PopHorror Let's Get Scared
We all have that one friend who scans conventions, with money to burn and a bunch of “useless stuff” in mind. A collectors taste may vary; some collect certain toy lines, others, like me, thrive in chaos. There is no set theme in my collection; it’s like the horror and cartoon fairy threw up in my office. That’s the way I like it, however, because I am a collector. I don’t collect to sell, I don’t need them in pristine condition, these are my treasures, and I am only peanuts compared to other displays.
Some collectors have dedicated their entire adulthood chasing the dream toys they never got. Some of us just want cool stuff because of our fandom, and I am both. My collection is thriving with all those cartoons that I am still obsessed with, and the millions of horror movies I have seen in my time. We never had much money when I was young, so I missed out on a lot of things; however, we always had cable through it all. We also had a VCR and plenty of old horror movies; monsters have always been a major part of my life. While most kids were playing Pogs, I was making my own friends with TV. If people had told me that “weird” was going to be the new “normal”, I would have prepared my dorkiness even more.
What Was Once Sacred To Us
For me its a way of healing. I spend a lot of time searching for those timeless items to fill different voids. I think it could also be our fossils from a pre 9/11 world. The world definitely changed after that, and even as teenagers, we lost a lot of innocence. Could these items be coping mechanisms? In my opinion, absolutely. Maybe these collectibles bring back memories of loved ones, or that ONE toy we didn’t get as a child. There is something fulfilling about looking at my office of controlled chaos and feeling comfortable. Is it a way of showing off? I mean, who wouldn’t want to show off cool trinkets that remind them of childhood? I think we chase that line, aching to be back before fear of traveling, and senseless attacks. Some items just make everything better; it’s that one major find we are hunting down just to fill an emptiness in our hearts.
As a whole, we all have our own style, our own way. Some collectors choose Vinyl or VHS tapes; others collect the characters they relate to. Hell, people even collect little angel kids. Nothing beats the thrill of going to your favorite shop and seeing that one item that you never thought anyone would make, and there it is, the little light bulb that says, “Buy this, dammit.” I say let people do what they want, don’t shame someones excitement or make them feel awkward for having a fandom. Maybe that person is also filling a void in their own way. It isn’t about being “too old” for something. It’s about happiness; some find their vice is alcohol or unhealthy eating.
I don’t see this as any different. Just a healthier outlet. So keep on collecting and chasing that mythical collectible you know exists somewhere.
