Any collector of Action Figures will know that displaying your collection is a key part of our hobby. Our displays are our showcase and while they also house our collection they play a part in maintaining it with more enclosed display options protecting our figures from dust and dirt. The most bespoke of displays are those cases that are purchased as standalone displays to house our most prized items, creating a museum-esque curated display showcasing the best our collection has to offer.
One company offering these cases here is iDisplayit, a manufacturer and distributor of bespoke acrylic case solutions since 2015. The iDisplayit line is one known well to Lego collectors with cases designed and sized for specific premium Lego kits such as the Star Wars Millennium Falcon, Harry Potter’s Hogwarts Castle, or the DC ‘Shadow Box’ Batcave. iDisplayit also offers collectible cases, with items to support Hot Toys 12-inch scale figures and Hasbro’s premium roleplay items including Spengler’s Neutrino Wand from Ghostbusters, and helmets and props from Star Wars and Marvel.
But what about our beloved Action Figures? Well, I am pleased that we’ve teamed up with iDisplayit to take a look at how their innovative acrylic cases can be used for displaying some of the key lines we cover including the Hasbro 6-inch lines for Star Wars, Marvel, and more, and the larger 7-inch scale figures produced by McFarlane, NECA and Diamond.
When selecting your iDisplayit cases, there are a variety of size options and their website allows you to search by dimensions to find a case that will fit your figures but also into the relevant space within a larger display, on a shelf, or on top of another unit. For this look at the iDislayit offerings, we selected a couple of cases that stood 24cm tall providing adequate height for standard 6 or 7-inch figures. The core of the cases can be purchased with either gloss black or gloss white bases depending on your preference, with some much more visual options available with printed backgrounds. These printed backgrounds offer some exciting options for action figure collectors with the Lego Razor Crest case, as an example, having a number of alternative possibilities for a Star Wars-themed display for the Black Series.
Our review is of the following two cases which were provided to us free of charge by iDisplayit
The team at iDisplayit has created a unique system of flat-pack acrylic displays allowing shipping costs to be kept low. On arrival, your case is robustly packed and each surface is protected on both sides by a protective film. The sides are clipped into the base and then joined by a clear plastic clip and joining screw that connects at each vertical edge with an allen key included in every set to allow the screw to be fitted and tightened. A case can be assembled in full in a matter of minutes, and also has the added benefit of being something you can take back apart for storage or if you are ever moving your collection.
The smaller 21cm x 13cm case can easily accommodate three to four 6 or 7-inch action figures, allowing you to curate your display around a group of connected figures, or a particular scene. For any larger figures such as the new Carnage (who arrived just in time to try these cases out), you may need to pose the figure in more of a crouch - or simply find one of the iDisplayit cases with more headroom for your figure. At only 21cm wide and 13cm deep this particular case is perfect for open bookcases or wall shelving, putting your figures on full display from all angles while protecting them from dust and dirt.
The larger case is very much around more impressive diorama displays or for displaying larger items from your collection. This 32cm x 32cm case allowed me to have a full Cantina Bar display within it using the Star Wars Black Series bar diorama. It also accommodated the brand new SDCC Darth Maul and Sith Speeder - complete with packaging and the probe droid. We also tried out groups from McFarlane’s Warhammer line, Diamond Lord of the Rings, and we even got a TARDIS and a few Daleks into it from Characters Doctor Who series.
Size-wise, this particular model is almost perfect for the top of a Detolf (Ikea) unit and it will also sit on the top of a Billy, although there is a slight overhang. And having taken a closer look at these two samples, I am now exploring how I can fill up a few gaps around my display case collection with these cases to house some of the larger items I have including things like the Black Series Snowspeeder, Luke’s Landspeeder, or the Marvel Legends Surtur and Vulture.
The possibilities are almost endless with the iDisplayit catalog featuring multiple dimension options with the 24cm (action figure) height cases featuring 44 options alone to choose from. The quality is also second to none, with perfectly machined panels that connect with ease and a clear and crisp finish to each clear panel showcasing the items within. From a practical perspective, they will still attract dust and fingerprints like any surface, but they are easy enough to clean using a static duster or by using soapy water and microfibre cloth. And while the screw fixings initially appear intrusive, they certainly do not draw the eye or detract from the case content once your display is set up.
You may be able to tell I am already a fan of these cases and I certainly will be making some purchases of my own in the coming months once I have worked out what I want on display and where I want to position it. If the iDisplayit line is something you want to explore for yourself then they are kindly giving our readers 5% off using voucher code MEPHITSU5 until the 13th of October, 2024 with full details available at the iDisplayit website.
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About Me : As a child of the 70's and 80's I grew up in a golden age for action figures and in my youth bought and sold myself through collections of Star Wars, G.I. Joe (Action Force) and M.A.S.K. while also dabbling in He-Man, Transformers and Ghostbusters. Roll forward and I am now reliving that Youth with the action figures of today and am a collector and fan of the larger 6-8 inch figures from my favourite movie and TV licences - including the ones mentioned above, but also the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Doctor Who and the Aliens. I launched The Mephitsu Archives in 2015 with a view of creating a UK focused site or these figures where fans can pick up the latest action figure news, read reviews and get information on where to buy their figures and what is currently on store shelves. I hope I am delivering that to you guys...
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