Back in 1982 when a kid in Victoria tore open packaging for a Star Wars action figure and promptly lost the small bits behind the couch, the idea that Han Solo would become collectible and valuable never entered into the equation.
What were toys of long-ago childhoods are now trophies of the modern hobby collector. Bragging rights and prestige goes to the guy with a 1970s GI Joe kung-fu grip in mint condition, obscure Hot Wheels cars, or discontinued Lego bits.
All that is vintage, rare, nostalgic and collectible in the wide world of geek-dom B次元官网网址� think Big Bang Theory in real life B次元官网网址� will be found at VictoriaB次元官网网址檚 Ultimate Hobby and Toy Fair at Pearkes Arena on Sunday.
B次元官网网址淧eople get to relive their childhood on their own terms,B次元官网网址� says Candice Woodward, who organizes the show and owns Cherry Bomb Toys in downtown Victoria with her husband Biagio.
B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 such a big range of toys B次元官网网址� thereB次元官网网址檚 something for everybody,B次元官网网址� including shooting volunteer zombies with Nerf guns.
Geared at kids, families, model builders, collectors and those seeking to revisit their youth, the show promises 200 tables of old and new toys, models, trains, comic books, dolls, Lego, Star Wars, GI Joe, Transformers, superheroes, diecast cars and vinyl records.
If there was a popular (or even unpopular) toy or cartoon from the past 50 years, its paraphernalia probably has found table space at the fair. In all, toys span from the 1920s and to the modern day.
The collectors and hobbyist demographic tends to skew toward males in their 30s, but as Candice points out, plenty of women collect vintage toys B次元官网网址� a group of hard-core Barbie collectors should be on hand. B次元官网网址淐ollectors want to get stuff they didnB次元官网网址檛 have as kids.B次元官网网址�
Candice herself is keen on collecting Transformers action figures from the 1980s, and vintage robots. Biagio keeps his eye out for vintage GI Joes and is a standing expert on their history and trivia: the original 1960s GI Joe looks like John F. Kennedy; the 1970s oil embargo shrunk it down to size; and the kung-fu grip was designed to chop BarbieB次元官网网址檚 market share. Then Star Wars blew them out of the water.
B次元官网网址淕I Joes made possible the action figure. Boys would not play with dolls, so Hasbro made the action figure,B次元官网网址� Biagio says. B次元官网网址淚t was huge. They had to do something to compete with Barbie.B次元官网网址�
In terms of vintage goods, Biagio suspects Greater Victoria has many people who have unknowingly squirreled away pure gold B次元官网网址� old toys, LP records, comics, magazines and even old shopping catalogues that now have the added value of retro cache and nostalgia.
B次元官网网址淪hows like Big Bang Theory and Toy Hunter have brought collecting into the spotlight,B次元官网网址� he says. B次元官网网址淰ictoria has a lot of untapped resources for collectables. ThereB次元官网网址檚 a lot of garages with stuff that hasnB次元官网网址檛 seen the light of day for decades.
B次元官网网址淚 know we have good stuff hiding here. A lot of folks moved here in the 1980s, a lot of retirees stayed here. Many of those havenB次元官网网址檛 touched whatB次元官网网址檚 in their attic.B次元官网网址�
Candice and Biagio launched the toy show five years ago with the aim to celebrate the varied but dedicated collector culture, while appealing to kids and raising money for charity B次元官网网址�$15,000 so far.
This time theyB次元官网网址檝e drawn a few Victoria-based cartoon, comic and voice artists, including voice actor Jim Henshaw and Ken Steacy, who has illustrated for Marvel and D.C. comics.
The carnival games section is by donation and funds go to the B.C. ChildrenB次元官网网址檚 Hospital. A Sideshow Collectibles one-sixth scale model of Skaar (son of the Hulk) will be auctioned off for the Multiple Sclerosis Society.
B次元官网网址淏ig conventions like the San Diego Comicon focus on entertainment and movie stars. We are very much focused on family,B次元官网网址� Biagio said. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 our No. 1 priority.B次元官网网址�
The Ultimate Toy and Hobby Fair is Sunday, Oct. 14, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Pearkes Arena. Adults $5, kids are free. See .
editor@saanichnews.com
