TABLE OF CONTENTS

Odds & Ends Just some stuff we've spotted on the Net that may be of interest to collectors.   Around Town Find out what's in stores now and what to look forward to for 2000 here at home!   New Toy Review: We're looking for a few good writers (thanks Kyle!)   Collecting Tip Removing price stickers . . . and other unwelcome Adhesives   Long-term Care for your Figures Tips for the extended storage of packaged action figures.   Condition Rating Guide Find out what all those "C" numbers really  mean.   The Exchange Buy, sell or trade your Star Wars or other action figures, old or new with a FREE ad!   Links Manufacturer web pages, and links to other collectors' web pages.

Around Town The next wave of Star Wars Episode 1 figures is out! How are we doing? We'd like to know how we're doing, and what you'd like to see on Collector's Planet. Please take the time to fill out our Collector Survey. Don't worry! Your email and any info submitted will not be given to anyone. Collector's Planet hates spam! Please take a moment to give us your feedback: Collector Survey

ODDS & ENDS

The Grapevine Bastich has spotted the Spawn NitroRiders right here in town, at both Toys-R-Us and Wal Mart! 06/12 Ackman found the Dr. Evil and Mini-Me with scooter figures at Toys'R'Us as well as Electronics Boutique (if you want to pay $5 more)! 05/09 Ackman has seen the Paul & The Captain from Yellow Submarine figures here in town at The Comic Book Shoppe 04/07 Silver Surfer has spotted a better deal than Hollywood.com on Spawn Nitroriders: He says try NextPlanetOver.com instead! 04/05

Spotted something new or interesting? Want to impress your friends? Let us know!

Somebody call Telephone Repair? April 7, 2000 Fragcity has the new Bruce Lee action figures from Japan. These figures stand 7" tall, and feature tons of articulation and fabric clothing!

Don't go into the lagoon March 28, 2000 Fragcity has this great Creature from the Black Lagoon figure, as well as the rest of the series II Universal Studios Monsters. Look for The Son of Dracula nad The invisible Man in their TOys section.

Little Green Men! March 17, 2000 Seven members of the Corps come alive in this Green Lantern PVC set from NextPlanetOver.com- now 30% OFF! Check out their entire selection of DC PVC sets and DC action figures!

AROUND TOWN

By: Michael Prochazka "Tour de Force"

Not much sleep in this hollow December 14, 1999 This special boxed set of The Headless Horseman of Sleepy Hollow comes with a sword, a cape, and a multi-posable horse that walks on four legs or stands on its hind legs. The horse is outfitted with a saddle, reins, stirrups. Set among a forest scene diorama that consists of a dirt road, trees and the skulls of several of the Horseman's victims! The horse and horseman are to scale with the rest of the line of figures, so you know it's gonna be BIG!

Order online and save 30%!

More droids than meets the eye November 16, 1999 The Christmas rush is on, and the next wave of Star Wars, Episode 1 figures is finally here. Only a few figures are out this time, but the long-awaited Destroyer Droid is among them. If you're hoping it will transform into Ball Attack Mode, you're going to be disappointed. It is diffcult to pose, despite being quite well articulated. But upon closer observation, you're going to wonder how even the wizards at ILM got this sucker to fold into a complete sphere. There doesn't seem to be enough smooth surface area!

See actual-size pic!

Hasbro announces Lightsaber toy repair recall

September 23, 1999 Hasbro Inc., of Pawtucket, R.I., is voluntarily recalling about 618,000 Star Wars Lightsaber toys for repair. The spring in the battery compartments of these toys can dislodge, causing the batteries to overheat or rupture, which can burn consumers (in more ways than one). The recall affects both the Darth Maul™ Double-Bladed Lightsaber and the Qui-Gon Jinn™ Lightsaber. As can be expected, there are already opportunists flogging these items on eBay and Up4Sale. But beware if you are planning on picking up one of the presumably collectible "pre-recall" sabers. Make sure the the model you are bidding on resembles the ones pictured above, but without the sticker that reads "Now with battery protector". Be sure to get a sealed box, as the repair can easily be undone and the sticker removed. Also, don't get caught bidding for a cheaper licensed saber, such as those from Rubie's Costume Company.

Owners are advised to stop using the toys immediately and call Hasbro at (888) 690-6141 for a free repair kit. Alternately, you can fill out this handy online form. Click here for more information.

More Droids than meets the eye... June 4, 1999 Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the toy store, the variation army is poised to attack. The second wave of Star Wars Episode 1 figures has not yet hit the stores in this area, but that's not stopping the die-hard collectors. The latest buzz is the number of Battle Droid variations. You've probably noticed the plain and battle-damaged versions, but look more closely next time. There is at least one more version out there with an "alternate" battle-damage paint scheme.

See actual-size pic!

Bring the legend home with you May 22, 1999 George Lucas calls on bestselling fantasy author Terry Brooks to novelize what is sure to be the biggest science fiction movie of all time. This stunning new chapter in George Lucas's "Star Wars" saga is a stirring novel of good and evil, human strengths and frailties, and grand adventure that adds powerful new dimensions to a legendary work of imagination. And at 40% off the list price, you can afford to buy both versions of the cover art!

Order online here!

Phantom Menace opens tonight! May 18, 1999 Yes, those crazy kids who lined up for days will finally get their wish tonight at 12:01 a.m. But the action figure collectors will have to wait a little longer for the next wave to appear. Initial reports of "hard-to-find" first wave figures have been largely a case of self-fulfilling hysteria. Stores in the area continue to have plenty of each figure in stock, despite early suggestions that Darth Maul was selling out everywhere. Perhaps if there was a 1-800 number to snitch on scalpers, we might finally put an end to this tactic of trying to artifically drive up resale prices.

See actual-size pic!

Star Wars Episode 1 figures are out! May 4, 1999 No, you STILL can't buy tickets to the show, but at least now the figures are here. After the initial rush caused by Zellers stores opening early, panic has died down as more stores have unveiled their displays over the last 2 days. Toys'R'Us, Wal Mart and The Bay have all followed suit with their own in-store Star Wars "boutiques".   Early-bird shoppers witnessing the early opening carnage report that shelves were stripped bare in less than half an hour. Fortunately Hasbro has provided plenty of supply to meet the demand. No figures appear to be "short-packed" this time around. In fact, with hundreds of figures being delivered to each store, there now appears to be enough of these first-run figures to last well into the next millenium.

See actual-size pic!

Ottawa Zellers to open early for Phantom toys April 28 1999 You can't buy tickets to the show yet, but Star Wars enthusiasts can at least line up for action figures of their soon-to-be-favourite characters from Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace. Six Zellers stores in Canada have been chosen to open their doors at 12:01 a.m. Monday for three hours to get the jump on the competition.   They aren't expecting too many collectors to take advantage of the early opening, though. Director George Lucas is flexing his cinematic muscle and has forbidden anyone to advertise Star Wars merchandise prior to the movie launch date.   Ottawa area collectors can pitch their tents at the Zellers on St. Laurent Blvd.

NEW TOY REVIEW

By: Your Name Here! "Impress your friends"

New action figure reviews wanted Have you just bought a really cool action figure and want to tell everyone about it? Or maybe it sucks ass and you want to tell the world not to get burned? Either way, we'd like to hear about it! If you can type complete sentences without using ALL CAPS, email us your review. Priority will be given to the best-written articles, but we'll take submissions from the U.S. too. ;-)

COLLECTING TIP

By: DUNE "Collector at Large"

Price stickers and other unwelcome adhesives There is nothing more annoying than having a price sticker or leftover adhesive goo mar an otherwise mint package. The one question most frequently asked by action figure collectors is, "...how do I get this price sticker off the package?!" The first option is always the manual one; use your fingernail or tweezers and try to gently peel back the sticker. If it does not free itself easily from the package on the first try, then stop immediately; its time to bring out the big guns. There are two products I feel comfortable recommending to collectors, they are: Goo Gone and Tape-Off. Both products contain petroleum distillates that gently dissolve the adhesive material. If used very sparingly and as directed, the packaging will be free of the sticker or adhesive and remain unharmed by the solvent. A word of warning though; if either product is allowed to soak into the edge or surface of the package (especially backing cards), then a dark indelible stain will appear. Neither product seems to have an adverse short-term effect on clear blisters. Goo Gone and Tape-Off adhesive removers are available at most hardware stores or hobby shops.

LONG-TERM CARE FOR YOUR FIGURES

By: Michael Prochazka

Here are 6 simple storage tips that can help keep your packaged action figures and MOC/MIB toys safe and sound for years to come. 1- Keep the figures out of direct sunlight; the paint, plastic, paper and ink are all very vulnerable and not colourfast or fade resistant in the least. 2- Avoid high humidity, the silent card-killer. Although plastic will not be affected by high humidity for a very long time, the paper used to fabricate the card is can warp in a matter of days. 3- Avoid extremes of temperature. Normal room temperature will be fine for your figure and card for many years. Paper, glue and plastic combine to keep the figure secured. Each material responds differently to rapid or gradual changes in temperature; keep your figures in temperature regulated, well ventilated area. 4- Avoid touching your figures. That's right, your fingers can do more damage to the card and blister over time than any other factor. Why? Because more than likely you have already intuitively taken the steps outlined above in protecting your figures. What most people don't understand that the oil on your skin, as well as sweat and other residue will contribute to the eventual spotting or yellowing of the card. I don't mean to say never touch your figures, but picking them up by the blister or use a piece of clean tissue; this will actually help a great deal. 5- Don't display your figures on pegs. Retail stores and customers do more to damage carded figures before you get them than anything else. The weight of the figure on the peg will eventually warp the card and they will inevitably fall off. When you are displaying your figures at home, just stand them up on a shelf that has a lip or some device to stop them sliding off. 6- Box storage works. Cardboard boxes are fine for long-term storage if you take care to do a few things. Cardboard boxes are vulnerable to the same conditions as the card that figures are mounted on. Make sure to line the cardboard box with an acid-free paper and use the same kind of paper between the figures. The figures can be stored face-to-face, much the same way they are shipped as long as there is that acid-free paper between them. This will prevent chafing and degradation of the ink on the card. When you put the figures in a box, orient them in a vertical plane (like vinyl records in a rack), this way you can stack 2 or 3 boxes of figures on top of one another and not harm any figures. I wouldn't recommend stacking more than 3 boxes. Do not store these boxes in the garage and do not seal them! Good ventilation, controlled humidity and controlled temperature will go a long way in preserving your carded figures for years!

CONDITION RATING GUIDE

By: Michael Prochazka "One Man's Opinion"

This action figure condition rating guide used in one form or another by the majority of collectors and enthusiasts. When describing the condition of a figure in an ad or in an e-mail, using this system is highly recommended. The most important thing to remember when using this action figure condition rating guide is exactly that; it is intended only as a guide. Not every figure falls neatly into every category. Exact details can be discussed between the seller/trader and the buyer/tradee at great length if need be. The goal of the system is to allow potential buyer and traders to get a feel for the value of a figure without the benefit of actually seeing it.   C10 The figure is like a manufacturer's proof. The blister pack must be in mint condition and completely flawless. The card must also be in mint condition, as if it had just been printed. Figures of this calibre are most often obtained directly from the manufacturer and, in rare instances, from retail stores. C9 This is the best quality figure that will be found in a retail store. In this case the blister might have a scratch or scuff inside or out, but the card must be in mint condition. C8 Most figures in retail stores are in either C-7 or C-8 condition. The blister pack must be fully and perfectly affixed to the card and must not exhibit any signs of yellowing. Some scuffs or scratches in the bubble may be evident. The card is in Near Mint (NM) condition, exhibiting slight wear or the odd scratch. C7 Again, the blister pack must be fully and perfectly affixed to the card and must not exhibit any signs of yellowing. Some scuffs or scratches in the bubble may be evident. The card must be in GOOD condition; a bent corner, some creasing or scratches are common. C6 In this case the blister pack may be dented, slightly separated from the card or showing signs of yellowing. The card must be in NM condition. This is a tough call because the card is frequently damaged when the blister begins to separate. C5 In this case the blister pack may be slightly torn, dented, yellowing or separating from the card. The card must be in GOOD condition. There may be several creases, scratches, considerable corner wear or folding as well as other visible damage. C4 The blister is attached to the card, but severe tearing and damage in the plastic is evident. The card itself is in poor condition and may have corners missing, faded print and the paper is often delaminating. The card is usually yellowing from the acid in the paper and feels sticky or brittle to the touch. C3 The figure is loose and in mint condition, as if it just came out of the package with all the accessories. The accessories must also be in good condition, no bending or chewing evident. C2 The figure is loose and in good condition The paint is likely showing some signs of wearing or chipping. It may be missing one or two accessories. A very irritating situation for collectors everywhere. "Honey, have you seen Han Solo's blaster anywhere?...". C1 The figure is loose, the paint is damaged and it is missing all the accessories. This is a figure that has been "loved" to death and played with from day one.   This rating guide takes into account the condition of the card as well as the condition of the blister pack and the figure inside. Even with all of these factors considered, some people still take liberties with descriptions. For example, an ad for a figure once read: "...figure loose, C-9 complete". Writing ads like this only confuses the issue. C-9 means that the figure is fully intact with accessories and is attached to a mint board with slight imperfections in the blister; the figure cannot possibly be loose. Another example of what not to do: "...figure C-7.5 loose with all accessories. This too is bad practice. The "C" rating system is not like the Richter Scale, it is not incremental in orders of magnitude and decimals really don't mean anything. Feel free to copy this list and pass it along. Keep in mind that it is just a guide and not written in stone. But the more people that use a unified rating system, the better for all collectors and enthusiasts.

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