Lucas Rage has been mentioned many times on this website. Most people probably know him from his counterfeit figure finds, but AF&SCP is probably my favorite memory.
Recently, he said:
It may be difficult for some to believe, but some of us have never stopped enjoying the hobby. We just don’t care about master sets, class systems, rarity, perceived value, or even interactions with other collectors. It’s literally about toys we enjoy and nothing else.
I know I am not alone on this. I think that those of us that aren’t disenchanted just spend way more time enjoying the aspects of the hobby we like than complaining about those we don’t, so our point of view is easily disregarded.
My gut said he had something to share. My gut was not disappointed.
What’s the story on this video? Lucas used to work at a comedy club in Connecticut. He was given the task of creating an introduction video for the club. He couldn’t resist working in some M.U.S.C.L.E.-related touches.
I loved the spaceship (from Star Trek M.U.S.C.L.E. figures) and Blue Zord in the crowd (easily seen at 0:38). You can look at this video frame-by-frame and find lots of treasures.
Did you have a favorite?
Lucas said, “I think that those of us that aren’t disenchanted just spend way more time enjoying the aspects of the hobby we like than complaining about those we don’t, so our point of view is easily disregarded.”
I both agree and disagree with this statement. I agree that finding a way to enjoy M.U.S.C.L.E. that isn’t solely figure-focused is critical. I wouldn’t be around if it wasn’t for this website. The M.U.S.C.L.E. community is too toxic.
I disagree that the “non-complaining” view is disregarded. I think it just doesn’t get too much exposure. Algorithms limit what you see on Facebook; Twitter is a mess; and Instagram can get overwhelming if you aren’t checking-in often. I hope this website can serve as a platform for the “non-complaining.” I just fear there aren’t many of us left.
#1 by Pete V on February 20, 2020 - 4:07 pm
I like the video! I went back and watched it a few times. It’s definitely deserving of the Art tag. The other videos are cool, too.
#2 by Lucas on March 13, 2020 - 1:54 pm
I probably should have clarified that I did not intend for this video to be shared on your website. I was just showing you personally one of many examples of how I enjoy M.U.S.C.L.E.s even though I haven’t bought any in years. I did not say that explicitly, so that was my mistake.
My comment on a previous blog post was meant to be just what it said and that alone, not a veiled way to share a video.
And I still say that the so-called toxicity of this hobby is based on only a very small percentage of M.U.S.C.L.E. fans. Most of us are not chasing a master set and couldn’t care less about the concept beyond being aware of it. It may be interesting to learn anything possible about the figures, but to put a high price tag on a figure just because of it’ s color just seems absurd to most of us.
I don’t believe that all collectors are thieves and liars any more than I could believe that every single cop is a racist murderer, every single priest is a pedophile, or that every single Muslim is a terrorist.
I can absolutely find instances of each of these atrocities well documented on the internet on any given day, but I also realize that those stories do not represent those respective groups as a whole at all.
The same concept can be applied to any community with any amount of negativity attached to it, ours included.