Alen Yen's Toybox DX

SUMMIT CAPSULE REVIEW
by Roger Harkavy
Photo Help from Ted Terranova

FRIDAY NIGHT:
While discussing the next day's events with Ted Terranova, I watch the telephone pole down the street EXPLODE in a tremendous shower or green and blue sparks. After a full minute of astonished screaming peppered liberally with copious profanity (Ted listens without flinching, he's from Long Island), I hang up with him and investigate the situation outside. A tree has fallen across the road and whacked a transformer (the electrical type, not the Takara type). Looking at the wires strewn about, I realize that there's a good chance we will not have power for the Summit tomorrow. A bad omen? Feh. We don't need no stinkin' electricity for chogokin stuff.

Matt shows up about a half-hour later. I flag him down with a flashlight and we head to the store to get needed disaster supplies (batteries and Kwanzaa candles). Back at the house, he checks out The Harkavy Collection. The Dunbines cast eerie shadows in the candlelight. Matt's "trade pile" is broken out, and for some reason his Popy 8-Chan has really caught my eye. I hold it, check out the transformation action. Strangely enough, this goofy thing is growing on me.

In the interest of getting to a toy show early the next day, we sack out before midnight. Despite the sounds of chainsaws running down the street, I manage to get to sleep. 8-Chan visits me in my dreams. He talks to me, a feature I wasn't aware the toy had. "I like this place. I want to stay here. No matter what I need you to do, I will just ask and you'll happily take on the task! That's right - you'd do well to follow Matt's example! Clear a spot for me next to your VOTOMS kite."

At 5:00, I wake up as a few of the lights come on. I check the thermostat. It's 53 degrees.

SATURDAY MORNING:
Show time! Matt and I have no problem finding where it's being held. Each aisle there has literally tons of toy trains, dolls, and new Star Wars figures available at twice the retail price for stupid eager beavers. It's pretty dry for chogokin stuff, but we do see a couple of 24" Shogun Warriors and some of the smaller die-cast versions. Nothing too hardcore. There are grumblings among a few of the dealers about the Beanie Baby market collapsing...

One thing this show is lacking: funnel cake.

Being the stupid eager beaver I am, I pick up a new Star Wars Darktrooper figure. It's kick-ASS. I also snag a bootleg die-cast X-Wing (with the engines on backwards) and a Jumbo Machinder version of the Oscar Meyer Weinermobile.

SATURDAY AFTERNOON:
Summit time! Once again, Matt and I have no problem finding where it's being held. Ted, Marc, and Alex all show up in about five minutes, which makes for a really hectic round of first introductions. Pizza is consumed, the Harkavy Collection gets it's introduction in broad daylight, and I distribute the "convention exclusives". The guys seem really happy with these, and that makes me happy. If no one traded anything today, I didn't want people to come all this way and go back home empty handed.

Trading in the living room begins, fast and furious. The "bring your trade pile" suggestion was a good one! Everyone does at least one deal with everyone else. I get a set of SD Chogokin pencil toppers from Alex, and two Machine Robos from Ted. After greasing Matt's palm, I manage to liberate his iron grip on 8-Chan...

Things calm down, we start talking about chogokin, the hobby, collecting in general. Time passes.

SATURDAY EVENING:
The sun is set and folks are starting to disperse. Ted and Alex follow me over to Outer Limits, where we schmooze with Steve and talk about the kind of stuff that comes through there. Ted nearly gives himself a hernia hauling out three bags of really neat Spawn figures. Alex and Ted live relatively nearby, so I let them know that I can meet them the next time they hit Outer Limits.

By this time, I am tired and hungry, but there is a definite sense of contentment that today's events constituted A Good Thing. The Summit was a success. People got to meet face-to-face, trade, but best of all, truly commune and commiserate about this hobby that Matt says "has our soul in a vice-like grip".

I wouldn't have it any other way.

My sincere thanks goes out to the folks who participated, and to the many others who were there in spirit. Keep the faith!

Stay tuned for details on Northeast-Tristate Chogokin Summit 98 1/2!

-- Roger

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