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From: [e-mail] (Scott Gordon)
Newsgroups: rec.toys.misc,rec.answers,news.answers
Subject: rec.toys.misc FAQ (1 of 3)
Supersedes: <toys/misc-faq/[e-mail]>
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Date: 19 Jul 1996 17:36:48 GMT
Organization: TA - Toys Anonymous
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Message-ID: <toys/misc-faq/[e-mail]>
Reply-To: [e-mail] (Scott Gordon)
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Summary: A guide to the newsgroup rec.toys.misc and the hobby of
         collecting toys.
X-Last-Updated: 1996/06/15
Originator: [e-mail]
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Archive-name: toys/misc-faq/part1
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Last-modified: 96/06/15
Version: 16.0
URL: http://utmdacc.mda.uth.tmc.edu:5014/eric/rtm/faq.html


     *************   *************   **           **   *************
    ****     ****   *           *      **       **    *
       *  F R E Q U E N T L Y  *          ** **      *
      *   *       *           * A S K E D ***       *************
     *   *       *           *           ***Q U E S T I O N S  *
    *   *       *           *           ***                   *
   *****       *************           ***        ************

                     The rec.toys.misc FAQ Part 1

                     Volume 16      June 15, 1996

INTRODUCTION:  Hopefully this FAQ will serve as a guide to the topics
               discussed on rec.toys.misc.  This FAQ is divided into
               general useful knowledge;  the financial aspects which
               are meant to save the collector hard-earned money; and
               the more specific, relating to common questions asked
               about specific toy lines.

AVAILABILITY:  The rec.toys.misc FAQ will be posted to rec.toys.misc
               twice a month (on the first and fifteenth of each month)
               and can also be found on R.aving T.oy M.aniac Page and is
               linked from The Action Figure Web Page (see Q1.3). See
               Q1.12 for other means of Availability.

      AUTHOR:  This FAQ is maintained and compiled by Scott J. Gordon
               with major contributions by many readers of rec.toys.misc
               (see Q9.1).

   A WORD ON   The FAQ is divided into nine sections, each with its own
    SECTIONS:  numbering starting with Q1.  When a question is referred
               to by another question, its section and question number
               will be used as identification.  For example, Q3 in the
               first section will be indicated by: (see Q1.3).

       LEGAL   This FAQ may be distributed or referenced in whole or in
  DISCLAIMER:  part in any forum as long as the Author and Contributors
               sections remain with any portion of the FAQ  that is
               referenced outside of the rec.toys.misc forum, and no
               profit is gained from the use of this FAQ in any forum.


INDEX: (* indicates a new question, + indicates a new/updated response)

                                PART 1

                     Section 1: General Questions

 Q1:  What 'toys' are acceptable posting matter on rtm?
+Q2:  Are there any other toy newsgroups?
+Q3:  Are there any  other FAQs or WWW sites that have information about
      toys?
 Q4:  Is there an IRC channel for the discussion of toys?
 Q5:  What stores sell toys?
 Q6:  What are the common abbreviations used on rec.toys.misc?
 Q7:  What books or magazines have information about toys?
 Q8:  Where can I find guides to new and old action figure lines?
 Q9:  How can I find out the packing ratios of various action figure
      lines?
+Q10: I'm trying to contact a company about their toys, where do I find
      there address and phone number?
 Q11: Where can I send additions, corrections or updates for the FAQ to?
 Q12: How can I obtain the FAQ?
 Q13: Is there anything else I should read in order to become better
      acquainted with rtm?
 Q14: What is the best way to remove the  price stickers put on the toy
      packages by the retail store without damaging the package?
 Q15: Is there a way to restore or replace worn out decal sheets?

                                PART 2

                     Section 2: Financial Aspects

 Q1:  I just bought this action figure, how much is it worth?
 Q2:  What makes an action figure "rare"?
 Q3:  Should I pay over retail for an action figure that is "rare"
      because I fear I may never have another chance to get it?
 Q4:  If I am too impatient to wait until I find a "rare" figure at
      retail price, but I do not want to pay above retail price, what
      can I do?
 Q5:  Why does a question about worth or rarity evoke such an unkindly
      response from rtm regulars?
 Q6:  Is anyone interested in creating a rec.toys.marketplace
      newsgroup?
 Q7:  Are sales/auctions/trades allowed here?
 Q8:  How is an auction or sale usually conducted on the net?
 Q9:  How should I package and ship toys I'm selling or trading?
 Q10: Should I insure packages?
 Q11: Is there a preferred method of creating subject lines to
      indicate for sale posts?
 Q12: How should I respond to sales/auctions/trades?
 Q13: Should I inform this newsgroup if I see an item for sale here
      cheaper somewhere else, will I get flamed?
 Q14: What does the C-1 to C-10 scale mean?
 Q15: What does MIB mean?
 Q16: What does MIMB mean?
 Q17: What does MOC mean?
 Q18: What does MOMC mean?
 Q19: If something is MIB or MOC, does that mean that the packaging,
      as well as the contents, are in mint condition?
 Q20: What does it mean when a card is punched?
 Q21: What is the best way to store carded figures?
 Q22: Should I let the user's of rtm know if I've been ripped off by
      someone dealing on this newsgroup?
 Q23: I buy toys that I like, but I'd like to think that 20 years from
      now they'll be worth more than I paid. How do I know if I'm buying
      toys that'll do that, aside from not letting kids chew on them?
      Isn't it worth anything to buy obscure figures that get cancelled
      right away?

                                PART 3

                           Section 3: Batman

 Q1:  Why so many Batmans and Robins and so few villains or other
      characters in the various Batman lines?
 Q2:  Why can't I find the villains that have been made?

                       Section 4: Fantastic Four

 Q1:  Whats an "interim" Fantastic Four figure?
 Q2:  How many different Invisible Woman figures have there been and
      which one is the hardest to find?
 Q3:  Was the Adam Warlock figure pictured on the back of the third
      series Iron Man and Fantastic Four assortments ever released?

                         Section 6: Star Trek

 Q1:  I just saw a bunch of Thomas Riker action figures at the toy
      store, what's the big deal about them?
 Q2:  Did they make the Red Data/Data in "Redemption" figure, I've never
      seen one?
 Q3:  Is the Movie Edition U.S.S. Excelsior the same as the Generations
      U.S.S. Enterprise-B?
 Q4:  What are the various Star Trek variations I see being sold or
      mentioned on rtm?
 Q5:  What's a Tapestry Picard and why are there so many posts about it?

                         Section 7: Star Wars

 Q1:  What new Star Wars figures are coming out?
 Q2:  How do I get the various Star Wars mail-in figures?

                  Section 8: Miscellaneous Toy Lines

                            Action Masters

 Q1:  Which Action Masters have not been released?

                         Aliens vs. Predators

                               The Tick

 Q2:  Was the 3" Dinosaur Neil figure ever released, and, if not, will
      it be?

                              U.S. Agent

 Q3:  Why is everyone so excited about U.S. Agent figures?  You can buy
      them just about anywhere.

                                X-Men

 Q4:  What are the different versions of Iceman?

                      Section 9: The Contributors

 Q1:  Who should I thank for contributing to the FAQ?


                     SECTION 1: GENERAL QUESTIONS

Q1:  What 'toys' are acceptable posting matter on rtm?
A1:  The following is the official newsgroup charter of rtm:

     *******************************************************************
     rec.toys.misc is an unmoderated newsgroup which passed its vote for
     creation by 211:18 as reported in news.announce.newgroups on 4 Jan
     1994.

     For your newsgroups file:
     rec.toys.misc           Discussion of toys that lack a specific
                             newsgroup.

     The charter, culled from the call for votes:

     To provide a forum for discussion of topics relating to toys which
     do not have their own specific news group in the rec.toys.*
     hierarchy.
     ******************************************************************

     For a more specific answer, after reading Aaron Newton's
     ([e-mail]) interpretation, there should
     be no question as to what is appropriate on this newsgroup:

     "No  conscientious  USENETer likes to see posts in a newsgroup that
     are  unrelated  to that newsgroup.    There are the obvious  things
     that    aren't   related    and    shouldn't   be   posted   about.
     'Make.Money.Fast',   'Get   AOL NOW!',   and  'Want Hot Phone Sex?'
     are a few of the most annoying  posts that fit under that category.
     However,   there  is another category that comes up every once in a
     while: the non-toy toys.

     'What?'  you may be asking yourself.   'There is no such thing as a
     non-toy  toy.'   Well,  you're right.   You are also wrong  (do you
     get   the  feeling   that  I am a Douglas Adams  fan?).    To  this
     category   belongs,  among other things,   baseball cards and comic
     books for instance.   Some people consider these their toys,  their
     playthings.  However,  these are not  the  objects of discussion of
     rec.toys.misc.      Neither   are   cars,   guitars,   boats,    or
     computers,   which  many  people  also  refer  to  as  their  toys.
     Besides   the  fact that all of these items are not really  'toys',
     almost  all  of them have one (if not  several)  newsgroup(s)   for
     them already.

     Remember,  this is rec.toys.MISC!!! It is a newsgroup for toys that
     do  not  have   a specific newsgroup for them.    This  means  that
     actual   toys  like  Legos  and  toy cars do *not*   get  discussed
     here  either.   Why?   Because  they have their own [rec hierarchy]
     newsgroups already [(see Q1.2)].   There  has  been  a  great  deal
     of talk about making a separate group  for action figures (which is
     the  subject  of most of the posts to r.t.m.).    If this  group is
     created, action figures will no longer be acceptable on r.t.m.

     As  a general rule,  ask yourself these questions and all should be
     well:

     1)  Is this  item  I'm   posting  on  normally  purchased  from   a
         toy/department store?
     2)  Is it meant to be *played* with?
     3)  Is there a newsgroup for this item specifically?

     If  the  answer is no to [questions 1 or 2,  or yes to question  3]
     don't post to r.t.m. about it,  or may the Flame Gods, Holy Sons of
     Eris, descend upon you (^_^)."

Q2:  Are there any other toy newsgroups?
A2:  The following newsgroups are either partially or solely devoted to
     toys:

     alt.food.pez
     alt.toys.gi-joe
     alt.toys.transformers
     rec.arts.sf.starwars.collecting
     rec.toys.action-figures (to be established approximately five
                              days after this posting)
     rec.toys.cars
     rec.toys.lego
     rec.toys.vintage (for the discussion of toys 20 years or older)

Q3:  Are there any other FAQs or WWW sites that have information about
     toys?

A3:  For a more complete listing, checkout The Internet Toy Off-White
    Pages at http://utmdacc.mda.uth.tmc.edu:5014/eric/rtm/whtepage.html.

     Action Figures Times
     http://www.primenet.com/~btn/aft.html
     Maintained by Action Figures Times ([e-mail])
     While their are creepings of dealerisms, if such a word exists, if
     you ignore it, what you are left with is a thoroughly enjoyable
     source of action figure information.

     The Action Figure Web Page
     http://www.aloha.com/~randym/action_figures/
     Maintained by Randy Matthews ([e-mail])
     "Star Wars Newsletter" by Adam Pawlus
      ([e-mail])
     This site has over 130 pictures, up-to-date news, and complete
     information on various action figure lines from 1972 to the
     present.  Also home of Adam Pawlus' "Star Wars Newsletter."  The
     best place to get complete listing of new toy news posted to rtm.

     Adam Tyner's The He-Man and the Masters of the Universe Home Page
     http://www.awod.com/gallery/rwav/ctyner/he-man.html
     Maintained by Adam Tyner ([e-mail])
     Download the He-Man theme song, find out where to get videos of
     He-Man episodes, link to other He-Man sites, and stay tuned for
     loads of He-Man action figure pictures.

     Alt.Toys.Transformers FAQ
     http://www.vt.edu:10021/other/transformers/faq/tffaq.html
     Maintained by Steve Stonebraker ([e-mail])
     Everything you need to know about Transformers: the newsgroup, the
     toys, the cartoon, and more.

     Batman: The Animated Series Figure Archive
     http://pegasus.acs.ttu.edu/~wvjgg/btas1.html
     Maintained by Jason Geyer ([e-mail])
     A great site with information, characters stats and pictures of all
     of the real BTAS characters (no dumb repaints listed here).

     Byrt's Figure Page
     http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/2175/figures.html
     Maintained by Byrt Martinez ([e-mail])
     Check out some of Byrt's cool customized Star Trek figures.

     FAO Schwarz
     http://faoschwarz.com
     Learn the history of FAO, find stores near you, order catalogs, get
     information, and look at toys.

     Fig Newton's Custom Action Figure Home Page
     http://www.spd.louisville.edu/~amnewt01/custom.html
     Maintained by Aaron Newton ([e-mail])
     When you can't buy a mass produced figure of your favorite
     character, you can do the next best thing and check out the fan-
     made figures at this site.

     Galoob Toys, Inc.
     http://www.galoob.com/welc.html
     No more just the boring financial status of the company, check out
     all the new MicroMachines Space vehicles and figures, Star Wars
     Action Fleet, Ultraforce, and Dragon Flyz.

     G.I. Joe On-Line
     http://www.shore.net/~gijoe/
     Get Info on the Exclusive Target Joes or check out the G.I. Joe
     archive.

     Hasbro Toys
     http://www2.hasbrotoys.com/hasbro/home.html
     Many of the products made by Hasbro Toys and Kenner are available
     here with information, pictures, and vrml clips.  Much of the info
     and pictures is new product information presented here for the
     first time.

     He-Man and the Masters of the Universe Home Page
     http://www.seas.gwu.edu/student/kmhebert/heman.html
     Maintained by KMH ([e-mail])
     Read about childhood memories of He-Man toys.

     Irwin's Toy Home Page
     http://www.irwin-toy.com/
     A site from the makers of Reboot toys which also includes Spawn and
     Power Rangers, ways to win toys, and rebates on PR stuff.

     Jason Geyer's Action Figure Archives
     http://pegasus.acs.ttu.edu/~wvjgg/btas.html
     Maintained by Jason Geyer ([e-mail])
     A gateway to Jason's great Figure Archives and links to other
     sites.

     John's Action Figure Column Archive
     http://members.aol.com/jsgersten/index.htm
     Maintained by John Gersten ([e-mail])
     The columns on this page combine the past and the present with
     some of the most enjoyable writing you will find on any toy
     page.  Everyone owes it to themselves to check out John's columns.

     Justin's Trek Figure Archive
     http://users.aol.com/JoiToWorld/private/archive.htm
     Maintained by Justin ([e-mail])
     Spanning all of Playmates' Trek lines with old, new, and
     interesting pictures.

     Justin's Trek Figure WWW Page
     http://users.aol.com/JoiToWorld/private/joi.htm
     Maintained by Justin ([e-mail])
     Check this site out for up to the minute info and pictures on new
     Star Trek figures.

     List of Bandai's Power Ranger Toys
     http://www.cyberverse.com/~piero/mmpr/faq11.html#toys
     Maintained by James Bell ([e-mail])
     A brief listing of Power Rangers toys.

     MC Photography Minature Tractors and Collectibles Website
     http://www.sojurn.com/~mcphoto/web/index.html
     Maintained by MC Photography ([e-mail])
     Photographs of miniature tractors, cars, and other toy
     collectibles.

     Mike's Custom Action Figure Page
     http://www.magpage.com/~spidey/FIGURES/figs.html
     Maintained by Mike Fichera ([e-mail])
     An extensive array of customized figures and recipes featuring
     Spider-Man and X-Men related figures by Mike.  Definetly worth
     checking out.

     The Micronauts HomePage
     http://site.gmu.edu/~elarse1/micront.html
     Maintained by Erik A Larsen ([e-mail])
     Has discussion and pictures of Mego's Micronauts.

     Mint On Card Home Page
     http://members.aol.com/mintoncard/page1.htm
     This site includes pictures, links, reviews, Toy Fair info, and
     such cool things as an animated Badrock movie and Barbie as a Borg.

     Mongo Bat Home Page
     http://phoebe.dws.acs.cmu.edu/~e/mbat.html
     Maintained by Eric Pronko ([e-mail])
     Mongo Bat is some kind of toy, check the site out for yourself.

     The Pawlus Home Page
     http://www.primenet.com/~apawlus
     Maintained by Adam Pawlus ([e-mail])
     From the person who brought you the majority of Toy Fair '96
     Star Wars news, "Adam Pawlus' Star Wars Newsletter," and other
     up-to-the-minute Star Wars news.

     Unofficial PEZ FAQ
     http://www.cs.ucdavis.edu/~telford/pezqa.html
     Maintained by Chris Sharpe ([e-mail])
     Everything you ever wanted to know about PEZ.

     PEZ Homepage
     http://www.csif.ucdavis.edu/~telford/pez.html
     Maintained by Paul Telford ([e-mail])
     Home of the html version of the Unofficial PEZ FAQ and other PEZ
     info.

     Playmates Toys, Playmates Interactive Entertainment
     http://www.playmatestoys.com
     The official site of Playmates.  Check out Star Trek, WildC.A.T.S.,
     Earthworm Jim,  Exosquad, Teenage Mutan Ninja Turles, and Primal
     Rage with pictures, contests and shipping information.  Also the
     site of Playmates Interactive Entertainment division.

     The Power Rangers Toy List
     http://ic.www.media.mit.edu/Personal/manny/power/text_docs/
         mmpr_toys.txt
     Maintained by Pamela Green ([e-mail])
     A document containing info on all U.S. Bandai releases, other PR
     toys, and plenty of dealer bashing.

     R.aving T.oy M.aniac
     http://utmdacc.mda.uth.tmc.edu:5014/eric/rtm/rtm.html
     Maintained by Eric G. Myers ([e-mail])
     "Toy Assortments" by Mike Heun ([e-mail])
     The rtm FAQ, Cool Toy Site of the Week, The Custom Corner,
     Toy Librarian Software, The Ultimate X-Men Figure Guide and much
     more cool stuff related to toys.  Also home of Mike Heun's "Toy
     Assortments" proving packing info on the newest, hottest action
     figure lines.

     Reboot Toys
     http://www.inwap.com/reboot/Toys.html
     Everything you wanted to know about the new Reboot toys.

     rec.arts.sf.starwars.collecting FAQ
     http://www.cs.washington.edu/homes/lopez/faq.html
     http://stwing.resnet.upenn.edu:8001/starwars/collectf.txt
     Maintained by David Halstead, Gus Lopez, Chris Nichols, and
     Martin Thurn
     An excellent FAQ on collecting Star Wars toys with quite a bit of
     general information that will help out toy collectors of any action
     figure lines.

     Sean's Star Wars Page
     http://www.pcix.net/webstory/StarWars.html
     Maintained by Sean ([e-mail])
     Check out pictures in the Kenner Star Wars Museum spotlighting the
     original figures, or the Modern Museum spotlighting the new
     figures, or check out some of Kenner's original Star Wars
     commercials in QuickTime format.

     SiD's Toy News
     http://fangz.com/~susindusk/toy
     Maintained by SiD ([e-mail])
     SiD's toy news includes what's hot, what's not hot, and what's new.

     Simster's HomePage
     Maintained by Tony Payne ([e-mail])
     http://www.cris.com/~simster
     Home of Tony's guide to Playmates Star Trek figures, with series
     by series listings and info on variations.

     SPAWN: World Wide Web HeadQuarters
     http://www.mcfarlane.com
     The official site for Spawn and McFarlane Toys.  Check out the
     prototypes for upcoming figures.

     Spider-Man Action Figure Archive
     http://pegasus.acs.ttu.edu/~wvjgg/spidey/sphead.html
     Maintained by Jason Geyer ([e-mail])
     Another one of Jason's great archives with pictures, stats and
     information on all the heroes, villains and valid Spider-Man
     figures.

     The Starting Lineup Kenner Collectibles Site
     http://oeonline.com/~slu2/
     Maintained by Dave ([e-mail])
     Contains a wealth of information on Kenner's Starting Lineup
     sports figures.

     Star Wars Action Figure Web Page
     http://www.xmission.com/~gastown/cfti/starwars.htm
     Maintained by Fawcett ([e-mail])
     The goal of this page is to have a picture of every Star Wars
     figure ever made, including mass produced, prototypes, and custom
     made figures.

     Star Wars Collector's Page at UPENN
     http://stwing.resnet.upenn.edu:8001/~jruspini/starwars.html#collect
     Maintained by Jason Ruspini ([e-mail])
     A few Kenner Star Wars resources including a complete list of the
     original series, a guide to the card backs, a list of variations,
     and a list of playsets.

     The Star Wars Collectors Web Page
     http://www.cs.washington.edu/homes/lopez/collectors.html
     Maintained by Gus Lopez ([e-mail])
     From the rarest Star Wars pieces to pictures of the newest figures.
     Choose from picture galleries of Kenner U.S., non-U.S., prototypes,
     custom-made figures, boot legs, and more, pictures you'd be hard
     pressed to find anywhere else, and other resourced.

     Star Wars: The Next Generation of Toys
     http://www.engr.iupui.edu/~mrardon/newsw.html
     Maintained by Matt Rardon ([e-mail])
     Devoted to bringing you all the news on the Next Generation of Star
     Wars toys, Kenner's new action figures and Galoob's Star Wars Micro
     Machines.

     Super Powers Archive
     http://pegasus.acs.ttu.edu/~wvjgg/sparch1.html
     Maintained by Jason Geyer ([e-mail])
     An extraordinairy site for an extraordinairy toy line.  Pictures
     and information, and facts on every figure, vehicle,  and playset.
     And more information and pictures of prototypes and prototype card
     backs, foreign releases, pictures of characters from actual Super
     Powers boxes and collectible cards, and news of upcoming toys
     related to the DC Universe.

     The Tick FAQ
     http://jhunix.hcf.jhu.edu/~chester/tick.html
     Maintained by Jim Manchester ([e-mail])
     Everything you wanted to know about The Tick (and Tick toys too)
     but were afraid to ask.

     Tomart
     http://www.tomart.com
     The excellent pictures youve come to expect from Tomart's are now
     on-line.  Check out Toy Fair catalogs from Galoob, G.I. Joe, Toy
     Biz and McFarlane Toys.

     The Toy Closet
     http://euclid.barry.edu/~gordon/toys.htm
     Maintained by Scott Gordon ([e-mail])
     A listing of most of what was available at Toy Fair '96 and related
     links, links to other toy resources, and the Star Trek Figure
     Database in the works.

     Toy Companies
     http://chelsea.ios.com/~bnz/aco.html
     Contains information on various toy manufacturers.

     Toy Mania!
     http://www.ior.com/Toys/
     General toy information, links to toy sites, company address, new
     toy news, and feature articles on current hot toy lines are just a
     few of the things you will find here.

     Toys"R"Us
     http://www.tru.com
     Look at toys or give TRU feedback.

     Toy Story
     http://www.disney.com/ToyStory
     Official home site of THE toy movie.  Includes pictures, sounds,
     movies, screen savers, games, and more.

     The Transformers
     http://emerald.feldberg.brandeis.edu/~progrmer/transformers/
         transformers.html
     Maintained by Marek Kozubal ([e-mail])
     Everything you could possibly want to know about the Transformers,
     including two separate, complete listings of North American
     Transformers releases.

     Trendmasters Presents
     http://www.trendmaster.com/
     Official home page of the makers of Godzilla, Tarzan and the
     upcoming Independence Day line.

     Trendmasters Toys
     http://www.ama.caltech.edu/users/mrm/godzilla/trend.html
     Maintained by Mark Meloon
     A document that contains information on Trendmaster's Godzilla toys
     from the perspective of a Godzilla fan.  Also provides info of
     upcoming releases in this line.

     The Ultimate Web Smurf Club!
     http://www.arcos.org/astro/astro1.html
     The smurfiest sight on the net with pictures and information of
     1996's return of the Smurf figures.

     Virtual Vikki's Treehouse
     http://www.snowcrest.net/fox/index.html
     Maintained by Vikki ([e-mail])
     Check out the toy shelf section for pages on Major Matt Mason and
     Mattel's 1960's-1970's toys, the "Thing-Maker" and the "Strange
     Change."

     Web-A-Sketch
     http://www.digitalstuff.com/web-a-sketch/
     Maintained by Alan Watts ([e-mail])
     Its Etch-A-Sketch on the Web!  Draw your own pictures or see
     other's.  Submit your works of art to contests.

     The Wish Book
     http://www.panix.com/~spyro/wishbook/wishbook.html
     See what was available Christmases past in the Sears Wishbook
     and JCPenny Christmas Catalog.

     Zap Power Force
     http://phoebe.dws.acs.cmu.edu/~e/zap
     Maintained by Eric Pronko ([e-mail])
     A page devoted to Power Force toys by a person who has all of them.

Q4:  Is there an IRC channel for the discussion of toys?
A4:  From Aaron Newton ([e-mail]), #toys
     founder:

     "Yes.    It  is #toys.   If   you  would like to host a discussion,
     feel free to make a post about doing so.   Be sure to say what day,
     date,  time,  and time zone which you are in.

     I  should also mention that just about any other time that I am  on
     IRC,  I will be on #toys.   Drop into the channel anytime.   If you
     can  catch  me or anyone else on,   we'll be glad to have a  little
     discussion  on  toys.   The announced times aren't exclusive times.
     Anyone can join the channel at any time."
                       -- IRC: FigNewton / Founder of IRC channel #toys

Q5:  What stores sell toys?
     (stores that specialize in toys are distinguished by an *)
A5:  Ames            Bradlees          Big Lots       Caldor
     Circus World*   Eckerds           FAO Schwarz*   KayBee Toys*
     K-Mart          Meijer            Odd Lots       Spencer Gifts
     Target          Toy Liquidators*  Toys 'R' Us*   Toy Works*
     Venture         Wal-Mart           Walgreens     Woolworths
     Many comic book stores also sell toys, albeit at higher prices.
     (See Q1.10 for store addresses and phone numbers).

Q6:  What are the common abbreviations used on rec.toys.misc?
A6:    AFNTR - Action Figure News & Toy Review
          BF - Batman Forever action figures
        BTAS - Batman: The Animated Series action figures
         EWJ - Earth Worm Jim action figures
          FF - Fantastic Four action figures
          FS - For Sale
          IM - Iron Man action figures
         LOB - Legends of Batman action figures
         MIB - Mint-in-box (see Q2.15)
        MIMB - Mint-in-mint-box (see Q2.16)
         MOC - Mint-on-card (see Q2.17)
        MOMC - Mint-on-mint-card (see Q2.18)
         NBC - Nightmare Before Christmas toys
      NRFB/P - Never-removed-from-box/package
        POTF - Star Wars: Power of the Force (the original line)
       POTF2 - Star Wars: Power of the Force (the new line)
      POTF95 - Star Wars: Power of the Force (the new line)
          PR - Power Rangers
     rtm/RTM - rec.toys.misc
         SLU - Starting Line-Ups
         TRU - Toys 'R' Us
          TB - Toy Biz
          TT - To Trade
         WTB - Wanted to buy
         WTT - Wanted to Trade
          XM - X-Men action figures

Q7:  What books or magazines have information about toys?
A7:  Here is a list of magazines from The Action Figure Web Page (see
     Q1.3) that feature information on toys:

     ACTION FIGURE NEWS & TOY REVIEW
     556 Monroe Turnpike
     Monroe, CT 06468
     Sample copies are available for $6.35. Subscriptions are $21.95/six
     issues and $39.95/a year for 12 issues.

     COLLECTIBLE TOYS & VALUES
     P.O. Box 569
     Ridgefield, CT 06877
     Subscriptions are $29.95/year.

     COLLECTING TOYS
     P.O. Box 1612
     Waukesha, WI 53187-1612
     1-800-533-6644
     Subscriptions are $19.95/year for six issues.

     TOMART'S ACTION FIGURE DIGEST
     3300 Encrete Lane
     Dayton, OH 45439-1944
     URL: http://www.tomart.com
     e-mail: [e-mail]
     Sample copies are available for $8.00. Subscriptions are
     $30.00/year for six issues.

     SEARS WISHBOOK
     1-800-948-8800
     $3/issue (200 pages), comes with $5 coupon.

     WHITE'S GUIDE TO COLLECTING FIGURES
     Collecting Figure
     Subscriptions
     P.O. Box K-46
     Richmond, VA  23288
     $4.95 per issue US, $5.95 per issue Canada, $5-$10 per back issue.
     Subscriptions are $34.95 for 12 issue, $18.95 for 6 issue.

     WIZARD: THE GUIDE TO COMICS
     Subscription Dept.
     151 Wells Avenue
     Congers, NY 10920-2064
     Subscriptions are $24.95/year.
     Wizard deals mainly with comic books, but there is also a few pages
     included each month with toy news and custom made action figures.

Q8:  Where can I find guides to new and old action figure lines?
A8:  Guides to just about every super-hero and science fiction action
     figure line as well as Action Masters, G.I. Joe, and other lines
     can be found at The Action Figure Web Page (see Q1.3).

Q9:  How can I find out the packing ratios of various action figure
     lines?
A9:  Many people post packing ratios when they come across an unopened
     case.  There is also a weekly newsletter called "Toy Assortments"
     by Mike Heun ([e-mail]).  Back Issues are available on the
     R.aving T.oy M.aniac Page (see Q1.3).

Q10: I'm trying to contact a company about their toys, where do I find
     their address and phone number?
A10: Below is a combination of listing from The Action Figure Web Page
     and an on-line list of businesses.  There is no guarantee that the
     on-line listings are correct.  Please inform me if there are any
     errors.

     Ames
     Ames Department Stores Inc
     2418 Main St
     Rocky Hill, CT  06067
     Phone: [phone]
     Fax: [phone]

     Bandai
     Bandai America, Inc.
     12851 E. 166th Street
     Cerritos, CA 90703
     Phone: [phone]

     Bradlees
     Bradlees Stores
     1 Bradlees Cir
     Braintree, MA  02184
     Phone: [phone]

     Caldor
     Caldor Corp
     20 Glover Ave
     Norwalk, CT  06856
     Phone: [phone]
     Fax: [phone]

     Cap Toys
     Cap Toys, Inc.
     26201 Richmond Road
     Bedford Hts., OH 44146
     Phone: [phone]
     Fax: [phone]
     URL: http://chelsea.ios.com/~bnz/acap.html

     Circus World
     Circus World Toy Stores
     100 West St
     Pittsfield, MA  01201
     Phone: [phone]
     Fax: [phone]

     FAO Schwarz
     767 5th Ave, Suite 401
     New York, NY  10153
     Phone: [phone]
     Catalog Phone Number: 1-800-426-TOYS
     Fax: [phone]
     URL: http://faoschwarz.com

     Galoob
     Galoob Lewis Toys Inc
     500 Forbes Blvd
     South San Francisco, CA 94080
     Phone: [phone]
     Phone: 1-800-4-GALOOB
     e-mail: [e-mail]
     URL: http://www.galooob.com/welc.html

     Hasbro
     Hasbro Inc
     1027 Newport Ave
     Pawtucket, RI  02861
     Phone: [phone]
     Phone: [phone]
     Fax: [phone]
     URL: http://www2.hasbrotoys.com/hasbro/home.html

     Irwin Toys
     Irwin Toys Limited
     43 Hanna Avenue
     Toronto, Ontario MGK 1X6, Canada
     Phone: [phone]
     Phone: [phone]
     Fax: [phone]
     e-mail: [e-mail]
     URL: http://www.irwin-toy.com

     Just Toys
     Just Toys Inc.
     50 West 23, 7th Floor
     New York, NY 10010
     Phone: [phone]
     Fax: [phone]
     URL: http://chelsea.ios.com/~bnz/ajust.html

     Kay-Bee
     Kay-Bee Toy Stores
     100 West St
     Pittsfield, MA  01201
     Phone: [phone]
     Fax: [phone]

     Kenner
     Kenner Products
     A Division of Tonka Corp.
     1014 Vine St
     Cincinnati, OH 45202
     Phone: [phone]
     Phone: [phone]
     Fax: [phone]

     Mattel
     Mattel Toys, Inc.
     333 Continental Blvd.
     El Segundo, CA 90245-5012
     Phone: [phone]
     Fax: [phone]
     Consumer Information Line: 1-800-524-TOYS
     URL: http://chelsea.ios.com/~bnz/amat.html

     Meijer
     Meijer Inc
     2929 Walker Ave NW
     Grand Rapids, MI  49504
     Phone: [phone]
     Fax: [phone]

     Playmates
     Playmates Toys, Inc.
     16200 S. Trojan Way
     La Mirada, CA  90638
     Phone: [phone]
     Fax: [phone]
     e-mail: [e-mail]
     URL: http://www.playmatestoys.com

     Puzzle Zoo
     413 Third Street
     Santa Monica, CA  90401
     Phone: [phone]

     Spencer Gifts
     Spencer Gifts Inc
     6826 Black Horse Pike
     Pleasantville, NJ  08232
     Phone: [phone]
     Fax: [phone]

     Target
     Target Stores
     33 S 6th St
     Minneapolis, MN  55402
     Phone: [phone]
     Fax: [phone]

     Todd Toys
     TMP International, Inc.
     11918 Farmington Rd.
     Livonia, MI 48150
     Phone: [phone]

     Toy Biz
     Toy Biz, Inc.
     333 East 38th Street, 4th Floor
     New York, NY 10016
     Phone: [phone]
     Fax: [phone]
     Customer Service Line: 1-800-634-7539
     URL: http://chelsea.ios.com/~bnz/abiz.html

     Toys 'R' Us
     Toys 'R' Us Inc
     461 From Rd
     Paramus, NJ  07652
     Phone: [phone]
     Fax: [phone]
     URL: http://www.tru.com

     Toy Works
     Toy Works Inc
     Fiddlers Elbow Rd
     Middle Falls, NY  12848
     Phone: [phone]
     Fax: [phone]

     Trendmasters
     611 N. 10th Street
     Saint Louis, MO 63101
     e-mail: [e-mail]
     URL: http://www.trendmaster.com

     Venture
     Venture Stores Inc
     2001 E Terra Ln
     O'Fallon, MO  63366
     Phone: [phone]
     Fax: [phone]

     Wal-Mart
     Wal-Mart Stores Inc
     702 SW 8th St
     Bentonville, AR  72716
     Phone: [phone]
     Fax: [phone]
     e-mail: [e-mail]
     URL: http://www.wal-mart.com/

Q11: Where can I send additions, corrections or updates for the FAQ to?
A11: Please e-mail any suggestions you have for the FAQ to
     [e-mail].  If its a suggestion that warrants the
     opinions of rtm readers, it is also best to post it for discussion.

Q12: How can I obtain the FAQ?
A12: There are a number of ways to obtain the FAQ:

                           Usenet Newsgroups

     The  FAQ  is posted to the following newsgroups the first and
     fifteenth day of each month:

     a) rec.toys.misc
     b) rec.answers
     c) news.answers

                                  FTP

     The FAQ may be retrieved from MIT's ftp archive using the
     following info:
     address:   rtfm.mit.edu
     username:  anonymous
     password:  <your e-mail address>
     directory: pub/usenet-by-hierarchy/rec/toys/misc


                            World Wide Web

     The FAQ is available in html format at the R.aving T.oy M.aniac
     Page and is linked at the Action Figure Web Page (Q1.3).

                                E-Mail

     The  FAQ  may  be accessed from MIT's archive site by e-mail
     using  the following information:

     address: [e-mail]
     subject: <leave blank>
     body (make sure only the text shown below appears in the e-mail):
   send pub/usenet-by-hierarchy/rec/toys/misc/rec.toys.misc_FAQ_(1_of_3)
   send pub/usenet-by-hierarchy/rec/toys/misc/rec.toys.misc_FAQ_(2_of_3)
   send pub/usenet-by-hierarchy/rec/toys/misc/rec.toys.misc_FAQ_(3_of_3)

Q13: Is there anything else I should read in order to become better
     acquainted with rtm?
A13: If you haven't already done so, you should also read the Welcome to
     rec.toys.misc post posted weekly to rtm.

Q14: What is the best way to remove the  price stickers put on the toy
     packages by the retail store without damaging the package?
A14: From Eric G. Myers ([e-mail]):

      "Far  and  away,  I  recommend a product called  "Goo  Gone."  Its
      available  at retail outlets like K-Mart.  It can be found in  the
      cleaners  section or sometimes in the automotive section.  It is a
      citrus  product and will not damage the card if used correctly (do
      not over-apply and allow to soak into the card).  Others will tell
      you  to use things like:  rubbing alcohol,  nail polisher  remover
      etc.  These things also work but may leave a dull spot on the card
      by removing some of the card coating.  In some cases,  these types
      of products can actually remove paint or ink from the card itself.
      Some  will  tell you to use a hairdryer,  set on  low.  This  does
      loosen  up  the  glue on some stickers but does not work  for  all
      stickers.  Plus,  you  run  the  risk of softening up  the  bubble
      (potentially misshaping it). Its a bit tricky, but it can be done.
      Get  the Goo Gone first.  You won't be disappointed.  If you can't
      find it, then try one of the other methods carefully."

Q15: Is there a way to restore or replace worn out decal sheets?
A15: One commonly suggested method of replacing decal sheets is to take
     them to Kinkos and have them color-copied onto adhesive paper.

Q16: How can I find out about the proposal and discussion that is
     currently taking place about forming an action figure group?
A16: The proposed RFD is available on the R.aving T.oy M.aninace page
     (see Q1.3).  Discussion is also ongoing on rtm.  If you have any
     ideas or concerns related to an action-figure group or the proposed
     RFD, your best bet is to read the various threads addressing the
     issue, answers may have already been given for your particular
     concerns and there is no point in rehashing them if it can be
     avoided.  This is also the only way you can get all the facts and
     make the most informed decision if the newsgroup comes up for a
     real vote in the near future.

--Scott Gordon a.k.a. Trekker Extraordinaire--

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
     See my home page, Coalesence.  Your gateway to Scott's Sliders Site,
                         The Toy Closet, and more.

____________          _-_                                           ______
\__________|)____.---'---`---.____               __O_          ____/_____|
       ||    \----._________.----/              ======________/----------\
       ||     / ,'   `---'                      (____/--------\______    |
    ___||_,--'  -._              SCOTT GORDON                       \    \
   /___      1:1 ||(-       [e-mail]                __/____/__
       `---._____-'       [e-mail]             {__________{
                       http://euclid.barry.edu/~gordon
                     Maintainer of the rec.toys.misc FAQ
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=