Jacob Alvarez's Marquee Marauders Club of Bootleg Toys and Action Figures
Image courtesy of Jacob Alvarez.
Walls lined with signed posters, setlists, cassette tapes, and musician biography books greet you from the moment you walk into the home of Jacob Alvarez. His living room pays homage to his love for music artists and concerts he and his father have attended. Jacob Alvarez's separate workspace is surrounded by press passes and band merchandise hanging over his desk.
In total, Alvarez has attended an estimated 300 concerts. He created his own website, Marquee Marauders Club, in 2018 to gain more access to press passes, pursuing his love for concert photography. He initially introduced it as a platform for concert junkies to share photos and experiences, but it quickly evolved into something more.
As Alvarez became more interested in the merchandise side of music, he discovered niche toy makers and collectors on Instagram and Reddit. They were making small replicas of their favorite music artists, movie memorabilia, merchandise, and more. What he didn’t see were his own favorites: musicians that don’t always fit the mainstream bill, and movies that can fall under the radar but remain admired by many.
So Alvarez took it upon himself to make sure his favorites were represented. He started out by playing Dr. Frankenstein on existing figures, mismatching different spare parts, and combining clay, paint, and other materials to transform them into new characters. He has also dabbled in 3-D printing.
His first figure was Paul Banks, the frontman of the rock band Interpol. “I posted a photo on the Interpol Reddit thread, and overnight it gained a lot of attention,” said Alvarez. “Fans of the band were increasingly asking if I would sell it, and if I could make more. Seeing people have an actual interest in what I was making gave me the momentum to continue. ”
Over 100 figures later, Alvarez has caught the eye of several magazines, record labels, music artists, and filmmakers. Included in his most popular figures are miniature versions of Robert Smith from the Cure, and Frank Ocean during the release of his single “DHL.” Some artists have even taken home a miniature version of themselves, including English singer-songwriter King Krule, Joba from hip hop group Brockhampton, and rapper Denzel Curry.
Image courtesy of Jacob Alvarez.
In addition, Elara Pictures, the studio behind the film “Uncut Gems”, requested to have Alvarez’s model of Adam Sandler from the popular 2019 film. In the movie, Adam Sandler's character, Howard Ratner, has yellow shades, a bright yellow v-neck shirt, and a big gold belt buckle. Miniature Howard Ratner perfectly replicates these features. The attention to intricate detail in Alvarez's uniquely designed packaging, lifelike body features, clothing, and accessories are what make them enamoring.
While his website and fan following continue to expand, Alvarez uses his platform to contribute to causes and organizations. “During the time that the protests broke out at the beginning of this year I made a figure of Anthony Fantano, from The Needle Drop,” said Alvarez. “He ended up seeing it. I asked him if he wanted the figure, and he said yes, but we ended up posting it on Ebay to raise funds for bail projects instead. We raised around $700.”
For this year’s annual Planned Parenthood Benefit hosted by Panache, he put his Tyler the Creator figure up for auction, and all proceeds were contributed to the organization.
“It’s relaxing to focus on the tiny details of each figure, especially when they’re artists I have liked for a long time,” said Alvarez. “I like being able to share the excitement with other fans and collectors, and it’s even better when the artist I create enjoys it too.”
To stay updated with Alvarez’s new releases and projects, you can view his website at https://marauders.xyz/, or his Instagram page @MarqueeMaraudersClub.
