Does anybody read this stuff?

Is There a Doctor in the House?

2009-10-25T19:42:00.000-07:00

I don't keep up on many "new" things these days, and action figures are no exception. There is one series, however, that I can't resist: Doctor Who.

I've been a fan for years and years. I used to stay up late on Saturday and catch the Fourth Doctor's merry scarf-clad adventures every week. I walked around my first year of college wearing a long coat and scarf and calling myself a time lord. On days I wasn't doing that, I wore a leather jacket and insulated cap, yelling to my friends "Hey! Smeghead!" because I was also obsessed with Red Dwarf. Can you believe I had no problem ever getting a date? In fact quite the opposite. Really. I'm not kidding. Anyway, I always wanted Doctor Who toys, but alas they were few and far between.

Fast forward to today, and the Doctor Who revival. Not only are there action figures of the new series (which is a lot of fun) but there are retro figures as well. Here's a quick snapshot of the ones I keep out on a shelf above the TV.

That's a mixture of 12" and regular figures, and the big Dalek and red Dalek are both radio controlled. I've got many, many more...nearly a complete set. Most of them are in a box that my daughter and I play with. She's a fan too. The Flight Control Tardis is one of the best toys ever. I nearly cried when I saw it. (ok, not really, but I thought to myself "this is really cool! I should totally cry now")

They're not exactly simple to find, but not hard either...especially online. My two rock-solid reliable sources are jrstoyworld.com and whona.com. Both have amazing fast service. I usually get my order in three days. My local Hastings (book/music/video chain) carries them too, so if you have one of those you might check it out. They're a little pricier there, but I suppose with shipping it probably all evens out. I thought they were expensive, but then I saw what Wal-Mart and Target charge for Star Wars action figures these day. Now they seem like a pretty good deal.

Still waiting for Red Dwarf toys......

More details to follow...I hope....I just wanted to put this out there and maybe spark some conversation with people. (DJdeTrainman, you out there?)

One More Thing...

2009-10-23T21:06:00.000-07:00

I have never owned a Micronaut. I was born just late enough to barely miss them.

Today I hit the jackpot. I went to a strange little garage sale fundraiser event in a shopping mall. They had a bunch of Micronauts stuff used but in original boxes. Basically, for $15.50 I left with a trash bag full of Micronauts gear.

I have barely begun to sort it out...figures, vehicles, magnets...it's all new to me. Nothings is "perfect" as in mint and complete, but there's definitely the start of an awesome collection. Any fans out there?

A Year!?!? Really!?!?

2009-10-23T20:50:00.000-07:00

I have not been on here in a year, more or less.

Why? Well let me tell you. I am a secret agent. I was on a secret mission, and I was captured. After I escaped, I wandered through the jungle for months. I lived off of what I could find...bugs, roots, the occasional rodent. It was a rough life, but I really feel like I found myself out there. I now know that I must dedicate my life to helping....oh, nevermind. That's all just stuff I made up. Really I've just been more interested in spending time with my family and doing other things besides sitting at a computer.

I started this as a Star Wars blog, but I got Star Wars burnout. I really only care about the OT and vintage collecting. The new stuff is fine, but not for me.

My action figure collecting got pushed aside in favor of spending time with my family.

Overall, I just haven't had anything to say.

Then came model trains.

Yep, trains. I love model trains. I always have. When I was very young, I pushed my Dad's junked Lionel around the garage floor. When I was older, I got into HO scale. I've never really felt like I could explore both my sci-fi, comic book, nerd side and my rural, railroad fan, backwoodsy side at the same time. As I get older, I start to appreciate it all. It's all good stuff. There's no reason it can't all work together.

I've been posting on model train sites a lot lately, and it's been a lot of fun. So now, as time allow, I'll add this to the plethora of topics I discuss here. Just think of it as yet another side to the complex individual that is me.

So let me say "hey" to Anthony, NoelCT, and my new friend DJdeTrainman, if he finds his way here. I'm still alive and well, just not as loud as I used to be.

Groovy Garage Sale Goodness, or Reasons to Wake Up on a Saturday Morning

2008-10-27T15:35:00.000-07:00

After my last entry on the Sectaurs, I started thinking about all the good luck I've had over the last 5 years at garage sales. In fact, garage sales are second only to ebay in contributing to the growth of my collection. If you've never paid attention to them, try it sometime. Right now isn't the best time of the year (if you live in the Midwest, anyway) but once spring rolls around they'll be back in full force.

Anyway, I'm going to show off some of my best finds and tell how I found them. Maybe they will inspire you to go out and find some deals of your own!

These first pictures are what started it all. Back around the time of Attack of the Clones, I re-dedicated myself to collecting. One drizzly Saturday morning, I rolled up to a friend's garage sale only to find a box full of Star Wars goodies for only $20. Of course I thought he was crazy, but I didn't complain. I just gave him the twenty and went on my way. When I sorted it all out, there was a complete Imperial shuttle, B-Wing, Slave-1 and an incomplete Darth Vader TIE fighter. All vintage. There were also several very rough loose figures. This one find not only restarted my Star Wars collecting, but set me off on the endless garage sale trail for years to come.

This next picture shows a garage sale find that nearly knocked me off my feet. Seriously, my heart skipped a beat when I walked up and saw a Cobra Terror Drome sitting outside the garage. What makes it better? The price. 25 cents. No kidding. Sure, it's not complete, but for only a quarter? I'll take it!

You never know what you'll find and when. One afternoon my family was out doing some shopping at a nearby town, when we noticed some garage sale signs. It was after 1:30 (late by garage sale standards) and the sale was in a very new, modern subdivision. Usually those places have younger kids, and therefore no good toys. This one was the exception. At the back of the garage, in two plastic storage tubs, was this load of Eternian wonderfulness. Sure none of it is complete, but for $4 I got a great back-up MOTU collection for my daughter and I to play with.

This little jewel is another example of not knowing where or when you'll find something. After an unrewarding day at a small city-wide garage sale, I started digging through a trash bag partially full of small toys. It was an interesting mix of mostly 80's happy meal toys and other small "girly" stuff. Then all of the sudden, there he was: an original G1 Transformer Windcharger. I could hardly contain myself. I asked the owner how much, and he said 3 dollars. Not bad, so I went to pay. Then he said, "No, I meant for the whole bag." So for 3 bucks I got not only a nifty vintage Transformer, but some fun stuff for the kid's toybox.

These two came from the same sale. Here's what happened: I rolled up one Saturday morning on one of those sales where the garage is in back of the house. In other words, you can't drive by and get a good idea of what they have. Sometimes I get lazy and pass these up, but I stopped at this one. I'm glad I did! They had four tables of vintage 80's toys! Unfortunately, the sale had started on Friday. They had already sold an entire table full of Star Wars items. I did manage to pick up some Star Wars parts, an old "The force" lightsaber, a couple nice G.I Joes (Stinger driver!)and everything in the pictures above. The Transformers in the first picture are all original, but incomplete. The second picture shows the Boulder Hill playset from MASK...yeah, it's not put together right, but I was too lazy to look up the instructions for just this picture. I'm not sure how complete it is. I just keep it stored away for later restoration. I ended up making all these purchases over two trips. I ran out of cash and had to go back home. In the end I spent less than $30. Not bad for another random stop.

Anyone who reads my blog knows I love comics. I've never really had good luck getting comics at garage sales. The last sale I went to had an ad in the paper advertising comic books, so my family and I went. After getting lost a couple times, we finally found the place...by the way, that Rand McNally guy needs to update his maps. As we pulled up to the place, I said to my wife, "I'll bet all they've got are some overpriced Archie comics." Guess what? That's exactly what they had. A big binder full of clear plastic sleeves containing beat-up, ragged Archie comics. The owners swore they were worth 30-60 dollars each. Unbelievable. No offense to Archie, but he's not high on my list. The examples above are the kind of things I like to find at garage sales...the old oversized digest style books. They're just fun. Like comics in general, they used to be widely available and cheap. Those were the good old days. These examples cost me only a buck each, so that makes things even better.

Readers of this blog may not now of my other collecting passion: records. I love vinyl. I try to buy everything I can on vinyl instead of CD. I like the sound, and it's more fun. Over the years, garage sales have yielded more records than I care to count. They're usually extremely cheap. Just last summer I picked up three sealed, unopened records: Poison's Look What the Cat Dragged In, Talking Heads' Stop Making Sense, and the Police's Greatest Hits. All 25 cents. In the picture there are three of my favorite purchases: Jimi Hendrix's Axis Bold As Love, The Beatles' Magical Mystery Tour, and the late great Buddy Miles' Them Changes.

Sometimes you truly can find treasure among trash. This find came from a really trashy garage sale. It looked like they had just tore through the house taking out all the old furniture and junk just to make a sale. Then, sitting on top of a flimsy table, I saw this: a Pioneer LDV-2000 LaserDisc player. They didn't know if it worked, but they only charged me 25 cents for it! I took it home and tried it out...success! It's not the best LD player in the world, but it works. A cheap universal remote will even control it. I've been watching some Robotech discs I got at a collector store on it lately.

Here's something completely random. Anybody remember the TV show Riptide? I barely do. Like so many classic 80's shows, it featured a unique vehicle. Apparently (like I said...I barely remember it) it was a large helicopter called the "Screaming Mimi." Here in all it's 25 cent glory is a die-cast Ertl replica. Why did I buy it? It's 80's, man! Little pieces of nostalgia like this brighten my day.

Finally, here are some Star Wars posters. This same sale had some great late 70's-early 80's sci-fi magazines and picture books. Cheap wall decorations and some great reading...that was good day.

So there you have it. Part one of what may be a continuing series. I see garage sales like a treasure hunt. Indiana Jones looks for ancient relics, I look for slightly newer items. Both are connections to a past long gone. I encourage any collectors to get out and see what's available in their cities and neighborhoods. Remember, the early bird catches the worm, so set your alarm clocks.

Before I go, let me say this: if you're at a good garage sale, and you see a big hairy guy with a Batman hat coming toward you, get out of the way. I treat garage sales like a competitive sport...and I'm not afraid to tackle.

Retro Toybox: Sectaurs--Warriors of Symbion

2008-09-13T19:19:00.000-07:00

You asked for it! Today’s totally terrific topic is:

I was actually inspired to write this for bragging purposes, but more on that later. Here’s the scoop:

Sectaurs were one of the many exceptionally excellent and exciting action figure collections that appeared in that whirlwind of toy-goodness we like to call "the 80's." Officially, they are Sectaurs: Warriors of Symbion, with Symbion being one of those mythical far-away planets that has technology well in advance of ours.

They were created by Coleco in 1984, and their basic story was that the inhabitants of Symbion were affected by genetic experimentation gone wrong. All the people were weird hybrids of insects and humans, and the regular insects were giants that could be ridden like horses. The toy line was accompanied by an animated mini-series (available on YouTube), a Marvel comics mini-series, and other story and activity books. There's more to the story, like some telepathic connective stuff and typical "bad guys trying to take the powerful weapon" storylines, but I'll leave that up to you the readers to discover. I'm going to focus on the toys.

The line was built around 7 inch (eight if you count he antennae) figures which were very sturdy and well articulated. There were the typical good guy/bad guy teams with unique characters. Dargon was leader of the "Shining Realm" and came with an awesome steed named Dragonflyer. Dragonflyer, like other creatures in the series, was half puppet and half electronic toy. The legs of the beast were a pointy black glove, and the slick translucent wings flapped noisily on two AA batteries. All in all, it was perfect. Dargon, and the other characters, could also be purchased with a smaller insect sidekick. There was something for every price range. The "Dark Domain" was led by General Spidrax, who also came with a flying insect steed named Spider-Flyer.

The real gem of the collection, however, was The Hyve. The Hyve was like Castle Greyskull's taller cousin. The giant mountain fortress had a trapdoor, swinging boulder, and puppets of a giant spider and a small rubbery insect.

Notably absent were toys of the female characters. The girls just never got any respect back in those days. I've read that there were female figures planned for the second wave, but unfortunately the line fell victim to the highly competitive toy market of the time.

Now time to show off. Guess what I got today. No really, guess. Guessed it yet? I got the Hyve!!!! It's not entirely complete, but it's in great shape and I paid...wait for it...THREE DOLLARS!!!! Yep, it pays to wake up on a Saturday and go to garage sales. I also have Dargon and Dragonflyer from back in the day. I vividly remember buying it on clearance at Best (anybody remember that place?) one cold winter day with a handful of birthday money. It's been a favorite ever since. A while back I found a bunch of others in a clearance bin at a collector's store for $1 each, in various conditions. They show up on ebay often and it's not too costly to start a decent collection. Well, except for the Hyve. That thing will empty your wallet.

Photo gallery

Here are a few pictures I took of the items in my collection. Sorry about the amateur photography skills.

The Hyve, front and back:

Back row left to right: Mantor w/ Raplor, Zak w/ Bitaur, Dargon, Skito w/ Toxcid. Pinsor w/ Battle Beetle is in front.

Dargon with Dragonflyer:

Well, that's it for now. More random goodness is on the way. Maybe with winter approaching I'll spend more time indoors working on this blog.

Hey! I have a blog!

2008-09-07T19:54:00.000-07:00

Yeah, I haven't really paid any attention to this thing lately. Too much other stuff going on. I know, I promised my readers (all three of you) great articles about interesting things. Oh well, I can't avoid the real world. But seriously, more good stuff will be here soon. No, really. I promise this time.

The Dark Knight

2008-07-20T19:53:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I posted. Sorry, I've been using my computer time to watch MST3K reruns online.

Anyway, about The Dark Knight. Every blogger and critic in the world has already commented on it. All I can say is this: I previously said that Iron Man was the best superhero movie ever. I was wrong. If you haven't seen The Dark Knight, then you need to get off the computer right now and go to the theater. Seriously. There is nothing more I can say. It's beautiful, disturbing, loud, meaningful...and a whole bunch of other adjectives. Just go see it.

Retro toybox: MANTECH: Robot Warriors

2008-06-24T17:38:00.000-07:00

MANTECH Robot Warriors was a toy line produced in 1984 by the famous Remco toy company, makers of many classics to be discussed later.

The basic idea behind MANTECH is a familiar one: humans augmented with technology. In a similar fashion to the more famous Centurions, MANTECH featured interchangeable parts and weapons. The difference is that all their parts were interchangable...theoretically...more on that later.

Research turns up surprisingly little about these forgotten plastic gems. There were vehicles, a comic book series, tv commercials, a standard good vs. evil storyline, but little else. Unfortunately, the line failed soon amidst the onslaught that was the 1980's toy market.

In my personal collection, I only have two figures. LaserTech (the blue good guy) is one of the few examples of a classic toy I have in the original packaging. I got a great deal on it from ebay last year. SolarTech (the red good guy) is the only one I originally had.

Notice that in none of the pictures above do SolarTech's upper legs detach from the body. Well, they're supposed to, but mine are glued on. Remember when I mentioned that all their parts were interchangeable? Well that's not exactly true. That's how they were advertised, but I found out the hard way that some of the parts are hard, brittle plastic that doesn't work well with the softer, more rubbery parts. I tried to plug the upper leg piece into a shoulder (why? why not? heck, I was a creative kid...) and the peg snapped. SolarTech spent the rest of the 80's with a masking tape pelvis cast--and in exile at the bottom of the toybox.

Each figure came with a comic book--similar to He-Man, Sectaurs, MASK, and about every other line at the time. The book wasn't really a masterpiece of epic literature, it really just gave a quick impression of the basic storyline and character roles (as well as advertise some of Remco's other products.)

So there they are...or were...MANTECH. I remember daydreaming about them and drooling over the commercials, but that goes for a hundred toys from the 80's. If you're looking to start a collection, they do turn up on ebay from time to time. Prices aren't usually too bad either.

That's all for now. Stay tuned for more cartoons, toys, and all the other goodness you've come to expect from this blog!

Retro Cartoon Corner: Flash Gordon

2008-06-19T20:00:00.000-07:00

This is the first entry in a new series of articles spotlighting forgotten cartoons, primarily from the 70's and 80's...but there are really no limits.

Flash! Ah-AAAAhhhh....oh wait, it's not that Flash Gordon. Too bad, I love Queen.

To start off, I really must admit I don't remember this cartoon. According to Wikipedia, it aired from 1979-1980. That means it should have been on in the prime of my sleepy-eyed cereal crunching Saturday morning euphoria, but I missed it. Must have been on the same time as SuperFriends. I never missed SuperFriends. But I digress....

Although "Flash Gordon" is the actual title, it gets referred to as "The New Adventures of Flash Gordon" to avoid confusion. 32 episodes over two seasons was all they had. The first season was originally a TV movie that got cut up into chapters. All of this info is readily available on Wikipedia for those who are interested.

Now the opinion portion of the review. After all, isn't that what the internet is all about? People voicing meaningless opinions in the vain hope someone will listen? Anyway, here's my story: I've had my eye on this series since it was released on DVD, but I didn't want to pay for it. Jump ahead to last Saturday--I stopped by my favorite new and used book/movie/music bargain store, Half Price Books, and after picking up some cheap used vinyl and graphic novels, I noticed a shelf of DVDs. There it was: Flash Gordon, the complete series. Not even used...brand new! And best of all...it was only $6.48! Needless to say, I snatched it up.

So after viewing the first disc (yeah, I know, I should watch it all before reviewing...sue me...no wait, don't....I'm broke...) I have to say that I'm enjoying the show, but it is fairly limited. It's a familiar style Filmation project, so fans of Blackstar, Tarzan, Lone Ranger, etc. will know what to expect. The animation appeals to me, but some find it simple. It's an opinion thing...I'd rather watch this than any anime, but that's me. The story is decent and involves some subtle commentary on cooperation, racism, sexism, and general problem solving. My four-year old daughter thought it was great, so doesn't that say it all?

As with all great shows, there were action figures. They were very simple 3.75" figures that seem to be fairly easy to find on ebay, but not always cheap. I don't own any of them, so I can't really comment on them.

So there's the first quick review. Fans of this site (Fans...ha!...I crack myself up sometimes...) should look forward to future articles on cartoons, action figures, and whatever else crosses my mind. I should also mention that in addition to Flash, Half Price Books also had BlackStar, SpaceSentinels, and Defenders of the Earth available. I went to three locations, and all three had a different selection. Prices ranged from $6.48 to $9.98 for the different shows. I strongly encourage all classic cartoon fans to find a nearby location and check it out. No, I don't work for them...it's just one of my favorite stores.

I am Iron Man!!! (well, not really, but Robert Downey Jr. is.)

2008-05-24T20:42:00.000-07:00

So I went with my wife to see Iron Man last week. All I really need to say is that it's the best superhero movie ever and you should go see it. But since I haven't posted for a while I should expand on that.

First of all, it's true enough to the comics for me. Now I was a Marvel fan for years, and I read Iron Man for years, but I'm not exactly an expert on the details of Iron Man's origin. But I do know enough to say this fits in as well--or better--with the original story than most comic book movie adaptations. The special effects are great. And by great I mean they're used just enough--at the right moments and in the right amount to be exciting but not silly.

The Good, the Bad, the Ugly:

Good: Fast paced, exciting story. It clocks in right around 2 hours, but I was left wanting more. Wanting more in a good way, that is. It's like a trip to Chuck E. Cheese*...you never want to leave, but eventually you run out of tokens. Downey and Paltrow are excellent as well...great chemistry/tension and a believable interpretation of the characters. The suit looks fantastic. It's much like the "ultimate" version, which makes sense given the age of the original version. Overall, everything succeeds in being a modern interpretation of the classic story and characters.

I thought the actor playing Rhodey was...interesting, but he does the part well. Watch for subtle hints about "War Machine."

Be sure to stay all the way through to the end of the credits for an extra scene. I won't spoil it except to give a very "shielded" hint that if you miss it you'll be "furious."

Bad: Hmmm....hard to say....I could have watched about 2 more hours of it, so maybe I'll complain that it's too short. But that's just silly...it should leave me wanting more. I guess I'll use this space to say that the action figures are only so-so. Of course I went out and bought Iron Man and Iron Monger right after the show. They're okay, but not great. Iron Monger is the better of the two.

Ugly: Jeff Bridges. Of course the character is ugly, so it works, but man...he's just a nasty old man.

My favorite moments: the whole Mark I armor/escape the terrorist scene. You can hear the gears whirring and the whole thing looks very real. His first "mission" to liberate some people being harassed by the bad guys has some great moments as well...love the precision targeting from his shoulder guns.

*I know, Chuck E. Cheese is soooo not retro cool. But I thought it was more recognizable these days than Showbiz.

PlanetComicon 2008--or, "Sorry Chekov, I really wasn't trying to rip you off....now put down that phaser....no......wait.......aaaaaarrrrrrrghhhhh!"

2008-04-07T13:37:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I attended Kansas City's annual PlanetComicon, which is a sci-fi, comic book, and pop culture extravaganza for all of us poor, culturally isolated midwesterners.

As expected, it was well worth the time and money...well, maybe not the money, but more on that later. Here are the highlights, lowlights, pros and cons, details, points of interest, and other noteworthy details:

KENNY BAKER!!!! R2-D2 himself! He's just the second victim in my brush with Star Wars greatness, after having met Dave "the real Darth Vader" Prowse last year. Mr. Baker was very fun and seemed genuinely happy to be there. $20 bought an obligatory autographed photo. Now I just need an Anthony Daniels C3PO autograph to go next to it. Maybe next year!

Walter Koenig--First of all, I realize that the chance of him reading this is slimmer than Karen Carpenter's waistline (too soon?) but I've got to say it. I can't apologize enough for what happened: I NEARLY ROBBED CHEKOV! Actually it's not as dramatic as it sounds. We asked for an autographed picture, personalized for my daughter. We posed for a photo. I was trying to get a 3-year old to smile while standing next to a stranger. We took the pic, shook hands, and walked away. Next thing I now, I'm awakening from a heavy phaser stun in the back of an ambulance and my wallet is missing...no wait, that was another time...don't you hate it when you get phasered and robbed?.....okay, actually, I heard a heavily accented "Excuse me" and turned to see him approaching rapidly behind us. I realized immediately what had happened, and promptly handed over another $20. So now Chekov thinks I'm a crook. Great. I'll put that on a resume some day. I really do feel sorry for it all though, and want to apologize again. He didn't seem like he was enjoying the show. I think there was a lot of Star Wars support and virtually no Star Trek support. Being bi-sci-fi myself, I like them both.

Kurt Busiek!! Great writer. I think he summed up Countdown...or Countdown to Final Crisis...or Countdown to Mediocre Storytelling....or whatever we call it now better than anyone I've heard or read. He pointed out the problems without excess trash-talking. Can't wait for Trinity.

This is getting long, so here's the lightning round: Brinke Stevens: okay, whatever, not for me...Tony Moore: great artist, looked busy....Cheap comics: they were everywhere. good stuff....Star Wars costumes: neat, but I detected a distinct "locker room" odor around some of the stormtroopers...there is a lot more to say, but wandering around the convention center has left me exhausted. Time to kick back with a classic issue of Justice League (only 50 cents!) and relax for a while.

Dave Stevens....R.I.P.

2008-03-11T12:39:00.000-07:00

For those who haven't heard, Dave Stevens has passed away.

In case you don't know, in addition to many other accomplishments, Dave Stevens created The Rocketeer.

It seems like there have been several comic book related deaths recently, but this one really bothers me. I love the Rocketeer. I have ever since I first saw him. The Rocketeer rose to popularity just as I was becoming seriously obsessed with comics and superheroes. I eagerly awaited the movie. I bought the souvenir magazine, the bendy figure, the pvc window stick-on figure, the trading cards, the comics, the Pizza Hut kid's meal....everything and anything with that classic gold helmet on it.

Later on in high school, we had a "dress like a Disney character" day. I hate Disney movies for the most part...and then I remembered The Rocketeer! It was a Disney production. So I tediously cut and painted a ridiculous amount of cardboard to recreate the helmet and jetpack. I found a shirt and pants that, while not matching the movie, were at least the same color. So with that, I was off. Of course all the other students in their Mickey Mouse and Little Mermaid costumes had no clue what I was, but I didn't care. (now that I look back I feel a little too similar to the "Tron guy" who keeps showing up on late night TV....hmmmm....maybe I should have kept the costume...)

As I type this, I realize I don't even have the Rocketeer DVD...I'll have to fix that.

Booster Gold

2008-02-26T21:13:00.000-08:00

In case you didn't know, Booster Gold rules.

Check it out at your local comic shop.

Toy Fair--Get Your Wallets Ready

2008-02-26T21:02:00.000-08:00

Unless you've been living under a rock, you've probably heard about the recent Toy Fair in New York. And if you have been living under a rock, you're probably the sort of invertebrate creature that wouldn't really care about such mammalian endeavors, unless you're Patrick Star. Patrick Star might care about the small plastic distractions we call action figures. But I digress....

Anyway, Toy Fair is a time for manufacturers to show off what they've got planned for the new year. If you really haven't heard about this, check it out at sites such as www.cooltoyreview.com.

In a nutshell....why do people say that? what nutshell? I'm not eating nuts right now, in fact I seldom do, especially the kind you have to crack yourself....uh...anyway in a nutshell, here's my take on the upcoming year:

AT-TE---whoa! Gotta have that.

Star Wars in general: gotta love the vehicles, we'll see about the rest...burned out lately.

DC Universe: I'm completely geeking out over this stuff. Especially the 3 3/4" DC line!

Indiana Jones: I love Indy, but I can already see the massive clearance section at Wal-Mart. This will be the overkill toy of the year that fights everything else for shelf space. It happens every summer with at least one toy line. (think Spidey.)

That's enough for now. Gotta get to work on that second job to pay for this stuff.

How am I supposed to collect toys if nobody sells them?

2008-02-16T18:35:00.000-08:00

The DC universe and JLU figures are really driving me crazy. I've only found 1 DCU figure at my local Target. I drove 45 minutes to find 1 Orion at another Target. I found 1 Red Tornado at TRU. My brother found an Etrigan for me. I've never seen more than one of these figures. I've never seen Penguin at all. I had to get the Metamorpho build-a-figure piece off ebay.

As for JLU, still no sign of Hawkman. I was lucky enough to get Mr. Miracle recently, but I bought the only one I've ever seen. If I hadn't made it to Target that day, I'd be out of luck. Same for the Grodd 6-pack. Glad I went shopping that day.

I'm sure other people have the same problem. They have to...there's such a shortage of figures I don't see how anybody can collect anymore. And think of the kids...there's no way a kid can get all of these.

Galactica 1980 (or, The Fanboy's Nightmare)

2008-02-16T18:22:00.000-08:00

I received the dvd of Galactica 1980 for my birthday. I asked for it. Really, I did. I'm a BSG fan from way back.

I've seen Galactica 1980 before, and I knew it was bad, but the dvd has made that clearer than ever before. It's a bad show when you watch one episode per day or week. It's a terrible show when you try to watch 4 hours of it all at once.

Honestly, someone should do a study to see if purchasers of the dvd have a higher suicide rate, or perhaps a higher incidence of depression. Heck, they probably have higher rates of substance abuse as well. You need something to get through more than 5 minutes of "The Super Scouts." (if you don't know what that means, consider yourself lucky)

I spent today catching up on V the series. Now that's good TV. It picks up right where the mini-series left off, with the same characters, and moves in a reasonably logical direction. Plus there's lots of 80's style action...you know...slick soldier-of-fortune type dudes running around with submachine guns in improbable yet eerily realistic plots. Kinda like the A-team with reptilian aliens.

Mmmmmm.....goood.

Spider-Man: I haven't given up.

2008-02-16T18:15:00.000-08:00

Okay, the more I think about the "One More Day" thing, the more I hate it. But what's done is done.

The "Brand New Day" stories have been decent. I actually kind of enjoy them. Simple, old-school Spidey action. The problem, however, is that despite copious explanations from Joe Q. I still don't get the whole OMD thing. I still don't like it, either. So no matter how good the new stories are, they will always be tainted by OMD. Like many fans, I'm still unsure how this connects with the last 20ish years of continuity.

But maybe we're jumping the gun...maybe there's a "punch line" yet to be seen that will make it all better.

Maybe.

(But I kind of doubt it.)

Random Thoughts on Random Things

2008-01-13T18:51:00.000-08:00

I haven't had a lot of time to update this lately. It's been a while since I've been on here. You know how Time Fades Away...or so Neil Young said. Here's a whole mess of my recent ruminations:

Graphic Novels: I've been on a real spree with these lately. My evening ritual has been to knock down a couple while listening to my favorite recent CD (more on that later.) My recent favorite GN's are: Y: The Last Man, Ex Machina, and Fables. There are many others. Maybe I'll go into detail later.

Music: Radiohead. I loved Radiohead from the first time I heard "Creep" on the radio back in the 90's. Then I saw them play it on Conan O'Brien and was even more blown away. (Thom Yorke, seriously...sometimes it looks like it hurts to be him.) I've been a fan ever since. Like the best of musicians, they have evolved over the years. Their newest work "In Rainbows" has been in heavy rotation around here. I've often used their recent albums as background while reading comics, and I'm continuing that with this one. But, this new album goes beyond that and has a more versatile sound than recent efforts. I can't really put it into words, so check it out yourself.

Movies: Aside from Doctor Who, I haven't really watched anything lately.

Toys. DC Universe! Oh, DC brothers, where art thou? I think I would have an easier time finding the holy grail than finding all of these. So far after covering 4 Targets and a couple hundred miles, I've come up with two. Orion rules. Awesome. Classic, near-Kirby style...not over-buff like recent depictions. Batman is O.K....but not great. He seems top heavy, like his legs are too small.

So that's all until I get something to write about. Don't hold your breath! I won't be responsible for any deaths by suffocation.

Spider-man's "One More Day" and Phil Collins--what a way to start the new year!?!

2008-01-02T20:26:00.000-08:00

Anybody read the finale of Spider-man's One More Day storyline? I did. I'm not going to spend a lot of time here complaining about it. Complaining would imply that I understood what the frak just happened.

All I can say is what's going through my head.

Genesis songs.

Yes, that aging progressive rock band that unleashed both Phil Collins and Peter Gabriel on the world. (Which one has done more damage? Time will tell.) Anyway, the story left me in a "Land of Confusion" and thinking "there must be some Misunderstanding." Is Joe ~~Quesadilla~~ Quesada "Throwing it All Away?" Or is this a great chance to "Turn It On Again?" Should we run out "Tonight, Tonight, Tonight" and cry to our "Mama?" Hopefully nobody is driven to commit crimes like "Robbery, Assault, and Battery."

Usually "I Know What I Like." But this time, I'm going to have to wait and see how things play out in the long run.

A Public Service Announcement

2007-12-21T20:30:00.000-08:00

At this time of year, many people will either purchase toys or receive them as gifts. We at the Action Figure Liberation And Total Toy Involvement Realization Entity (A.F.L.A.T.T.I.R.E.) would like to remind you that these precious items are meant to be opened and enjoyed, not sealed in plastic cases and hoarded in your parents' basement.

All too often, fun, exciting toys get locked away by "collectors" in hermetically sealed plastic tombs, forever removed from their intended purpose: childish enjoyment and reckless abandon. Forever these poor plastic prisoners languish in boxes and bins, covered in dust and Dorito crumbs, longing for adventure on the living room floor or backyard sandpile.

"But it will be worth sumthin' sumday!" the collector cries! We say "So will all that carbon you're emitting, when it eventually turns to diamond through a lengthy application of heat and pressure! But right now it's as worthless as the lead in a pencil! And what are pencils for? Writing! And what is writing? A series of movements with an object in the human hand! So, take those toys out of their contemptible cardboard crypts, put them in your hand, and play! Better yet, find a kid, put the toy in their hands, and let the magic begin!

Now you know. And knowing is half the battle.

This message was brought to you by A.F.L.A.T.T.I.R.E--Action Figure Liberation And Total Toy Involvement Realization Entity

Action figures: The good, the bad, the ugly.

2007-12-19T20:00:00.000-08:00

I buy a lot of action figures. If you're reading this nonsense, you probably do to. After a productive evening at the local retail establishments, I thought it pertinent to pontificate profusely about my findings. (oh yeah...alliteration in action, baby!)

The Good: G.I.Joe. The new figures rock. The articulation is amazing without sacrificing play value or durability. Unlike recent Star Wars figures, the Joes don't fall apart when you look at them. Sure there are lots of small flimsy weapons and accessories, but the basic figure is solid, unlike recent clone troopers that seem to shed hands and heads as soon as you pop open the package.

Gorilla Grodd. Finally got this in a JLU six-pack at Target. Rock solid, great likeness of our favorite primate. Too bad he's packaged with the rest of that junk...but more about that later.

The military toys at Target. I forget the manufacturer's name, but walk down the action figure aisle and you'll see what I mean. They're doing what Hasbro said couldn't be done. I saw a tank tonight that puts the legendary Mauler to shame, and at a reasonable price.

The Bad: It kills me to say this. Really, I don't want to. But the fact of the matter is that I purchased a 12" Doctor Who (the David Tennant variety) tonight and it stinks. I'm glad I used a gift certificate and not my own money. It's like a Mego on steroids, only crappier. One knee is all floppy. His posture is something along the lines of "bloated manatee." Awful. And this is from a man who really, really loves Doctor Who. (not like that!)

Target's Gorilla Grodd JLU six-pack. I love the Grodd figure. Maybe I could live with the "Red Hood" gimmick, especially on a harder-to-find figure like Joker. Maybe I could even live with a Lex Luthor repaint. Flash is pretty common, but hasn't been issued lately. The problem is Superman and Batman. Seriously Mattel: enough with the Superman and Batman figures!!!! They're everywhere. The popular colloquialism here is "you can't sling a dead cat without hittin' one of them." Pegs and pegs full of Superman and Batman at every Target. Enough already!!! I think we have six of each of them at our house.

The Ugly: Actually, I just added "Ugly" to make the movie reference. However, since I started it I might as well finish it. There are a lot of ugly action figures. That's too easy. I'm calling Hasbro themselves ugly. Here's why:

1. Star Wars figures are flimsy and expensive.

2. All their toys have HORRIBLE distribution. Buy it when you see it, 'cause you'll never see it again.

3. Their customer service is questionable. Maybe my standards are too high? I grew up in the day when every Star Wars vehicle came with an instruction sheet that said "We really do care" in big letters. If there was a missing part or sticker, you wrote them a letter and they sent it to you. No problem. I know because I took advantage of it several times. Same with G.I.Joe. Imagine Christmas day, finding out your Tomahawk helicopter is missing the working rope and winch attachment! No sweat! A quick letter to Hasbro and the parts were on their way. Now, when I've contacted them, they've offered "items of an equal value." Could be anything. Let's say you find a super HTF (silly ebay term) McQuarrie figure. You take it home and open it, only to find that the plastic is deformed and it has no left foot. What does Hasbro do? Sends you a random figure. Parts missing from a vehicle? They'll send you whatever is on the shelf.

4. The packaging of their mail-away promotions is a sick joke. Last year I collected all the stupid stickers and sent away for the coveted "George Lucas Stormtrooper" action figure. When it arrived in its thin poster-board box, it was completely crushed. So much for collector's item.

Well, this post has gone on too long. Hasta la vista, baby!

Circle of The Silent Iron Flute...or something.

2007-12-17T21:18:00.000-08:00

So here I go, posting twice in one night. That first one was kind of lame...just me rambling about what I like...wait a minute, that's all this is going to be....

Anyway, I saw an excellent (maybe that's not the right word) movie this weekend. The DVD was titled "Circle of Iron" but the movie credits called it "The Silent Flute." Apparently, it's history is something like this:

(at least this is what I got from the DVD special features)

Bruce Lee and James Coburn wanted to make a movie. Bruce wrote a script. The movie would be an epic story in a fantasy land that demonstrated Zen teachings. Movie never happened. Bruce died. David Carradine took over. Movie got made with some changes.

Results: mind-blowing kung-fu mayhem...sort of.

So basically, there's an out-of-place blondish guy on a quest to meet Zetan (could it be...Satan?) and read from his secret book. The guy (named Cord) meets up with a blind Kung Fu guy with a bamboo flute (Carradine) who explains to him that he must pass some trials. Along the way he encounters:

Strange monkey-men (what are they?)

A guy trying to dissolve the lower half of himself in a tub of oil (Eli Wallach, in a bizarre role that I won't discuss further here.)

A desert sheik-type character with a harem of temptation

Death, portrayed as a vaguely defined Puma-man in a leotard (no wonder he doesn't fear death)

Zetan, a kind of pathetic character portrayed by the amazingly awesome Christopher Lee.

Oh, and Roddy McDowell is in the beginning in a small but important role.

Check it out at IMDB.

Is it a timeless classic or complete rubbish? It's recently been released on DVD, so you make the call.

And so it begins...

2007-12-17T20:39:00.000-08:00

Here I go. I've been considering starting a blog like this ever since I started reading the serious intellectual discussions at www.overgrownboyscout.blogspot.com. (hope you don't mind the name-drop.) Maybe I'm ripping him off. Oh well, isn't that what the internet's all about?

Speaking of which, what is this all about? Well, it's pretty selfish, really. I like to talk about things that I think are important: comics, cartoons, movies, television, toys, music...those are the big ones. I'll probably shy away from personal life.

So here's a selfish and self-indulgent list of favorites:

Comics: JLA, JSA, Walking Dead, Godland, Green Lantern, Batman, Spider-Man, Madman, Booster Gold, Black Adam, vintage EC horror and Sci-Fi, many others.

Cartoons: the 80's rule!--G.I.Joe, Transformers, He-Man, Thundercats, Blackstar, Wheeled Warriors, Voltron, Superfriends/SuperPowers, Inhumanoids, etc.

Movies: Star Wars (I prefer the OT, but I enjoy the PT), Star Trek, anything by Dario Argento, Lucio Fulci, Umberto Lenzi, Mario Bava, cheap horror/sci-fi flicks from any time, Hammer horror, Marx Bros.

TV: Doctor Who, Red Dwarf, Star Trek (most of it, never got into Voyager), Buck Rogers, Torchwood, Heroes, anything with Gordon Ramsay, cooking shows, 80's sitcoms, Family Guy, The Office, The Big Bang Theory.

Toys: Anything 80's--see the "cartoon" list above. Also Star Wars, Doctor Who, Justice League Unlimited, and DC Direct. New G.I. Joes rock!

Okay, this is already too long. Discussing music would take all night. I can pretty much listen to anything if I'm in the mood for it. I collect records of all types. Pretty much anything other than post-Garth Brooks country.

Live Long and Prosper