No surprise

There are some toys that pretend to be investments and there are some toys that are just meant to be fun. I will not argue whether seeing Lego (or any collectible toy) as an investment is a delusion or not. There have been articles written about it by people who know more than me. I do know that bootlegos are meant to be fun.

For about a year, I have resisted buying these bootlegos for myself. Focusing on just two toylines (Barbie and Marvel's 4-inch dolls) has made me appreciate the toys that I have and allowed me to improve my customizing skills. I felt that having another toy to spend time on will complicate things. 

It's hard to resist toys that are easily accessible. They are sold in the major toy stores, online shops and even at the smallest neighborhood store. People are talking about them in various social media. They are bootleg but people notice the improved quality in some bootleg brands. The way some picky collectors speak about these bootlegos have made me want to collect them. What seals the deal with these bootlegos is, of course, the price. Bootlegos offer relief from two major causes of distress for toy hobbyists, the accessibility and the price.

I started with the buying of minifigures (minifigs, for short). They have doll-like qualities so these are not difficult to like. Minifigs, unlike fashion dolls, can change their emotions by changing their faces but it's not ideal to use them to play dress up. If you re-dress a minifig (except the bootlego friends), chances are, it's a already a different character.

There are a lot of Marvel characters that don't have 4-inch action dolls. Bootlegos fills up this empty space. Fans can complete a superhero team in minifig form. I have decided to focus on Marvel characters, mainly the X-men and the Avengers.  Some DC characters are packed with the Marvel characters so I also end up with characters I am not interested in, but they're so cute, I decided to keep them. There is a wide array of characters from SpongeBob and friends, Kamen Riders to the cute minifig zombies from The Walking Dead. They all can share the bootlego world without disparity in scale and articulation unlike various toylines. It's a small world after all.

Speaking of cute, what can be more cute than a small Sentinel in pink and purple?

Those who enjoy dioramas will enjoy these bootlegos as brick sets are also available. Since they are in a smaller scale, less storage space will be be required.  Aside from the designed play feature, there is also fun in building and more fun rebuilding or redesigning a set.

I am looking forward to more Marvel sets

Since these are bootlegos, there is no pressure to handle the toys with obsessive-compulsive care as you would a precious collectible. If things fall apart, it can be rebuilt. If a part is ruined, it can be replaced. It's just fun, no worries.

When the day job becomes stressful, carefree play has a healing effect. It shouldn't come as a surprise if I suddenly stop blogging about Barbie, should it?

Sheng Yuan No. SY327 Quinjet

There was no inner tray or box and the big plastic bag containing the small packs was torn. The cover of one instruction manual was almost torn because of the packing design. I was worried my set was incomplete but fortunately everything is there. The comic version of the Black Widow is shown on the box but the set comes with the movie version.



I wish they made finding the parts easier so I won't have to worry too much. There's no comic book and brick remover like in the original Lego set, which is no big deal.



I hurt myself building this because I was too sleepy. I stayed up late to build it. That could only mean that I have a new addiction.

 

Comparison with the X-men's Blackbird

Not Lego (6869) Quinjet Aerial Battle Brick Set

Loot for the day. This costs from PhP1300 to PhP1500 at Divisoria.

2015-07-04 update

This set is now discounted at Php900 at Divisoria.

Lessons from DVF

Aside from the comedy series 2 Broke Girls, one can get important business lessons from the reality TV show House of DVF. It was where designer Diane von Furstenberg, the woman behind the wrap dress, found a brand ambassador for her line of clothing. I like DVF's style sensibilities and this was a way to learn more about her. I got the chance to see only four episodes and I got these lessons so far:

Dolls in wrap dresses

X-MEN shorts: Everything is Awesome