I bought a Mint In Sealed Box GI Joe toy...

The experience of opening one of these vehicle boxes, I mean. I never had the experience of having this tasty little Fanta boat as a child.

And what a joy the opening a minty-mint GI Joe vehicle was to a young-un. Assembling. Sticker...ing. Dispatching it on its maiden mission. This is why we still collect no? Chasing the rainbow of nostalgia. So with glee I snatched up this gorgeous, little, rather old box. It was as if fate had placed it in my path. Some 26 years ago, this toy came into existence and began its long wait, moving from shop to shop, it's ultimate destiny to come into my hands. Such an exciting prospect. Or at least that would have been the case if it had in fact been Mint In Sealed Box.

No friends, this was a resealed box with fully assembled contents, decals applied and even a healthy dose of play wear. What a joke.

Clever bastards put a little clear tape over the factory tape to make me believe its seal was intact. I am the fool. Pity.

Nerd RAGE! And even more sad, it did not contain a catalogue or a 'Free GI Joe Action Figure Body Transfer'. To this day, I have no idea what that is.

The real joke would have been me shelling out four hundred Sing Dollars for this:

Yes, I know it looks like a sealed Crusader Shuttle, the box is in pretty tip top shape but open it up and you get one beat up, yellowed, pre-assembled and then later disassembled toy. Oh for shame. Let me expose you, you disgraceful shitmerchants.
Very Cool Stuff in the China Square Central mall is a heartbreaking affair. Meticulously repackaged vintage toys of varying (typically shitty) condition.
The Crusader was going to be my Xmas self gift. Dodged the bullet and got this pretty but ultimately less fun Skywarp. But I wanted to take Joe to space, ma!

Best Masterpiece Transformer vehicle mode ever. The robot has 99 problems but the Alt Mode ain't one. Hit me.

If nothing else it has strengthened my resolve to get that Defiant Launch Complex. Because I'm just absurd like that and will then be forced to buy a house to keep these monstrosities.
Brings me to an interesting point: those of us who are toy-crazy and live alone, is your place overrun with figures and vehicles? Or do you restrain yourselves? Jokingly I let my habit all hang out these days and my room looks thus:

Bless the women who have passed through my door. They must be some kind of desperate to go for a 28 year old man child who falls asleep under the watchful eye of Charles Xavier. Or maybe it'll help me find a female me. Because that's just what this world needs. Chicks who play with four inch soldiers. Love at first fight. Pew-pew