A super collection

For NTU undergraduate Theodora Soh, comic books and limited edition figurines have always been her superheroes. Lifestyle writer Sherlyn Goh pays her a visit to get to know more about her pricey obsession.

Final-year student Theodora Soh has spent more than $4,000 amassing more than 500 limited edition superhero figurines, most of which are shipped from the United States. PHOTO: JAMES NG

As a reward for doing well in the ‘O’ level examinations, Theodora Soh’s mother gave her $4,000 to spend, however she wanted. Instead of splurging on a new phone or a holiday, Soh spent the money on growing her superhero figurine collection.

With that tidy sum, the comic book aficionado grew her collection to more 500 limited edition figurines and collectibles of superheroes, such as Catwoman, the Flash, and Green Lantern.

The 23-year-old’s fascination with figurines began in primary school when her aunt — a fan of Star Wars and Lord of the Rings — gave her a small collection of figu- rines from both series.

“It’s just nice to have them around,” said Soh. “It’s also a way of expressing what I like.”

Passion at a price

Soh’s hobby comes with a hefty price tag. Figurines can cost between $15 to $200, depending on the company that makes them, the popularity of the characters and the material they are made of.

To cut costs, the final-year undergraduate at the School of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences tries to look for second-hand figurines, which are $50 to $100 below the usual market price.

She ships most of her figurines over from sellers in the United States through a month-long process that first begins with looking for the right sellers on forums or e-commerce site eBay.

Soh also used to spend her free time scouring the Sunday flea market at China Square Central for smaller figurines at a steal.

PHOTO: JAMES NG

Tender loving care

She counts a bust of Psylocke, from Marvel’s X-Men series, as one of her prized possessions.

“It was the first bust I bought, my first ever collectible,” she said, cradling the figurine in her palm.

The seven-year-old figurine looks as good as new — testament to the pains that Soh takes to care for her collectibles.

“Some of them are plastic but most are made of porcelain or polystone,” said Soh.
While they do not require special maintenance, the figurines have to be kept out of sunlight.

She houses half of the figurines in three floor-to-ceiling glass cabinets in her living room, which have been completely filled.

The other half of her collection is in her room at Hall of Residence 6, where she stays during the semester with her father, who is a resident hall fellow.

Despite the hassle of caring for the figurines and cost of collecting them, Soh’s mother, Madam Chen Sean Jern, 54, is supportive of her unusual hobby.

Madam Chen used to accompany her daughter on trips to the Sunday
flea markets and still helps to collect her figurines when they arrive in the mail.

“She knows a lot about figurines, and does her research before buying anything,” said Madam Chen.

“She also takes very good care of her collection, and I know she will not buy anything that is not value for money.

“She only buys rare collectibles or those she really likes.”

A form of self-expression

To Soh, her collection is not just a bunch of cool toys — it is a form of self-expression.

“I love geek culture because it is a community of passionate people

celebrating what we love,” said Soh, who picked up cosplay after entering university, with her mother helping her make the costumes.

Soh cosplays at comic conventions and has dressed as Lara Croft, Black Widow, X-23 and most recently, Catwoman.

She added that there are many misconceptions about comic book enthusiasts.

“Some people think it is some strange subculture but really, we’re just people who like this stuff — the characters, stories and films.

“Each figurine is hand-painted, made from a mould of the original model by the artist. Every statue is numbered, and each series is limited,” said Soh.

“This makes every figurine unique and special.”

While she has stopped actively adding to her collection because of space constraints, she has no plans to get rid of the ones she has amassed any time soon.

“I might sell the ones I don’t like, but I’ll probably try to keep most,” she said.