But Muhammad Nazmi Rosli only picked up the hobby when he was 18. Now, at age 32, he boasts a collection of over 3,000 superhero figurines the likes of Marvel’s “X-Men” and DC’s “Superman”.
For Nazmi, who teaches English at a primary school in Sarawak, it is more than a hobby – he says he draws inspiration and motivation from these characters to better understand his students’ personalities.
“I’ve observed many weaknesses in these superhero characters. Meanwhile, every student has a different personality shaped by their home environment, which influences them,” he told Bernama.
“Without realising it, a student may have abilities that others do not – which happens a lot in the comic world. So, through comics, I’m reminded that I should not judge my pupils.
“Furthermore, these characters help me understand emotional and inner conflicts,” said the father of two, who shared that collecting figurines helps him be more creative, such as by designing teaching aids inspired by the superheroes.
“For example, I took inspiration from Marvel’s ‘X-Men’ comic ‘Danger Room’ to help my pupils, who live in rural areas, have a better understanding of the world. In the comics, Professor X took in all the mutants and trained them in the Danger Room, where he used holographic simulations of the outside world.
“My kids face the same things – they are disconnected, and they face discrimination. So, I brought the outside world to them by building mockups of various locations and scenarios using items we could find around us,” he explained.
Nazmi, who usually sources figurines from second-hand shops and online, said he also saves part of his salary to buy limited-edition items.
He showcases his collection on shelves at home, even though only about 1,000 pieces can be on display at any given time. The rest, he said, are stored in boxes – “though I rotate them weekly so all of them have a chance to be displayed”.
He shared that prices of the figurines vary depending on their popularity and market demand. While some could fetch thousands of ringgit, Nazmi cited the example of a Marvel character whose value dropped from RM190 to RM25 because “their appearance in the movies was so brief”.
Although he has received criticism for having a hobby deemed unsuitable for the teaching profession, Nazmi maintains a positive stance.
“There will always be negative reactions, which I ignore. People should be what they want to be if they want to succeed in this world. As long as you don’t do anything bad, it’s OK,” he concluded.