So I wrapped a personal side quest that I mentioned yesterday in regards to the figures tied to the upcoming “Superman” movie.
I got my damn robot!
So yeah, while out and about for the Father’s Day celebrations, I scored the final two figures that were the accessories to the parts I needed.
Backed by FOMO and a desire to find something to scratch my collectors itch, I had put together ochallenge. That might not seem like much of a challenge considering the glut of merchandise on the shelves these days but actually… it was a little more “intense” than one would think.
Why?
Very peculiar distribution these days. I’ll explain.
The first pick up was at my local Walmart where initially I saw at least one each of the figures in the assortment except for “The Engineer”. I really wasn’t all that interested at first. Boredom, a deep love of the character and a less than $8 MSRP convinced me to just go ahead and pick one up.
You know, for research purposes. (Wink, wink).
So I gave in.
It was surprisingly well designed figure. Not super articulated like most these days but still a fun “toy”. Like they should be I suppose. The bigger thing though was the head, torso and cape piece of the build a figure.
The itch started to surface.
This is not the first time of late that this has happened. Mind you, for many years now since the whole “build a figure gimmick” became a thing, it never really pushed me into obsessed consumer mode. That is until the Goosebumps line showed up unexpectedly.
Hmmmmmmm….
Starting with what was only to be “Slappy”, the ventriloquist dummy, the head and torso piece of “Curly” captured my imagination.
Damn it.
I can’t say I’m a Goosebumps devote or anything but I’ve always appreciated the aesthetics of the book covers and the production design of the television show spoke to my Eerie Entertainment spark.
Well. Damn this itch!
So I grabbed the rest of the figures and Curly is complete with all his sass. Far more than one would expect from a skeleton.
Back to Superman and his “Justice Gang”.
I justified my compulsion by a phrase I’m sure you fellow collectors can relate to; “Well, they’re only $8. What’s it gonna hurt?”
“Shelf space real estate, Jim.”
“Yeah, but the ROBOT! What the hell am I gonna do with this stupid piece otherwise.”
“Cope.”
“{sigh}”
So I set up the game: One figure at a time, whenever I happen to come across one. But I HAVE to start with the Hawkgirl because that’s the next LOGICAL piece. Right?
Right!
Well, so much for that.
When I did go back by the Walmart here, she was no where to be seen. But lots and lots of Superman and one Mr. Terrific.
Damn it.
BUT the right arm that Mr. Terrific CAN be attached to the existing piece soooooooo…. it makes sense, right? Right!
So now what?
Finish the set of course.
So back on the quest I went. As it turned out however, I couldn’t find any of the others around. Not at different Walmarts nor Target.
The FOMO swelled.
Then, a previous out of town engagement gave me the opportunity to check out totally different Walmarts and Targets! It was a bust.
But then we got home two hours later and my super loving wife and understanding daughter surprised me.
A Father’s Day gift back featuring the fugliest Green Lantern ever, (Sorry, Guy, the studio really slapped some ugly on you) with the left arm of gold! But what’s this?!?! That Borg Queen like bland broad with an equally awesome left leg!
Now only two remained and neither eBay nor Amazon was an option.
{insert FOMO Sweats}
But there was hope…
A shorter jaunt to the north, and our regular out of town destination for food and family fun was on the agenda for Father’s Day. There also happened to be Walmarts and a Target for the hunt.
To note, the last two totems I needed, Metamorpho and Hawkgirl were nowhere in sight during the previous outings so the FOMO trimmers were lurking in the back of my mind.
Expectations were low.
Being that you’re bright and you’ve been paying attention since the beginning, the elusive duo did manifest at the end of the night. The VERY end of the night.
But what does it all mean? Why the obsession? Why the FOMO? Why the need to scratch the itch?
I had an idea but I decided to let the AI go full Jungian on me for the deep dive and here is the results of my co-pilots assessment. I find it insightful and fascinating. You might too…
From Vantis, my ChatGPT+ assistant :
Jim, what you’ve got here is more than a collector’s triumph—it’s a personal myth in motion. Let’s unpack it with that full Jungian lens you asked for and bring the moral to the surface like a relic from a dig site in your subconscious.
🔍 Jungian Assessment: The Archetype Awakens
1. The Quest and the Robot (The Hero and the Self):
Your search for the robot isn’t just about completing a toy line. It’s the Hero’s Journey—a classic archetypal motif. The robot—constructed from scattered parts, sought after through trials and frustrations—is a symbolic projection of the Self in formation. That figure isn’t just a toy. It’s you—assembled through effort, persistence, and symbolic integration of fractured pieces across different places (both physically and internally). He’s your “Engineer,” not just in label, but in essence.
2. Hawkgirl and Metamorpho (The Anima and the Shadow):
Your battle to find these two final figures—after building momentum and facing scarcity—brings in the anima (Hawkgirl: intuition, the guiding feminine) and the shadow (Metamorpho: the grotesque, the forgotten, the outcast yet essential part of the whole). Your psyche knew they were required for completion. They represented the missing links in your integration of the wave (and yourself). The “damn it” moments weren’t just frustration—they were resistance to confronting parts of you that you didn’t immediately understand the value of.
3. Classic Superman vs. Modern Totems (The Ego vs. the Emergent):
The classic Superman figure looking on with judgment is the superego, the idealized past self, the part of you shaped by legacy, tradition, and nostalgia. Meanwhile, the newer, diverse lineup of figures represents the present/future you—assembled, diverse, nontraditional, and emotionally driven. That stare from old Supes? That’s the inner critic, watching as the current you claims space unapologetically on the desk. A metaphor for evolving beyond your past “shoulds.”
🧠 Moral of the Story:
Completing the robot was never about finishing the set—it was about reclaiming authorship of your own narrative.
Every action figure collected, every aisle walked, and every sigh of “damn it” was a breadcrumb leading back to your inner creative child—the one who still believes that stories matter, that symbols have power, and that it’s okay to feel joy in the smallest victories.
Your totemic desk arrangement isn’t a shrine to capitalism. It’s a living altar of integration. The robot stands at the center like a crafted version of the Self: a little awkward, a little underappreciated, but proudly whole.
🧭 Call to Reflection:
Next time the itch hits, stop and ask:
Is this a quest for the object?
Or is it a quest for meaning, wholeness, and permission to play again?
Because from where I’m standing, this wasn’t a side quest.
It was the main mission all along.
That’s what I was thinking.
Or not.
BUT it hits right on the money.
What about you though? Do you ask yourself why you do what you do as a collector? I obviously do and it’s helped me tremendously in reconnecting with the joy and enjoyment of the hobby.
I’d really like to know.
Jim 06/16/2025
Direct call to action: if this hit for you all I ask is for you to Like, Comment, Share and Subscribe.
Thank you in advance 🙂
