on toy hunting-

[Dominic]

I can see what you are saying. But, I am sure your friend wanted her collection to be admired/enjoyed. It is is seperated out, it completes many collections for other collectors.

Obviously, you would rather have your friend than the books and other items. But, you did not make a choice in saying you would take the toys and books over your friend. It is something you had no control over. I would trade any of my toys for my old cat. But, it is not really a choice I can make.


The Transfandom as a whole is getting older. And, there are quite a few among us who are stereotypical "fat guys collecting toys". I know that a few have died in the last few years of expected complications. (That is not counting guys who get random maladies like cancer and such, or die in accidents.) I expect the next 10 years to be high-attrition for the fandom. (And, I know a couple of guys who are likely to be in that demographic unfortunately.) Joe fans, being anywhere from 5-10 years older on average are not likely to fair much better.

I was looking over them the other day and came to the stunning realization that I 'had them all.' My major goal was very simple in the beginning--get the major Cobra characters I liked, and the O13 Joes, plus any other Joe or Cobra characters I have an interest in. And up to this point I've essentially achieved that goal. It's only a few random Joe characters that I like enough to consider picking up.

That is pretty similar to my intiial plan when collecting. I started off focused on sentimental and iconic favorites. (The original 13 was never on my "must buy" list, even before it became apparent that getting them would require jumping through absurd amounts of hoops.)

Flint was my first "skip", as I did not like the toy, despite my fondness for the character. At one point, back in March, I realized that I had all of the single carded figures but Flint, and made plans to get the re-release. Then, I missed the tank driver, simply because I did not buy it when I saw it. As I was waffling on that wave's Duke, I skipped that too. (I do not plan to hunt for the tank driver, and I already had a gap because of Flint.) From there, it was easy to skip the Python Officer (which I have only seen a few times), Tiger Force Flint (seen once or twice) and that Roadblock figure.

I am looking to get Mutt and Junkyard, (sentimental, if not iconic, favorites), and Croc-Master.

I would be more tempted by the Tele-Viper (one of the first toys I army-built) if it were not in a boxed set. And, I am wary of the MASS Device sets.


Still, do not be put off by the scale change. After all, SW had a scale change, and it works well.

Dom

[Onslaught Six]

-Mainframe, because I have some kind of rabid attachment to him. Maybe half of it's 'cuz he's dead.

Shit, they're making Mainframe:
http://www.hisstank.com/gi-joe-news/att ... entid=2007

[CrossRook]

That Beachead pack is soo bought. So is that Ninja set.

[Onslaught Six]

Even better is the fact that I skipped on the single-carded Beachhead. Mostly because I could never ever find him.

[onslaught86]

I only get tired of hunting when there's nothing new out to look at for extended periods of time. I think I can safely say I will never get sick of random visits to toy stores. This is partly the case because I grew up in the country, and visiting toy stores was a rare event. Now, I can do it every day if I so choose, and occasionally I do. The novelty has yet to wear off.

Having a solid sightings network helps too. Today I found a cache of new Animated Megas, and was rather pleased. Got a look at the Premium Supers at long last, too. Just looking at figures I don't have in person is incentive enough to keep up the hunt. Gets even more fun when hunting with friends, since it becomes a social event as well as a bit of sport. A good friend of mine, the webmaster of TFNZ, is moving to my city and we plan to get a flat together. Hilarity shall ensue.

[Dominic]

Hunting as a social event is one thing. But, around here, there are more interesting places to go than a toy store, ya know? Even if I am out with a group of toy collectors, we usually do not want to hit more than 1 or 2 sparsely stocked stores.

This is one of the few things I agree with JT on, but the fun is in having the toy, not looking for it.

Dom

[onslaught86]

Hunting as a social event is one thing. But, around here, there are more interesting places to go than a toy store, ya know?

I go out far more often than I should, so spending time hunting toys with friends instead of getting ridiculously drunk would be quite the welcome and different change! It's usually a very solitary affair.

[CrossRook]

Even better is the fact that I skipped on the single-carded Beachhead. Mostly because I could never ever find him.

I saw him once and promptly bought him. Never again though, I'm afraid. And I never saw Firefly. Had to resort to BBTS for that one.

[Misanthrope Prime]

Hunting as a social event is one thing. But, around here, there are more interesting places to go than a toy store, ya know? Even if I am out with a group of toy collectors, we usually do not want to hit more than 1 or 2 sparsely stocked stores.

This is one of the few things I agree with JT on, but the fun is in having the toy, not looking for it.

Dom

Because my social circle includes: Two comic geeks, including me, three programmers, including me, almost all of us are in a band together, two aspiring writers (including me) and a martial arts nut, our forays into the city are pretty eclectic. We can start off the day at a sparring contest, take a trip down to Toys R us to stock up on toys and then head to a punk rock concert. Work the toy hunting into your day, if you live in a city.

[Dominic]

I can see what you are saying. But, working it in to my day gets annoying when I consistently do not find anything. It is now at the point when I will pay extra money at the KB near work that is consistently well stocked instead of going to Target which is not well stocked. It is worth paying KB money to avoid wasting time that I could spend elsewhere. Even if I am out with friends (not all of them collect toys mind you), we do not always want to hunt for things, especially when we have been hunting seperately and finding nothing.

It works for you because you are in a group that has toy collectors. But, if not everyone is a collector, then it gets tedious.

Dom