Collector's Case

Collector’s Case

What’s Collector’s Case?

Collector’s Case is an app I wrote that allows you keep track of your action figure collection. It allows you to keep specific information on your pieces, share your pieces, and honestly works exactly how I want to track my collection (I mean I wrote it after all). I have a lot of fun plans for the app and hopefully get to implement them all in the future.

You can find it here on the App Store. Collector's Case

App Store Description

Do you keep up with your Action Figure collection using a spreadsheet? Wish it could do more? Collector’s Case is designed to allow you to track YOUR toys and your collections in ways that work for you. You can keep track of specific items, add pictures of them, and add details for each item.

It was designed to showcase your actual toys and collectibles. Have that rare prototype? Rocket Firing Bounty Hunter? Maybe even everyone’s favorite mouse on everyone’s favorite Commander. What about that Sliced Bread Barbarian? Showcase YOUR items and not someone else’s pictures and stock images. Keep the information you want listed!

Need to dig up some information on your collection quickly? You can do an “Advanced Search” using specific details you need. Imagine you are at a convention and need to know which of your figures are not complete? If you added the detail on whether an item is complete or not, you can quickly do a search and see everything that’s complete or incomplete!

I designed Collector’s Case to let me track my own collection, and hopefully it allows you to track yours too. I have been using a spreadsheet for years but wanted more out of it. I wanted to add pictures, for it to sync across all my devices, easily accessible and readable at conventions (where wifi and data can be quite scarce) and a lot more. Collector’s Case fits all my needs and helps me keep everything sorted and displayed quite nicely. All the screen shots are from my own personal collection!

History

So back in like 2017 I started toying with ideas to make an app that would allow me to track all my GI Joes, Transformers, and toys in general. I toyed with it, worked on it and actually used it myself for a few years. I added features as I wanted them like pictures, sharing, search, etc and just made this for myself. After talking and encouragement from Brittany I finally embarked on preparing it for Apple’s App Store and on September 19th, 2023 I released it!

The End of Voltron: Legendary Defender

Some Voltron: Legendary Defender Spoilers Below!  Beware!

Well I finally did it.  I watched the last season of Voltron: Legendary Defender on Netflix.  I have to say that I was impressed.  The show closed all story arcs, gave a satisfying ending for all characters, and was very satisfying.

As the season progressed the stakes really increased.  Seeing what Haggar/Honerva had planned was pretty heartbreaking.  All she wanted was to have the perfect life with Lotor and Zarkon.  She manipulated those poor Altean people to help her.  Once she figured out she couldn’t have that life, no matter what reality she was in, she kind of snapped and tried to destroy all reality.  I mean makes sense right?  It’s not like she was the cause of her not being able to have that life originally right?  It’s not like her drive for Quintessence caused all this…. So I guess destroying anything and everything because you were a bit obsessive makes sense right…

Now the part I liked the most were the mech fights.  Voltron vs Honerva’s mech was great.  I love some good mech combining action and seeing Voltron combine was the Atlas (Volas?  Altron? Super Voltron?) was great.  I loved the new mech that was formed.  Sure you kinda have to let the science/technology part go.  I mean all machines are made with magic right?  Either way the mech and fighting action were great.

Each character had a great ending and it was explained.  I think my favorite was Hunk creating a culinary squad to spread peace.  That made me laugh.  Peace through food!  Everyone loves food!  Allura sacrificed herself to save all existence, but she did what was needed and she went to be with her family.  Shiro got a happy ending and Lance found peace and happiness, even if it was without Allura. :(.  Keith did what Keith does best, and Pidge/Katie’s family became the leaders the coalition needed.

Over all I loved the Legendary Defender series.  I think DreamWorks did an amazing job and bravo for Netflix for putting this out!  With Netflix putting out new versions Voltron and She-Ra, I hope that they push more properties from my childhood in this direction.  I mean who is ready for some Heman, Thudercats, Dino-Riders?  (Ok Dino-Riders should be at the bottom of the list)  And if we were truly lucky, a new version of GI Joe based on ARAH (Similar to GI Joe: Resolute).  Either way, Bravo DreamWorks/Netflix.  I loved it!

Form Blazing Sword!

 

So being a kid from the 80s, it's almost a requirement that you liked Voltron. Voltron was never on the same level as GI Joe and Transformers for me, but I remember liking it.  I think it has one of the best openings of any of the shows I have watched.  When I saw that Netflix was coming out with a modern day revival I was pretty excited (I mean House of Cards, Orange is the New Black, and Daredevil were all great Netflix originals), but once I saw that it was a DreamWorks production, I couldn't wait.

So I didn't really know what to expect when I started watching.  I didn't know if they were going to go the "dark and gritty" route or the "overly kiddy" route.  I was hoping that Voltron would take the Star Wars Rebels and Clone Wars approach - make something that appeals to both children and adults.  In my opinion, Voltron: Legendary Defender hit that perfectly.  As someone in their 30s, I fully enjoyed the show and think that it's perfect for a younger audience as well.

Voltron: Legendary Defender takes a serial approach to their story telling.  I remember in the original show it tends to follow the pattern: big monster appears, start up the lions, form Voltron, start losing, and then "Form Blazing Sword" for the win.  The new show tends to follow a more story and character driven approach.  The lions tend to take a back seat to the characters and story.  Not every episode has the lions forming Voltron, and I think that's a positive.  It means that each time the lions form Voltron, it's exciting, and it means the the battle needs it. 

I really liked the way the characters are portrayed.  Each character has a distinct personality, and it stays consistent throughout the show.  Lance is the bumbling idiot; Keith is the overzealous, hot shot ace; Pidge is the technical genius; Hunk is the scared but reliable friend; and Shiro is the grizzled veteran of the group.  The one character I didn't quite understand was Coran.  I mostly found him annoying and didn't understand his purpose.  I have an idea on how they are going to use him in the future, but I'll save that for another post.

*** Spoiler Alert ***

The twist with Pidge was a really smart move, and one that I think makes the show stronger.  It also gives girls more characters to like in the show besides Allura.  Not that girls can only like girl characters, but having a more diverse cast always helps make the show stronger.  I'm hoping that it helps to draw more girl viewers into the show which is a good thing!

***  End Spoiler  ***

The overall story wasn't very exciting most of the season, but it really started to build some steam towards the end.  The show did a masterful job of setting up next season with some mysteries and cliff hangers.  Overall the first season did a good job of setting up the characters so that the story can really take off.  This was a great way to get that out of the way so that when season 2 starts we can dive right into the action and adventure.

I really enjoyed the design of the 5 lions.  Each one was slightly different than the rest (beyond just the color) and had their unique abilities.  The lions were used really well in combat, and I enjoyed seeing each one fight individually.  Whenever the lions formed Voltron, I found it exciting and I enjoyed the formation sequence.  The new Voltron does a really good job of paying homage to the original and striking it's own new look.  I really liked the shield but was not a very big fan of the Blazing Sword.  I REALLY liked the design of the original sword, but if that's my one complaint then I would say they did an amazing job.  I can't wait to see the toys when they come out.

Speaking of toys I think that Playmates really missed an opportunity by not having a line of toys available with the launch of the show.  I think that it would have been really smart to build on the momentum they have for the launch of a new show.  I will definitely be buying Voltron when its released.  Whether it is buying each lion individually or buying them as a set, I am excited.  I missed out on the MattyCollector Voltron and really any Voltron set outside of the original set (and who know where that is because it's LONG gone) so I'm excited to have this chance.  Bring them on!  If they do as well as the new Ninja Turtle line, this is going to be a solid win!

Overall I highly recommend Voltron if you are looking for a fun watch.  Anyone who wants to remember the magic of Saturday morning cartoons should give it a watch.  The set up for season 2 is very strong, and I personally can't wait!