Playtrek Gazette November 1999, Part 2 Contributors to this issue: Roberto, Andrew, Dean, Chris Editor: John TOP TEN WAYS TO MAKE COLLECTING STAR TREK ACTION FIGURES MORE EXCITING - Andrew 10. Introduction of a new scale of figures - lifesize 72 inch articulated doll. 9. Receive a complementary Mutated Paris figure with every figure purchased. 8. Have Target Stores actually put the new stuff on the shelves. 7. Everytime you find an exclusive, you kiss your spouse. 6. Two words: free candy. 5. Everytime you find an exclusive, you kiss someone else's spouse. 4. Have a scratch and win game contest were you could win all sorts of neat prizes ... ah, wait, that was already done, wasn't it? 3. Customize, customize, customize. 2. Jump in a time machine and travel back in 1992, just as the first TNG figures were being released, and start the entire collecting process over again. and, the Number One way to make collecting Star Trek action figures more exciting: 1. Have Playmates Toys, Inc. start up production of cool toys again. :-( PLAYMATES TOYS RETRACTS EARLIER DENIAL OF CANCELLATION - Dean Costa Mesa, California -- In a surprise move, Playmates Toys, subsidiary of Playmates Holdings Limited, today revealed at a noon press conference their plans to retract their earlier claim of denying that they will halt all production of their wildly popular line of Star Trek toys, based on the series of TV shows and movies of the same name. "Let me make this perfectly clear," a Playmates spokesperson said, on condition of anonymity, "we are not now, nor have we ever been, planning, or planning to cancel, our impending cancellation of the cancelled line. This is completely untrue. Any rumors to that effect, or to the contrary, are baseless lies and are not to be believed, whether they have been proven or disproven. That is our position, unless and until our earlier statements are later confirmed by future history, or refuted, in which case we will disavow all knowledge of those statements and their counterfactual truth, or falsity, in this and all other possible worlds, now and in perpetuity, retroactively, recursively and reflexively. Unless, of course, we change our minds, then all bets are off." When asked to clarify his statements, the Playmates Toys representative denied ever making any denials and retracted all earlier statements, and their denials, before denying the existence of the company itself, its products, employees, stockholders, operating officers and their families. "I want to make this perfectly clear," the Playmates spokesperson said, wagging his finger at the assembled press contingent, "this company has never existed, it is a figment of your collective imagination, and we'll sue all your butts for slander if you say anything different, or if you don't." A DIFFERENT KIND OF COLLECTION THAN MOST - Roberto Playmates Star Trek toy collectors are well known for their completist urges. Some have gone so far as to collect accessory color variations, paint variations, and even sticker placement variations. But by far, the most unusual Playmates Star Trek completist story is that of Dean "The Pin Man" Andrade, who has a near complete collection of corrugated cardboard cases in which the Playmates toys ship to the stores. At his home in East Goddagopee, Wisconsyn, Andrade displays his unusual collection, which he keeps in a spare room that he has set aside just for this collection. Covering three walls is a sea of brown, where each unfolded case is carefully mounted on the wall and even a select few are encased in protective lucite boxes. Along the floor are neat, organized stacks of unfolded cases, arranged by size and case assortment number. He proudly shows off one of the lucite encased cases, a very rare case designed for holding the Playmates Asst.# 2976, Item# 11695-K Star Trek: Generations Enterprise-B Lights and Sound ship. What makes it extra special is that it has apparently never been used. There are no residual tape marks or folding stress marks. As Andrade puts it: "its a virgin case, the most rare variation of cases to be found. No one has ever opened it and put toys inside." When asked how he got started on such an unusual collection, Andrade smiled enthusiastically and explained. "I had gotten a few cases at toy shows when I'd bought some Star Trek toys. There're great for storing toys because that's what they were designed to hold. After a while, I'd built up a small collection of the cases. I noticed some slight variations in some of the cases from the same assortment and this was about the time I was looking for something new to collect. Next thing I knew, I was collecting Playmates Star Trek cases! You wouldn't believe how difficult it is to find information on these cases as apparently collecting them is kinda rare. I started a new website for it, listing all the known variations and asking if anyone knows of something I don't have listed. It's at www.cardboardtrek.com so I urge all other collectors to come visit. I'm really hoping to bring folks together so we can help each other out. I'd almost got Chris Doyle into collecting them as well, but he's suddenly gotten into the karioke thing and isn't interested anymore. He says Jen would kill him if he started taking up room with empty boxes anyway." So now that Andrade is collecting the empty boxes, where does he store his toys? "Oh, I keep them in old computer boxes in my closet. Truth is, I've traded away most of my toy collection for these empty cases. I just find collecting the cases more exotic." Andrade's wife, Deena, is less than enthusiastic about his new found hobby. "I thought his toy collection was a little strange, but it was sweet in a way. At least the toys had an element of fun to them. But these boxes-- I just don't know. They're not very fun to look at, are they? It's as much fun as collecting used gum, I think." She points to a coffee cup stain on one of the boxes and explains that her husband refused to speak to her for two days when she's accidentally left a cup of steaming hot coffee on the box, causing the circular stain. On condition of anonimity, Andrade's mother stated, "he always was an odd duck. Growing up, he had a collection of pencil shavings on display in his room. While all the other kids were out playing baseball, red rover, freeze tag, doctor and post office, Dean stayed inside and watched Star Trek reruns while shaving down pencils for his collection. It was tragically lost when his father 'accidentally' set it on fire when Dean was about sixteen or so." So what does the future hold for carton boy? "Well, I'm still missing some cases from the Asst.#7448 SpaceTalk series collection and a few other assortments here and there to fill in the gaps. And I'm always looking for virgin cases as well. The ToyFare cases are some of the toughest to find since they were never sent to the stores or dealers. It breaks my heart to think of all those warehouse workers throwing out perfectly good collectible corrugated boxes. Some people just don't know the cardboard gold they have." CLASSIFIEDS LOST AND FOUND LOST: Star Trek toy license. If found, please contact Playmates Toys representive. Cash reward! 1-917-WENOSEL LOST: Playtrekker of the Month nominations and awards. What happened? Has this thing ever gone smoothly? Help desperately needed. Contact anyone at playtrek@world.std.com with information. FOUND: Pants! Female pants in varying styles available. Most are in good, unstained condition. One denim pair has a flower shaped patch on one buttock and the word "Aries" stitched into the other. Call if you're not wearing pants! 1-817-999-2690 and ask for Loren. FOR SALE: Now's the opportunity for a lucritive deal in Star Trek toy licensing. Be the first to issue the 4.5" and 9" TOS crew in red movie uniform and cash in on Playmates Toys missed opportunities! Other potential winners are 9" Torres, Neelix, Kes, Yar and Quark. Plus, the ever popular and extremely high demand Enterprise-A. Only $1,000,000 per year for the license. Call 1-800-4VIACOM for more information. FOR SALE: Ultra rare Janeway from "Flashback". Be the first to own this rare collectible only for sale in Florida. $30 or best offer. Contact Fleance at 1-212-FORSALE. WANTED TO BUY OR TRADE: Do you have any empty Playmates Star Trek toy cases lying around? Don't throw them away! I will pay you good money for them. I'm also willing to trade various Star Trek toys as well. Contact Dean Andrade at trekcases@cardboardtrek.com with case sizesand assortment numbers stamped on the side of the box. Let's deal! WANTED TO TRADE: Mint in box Species 8472 twin pack for a Mint in box Species 867-5309 twin pack. Must be from the 1980s. Please contact Casey Kassem at email address: gone@forgotten.com WANTED TO BUY: MOC Warp Factor Series 4 Kang action figure. Must be prepared for battle. To the death. Contact via email, Klingon Warrior Worf, at: imawimp@life.com REWARD: $1000 cash reward for anyone who can come up with a last name for which people won't continually tease me. No fruit or vegetable variations please. Contact Charles Apple at newname@hotmail.com ANNOUNCEMENT: Attention all Playtrek humans. The Sleestak need eternal darkness so that the sacred Altrusian moth can multiply and feed our young with the knowledge of the universe. Roberto, your leader, will remain captive in the Sleestak egg caves until a Playtrek human finds the secret to the pylon that controls the sun, and brings eternal darkness to the valley. You have three days-- or until the eggs hatch. ANNOUNCEMENT: The Playtrekker formerly known as Russell Yim-- and still known as Russell Yim, has been located. After "temporarily" signing off Playtrek to visit the Disney studios in California, he met Sheena Easton at a local restaurant. They hit it off and in a whirlwind affair were married just two weeks later. Yim sold off his Star Trek toy collection and he and Sheena Yim bought a small Pacific island with the profits. They just celebrated the birth of their first child, Worf Mickey Yim. SWF MOC Counselor Deanna Troi ISO SWM likewise MOC strong, handsome malecompanion to spend quality time with. Must be available between movie production hiatus. Must like romantic sunsets, taking bubble baths, walks on the beach, playing with pink phasers, living within plastic bubbles, examining each others articulation. Only requirement: must be 9". Contact me at peg #14, figure #3 of Chris Doyle's collection.