原文：
Tomb Raider Tours #9: Luke Earle
Growing up near Core HQ (and getting in touch with studio alumni) has done Tomb Raider fan Luke quite a service in expanding his TR collection. Check out Luke’s unique array of goods above, and interview below!
Name: Luke Earle
Country of Origin: United Kingdom
How long have you been a fan of Tomb Raider?
Since I was 5 when the first game came out. I used to watch my Dad play through the games; he and his friends had a competition to see who would complete it first. So it was Tomb Raider nonstop!
What is your fondest Tomb Raider memory?
I live in Derby and my school was on the same road as Core Design. I used to walk past and my mum would say “That’s where Lara Croft lives!” As a child I was amazed and have been ever since! Most recently it’s been meeting former Core Design employees. I have met two now and brought some items from them both, it’s so interesting to hear the stories they have to tell. Finding out what they did on the games is interesting, because when I play a game like AOD I can go “I know who did those floors!”
Where did you get the bulk of your Tomb Raider merchandise?
I got most of my items from former employees of Core Design who were with the studio from the start right up until its closure. I hope after meeting these people that I will be able to expand my collection even more, by being in contact with other employees.
How do you store or display all of your Tomb Raider goods?
At the moment it is all stored at my Grandmas house, it’s all wrapped up and out of sunlight. My most recent items (Tomb Raider style guide 1-4, and AOD style guide) are with me.
What is the gem of your Tomb Raider Collection?
I have many amazing items, from awards to photo shoot negatives, but my absolute ‘gem’ is a painting by Nick Percival (comic book artist) of Lara. It so beautiful and really captures what Lara Croft is about. I emailed Nick about it, and he said:
“That is a blast from the past and is one of my very old, old pieces. This was when the first Tomb Raider game on the Sega Saturn hadn’t even been released and Core/Eidos wanted me to paint a Tomb Raider comic strip for one of the Sega mags at that time. I think we got as far as that one quick painting and that was it…”
It’s the only one in the world and I am privileged to be the one who owns it.
Is your collection complete? What items are on your Tomb Raider wishlist?
The collection will never be complete! I would love to own some concept art from one of the games, or some original pencil sketches of Lara. I would really like some more awards, as they really show the achievement of the games. There are plenty former Core Design employees out there, just got to find them and buy their stuff! Who knows, maybe I will own some Crystal Dynamics items one day!
If you’ve got an impressive Tomb Raider collection and would like to show it off, send an email to community@crystald.com.
