A while back, many of you helped me out with some questions I had about the history of dios for a column I was working on. Said column has finally been published, though ironically it doesn't go into the history of dios. (Good thing, too, since it was after it was submitted that I received most of the information that was new to me.)

More unfortunate for me is that they didn't use any of the dozen or so dio images I linked them to, which is unusual for them; they only used one of mine, which I can only suppose is a permission issue...?!?

Whatever the case, it makes the piece rather bland, visually, added to which there's no visual context for readers who aren't already familiar with dios.

My only other disclaimer is that PopMatters is a pop culture criticism site, and so am honest in the column about the quality and mainstream viability of the average dio. I hope no one takes offense; I acknowledge in the piece that my own dios boast the same flaws.

Anyhoo, here it is:

http://www.popmatters.com/pm/column...me-produce-art/


Previous pieces you might enjoy:

Speculation and study of Rise of Cobra toys:

http://www.popmatters.com/pm/column...in-the-balance/


A love letter to Sigma 6:

http://www.popmatters.com/pm/column...-go-for-gi-joe/

Thanks!

-Monte

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It's been a while since I've been able to read an article all the way through.

You're right, dio-makers don't make the dio for anyone but themselves. There is that one book that Hasbro put out, but truthfully, I've seen photos on this site that are better than what was in that book. If dios were anything more than just a hobby, their would be more books out there featuring them.
I feel the dios serve a dual purpose. Photography has always been a hobby of mine, and G.I.*JOE is something new I can take pictures of. There is a certain challenge to it as well.
Usually when I set up the figures, I'll take several pictures from different angles. To me, the challenge is to make it look like I'm taking pictures of something that's happening in front of me, not a bunch of toys. There are some challenges to taking pictures of a Joe figure that aren't there when taking pictures of a landscape or your sister sitting on the lawn with the dog.
There's also a third aspect to dios; the story telling. For those of us that have made a Dio story, although for the most part, you are doing it for yourself, but part of it is for other people's enjoyment (otherwise you'd never post a picture on theis site), and you want to make it interesting for others to see and read.
So, collecting, getting the right photo of what you are trying to convey to others and being able to come up with a good story, can really make a person expand their creativity.
I, like you, have tried to write a novel, but for some reason I find getting out there every other day and sanpping the pictures and coming back in and editing them more satisfying than sitting there typing out the story.

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Some people, when trying to avoid thinking about those things that cause them pain, turn to drink, or perhaps food, or drugs... I turn not to any of those... I collect action figures, turning my mind to the hunt, so that I might find a mote of peace... Over the years, I've found that alcoholism is much more socially acceptable by far.

Overall a good article, it was a bit unfocused in that there was no central line of thought, but that is reasonable with the subject matter.

I think some direct quotes from dio authors would have made the article seem more alive. Also it would have given more insight into what exactly you were getting at (the why's of what we do).

A couple of direct thoughts:



The statement implys 2 things. First that comedy is not a worthy effort, which denotes your whole article. Mel Brooks, Monty Python, Voltaire, ect were all examples of worthy endevors in comedy.



That I think is a very poor choice of wording. While I can understand amaturish ect. Competent implys people who do this (including yourself) are lacking in some fashon which I would argue is false.

Art is completely subjective, its in technique you can begin to make judgements. However competant actually makes implications of the artist him or herself. That is a shame, I do hope it was a bad editing choice. Critisim is ok, vieled insults aren't

Also in the article you sighted I thought you miss a really incredible quote:



I mean that just speaks volumes towards what you were saying.

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I think it's great you're spreading the word about dios.

Too bad they didn't post the other pictures, I think it would have impressed a lot of outsiders, maybe got them into the scene.

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I think you don't know enough about Star Wars dios/displays/collecting to comment. Many Star Wars collectors try to display their loose items in scene specific dios and may spend more on that area of display than the actual figures and vehicles in it. In that regard their are many 1 shot dio-ists.

There probably are just as many people who do SW dio stories as Joe dioists; it's just as a percentage that is so small due to the larger fan base overall of SW.

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Is for constructive criticism (will even settle for destructive) just anything but "Nice shot" or "Awesome".

I said before that this is also an issue of somantics, it seems each fan community has a different name for what is essentally the same thing. SW calls it Photo-novels, Joe's refert to as Dio-stories, I forgot the name that TF calls it right now, but I am sure I will remember after I hit the reply button. I have seen a couple of things done in He-man communties as well (Useually you really have to look cause it gets buried in the fan fiction sections). Of course there is also Photo webcomics (Most prominantly useing legos) but that is a class unto itself.

Anyway, All this info didn't get to Monte cause i was in a bit of a rush to take care of real life so I only answered him after he turned it in apparently.

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