Vintage Vibe

[Area 51]

[ATC]

Nothing has changed in the last couple of years from my perspective. I'm still collecting and customizing. My kids all outgrew me, so now my Joes are waiting for grandkids to play with. Make plans for the kentuckiana toy expo, as it's one of the best events going for vintage collectors IMHO.

[GI Defender]

Hey Rob, great to see you!

The hobby has slowed a lot. We are in a crucial time right now where the hobby is forced to rediscover itself. It is almost like the early 90's all over. There is no product on the shelves compound that with the Club closing its doors for good meaning no more of Brian's exclusives. Also, Hasbro in no hurry to do anything remotely collector friendly in the near future. (Not to mention doing a complete scrub of the Boy's Toys team.)

That said, vintage Joes are still sought after, tasty vintage bits still fetching quality prices. Also, junk Joes are getting more and more attention since folks have started to collect on a budget. Ricky Puckett is the perfect example selling fully outfitted Franken-Joes for under $40, for folks to either enjoy as is or restore/repair. I personally have dozens of them in my display and I challenge folks to pick out which were the cheaper version after I restored them.

It is the mid range Joe stuff that is mostly out there right now. Not mint, but displayable. Of course, when you are talking eBay, you are talking crazy prices to go along with it,That part of the hobby hasn't changed.

As for shows, Joe Lanta has out grown their home and will be migrating to a new location this coming year. I spoke to Buddy in Kentucky and he has some exciting plans. Can't wait! Speaking of Kentucky, Steve Stovall's show continues to grow and is a must attend for us these days. Each show having exclusive sets, though not like Brian's "Officially Licensed Hasbro" product. Joe Lanta has their set, with a Cots figure and custom box, where as Steve has a custom box and a custom uniform our outfit. Both are high end stuff. The Texas show is still doing well and Greg is also doing one in Harrisburg PA (which is right around the corner) So, in the absence of the "Official" convention, there seem to be more options than ever to attend so folks are apparently taking it upon themselves to keep the hobby going. Keep in mind there are a lot of other shows I failed to mention, there are too many to list. These are just the ones I have attended in the past.

Anyway, welcome back and look forward to reconnecting.

[Area 51]

[ATFan]

Scott,

Thank you for the breakdown above regarding shows. Perhaps I will attend the kentuckiana expo--I'm near Akron, Ohio.

[GeekDragon]

I have been seeing a few vintage 12" Joes popping up at the C2E2(Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo) and at Wizard World Chicago over the last 2-3 years. Mostly boxed figures(which is how I picked up my boxed sailor 2 years ago)then in the 25 years I have been going to these cons. Prices are pretty much what you would expect for these figures. I paid $120 for mine with a water damaged box, but the figure is in great condition with all the paper work.

[RX-79G]

I am not a collector, so my perspective is a little different:

In the last few years the number of small vendors that deal in GI Joe type kitbashing stuff seems to have shrunk, though a few of the better ones are still around. Along with that, there are fewer active pro flockers, and Flock Concepts has made customs somewat pricey.

Cotswold has actually gone in the other direction, offering more '70s style Joe gear and uniforms. I find most of it to not fit as well as old Hasbro or 21st stuff, but it is cool they're bringing those items to the market. For those looking for new 12" GI Joes, Spanish and Brazilian re-issues can certainly scratch that itch. THe Locos con Bueros accessories are nice, too. All of that has come with rising prices reflecting more of a collector vibe, but it is 2019 and things should cost more than they did 20 years ago.

Personally, I was never very impressed the with collectors club. Nothing seemed like vintage reissue in look, but the prices were high. I'd rather see more clever use of resin, flock and paint by kitbashers to make one-off Hasbro re-envisionings.