Muhammad Nazmi has over 3,000 action figures in his collection, including rare editions
SUPERHERO action figures are not just toys for children, grown men collect them too.
Muhammad Nazmi Rosli, 32, picked up the hobby when he was 18 and now has a collection of over 3,000 action figures and statues, including Marvel’s X-Men and DC Comics’ Superman.
For the primary school English teacher in Lawas, Sarawak, it is more than a hobby as he looks to the characters to understand his students better.
“Every student has a different personality, shaped by their home environment,” he told Bernama.
“Without realising it, the student may have abilities that others don’t, and this happens a lot in the comic world.
“Through reading comics, I know I should not judge them as they may be grappling with inner conflicts,” he said.
The father-of-two also believes collecting action figures helped him to be more creative in his teaching and designing of aids that are inspired by the super- hero characters.
Muhammad Nazmi holding one of his Captain America figurines. He has been collecting superhero action figures since he was 18 years old.— Photos: Bernama
“For example, I drew inspiration from Marvel’s X-Men comic, Danger Room, to give my students a real picture of the outside world,” he said.
He normally buys action figures from second-hand shops or online.
He saves some of his pay to buy limited-edition action figures and recalled the time he worked as a building painter after finishing the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) exam to afford them.
He can only display 1,000 figures on his shelves at home while the rest are in boxes.
“Every night, if I have time, I will play with them. They are rotated weekly so they all have a chance to be on show.”
The price of the action figures depends on their popularity and market demand, and can sometimes hit thousands of ringgit.
“For example, a Marvel figure once cost RM190, but due to a cameo role, the price dropped to RM25,” he said.
Although criticised for his hobby as he is a teacher, Muhammad Nazmi remains positive.
“There will always be negative perceptions, but I ignore them. I believe people should be who they want to be to succeed in life.
“As long as you don’t do bad things, you’re okay,” he said.
