“He’s Not Greedy, He’s Just Acting His Age”
” . . . the place children are most likely to see new SuperNaturals or Visionaries figures, with their up-to-the-minute irresistible holograms, is, of course, on the tube. So, in recent years, television has dramatically influenced kids’ natural bent toward collecting. Now they collect things they never did before.”
Today I’d like to direct your attention to the April, 1988 issue of Working Mother and the article, “The Collector.” Written by Joanna L. Krotz, the article name-drops so many toys of the time that I almost feel like I should be back in the eighties watching TV and looking through the store shelves. Focusing on the urge to collect, Krotz actually takes a reasoned and responsible approach to the story and encourages parents to allow their kids to explore collecting toys. The article is clearly talking about a young audience — I am betting Krotz never imagined kids would today collect those same toys — but the work is so positive toward toys and collecting that I’d like to see more by Krotz.
After all, any article that has this to say has to be a great work, right?
” . . . if your child is gaga over Battle Beasts, and demands dozens, it’s not going to harm him at all, but he may grow bored playing with one or two figures sooner than later. Which means he’ll want more characters and more figures sooner than later. He may even tire of the whole line–the prepackaged concept–sooner than later. (Many action figure lines, of course, play on war and conquest, which raises the question of violence, but that’s a separate issue.)”
Damn. And things were going so well . . . up to that last parenthetical. Still, one brief aside in no way ruins the article. Enjoy!
Related articles
- Affiliate Link – G.I. Joe Rock N Roll Jumbo Vintage-Style Action Figure (battlegrip.com)
- Exclusive Battle Beasts Action Figure and Event at SDCC (battlegrip.com)