Aaron Wiley is the curator behind The Halloween Retrospect digital archives. In this edition of The Friday Five, Aaron talks about the new volume in his Halloween Artifacts book series and reflects on the traditions, toys, and imagery that continue to inspire his love of the season.
Kate Wiggs is the daughter of Polly Pocket creator Chris Wiggs. In this edition of The Friday Five, Kate reflects on her father’s creative legacy and the enduring charm of his most famous creation, Polly Pocket.
Cameron Smith-Rodewald collects PEZ. In this edition of Collector Spotlight, Cameron shares how a childhood curiosity became a 3,700-piece collection and lifelong passion.
Collector Spotlight, Otherworldly
Danii Meger collects Scooby-Doo merchandise. In this edition of Collector Spotlight, Danii talks about right and wrong in the world of collecting and the approach that turns “stuff” into a collection.
Juliet Lublin is the daughter of Pillow People creator Penny Ekstein and Matt Nuccio is president of Design Edge. In this edition of The Friday Five, Juliet and Matt discuss the return of Pillow Pillow and share how the kidult market influenced the relaunch of the beloved 1980s dolls.
Duncan Fisher is the son of Spirograph inventor Denys Fisher. In this edition of The Friday Five, Duncan shared his Dad’s unlikely path into the toy industry and explains why he’s now working to document his remarkable life and legacy.
Francis Turner collects toys produced by Louis Marx and Company. In this edition of Collector Spotlight, Francis explains how he came to open a museum dedicated to Marx toys and details the items in his collection that were personal to Louis Marx.
Jarrod Roll collects vintage Star Wars action figures. In this edition of The Friday Five, he shares how his collection became the foundation for The Nostalgia Awakens: Retro Kenner Star Wars Action Figure Toys, a travelling exhibition now showing at The National Museum of Toys/Miniatures.
Brian Shea is executive editor at Game Informer. In this edition of The Friday Five, Brian talks about the relaunch of the long-running print magazine and the role the publication plays in the games media industry.
Jonathan Sternfeld collects Harvey Comics merchandise. In this edition of Collector Spotlight, he shares how a childhood fondness for Richie Rich comics sparked a preservationist approach to collecting—and reveals the Holy Grail item that once risked attracting the attention of law enforcement.