't, but maybe he is really serious. I have stuff that I should probably sell and won't either, I'm probably worse off than David in some ways, but at least I refuse to buy Doctor Octopus because I think he looks bad, so nyah! Yes, what I write is for entertainment purposes, it wasn't meant to "call you out" or anything really to do with you, it was just sort of inspired by your writing and then I went on my own thing which had nothing to do with your more serious and heartfelt sort of message to David which could help David make more content like this that could help people. My stuff, even when dealing with more serious things, is usually written in a way that people can also just laugh around and not take things too seriously. I think that, despite David's education now in such things, this channel should not really become the place where people seek professional help or counseling or anything, but should maybe just be for talking about movies and stuff. I remember that in one live-stream recently someone came in and talked about Leukemia out of the blue, not that people shouldn't, but is time and place a factor ever? I mean, people have a sort of habit of bringing up things which are weighing on them, which is fine I guess, but what can David do about some person's Leukemia? It just stuns and confuses people, causes a malfunction. I also question how considerate people are when they sort of download their problems or worries on others. I am not suggesting you did any such thing, I'm just saying that this channel might not be the best place for people with real addictions, like if they are really messed up with toy addictions that are putting them into absolute destitution and poverty and they are sneaking toys in their pockets to work and risking getting fired for it or something, then they probably shouldn't be seeking help here from David or me or anyone of us amateurs, and should seek some real help to save their lives. I've also seen people come into channels and start talking about how they want to harm themselves or others, and have to be "talked down" but this isn't the right place for any of that I think, such people should not be relying on people who watch Disney+ shows for help.

[@aFoxyFox.]

You might know more on the subject, but just out of curiosity, does alcohol addiction function as a kind of chemical addiction or is it something else? People who buy a lot of things are seeking pleasure in a certain way, but isn't drug and alcohol addiction something to do with physical substances operating on the body and the neurology and might be a little different in at least some ways (even major ways) than people who buy lots of toys or DVDs or books?

[@Savage_saint_ny]

@@aFoxyFox. Like I said above it's all good. To answer your last question Yes and No. Lol Drug and alcohol addiction are only partially chemically dependent on interactions with other chemicals one puts in their bodies. The end result however is the same release of serotonin, dopamine, or endorphins that collecting would give someone. With drugs and alcohol it is enhanced by said chemicals. They all however give the brain its desired goal of pleasure, and happiness. Some who collect with the intent selling far down the road consider it an investment. Some who collect and immediately sell due to regret can be seen as binge and purgers similar to an eating disorder. Hoarders are all most always trying to fill a void in their lives. Some just like cool shit and can control themselves. That's not an addictive personality profile. The key there is moderation which they carry out through most of their actions. I too enjoy the light heartedness of David and his channel; and always go for the quick joke for amusement most of the time when commenting. Yet Dave seems to care about his community members. The old wellness check ins for example. Clearly its a personal demon for me so i always try to help when i can. Sometimes with humor, but other times a swift hit with the hammer drives the point home more effectively. Don't want you to think I'm upset. I enjoy both types of interactions because everyone's perspective is different. Hope that helps clear things up a bit. Catch ya on the next stream or premier. ✌️❤️

[@ed209onthestairs]

I've had to do this several times over the years, and this video came just in time to remind me to do it again. It's time to cancel a bunch of pre-orders and focus only on the stuff I KNOW I will love and enjoy! Man, I bought so much crap over the last two years. Damn covid. Well...it's time to tighten the belt!!

[@DisplayingModelBehaviour]

Yeah we've all been there!

[@channelsofash]

With Transformers it was because they ran out of characters I knew and I wasn't into spending for a slightly better Starscream. Marvel it would take a long time to run out of every character I know, but damn when they started flooding us with wave after wave every year it was just too many releases to keep up with all they were cranking out.

[@NickDoobs]

It's such a strange addiction. I'm definitely out of space and losing interest in the hobby so breaking my addicition is becoming a little easier.

[@elithenerd8956]

I need to figure this out. Where does the collection end? I have decided recently to think hard about this. I have made myself a new rule, “If you aren’t going to display, then you aren’t going to pay.” And now, I’ve mainly cut out Marvel legends and Transformers since those collections are done for me. I’m focusing on Star Wars, Mcfarlane Toys, and a few other lines. Also the prices on figures are getting crazy. I collect the SH figuarts dragon ball line. That ain’t cheap. It’s an unfortunate thing that eventually all collectors have to face. We have to draw a line in the sand.

[@DisplayingModelBehaviour]

That’s a golden rule. No display, no pay!

[@kdakda426]

I still have the habit of buying duplicates... and I dont find happiness😢 I cant get over the perfectionist mindset of wanting the perfect figure...im paying tons on duplicatea

[@jettdormitorio8555]

i agree,, when i started collecting in july 2021, i just bought spidey and x-men which were comic based, i got into mcu spideys but i sold em bc it wasnt as nostalgic or appealing and not a figure i would hold for an entire day (like the mafex venom, ugghhh i am in love with that). lovelots dave!

[@marvelingabout8240]

Know what you mean! There are just several Legends that are great or way better than average and rate up to those pricey figures. The rest in volume doesn't seem worth it and current stuff is more delicate, too.

[@Mattyboy-dn4oo]

I don’t mean to sound pretentious, but I really just never had that problem with my collection. Yea I have bouts where I wanted to complete a set, but it’s typically only for series or franchises I really like. I’m a pretty sentimental person, so I make sure that the figure I want actually has some meaning and I can find enjoyment in it. Recently I picked up two more Play arts figures from Final Fantasy 7 Remake and I have had a blast taking pictures of them and posing them. I also just really love that game and looking at Cloud, Tifa, Barret, and Aerith really hammer home that point. Not to mention how much fun they are to pose. I’m aware that there are more characters in the line up, but I just don’t have a need for all of them. Not even Red 13 even though I liked his backstory in the OG. These 4 are the ones I feel most attached to and the characters I think best represent my love for the game. Adding anyone else would just feel forced. Even with the $12 Funko Pops I’m mainly focusing on specific themes and aesthetic. Overall, I’m happy to hear that you came to the state of only buying what you really love. This hobby can spiral out of control very quickly if you don’t have any sense of control or planning , which is why I hear several stories of new collectors spending a crap ton of money on figures trying to get a large collection only to them complain about how expensive everything is and falling out of the hobby. These problems can be avoided on the front end.

[@mattdestroyer77]

If I was a toy reviewer I'd be selling most of my collection off.

[@DisplayingModelBehaviour]

That is essentially what I decided to do

[@devonnogoogle3592]

I'm currently on my journey of stopping buying figures and right now I am buying characters who mean something to me I stopped with marvel legends because I got all the marvels characters I fell in love with. Right now I'm working on anime figures of characters I watched growing up like dbz and jojo and so far I have like 4 characters left then I'll stop. I just know one night the only way I'll stop is getting the characters that meant something to me it doesn't matter if there are part of set or a support character

[@rich_oreilly]

Well saird and I can totally relate to this! If it was marvel legends or black seroes then it would've been in my collection. After the 100th repaint and same qc issues I decided to stop and buy only what I enjoy now

[@alibear73]

Same here. I know everyone is pretty much saying the same thing but space and cash was my limiting factor. I only collect characters I like a lot and have some kind of attachment to. I like Dead pool but I have no Dead pool figures in my collection for example because I'm not a huge fan. My main marvel team is the X-men and that's the X men from 1985 because that's when I started reading them. The Jim Lee look is great but I'm really waiting for more of the 1985 look Uncanny x men figures. I don't collect every single wolverine that is released or feel obligated to collect any other x men team spin offs unless I genuinely feel something for them. I'd love to have the star jammers, the shiar royal guard, Mr Sinister's Marauders and the nasty boys. Then I'd be complete. Also David I got the Hellfire club set for £59.00

[@reventonrowe6111]

It’s like me Dave. I’ve somehow ended up with about 200 Marvel Legends figures and never read a comic in my life. I was only into the 70s-90s TV shows. So I’m currently trying to figure out which ones to cull as it’s got ridiculous

[@DisplayingModelBehaviour]

It’s a slippery slope!

[@aFoxyFox.]

Orrr, read a comic.

[@tyestancil2783]

@@aFoxyFox. lls right, it's not hard. Do some research and you may find new loves.

[@lossiiburns]

Thanks for this video now am selling all the stuff I don’t need

[@tommygeorgejr2931]

I only collect villains but also it's all about the quality of the figure but to shorten this story you ain't lying

[@micklestapler4]

Nice intro man. I really enjoyed this video.

[@DisplayingModelBehaviour]

Thanks brother!

[@micklestapler4]

@@DisplayingModelBehaviour yeah man 👍

[@smithbeentrill]

I mainly collect MCU but I buy what I like. Never read Maggot’s first appearance or Darwin but the characters looked cool and I like X-Men so I grabbed em. Comic Doctor Strange was too good of a figure not to get, especially because he’s one of my favorite heroes.

[@knighttakespawn]

Speaking out on this just got you a sub, my friend! Lockdown must’ve been great on all these companies’ bottom line lol

[@DisplayingModelBehaviour]

Hey thank you so much. Yeah it was fascinating to see action figure interest drop off in the audience when Covid came to an end

[@jambee5603]

Im lucky not to get addicted with action figures. Yeah, i do collect but I just focus on movie figures. I dont buy everything that looks cool, especially characters that i dont even know or like

[@MrKrushgutz]

Where do I sell my action figures? I don’t have time to take pictures and ship them out through eBay.

[@chrislmaoo]

I stopped buying lego Star Wars by just selling it all too. It becomes to much and then lego went and announced a price hike.

[@spbm9689]

I’m in the prime of my addiction hopefully one day I will break it lmao 😭

[@aaron___6014]

I think this is exactly what the marketing teams know will happen with certain people. I was doing the same thing with a certain bicycle, and then a motorcycle. Gotta get every version. I'm hoping this video helps me correct.

[@DisplayingModelBehaviour]

Once you start to course correct it just gets easier and easier! :)

[@jump9506]

Align with your outlook on collecting. I just buy precisely what I like the look of and have no intention of becoming a completionist of these never ending ML waves (I couldn't afford it in terms of time, cost, space and inconvenience).

[@DisplayingModelBehaviour]

Space is usually the biggest problem!

[@kobocopcustoms]

I agree with everything you said and I like your vibe and attitude so definitely a new subscriber.

[@DisplayingModelBehaviour]

Hey thanks so much man. Welcome to the channel!