Animation and media lecturer who spent his first paycheck on a Batman figure

By: Patrick Beech

He grew up watching the likes of "Thundercats" and "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" while he used his first paycheck in 2007 to purchase his first Batman figure.

Animation and media lecturer, Mohamad Razeef Shah Mohmad Rafik, 41, from Universiti Teknologi Mara in Shah Alam, said he and his housemate, also an avid vintage toy collector have been spending hours hunting for the best deals online.

According to reports in Free Malaysia Today, whenever Razeef goes on trips abroad, he always looks fo his favourite vintage toys.

“When I was in Taiwan, I found a shop selling a 50cm-tall Chucky doll and a Hulkbuster by Beast Kingdom from the ‘Iron Man’ movie.

“On a trip to Melbourne, I got the concept sketch figure of Luke Skywalker – something I can’t get in Malaysia,” he said.

Today, Razeef has amassed over 4,000 prized collectibles. Among them are those from “Biker Mice from Mars”, an American animation series.

He doesn’t just collect a specific kind of toy – he collects toys from all his favourite series and movies, including horror films.

To Razeef, it is important that his son views these items not so much as “toys” per se, but as valuable belongings that have given him much joy throughout his life.

“I grew up in an era where smartphones or laptops weren’t heard of. As such, I appreciated good animated series as a kid. Now, as an adult, I want my son to know these toys and their value in the world today,” Razeef said.