Still haven't found Universe in my area. Most stores JUST re-stocked :animated figs since first putting them out about a month and a half ago. Lucky for me, I was in Destin last week when I found Sunstreaker and Prowl.

 

The only time I ever see people buying TFs is when parents are doing it with their kids standing next to them.

I've met one member from this board. Ironicly I didn't know it was him until he sent me a PM asking. Now it seems we sort of tag team sightings and hold stuff for each other which is cool. If he sees this he can name himself but I'm not going to point him out

 

A MYSTERY????? :schin

A tryst???? :ghey

it differs depending on the store... I've only seen a collector in TRU once and we just nodded at each other. In the comic stores I find other fans but I never really talk to them apart from the guys at the counter they are cool

Yep....... MANY SCALPERS! Sometimes there at the hobby store Sneaking out all the concept camaros bumble bee (11 of them!) Some times at the toys'rus Buying some universe 2.0 toys.

Yep....... MANY SCALPERS! Sometimes there at the hobby store Sneaking out all the concept camaros bumble bee (11 of them!) Some times at the toys'rus Buying some universe 2.0 toys.

 

 

for the small amount of universe they put on the pegs at the huntington tru they lasted quite a long while. i don't think they're scalper bait in this area.

See my signature. Though I've moved to a different state and from a rural town to a city, so that likely won't last.

 

Hmmm. There are a few stories I could share...

 

 

My fiancée and I were looking at premium concept Bumblebee at an endcap in Walmart once and a lady pushed her cart halfway into the isle by us and cheerfully warned, "If you're wanting to buy one of those for your kid, don't."

 

We barely had time to look up when she went on, "They're just impossible to transform."

 

I'd never had something like this happen, so as I prepared to half assed stammer something about being a collector, my fiancée dealt with the annoyance and tersely lied, "Well our boy has no trouble with them. Thanks."

 

Before moving on down the isle the lady shook her head and said, "Well my husband tried forever, and he couldn't do it."

 

Soccer mom? o_0

 

I didn't pick up the premium bee... I hope that lady didn't think I was taking her advice.

 

 

 

 

I'm also reminded of an encounter with a non-collector who thought he'd happened upon some rare holy grail of transformers.

 

I was helping a friend move, and he had a friend along that I hadn't met before. During a lull in the heavy lifting, he saw the decepticon logo on my shirt and asked if I liked transformers.

 

I said I was a collector, and he said he had one that was better than any I'd ever seen... 20th Anniversary Optimus Prime.

 

"That's an awesome figure! Is it the dvd edition or the straight up 20th?"

 

He looked at my puzzled, so I explained the difference in color. He said his came with a talking stand that had "Optimus Prime's voice."

 

He seemed defensive, so I didn't bother telling him the bad news about the crappy voice chip, and instead told him about how in Japan they have MP04 that comes with an actual trailer.

 

He didn't want any 'japan shot' and asked if I was sure I knew what he was talking about...

 

This guy was really teetering on being a jerk, so I let it drop there and got back to lugging a lazyboy up three flights of stairs.

 

I don't have mp04, but at least my 20th Prime has chrome. :tftongue

 

 

 

 

I have seen a couple of hotwheels collectors in a walmart, though. Just once, and not in my local store. I was the next isle over and heard them discussing the intricacies of what was on the shelves vs. what they'd like to see in a hotwheel. Freaked me out. VERY nerdy.

 

Still, I had to take a peek around the corner. I saw two plump trainwrecks of personal hygene, hairy as wooly muppets, greasy jowled, and draped in more black than the gothiest of all goths.

 

And yet they still stood out as nerds.

 

They plucked through the pegs with practiced precision, sausages tipped in black nail polish snatching some overlooked rarity only to have it derided by the other of the two.

 

Then I felt bad for being friggin superficial. They could be nice guys, even if they sounded bitter and cynical about their toy cars.

 

Shock clutched me for a moment. Was I that different?

 

I looked back at my future Mrs. and myself. Aside from the logo on my decepticon shirt*, we made a pass at being normal. Deodorant and everything. *phew*

 

But it did make me think twice about going on and on about repaints while in public.

 

~Matt Booker

 

*The same shirt as mentioned previously. I do have non-tf shirts. Really.

Yep many times.

 

How do you see yourself buying toys.

ummm with a mirror? hows that?

Shock clutched me for a moment. Was I that different?

 

:tflaugh

 

i'm getting geekier by the day myself - but personal hygiene is (and always will be) paramount to me

 

i think that's the line so we're still safe :thumb

I have yet to ever meet a toy collector who forgot a shower but anime and video game nerds that's another story

 

but some times I do look at what I do on a toy hunt and ask myself is it a bit much? like this saturday the new universe stuff will be in and I know I will be going to get it ASAP sad it seems to base a morning around getting 3 or 4 toys but saying that its not like TF's do chase stuff and I never take more then one of any given toy so I guess I'm ok so long as I shower