The club and me in the modern era

Something I was thinking about just now while I was looking at my small collection in the basement was how I fit into the collector/ fan community now.  I'm mostly set with what I have and what my own personal goals are; I'm actually kind of a reverse collector these days trying to slim down my toy collection if one thinks about it.

Now, not too long ago I was big on wanting everything and multiples of some that (I think we would all have it this way if we could...).  I bought the 2005 convention set, mostly since I was able to attend that convention.  At that time, I felt like the cost of a possible once in a lifetime chance to attend a convention was more than worth it.  And to a point, I very much still do.


I bought the 2006 set the next year, mostly since it was in my budget range at the time, and I didn't think I would be able to purchase another set in 2007 or after at that time.  I was a "homefront hero" buyer for that.

Then, in 2008, it was the Headhunter set, and as a huge Headhunter fan I didn't really think long and very impulsively bought it as a "homefront hero."  Despite it being more than I should have been spending on toys at that time, it WAS Headhunters.  (eventually, only Gristle was a keeper for me in the set, despite the excellent BATs and alright Stormtroopers, both of the "bulk" troop component of that set were sent out due to my focus on simplifying "troop" ranks.)

But as I've slimmed down on collecting and what I'm holding onto, in my process of "weeding out," many of the convention items didn't end up staying.   They are nice things, no doubt, but I very often found myself preferring the original figure over a redone, or mis-mashed parts figure.

For example, I really like the Crimson Guard Immortal, but the 2005 Destro convention figure (Destro is a complete separate faction here) really clashed with the CGI.   Would the leader of a competing faction have the same uniform and armor as the elite trooper of an "enemy" faction?

I didn't think so.

And then the 2008 Headhunter trooper being "arsenic" in coloring, well, it really stood out against the black and leather original to me, and Headhunters are not that large, nor specialized to me, to warrant multiple troops designs and colors.

And so on. 

And then regarding simplicity, did I "need" so many trooper figures that were different?  I didn't think so, and thus figures like the Iron Anvils were removed from my collection.

But, why keep the 2005 convention Iron Grenadier, you ask?   Isn't it a "different" trooper?

Yes, it is a Night Viper for the most part, but I never have had a Night Viper, so that use of the body never really bothered me much.

But I also think the convention Iron Grenadier works and fits in with my 1988 Grenadiers because of the use of the helmet and its original color schemes kept intact.   And why do I think it works?  Because the trooper is still very much the same, but it's all about gear.


And this is where my sudden thought of where and how I fit into the collecting community sort of found an answer.   As I mixed and matched Marauder, Inc. gear among the handful of troopers just now, I started thinking that instead of a new trooper, new viper, or soldier, etc, etc, that I think I can enhance what I have with the gear quite a bit.

It's obvious with accessories, the weapons and backpacks, foot gear, swords, etc., etc., but then what I think is missing for me is the next step, body gear.

If you think about the original GIJOE, the 12" figures that as "ARAH" fans we often neglect in our discussions, at that time one could change uniforms right down to the naked doll.  Any single GIJoe guy could gear up for any mission, from desert survival missions, underwater deep sea diving, to the outer limits of space.   There were even mess kits with forks and spoons.

I think the market for different gear is there, and I think Marauder, Inc., shows it, as well as other sources of scale accessories, even including other 1/18th scale figure lines.  After years on the forums, a lot of us have bought other lines scaled vehicles and gear to use with our GIJoe figures. 

As I look at what the club is offering these days, I think it is really great, but it is just not for me right now.  There latest figure subscription service is tempting, despite being modern style (something I'm very limited on collecting).  But, Jinx, Cover girl, and even Quarrel look like great figures I would like to add into my small modern mix of figures, but I just can't reason out spending quite that much to get some of what I like.  Or to end up with stuff I really don't want.  (GIJoe Vs. Cobra two-pack figures come to mind for me now.....)

And it is stuff like Operation: Moth, where I would like to buy it, but with those trooper figures, I would have rather have had a small 6-figure squad box of each available to buy.  (and yes, they were all intended to be, "individual" troopers, but still....)


So, in modern times, and with me being the limited mostly classic GIJoe collector fan, what does the club have for me?

Well, I mentioned the 2005 convention Iron Grenadier, and why that figure appealed to me, and why it fit what I have.  It's that added value to the basic that I'm looking for now.

If there's one thing that the club would produce, that I would snap up, is a new Viper head.  Yes, that simple.   In my imagination here, I would like it to be just a simple head with either a full head covering or a face covering.   And then a well done Viper helmet that fits right on it, and is the exact same size as an '86 Viper head.

I'll unscrew my Viper screw and pop that new head right on.


And you know, why stop there?   Why not produce body parts that enhance older figures?  

Really.   It might be expensive, it might end up with a crazy price for a small part, but, think like holsters on older figures.  Like, 1986 Hawk, for example, with that leg holster that is empty.  It seems like it would be possible to almost get his pistol in there, always has to me.   Would you buy a new thigh half that is painted and made to screw right in place?

Think of a lot of those figures that you like in the classic line that are SO close to perfect in your mind, is there that one detail or aspect that you think to yourself, "if only...."

I've seen Transformer combiner sets that are meant to be cartoon accurate, or gear meant to enhance the Transformer robot modes, can this be done with GIJoe?   Has it been done and I've just missed it online?


I guess that's about where I'm at today as I type this out.  What do you think?