This week’s behind the figure is a special one because I got to interview one of the greats in the action figure news Daniel Pickett. He is the Owner/Creator of Action Figure Insider (AFI), a well-respected member of the toy community, and an all around good guy. He is an inspiration to Go Figure News, so it really was a pleasure to take some time to find out more about him, behind the scenes....
LJ: So my first question is pretty common. When and why did you start AFI?
DP: I started AFi 10 years ago last month. Previous to that I was writing for another action figure web site for several years. That site was a little clunky and dated and it didn’t seem like the owner was going to invest in any updates to the site. Also my friend who was the editor during my time there had gotten another job and moved on, so the time seemed right to strike out on my own. I had some ideas on the kind of site that I would run if I had my own, but always thought that was a pipe dream. I reached out to my friend Jason Geyer (who was one of the founder/creators of RTM) and showed him my ideas, and he built the original AFi site based on my notes. He was also living in LA so we would meet at lunch at Subway and go over the ideas. Jason never wanted to get involved with another toy site, but we were having so much fun together that he just kept saying “yes.” I was always interested in the “behind the scenes” and the “why?” of the toy world. AFi was the natural extension of that curiosity. We build the original site to look like a super-market tabloid with headlines, features and one side had a jagged edge. I always loved that original look.
LJ: Congratulations on 10 years that is a long time. So tell me what's it like to be a true 'insider' when it comes to toys - in other words, how seriously do people take their fun?
DP: I believe we are living a golden age of toys. When I was a kid in the 70s and 80s action figures were made by guys that never thought they’d make toys. They went to design school or became engineers thinking they would make cars or appliances or any number of things folks need and a lot of them just “found” themselves in the toy industry. Now we are in an era where the kids who played with Kenner figures, LJN figures, Mego figures, etc. are now in the industry and making the toys and we are getting the stuff that we always wanted. It will still always be a Business that is driven by money, but the people in charge now are dedicated to making some cool stuff.
LJ: I have to agree with you things have become extra cool in toy land lol! What are you noticing in toy trends in general? Do you see anything waxing and/or waning in popularity?
DP: I think the biggest trend is escalating costs! (Editor: Amen!) You are seeing 4” scale figures for $15+ at retail and 6” scale figures for $23+… 5 years ago $15 is what you might pay for a 6” scale figure and anything over $20 was low run stuff at the direct market. That’s making it tougher for us all to be “completist.” That’s why we are seeing the current trend of cheaper 4” figures with 5 points of articulation and fewer paint ops and 2” scale figures. Companies have to offer these cheaper alternatives to the kids and moms.
Also stores are not ordering as many cases of things. Sure they order heavy on the initial cases for all of the blockbuster movie product, but there are a lot of lines that if you aren’t there when they put out the first or second round of that product, you just won’t see it in that store.
LJ: Do you remember when you first thought of yourself as a "collector" in terms of having a clear idea that you wanted to define your interests in a certain type of figure?
DP: There are a couple of instances that spring to mind:
I remember when I was about 7 years old I had so much Mego Batman stuff that I set it all up on a couple of shelves in our toy room and called it the “Batman Museum.” For about 2 weeks I charged the neighborhood kids 25 cents to come in and view it.
I remember being 10 years old and begging my mother to keep the card back from the Star Wars figures I was buying. She told me I already had enough toys and didn’t need to be saving cardboard too. So… I wrapped the card backs up in a trash bag and hid them under my clubhouse in the back yard.
I mostly stopped buying toys my senior year of high school and my freshman year of college. I still dabbled a bit as I was still reading/collecting comic books and the 89 Batman movie had come out, so I picked up those figures. Then my sophomore year the Kenner Batman Animated Series line, the Playmates Star Trek the Next Generation line and then the Toy Biz Marvel line hit and I was BACK IN, FULL ON. I’ve been collecting ever since.
LJ: I know that you go to various Cons - do you have a favorite or a particularly memorable experience at one in the recent past?
DP: Last year I did a panel about the toys of the 80s and 90s at San Diego Comic Con. That was the first year that they has expanded the programing hours and that panel took place after the con floor had closed. I figured we’d be in an empty room all by ourselves as everyone would have been exhausted from their day at the con and head back to their hotels. But the room was PACKED and the panelists were GREAT and we just had so much fun talking about toys. I’ve loved all the panels I have put together over the past 10+ years, but this one really stood out as so much fun.
Also the Star Wars Celebration convention in Anaheim last month was a great show. I had been to Celebration III last time it was in LA around the time of Episode III. That show was really underwhelming and I was done with it in a day. This time there was SO much energy and excitement over Episode VII that it was amazing to be under the same roof as all of those Star Wars fans that were just as excited as I am.
LJ: I’m stoked for Episode VII as well can’t wait for it to be released. Now here is an interesting question for you. In your estimation, how has collecting evolved in the past few decades?
DP: I think it’s mellowed a bit from the insanity of the 90s. The Internet has made it so Collectors don’t have to stand out in front of stores every morning racing each other. That’s a good thing. The other interesting thing is how collecting is viewed by the generations. My generation grew up with lines like the Kenner Star Wars figures. We were “completists” and wanted every figure and every vehicle. The current generation doesn’t have to own them all, and are happier to trade things off for the ones that want. I’m not sure how many kids these days really think of themselves as “collectors” it feels like that mindset is fading out a bit.
Plus all of us old guys have to think about what happens with all our stuff when we die. Do our families want to go through our storage units and sell everything piece by piece? Do they just donate, it all? We are starting to know people of our generation that are passing away. Then what happens? You can’t take it with you.
LJ: Do you have a favorite toy line?
DP: Kenner Super Powers and Kenner Star Wars.
LJ: I’m curious as to why are these are your favorites. Please do tell.
DP: Kenner Super Powers and Kenner Star Wars – There’s just something perfect and “toyettic” about those two lines. They are both in a uniform style and scale even though several different people sculpted them, the unifying style and design look like the whole line came from one person. Add in a good variety of vehicles and play-sets and you have this collector’s dream. Of course there are characters that I would have like to have seen in both lines, but if I only had one shelf to display toys on in my life, it would be of those two lines.
LJ: Are there any brands you mourn?
DP: Oh sure! Always Palisades. I LOVE(D) their Muppets line and was really looking forward to the Sesame Street line. They were a company like no other.
I miss the Mattel JLU line. It wasn’t perfect but there were plans in place to give us so many more DCU figures. That line could have run forever if the fans had stayed with it… and if Mattel had made some improvements to the designs and manufacturing. There were still more figures I wanted in Mattel’s DCUC and DC Action League lines. I’m sure I could think of half a dozen characters I would have wanted in any dead line or company.
LJ: There are so many great companies out there right now. What toy companies are on your awesome list at the moment?
DP: I love what NECA and Funko are doing right now. I don’t WANT to love Hot Toys as much as I do… And the DC Collectibles Batman Animated series line is one of my all-time dream lines!
LJ: You just named some of the companies in my Top Ten that is awesome! I have a major “Toys To Life” addiction. What’s your opinion on the toys to life genre?
DP: I think it’s a fun extension of our imaginations. It helps tie toys and collecting to this younger generation that do not have as big a drive and connection to collecting like we do. The other thing I like about it is, it gets us some really cool toys AND lets us start connecting some cool universes.
LJ: What does the future hold for AFI?
DP: We are going to start focusing on more new video content. We have some fun, original stuff planned for that. Some new features coming that I’ve been working with some folks to put together. More convention coverage, SDCC 2015 is just around the corner… AND, I have an unbelievable backlog of old stories, interviews and features that I have never completed and posted from our 10-year history that I want to dig out and complete.
Sounds great! I can’t wait! Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to answer my questions. Wish you the best of luck with all of your future endeavors. If you are not already following Action Figure Insider stop what you are doing… except breathing, and go check out the site lots of great information about all of your favorite Action Figure Collectibles . Until next time Go Hard! Go Fast! Go Figure!