SupermanHawaii.com

by Lawrence E. Pacheco

To quote a line I wrote in our January 2006 issue, "In the unlimited world of memorabilia collecting, there are numerous items a collector can purchase." This "unlimited world" can also describe a much narrower facet... collecting superhero merchandise.

From well defined superheroes like Superman, Wonder Woman and Spider-Man... to those who are arguably "super" but still fall under the same category like the Lone Ranger, Flash Gordon and Zorro... they all have their fans and some of them collect anything and everything about them.

I have had an incredible amount of fun showcasing a portion of my Superman collection at various collectors expos. I am also blessed with having friends who share my enthusiasm for superheroes. So I'd like to begin the very first in this hopeful series featuring superhero collectors and their treasures.

For our first featured collector I could think of none other than Occasional Orb's very own... Scott Shinsato. Scott has been collecting since early childhood. Among his many collectibles are Superman, Captain America, Captain Marvel, and tons of Japanese live-action heroes (known as Tokusatsu). However, Scott is a huge Batman fan and has what is arguably considered to be Hawaii's largest Batman collection.

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What are your earliest Batman memories?

When I was three years old my parents put Batman curtains up in my room. It was a big influence. They bought more Batman stuff over the years, not realizing the ramifications. Another big influence was Saturday mornings at 6:30 on ABC... Super Friends!

Do you have any favorites among your collection?

It's hard to say because there's so much. A homemade "Pinewood Derby" Batmobile that my father and I made (featured in the January 2006 issue of Occasional Orb) is one of them. My father also brought home a huge Batman wall clock that he saw in one of the stores.

Just how many Batman items do you have?

The last time I officially counted was in the early 90s. At that time it was over 300 items. Today I can't even begin to count. I'm not even sure what I have sometimes. Sometimes I think I don't have something and later find out that I do.

Which is your favorite Batman movie?

I would probably have to say Batman Begins. It's a lot closer to what we know of Batman in the comics... including Commissioner Gordon. Although Michael Keaton also did a good job. Of course, you can't forget Adam West.

Okay, what about artists over the years. Who are your favorites?

Jim Aparo is my all time favorite! Others are Carmine Infantino and Neal Adams. Even some of the current artists like Jim Lee and Alex Ross. The list can go on and on.

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Thank you Scott for taking the time to show us your truly incredible collection.

Now it's your turn! If you live in Hawaii, are a fan of a particular superhero and have a fantastic collection of memorabilia, we would like to feature you in a future issue of Occasional Orb! Just send us an e-mail telling us about your fandom and an idea about what you collect. Whether it's Wonder Woman, the Phantom, or the Green Hornet... we'd love to hear from you soon!

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