Patrick Wolf has been collecting Transformers action figures since he was a teenager. His father, Paul, owns thefwoosh.com, one of the biggest toy forums on the internet.
“My dad has always been into comic books and toys ever since he was a little kid, and just never really grew out of it, kept collecting comics, kept collecting toys,” Patrick says.
The Esbjerg, Denmark senior’s full collection is at his home back in Denmark, but when he came to Lamar University on a track and field scholarship, he brought some figures with him. Patrick says he collects Transformers because he distracts himself when he changes the figures and uses it as a form of relaxation and escape.
“It’s always been a thing where I needed something in my hands,” the exercise science major says. “I wasn’t great at drawing, I wasn’t necessarily the best at video games. But the Transformers basically stimulated that part in my brain that needed something in my hands.”
Being far from home, the figures serve as a connection to his father and his childhood. “When the newest Transformers collector piece comes out, I’m always like, ‘Hey, dad, you see this?’ He’s like, ‘Yeah, it looks nice,’ and we’ll have a discussion about the design.”
With the stress of school and track, Patrick finds a way out with his Transformers. “Sometimes I just need to sit down and play with my toys,” he says.
