European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 8, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Sunday april 8 2007 scene stars and stripes pages i Joe collectors club toy show brings out the inner boys for More than 40 years go Joe has been winning the hearts and minds of Little boys and because Little kids often grow to become big kids go Joe is one old Soldier Wholl never fade away that explains the dozens of visitors who showed up at a Batavia Iii vow Post on a recent sunday for the Chicago Gijon collectors clubs i Joe action figures toy show Gus Lamperez was one of them it was a phone Call from his Mother about 15 years ago that eventually led him to the vow Hall my brother and i we kept All our toys said the 46yearold we played with them but we kept them in Good shape and we put them All away then one Day our mom called she said to pick them up get this stuff out of Here while gathering up the remnants of his youth he rekindled his Friendship with his old i Joes and reenlisted in the ranks of collectors he specializes in i Joe and other military figurines although he was a Little sketchy on the number say a David Bowyer 36 of Noblesville ind is another serious collector have some Vintage maybe four or five figures mostly from when i was a kid he said As he walked away from one of the 45 Vendor tables at the show and i have probably 150 newer Vintage its a neat collectible his purchases for the Day included a i Jane and an outfit for 8yearold daughter Kelsey and i got two super articulated Gijon a he said holding open his bag theres a lot Here that for sure i Joe scale vehicles and apparel comic books Stone Walls to use in dioramas and of course the action figures themselves Barbie came first explained dealer Wally Gwazdacz of Schaumburg Iii then they wanted to go for the boys so i Joe but they didst want to Call it a doll so they called it an action figure a veritable army of action figures was packed into photos by Chicago a i Joe collectors club show is a Likely place to spot a i Joe diorama such As this one q x q cd d q 3 q cd o h c cd the vow Hall Mademoiselle Marie the comely French resistance fighter James Bond in both the Sean con Nery and Pierce Brosnan nazi Reich Stu her Heinrich Himmler the Green Hornet and sidekick Kato there was even an Osama bin Laden in turban and Camo Cross legged and clutching his weapon All though were Mere supporting players i Joe was the Star of the show they ranged from Al original Joes from 1964 in full regalia right Down to a tiny Flamethrower Selling for to a plastic bin of naked banged up Joes sold for parts at a pop John Gilane of port Washington wis is both a dealer and a collector and a history Buff who seriously into world War i All reasons for his interest in i Joe plus it lets me play with toys and 1 dont look like that much of a fool he said much of what he brought to sell at the show was from his personal collection Ken Smozinsky puts a i Joe figure Back in the Case March 4 at the i Joe collectors club show in Batavia i i was really into i Joe when i was a kid then i grew up he explained then i was going through a toys r us store when my son was Little and the Bug bit Rne again that must have been 10 years ago dealer Ken Smozinsky and partner Gail Zemble brought a huge Stock of accessories to the show from their Home in Overland Park Kan when we started 10 years ago it was mostly figures he said people wanted it in the Box and Complete now though people Are More into customizing their troops customers who might have been in the military or whose parents might have served want to outfit a doll a certain Way he explains Smolinsky company Good stuff to go specializes in outfitting figures 12 inches and smaller he and Zemble had two tables jammed with plastic bags of uniforms backpacks hats helmets sheepskin jackets and More the show was the brain child of the Chicago i Joe collectors club which has a Core group of 8 to 10 regu Lars and several others who attend monthly meetings the club was started basically by big kids with a common interest a lot of the Guys collected i Joe but didst know there were others out there said club member Ron Bogacki of Wood Dale 111 youd feel like a Little bit of a Freak when people come Over and you take them Down in the basement of you have 2000 12inch i Joes Bogacki used to have a 96by60foof basement filled with his collection he has since moved and now has a 10footsquare bedroom in which he rotates his troops he sounds As if he Longs for the Good old Days see All these big vehicles he said gesturing toward some of the other dealers tables i had Emall helicopter tanks planes cars i had it i have pictures people see them and whoa a lot of the Guys collected i Joe but didst know there were others out there youd feel like a Little bit of a Freak when people come Over and you take them Down in the basement of you have 2000 12indi a aloes Ron Bogacki i Joe collector club member