Why I sold my GI Joe collection

My childhood collection was foolishly abandoned when I moved away to college. For several years the house was left empty, fell into disrepair and eventually demolished. When I was notified of the impending demolition I went back to my hometown, walked through the house, and looked through all my toys. My Star Wars, He-Man, GI Joe, and Transformers collections were all there. Remarkably nobody had broken into the empty house to steal them. Other items, some furniture, and antiques had been stolen, but not my toys. I reminiscent for a while, mainly with the GI Joe collection and for a moment I clutched onto Predaking, the Transformers combiner comprised of five wild beasts. My childhood GI Joe collection was, without doubt, my largest collection and included over a hundred action figures, dozens of vehicles and the piece de resistance the Cobra Terror Drome.

I can't recall my thought process at that time but for some reason, I left the house purposely empty-handed. It wasn't that I didn't have the room in my small apartment or didn't feel like cleaning the years of dust off of them, I just didn't want them. Even though I unashamedly love GI Joe and attribute the Real American Hero for my career choice as a graphic designer, I didn't want them. So all my toys were destroyed with the house or perhaps the workers took them home. I had left my childhood GI Joe collection to rot not once but twice, and I am perfectly fine if somebody did take them home. Looking back I prefer if they were taken instead of trashed.

After college, as what typically happens, I got a job. It had been years since the house was demolished and I was apparently feeling nostalgic. I started my second GI Joe collection. It wasn't much, nothing impressive like my childhood collection. I recall it was laser-focused on and comprised of only Cobra Commander action figures and licensed products. I still have my Cobra Commander Mighty Muggs figure. I sold everything else most likely to pay some bills. This is when I sold my GI Joe A Real American Hero comic book collection, which I did keep from childhood. I had taken the comic books, first prints from issues 35 to 155, the entire Special Missions run, the GI Joe yearbooks, and more with me when I first moved out. The average entry job doesn't pay that much, and my first job as a graphic designer was no exception. Eventually, I left that job, then another, and moved a few times.

After a tumultuous few years, I had settled into an apartment that felt permanent and was earning some disposable income. Throughout the years I had always kept up-to-date on GI Joe news and Hasbro's intentions, even when not collecting. Then one day, like most GI Joe fans I presume, I was beyond excited by the announcement of the San Diego Comic-Con GI Joe Transformer crossover exclusives. Unfortunately, I couldn't attend the convention so I was unable to start my third GI Joe collection until the 2011 SDCC exclusive Starscream Sky Striker was available on eBay. I picked up a few other items here and there, mainly HISS Tanks as I realized I never had one, not even in my large childhood collection. Then Hasbro announced a 2012 GI Joe Transformers crossover, then another and another. The collection grew, overtaking a nightstand and the corner of my bedroom.

Apart from the four SDCC exclusive box-sets, I sold that collection when I moved. After several months in my new apartment, and staring at the four lonely SDCC box-sets, I decided it was time to start collecting again. This time I had no specific pieces in mind, I just wanted a big collection. I perused eBay nearly every day, went to conventions nearby, and even bought over-priced items from online retailers. Through a friend of a friend, I scored the entire original 1982 straight-arm GI Joe lineup for a steal, action figures, and vehicles. I loved the 25th Anniversary action figures with cards nearly identical to the originals, with the explosion in the background and Ron Rudat-esque artwork. So, not surprisingly, these retro figures comprised the bulk of my new collection. Then a few years after the 25th Anniversary lineup was released the 50th Anniversary lineup was released. That weird time leap didn't make much sense but damn those figures were amazing, so I started snatching those up at the actual store, not marked up on eBay. My assortment of 50th Anniversary GI Joe action figure two and three packs exploded when Toys R Us closed down.

Now I had a decent-sized GI Joe collection that spanned a generation, with pieces from 1982 to 2016. It occupied a large book shelf, my desk, and the walls of my apartment. It wasn't nearly as large as my childhood collection but it was substantial. However, after the 50th Anniversary line ended, so did my desire to collect. I would frequently check GI Joe centric websites or Facebook groups, hoping to read about the next phase of action figures and vehicles, but was always disappointed. If there was any new information it would be comic book solicitations, rumors about another movie, or an exclusive for the San Diego Comic Con. There are no plans for a new lineup of action figures (new sculpts or even repaints) for the foreseeable future. Eventually it became clear, in my opinion, that Hasbro does not care about the toy-line that undoubtedly made the company what it is today. At least Hasbro does not care about GI Joe as much as they do their other brands such as The Transformers, My Little Pony, Nerf Guns, or even (and this is true) the recently acquired Death Row Records.

So, I lost interest in what was a lifelong passion and I sold my forth GI Joe collection. Another infuriating pitfall of collecting is that everybody demands insanely high prices but when you put pieces on eBay with auction style bidding nobody is paying equivalent prices. I don't check eBay that often anymore, but when I see a listing in a Facebook group I laugh and wonder if there is a $50 dollar bill included with that figure you're asking $55 for. It might be time to remove myself from those Facebook groups, to complete my disconnection from GI Joe.

I did keep that 82 straight-arm lineup, because I have plans for a display case and that seems more like curating a museum than collecting. Other than that I think I am finished with collecting GI Joe. But, who knows, maybe someday Hasbro will realize they have let one of the most recognizable toy lines in the world sit dormant for years and actually do something. Maybe then I'll start my fifth GI Joe collection.

The wall of GI Joes

Lined up and ready to sell