Marco Zorzin is a 30-year-old sign fitter. He lives in Hertfordshire, England with his wife and two daughters.
He also owns 1,518 items of Superman memorabilia, which makes him a Guinness World Record holder.
SEE ALSO:Congrats to this dog, who broke a Guinness World Record with his nearly 3-foot-long tailZorzin started collecting DC Comics-related items seven years ago.
"I have always been a superhero fan, whether it be DC or Marvel," Zorzin told Mashable in an email. Superman in particular is special to Zorzin, "because of his friendly approach...as well as the powers that he has."
Marco Zorzin shows off his Superman comics.Credit: Ranald Mackechnie/Guinness World RecordsZorzin ended up selling much of his DC Comics memorabilia once his wife and him decided to have children. However, he kept everything to do with Superman because he has enjoyed Superman comics since he was a child. If you haven't already guessed, Superman is also his favorite superhero.
The collection started with small cast-iron figurines and now has pretty much anything you can imagine. When asked about the item he is most proud of, Zorzin said, "I have always wanted a life size statue, and after seven years I managed to get one. He stands tall at a whopping six feet 10 inches."
He also cherishes two 12-inch Henry Cavill statues, which were given to him by his wife as a surprise Christmas present.
"I mainly get items from eBay, and when I'm out and about in shops or traveling," said Zorzin, "but I'm lucky to have such great family and friends that give me items almost every month, and on Christmas and birthdays."
He even looks like Superman.Credit: Ranald Mackechnie/Guinness World RecordsWhen asked what motivates him to keep collecting, Zorzin commented on the uniqueness of Superman items. "I love the colors and varieties of things I can get. I can't stop now; I have gone way too far."
Zorzin estimates his Superman collection to be worth between £10000 and £25000. That's roughly equivalent to $12,000 - $31,000. When talking about the dollar amount, Zorzin added, "Sometimes I rather not think about it."
His dedication, however, has paid off in the form of an official Guinness World Record. The title, he jokes, is the one item in his collection that was hardest to get. Zorzin remembers thinking at age 14 that one day he would make it into the book. "It means more than anyone can imagine." Zorzin will appear in Guinness World Records 2017: Blockbusters!
Congratulations, Marco "Superman" Zorzin! (Yes, he legally added Superman to his name.) You are an inspiration to us all.
TopicsComics