One figure.
One box.
One story that carries more weight than an entire shelf.

Totem Lens — The Witness

Christmas, 2009.

My wife surprised me with a vintage 8-inch Green Arrow figure in a reproduction box. Clean. Classic. Exactly the one I’d wanted for a long time.

Here’s the part that still makes us laugh.

She found it on eBay.

So did I.

At one point, we were literally bidding against each other without knowing it. A full-on, married-couple bidding war over the same figure. She won (obviously). Was she annoyed that I drove the price up? Absolutely. Is that the most “first world problems” collector story ever? Without question.

That alone would’ve made the figure unforgettable.

But that’s not why it’s untouchable.

When the Totem Gets Outshined — In the Best Way

Four days before Santa was set to roll into town, our daughter arrived.

Just like that, the figure went from “perfect gift” to supporting character. And I don’t say that with any disappointment — I say it with awe.

Because what my wife really gave me that Christmas wasn’t just a figure I’d chased for years.

She gave us a new story.
A new chapter.
A living totem.

She won again.

Transcend Bridge — This Isn’t About Green Arrow

That’s the thing about true totems.

They aren’t valuable because they’re rare.
They’re valuable because they’re anchored.

This figure doesn’t represent a character.
It represents partnership.
Shared laughter.
Timing you could never plan.
A life pivot you can mark to the exact week.

I could lose half my collection tomorrow and be bummed for a while.
This one? Never leaving.

Not because it’s expensive.
Because it’s encoded.

Shadow Side (Brief, Honest)

Collectors sometimes confuse “irreplaceable” with “valuable.”

This figure taught me the difference.

It’s not the plastic you protect.
It’s the memory it refuses to let fade.

Spark Action

Look at your shelf and ask:

Which single toy carries a full story on its own — even without the rest of the collection around it?

That’s not just a favorite.
That’s a testimony.

Honor it.

Thanks for joining me on this never ending journey of recapturing the moment, memories and feelings.

Now, Go Play!

Jim
01/06/2026

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