The Baron wrote:I pointed out to Chop that my comment wasn't directed at him, but after it got posted realsied there had been another further page of discussion, so it was out of context.
I would have gotten away with it too, if it wasn't for you pesky kids.
redrage wrote:
I think i may have said things i didn't quite mean and have validated the US Joe fan position. They loved their own toys as kids and i loved mine. I have an emotional attachment to the toys i had as a kid and in my opinion no toys can equal or better them. While the red shadows exposes the US collector to our side of things it works both ways and allows me to see their side of things . . .
Adrian
Yes, that's it exactly.
I'm a loooong time [American] Joe collector, that owns a collectible store. So I've seen it from all angles. I can't tell you how often "fan's" of G.I. Joe have come into my shop and had a hard time identifying Snake Eyes. How hard is it to spot :snakeeyes: in a crowd? I'd say only about 5% to 10% of collectors are "hardcore" enough to really get into all aspects of a collectible, or at least be aware of them. Collecting is very much based on personal nostalgia. Most American's simply did not grow up with Red Shadow's and Action Force. And those collectors might be perfectly happy with just getting back the or so figures they had back in 1986.
. . . But those same collectors, for the most part WILL NOT BE AT THE CONVENTION. They may be into Joe enough to be on a few boards, but not enough to drop $700 or more on a trip to a convention for it. Sure if it's in their own back yard they will go, but not if it's any inconvenience.
So in the end, it doesn't matter what the general opinion of the set is. It's simply not aimed at the "average fan." It's targeting that 5% to 10% that really care about it.
It's not so much "Our way or the High Way." It's more like ". . . Wait! You mean to tell me that there is more than 1 High Way???? I did not know that!"
Officially not. Only if you ask Steve very very gently to cast you a few...
Available from all good international arms dealers (and some rubbish ones too!):-
Available in BLACK, WHITE, GREY, RED, GREEN & YELLOW (but really, why would you want them in any colour other than black???)
They're not perfect, and are a tad brittle around the viewfinder bit (in fairness, so are original ones) but look okay on display, and are an easy way of equiping the armies.
And whilst I was typing that - bloody good post Goofateer! I'm 97% Action Force collector, couple of bits of Joe's, but largely ones that tie in somehow to Action Force. I do also collect loads of other toys, but it's all about nostalgia for me with toys. And as we are the die hards on the boards etc it's easy to forget that others will only really go on boards about their interests.
But when it comes to my Toy Car collection, it's about 85% Mopar Yankee Muscle. You see that collection aint about childhood nostalgia, it's about adulthood "building my dream garage in 1/18th scale".
Anyway, back to the Shadows....... good aren't they????
Alte Volat
"BFTB Elite??? Moi??? Ooooooo, Missus - Titter ye not!"