People

Jody Day, Strawberry Shortcake Collector

Jody Day, Strawberry Shortcake

Jody Day collects Strawberry Shortcake. In this edition of Collector Spotlight, Jody talks about getting creative when displaying a collection and explains what inspired her to establish a modest budget for the objects she acquires.

Chris Stulz, Muppets

Chris Stulz, The Muppets

Chris Stulz collects Muppet merchandise and objects related to Jim Henson productions. In this edition of Collector Spotlight, Chris talks about what fuels his enduring interest in Muppet characters and reveals the abandoned childhood object he searched for 30 years to replace.

Azhelle Wade, The Toy Coach

Azhelle Wade, The Toy Coach

Azhelle Wade is The Toy Coach. In this edition of The Friday Five, Azhelle shares her observations about current trends in the toy industry and outlines the common missteps toy and game inventors make when developing their ideas.

Dan aka Lithium, Nintendo Collecting

Dan aka Lithium, Nintendo

Dan collects Nintendo games, systems, and other merchandise related to the NES brand. In this edition of Collector Spotlight, Dan talks about the power of nostalgia in collecting and shares the gaming channel that inspired him to create his own channel dedicated to the hobby.

Mitchel Wu, Toy Photographer

Mitchel Wu, Toy Photographer

Mitchel Wu is a Los Angeles-based toy photographer. In this edition of The Friday Five, Mitchel talks about his new exhibition at Science Museum Oklahoma and reveals the elements that drive his passion for storytelling through photography.

Michael Scheffka, MAGNA-TILES

Michael Scheffki, MAGNA-TILES

Michael Scheffki is senior vice president of marketing at MAGNA-TILES. In this edition of The Friday Five, Michael talks about the new MAGNA-TILES Studio at the Museum of Discovery and Science in Florida and elaborates on the company’s approach to creating opportunities for Meaningful Play.

Jeremy Padawer, Chief Brand Officer, Jazwares

Jeremy Padawer is chief brand officer at Jazwares. In this edition of The Friday Five, Jeremy talks about the company’s new Vault adult collectibles line and explains fandoms’ role in forging bonds between people who share a common passion.

Sean Quimby, University of Pennsylvania Libraries

Sean Quimby is the Director of the Jay I. Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts at the University of Pennsylvania Libraries. In this edition of The Friday Five, Sean shares details of the recently gifted Prebula comic book collection and discloses the most daunting aspect of his role as a preservationist.

Jennifer George, Chief Creative Officer, Rube Goldberg Institute

Jennifer George is the chief creative officer of the Rube Goldberg Institute. In this edition of The Friday Five, Jennifer discusses her role as steward of her grandfather’s legacy and the institute’s new contest to design a Rube Goldberg-inspired playground. 

Jonathan Sternfeld Harvey Mercheum

Jonathan Sternfeld, Harvey Comics

Jonathan Sternfeld collects Harvey Comics merchandise. In this edition of Collector Spotlight, Jonathan explains how his fondness for Richie Rich comics led him to take a preservationist approach to collecting and shares the Holy Grail item that risked attracting the attention of law enforcement.