Mark Yaman
S: How and when did you start collecting?
MY: As a young kid I was very lucky to be exposed to old video games like X-men, king of fighters and street fighter, and my Gran often went overseas to Hong Kong and would bring me Batman figures. Then they were toys to me, but this started what would become a life long passion for Batman. However, about serious collecting, I would say I took it seriously from about 2006 when I rediscovered comic book shops and graphic novels.
S: What do you collect? Does your collection have a theme, such as Star Wars, Batman, superheroes, etc.?
MY: For the longest time my collection was more key comics, but over the years I have diversified to statues, some figures, trade paper backs and comics. The main things in my collection are definitely heavily leaning into Batman and Justice League Dark, namely Zatanna and Constantine. From X-men/marvel side I really enjoy Nightcrawler and Gambit.
S: What are your favourite or the most prized pieces in your collection? And why?
MY: I would have to say my favourite comic I own is my slabbed Brave and the Bold 28. It’s a low grade but it’s the first app of Justice League of America in comics. It’s the most iconic team up in the history of comics, what more is there to say....
S: What items are on your wishlist?
MY: My wishlist items are definitely Gambit XM statue, new Sideshow Gambit statue, Zatanna Prime One museum statue, Iron Studios Poison Ivy, and DC Collectibles Death and Dream statues. Then more impossible items are definitely Detective Comics 27, Batman 1, Fantastic Four 1 and Action Comics 1.
S: What do you think of the collecting community in SA?
MY: Depending on what day you chat to me I feel differently about the collecting community locally, however I think at the core of it all everyone is awesome and has great intentions. We are also really resilient and I have a bigger respect for people who are able to eventually get their most prized collections here, because we always have the disadvantage of shipping from the other side of the world - we are effectively paying sometimes double of what overseas collectors are.
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