Captain Collector’s 2020 review
Thomas Sr. (Captain Collector)Last updated: 31 December 2020 approx. 3 min read
2020 was the Year of the Rat, so my year. I was born in 1960, in the Year of the Rat. But was it really? Was it really my year? It was a truly bizarre, somehow surreal year that passed rather monotonously and quickly, and yet lasted a very long time. I think every one of us will remember this strange year for a long time to come.
It began quite normally
The year began quite normally at first, the harbingers of the ominous virus were somehow already there, but nobody cared. That was to change very quickly, however, and by mid-February, when we opened our three-week AMAZING Comicshow, there were dark clouds in the sky.
We were lucky and were able to finish the show before the lockdown shut everything down. And then everything suddenly turned out differently from how I had imagined “my” year. Not only did the financial problems have to be mastered, the daily workflow also had to be adapted to the circumstances that were suddenly imposed on everyone.
Adapt or Perish
Humans are known to be the living beings on earth that can adapt best to changing circumstances. And we had to prove that. As the shop was closed for the time being, the online shop remained the most important source of income, and it slowly picked up speed.
That did mean extra work, though, a real flood of parcels came our way. So I did not run out of work, and I also used the time to list comics, action figures and other items in the online shop.
Spring clean
I also had the chance to do a long overdue spring clean and got our shop premises into shape. Of course the shop windows were not spared my urge to get things done either. All the “freshening-up activities” that had been neglected for a long time I was now able to work through bit by bit.
Clearing out was part of it too, of course, and through the relevant online platforms I sold larger quantities of paper, comics and science fiction paperbacks. And afterwards the shelves were still bursting full anyway …
Even after the lockdown and the various easings, business in the shop premises would not really get going again. The damage is simply done, we have to live with the consequences. In recent months, sales have clearly shifted towards the online shop.
Much as the Marvel comics have been reduced to meaningless advertising vehicles for Disney-style one-size-fits-all marketing, that is where the Amazing shop premises stand. It still has its place as a flagship and figurehead and will continue to exist in the future as well, but the real business now happens virtually on the online side.
What happens next?
AMAZING now belongs to Amazing Enterprise AG. With a new company, of course, absolutely … nothing changes. Everything stays as it was. Amazing is still a family business made up of my son Thomas, the Sparkojote, he is the head behind the business and the trading cards expert with a good nose for lucrative products.
My wife Caroline is the meticulous bookkeeper who makes sure the figures add up and the tax office is happy. And I will of course remain your friendly collector friend Captain Collector, who will occasionally put in his philosophical (or not at all philosophical) two cents on the most varied topics on this blog. And always entirely subjectively.
My very personal tip for 2021: buy comics that bring you joy. At the same time, keep an eye on what is trending. Future treasures might just be hidden among them.
Captain Collector’s comic wisdom
This is the fluffy stuff! The Zorua Sitting Cuties Plush is made of extra-soft, fluffy material for huggable fun. Measures about 14.5 cm tall and 10.5 cm wide Sits up easily on a desk, shelf, or other flat surface Where will you set Zorua? Part of the Sitting Cuties collection—known as Pokémon fit in Japan Includes Zorua Sitting Cuties Plush (other pictured items not included) Pokémon Center Original More Details: Item Dimensions: 14.5 x 10.5 x 12.5 cm Country Of Origin: Made in China Materials: All new material / polyester fiber / polyethylene / polyurethane foam Care Instructions: Surface Wash Only Recommended Age: 4+ Years
The Shiftry Sitting Cuties Plush is weighted with microbeads, so it sits up when you put it on a flat surface. This palm-sized plush is a fun, charming way to show off a favorite Grass- and Dark-type Pokémon originally discovered in Hoenn!Measures about 5 inches tall and 6 inches longSits up easily on a desk, shelf, or other flat surfaceWhere will you set Shiftry?Part of the Sitting Cuties collection—known as Pokémon fit in JapanIncludes Shiftry Sitting Cuties Plush (other pictured items not included)Pokémon Center OriginalMore Details:Item Dimensions: 13 x 10 x 13 cmCountry Of Origin: Made in China.Materials: All new material / polyester / polypropyleneCare Instructions: Surface wash only.Recommended Age: 4+ YearsItem Weight: 2.8 OZ
The Cut Rotom Sitting Cuties Plush is weighted with microbeads, so it sits up when you put it on a flat surface. This palm-sized plush is a fun, charming way to show off a favorite Electric- and Water-type Pokémon originally discovered in Sinnoh! Measures about 12.5 cm tall and 13 cm wide Sits up easily on a desk, shelf, or other flat surface Where will you set Cut Rotom? Part of the Sitting Cuties collection—known as Pokémon fit in Japan Includes Wash Rotom Sitting Cuties Plush (other pictured items not included) Pokémon Center Original More Details: Item Dimensions: 12.5 × 13 × 11.5 cm Country Of Origin: Made in China Materials: All new material / polyester / polyethylene / polyurethane foam Care Instructions: Hand Wash Only. Line Dry. Recommended Age: 4+ Years Item Weight: 58.6 g
The Jellicent Sitting Cuties Plush is weighted with microbeads, so it sits up when you put it on a flat surface. This palm-sized plush is a fun, charming way to show off a favorite Pokémon originally discovered in Unova! Measures about 15 cm tall and 13 cm wide Sits up easily on a desk, shelf, or other flat surface Where will you set Jellicent? Part of the Sitting Cuties collection—known as Pokémon fit in Japan Includes Jellicent Sitting Cuties Plush (other pictured items not included) Pokémon Center Original More Details: Item Dimensions: 15 x 13 x 11 cm Country Of Origin: Made in China Materials: All new material / polyester fiber / polyethylene Care Instructions: Surface Wash Only Recommended Age: 4+ Years Item Weight: 73 g
The Sigilyph Sitting Cuties Plush is weighted with microbeads, so it sits up when you put it on a flat surface. This palm-sized plush is a fun, charming way to show off a favorite Pokémon originally discovered in Unova! Measures about 20.5 cm tall and 15.5 cm wide Sits up easily on a desk, shelf, or other flat surface Part of the Sitting Cuties collection—known as Pokémon fit in Japan Includes Sigilyph Sitting Cuties Plush (other pictured items not included) Pokémon Center Original More Details: Item Dimensions: 20.5 x 15.5 x 7 cm Country Of Origin: Made in China Materials: All new material / polyester / polyurethane foam / polyethylene Care Instructions: Surface wash only. Recommended Age: 4+ Years Item Weight: 59.6 g
Das Scatterbug Sitting Cuties Plüsch ist mit Mikroperlen beschwert, sodass es sich aufrichtet, wenn du es auf eine flache Oberfläche legst. Dieses charmante, handtellergroße Plüsch ist eine lustige Art, ein Lieblings-Pokémon vom Käfer-Typ zu zeigen, das ursprünglich in Kalos entdeckt wurde!Misst etwa 17.5 cm hoch und 9 cm breitLässt sich leicht auf einem Schreibtisch, Regal oder einer anderen flachen Oberfläche aufstellenWo wirst du Raupy aufstellen?Teil der Sitting Cuties-Kollektion - in Japan als Pokémon fit bekanntBeinhaltet r Sitting Cuties Plüsch (andere abgebildete Artikel nicht enthalten)Pokémon Center OriginalMehr Details:Artikelabmessungen: 17.5 x 9 x 12 cmHerkunftsland: Hergestellt in ChinaMaterialien: Polyester / Polyurethanschaum / PEPflegehinweise: Nur Handwäsche. Zum Trocknen aufhängen. Gewicht: 53g.
The Slowbro Sitting Cuties Plush is weighted with microbeads, so it sits up when you put it on a flat surface. This palm-sized plush is a fun, charming way to show off a favorite Water- and Psychic-type Pokémon originally discovered in Kanto! Measures about 12.5 cm tall and 9 cm wide Sits up easily on a desk, shelf, or other flat surface Where will you set Slowbro? Part of the Sitting Cuties collection—known as Pokémon fit in Japan Includes Slowbro Sitting Cuties Plush (other pictured items not included) Pokémon Center Original More Details: Item Dimensions: 12.5 × 22 × 9 cm Country Of Origin: Made in China Materials: All new material / polyester fiber / polyethylene / polyurethane foam Care Instructions: Surface Wash Only Recommended Age: 4+ Years Item Weight: 108 g
This soft plush features the fearsome Pokémon in all its glory, with detailed stitching and a wavy-tipped tail. Measures about 10.5 cm tall and 8.5 cm wide Sits up easily on a desk, shelf, or other flat surface Where will you set Basculin? Part of the Sitting Cuties collection—known as Pokémon fit in Japan Includes Basculin Sitting Cuties Plush (other pictured items not included) Pokémon Center Original More Details: Item Dimensions: 10.5 x 8.5 x 15 cm Country Of Origin: Made in China Materials: All new material / polyester / polyurethane foam / polyethylene Care Instructions: Surface wash only. Recommended Age: 4+ Years Item Weight: 54 g
The Sandslash Sitting Cuties Plush is weighted with microbeads, so it sits up when you put it on a flat surface. This palm-sized plush is a fun, charming way to show off a favorite Ground-type Pokémon originally discovered in Kanto!Measures about 15 cm tall and 13 cm longSits up easily on a desk, shelf, or other flat surfaceWhere will you set Sandslash?Part of the Sitting Cuties collection—known as Pokémon fit in JapanIncludes Sandslash Sitting Cuties Plush (other pictured items not included)Pokémon Center OriginalMore Details:Item Dimensions: 14 x 12.7 x 15.2 cmCountry Of Origin: Made in ChinaMaterials: All new material / polyester fiber / polyethyleneCare Instructions: Surface Wash OnlyRecommended Age: 4+ YearsItem Weight: 79.4 g
The Beartic Sitting Cuties Plush is weighted with microbeads, so it sits up when you put it on a flat surface. This palm-sized plush is a fun, charming way to show off a favorite Pokémon originally discovered in Unova! Measures about 15.5 cm tall and 13.5 cm wide Sits up easily on a desk, shelf, or other flat surface Where will you set Beartic? Part of the Sitting Cuties collection—known as Pokémon fit in Japan Includes Beartic Sitting Cuties Plush (other pictured items not included) Pokémon Center Original More Details: Item Dimensions: 15.5 × 13.5 × 12.5 cm Country Of Origin: Made in China Materials: All new material / polyester / polyethylene / polyurethane foam Care Instructions: Hand Wash Only. Line Dry. Recommended Age: 4+ Years Item Weight: 69.6 g
Sandile Poké plush is pretty cool with eyes that look like shades. Not sure if it's up to no good or just trying to be cool, but it looks good either way! Measures about 10 cm tall and 10 cm wide Sits up easily on a desk, shelf, or other flat surface Where will you set Sandile? Part of the Sitting Cuties collection—known as Pokémon fit in Japan Includes Sandile Sitting Cuties Plush (other pictured items not included) Pokémon Center Original More Details: Item Dimensions: 10 x 10 x 19 cm Country Of Origin: Made in China Materials: All new material / polyester / polyurethane foam / polyethylene Care Instructions: Surface wash only. Recommended Age: 4+ Years Item Weight: 61 g
Der Relicanth Sitting Cuties Plüsch ist mit Mikroperlen beschwert, sodass er aufrecht steht, wenn Sie ihn auf eine ebene Fläche legen. Dieses handflächengroße Plüschtier ist eine lustige und charmante Möglichkeit, ein beliebtes Pokémon vom Typ Wasser und Stein, das ursprünglich in Hoenn entdeckt wurde, zur Schau zu stellen!Misst etwa 6 ½ Zoll groß und 4 ¾ Zoll langLässt sich problemlos auf einem Schreibtisch, einem Regal oder einer anderen flachen Oberfläche aufstellenWo wird Relicanth angesiedelt?Teil der Sitting Cuties-Kollektion – in Japan als Pokémon Fit bekanntEnthält Relicanth Sitting Cuties Plüsch (andere abgebildete Artikel nicht enthalten)Pokémon Center OriginalMehr Details:Artikelabmessungen: 11 x 7.5 x 14 cmHerkunftsland: Hergestellt in ChinaMaterialien: Polyester / Polyurethanschaum / PEPflegehinweise: Nur Handwäsche. Zum Trocknen aufhängen.Artikelgewicht: 61g