Pictured is a Mezco One:12 Collective Indiana Jones figure from the Temple Edition, set within an ongoing diorama construction by Dan Hickman of danstoybox.com. Submitted photo

A Jamestown resident’s man cave is getting attention from toy collectors around the world.

Dan Hickman transformed one of his rooms into a diorama that showcases his passion for action figures. The hobby has also contributed to his expanding online presence, where he shares his work with a growing audience. Hickman’s passion for action figures and commitment to collecting began in the early 1980s.

“I started collecting Star Wars action figures when I was a young kid in the late 70s and 80s,” he said. “I still have about 85% to 95% of my original collection that I keep in my basement, which I’ve dubbed as ‘The Dan Cave’ after the ‘Bat Cave,’ and I’ve got my dioramas and more modern collections upstairs in a room I call “The Geek Tower” after the DC Universe’s Watchtower which the Justice League resides in now.”

Hickman’s journey into Star Wars figure collecting commenced with the launch of three-and-three-quarter-inch action figures produced by Kenner Products in 1976, and continued until production ended in 1985. In 2000, Hasbro acquired Kenner and integrated it with its other toy lines, as noted on Kennertoys.com. However, action figure collecting became popular in the 1960s with the launch of the 12-inch G.I. Joe figures.

Hickman has reported a substantial increase in his action figure collecting over the past year, which has also coincided with a growth in his social media presence. This heightened engagement has inspired him to create more dioramas themed around superheroes and movies.

Dan Hickman, a resident of Jamestown, poses for a photograph in his “Geek Tower,” where he showcases his impressive collection of action figures, comic book art, and intricate dioramas. Since the 1970s, Hickman has been passionately collecting action figures and has built a diverse assortment that includes unique, one-of-a-kind original dioramas in his house. Submitted photo

“I’ve probably added 40 to 50 new figures in the last year. My website, www.danstoybox.com, is approaching 50,000 visitors and has been viewed in over 140 countries. I’ve begun recording YouTube Shorts as 30-second previews for my action figure reviews and photos,” he said.

Hickman stated that among the most recent additions to his extensive collection, a retro-themed item holds a special significance as his favorite.

“I would say that the piece I was most pleased to add was the Mezco One:12 Collective Indiana Jones, Temple Edition figure,” he said. “I missed it when it was originally released and was very pleased when it was offered again later on.”

Hickman has a self-admitted passion for his collection and the diorama constructions he creates. However, he acknowledges that there are limitations to what he can accomplish with them..

“I’ve been wanting to do more builds, but with all the things I’m involved in, time isn’t necessarily a luxury I have,” he said.

Displayed are several hundred action figures that Dan Hickman of Jamestown has collected and housed in his “Dan Cave,” a playful nod to the Bat Cave, or which he affectionately refers to as “The Geek Tower”—a reference to the Hall of Justice or the Watchtower from the DC Universe. According to Hickman, he has added an additional 40 to 50 action figures between 2024 and 2025, along with several dioramas currently in various stages of development. Submitted photo

Hickman currently serves as the President of the Board of Trustees for the James Prendergast Library and holds the position of Business Advisor with the Small Business Development Center at Jamestown Community College. He is also preparing to pursue a candidacy for a seat on the Jamestown City Council which eats up a significant amount of his time.

Hickman’s collection encompasses a wide range of genres, including fictitious storylines, comic books, movies, TV shows, and cartoon series. Notably, it was around 2010 that he began to broaden the scope of his collecting pursuits significantly.

“I really was focused on Star Wars and G.I. Joe figures as a kid,” he said. “Around 2009-2010, I added and really focused on super-hero action figure lines. However, I do have some Robo Cop, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Transformer action figures, which I tend to keep in the ‘Dan Cave’ – I have my original Optimus Prime (Transformers) figure in there … he’s in rough shape, but I still have him.”

Superhero intellectual property typically falls into two primary ownership categories: Marvel Entertainment, a subsidiary of the Walt Disney Corporation, and DC (Detective Comics), a division of Home Box Office (HBO) Corporation. Marvel Comics holds a dominant position in the action figure and comic book markets, commanding a 36.5% market share, while DC follows in second place with 25.5%. Together, these two companies account for a combined total of 62% of the market. This leaves the remaining six or more publishers with just 38% of the market share to distribute among themselves.