Name ?
Jason
Online name ?
Slack-Elastic
Location ?
Cosham, Hants
First Vam/Joe/Mam or 1/6 figure ?
If my memory serves me...
I definitely had an adventurer in a blue jumper, a dark bearded sailor, a mail away figure and an Atomic Man... and I think that would have been the order ....so Adventurer...final answer!
What was your favourite figure as a kid, and do you still own him?
... the German Stormtrooper had the best uniform and overall gear I think but I also remember getting really excited with my commando and his camo crayon.. I still have my original Commando.. still with his camo face... looks a bit grubby.. but he's a legend!
The colditz set was also great to have... the whole combo just turned the sitting room into a diorama stage.. at least I've grown out of that now..... NOT!
Favourite figure now ?
That's a tough one as I love so many of the uniforms and figures... but if I have to jump with one... I think a first issue talking commander has to be the one.... when you consider the era and the fact it had a tape and player in it's chest... it was a pretty amazing thing for a boy to get his hands on! Even cooler is I picked up an original Talking commander first issue sleeve in an ebay job lot with all the paperwork... and I got Bob Brechin to sign a 40th box to slide the cover over.. so that's a pretty cool set!!
Most desired item ?
I've actually had pretty much everything at some stage apart from the first space explorer and the last purple missile assault... I'm not worried about the missile assault as I have the other three which I really think are great sets but I think the first issue space explorer/adventurer.. the gi joe set.... will end up at the Slackademy at some point.
What will you do with your collection as you get older ?
I've thinned it out a little... but I suffer from the disease of the spares box... you know how it goes... you get a very nice German panzer jacket... then you get a hat.. then you have the idea it would be great to complete the set... why not?! and so it goes on... although at least now I go to the haberdashery to get some grey wide ribbon so I don't spend £20 on a scarf...
I need to get rid of all my spares and......blah blah blah!! you know how it goes...
What does your wife/girlfriend/partner think of your collection/hobby?
Well she's a pish-taking brummie so she enjoys the occasional mocking... but she collects teacups. she has about 50... but you can't pull the string on those to make them talk and they can't hang onto the washing line... and if you drop them they break... so who's the daddy now?
Do you set yourself a budget ?
yes.. stop when there is no more money..
Worst Vam/Joe/Mam or 1/6 figure ?
I'll confess to originally not being too fond of the Blue-Panters... but actually the ones with the good faces are great and I really like them now... the goggle-faces look crazy... but a nice toned BP-EE is a nice figure... there.. I've said it!!
Views on 40th reproductions ?
I love the whole 40th range, the figures are terrible but the uniforms, packaging, Colditz set, Artwork etc. are really great and I'm glad AH did it all. The Gi-Joe 40th figures are really good... but apart from the UK issued 40th figures I've got nothing but good vibes for it. I think a carded French Foreign Legion and German Staff Officer are epic... as are all the SOTC... I'd never be able to afford originals so I love it all!
Worst item of the Vam/Joe/Mam or 1/6 range ?
the rubber blue space suit. Don't get me wrong I think it is cool..and I love the whole VAM space rangers thing... but that blue rubber suit looks.....just....not quite....inadvertently... wrong!
Best thing about collecting Vam/Joe/Mam or 1/6 figures ?
Having fun on Ammo, going with Lee and Mac to talk crap with the fellas at Danny's Action Man Days with a bacon roll and cup of tea, setting up Dioramas... nailing a genuine loft-find ebay joblot with a Silver Star hidden in an ammo box...(that last part was a fantasy... but you know those moments when it happens)
Do you think your collection will be collectible in the future ?
we are the future.. it's been the future since 1969 and that first Action Man sized box wrapped in Christmas paper was waiting under the tree... Action Man was all about being in the future... being in the past..playing in the present... it will always be a pillar of 20th century toy history... it's as iconic as a Porsche 911, a Hacker Gondalier, 007... it's not fading... it's getting deeper!
If you did not collect Vam/Joe/Mam what would you collect ?
Hamster porn. I love to see rodents running on wheels....... Just joking. I've got a great vinyl collection of 800 or so Lps... classic vintage Sony audio equipment, projectors, Blaupunt Radiogramme, a 1952 TV cabinet... I'm in the lucky position of having had everything I've ever wanted because luckily I've never wanted anything that was really expensive.... and I never had kids.... (although the two Porsche 944s I had cleaned me out. but they were epic!!... and kids still would have been worse!!
)
What AM/Joe outfit or set would you like to have seen released?
Again when you combine Palitoy and Cherilea... the whole range was so complete and diverse that it's hard to think of anything... and the whole point was that you could combine this and that to make whatever you wanted... but if I'm going to think of an answer then I'll say... a 1/6 James Bond Blue Aston Martin complete with all the missiles and gun etc. that the Corgi 007 DB5 had.... which would have included the Gi Joe Secret Agent set and a similar briefcase to the colditz set but with some other funky gizmos including a magnetic watch that would pull down the zip on Cindy's dress.... although the bionic woman is a better looking 1/6 chick... considering it's era.. Jamie Sommers' head sculpt is great... although Mademoiselle Marie would be great as a Bond Girl.... ok.. I'm getting carried away now!
but seriously the DB5-007... that would have been an epic set... with a talking Bond... phrases such as...
'I've got gripping hands Miss Moneypenny' ...
'Mademoiselle Marie, if you pull it all the way out... I'll say what you want me to say..'
'Bullet man, I though I was over dressed for the party...!'
'Atomic Man, didn't 'M' tell you that asking boys to touch your nipple in the 1970s will probably get you arrested in the 2010s
'Zargon.. get yourself dressed in something else... you look ridiculous!'
and lastly...
'ROM, I like you... but I think you'll have to be a villain simply because your too big to fit in the Aston...sorry fella!'
Do you have a/What is your favourite section of AMMO?
Dioramas... love to see what other people are making... there is always a nice flow of new ideas... Dal's pub is an epic example... I though it was brilliant... loved all the details and posters etc...
Why do you like AMMO ?
everyone acts like it's all just for fun... which it is... that's the whole point.. that's the only point. flower
Cheers all... and thanks to everyone who's ever commented on my dioramas... I get a lot of fun doing it but it's as much fun enjoying the sharing!
keep on
SlackElastic Vamgetta
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Subject: July 2016 Interview - SlackElastic 
Thu Jun 30, 2016 11:25 pm
enjoyed reading it 
