They say different things, usually starting with "what are these?" It's interesting to see what attracts their eye. One friend found Dream Rocket's Gappo to be very beautiful ... I agree but that figure didn't catch fire in the collector scene. Another found my RxH Shintosans to be compelling, and really loved the all-black K-T Chaos. He's familiar with kaiju movies but not so much the toys. He found it really strange to see Angilas standing up in several minis. I want people to like Bero Bero but he seems to give them the creeps. Everyone seems a little attracted and repelled at the same time by Hedorah toys.
in all honesty though, most of my friends are weirdos themselves or are into "different" stuff so they don't find it too surprising. it's not like I'm having people over from the office to watch Basketball or something and they're like "what the F are these bizarre things?!" the reason I'm friends with most of the people I am is because they are interested in some other similar facet of the things I am, like horror movies or metal or something, so I don't think they find it odd at all. in fact, a friend was just over the other day and she said "you guys should give out a little newsletter to people to update them on what's new each time they come over."
i'm with you on your earlier statement actually about having no friends. there's office people i wouldn't really hang out with - and the only other people that come over are my fiancee's friends. i live in suburb honkeyville... not many like minded cool types around that would enjoy many of the things i do
yeah, all of my friends are weird also. but some of them don't understand why I spend as much money as I do on toys, but I look at their beer guts and wonder the same
since i get most shipped to work, the most often heard response is....."we need to give you an intervention!"......or the clueless...."love the dinosaurs!".....um sure ........ but like skylar said....most of my real friends have similar interests....so they really dont think anything of my kaiju/lunchbox/boardgame/vinyl/vintage paperback/horror toys/thrift score finds obsessions..... and the coworkers that make fun calling me "peter pan syndrome", that can only hold sports based conversations.....the can go take a flying fuck at a rolling donut.....
Heh, Peter Pan syndrome. My best friend tried that on me not too long ago, like he's one to talk with his crazy art collection. I interrupted to say "wait a minute, I'm the FIRST to insist that this makes the 'boy' inside happy. You can't cut me down with that because it's consciously what I'm doing ... letting the inner child play." Silence. Hah!
i get the usual "hmmm, what's up with these?" line. i explain that they are like collecting art. which is a 100% accurate answer in my opinion. i probably only have 50+ or so pieces, so i think it would be more difficult to explain some of your (you know who you are) "monster-sized" collections to people, let alone my wife.
Some of my favorite reactions: "Why do they all have their arms in the air?" "That would make a cool candle." "Where are their penises?" "Ewwww! Get that thing away from me!"
many years ago i had a girl over who asked to be taken home after she saw my room. total lamewad. its pretty rare that anyone has anything negative to say about my toys, most of my friends are just happy to see me enjoying something. there has only been one time where someone was being disrespectful about it, and i just asked him to leave. my girlfriend thinks im nuts, but shes cool with that.
I think its because collectors show more respect by not messing around with another's treasure. More of an understanding. People that don't collect and start touching the figures don't know their worth and value. Most annoying is when they don't put it back the way it was! I've had little responses since not many actually get to see them. But most I've heard was "How much do they cost?" or "How old are you?" and rarely a "Cool". Don't really give a shit anyways.
I think I'm actually going to start a new rule where friends have to bring me a new toy in order to even gain entrance into my house. that'll really weed them out
One new toy EACH to gain entrance. And yeah, our friends are all weirdos too, often with toys of their own, or a comparable collection of something strange. I don't hang out with normal people and I certainly don't let them into my house. The few co-workers that I've shared my flickr account with have seen my toys, but I work at a weirdo non-profit full of strange people too. Most of them just thought it was interesting/cute/cool. No one has ever been like "I don't get it"
"they cost how much?" "why do you take them out of the boxes?" "i like that kid robot store" "do you have any smoking bunnies?" "i wish i collected stuff this cool" "carl's collection is way better than yours"
