A Few Steps Toward Safer Online Shopping

As toy collectors, many of us shop online regularly. For some items, that's the only chance we have to acquire them. Sure, you could hold off and hope to find something at a convention somewhere, but that often means never tracking down what you want or paying more than market value when you do. Besides, what's more convenient than a few clicks and delivery to your front door? So to the interweb we go. One of the unfortunate realities of online shopping is the risk of credit card fraud, and the collecting world has been reminded of that reality once again. There's no stopping it. The best locks can be picked, and the best virtual security can be breached. It happens every day to companies large and small. All we can do is protect ourselves as best we can while preparing for the possibility of our card numbers falling into the wrong hands. For anyone who may be interested, here are a few steps you can take to guard your finances as effectively as possible.

• The first step you should take is to avoid shopping online with a debit card, or at least with a debit card connected to your bill money. Credit cards offer an extra buffer between your money and criminal activity, as you're not actually out anything while waiting on your bank to reverse fraudulent charges. If you cannot qualify for - or simply don't want - a credit card, you may wish to consider opening a second checking account for online purchases. You can move money into another account instantly via online banking with most institutions and keep your rent, mortgage, utility, or car payment cash separate from the secondary account. Even though your bank will return the money to your account, you don't want to be caught in the middle of that process when bills are due. You could also keep the bulk of your money in a savings account, but some of those have restrictions on the number of outgoing transfers in a given time period. Short of a credit card, two checking accounts might be the best option for many people.
  
  
• Bank of America credit card holders can enjoy an additional layer of security for their cards by taking advantage of the company's ShopSafe feature. This allows you to generate a temporary card number with a spending limit and expiration date of your choosing. Your actual credit card number is never exposed to retailers or would-be bandits, thus protecting you from the hassle of even having to get a new card if data is compromised.
  
  
• Prepaid cards are another option for people looking to take more precautions. These will certainly limit your exposure, but they're not terribly convenient for everyone. If none of the above options work for your situation, however, this could be a viable payment method that would allow you to feel more secure when shopping online.
  
  
• Credit card numbers aren't the only potentially sensitive information stored in our online profiles. There's been some concern about user account passwords in recent discussion. Many would be surprised by the number of large companies that store customers' account passwords without any encryption. Passwords used for your checking accounts, credit cards, mortgages, auto loans, investment accounts, and PayPal should never be the same as the passwords you use for forums, e-tailers, social networking, or entertainment portals (Netflix, iTunes, etc.). There are laws that require financial institutions to protect online login information with certain safeguards, but those laws do not apply to other sites.
  
  

It's only a matter of time before another collector-driven business becomes the target of thieves. Credit card theft will strike those of us who enjoy this hobby once again, but we can learn from these incidents and take steps to minimize the impact it can have on our lives. Knowledge, preparation, and a bit of personal responsibility can go a long way. At the end of the day, using a credit card instead of a debit card means a bit of frustration, a phone call, and a short wait for a new card when it happens again. If you're looking for some extra peace of mind, though, hopefully some of the above suggestions will help you find it.

One final note: If you're going on vacation, don't forget to let your card issuer know about your travel plans. This is especially true for those of us who had to get new cards recently, as banks could place more scrutiny on our purchases. Many of us will be heading to New Orleans in June, and I speak from experience when I say it's no fun to have a card locked down while on the road. This simple step can save you a lot of aggravation.

The Little Drummer Boba

Cloned on Kamino (pa-rum-pum-pum-pum),

Only son of Jango (pa-rum-pum-pum-pum),

A Jedi killed my pops (pa-rum-pum-pum-pum),

He sliced his head right off (pa-rum-pum-pum-pum, rum-pum-pum-pum, rum-pum-pum-pum).

I will avenge him (pa-rum-pum-pum-pum),

With laser guns.


Do what I must do (pa-rum-pum-pum-pum),

To get to Mace Windu (pa-rum-pum-pum-pum),

And bring about his doom (pa-rum-pum-pum-pum),

Plant a bomb in his room (pa-rum-pum-pum-pum, rum-pum-pum-pum, rum-pum-pum-pum),

Blow him to pieces (pa-rum-pum-pum-pum),

Jedi scum.


Disguised as a cadet (pa-rum-pum-pum-pum),

My name is Boba Fett (pa-rum-pum-pum-pum),

It seemed all hope was lost (pa-rum-pum-pum-pum),

But I was rescued by Bossk (pa-rum-pum-pum-pum, rum-pum-pum-pum, rum-pum-pum-pum),

I end up sarlacc food (pa-rum-pum-pum-pum),

That's no fun. :-(

2011: The Year My G.I. JOE "Wish List" Was Massacred

With Hasbro's NYCC reveal of a BBTS-exclusive Dreadnoks seven pack, they've managed to cover over half the figures on my wish list this year.

1) Zanya
2) Zarana
3) Zandar
4) Road Pig
5) Thrasher
10) Lifeline

That just leaves four of my top wants I've previously listed waiting their turn.

6) Billy
7) Jinx
8) modern, urban combat Stalker with no beret (add "no dreadlocks" to that request)
9) female Cobra Troopers, Vipers, Crimson Guards, or Iron Grenadiers (any of these will do)

Zanzibar, Burnout, and Mercer are all icing on the cake. Gnawgahyde ranks near the bottom of my least favorite G.I. JOE characters, but he won't be hurting anyone packed away in a box somewhere. While not as big a deal to me as Mercer, Red Dog and Taurus will certainly be welcome additions to my collection. I'm more thrilled about Zanya than anything; it's great that Hasbro is still reaching into those comics for figures. That's something I've really wanted to see them do. I still want more DDP-era characters like Firewall, Daemon, Mayday, Sparks, Heart-Wrencher, Mistress Armada, and Alexander McCullen, but none of them are a real priority for me. It is time for a new wish list, though, even if most of the characters on it won't be as big a deal to me as what we're getting in the Dreadnoks pack.

1) Billy
2) Jinx
3) modern, urban combat Stalker with no beret or dreadlocks
4) female Cobra Troopers, Vipers, Crimson Guards, or Iron Grenadiers
5) Darklon
6) Big Boa
7) Soft Master
8) Blind Master
9) General Flagg
10) General Philip Rey

I realize those last four are wishful thinking, but it is a "wish" list. While we might see a Blind Master figure in the movie sequel line, I'm sure it won't look anything like the comic character. To be perfectly honest, though, seeing Jinx and Billy would make me a completely content G.I. JOE collector. Everything after those two would just be gravy. Darklon, however, is a tremendously cool character and comes with a unique concept as the ruler of his own nation. I would love to see a Darklonian faction become a major player in the G.I. JOE universe.

We're Not Hasbr-Owed Exclusive Toys

So Hasbro's Comic-Con exclusives were sold at HasbroToyShop this morning, and many people were unable to complete the checkout process. This is nothing new. The same thing happened when we were all trying to buy the variant Cobra Commander from 2008. That didn't stop the internet from overflowing with Nerd Rage, though. All the, "I'm done with G.I. JOE!" anger really isn't much of a surprise, but some people seriously need a bit of perspective.

1) These are limited edition items. No one was guaranteed anything, and the word from the show was that quantities would be - wait for it - limited.

2) Just a few short years ago, manufacturers didn't make exclusives available online to people who had not attended the shows. The exclusives were, you know, exclusive. This is an opportunity for a few people to get the items at the original price, not a promise of a Zarana for everyone at $15.

3) All those of us who didn't go to SDCC did this morning was sit on our asses in front of computer screens. People paid to travel to San Diego, paid to get into SDCC, stood in lines for hours, and still missed them. If people who invested a ton of time and money to attend the event for which the exclusives were created in the first place missed out, then exactly why should anyone be feeling sorry for themselves over missing what was already a slim chance online this morning? And more importantly, why should anyone else have any sympathy for you?

Hobbies are supposed to be fun. If yours makes you angry or unhappy, you really, honestly should find something else to occupy your time. And no, I wasn't successful in trying to get what I wanted this morning, either. And yes, I had what I wanted in my cart for over forty-five minutes while I tried to get through the checkout. Big. Fucking. Deal. It's just a toy, and if I want it badly enough (which I do), I'll pay market value to acquire one. If I didn't want it enough to pay that much, I'd be fine living without it. Would it have been nice to get a limited variant for way less than market value? Obviously. Not getting it for the low price is no reason to get angry, though. Not getting a toy is no big deal. What is disappointing is seeing adults who share my interests behaving like spoiled, self-entitled brats.

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to add some Cold Slither Zarana auctions to my watch list on eBay.

Let My Ninjas Live

It's something I've seen and heard more times than I care to remember, and it's popped up a lot recently since Lorenzo di Bonaventura described the next G.I. JOE movie by saying, "Well, the ninja fans are going to love it." I'm talking about anti-nijaism among some G.I. JOE fans. It's not enough to say, "I don't like ninjas," either. A tactic employed by those with an anti-ninja agenda is to repeatedly use words like "we" and "us," presuming to speak for the entire fandom with their complaints.

We don't like ninjas. We want JOE to be pure military! Ninjas don't even exist, and how can we enjoy G.I. JOE if it's not bound by strict realism? We hated it when Snake-Eyes was revealed to be a ninja. Who gave Hasbro the right to change one of our favorite characters without consulting us? The fans don't like ninjas! This isn't what we want!

Like a politician saying, "what the American people want," instead of, "what my party wants," these purveyors of anti-ninjaite rhetoric would have you believe all G.I. JOE fans are united in a bond of hatred. The way they tell it, "we" want all soldiers, all the time. Some want more, though, and it's time for those of us who accept and even embrace ninjas to stand up and be heard (or read, as the case may be). Like it or not, ninjas are a huge part of the G.I. JOE vs. Cobra mythology, and that was established as early as G.I. JOE #10 when we first learned of Snake-Eyes' ninjatastic past.


Enter the ninja.

Ninjas were a significant part of A Real American Hero for the overwhelming majority of its wildly successful run in the '80s. Why did they have to change Snake-Eyes from the commando all of us loved to a ninja? That's not what we wanted! I don't think "we" were having the same adventures with our toys as kids. Snake-Eyes was already my favorite JOE, but learning that he was an American ninja just made him even cooler. And you know what? He's still a commando, only he's extra awesome, because he's a ninja commando. I wouldn't have found G.I. JOE to be nearly as captivating if it wasn't for the villains in absurd costumes, biker gangs, and yes, the ninjas. All these elements helped G.I. JOE become more than just a line of toy soldiers.

A preference for the military aspect of G.I. JOE isn't surprising, but it's pointless to pretend like G.I. JOE would even still be G.I. JOE without the ninjas, the Dreadnoks, or Cobra. These are all vital ingredients that made the property what it is. You know what wasn't? Realism! If anyone wants a straight, no-nonsense line of military action figures, I'd recommend these. They're very nice, but I'd be more inclined to collect them if they had some (lots of) ninjas.

No one has to be an anti-ninjaite. It's never too late to let go of the prejudices and hate. Anyone can still learn to think of ninjas like Snake-Eyes, Storm Shadow, Jinx, and Kamakura as badasses, which they fucking are. Many of us love the ninja aspect of the JOE universe just as much as the military theme, and we wouldn't be as enthusiastic about the brand without them. Somewhere deep inside each and every one of us is an inner child who once played with throwing stars from the army surplus store because our parents were irresponsible, awesome, or both. Who wouldn't like to set that recklessly unsupervised kid free? Doesn't he - or she- deserve to come out and play in a world with ninjas?

So until next time, Yo Ninja!


How many ninjas is too many? Trick question. You can never have too many ninjas.

Fighting for Freedom Wherever There's Trouble

Americans like to celebrate our independence by blowing up stuff, and I'm no exception. Here's my contribution to the destruction, my Independence Day Assault set on Flickr.


Trust me, it gets worse for that Cobra H.I.S.S. I tried using M-150s first, but as you can see in the COBRA H.I.S.S. vs. M-150s video, that didn't cause nearly enough devastation.

Some HeroesCon 2011 Photos

I go to HeroesCon every year with the intention of taking more photos. And every year, I get so caught up chatting with people, buying art, looking at toys, and digging through boxes of comics that I pretty much forget I even have a camera on me. I did manage to take a few pictures this year, which you can see in my HeroesCon 2011 Flickr set. When I say I took a few photos, though, that's exactly what I mean.

Listening Is Half the Battle

I don't listen to many podcasts, but I thought I'd let people know about one I do enjoy, What’s on JOE Mind? Starring Greg (Crosshair), Gary (cmderinchief), Chuck (chuckdawg1999), and Justin (General Hawk) of GeneralsJoes.com, What’s on JOE Mind? covers the hobby of G.I. JOE collecting. The focus is on the Hasbro action figure lines, but they also discuss the cartoons, comics, and all other aspects of the hobby. Everything from interviewing special guests to talking about this week's new toy acquisitions, they bring the G.I. JOE property to your speakers and/or headphones every week. Most importantly, they have fun with it, and that makes for a fun listening experience. They're up to their eighth episode, so if you haven't checked out their show yet, this is a great time to catch up on everything you've missed.

X-Force

More Crossing the streams additions, this time featuring Asajj Ventress and Wolverine.

Mortal Kombat

More additions to Crossing the streams, my photoset on Flickr. This time it's Spider-Man vs. Storm Shadow, and someone isn't walking away from this one.


The Last Son of Krypton goes up against the Devourer of Worlds.

Crossing the streams...

Blurring the lines between universes in a new set on Flickr.

The Hard Truth About Comic and Toy Geeks

Back in 2004, Chris Rock recorded his Grammy-winning Never Scared album and HBO special in Washington, D.C. He spent some time joking about relationships and women in particular, but when I listen to his jokes, I can't help hearing the whining voices of comic fans and toy collectors instead. And since it's Chris Rock in the video, it's probably not safe for your office.


Just substitute collectors or fans for women and tell me you don't hear a familiar tune. Any rational fan who takes time out of his/her day to talk toys on the interweb will soon begin to suspect that those of us who actually enjoy our hobby are in the minority. And forget about comic book fans, who so often come off more as detractors than fans. I'm not so sure that the guys and gals having fun really are a minority, but the people having anything but fun are certainly loud enough to drown out everyone else at times. The hard truth about comic and toy geeks is that many are more interested in collecting reasons to complain than collecting, you know, comics and toys.

Why did DC kill so-and-so? They're always killing my favorite characters! I hate this shit!

Why did Marvel bring so-and-so back to life? Why can't they leave dead characters dead? I hate this shit!

Why are there so many different covers that I don't even have to buy? They're so greedy. I hate this shit!

Why do I have to buy so many books just to keep up with the continuity? I can't afford all this. All they care about is money. I hate this shit!

Why do they release so many books that don't affect the larger continuity? I don't want to read anything that's not important. I hate this shit!

Why does Hasbro reuse so many parts and release so many repaints I'm in no way obligated to purchase? I hate this shit!

Why doesn't Mattel make more new characters with existing tooling? I hate this shit!

I went to the store and some scalper had already bought all the new figures. Why can't they leave some of what they want to buy and got to first for other people? I hate this shit!

Why doesn't my comic book store have more back issues? I don't want to look at toys and statues. I hate this shit!

Why does my comic book store waste so much space on back issues? I'll buy trades if I want to read old ass stories. I hate this shit!

Why is so-and-so writing Superman? He doesn't know how to write Superman! I hate this shit!

Why is this web site covering independent titles? I'm not interested in books that aren't about superheroes. I hate this shit!

Why doesn't my store always have what I want in stock when I walk into the toy aisles? Hasbro and/or Mattel suck! I hate this shit!

Why does Hasbro short-pack the army builders? I'm sick of never finding the twenty of one figure that I want at the first store I check. I hate this shit!

Why does Hasbro put so many army builders in one case? I'm sick of seeing them clogging up the pegs. I hate this shit!

Why do Mattel's figures have so little articulation? I can't put my toys in ballet poses if the toes aren't articulated. I hate this shit!

Why do Hasbro's figures have so much articulation? All these joints are confusing me. I hate this shit!

Why doesn't Mattel pack more accessories with their figures? Why can't we get a little value for our money? I hate this shit!

Why does Hasbro pack so many accessories with their figures? They come with more than they can hold or carry. I can't stand having display options or getting more value. I hate this shit!

Why is this artist drawing Batman? His style is too cartoony. I hate this shit!

Why is this artist drawing X-Men? Her style is too realistic. I hate this shit!

Why is what I want a convention exclusive? Why can't I get all the same things everyone else gets without so much as getting off my ass? I hate this shit!

Why does Hasbro charge so much for new vehicles? I'm waiting for these to go on clearance before I buy them. I hate this shit!

Why doesn't Mattel make more vehicles for the few of us who will actually pay full price for them? I hate this shit!

Why do toys cost so much now? Why should I have to pay for the rising cost of labor and materials? They should eat that and make less profit. I hate this shit!

Why aren't these toys painted and assembled perfectly every time? They should all be made in America without increasing prices. I hate this shit!

Why was my favorite comic that I illegally downloaded every month canceled? I hate this shit!

Why is my favorite action figure line ending five years after the final episode of its corresponding cartoon aired? I hate this shit!

And so on, and so on, and so on, ad nauseam.

There Is No Dana, Only Hasbro

With another Toy Fair coming to an end tomorrow, I can feel my wallet getting lighter already.

Other than the first couple of Episode III waves in 2005, I haven't actively collected STAR WARS figures since 2003. The more I shopped for The Clone Wars figures for this little Clone Trooper's Christmas presents, though, the more they grew on me. So while I was in Toys Я Us on January 28, I picked up my first four figures from the line. I bought my fifth at another store just a few miles down the highway. Less than three weeks later, I have over twenty of the things. So in addition to waiting for G.I. JOE and Marvel Universe news, now I was eager to see what was coming from that line, too. Hasbro did not disappoint. Does that mean I loved and will buy everything shown? Of course not, but I prefer to focus on toys that I do like. Here are some of my favorite highlights of the reveals from those three lines.



And check out these great G.I. JOE: Renegades toys over at Generals Joes. How great is that Cobra Commander figure? The company's products continue to impress.

Meanwhile, Mattel announced that 2011 would be the last year for their only line I collect, Justice League Unlimited. That writing has been on the wall for some time now, and they've done wonders with the character selection in the Bruce Timm style. It's no surprise that the line is winding down, and you won't get any complaints from me. I do wish they'd find a way to do something more with the DC license, though, specifically in the 3¾" scale. It looks like I'm on my way to being a Hasbro-only collector, though, at least when it comes to mainstream retail brands.

And special thanks to Yodasnews, The Terror Drome, Generals Joes, ToyNewsi, and Action Figure Insider for keeping the rest of us informed during Toy Fair.

The Customer Is Often Stupid

While covering eBay analyst day today, eBay blogger Richard Brewer-Hay (@ebayinkblog) posted these comments on Twitter.

Quote: 1. Many shoppers prefer free shipping. This is becoming a base-level expectation for ecommerce #ebayinc 2. One third of eBay Q4 sold items had free shipping up nicely over the last two years. #ebayinc

If I interpreted correctly, he was repeating sentiments expressed by Christopher Payne, "head of North America eBay marketplaces."

Well, who wouldn't prefer anything that's free? The problem with this thinking is that shipping is never "free." No matter how it's described to you on a web site, you're paying for it. Whether it's a brick and mortar store, Amazon, or a seller on eBay, every cost of doing business is always passed along to the customer. Always. The "free" shipping option on Amazon is no exception. It just means their profit margins are high enough that whatever economy shipping method they use is built into the price, as long as you spend at least $25 on your order.

And that's true of any Buy It Now item on eBay with "free" shipping, too. The seller has already factored his/her cost to ship and built it into the price. Most sellers who offer free shipping on auctions have built it into their opening bids. Find some who didn't, and you could get very lucky. Those sellers don't tend to last long, though, unless they're selling "hot" widgets that will almost always command good bids and listing them with proper titles, descriptions, and photos. You're far less likely to get a great deal in those cases, though.

How does encouraging sellers to offer "free" shipping benefit eBay? First, they want to compete with the Amazon model. There's nothing wrong with that, but until eBay gives indepedent sellers the boot and manages all the inventory and sales themselves, that's never going to happen. All those shipping supplies Amazon uses? They pay a lot less for that stuff than you or I will pay, and they get the discounted prices for the same reason they get discounts on books and movies. They buy in volume, the kind of volume most eBay sellers will never dream of doing. Second, eBay doesn't collect fees on added shipping charges. If the cost to ship is built into the price, that's better for eBay's bottom line.

What does that mean for shoppers? Remember the part about all costs of business being passed to customers? eBay fees are no exception. Sellers are prohibited from adding a surcharge for eBay fees, but the shipping, handling, and eBay fees are built into the price. A "free" shipping offer means additional eBay fees are in the price of your item. If Seller A has Wanted Item for a $24.99 Buy It Now price with "free" shipping, but Seller B has Wanted Item for $19.99 and $2.99 shipping, are there really buyers who will prefer the listing with "free" shipping? Don't doubt it for a second.

There are two kinds of shoppers who prefer "free" shipping: those without any understanding of how business works and those who suck at math. The rest of us just want the best deal, and we couldn't care less how it's calculated.

Little Darth Vader Volkswagen Commercial

This is one of the cutest ad spots you'll ever see. I imagine they'll show this during the Super Bowl on Sunday. If so, it's guaranteed to be the year's best.