
Something happened yesterday. After a 25-plus year hiatus, I think I may be collecting toys again.
I’ve never been a huge toy collector. Even doing a podcast about comics, toys and games for the last seven and a half years has not brought me back into the fold. My show partner Matt is a huge collector, but it never rubbed off on me. I even tried to get into Transformers again a few years ago, but it didn’t stick.
But on a random trip to the toy store with my son yesterday, I found the one thing that has the power to suck me back into caring about toys.
MacArthur S. Ito--Quick Kick.
I’m getting ahead of myself, though--allow me to explain. In 2011, Hasbro decided to create their own line of LEGO-like building blocks called KRE-O. They’re compatible with LEGO, and much like building blocks we all grew up with, there are all kinds of figures, vehicles and building sets to collect and construct.
But, the main reason Hasbro created their own bloks was to sell their properties, specifically Transformers and GI Joe.
So, when I was in the store with my son yesterday,. I was admiring some of the figures and sets in the KRE-O GI Joe collection when I saw the random packs of mini figures and flipped one over. And there he was--Quick Kick, my favorite GI Joe of all time was part of the first wave of figures. Complete with sword, nunchucks, and a Frozen Fudgee bar, which is an amazing nod to the cartoon episode he was first introduced in.
So, I bought two figure packs. They’re random, and not surprisingly, I did not get Quick Kick in either of the two I picked up. But, that transaction awakened the dormant toy collecting gene inside of me, as well as my nostalgia for all things GI Joe.
And now, I think I’m collecting toys again. And by toys, I mean every KRE-O GI Joe figure and set. But whether or not this becomes a full-fledged addiction, one thing's for sure--I will have my Quick Kick.
Stay tuned.