On the Passion for Collecting: Franta Flinta and MickyLand Collector

Honestly… If it weren't for the passion for collecting, if it weren't for fantasy and sci-fi lovers, imago wouldn't exist! That's why we decided to interview two collectors of figures and movie and game replicas who regularly share their passion with viewers on YouTube. Meet Franta Flinta and MickyLand - Collector, who are introducing themselves to you today.

If you want to get to know these passionate collectors better through their YT videos, don't hesitate to click on their names above. The interview with a showcase of their collections is definitely worth it! :) Franta might be more talkative than Micky, but their enthusiasm for pop culture and fantasy is equal! They met thanks to their amazing presentations of collectibles on YT, and that's why they are here together.

MickyLand Collector – How it all began

Hi, my name is Micky, and that's why I've been calling my collector's sanctuary MickyLand for several years. :) I love books, games, and basically everything around the pop culture we create. I've been collecting for many years, and it all started in my teens when I collected beer labels (I still have them today), then it was LPs, DVDs, and CDs, and when I discovered my first figures in a store, I knew where my path would lead.

I started collecting McFarlane horror figures, then Neca… Star Wars followed, etc. – simply everything related to movies and games. Then I got into gaming collector's editions and stuck with this mania for several years. Even during my first contact with statues, I knew that the next evolution in collecting would be statues, and specifically focusing the collection on a certain theme, which is fantasy and dark, fantasy and horror – simply so that it all fits together.

Franta Flinta – How it all began

Right at the start, to the question of how it all actually began, I have to admit that I can't quite remember exactly how and when my passion for collecting started, as the onset was slow and creeping in the form of small things on a shelf, whether it was a small knight figure, a favorite toy car, or a movie poster. What I do know is that it started like almost every other collector, with small pieces where I told myself – a few hundred won't kill me, and those few pieces aren't anything for which there wouldn't be space.

It's very addictive and insidious, because after a few months, you realize that the free space is mysteriously filling up and the amounts are also suspiciously increasing. Another pitfall for beginner collectors is that they don't have a clearly defined direction and collect basically everything they like, only to find out that this really can't go on.

It was the same for me, and consequently, the usual phase of selling older and smaller pieces followed, along with focusing only on a certain range of themes. As a lifelong fan of reading books, comics, and the world of movies and games, I truly had plenty to choose from. Another inevitable development in this passion is that the pieces are getting bigger, more demanding on space, and especially on the wallet.

As for the pop culture franchises I've been focusing on and collecting lately, it's the world of J. R. R. Tolkien and his Middle-earth, artifacts from Indiana Jones movies, and also marginally from my favorite films like Predator, Sleepy Hollow, The Mummy, Alita, Wonder Woman, and the Harry Potter film and book series. I must not forget F1 car models, where I prefer only those from the 70s, 80s, and mid-90s, which in my opinion were the most elegant and had their own individuality and distinctive beauty.

The number of pieces in my collection is very variable, as like many others in our community, things are constantly being sold or bought, but if I were to take it as an average including small pieces, it would certainly be three-digit numbers. The value naturally follows from that, but I would rather not state it more precisely here for personal reasons.

What does collecting mean to you? How does this hobby affect your life? What joys and sorrows does it bring?

Franta: Collecting is in a way a passion and also a desire to own a piece of the world that we love so much, like, and sometimes for some, it's a lifestyle. Whether it's the world of books, movies, or games. After all, just look at the regular Cons held all over the world where millions of fans meet, whether just as visitors or going there in cosplay costumes, feeling good because they are among people who are on the same wavelength.

In my case, it's a bit of everything, and thanks to that, I can transport myself into the movie world in the real world, at least for a moment, perhaps just by owning an artifact or a statue from my favorite movie or series. All of this is very demanding not only financially, spatially, and time-wise, but it certainly wouldn't work without the support or at least a great degree of tolerance from family and friends. For which I must thank mainly my wife and son, who have understanding for me and my hobby.

Micky: Collecting literally means a lifestyle to me; I love surrounding myself with exhibits of my favorite characters, whether from movies, games, or just fantasy. I really appreciate our Czech community – I enjoy writing with friends, sending tips on exhibits, etc. Collecting affects my life quite a bit, but from my perspective, positively – it's important to have a hobby that fulfills you and occasionally empties your wallet. 😀 My family respects and supports me quite a bit – well, especially my wife, when I explain to her all day how I absolutely need some statue or figure! 😀

Will you share with us a memory of the biggest surprise or an interesting story about one of your collectibles?

Franta: Basically, every purchase or acquisition is sometimes like an adventure movie, and you experience it from the moment of purchase to the anticipation of whether it will even arrive, whether it won't be damaged, and whether, in the case of a second-hand purchase, you haven't stumbled upon a crafty scammer.

I buy a lot of things abroad, and today there are actually few locations from which I haven't ordered something. In the case of purchases outside the EU, there is also the problem of VAT, customs duties, and other fees that need to be counted on. Fortunately, nowadays there are quite good mechanisms that can protect you during payments and transactions, such as payments via PayPal. They are often charged, but it's worth the price, and it has saved me the entire amount of money several times in the past that I would have otherwise lost.

Sometimes, however, not even that will save you. Recently, it happened to me that the company Factory Entertainment from California had a holiday sale and was selling sword replicas used by Princess Diana alias Wonder Woman at a significant discount, so instead of some 22 thousand, which was the usual price on European e-shops, I would have gotten to about 10 thousand including shipping, customs, and taxes. Ordered and paid. Anticipation set in, and when nothing happened for almost a month, I was informed that some official at the airport decided that a multi-wrapped sword replica being transported in the cargo hold of a transport plane was "risky and dangerous" for this flight. The shipment was returned to the manufacturer, who did send my money back, but the price of about 2.5 thousand CZK for express air delivery was forfeited without the right to a refund. And since the limitation was only 500 pieces, this piece is basically sold out.

So searching, hunting, buying, waiting, and finally delivery is sometimes a long-distance run and doesn't always end in success.

Micky: Well, I think the biggest surprise was when I wanted to get some fantasy statue and discovered a beautiful character Kier from dark Fantasy Court of the Dead on the internet. I admit that I ordered the statue really just with my heart, because I liked the character so much. When I unpacked the statue at home, it got to me so much that I fell for this dark fantasy, literally – I started looking for information about this world, which fulfilled me so much that I said that memorable sentence: "I must have them all!" (the similarity to Pokémon is purely coincidental). And so I filled my MickyLand with exactly these characters. As everyone who has seen them says – they are crazy characters…, but everyone looks intently. 😀

How do you take care of your collection, how do you have your collector's figures and replicas displayed?

Franta: Taking care of collections is a topic on which one could spend a lot of time. The problem is that figures, statues, weapons, or artifacts are often made of very diverse materials, and thus their requirements for maintenance, handling, and placement in space differ. Plastic and polystone or resin won't mind a more humid environment as much as, for example, carbon steel weapons or figures that also have fabric accessories.

However, what is a common enemy of all collectibles is direct sunlight, from which you need to protect your treasures. All collectors know how it can damage the paint on anything and from any material in a relatively short period of time.

Also, what makes life unpleasant for all collectors is omnipresent dust, from which we place exhibits in display cases and under glass or plexiglass covers. Pets and the hands of prying visitors or small children are a chapter in themselves. I try to dust everything that isn't hidden 1 to 2 times a month, treat leather parts (especially on weapons) 1 to 2 times a year with a paste with beeswax intended for that purpose, clean carbon blades of weapons, and apply a thin layer of preservative oil.

If possible, I avoid anything in my collections that has faux leather or fabric parts. That's why pieces from the company Hot Toys, which uses these combinations extensively, were never popular or in my collection.

Micky: I take care of my collection by giving every statue and figure my love 😀, but what they really need is real care… Twice a year, I do a big cleaning, i.e., I get rid of the dust. For that, I use compressed air and cosmetic brushes; my best helper is then an ostrich feather duster… Every time I do maintenance, I naturally arrange my collection differently – I always get a fresh look at the exhibits. It's actually a good activity because every piece passes through your hands, you look at the details of the product again, and I always discover something and say to myself, "I haven't seen this yet" or "I forgot about this?" ;)

Do you have a collector's "holy grail" that you desire?

Franta: Well, of course, there are pieces that I thought would be great to have in the collection, but in most cases, there are high demands on both space and the wallet. If it were possible, I would like to own some life-size busts from Queen Studios, which are beautiful and excellently crafted, such as the Alita bust or Wonder Woman. They are very detailed and work a lot with silicone, which looks very realistic. However, the prices, low limitation, and sometimes harder availability correspond to that. So far, I have to settle for just the statue of the aforementioned Wonder Woman in golden armor in 1:4 scale from this company. Even here, you can see the quality, but unfortunately also the already mentioned price.

Micky: Well, the holy grail will be when I finish my collection of the aforementioned Court of the Dead line - but I'll reveal that I see light at the end of the tunnel! And then I will be able to fully dedicate myself to other franchises, and believe me, I'm really looking forward to it!

Lately, you both have been focusing on Mini Epics figures: Which was your first figure and what caught your attention about it?

Franta: Since I used to collect things around Aliens quite a lot, the answer is obvious. It was Ripley with Jones the cat in her iconic pose with a flamethrower, and along with her, Cane in a spacesuit with a facehugger on the visor. It caught my attention simply by how the cat was depicted in her arms with that properly pissed-off expression, and especially that dynamic pose, which prevails in most figures from the Mini Epics line.

Figures from the Weta company from the Mini Epics line have their charm and are specific precisely for their depiction, where three basic styles mix. Of course, the real model, then the comic one, and the third in this cocktail is a mild form of caricature. I think the artists from Weta managed to balance this perfectly, and that's why the final effect is so nice and these figures have many fans among collectors because of it.

Micky: Beautiful question! There is a simple answer to that: their size and design. The most valuable exhibit for a collector is space, I don't doubt that. Just when I discovered the Mini Epics series and, on top of that, my favorite franchise Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, it was clear. They beautifully complement places in the collection, their animated design is absolutely charming, and it's not distracting, but in my opinion, really stylish. I like those little guys. And watch out, I hold the opinion that collecting is not about the size of statues or figures, but about the love – and that's what Mini Epics give me!

Which characters from Mini Epics do you already have and which would you still like in your collection?

Franta: Well, as can be expected, the first figure triggered a flood of others, and when I originally wanted to fill just a few empty spots in a small display case where nothing bigger would fit, it got a bit out of control as always. So, besides the aforementioned pieces from Aliens, figures from Ghostbusters, Alita, Labyrinth, The Witcher, and of course Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit gradually arrived.

As for other pieces, they will mainly be those with the theme of Lord of the Rings, which have the largest representation and are probably closest to me.

Micky: Well, I already have a few… The Balrog definitely surprised me with its size and perfect workmanship.

Furthermore, I have Saruman, Aragorn, Sméagol, King of the Dead, Witch-king… They are all super! I'm definitely eyeing Radagast from The Hobbit, Sauron, hobbits, etc. When I think about it, I still have a long way to go – kind of like Bilbo to the Lonely Mountain. 🙂

Let's move on to replicas from United Cutlery. Which collectible has the greatest value for you?

That will probably be a question mainly for Franta Flinta. :)

Franta: When I think about this question, it doesn't seem to me that I would like any piece from United Cutlery more, although of course their price differs according to the specific piece. In general, it can be said that almost everything, especially regarding cold weapons from this company, I like a lot, and there are few things that could be criticized.

Weapons used by servants of the dark side are austere, raw, and the blades have an additionally created patina of wear and age to emphasize who rules with these weapons. On the other hand, swords and knives belonging to elves have very elegant shapes and are, in my opinion, the most beautiful to look at.

Personally, I tried to have something from every group, since the space for display has its limits and a collector, even if they wanted to, cannot have everything. The biggest and heaviest piece from this company in my collection is probably the Mace of Sauron, i.e., Sauron's mace, which is unmissable on the wall, next to his gauntlet, Morgul-blade, and swords of the Ringwraiths. Recently, nice pieces from PureArts have also been added to my collection, but space is slowly running out.

Micky: Well, here I have it simple. My collection is still untouched by United Cutlery – yes, I have it in my plans, but there are so many plans… Collecting is madness, people! I have pages described with what I want. 😀

Is there any specific weapon or artifact that you wish United Cutlery would still release?

Micky: Definitely something from Lord of the Rings or The Witcher, that just has to be in my collection!

Franta: I would certainly welcome some possibility of a re-release of Sauron's helmet, since I unfortunately have this one from United Cutlery only in half scale 1:2, and even though I had the opportunity to buy a life-size version of this piece in the past, I refused to pay the exorbitant price they demanded for it.

The Helm of Sauron, or Sauron's helmet, was released by United Cutlery in a total of two limited series, and unfortunately, I missed both chances back then, and now they can only be obtained for often very unreal prices. The same situation is with the helmet of the dwarf Dain, for which, if the opportunity arose, I probably wouldn't hesitate.

Would you like to share any other collection or collectible?

Franta: It might be worth mentioning something from the franchise around the world of Indiana Jones, which I have been supplementing in recent years, mainly because they were life-size artifacts produced not industrially, but as custom products from so-called home production. There probably won't be that many of these things here, if only for the reason that if they appear, it is mostly 3D print production, which in this case does not have the right realism.

The things I have in the collection are in the vast majority from one very skilled manufacturer from America, and even though I think the price is quite good, everything unfortunately increases significantly due to shipping, customs, VAT, and an unfavorable exchange rate.

On the other hand, these artifacts like the headpiece of the Staff of Ra, the Cross of Coronado, the Holy Grail, the golden idol alias Chachapoyan Fertility Idol, and others are made of real materials, and when you hold them in your hand, you have the feeling that you are holding a real artifact as it was seen in the movie.

If the print is done with resin, it's something else, and I don't resist that either. This way, several pieces from the films The Mummy and The Mummy Returns have been added to my collection, such as the complete set of all 5 Canopic jars and Osiris's spear, which look absolutely fantastic in terms of appearance and weight, just as we know them from the movie screen.

Micky: As I mentioned, my main line is Court of the Dead from Sideshow Collectibles – there is no turning back 🙂, but besides that, I dedicate myself to and love the world of The Witcher - I have those Dark Horse statues, which are really very nice, and I'm looking forward to the next series… The bust from Nemesis Now etc. is also super, simply The Witcher is another thing I'm "into".

Another one for me is The Lord of the Rings… besides Mini Epics, I like ⅙ from Weta Workshop. Super busts are from Nemesis Now, for example, Sauron turned out very well – the price-quality ratio is incredible, and I have to boast that the video with my review of this very bust was praised even directly by Nemesis Now.

Overall, I "trimmed" the collection precisely to fantasy worlds. Worth mentioning is, for example, The Fury of the Witch King from The Noble Collection directly from imago, who also make very nice little things with fantasy themes, and I plan to purchase other products as well. Simply put, I choose exhibits with my heart regardless of the company that produces them. If I like them, I focus my eye and I like to buy!

And finally, a farewell, for which we thank you!

Franta: In conclusion, I want to thank the imago e-shop, where I appreciate above all the excellent communication with customers and the associated support, as well as the large amount of assortment they have in the vast majority in stock, for the opportunity to introduce other collector enthusiasts to this theme if they haven't fully penetrated it yet and haven't fallen for its charm.

I would also like to send them a strong warning to be on guard, as it is very addictive and for those around you, you might soon be considered the same kind of crazy person as I am, and as I hope millions of others around the world are, who have fallen for the charm called Pop Culture and the associated collecting of any kind.

Micky: I also thank imago very much for how great and with heart you develop our community - which connects us all. You are doing it really well; thanks to the shop, we get everything that makes us happy, and thanks to your work, I think you have connected more than one friendship. I hope we manage to meet somewhere! May the power of all fantasy worlds be with you, and thank you for the interview.

Authors Franta Flinta and MickyLand Collector, article processed by Pavla Žižková