August Interview - Peterodgers (2015)

Name ?
Pete Rodgers

Online name ?
peterodgers (not very original, I know!)

Location ?
Born and lived in Yorkshire for 44 years, moved to the Isle of Wight a couple of months ago.

First Vam/Joe/Mam or 1/6 figure ?
I got two at Christmas in the late 70's : A Basic soldier (the one with the SLR) with fuzzy hair, beard and Eagle Eyes and a blonde PH with hard hands.

What was your favourite figure as a kid, and do you still own him?
The basic soldier above was my favourite, but I had to pass all my AM stuff on to my cousin who was five years younger than me when I was at high school.
He passed them on to his nephew who played with them until they fell apart and were thrown out.    

Favourite figure now ?
Bald custom MAM.

Most desired item ?
Lots! An original or 40th Paratrooper or bearded adventurer would be nice. I've also got a couple of Star Wars figures so some more of those would be nice too!
Oh, and some 1/6th Star Trek figures from TNG.
As a kid I always wanted one of the Spartan tanks but my parents couldn't find one anywhere. These days I'd have to sell my car to afford one!

What will you do with your collection as you get older ?
I think my son will probably have them if he's still interested (he's 12 at the moment). He did have more figures than me at one point but sold them all. He's nicked a few of my figures, most notably Eddie Hassenfeld, my explorer from this thread:
https://actionmanmobileops.forumotion.co.uk/t2657-walking-the-wirral-way-lots-of-pics?highlight=wirral

What does your wife/girlfriend/partner think of your collection/hobby?
My wife has never understood why I collect 'dolls'!

Do you set yourself a budget ?
No, my wife does! If asked, she'd say the budget is zero. I usually get my figures as cheap as possible from car boots or charity shops, but I did pick up a few 90's GI Joes on a unscheduled 'holiday' to America for medical treatment.

Worst Vam/Joe/Mam or 1/6 figure ?
Any with moulded clothing or knees/elbow that don't bend. I like to pose my figures.

Views on 40th reproductions ?
I like them, but I've heard stories that the quality isn't that good. My son and I got one each last Christmas. I got a basic soldier and he got an adventurer. They seem pretty good and very similar to the originals. Shame they cost so much and are quite rare or I'd get a few more!

Worst item of the Vam/Joe/Mam or 1/6 range ?
I know some people like them, but I can't get my head around some of the MAM figures with guns moulded to their hands. Just doesn't seem right to me.

Best thing about collecting Vam/Joe/Mam or 1/6 figures ?
I enjoy it. I love posing my figures when I get the chance and taking photos. I also enjoy sewing which is a good thing as most of my figures don't come with clothes!

Do you think your collection will be collectible in the future ?
Maybe, but as mine is mostly MAM it'll never be as valuable as VAM. Also, I don't have any complete sets or figures. My son bought two boxed MAM at a car boot about a year ago. He's pulled the figures out to play with them but still has the boxes somewhere.

If you did not collect Vam/Joe/Mam what would you collect ?
I used to have a comic collection - mostly 2000AD and a few Terminator. I left them at my sister's house before we moved house, either for her to read or to sell and we'd split the profits. I think she wants to read all 700+ of them before she sells them so I doubt I'll see any money for a while!

What AM/Joe outfit or set would you like to have seen released?
I would love to see more modern outfits and uniforms, like other companies produce. Things that AM and Joe might have been wearing if they'd never stopped production of the figures. Modern vehicles would be nice too.

Do you have a/What is your favourite section of AMMO?
Any with photos. I love seeing all the figures - brings back fond memories of my childhood.

Why do you like AMMO ?
It's a good resource for info and ideas on the hobby. It's also MAM friendly - some other sites I joined ages ago are not interested in MAM at all and see them as just toys compared to the realistic 1/6th figures. There seems to be an elitist group in the 1/6th world who look down on you if you can't afford the best figures.

Good interview Peter an intresting read, and yet another of the club to have handed down your treasured VAM to undeserving cousins, it was never good to go visiting your Aunt and Uncle and see the devistation your Cuz has inflicted on your loyal troops

Great interview Pete. I live the Isle of Wight, been a few times on holiday and warmer than Yorkshire too.

Great bio

IoW eh Nice for some!

Intresting interview, Pete!  

The modern Joes are nicely done, i have a few, they are solidly built and there's so many to collect. Star Wars figures are also essential to anyone's figure collection, i like them.

The 40th Paratrooper outfit is a beauty, there's no quality issues whatsoever with that kit, it's worth hunting one down if you can. The best figures in the 40th range are the EE's and the Painthead takers. If the lips are too red in colour on the 40th PH's & Flockies, it can be removed with some very fine wet and dry rubbing paper, that's what i did to mine, i mixed a tone of paint to mach the originals for some of mine. The good thing about the 40th talkers is the legs don't suffer the annoying spring back problem. There's not really that many problems with the repos, only a few here an there, overall the 40th's are a godsend  

Pete, there's a MAM collector who's selling up down your way, he lives on the Isle of Wight, he's got stuff on e-bay at the moment, you should try and arrange a meet with him to buy stuff  

Well done for taking part in one of A.M.M.O's interviews  

clivvers wrote:

Pete, there's a MAM collector who's selling up down your way, he lives on the Isle of Wight, he's got stuff on e-bay at the moment, you should try and arrange a meet with him to buy stuff  

Thanks for the tip CLivvers, but I'm not allowed to buy anything at the moment.  As we've just moved house, we're still trying to find places for things and we've decided we're not storing things in the loft this time - the stuff we had in the loft just sat up there for a decade gathering dust!

Great interview Peter enjoyed reading it, another insight to a member of AMMO

Great interview, Pete, thanks.

Brian

Good interview, we're all the same when it comes to posing and taking pictures wether it's MAM or VAM .
And our other halves will never understand our collection.

great interview pete

Great interview!

In terms of childhood VAM horror stories, the 'My younger brother/cousin/nephew inherited my VAM and promptly destroyed them!' anecdote is right up there with the dreaded old favourite 'My mum gave my VAM away while I was at school' one.

I really feel for anyone who's VAM suffered either of these fates! As a young teenager I was nagged relentlessly to give my younger brother my VAM. About a week after giving him my Scalextric I found it all smashed up in the back garden so there was no way he was getting my VAM!

Fantastic interview Peter . So your Favourite figure now is tyBald custom MAM, good choice . Yay your another member who don't like any MAM with moulded clothing or knees/elbow that don't bend, I'm exactly the same. I also like to pose my figures when taking photos for my stores and for random photos. You also enjoy sewing!! Wow were did you learn that skill ? Yes it sure is a good thing because you can mend the mam clothes. Awwww most of your figures don't come with clothes . What do you mean Peter by typing would love to see more modern outfits and uniforms? I really like all your reasons Why you do like AMMO Peter, especially you typed It's also MAM friendly - some other sites I joined ages ago are not interested in MAM at all and see them as just toys compared to the realistic 1/6th figures. There seems to be an elitist group in the 1/6th world who look down on you if you can't afford the best figures because I agree with you 100% on what you typed Peter .

Thanks for sharing this interview with us Peter.

Great interview Peter , a really interesting mate

great interview , IOW just came back from holiday there , get your figures at godshill model village , great for a photo shoot

Fantastic Pete!

TALLY HO wrote:

great interview , IOW  just came back from holiday there , get your figures at godshill model village , great for a photo shoot

Never thought of that. Went there years ago while we were on holiday here but not been back since. Driven through Godshill a few times but sad to find out the old toy museum has shut down. They had loads of Matchbox and Dinky cars in there, plus a few action figures (mostly Star Wars). Not been able to find out if they've closed or moved.