Sideshow Featured Collector: Amy Chase
Amy Chase
Location: Los Angeles, CA
High school was when I started seriously collecting comics books- the first Avengers movie inspired my latent love of superheroes, and so every Wednesday after school I would stop by the local comic store. I didn’t start collecting figures until I went to college.
I actually played Sideshow‘s daily twitter contests in lecture every single day for four months before I won my first piece! Two years later I’ve got this massive mix of Funkos, Hot Toys, random action figures, and a few statues I have no room for yet. And I just hit my 500 comic book milestone.
What do you collect? Does your collection have a theme, such as Star Wars, Batman, etc.?
What started as an Avengers collection quickly became a Thor collection featuring a few backup heroes. I have Hot Toys, statues, Funkos, and Kotobukiya figures, but what I’m known for is my Thor comics collection, and more specifically the recent female Thor run for Marvel comics. I have an original art page from the series, all her action figures, and 60 variants. It’s crazy when you realize the series has only run about 16 unique issues so far.
I also have a budding Star Wars shelf- I get a lot of judgment for this, but I didn’t see any of the Star Wars films until the summer before college. Seeing the Force Awakens in the theatre was the first Star Wars thing I got to be a part of. My collection is Rey, Phasma, Leia, and a lot of Padme Amidala.
What makes your collection unique?
I definitely think it’s a big collection for a college student to have, especially after only four real years of serious collecting on a considerably limited budget. I’ve got some neat comics, like the first appearance of Hawkeye, the first Carol Danvers, and a lot of signed books. But my female Thor stuff is what really makes it stick out- since she’s still so new in the comics, I’ve been able to get my hands on most of the merchandise she’s featured on, and I’ve had an incredible chance to interact with some of the creators at conventions and tell them how much their work means to me. Those experiences are a huge part of my collection.
What are your favorite or the most prized pieces in your collection?
I have an original art page from Russell Dauterman from Thor #6 (2015). I worked in a comic book store and read that issue on the day we were unloading our shipment, and knew if I was ever going to buy any comic page, it was that one. Coincidentally, I met Russell in person a few weeks later and got to thank him for it! And I have Thor #1 signed by Russell as well as Matt Wilson, the colorist, and Wil Moss, the editor. I just need the letterer and writer to sign it, and then I’m going to get it framed.
What items are on your wishlist?
My top wish is that Sideshow will someday make a statue of the female Thor. But most immediately, I think I really want to add the Captain Marvel and Supergirl Premium Format statues to my collection, since they’re two of my heroic role models as well. As for my comics collection, I hope to someday get copies of Journey into Mystery #83 and #84, the first appearances of Thor and Jane Foster in comics. And I want to finish getting my Thor #1 signed! That might happen this summer at SDCC.