Meet James Gonis: Inside the Collection
In this monster-sized collection, every shelf tells a story!
Aug. 16, 2026
James is surrounded by everything he loves, and his collection is truly a world of its own. He is a co-host of Monster Party, along with Matt, Shawn and Larry, all three of whom have been featured on Collector’s Call.
For James, each meticulously designed shelf tells a story, creating worlds that feel like "little television sets." You might even find a piece of your own childhood tucked inside.
Talk about a collection with a lot of character ... and characters. Take a look!
1. Godzilla vs. Hedorah Figures
In the 1971 Godzilla film, Godzilla vs. Hedorah, the main character goes to a disco and begins hallucinating, seeing the other characters with fish heads. These figures recreate that bizarre scene.
These figures are from a Japanese company that created miniature "ornaments" depicting scenes, characters and figures from kaiju films that other companies didn’t bother to produce.
They weren’t mass-produced, making them especially meaningful to James.
For James, sometimes the smaller, less mass-produced figures mean more than the big ones. Our expert valued the collection at $500.
It’s a small collection with some big-time monster appeal.
2. Hand-Painted Batgirl Model
This Batgirl figure was bought at a convention in the ’90s, and it came unpainted and unassembled. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he had some extra time, so he painted it himself and finished the figure.
It’s also a figure from the 1966 TV series, which many fans don’t see much of today. According to our expert, painted model kits may not have the highest monetary value, but their sentimental value can mean everything. For James, this piece represents a time and place.
Our expert valued the piece at $200. Who is your favorite superhero? Head to our Facebook or Instagram pages to let us know.
3. Godzilla vs. Megalon Dolphin Craft
This piece is from Godzilla vs. Megalon, a 1973 Godzilla film that begins with a little boy out on the water in a paddle dolphin craft. The Irocur company later made a small figure of the dolphin craft.
It’s such a strange and unusual piece that James knew he had to add it to his collection. He also purchased it from Japan. According to our expert, true Godzilla fans will recognize the scene and the figure.
It’s not as much fun as one you could actually paddle on, but it’s the next best thing. Our expert valued the piece at $120.
It may be a small piece, but for a Godzilla fan, it’s a monster-sized deal. If you know, you know!
4. Mad Monster Party Figures
These are figures from Mad Monster Party, a 1967 feature film produced by Rankin/Bass, the same company behind beloved Christmas classics such as Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.
It took a while for figures from the film to come out, and these were released by Diamond Select about 12 to 13 years ago. After producing the first three characters, the company stopped, even though there were plenty more creatures to bring to life.
According to our expert, the Baron is based on Boris Karloff, who voiced the character in the film. The figures are valuable because so few were produced, and these have remained in great condition over the years.
Our expert valued the figures at $150. These figures are anything but scary when it comes to their value!
5. Gamera vs. Viras Spacecraft
This is a model of the alien spacecraft from the 1968 film Gamera vs. Viras. The Gamera series was produced as a rival to the Godzilla series.
The main monster is a giant, flying, fire-breathing turtle. In this movie, Gamera encounters a UFO that James really wanted to add to his kaiju diorama. A company in Japan produced a few figures, and he knew he had to have this one.
He loves it because it’s wacky and fits perfectly with his collection. According to our expert, the piece has some value, but it would be worth more if it still had its original packaging.
Today, the spacecraft would be worth around $150.
It may not be out of this world in value, but it’s a stellar addition to James’ collection.
6. Cuban Godzilla Poster
This is a Cuban one-sheet poster from the original Godzilla film, released in 1956. It was a surprise birthday gift from James’ mom, who worked at a poster restoration studio.
James’ mom took him to some of his earliest Godzilla movies, so this piece holds a ton of sentimental value for him. Her job was to bring posters back to life by filling in details that had been lost over time.
That restoration work also adds to the poster’s value. According to our expert, its age, connection to the first Godzilla film and signatures from actors in the movie all make it especially valuable.
Our expert tried to find another one online but couldn’t. In this condition, it’s essentially one of a kind and would be worth around $5,000 today.
7. The Total Value of James’ Monster-Sized Toy Collection:
