Thanks to Richard for this months interview
name ?
Richard
Online name ?
Beatlefan
Location ?
Bexley Kent
first vam/gi joe/mam or 1/6 figure ?
Action Man Soldier - Brown Fuzz Head Gripper
Favourite figure now ?
Action Man Soldier Fuzz Head Gripper (my first figure) and Tom Stone (my last figure I got as a kid)
Most desired item ?
Couple of bits to finish off my Secret Mission To Dragon Island set, and I really fancy getting a nice mint Land Rover and Trailer.
Also hoping to start collecting some vintage Joe stuff this year!
what will you do with your collection as you get older ?
Really not sure to be honest, I dont think I will ever stop collecting. Will be left to my son to decide what to do with it, and although he has no interest in the hobby I think he would keep it all for personal/sentimental reasons.
do you set yourself a budget ?
I try to! I do have a mad spend up every now and then, temptation gets the better of me.
worst vam/gi joe/mam or 1/6 figure ?
Theres honestly nothing I dont like. When I started collecting I would only buy the stuff I had as a kid, I was never interested in things like Ceremonials or Sportsman outfits but as I have got into the collecting I have bought 40th sets of these and think they are all amazingly detailed sets and they are high up on my list of favourites now.
views on 40th reproductions ?
Has there ever been such a controversial subject lol! Personally I think it was a very good thing for the hobby. Prior to 40th I had been to toy fairs and collectors shows since about 1992 and in that time I had bought one boxed EE Soldier from Covent Garden Market for £20. Really wanted to collect more but honestly couldn't afford the astronomical prices the sets I wanted were going for at the time. Then in 2006 I was in Smiths looking for a decent collecters magazine and saw an ad inside one for Modellers Loft and a full page ad about the 40th range. Went to Caterham the following week and I think they were up to about Wave 3 at the time, as soon as I saw the artwork on the boxes and the outfits that was it! I did say to myself I would just get a few sets of the stuff I really liked but three or four visits later I had bought everything they had and carried on to collect the whole set. From there I went on to collect VAM, Joe and Geyper Man. One of my all time favourite figures is the 40th Red Painted Head Joe!
For me, the 40th range is collectible in its own right. It sits very nicely alongside VAM, Joe, 40th Joe, Geyper Man and all the other fantastic figures that are all descendants of good ol' GI Joe!
I for one would not be on here or probably not have any more than my one boxed vintage figure were it not for 40th.
worst item of the vam/gi joe/mam or 1/6 range ?
Again, not sure there is anything I dont like. Some things are much better than others in my opinion but wouldn't go as far to say theres anything I dislike. (sorry to be boring lol)
best thing about collecting vam/gi joe/mam or 1/6 figures ?
Its never ending! Especially with kitbashes and multiples of figures, something I always dreamed of as a kid. Always wanted multiple British and German soldiers. And of course the community, met loads of really great people on forums and at collectors fairs not least of all my good friend Steve (Somekindajoe)
do you think you collection will be collectible in the future ?
Absolutely. All our collections will be around for many years to come wether they stay with us or our families or get sold on. There has always been a market and historical interest in things from the past and Action Man will be no different.
if you did not collect vam/gi joe/mam or 1/6 figures, what would you collect ?
I also collect comics, mainly 70's Marvel stuff, bubblegum cards (dont like the word trading cards) especially 60's sets such as The Beatles, The Monkees, Mars Attacks, Civil War News etc. Also a big music fan, again love the 60's Beatles, Stones, Monkees, Kinks, Small Faces, anything by Bowie. Airfix 1:72 figures - another big part of my childhood and so nostalgic for me, including all those wonderfully illustrated boxes.
why do you like ammo ?
I have found it a very friendly and diverse forum from day one. Only found out about it from Vaughan and Dan at Action Man day and to be honest before joining I felt the forums had all lost a bit of momentum and this one has kick started it again in my opinion.
Onwards and upwards fellow collectors!
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Subject: FEBRUARY INTERVIEW 2013 (BEETLEFAN) 
Wed Feb 06, 2013 4:31 pm
It's a pleasure to read someone being so positive about the variations in our hobby ! 
