Where are you with the hobby?

[Charlotte]

The hobby is about to come full circle where we collectors will be honored with carrying the torch forward for 12" GIJoe.

So, where are you at with the hobby? How has the hobby changed for you? What do you find exciting in the hobby these days? What eras or series are you collecting?

[GeekDragon]

I'm having flash backs to the AOL trenches where there were no new Joe items. Well, I'm pretty much where I was back then. Trying to complete figures and sets. I jump around between vintage 12" Joe and 3 3/4" Joes. Right now, i'm working on 3 3/4" Joes since I've been getting real lucky at thrift store with vehicles. Last week, I brought home a Tomahawk and a Mobat for $2.00 total. No, they are not complete, About 3 months ago, I brought home a Hiss II and a Persuader(which I was able to complete)for $3.00 total. Also, the Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo is coming up and I always find RAH Joes there. But, I will be jumping back into 12" Joes, since a few months ago I was able to restring my SOTW Joe. Now I need some vintage German Stormtrooper parts. Joe will always excite me even when there is no new stuff on the shelves and the trenches has a lot to do with it. So, thank you Charlotte and Scott for keeping the flame alive for me.

[amwic]

Hi all,

I'm still going strong with my interests in the hobby, I started my interest again back in late 2009 and I'm still here on the sidelines. It's a long journey trying to complete all my figures (it may never happen), it's mainly funds preventing this, so I mainly like to kitbash and mix things up what I have, it makes me appreciate what I've collected so far, it keeps me happy. I used to shadow view the old Trenches forum and others, I spent the last 2 years designing a Modern Action Man and Hall of Fame forum for the fans, but it's slow getting new members at the moment. I have many photos of my 1960's Action man and Joe figures stored to be reposted on forums...

The hobby seems to have got more expensive, there's always new fans entering the hobby in the UK, which keeps the flow going. What I find exciting about the hobby is the die hard fans that keep the torch burning bright, some have been around for ages and are very friendly and helpful, their enthusiasm for the hobby is top notch, it's like belonging to an international family who all like the same thing, which is great.

I like all eras of Action Man and G.I.Joe, including HOF and MAM figures. Lately I have been concentrating on the MAM & HOF series, but my vintage Joes and Action Man figures are still with me (stored away in boxes).

[Brrwobig]

I think actively collecting has run its course for me. Will always be a fan of Joe, but not buying stuff anymore. I'm downsizing what I do have and will be selling off some more vintage PH soon. I still enjoy seeing what others are up to and am thankful for the new forum.

[Myles_Falworth]

Since our last episode..... I have broken into vintage at long last! Over the past year, I've acquired (through ebay) a good Man of Action, Perfect HH Land Adventurer, HH Air Adventurer, HH AT Commander in the original outfit (green beret style), and a great Land Adventurer with Kung Fu Grip. I also got an old AT footlocker, and a Rescue Raft backpack and paddle, and an AT Firefighter backpack! I'm stoked. I had all of the repro figures of the original AT from the club, and two copies of most of them. But the vintage figures are so much nicer. The faces just look better, and they're all well strung and have few if any stress cracks.

So I'm going to my first/last JoeCon in June, and bringing the wife and son. I will be looking around for a good Sea Adventurer and maybe a good AT Astronaut. Other items I'll be on the lookout for are the Mummy's Tomb set, the stolen idol set, and the Jungle Fighter set. I eventually would also like to get a really good AT Headquarters, and possibly a Mobile Support Vehicle too. It has opened up a whole new aspect of collecting for me. I like the Club repros, but now I finally like vintage better. After JoeCon I'll start thinking about maybe doing a JoeLanta someday. We're branching out with our vacations and have been doing Disney World for years. Well, that's all for now.

[Joe90]

The hobby has far surpassed my expectations when I began the adult phase of collecting G.I. Joe back in 1987.

Back then I figured I was one of a few who actively collected. Sure I had seen George Geary's article in Spinning Wheel magazine but I felt that G.I. Joe collectors were a fringe element in the collector world. Then I discovered a couple of collectors in town, along with Cotswold Collectibles and Toy Shop. It was shortly after that when I became aware of guys like Joe Bodnarchuk, Jeff Killian, Charles Griffith, Vincent Santelmo, and James DeSimone. Even then I figured that most of the things that made G.I. Joe so memorable for me -- the packaged items sitting on the shelves, and the old commercials on afternoon television programs -- were lost in all but memory and pictures in the books written by these guys.

Then the internet hit and my tunnel vision view of the hobby expanded into full on wide screen. I didn't join the old AOL but I made online connections with collectors and shared stories and memories. I had mentioned to an online acquaintence that I had a Mountie and I reminisced about the packaging that had so impressed me as a boy. He told me that he knew a guy who had one mint in the box. I was astounded and told him I'd like to correspond with the owner. Then one day I got an email from a guy named John Medieros that started with "I hear you're looking for me." During that time I discovered the books of John Michlig and Derryl DePriest. I thought the hobby was at it's pinnacle, because the prices sure were.

The hobby continued to heat up even if the vintage prices began to cool.

My online collecting really amped up when Google a became strong force on the internet; I joined eBay and then the GI. Joe Club, the Sandbox, and The Trenches.

It was here at The Trenches that I really began to see how extensive the community had become in breadth and scope. It was here that I learned that there were guys who had extensive packaged collections, including pieces that I thought would never surface; it was here that I discovered the complete history of the hobby and saw pictures of beautiful rare items that I never knew existed; it was here that I finally found those old commercials that brought back fond old memories of sharing the love of G.I. Joe with childhood friends; it was here that I made new friends to continue sharing the love of G.I. Joe.

For me the hobby has truly come full circle.

[GI Defender]

"John Medieros", there is a name I had not heard for some time. GITrooper for those who knew him on-line. We met in the Trenches and he is still a dear friend, though we have drifted apart. Guy had THE BEST stuff and was a wealth of knowledge.

For me, I have struggled at times with my collection. I started collecting like most everyone else, because I had them as a kid in the 60's. Once I amassed my PH collection I ventured into AT and discovered a whole new kind of Joe play. The vehicles alone make the AT period uber cool and I regret not getting into them sooner. Then I ventured into other regions of 1/6, accelerating my burn out of the hobby. Too much to collect and no place to store them. When the dust settled I realized I had strayed from my original intentions and soon, all the DML and BBI figures were stored away, leaving my vintage to be appreciated. I am now a much happier collector now as well. I still have a few custom figs displayed but easily 95% or more vintage. No repros here with the exception of a few select pieces.

Once my shelves eclipsed 200 figs I decided to slow my buying and am very selective on what I pick up. (Bev, say when and send a list! ) I have not stopped collecting and have only a few minor accessories to locate to accomplish my collecting goal. Then the Nurse and I will call it a day. As for the figure itself, I still buy up Joes and have taken to my new passion of restoration. Nothing pleases me more than getting a beat up old soldier and making him sparkle like new, Then seeing grown men's faces light up when they see them displayed as they remember, with their authentic gear.

Adding to the sentimental journey is owning select pieces from fellow collector's collections. I have two of John Medieros' childhood Joes, several of Buck Ferguson's Joes and his personal footlocker that I will never part with, and several figures and accessories from some members still hear today. The Trenches has always been a community of the kindest and most generous collectors I have ever seen, the toys are just a bonus.

[angelo7]

Been working on some Vietnam kit bashes lately, But mostly Adventure Team figures, as they were the ones I played the most with as a kid. Thank You for bringing back the forum!!!!.

[ATC]

I don't know if I was ever a "real" collector - I never had a theme or desire for completing a collection of anything. I acquired stuff I thought was cool, though! Enjoyed 1960s Joes but discovered girls before the AT really got rolling. More interested in AT as an adult than as a kid. I always had more fun creating things for Joe like building vehicles and customizing. That hasn't changed, but it slowed down a lot after my kids outgrew me. I'm looking forward to Kentuckiana GI Joe toy expo in July!

[inntruderr61]

I basically decided to just collect the Gijoes & accessories I had as a child... I found some of my old childhood Gijoes and accessories at my old homestead...
Other items I bought going from memory... And I have bought some items I never had as a child but always wanted! But I have not really bought anything for a long while...

My wife did find a very nice Air Adventurer and some other unis at a second hand store in our town and only paid $1 for everything..

[amwic]

Hi Jim, that sounds like a bargain of the century for only $1, well done Mrs inntruderr61, it's a nice looking Joe and in great shape for it's age.

[ActionYankee]

I've got a complete Adventure Team (and some duplicates), and 13 Action Man figures. Collectively it's a mix of Vintage Joe, Timeless Joe, Joe40, Walmart Joe, VAM, VAM40, VAM50, some "official" heads on Cotswold Bodies. Not to mention a number of Joe Paintheads.

A friend in Australia is sending me my first Geyperman Figure (vintage) this year, and I hope that I'll have a Hobbycrash Geyperman before too long, as well as one of the recent Falcon Estrela repops.



I don't even know how many Classic Collection figures I have.

[gijoe63]

After moving my entire collection to our new house about 2.5 years ago I decided to slim my collection down and focus only on vintage 12" Joes and Club exclusive 12" items. Over the past two years I have sold a large portion of my modern Joe collection but still have quite a bit to sell off. At one point I had one of every modern Joe and vehicle produced. I've also abandoned the 3.75" Joes and have been selling those off as well. I'm still buying vintage 12" pieces but at a much slower pace. It actually amazes me that some of the modern Joes are selling for more than vintage. So, as I sell my modern stuff, I'm completing vintage sets or buying vintage sets that have eluded me over the years.

[ATFan]

I'm bashing 12" versions of Super-Joe using Geyperman reissues, Loucosporbonecos suits, and Cotswold accessories and emblems. New products and customs options keep me engaged, even though my primary collecting is Mego.

[Aiwaloki]

I started collecting in 1998, so I hit my 20 year mark. I am at that stage where I want to down size my collection. I am looking at getting rid of my duplicates and picking out the best figures and selling the rest. Wow.. Did I just write that? Happy New Year..

[Forestjoe17]