November Interview ackie88

Online Name: Ackie88

My real name is Alexander Jean-Pierre. I am called Ackie by close friends and family (mum calls me Alexander only when she is annoyed with me!). The nickname "Ackie" began when a friend of my mum's visited me in hospital and her young son could not say "Alexander", he pronounced it "Ackixander". The 88 comes from the year of my Birth.

Location: South Queensferry, Scotland. 8 miles from Edinburgh.

First Vam: Joe
First Mam: 1/6 figure?
I remember getting my first ever modern Action Man for my 10th birthday. He was Action Man 1995 and was the swimmer with rotating arms. This was a welcome gift from my big brother. I played with it for hours in the bath!

What was your favorite figure as a kid, and do you still own him:
My favorite figure from my childhood was my Action Man Desert Patrol because he had lots of gear, all his body joints moved and I could remove his clothing and change him into different outfits. SADLY, I do not have him any more.

Favorite figure now:
My favorite figure now, ouch, that's a tricky one! Too many to choose from,
it changes from day to day.

Most desired item:
My most desired item. That is also an ouch because that too changes from day to day. At this precise moment I'd love to have more Action Man James Bond Goldeneye figures, mainly for their very awesome black outfits Oh YE.

What will you do with your collection as you get older:
I KNOW one thing that I will certainly not do with my collection and that is give it all away, as I did last time, without putting too much thought into it and giving them to my Social Worker as he thought it was time I started to put aside toys and concentrate more on the things boys of my age were interested in. BIG MISTAKE111 Although all my figures went to a local Children's Home, I never really got over giving them away. Yes, I was pleased that other boys would enjoy them, but I felt their loss deeply. If in the unlikelihood of my losing interest in collecting Action Men, I would put them into storage at home. I do not think I will ever lose interest in my figures and if I have children, I hope they will enjoy their Dad being a Big Kid too! I am not for one second suggesting collecting Action Men Figures is Childish - it is just huge fun and great to talk to people of a like mind.

What does your wife/girlfriend/partner think of your collection/hobby:
I can't answer this question at the moment as I am single. You guys will be the first to know if this situation changes. Female friends think it is a great hobby and enjoy my photographs and enthusiasm.

Do you set yourself a budget: Not really. That question has not arisen yet!

Worst Vam/ Joe or 1/6 figure

Worst Modern Action Man: For me that would have to be Action Man Global Mission. My reasons for this is he can't move his joints, his top clothing is m moulded on and I feel he is poorly made.

Views on 40th Reproductions: No views as I do not collect them.

Worst Item of the Vam/Joe/Mam or 1/6 range:
The worst Modern Action Man range for me has to be the ones that Hasbro re introduced came out in October 2009 that were sold in Tesco. The Action Men figures had just moulded on clothes and their arms were rigid. This is a no-no for me.

Best thing about collecting Vam/Joe/Mam or 1/6 figures:
I get to collect the figures I had when I was little and also collect the ones I really would have liked as a child. I enjoy collecting these figures as they give me the opportunity to get out and about with them and take photographs.
I use these photographs to help tell my short stories or just for the fun of taking unusual shots. It also gives me the opportunity to share my collection with other enthusiasts.

Do you think your collection will be collectable in the future:
That is not really important to me as I never envisage selling them. I enjoy the storytelling side of my collection and also the personal contact and help I have from other members. That is what really is important to me and I never think of their value.

If you did not collect Vam/Joe/Mam what would you collect:
I think I would probably collect Marvel Comics and Warhammer 40K

What AM/Joe outfit or set would you like to have seen released:
I would have liked to have seen Modern Action Man London 2012 Summer Olympics outfits and sets. This would have marked the occasion even more vividly for me.

Do you have a favorite section of AMMO:
Oh yes. My favorite section of AMMO is Modern Action Man (Mam) 1990 Onwards because 1990's was the time when I started getting so deeply involved. I love seeing other members Mam collections. I drool over the ones that I had when I was a kid and no longer have and still wish to collect. There are Action Figures I see from other member's collections that inspire me to collect.

Why do you like AMMO:
I like AMMO as I am in touch with other enthusiasts and it is great just chatting on line and being connected. I get lots of ideas for kitbashes and love to read other peoples comments re me. I like the fact that nobody judges me and I can be myself.

Many thanks alex for taking the time to do a fab interview !  

...great interview mate, very clear and honest answers...look forward to meeting you later this month...sorry to hear that you were persuaded to give away your collection...my brother gave away my childhood toys with out asking, but somehow Action Man and a few other things stayed with me... 

    

Reading interviews like this makes me realise we have made a great forum and all the trouble i went through was well worth it

Great stuff Ackie      

Can I say a BIG thank you to my mum who helped type this up for me. There is one part of the story that is not exactly how it happened (my bad memory!). My Social Worker DID NOT think it was time I started to put aside toys and concentrate more on the things boys of my age were interested in, it was ME. I thought that I ought to put my Action Men aside and concentrate on going out with my friends and sharing their pursuits ( I decided to give my Action Men away to a Children’s Home that my Social Worker mentioned he did a lot of work at. What I know now about collecting Action Figures is that there is no age limit (thank goodness) and it is a hobby that many people share.

Hope that piece of info does not change how members feel about me.

Thanks

Ackie88

...I'm sure I speak for everyone that your honesty is appreciated... 

My Action Man has been tucked away for 40+ years, it wasn't till this year that I discovered that there is so much more available than when I was a kid...it is a big surprise to me! Maybe there is an upper age limit, but I don't know what it is!

Wonderful interview Alex, well done mate.

Fantastic interview Alex!!!! You put a lot into that mate, well done!

My biggest regret is selling my whole AM collection when I was 15....my only interest at the time was girls lol.

great interview

Great interview Alex and I'm looking forward to meeting you at AM Day. Get your dad to take lots of money :-)

Great interview Alex well done mate
1988 is my son James's birth year, what can I say must have been a great vintage, I shared my childhood joy of collecting action man with him and roamed all the local car boots etc lookiing for VAM, we also got him the MAM for his Christmas and Birthdays over the years he has lost intrest but I'm bringing him back with the photo contests on here, this has given us both something to do together, don't worry about getting too old for Action Man, Don't think it'll ever happen    

Fantastic interview Alex!

I only got back to the wonders of Action Man with the 40th. figures and I'm 59 in a couple of weeks, so that might make me one of the oldest on here?

I'm glad that you enjoy this great hobby and that you share it with us!

John (bigbear)

Nice to know you Ackie!

Rick

Great interview Alex. It's good to find out more about you and fantastic that we have younger collectors in our ranks. Just like Hawkeye I have a son the same age as you too.

25 was the age I had my 1st foray into collecting AM as an adult but it only lasted about six months. I wish I'd carried on instead of leaving it until I was 40-odd to start again.

great interview ackie88

Great interview, Ackie!

Nice to get to know you better.

Brian

    Great interview, Alexander!!!!     I've come back to read this again!

It's great to read about how much AMAM/Man means to you, and also terrific to see other members supporting and encouraging the younger team members! - way to go AMMO!!!!   

Fantastic interview Ackie!  

Fantastic and Wonderful interview Alex,

well done mate. it was A Pleasure to meet you on Sunday Alex, and see one of your collection,

well done    

great interview, enjoyed reading that

Nice read Ackie  

This is an intresting insight into your early MAM collecting days, Alex!!! I thoroughly enjoyed reading it, well done!   

many thanks for the interview  

Favorite figure now:
My favorite figure now, ouch, that's a tricky one! Too many to choose from,
it changes from day to day.

This answer has changed for me so I'll ask myself this question again.

Favorite figure now:
My favorite figure now definitely has to be Modern Action Man Metal Detector set, I am a huge fan of this figure set, not so much the metal detector itself it's more the protective headgear with breathing apparatus and full toxic protection suit I really love about this set, I also think the whole outfit looks very cool .

it is one of the best mam sets