This months bonus interview is AManfromcoalville, Thanks Jim!!! Hey Jim has your mum still got contacts with the bigman (Santa as opposed to God) if so i'll email my list on
Name ?
Jim
Online name :
I’m sure most of you will know that Hasbro had their Action Man factory in Coalville, Leicester, hence my online name AManfromcoalville!
Location :
Originally from Southampton, we set up base here, in Blackpool to raise the kids in a smaller community environment, and to have my wife’s Mum who had developed Alzheimer’s/Dementia come and live with us.
First VAM/GI Joe MAM or 1/6 figure?
At six, I got a Brown PH Action Sailor for Xmas 1967. I grew up on a council estate, money was tight, and Mum remembers even now that Action Man and his accessories were not cheap for her to obtain. I had started dropping hints about Xmas presents earlier in the year, all my mates had one, and being the practical kind, she had actually tried diverting me (fobbing me off!!!) with a number of the much cheaper Combat Johnny dolls. She gave up after about three because they were of such an inferior ‘Knock-off’ quality that the arms and legs would literally just pop off!!! I remember, she also tried me with a cheapo James Bond figure – Her favourite, Sean Connery!!!
As I didn’t lose interest in Action Man, I kept up the hints (nagging) and so eventually Santa just caved in!
Favourite figure now ?
I’ll always have a soft spot for Painted heads. What was great about getting the interest back as an adult collector was all the fascinating things that I didn’t have a clue about as a kid. For example, I never knew the painted red head figure existed until my first Action Man search on e-bay around 2003! Then to discover the red haired GI Joe Fuzzhead was amazing!
Most desired item?
I would love to have the Adventures of GI Joe ‘Mouth of Doom’ set. I have an Action Team set, but it’s a later version so the quality of the material is much thinner, and it didn’t come with a raft and pole.
What will you do with your collection as you get older ?
Like a lot of us, I have that Magpie ability to just hoard bits and pieces, LOL! My aim is to eventually refine everything to just the necessary figures and accessories, and sell/swap all the extras! Well, that’s the aim, anyway!!!
Do you set yourself a budget ?
No, I don’t. I thank Allah, my expenditure has declined over the years, as I’ve got what I wanted!
Worst VAM/GI Joe/MAM or 1/6 figure ?
I’ve changed my perception over the years that I’ve collected. I no longer growl or bare my teeth when I see MAM! LOL!!! Eventually, I realised Hasbro had designed MAM for our kids – they weren’t trying to con me into believing he was as good as the vintage figures in my memory! MAM was specifically aimed at the next generations who weren’t really into re-enacting Dunkirk or Iwo Jima, so they developed something else.
And if the youngsters are anything like me, they will naturally progress to developing that interest, and then the whole back catalogue or history of Action Man/GI Joe etc awaits them! Whatever your opinion of MAM, if it held the interest of Sophie, ackie and other younger collectors, then at the very least, it helps keep the hobby alive for all of us.
Views on 40th reproductions ?
I think they levelled the playing field. They meant that all collectors, not just the wealthiest could have decent collectable pieces. It was wonderful to see that artwork back on the shelves in the shops! I don’t own any of the figures, and I understand some them aren’t of a high standard, but the uniforms that I’ve come across are superb. They’re not vintage, they never will be vintage, but for some of us they are as close as we’ll ever get, and that’s fine by me!
Worst item of the VAM/GI Joe?MAM or 1/6 range?
I think the whole output was designed with the best of intentions, so I wouldn’t pick up on anything that was the worst! I love some of the anomalies, like the Winter White camouflage on the original Moutain/Ski troops. Ice white ski parker, white skis and poles, white M1 Rifle, and to complete this fantastic set? Why, regulation BLACK boots, of course! If you want to stick out like Ken at an AMan convention, out on those snow covered mountains, then those BLACK boots should do it!
I think the biggest disappointment for me was not any particular figure or set, it was the way the quality of the product declined over the years, and with successive releases of the same set. The material used in those original sixties GI Joe releases was far superior – I’m thinking in particular of the Soldiers of the World, and the Australian Jungle fighter etc Beautiful, quality toy sets.
Best thing about collecting VAM/GI Joe/MAM or 1/6 figures ?
It’s a hobby that we can do as much or as little as we want with! I’m still knocked-out to have outfits that I could only gaze at pictures of in the equipment manuals, as a kid! I’m not a photographer, but I’ve definitely developed basic skills of taking pics, and learning about photoshop because of it. I also get a big kick out of having ideas for custom Hasbro-like outfits (I used to do this at school as a kid. Rain would stop play time, so out came the paper and coloured pencils. I remember drawing AMan costumes for Waterloo Highlanders/French Lancers etc and to see SIERRA1 make this a reality was jaw dropping!) I’ve also got a daughter who enjoys it, and we make up photo stories, and have play time – it’s a great hobby!!!!
Do you think your collection will be collectible in the future ?
Not likely! I do have some rarish pieces, but I’m built to play not display, so they would never appeal to the top-end collector!
If you did not collect vam/g.i.joe/mam or 1/6 figures, what would you collect ?
Vintage Airfix, and my Vintage ladybird book collection is starting to grow!
Why do you like AMMO ?
I think AMMO is going to get stronger and stronger. I think the Admin team come across as a group of individuals who want to support collectors looking to share and learn about the hobby. I’ve never had the impression that they are looking down their plastic noses at the members, and I’ve certainly never had a feeling that I’ve inadvertently walked into some ‘exclusive’ club.
It’s important to have a strong leadership team, and I think it’s equally important that we, as members take a responsibility for the site – if you don’t have something nice to say, then say nothing, usually works for me!
I’m really looking forward to seeing how the site develops in 2013, and hopefully meeting more of you off line at a Convention!
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Subject: FEBRUARY INTERVIEW 2013 (AMANFROMCOALVILLE) *BONUS* 
Wed Feb 06, 2013 4:34 pm
Mum says Santa will always deliver the goods to those who believe!!!!!
got a little emo 
and then it was all ok 
