I think everybody, except the artists, took my advice. The listings on eBay are a real dumpster fire. For example, look at this listing. It made me realize I am the asshole. I keep expecting change.
The first auction, M.u.s.c.l.e. lot, rare class B, sunshine, kinnikuman, buffaloman, Robin mask, doesn’t care about logic. Nor reason. Nor expert opinion.
They only care about selling it for the most money.
And I’m the asshole. I’m the asshole for suggesting the price is too high. I’m the asshole for suggesting collectors should be patient. I’m the asshole for thinking this is a bad listing.
I could try to use reason, and logic, and data to support my idea. I could try to support the idea that $40 for seven figures, a few ounces of plastic, is stupid.
But that’s not what people want to hear. That’s not what they want to see.
They want to be congratulated for their purchase. They want to share their purchase. They want other people to like it.
The second auction, Lil Wrestlin Muscle Punk, will cost you $21.
Forget learning about the figure. Forget about the original price. Forget that it is a two figure set.
It only matters if you are happy. You the buyer. You the seller.
Anybody that says or thinks differently than you is an asshole. That’s it.
“Wait a minute. Don’t you call people the Asshole of the Week?”
Yes, it is meant to be a farce. Those listings are comically insane.
I’m an asshole for thinking everybody would get that idea.
I’m the asshole for thinking that M.U.S.C.L.E. collectors cared more than knowing, “Is this rare?”
I’m the asshole for thinking the third auction, Kinkeshi Nakano-san Mr. Nakano Figure M.U.S.C.L.E. men Kinnikuman 1980s Rare, is interesting. I’m the asshole for wondering if it is an error or a tortured M.U.S.C.L.E. figure. I’m the asshole for thinking this would be interesting to discuss and talk about.
It’s not Class A. It’s not expensive. And nobody is going to freak out when you share your purchase.
But I don’t mind being the asshole. I don’t mind sharing my opinion. I don’t mind telling people I think they are wrong – and using data to support it. I like conflict. I like disagreements. I like failure. I think it leads to progress, learning, and improvement.
I wanted to put the song below as the final piece of this Auction Watch.
But I did that before. Further proof that I’m still an asshole. I keep expecting change. I hope you do too.
#1 by Lucas on June 3, 2020 - 11:38 am
That Nakano looks like he got his hand caught in a curling iron. Long exposure to low-level heat and pressure are the likely culprits to that deformity.
I would definitely vote torture over factory error.
#2 by Chad Perry on June 3, 2020 - 11:42 am
I was thinking it was possibly chewed on. Maybe?
#3 by Scott on June 3, 2020 - 11:02 pm
There is probably no better word to express distaste of another than the word asshole. Sure there are more vulgar words, but asshole seems to do the trick every time and in most situations. For example while driving..”that asshole just cut me off”. The word asshole was used, by my count 14 times in this post and to me it caught my attention and kept me interested in all the words between each “asshole”. Kudos for that. I hope the asshole who buys him knows the microphone won’t work!
#4 by Scott on June 4, 2020 - 7:16 pm
Sooooo with the opening bid and shipping, deformity hand guy is commanding a $9.79 price. Manufacturing defect..chewed on..at this point I am sitting alone in a dimly lit room with a swinging light bulb. All my m.u.s.c.l.e. men laid out on a rusty metal table. As I look into the items in my tool box, I ask myself “what could make this plastic more valuable?” I shake my head to clear it and the revelation comes to me……EBAY!!