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CIGCC Club Members
Dave
Thompson
Washington, Illinois
Dave's our resident "brainiac" member. (Well, c'mon.
He's got a Ph.D. for corn's sake!) Anyway, here's his story in
his own words:
"I was born in 1964, the same year as GIjOE, and was lucky to catch the tail-end of the original military series when my mom received a hand-me-down Hasbro footlocker full of Joe treasures from a co-worker whose son allegedly had outgrown the stuff. Chances are that poor kid has regretted it ever since! I never made that mistake and have tenaciously hung onto nearly every piece of a considerable collection from the A.T. era, although it all eventually went into boxes in a dusty garage (c. 1976).
Fast-forward to 2003, by which time my continued interest in all things military had led to a Ph.D. in history and a great job teaching at Illinois Central College in East Peoria. While out Christmas shopping for my son Geoffrey, I discovered the new line of Joes and bought him one. Although he has yet to develop any great enthusiasm for 1/6 adventure, he played along with good humor when dad began buying new Joes for himself in summer 2004, mostly on eBay, as well as retrieving the original collection from Grandma's garage, where it would not have survived much longer otherwise. <Phew, that was close!--Mark>
Our collection now includes many dozens of figures and several vehicles with the main emphasis being on the period between 1898-1945, especially U.S. Marines, British, and Japanese. Not only my family, but also students in my history courses have learned to smile and nod patiently during quirky 1/6 show-and-tell sessions. Silly? Sure. But by Jingo, they're more likely to remember Theodore Roosevelt and Douglas MacArthur after playing with them in my class!"
---Dave Thompson
You gotta admire a guy who's got the cajones to use the expression "By Jingo" in public. HA! For more information on our highly educated (and articulate) colleague, contact Dave directly at dthompson@icc.edu or visit his website at: http://gijoe1964.spaces.live.com.
Tony Carducci
Moline, Illinois
Tony's one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet. Here's his
story in his own words:
"My story begins back in 1976, when
I was 7 years old. I was at a yard sale with my mom one day,
when I found and purchased my first GIjOEs. I had a blast playing
with them (for about a year) until Star Wars came out. Then,
like many kids during that time, I put my Joes away and began
collecting the smaller-scaled universe of Star Wars toys instead.
I returned to GIjOE during my high school years and kept them displayed on a shelf until I moved out on my own. Sadly, my box full of Joes was somehow lost during the move. I never knew what happened to them!
Years later (2001 to be exact), I was web-surfing and discovered Cotwold's "Elite Brigade" website. Memories rushed back and I was hooked all over again! And I'm the type of GIjOE collector that opens up the boxes and blister packs. I don't want to have my stuff all boxed up and just sitting on a shelf. I like to PLAY with my toys. That's just the way I feel about it.
I also enjoy creating "digital cartoons" with my GIjOEs and other 1/6th scale action figures. I make most of the 1/6th scaled sets and backgrounds myself; the rest are from customized Barbie playsets and what not. (My wife picks up things all the time and surprises me!)
I currently have about 300 action figures,
most of which are GIjOEs from years past. But I also own many
Dragon, BBI, Cotswold, SOTW, etc. Of all my figures, the vast
majority are WWII American soldiers. I don't collect Germans
or other soldiers from that era--only Americans.
I like the American uniforms better than all the rest. They (in
my mind) just look cooler!
I also play guitar (surprise!). I toured nationally with a band called WRAITH for about 6 years. We signed on with an independent label and put out a few CDs. Nowadays, I teach guitar and work at West Music here in Moline doing sales, guitar repair and modification."
---Tony Carducci
For more information, contact Tony at tcarducci@westmusic.com
David
Anders
Davenport, Iowa
David (call him Dave) Anders has to win our honors for best "long distance" member. He lives way over in IOWA, yet he insisted on joining the CIGCC. What a great guy! Thanks for helping to fill out our ranks some more, Dave. Seriously, we don't care where our members live as long as they love GIjOEs. And, judging from the photos Dave sent in, he seems to favor the 1970s Adventure Team era guys. Here's what Dave says about himself...
"I grew up here in Davenport Iowa. I had asthma pretty bad as a kid, but I loved my G.I.Joe's--and I still do! As an adult, I worked at Eagle Foods for over 15 years. Now I'm retired and on disability. When I can't do anything else, I can still mess with my Joe's."---David Anders
For more information, contact Dave via email at daveanders1964@msn.com
Robert
Mitchell
Quincy, Illinois
Robert's an amazing guy. He's a huge GIjOE fan and collector and his love of action photography has been profiled extensively on the new GIjOE Collections website.
If you'd like to see some amazing photos of Robert's collection in action, jump to HERE now to directly access his photo page). Robert sez...
"Hey guys, I started picking up Joes when my boys were 5 and 6. I wanted them to enjoy them as much as I did when I was a kid.
After a while, however, I realized that they weren't playing with them as much as I was! I finally admitted I was hooked and that I truly enjoy building and photographing scenes and collecting GIjOEs."
---Robert Mitchell
For more information, contact Robert via email at rmitchell1832@hotmail.com
Jeff Sherer
Paris, Illinois
Jeff's got a MASSIVE GIjOE collection. Here's his story in his own words:
"I live in Paris, IL. It's about 50 minutes south-east of Chambana. I went to school at the U of I so I'm pretty familiar with the area up there. I'm a Civil Engineer at IDOT and we do a lot of work in the Champaign County area.
I have approximately 350 12" figures (GI JOE, Dragon, BBI, misc). I have several vehicles (doubles of some) both vintage and new, all different brands (see Jeff's collection HERE). When I was little, my brother Bart had about every freakin Adventure Team thing that was cool. He wouldn't let me play with any of it, and I was demoted to playing with Fisher-Price Adventure People! I watched him destroy every single piece of his GI JOE collection as he got older. It killed me.
So when the line went away for awhile I had to settle for Mego Super Heroes. However in 1982 everything changed and GI JOE came back. After building a substantial 3-3/4" collection, I was at a flea market when I found a 12" talking commander, and I bought him up for $5. He is in mint condition (no cracks).
After that I became obsessed with the Adventure Team. Later, the Hall of Fame line came out, and I bought everything they made (some doubles...and even TRIPLES). Then, the Classic Collection came out and "BAM" I was into all of that too.
As the years passed, I bought more and more stuff, and branched out to different brands like Dragon, and BBI. I have a lot of their figures now, as well as a lot of loose gear. I got into kit-bashing pretty heavy in the early 2000's and I even bought some custom Ghost Recon patches off of Mark at Patches of Pride a few years back. I made a custom Ghost Team!
When HASBRO reintroduced the Adventure Team I was super excited, and then became super disappointed at their lame attempt to recreate the (in my opinion) the best Joe's ever. Then the 12" stuff seemed to disappear, and now I am devoting myself to collecting vintage Adventure team stuff.
I love GI JOE, he is my favorite topic, and collectible. Hell, I have around 6900 comics, but GIJOE is the number 1 thing I treasure. Since I've been married, my stuff has been packed away while I figure out where to display my massive collection.
One last thing, my brother Joel is a heavy duty WW II re-enactor. So if any of you guys are WE II buffs, He's the man!"
---Jeff Sherer
For more information, contact Jeff via email at: jsherer74@yahoo.com
Don
Hanke
Tuscola, Illinois
Don's an amazing guy. Here's his story in his own words:
"I'm Don Hanke and I collect GI jOES.
They say the first step is to admit you have a problem. Beyond that I admit nothing else. I love this hobby and have owned, at one time or another, every thing Hasbro ever made. Though I've reduced my inventory quite a bit over the past seven years I still own a very large collection, including many original items and still add to that, from time to time.
I've attended nearly all the shows which have come to the mid-west and Texas. I have been collecting even before Cotswold's was started and was one of their very first customers. I had a few things when I was a boy and will never forget the Christmas of 1964 when my twin and I received our first Joes. My dearly departed sister Debby, would get us going by calling them dolls. To which we always replied that "They're are NOT dolls!! They are GI jOES!!" Well my sister has passed on, God Bless her, but my passion for this wonderful toy is still as strong as ever.
In my early days of collecting, I started in 1993, I was so desperate to find items I was a regular at all the local auction barns in south central Illinois. Many of which knew me by my first name. I also made many of my own custom uniforms (after seeing Auggie's customs @ Cotswold's) and still have all the patterns. I made them from studying original Joe uniforms, looking through James DeSimones book, researching catalogs and military books, and through trial and error.
I've done camouflage patterns printed onto fabric with silk screening and on my inkjet printer. I learned how to make rubber molds and have molded all my own pouches, pistols, rifles, knives, and scabbards. I still have molds for helmets, caps, and canteens. It's a great hobby for anyone who likes model making and miniatures. Even if you never had one as a child I would highly recommend it to everyone.
Today I have a two car garage devoted to GI jOE and a 4' X 8" table with large bombed out buildings. I'll be adding another 4' X 8' table this spring for doing foxholes and machine gun emplacements. I make many of my own diorama pieces and I'm always looking for small scale items which will fit into WW II dioramas. My doors are always open to fellow enthusiasts who like making dioramas. I'm planning one large USAF post WW II flight line diorama. I'll be needing help with that one."
---Don Hanke
For more information, contact Don via email at: d.hanke@mchsi.com
Robert
Champaign, Illinois
Robert (last name withheld) is a completist
collector to the max. He wants to collect ALL of the original
vintage 1960s-70s GIJoes, and he wants them all to be COMPLETE
in their original boxes with every piece of equipment they came
with. He's well on his way to achieving this daunting goal, as
one glance around his beautiful
toy room reveals.
Here's his story in his own words:
"I started collecting toys 20 years
ago, mainly box art and motorcycle stuff at first, then battery
operated multi-function figures from 50's and 60's Japan. I was
always looking for these types of figures.
Then one special flea market changed my way of collecting forever. I found an original AND complete GI Joe Deep Sea Diver. My wife had cash. After that first Joe, you just need to keep on collecting and hunt down MORE and MORE sets.
I only had ONE GIJoe when I was younger---way back when Christmas was still special. Recently, my mom saw my collection and asked why I had never asked for more GI Joes when I was a kid. I said I didn't know how she would get them because "Only Santa Claus brought presents."
---Robert
Robert wishes to keep his last name and e-mail address confidential, so if you'd like to contact him, write us here at the CIGCC and we'll pass your message along. Thanks!
Mark Otnes
Urbana, IL
Mark has grown up (a little) since this photo was
taken of him back in 1966 and is currently a commercial artist
residing in Urbana, Illinois. He loves creating custom
boxes and one-of-a-kind packaging for his figures, as
well as setting up realistic 1/6th scale dioramas.
Here's his story in his own words:
"I grew up in Austin, Texas. I can
still remember spending hours with my scuba diver and Astronaut
space capsule in the tub. And the Christmas of 1968, when I turned
green with envy as my neighbor showed off his brand-new 5-star
Jeep on the front lawn on Christmas morning. We fired those projectiles
at targets all afternoon!
Nowadays, I still enjoy buying, outfitting, displaying and working with 1/6th scale action figures. I started Patches of Pride and GIjOE Collections as ways to mix my commercial art business with my growing Joe hobby. Now the two blend together nicely. Lately, I've been creating unique custom boxes and working on large GIjOE and toy display areas in my basement. It's become a HUGE ongoing project that I can only work on a few hours a day. So it will take awhile longer to finish it all. I hope to have it all close to being completed by the end of 2007 or 2008."
---Mark Otnes
Pay Mark's website a visit online at Patches of Pride or drop him an email at mark@patchesofpride.com. He'd love to hear from you!
Scott
McCullar
Sherman, IL
Scott's first GI Joe was a Kung-Fu Grip Sea Adventurer that he got for Christmas in 1974. His Joe interests include kitbashing the Timeless Collection figures and collecting Vintage painted head and Adventure Team GIJoes. Scott is in discussion to be more involved with the Official GI Joe Collector's Club in the near future.
Scott is the Creative Director for Shooting Star Comics. He's also a comic book writer and an artist who has written and drawn for various comic book publishers such as Shooting Star Comics, West End Games, DC Comics and IDW Publishing. He's also the Creative Design Director and has taught art courses for several years at Springfield College in Illinois. He has exhibited his personal studio work in galleries across the country and also works as a freelance illustrator.
Here's his story in his own words:
"I was born in 1971 and thus caught
the tail end of the Adventure Team craze. In the 1980's, my younger
brother collected the 3 3/4" Joes and I played together
with him and his collection. I often read the GI Joe Marvel Comics
series and that greatly influenced me to where I am today.
I got back into Joe collecting while in college, and for the past 15 years, I've been actively collecting 12" GI Joes and other 1:6th scale figures. Now, my five year old son, Mitchell, is starting to play with Joe also."
---Scott McCullar
Visit Scott's website at www.scottmccullar.com to learn more and contact him.