A note about this hobby...

Okay, the fact that my wife still calls the pieces of my collection "GI Joes" gets on my nerves. I guess this is simply because it conveys a very superficial understanding of what this hobby is all about.

Yes, at their very core, these would be categorized as dolls. We in the hobby prefer terms like Plastic Crack, Mandollies, Battle Barbies and so on. I have found some very interesting side benefits to the hobby. I have learned more about military history than I would have before. My understanding and knowledge of World War II has particularly broadened.

The boxed kits in this hobby are a far cry in quality, accuracy, detail and expense from the traditional GI Joe figures one might see in Wal Mart. The serious hobbyist spends a lot of time surfing the internet and reading volumes of books learning about subjects for customization.


Kitbashers (of which I am one) buy and assemble loose parts to create a figure that represents the most detailed and historically accurate work possible. We also custom or scratch build pieces of gear, customize existing pieces, repaint gear and figures, dye uniforms and more.

I guess to sum this up, I don't have a single GI Joe figure in my collection which numbers more than 250. Now, I am off to play with my Mandollies and Battle Barbies.

:)