BLACK FRIDAY COMC PICKUPS - PART 68: JESSIE

ONE LAST CARD FOR THE PLAYER COLLECTIONS. THIS IS A BIGGUN

1997 TOPPS GALLERY JESSIE TUGGLE PLAYER'S PRIVATE ISSUE

THIS WAS A LAST-DAY OF THE SALE PICKUP. I FOUND THIS PLAYERS PRIVATE ISSUE VERSION OF TUGGLE'S GALLERY CARD WHILE TRYING TO BOOST MY TCDB RANKING. IT WAS A GOOD PRICE BUT WASN'T ACTUALLY ON SALE SO I LEFT THE TAB OPEN TO THINK ABOUT IT AND THE NEXT MORNING I SAW THAT THE PRICE HAD GONE FROM BLUE TO GREEN WITH A RED DISCOUNT PERCENTAGE NEXT TO IT AND HAD NO MORE EXCUSES. PRIVATE ISSUE CARDS TRADE GALLERY'S USUAL PICTURE FRAME DESIGN FOR THIS BLACK STEEL STAIRCASE KINDA THING THAT LETS YOU KNOW PRECISELY HOW OFF-CENTER THE CARD IS. IT WORKS WELL WITH THE BLACK IN THE FALCONS' UNIFORMS AND WAIT, IS THAT A JERRY RICE CAMEO IN THE BACKGROUND?

THE OTHER FUN THING ABOUT PLAYER'S PRIVATE ISSUE CARD IS THEY ARE LIMITED TO 250 TOTAL CARDS ISSUED. SO NOT SUPER RARE, BUT NOT TERRIBLY COMMON EITHER. THANKFULLY IT'S NOT ACTUALLY SERIAL NUMBERED BECAUSE 90S CARDS + SERIAL NUMBERS = $$$ NOW THAT DEALERS HAVE CAUGHT ON THAT NOT ALL 90S CARDS ARE JUNK. IT'S NICE TO FIND ONE OF THESE ODD 90S PARALLELS AT ALL AND ESPECIALLY NICE TO FIND ONE FOR A PLAYER YOU ACTUALLY COLLECT. I HAVE NOT FOUND ANY NEW TUGGLE CARDS SINCE THIS ONE (OR UPDATED TCDB PLAYER COLLECTIONS IN A WHILE FOR THAT MATTER) BUT MY CURRENT TUGGLE COUNT IS 103 CARDS OUT OF A TOTAL 276. BUT! 33 OF THOSE ARE FROM 2020 OR LATER AND MOST OF THOSE ARE AUTOGRAPHS OR SERIAL NUMBERED UNDER 100 OR BOTH. SO INSTEAD OF HAVING 37.3% OF POSSIBLE TUGGLE CARDS I'M WELL OVER 40%. WHICH, TO BE FAIR, AIN'T GREAT BUT IT'S STILL GOOD ENOUGH FOR #1 ON TCDB. PLUS I'VE STILL NEVER PLUNDERED MY SORTED FOOTBALL SETS FOR MORE TUGGLES. I COULD BE OVER 50% IN NO TIME! MEANWHILE THERE'S PROBABLY A DOZEN HARDCORE FALCON FANS WITHIN 50 MILES OF ME WHO HAVE THEIR COLLECTIONS IN ORDER THAT HAVE EVERY ONE OF TUGGLE'S CARDS FROM HIS PLAYING DAYS. BUT THEY'RE NOT ON TCDB

ONLINE DIMEBOX BLASTER - PART 13

 THIS POST HAS MORE COHESION THAN THE LAST ONE BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN IT'S NOT DEEPLY STRANGE. CASE IN POINT:

1992 NAC BRANSON ON STAGE SHOJI TABUCHI

CATEGORY - NON-SPORT

PROBABLY THE ODDEST AND DEFINITELY THE MOST OBSCURE CARD IN THE LOT, BUT THIS ONE LEGIT MEANS SOMETHING TO ME. STORY TIME: A FRIEND OF MINE INTRODUCED ME TO THE RED LETTER MEDIA MR. PLINKETT STAR WARS REVIEWS. THEY WERE AWESOME AND I STARTED WATCHING ALL THEIR REVIEWS. MY FAVORITE SHOW OF THEIRS IS BEST OF THE WORST WHERE THEY WATCH THE CRUMMIEST SHIT THEY CAN FIND AND MAKE FUN OF IT. ON SOME OF THE SHOWS THEY PICK THE MOVIES RANDOMLY USING THE "WHEEL OF THE WORST" AND WATCH JUST VILE AWFUL CRAP LIKE INSTRUCTIONAL VIDEOS, DIRECT TO VHS CASH-IN SLOP AND STRAIGHT UP SCAMS. ONE EPISODE FEATURED A JAPANESE GUY WITH AN ACT IN BRANSON, MISSOURI. IT WAS GREAT! SHOJI WON BEST OF THE WORST! SOME TIME LATER MY FRIEND TOLD ME ABOUT HOW HIS GRANDMOTHER HAD A WEIRD VIDEOTAPE SHE LOVED TO WATCH ABOUT JAPANESE GUY WITH AN ACT IN BRANSON, MISSOURI. IT WAS THE SAME TAPE THEY WATCHED ON THAT SHOW WE LIKED! MY HEAD ASPLODE! I DIDN'T SAY IT WAS A GOOD STORY, JUST THAT IT MEANT SOMETHING TO ME. NOW I HAVE A CARD THAT REMINDS ME OF MY FRIEND THAT I HAVEN'T SEEN SINCE THE PLAGUE HAPPENED. I SHOULD REMEDY THAT

2020 ALLEN & GINTER WILSHIRE GRAND CENTER REACH THE SKY

CATEGORY - WANTLIST, NON-SPORT

I LOVE ALLEN & GINTER AND I LOVE ALLEN & GINTER INSERTS AND I HAVE NO IDEA WHERE OR HOW TO GET THEM NOW THAT I DON'T BUY AN ASSLOAD OF PACKS ANYMORE. THEY FLY OFF THE SITE QUICK BUT I MANAGED TO GET A FEW SOMEHOW! I HAVE NOTHING ELSE TO SAY ABOUT IT THOUGH - THIS IS A BUILDING. I THINK MAYBE THIS MIGHT BE ONE OF THOSE INSERTS WHERE THE BACKGROUNDS ARE CONTINUOUS BUT THIS IS MY FIRST ONE

2020 ALLEN & GINTER SILO DOWN ON THE FARM

CATEGORY - WANTLIST, NON-SPORT

YAY! MORE GINTER! THIS IS A GRAIN SILO. DID YOU KNOW THE DUST IN A GRAIN SILO IS HIGHLY FLAMMABLE? AND POCKETS OF AIR CAN BUILD UP IN THE GRAIN MAKING IT ACT LIKE QUICKSAND IF YOU STAND ON TOP OF IT? THESE THINGS ARE DEATHTRAPS!

2020 DECADE'S BEST PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES

CATEGORY - INSERT

DICK ALLEN ON A 70S RETRO INSERT! THIS CARD COUNTS AS A CASE HIT FOR THE ONLINE BLASTER. ANOTHER INSERT TYPE CARD IS CHECKED OFF AS WELL ALTHOUGH I MIGHT WANT THIS ENTIRE SET

2022 CHRONICLES SPECTRA JOSE RAMIREZ HOLO PARALLEL

CATEGORY - CHROINICLES

I AM SLOWLY WORKING ON WIPING OUT THE CHRONICLES CARDS FROM THE SITE. (I DIDN'T BUT I GOT ENOUGH) I PICKED UP ALL THE REALLY GOOD ONES UP RIGHT AWAY LIKE THIS SHINY CARD OF JOSE RAMIREZ. THESE SPECTRA CARDS LOOK REALLY NICE WITH THE RIGHT COLOR SCHEME AND SOME HOLOFOIL. JOSE IS A LEGIT GREAT PLAYER AND HE MIGHT HAVE A CAREER IN BOXING AWAITING HIM AFTER HIS PLAYING DAYS

2020 ALLEN & GINTER 432 PARK AVENUE REACH THE SKY

CATEGORY - WANTLIST, NON-SPORT

WOOO! ANOTHER BUILDING! THE BACKGROUNDS DON'T MATCH UP BUT THEY ARE CARDS 3 AND 6. MAYBE CARD 2 4 5 OR 7 WILL SOLVE THIS MYSTERY. OR JUST LOOKING IT UP ONLINE? NAH, I'LL NEED THE ACTUAL CARDS. ONLY WAY TO MAKE SURE 

ALSO, IS IT JUST ME OR DOES THIS BUILDING LOOK REALLY RICKETY

1980 BASEBALL IMMORTALS HARRY HOOPER, THOMAS MCCARTHY, TOM YAWKEY

CATEGORY - WANTLIST

MOAR IMMORTALS! THESE ARE PROBABLY CONSIDERED COMMONS AS FAR AS HALL OF FAMERS CAN BE COMMON BUT YOU NEED ALL OF THOSE TO COMPLETE THE SET. THESE THREE HAVE A BOSTON THEME

HARRY HOOPER WON FOUR WORLD SERIES WITH THE RED SOX AND WAS ONE OF THE VERY FEW PLAYERS TO ONLY PLAY FOR BOTH THE RED SOX AND WHITE SOX THEIR ENTIRE CAREERS. HE WAS THE ONLY PLAYER BESIDES RICKEY HENDERSON TO HIT A LEADOFF HOMER IN BOTH GAMES OF A DOUBLE HEADER AND BOPPED TWO HOME RUNS IN A WORLD SERIES GAME ON MY NEGATIVE 57TH BIRTHDAY

TOMMY MCCARTHY WAS AN EARLY 19TH CENTURY STAR AND PLAYED FOR MY BRAVES BEANEATERS BASEBALL-REFERENCE KILLED THE BEANEATERS NICKNAME SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY WERE ANYMORE. HIS STATS WEREN'T GREAT BY ANY STRETCH AND HE'S ONE OF THE GUYS THE STATHEADS POINT TO WHEN THEY START DISCUSSING CHUCKING PEOPLE OUT OF THE HALL OF FAME. HOWEVER, HE APPARENTLY EITHER INVENTED OR AT LEAST POPULARIZED THE HIT AND RUN AND STATS BE DAMNED THAT'S KIND OF IMPORTANT

EVERYTHING I'VE EVER READ ABOUT TOM YAWKEY HAS BEEN HORRIBLE AND I DO NOT WISH TO DISCUSS HIM AT THIS TIME. CARD NUMBER 173 HAS BEEN CHECKED OFF MY WANTLIST. IF THE STATHEADS REALLY WANT TO START CHUCKING PEOPLE MAYBE PEEP AT THE OWNERS AND COMMISSIONERS FIRST

1979 TCMA RENATA GALASSO ERNIE LOMBARDI

CATEGORY - ODDBALL

RENATA GALASSO CARDS ARE ALWAYS WELCOME IN MY LIFE. I DON'T HAVE NEARLY ENOUGH TO THINK ABOUT WORKING ON THE SET AND IF YOU ASK YOUR AVERAGE CARD DEALER IF THEY HAVE ANY YOU'LL GET A LOOK AS IF BLUE LOBSTERS JUST EMERGED FROM YOUR NOSTRILS WIELDING SWITCHBLADES BUT IF I CAN PICK ONE UP I WILL. ERNIE LOMBARDI SHOULD BE WAY MORE KNOWN THAN HE IS. HE WAS A LEGIT GREAT CATCHER, HAD A TOP-TIER NICKNAME (SCHNOZZ) AND WON BATTING TITLES DESPITE RUNNING SLOWER THAN I DO. HE WON THE BATTING TITLE AND MVP IN 1938, A WORLD SERIES RING IN 1940 AND A SECOND BATTING TITLE FOR MY BRAVES IN 1942. AND WAS COMPLETELY FUCKING IGNORED BY THE HALL OF FAME UNTIL HE WAS IN THE GROUND FOR A DECADE. READING ABOUT ERNIE'S STORY IS WHAT REALLY GOT ME RADICALIZED AGAINST THE HALL OF FAME VOTERS. SCHNOZZ DESERVED BETTER

UP NEXT - A CRAPLOAD OF INSERTS SPOILED BY A COUPLE OF CRUMMY BASE CARDS

ALSO:

THIS ISN'T SO MUCH AN ONLINE BLASTER AS AN ONLINE MEGA BOX. BY MY COUNT THERE ARE 36 MORE POSTS IN THIS BOX, HOPE YOU LIKE 'EM

CARD PICKUPS FROM AN ACTUAL STORE IN A BUILDING

 PRETTY MUCH 100% OF MY CARD PURCHASES SINCE ABOUT MAY HAVE BEEN ONLINE BUT LAST WEEK I WAS FORCED KICKING AND SCREAMING TO LEAVE MY HOUSE SO I MADE THE BEST OF IT BY GOING TO A CARD SHOP. AS YOU NOW KNOW, I HAVE NO LESS THAN THREE GOOD CARD SHOPS WITHIN MY ORBIT, BUT HAVE NEITHER THE TIME NOR MONEY TO BLOW AT ALL THREE. SO A SERIOUS CHOICE WAS AHEAD OF ME: GO TO MY LONG TIME COMFORT LCS, GO TO THE HOLE IN THE WALL SHOP AND HUNT BARGAINS, OR HIT THE GIANT WAREHOUSE SHOP AND BE INTIMIDATED. DECISIONS, DECISIONS. OF COURSE I SWERVED THEM ALL AND WENT TO THE ANTIQUE MALL INSTEAD. I HAD THE WHOLE DAY OFF SO I GOT TO GET SOME CARDS AND VISIT THE TRASH MUSEUM AT THE SAME TIME

THIS HERE IS WHY I MADE THE CHOICE TO GO ANTIQUING. THE LAST TIME I WAS THERE I FOUND THIS COMPLETED, PUNCHED AND STUCK 1984 DONRUSS PUZZLE OF DUKE SNIDER AND WAS HOPING IT WOULD GO UNNOTICED BY EVERYONE SCROUNGING DOLLAR BOXES AND PICKING UP ROOKIE SLABS. MY LUCK HELD OUT AND IT WAS STILL THERE. I PUT A COMPLETED PUZZLE IN THE FRONT OF MY DONRUSS BINDERS AS A FRONT PAGE PROTECTOR AND BECAUSE IT LOOKS PURDY. I PUNCHED OUT AND TAPED TOGETHER SEVERAL SETS WHEN I WAS A KID SO I HAD QUITE A FEW ALREADY BUT I NEVER OPENED MUCH 1984 DONRUSS SO DUKE'S COMPLETED PUZZLE HAD ELUDED ME FOR A LONG TIME. WHILE THIS PUZZLE IS GLUED INSTEAD OF TAPED I DON'T REALLY MIND BECAUSE IT MEANS I DON'T HAVE TO PUNCH OUT MY ONLY COMPLETED DUKE PUZZLE SET NOW. WHILE PUTTING IT IN THE BINDER I TOOK ACCOUNT OF MY OTHER SETS AND IT LOOKS LIKE I'M MISSING TY COBB (DISAPPOINTING BECAUSE I OPENED A CRAPLOAD OF PACKS WHEN I WAS A KID), MICKEY MANTLE (TOUGH BECAUSE IT WAS ONLY INSERTED IN THE ODDBALL SETS), TED WILLIAMS (SUPER TOUGH BECAUSE IT WAS ONLY INSERTED IN THE ALL-STAR PACKS), AND EVERYTHING AFTER 1989 AS IT LOOKS LIKE I STOPPED PUNCHING AND TAPING AT THAT TIME. I HAVE A STOOPID AMOUNT OF THOSE PUZZLE PIECES THOUGH SO IT LOOKS LIKE I'LL GET TO HAVE SOME FUN ON A FUTURE RAINY DAY

I ALSO POKED AROUND THE BRAVES DOLLAR BOX WHICH WAS, WELL, PRETTY BAD. TONS OF JUNK WAX BASE COMMONS IN THERE. STUFF THAT IS OVERPRICED AT A NICKEL, LET ALONE A DOLLAR. BUT MIXED IN AMONGST THE CRAP, THIS POPPED UP

HELL YEAH, EX-2000 CHIPPER CARD. I'VE BEEN BUYING GUYS LIKE HIDEO NOMO AND NOMAR GARCIAPARRA FROM THIS SET FOR A BUCK EACH. FINDING CHIPPER AT THAT PRICE IS A GODSEND. THIS IS ONE OF A SMALL HANDFUL OF SHINY ODDBALL 90S SETS I'VE PUT MY MIND TO WORKING ON COMPLETING SO ANY THAT I FIND IS GREAT. TO BE PERFECTLY HONEST I'VE GOT A FEW CARDS FROM THE FOOTBALL AND BASKETBALL SETS IN THE EX-2000 BOX ALREADY AND THEY JUST MIGHT STAY THERE. THEY ALL LOOK GREAT SO WHY NOT

ALSO IN THE BOX IN BETWEEN 1991 DONRUSS AND 1993 FLEER WAS SOME TOPPS TEK. THIS IS ANOTHER SET I AM INSANELY TRYING TO BUILD, ALTHOUGH MY GOAL IS ONE CARD PER PLAYER AND ONE OF EACH OF THE BACKGROUND PATTERNS. I KNEW I WAS BUYING THIS THE MOMENT I SAW IT SO I DIDN'T EVEN BOTHER LOOKING AT MY WANTLIST BUT WHEN I GOT HOME I CHECKED. DID I NEED MADDUX? YEP! DID I NEED THIS BACKGROUND PATTERN? YES YES! I LOVE IT WHEN A PLAN COMES TOGETHER

LAST AND MOST BEWILDERING CARD OUT OF THE BOX WAS THIS 1997 LEAF Z-AXIS DIE CUT PARALLEL OF TOM GLAVINE.THIS CARD NOT ONLY DOES NOT PHOTOGRAPH WELL IT DOESN'T REAL LIFE WELL EITHER. THE CASHIER LOOKED AT IT FOR TWO MINUTES BEFORE SHE COULD READ THE NAME ON THE CARD. I'VE MENTIONED BEFORE THAT THESE FRACTAL MATRIX CARDS ARE RIDICULOUS WITH THREE DIFFERENT RARITIES OF FOIL COLOR AND THREE DIFFERENT RARITIES OF DIE CUTS. YOU CAN READ ALL ABOUT THEM HERE, I'M NOT EXPLAINING ALL THAT. BOTTOM LINE THERE ARE ONLY 100 COPIES EACH OF THE Z-AXIS DIE CUTS. SUPPOSEDLY. THERE IS NO SERIAL NUMBERING ON THESE CARDS AND MANY RUMORS THAT A FEW EXTRAS SNUCK OUT THE BACK DOOR TO GO ON MANY ADVENTURES AFTER THE LEAF LIQUIDATION. BOTTOM LINE, Z-AXIS IS COOLER BECAUSE MORE CHUNKS OUT OF THE CARD AND THEY ARE REASONABLY SCARCE FOR A 90S PRODUCT. I WOULD HAVE BEEN HAPPY FINDING SOMEONE LIKE BRIAN JORDAN WITH A Z-CUT. TOM GLAVINE OUT OF A DOLLAR BOX IS ABSURDLY LUCKY

THE LAST FIND AT THE MALL WAS THE BEST THOUGH EVEN WITH MY DOLLAR BOX FORTUNES. I HAVE BEEN CHASING DOWN THE TOPPS ALL-STAR GLOSSY RACK PACK INSERTS FOR YEARS. THESE THINGS ARE NOT SCARCE AT ALL AND I WAS ABOUT TWENTY CARDS AWAY FROM THE COMPLETE RUN. UNFORTUNATELY ABOUT TWO-THIRDS OF THAT WERE FROM THE 1991 SET. I HAVE NEVER SEEN A 1991 TOPPS RACK PACK IN MY LIFE AND HAVE HAD A HELLUVA TIME FINDING ANY OF THE GLOSSY INSERTS FROM THAT YEAR. THEN I FOUND OUT THAT RACK PACKS DIDN'T EVEN HAVE ALL-STAR CARDS IN 91, THE ENTIRE SET WAS GOTTEN THROUGH A MAIL IN OFFER. SUPER BUMMER. THEN THIS WAS JUST SITTING ON A SMALL METAL SHELF WITH SOME OTHER ODDBALL JUNKWAX STUFF

THE STICKER SAYS 1990 BUT WE ALL KNOW WHAT THAT TOPPS 40 YEARS OF BASEBALL LOGO MEANS. WHOLE DAMN SET KNOCKED OUT IN ONE FELL SWOOP FOR WAY LESS THAN THE PRICE OF THE GRIFFEY CARD. WHICH MAKES SENSE THAT I FOUND THE COMPLETE SET WAY MORE EASILY THAN THE INDIVIDUAL CARDS SINCE THAT'S THE WAY IT WAS DISTRIBUTED. NOW I'M DOWN TO ABOUT SEVEN CARDS LEFT AND COULD EASILY KNOCK OUT THE RUN THIS YEAR IF I'M WILLING TO OVERPAY A BIT ONLINE. BUT WHAT FUN IS THAT? ESPECIALLY IF MY SUPERPOWER APPEARS TO BE FINDING UNEXPECTEDLY GREAT DEALS ON BASEBALL CARDS IN THE WEIRDEST PLACES

SPOOKY SUNDAY COMIX

MY BRAIN HAS BEEN PUDDING LATELY SO I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO WRITE MUCH ABOUT CARDS DESPITE GETTING A WHOLE BUNCH OF NEW ONES RECENTLY. YOU DON'T NEED BRAINS TO READ TRASHY OLD COMICS THOUGH! HERE'S ONE THAT IS VERY OLD AND VERY TRASHY THAT I RESCUED FROM A FIFTY CENT BOX ON MY LAST RUN TO THE USED BOOK SHOP. MAN, THAT WAS BACK IN SPRING. WHY IS TIME LIKE THIS 

THE MANY GHOSTS OF DOCTOR GRAVES - CHARLTON COMICS, AUGUST 1971 

I LOVE FINDING COMICS OLDER THAN ME, SOMETHING THAT IS BECOMING INCREASINGLY RARE AS THE YEARS GO ON. I'M EXTRA HAPPY THAT IT'S A SPOOKY COMIC AS MOST OF THE OLD STUFF OUT THERE THAT DON'T COST A LOT ARE WESTERNS OR KIDDIE COMICS. CHARLTON COMICS ARE PRETTY GREAT, THE ONLY REASON THEY EXIST IS BECAUSE THE PUBLISHER WANTED SOMETHING CHEAP TO PRINT AT NIGHT TO AVOID THE EXPENSE OF TURNING THEIR PRESSES OFF AND ON EVERY DAY. THEY'RE PULP COMICS IN EVERY SENSE OF THE WORD. THEY HAD A LOT OF HORROR THEMED COMICS AND THIS ONE FEATURES A COVER AND STORY FROM STEVE DITKO. I'LL BE HONEST, I'VE SEEN BETTER COVERS. IT'S TECHNICALLY A DITKO COVER AS ALL THE IMAGES WERE RECYCLED FROM HIS STORY IN THE BOOK. I LIKE THE REVERSE NEGATIVE SCENE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PAGE TAKEN FROM A STORY PANEL AS IT'S PRETTY EXPERIMENTAL BUT IT DOESN'T EXACTLY POP ON THE NEWSSTAND. IT IS KINDA FUNNY THIS COVER HAS BITS AND CHUNKS DRAWN OUT OF THE COVER AS IF IT WAS ANCIENT AND FALLING APART TO FIT WITH THE PHARAOH THEME SINCE THE ACTUAL COMIC IS IN WAY WORSE SHAPE THAN THE CRUMBLING MUMMY

BY THE TIME I GOT IT HOME THERE WERE ALREADY BITS IN THE BAG. I PROBABLY SHOULDN'T HAVE SAID THAT I RESCUED THIS COMIC AND INSTEAD SAID DOOMED AS THE COVER COMPLETELY FELL OFF AND SPLIT IN HALF WHEN MY PILE OF NEW COMICS FELL OFF A SHELF. CGC AIN'T GONNA TAKE THIS ONE NO MORE. LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THE INSIDE.

STOP THOSE UGLY NAILS! ANOTHER THING I LIKE ABOUT CHARLTON IS THE ADS AREN'T ALL TRASH AND SCAMS AIMED TOWARD CHILDREN, THEY ARE TRASH AND SCAMS AIMED TOWARD CHILDREN AND ADULTS. A LOT OF THESE ADS ARE THE SAME CRAP YOU CAN FIND IN OLD MAGAZINES AND I THINK THAT'S GREAT. IT'S NICE TO GET A BREAK FROM GRIT AND THAT NOVELTY CATALOG EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE

HERE'S THE TITLE PAGE SHOWING A PREVIEW OF EACH OF THE THREE STORIES IN THE BOOK. IN ANOTHER BIT OF WEIRDNESS THE ORDER OF THE STORIES IS CLOCKWISE FROM THE TOP RIGHT. FIRST IS BURY HIM DEEP ABOUT A MURDER, THEN THERE'S THE BILL COLLECTOR ABOUT A DIFFERENT, MORE SUBTLE MURDER, AND FINALLY WE GET THE MAIN FEATURE, THE PHARAOH WILL RULE AGAIN. I HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA WHY THE TITLE IS LIKE THAT OTHER THAN THAT THE PAGE WAS PROBABLY DRAWN IN AN AFTERNOON AND THE ARTIST GOOFED THE ORDER OF THE STORIES AND DIDN'T LEAVE ENOUGH ROOM FOR THE FIRST TITLE AND IMPROVISED. I KINDA LIKE IT, CHEAPNISS IS AN ASSET IN LOW-BUDGET HORROR AND OH BOY DOES THIS BOOK HAVE THAT IN ABUNDANCE

JUST LOOK AT THOSE FACES. WHAT DID I SAY ABOUT CHEAPNISS. HOO DOGGIE THIS IS ALREADY GREAT. OLD COMIC BOOKS HAD TO BE DRAWN SUPER FAST AND YOU SOMETIMES GET SOME AMAZING STUFF COME OUT OF IT. ESPECIALLY IN A CASE LIKE CHARLTON WHERE THESE BOOKS WERE JUST A WAY TO KEEP THE LIGHTS ON AND THERE WASN'T A RIGID HOUSE STYLE. THESE DARK, CRAGGY, GLOOMY FACES ARE GREAT AND KICKS OFF THIS STORY OF TWO SCOUNDRELS MURDERING AN OLD MAN FOR HIS MONEY JUST RIGHT

JUST FANTASTIC. I LOVE THIS PANEL SO MUCH. YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHO THESE JOKERS ARE IN JUST ONE IMAGE.

OF COURSE THINGS GON'T GO WELL FOR THE SCOUNDRELS AND DEAR UNCLE DOESN'T WANT TO REST EASILY. EVERYONE INVOLVED GETS WHAT THEY DESERVE IN THE END AND WE GET THIS GREAT PANEL. DEAD!

HORSIES! THERE ARE SO MANY WORDS WRITTEN HERE TO CONVINCE YOU TO BUY A 40" x 24" POSTER OF SOME HORSES SPLASHING AROUND ON THE BEACH FOR THREE BUCKS. IT'S NOT AN OIL PAINTING IT'S A REPRODUCTION OF A GIANT MURAL! THE LATEST DECORATOR RAGE! AND HURRY, THIS OFFER WILL NOT BE REPEATED AGAIN THIS SEASON IN THIS MAGAZINE. IF I SEE ANOTHER AD FOR HORSIE POSTERS IN THIS COMIC IMMA BE PISSED

HERE'S THE SECOND STORY, THE BILL COLLECTOR, FEATURING ANOTHER SKEERY GHOST. THE COVER WARNED YOU THAT THERE WERE MANY GHOSTS AFTER ALL. THAT DOCTOR STRANGE MEETS BOB DOBBS LOOKING MOTHERFUCKER IS THE TITULAR DOCTOR GRAVES, THE MASCOT OF THIS SERIES. HE'S BASICALLY THE CRYPTKEEPER CHARACTER INTRODUCING ALL THE STORIES EXCEPT HE SOMETIMES GETS A LITTLE TOO INVOLVED WHILE COMMENTING ON THEM. WE'LL SEE JUST HOW MUCH A LITTLE LATER IN THE POST. BUT FIRST! MOAR ADS!

THE WORLD OF SPACE! I BUILT MANY ESTES MODEL KITS AS A KID BUT I HAD NO IDEA ESTES WAS AN ACTUAL DUDE. HE'S STILL ALIVE TOO! I WONDER WHY HE HAD STOPPED BEING THE FACE OF THE COMPANY BY THE TIME I WAS OLD ENOUGH TO PLAY WITH EXPLOSIVES. I GUESS HE'S JUST A PRIVATE DUDE. $13.50 IS A LOT OF SCRATCH FOR 1971 BUT IF YOU WANT TO SHOOT A MASSIVE ROCKET AT PEOPLE YOU GOTTA PONY UP WITH THE CASH

THE HEALTH AND FITNESS CORNER OF THE COMIC WHERE YOU CAN LOSE FAT AND BUILD MUSCLES AND, UH, GET SOME FREE STAMPS ON APPROVAL. I WANNA KNOW WHAT THOSE HEAVIEST GAUGE STURDY VINYL SAUNA SUITS LOOKED LIKE. I BET IT WAS LESS LIKE A SPACE-AGE HEALTH SUIT AND MORE LIKE A KID'S HALLOWEEN COSTUME. I DO NOT WANT TO KNOW WHAT POISONS WERE IN THAT CRASH DIET PILL TO MAKE YOU LOVE FIVE POUNDS OVERNIGHT 

THIS STORY IS KINDA OBVIOUS AND IF YOU READ THIS PAGE YOU CAN PROBABLY GUESS WHAT HAPPENS NEXT. OH YEAH, I'LL HAVE MY ACCOUNTANT STASH ALL MY MONEY IN GOLD AND THEN FAKE MY OWN DEATH, WHAT COULD POSSIBLY GO WRONG? THERE'S NO WAY MY GHOST WILL EVENTUALLY HAUNT MY CRYPT WONDERING WHERE THE HELL MY CO-CONSPIRATOR IS. THIS PAGE IS PRETTY NEAT THOUGH, IT LOOKS LIKE THEY USED SOLID COLORS ON THE PANELS TO SAVE TIME ON COLOR SEPARATION BUT USING WARMER COLORS AS THE PLOT THICKENS IS CLEVER. DOCTOR GRAVES IS IN FULL COLOR THOUGH, IT'S IN HIS CONTRACT. HE POPS UP LIKE THIS A LOT, COMMENTING IN ITALICS. YOU'LL SEE SOON ENOUGH

ALMOST ALL COMICS HAD LETTERS PAGES BECAUSE IT CHEWED UP SPACE WITHOUT HAVING TO DRAW THAT MUCH. ART IS EXPENSIVE! GET FREE CONTENT FROM YOUR READERS! VERY FORWARD THINKING NOW THAT WE ARE IN THE AGE OF SOCIAL MEDIA AND 99% OF CONTENT IS BASICALLY THIS. INCLUDING THIS POST, I'M NO FOOL, I DIDN'T PUT THAT AD DOWN THERE AT THE BOTTOM AND I HAVEN'T BEEN PAID A DIME, I KNOW WHAT'S UP. THE LETTERS ON THIS PAGE ARE EXTRA WILD THOUGH. THE FIRST ONE READS LIKE A PENTHOUSE LETTER FOR PEOPLE INTERESTED IN THE OCCULT. I AM 99% CERTAIN THAT J.J.R. EITHER ENDED UP BANGING ELLEN IN HER SPOOKY GOTH ROOM OR ENDED UP BEING THE MAIN EVENT IN A RITUAL. PROBABLY THE LATTER, SEEING THEY ARE FROM PENNSYLVANIA. STRANGE THINGS ARE AFOOT IN THOSE MOUNTAINS. THE SECOND LETTER IS FROM A WEIRDO SEEKING WEIRDOS. I FOUND NOTHING WHILE SEARCHING FOR HASTINGS ASSOCIATION OF AMATEUR PARAPSYCHOLOGISTS (OR HASTINGA, EVEN) AND GOOD LUCK SEARCHING FOR A CRAIG PARSONS WITH THE CURRENT STATE OF SEARCH ENGINES. I HOPE CRAIG FINALLY FOUND HIS MANY GHOSTS OF DOCTOR GRAVES LOVE CONNECTION (OR NOT IF HE'S THE OTHER KIND OF WEIRDO). IF SOMEONE MORE KNOWLEDGABLE ABOUT BRONZE AGE COMICS KNOWS THAT THESE LETTERS WERE ALL A BIG PUT-ON PLEASE DON'T TELL ME, I WANT TO BELIEVE

ALL RIGHTY THEN, TIME FOR THE MAIN FEATURE.THIS ONE WAS DRAWN BY OUR PAL DITKO  BUT WAS (PROBABLY?) WRITTEN BY THE SAME GUY AS THE REST OF THE BOOK SO IT'S JUST AS GOOFY. A WICKED PHARAOH DECIDES TO CONQUER THE WORLD BUT HIS GENERALS SAY 'NAH, FUCK THAT SHIT' AND PUT HIM TO DEATH. BUT THEY LET HIM DRINK A POTION TO ALLOW HIM TO RETURN FROM THE DEAD TO BECOME SOMEONE ELSE'S PROBLEM. NOTICE THAT OUR DOCTOR GRAVES IS NO LONGER AN INSERT SPEAKING IN ITALICS BUT HE'S GOT TWO WHOLE PANELS AND WORD BALLOONS NOW. IT'S THE GOOD DOCTOR'S TIME TO SHINE, BABY. ALSO, GOOD LORD DITKO, THOSE ANCIENT EGYPTIAN WOMEN ARE STACKED. THAT PHARAOH WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER OFF JUST HANGING AROUND THE PALACE DOING PHARAOH THINGS

ALL RIGHT! TIME TO PLAY THE COLUMBIA RECORD CLUB GAME! PICK ANY TWELVE RECORDS FOR $2.86! I WOULD RATHER SPEND MY THREE BUCKS ON A HORSIE POSTER BUT HERE WE GO:

SANTANA - SANTANA

HELLO, I'M JOHNNY CASH

JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE - SMASH HITS

JANIS JOPLIN - I GOT DEM OL KOZMIC BLUES AGAIN, MAMA

SLY AND THE FAMILY STONE - STAND

JAMES GANG RIDES AGAIN

LED ZEPPELIN II

THE FIFTH DIMINSION - PORTRAIT

OTIS REDDING - THE LOVE MAN

PROCOL HARUM - HOME

MUNGO JERRY - IN THE SUMMERTIME

JETHRO TULL - BENEFIT

THANKS TO MUNGO JERRY FOR BOUNCING BILL COSBY OFF THE LIST SO I CAN AVOID THE INEVITABLE JOKES AND TO JETHRO TULL FOR MAKING ME REALIZE I'D RATHER LISTEN TO SOME PROG ROCK INSTEAD OF CROSBY, STILLS, NASH AND YOUNG FOR THE MILLIONTH TIME. THERE'S SOME REAL CLUNKERS IN THIS CATALOG SO IF YOU ONLY WANT TO PICK OUT TWO OR THREE FAVES GO FOR IT, FINDING 12 RECORDS WASN'T EASY

BACK TO THE ACTION. IT'S CURRENT DAY AND THIS ECCENTRIC LOOKING FELLOW IS LOOKING INTO THIS EVIL SORCERER PHARAOH FELLA WHILE DOCTOR GRAVES IS LOOKING INTO HIM. HE'S JUST... KINDA THERE. I'VE READ A LOT OF JUNKY HORROR ANTHOLOGIES AND I DON'T RECALL THE HORROR HOSTS JUST HANGING AROUND IN THE BACKGROUND BEFORE. YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE, THE ARCHAEOLOGIST? SCIENTIST? NUTCASE? WHOEVER THIS DUDE IS DECIDES TO GO CHASING AFTER THE EVIL WIZARD MUMMY WHO VOWED TO RETURN FROM THE DEAD AND ENSLAVE THE WORLD AND POKE AT THE CORPSE BECAUSE WHY WOULDN'T YOU

COVER PANEL. NOW DOCTOR GRAVES IS A FLOATING ZARDOZ HEAD VIEWING THE ACTION. THE PENIS IS EVIL, THE PHAROAH IS GOOD. THE SURPRISED ARCHAEOLOGIST IS TAKEN TO THE HIDDEN TEMPLE BY A MYSTERIOUS FIGURE. AGAIN, WHAT COULD POSSIBLY GO WRONG

I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THE HELL DOCTOR GRAVES IS DOING ANYMORE. JUST HANGING OUT AND WATCHING THE FUN. MAYBE DITKO FOUND OUT THAT THE DOCTOR SHOWED UP IN ALL THE STORIES TO BE THE NARRATOR AND DECIDED THAT HE COULD USE HIM TO PAD OUT A FEW PAGES IN THIS EIGHT PAGE STORY. CLEVER DITKO. ANYWAY, PROFESSOR DUDE FINALLY GETS TO THE TOMB HE TRAVELLED HALFWAY ACROSS THE WORLD TO FIND AND GETS COLD FEET AND STARTS SHOOTING AT GHOSTS. THE PHAROAH WASN'T EVEN GOING TO EAT HIS SOUL OR ANYTHING, HE WAS JUST GOING TO WAKE UP AND CONQUER THE WORLD. HE CAN DO THAT WITHOUT YOU WATCHING, IDIOT

NO CONCLUSION, MOAR ADS. HERE'S THE OBLIGATORY NOVELTY CATALOG AD THAT WAS IN EVERY SINGLE COMIC BOOK FOR SEVENTY YEARS. IT WAS PART OF THE COMICS CODE, NO BOOK GETS PUBLISHED WITHOUT THE AD FOR CRAP. THIS IS A MUCH EASIER CHOICE THAN THE RECORD AD, I WANT THE GIANT FRANKENSTEIN. YES, I KNOW IT'S DISAPPOINTING CHEAP PLASTIC JUNK, THAT'S WHY I WANT IT. I DO APPRECIATE THE BELA LUGOSI STARE ON THE HYPNOTISM PAMPHLET AD THOUGH 

THE THRILLING CONCLUSION! THE WICKED PHAROAH ASOSIS II WAKES UP, IS STILL IN HIS SHITTY OLD RAGS BECAUSE THAT'S THE STANDARD UNIFORM FOR EVIL MUMMIES AND IMMEDIATELY DISINTEGRATES BECAUSE A JET FLEW OVERHEAD AND CAUSED A SONIC BOOM. EVEN DOCTOR GRAVES LOOKS INCREDULOUS AT THIS GOOFY ENDING

AND DOCTOR GRAVES WALKS INTO THE SUNSET. NOT THE FUCKING PROTAGONIST, THE HORROR HOST. MEANWHILE PROFESSOR ARCHAEOLOGIST AND EVIL WIZARD HENCHMAN JUST STAND THERE WITH THEIR DICKS IN THEIR HANDS WONDERING WTF JUST HAPPENED. I HOPE THEY BOTH FLEW BACK TO NEW YORK CITY AND GOT A NICE APARTMENT IN THE VILLAGE AND STUDIED OBELISKS OR SOMETHING AND LIVED HAPPILY EVER AFTER. THAT'S THE END OF THE STORY BUT WE GOT A FEW PAGES LEFT YOUBETCHA 

WHAT YOU SEE IS WHAT YOU GET INDEED. I KNEW WHAT I WAS GETTING INTO WHEN I READ A CHARLTON COMIC. HERE'S A LIST OF OF ALL THEIR GHOST THEMED COMICS: GHOSTLY TALES FROM THE HAUNTED HOUSE, GHOSTLY HAUNTS, HAUNTED, OUR OWN THE MANY GHOSTS OF DOCTOR GRAVES AND VISIT GHOST MANOR... IF YOU DARE!! I THINK I HAVE A COPY OF GHOST MANOR SOMEWHERE AND ANOTHER ONE OF HAUNTED AFTER IT WAS REBRANDED TO BE HOSTED BY A BARON WEIRWULF. THEY'RE ALL SUPER CHEEZY AND IT'S GREAT. WE'VE GOT ONE LAST BLAST OF ADS SO YOU CAN DIP OUT NOW, BUT YOU'LL BE MISSING SOME OF THE BEST STUFF 

THE MANDATORY GRIT AD HEADLINES THIS AD PAGE ALONG WITH ANOTHER STAMP AD, ANOTHER MUSCLES AD AND AND AN ART CLASS SCAM. ASK ANY ARTIST IF YOU CAN MAKE BIG MONEY DRAWING COMICS. THIS IS ACTUALLY AN AD FOR A STAMP CATALOG SO YOU CAN FIND MANY DEFECTIVE STAMPS THAT WILL MAKE YOU A THOUSANDAIRE. IT'S ACTUALLY A BIT REFRESHING KNOWING THAT COLLECTABLE MARKETS WERE A BUNCH OF HYPE AND CHICANERY EVEN BEFORE I WAS BORN

EVERYONE WHO STUCK AROUND GETS THEIR REWARD NOW. HERE'S AN ANCIENT STRAT-O-MATIC AD HYPING UP THEIR GAME WITH 480 REAL MAJOR LEAGUE PLAYERS. RICO CARTY! ALEX JOHNSON! BOB GIBSON! WES PARKER! YOU CANNOT PURCHASE THIS GAME IN A RETAIL STORE! YOU CAN'T BUY IT THROUGH THIS AD EITHER! YOU HAVE TO SEND IN A DIME TO GET A FREE BROCHURE WITH SAMPLES!  THEN MAYBE YOU CAN BUY IT. I DON'T REALLY KNOW I HAVEN'T SEEN THE BROCHURE. YOU MIGHT HAVE TO SEND AWAY FOR A CATALOG BEFORE YOU CAN BUY IT. I BOUGHT ALL MY STRAT-O-MATIC GAMES AT RETAIL STORES

HERE'S THE INSIDE BACK COVER AND YOU CAN REALLY SEE HOW WRECKED THIS COMIC WAS WHEN I GOT IT. THAT POOR PAPER IS JUST CRUMBLING AWAY. THIS IS A PRETTY OVERWHELMING AD FOR SOME FISHING STUFF. I HARDLY EVER FISH SO I DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON HERE BUT THESE ARE THE LATEST 1971 MODELS WITH A WHOLE BUNCH OF SHIT LIKE TROUT FLIES AND A KNIFE AND A NET AND A LITTLE FROGGY LOOKING DUDE AND TWO FREE LEAKPROOF FLOATING TACKLE BOXES. THAT'S A WHOLE LOTTA STUFF FOR THE SAME PRICE AS THAT ROCKET FROM BEFORE. MAYBE IT'S A LEGIT OFFER? I'VE BECOME ACCUSTOMED TO EVERYTHING BEING A SCAM NOWADAYS, IT'D BE NICE TO THINK THAT THIS COMPANY MADE A LOT OF FISHERPEOPLES HAPPY

ARE YOU A HIGH SCHOOL DROPOUT? IF YOU'RE READING THIS SLOP THERE'S A PRETTY GOOD CHANCE! GOOD ENOUGH THAT IT'S WORTH PAYING FOR A BACK PAGE AD! NOWADAYS A WHOLE LOT OF PEOPLE ARE FINISHING HIGH SCHOOL AT HOME BETWEEN ZOOM, HOME SCHOOLING AND GED'S. I HOPE YOU ENJOYED SEEING THIS RIDICULOUS COMIC AS MUCH AS I ENJOYED READING IT! NO I DON'T HAVE A CLEVER ENDING TO THE POST WHY DO YOU THINK I WAS OK WITH YOU LEAVING EARLIER

BLACK FRIDAY COMC PICKUPS - PART 67: META HORSIE

DECIDED TO POST OUT OF ORDER FOR THEMATIC PURPOSES. I ALWAYS ALLOW MYSELF ONE COMPLETELY STUPID CARD PICKUP PER ONLINE CARD ORDER. IT'S ONE OF MY RULES, AND I FOLLOW MY RULES

2022 TOPPS X METAZOO WILDERNESS UNICORN

YA KNOWS I LOVES TEH HORSIES

SO WHAT THE SAM HILL IS THIS, LITERALLY EVERYONE WHO READS, HAS READ, OR EVER WILL READ THIS BLOG IS ASKING RIGHT NOW. WELL LEMME 'SPLAIN. NO. WILL TAKE TOO LONG. LEMME SUM UP. IN 2020 THERE WAS A KICKSTARTER FOR THIS GAME WHICH IS KINDA LIKE POKEMON WITH CRYPTIDS. THE KICKSTARTER WAS SUCCESSFUL AND WITH 2020 BEING 2020, THE INITIAL CARDS WERE SUPER HOT AND EXPENSIVE. I AM A FAN OF CRYPTIDS AND X-FILES AND WEE BEASTIES KINDA STUFF AND WAS INTERESTED BUT PRICES FOR THE GAME CARDS ONLINE WERE NUTS AND THE ONLY PLACE I EVER SAW THEM IN THE WILD WAS A NEWER CARD SHOP IN CARTERSVILLE THAT HAD A PILE OF MONSTER BOXES FULL OF THEM WITH NO PRICE TAGS TO BE SEEN. NO BEASTIES FOR ME. THEN TOPPS GOT IN ON THE ACTION AND PUT OUT A TRADING CARD SET OF THE STUFF WITH NO GAME ELEMENTS. THIS WAS ALSO STUPID EXPENSIVE ONLINE. MY LOVE FOR WEIRD CRITTERS WAS UNABATED AND I SEARCHED METAZOO IN COMC AND FOUND A BUNCH OF CHEAPO COMMON CARDS IN MY PRICE RANGE. AND I MEAN, I KINDA HAD TO GET THE UNICORN. I HAVE A BRAND TO UPHOLD HERE

METAZOO IS A REALLY NEAT IDEA FOR A CARD GAME. A LITTLE BIT LIKE MAGIC:THE GATHERING WHERE YOU CAST SPELLS AND SUCH WITH A TOUCH OF POKEMON WITH CUTE CRITTERS WITH TYPE BONUSES ALL WITH A SUPERNATURAL CRYPTID THEME. YOU CAN PLAY WITH BIGFOOT AND MOTHMAN AND ALIENS AND CHUPACABRAS AND DRAGONS IN YOUR DECK AND ALL THE ILLUSTRATIONS ARE REALLY CUTE AND CARTOONY. THE FUN ART STYLE REALLY HAMMERS HOME HOW NOT-SERIOUS THIS GAME IS WHICH AS A VETERAN OF SEVERAL 90S CARD GAMES WITH CONSPIRACY THEMES I GREATLY APPRECIATE. WEIRD MONSTERS IN THE WOODS SHOULD BE FUN! WHEN LOOKING UP THE ARTIST OF THIS CARD I DISCOVERED SHE ACTUALLY HAD AN APPEARANCE AT THE SHOP IN CARTERSVILLE WITH ALL THE METAZOO STUFF LAST YEAR. I'M JUST MISSING OUT ON EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS SET, AREN'T I

 I WAS ABOUT TO MAKE SOME HARSH CRITIQUES ABOUT THIS CARD SET'S MINIMALIST DESIGN BUT WEIRDLY ENOUGH, THIS IS NOT THE ONLY RED-BORDERED ODDBALL NON-SPORTS MONSTER CARD I BOUGHT IN THIS ORDER. AND THERE ARE HONESTLY A LOT OF SIMILARITIES BETWEEN THE TWO CARDS. SO INSTEAD I'LL JUST SAY THIS IS A PEFECTLY CROMULENT NON-SPORTS CARD OSTENSIBLY AIMED TOWARDS KIDS EXCEPT WEIRD OLD GEEZERS LIKE MYSELF PROBABLY BOUGHT IT ALL INSTEAD. AT LEAST THOSE OTHER GEEZERS WERE SMART ENOUGH TO FLIP IT, THIS CARD WILL END UP IN MY NEXT CHAOS BINDER. I HAVE MY FUN

ONLINE DIMEBOX BLASTER - PART 12

FREE CARD PSA: I GOT A COMMENT ON THE LAST POST FROM SOMEONE WHO HAD FREE CARDS PENDING FROM BASEBALLCARDSTORE DOT CA THAT THEY HADN'T PAID SHIPPING ON YET BEFORE THE FREE CARD THING ENDED. THIS HAPPENED TO ME AS WELL AND I ASKED THEM ABOUT IT THROUGH THE CHAT AND GOT THIS RESPONSE:

I have added back the 5.99 shipping for everyone who still has orders to apply shipping to. Nancy

SO YOU CAN STILL FINISH OFF YOUR ORDERS IF YOU NEED TO DO SO. I HAD 33 CARDS ORDERED, IF YOU HAVE LIKE, FIVE, JUST ASK THROUGH THE CHAT ON SITE AND YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO WORK IT OUT. I WAS PLANNING TO DO ONLY ONE OF THESE POSTS PER WEEK BUT THIS SEEMED LIKE IT WAS IMPORTANT ENOUGH INFORMATION TO SEND OUT RIGHT AWAY AND BESIDES I'VE BEEN LAZY AND HAVEN'T COMPLETED ANY OF MY DRAFTS THIS WEEK

BACK TO THE CARD POSTING

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

IF YOU ONLY LIKE BASEBALL THIS IS NOT A GREAT POST FOR YOU. BUT IF YOU HANG IN THERE YOU'LL GET TO SEE A MIGHTY FEAT

1994-95 ULTRA KHALID REEVES ALL-ROOKIE

CATEGORY - INSERT

FLEER INSERTS FROM THE EARLY TO MID 90S ARE UNIQUELY COMFORTING TO ME FOR SOME REASON. PROBABLY BECAUSE THEY WERE IN JUST ABOUT EVERY PACK. YOU ALWAYS GOT A SURPRISE! THIS IS A NICE LOOKING ONE FROM 94-95 ULTRA. WOOD BORDERS JUST LOOK BETTER ON BASKETALL CARDS

1997-98 LEAF INTERNATIONAL STARS ERIC LINDROS

CATEGORY - SUPERSTAR, ODDBALL

THIS IS A STRANGE ONE - A 1997-98 LEAF HOCKEY FOILBOARD PARALLEL SET  ALSO FEATURING A MAP BACKGROUND PRINTED IN SUPER THICK BLACK INK. I'M NOT SURE IF IT'S THE SAME PROCESS USED IN PINNACLE AFICIONADO BUT IT'S VERY SIMILAR. IT ALSO WASN'T AN INSERT IN LEAF PACKS, IT WAS A STANDALONE SET WITH NO INSERTS THAT SKIPPED ALL THE ROOKIES AND SUBSET CARDS. A VERY STRANGE CARD FOR A VERY STRANGE TIME IN THE HOBBY BUT ERIC LINDROS IS ONE OF THOSE 90S HOCKEY STARS THAT IS HARD TO PASS UP

2013 SCORE TONY GONZALEZ

CATEGORY - PLAYER COLLECTION

SHUT UP I DON'T LIKE THE FALCONS. THIS IS A COOL CARD OF A GREAT PLAYER. YOU CAN PROBABLY PINPOINT THE GAME THIS PHOTO WAS TAKEN AND MAYBE EVEN THE PLAY WITH A LITTLE WORK THANKS TO THE SCOREBOARD IN THE BACKGROUND. I'M TOO LAZY BUT SOMEONE CAN

2020 OPTIC TREY MANCINI  STAINED GLASS 

CATEGORY - INSERT

PANINI LIKES THESE STAINED GLASS INSERTS. I LIKE THEM TOO

1995 COMIC IMAGES TANK GIRL "WIRED"

CATEGORY - NON-SPORT

I LIKE THE TANK GIRL COMICS WHEN I CAN FIND THEM AND I'VE BEEN MEANING TO RE-WATCH THE MOVIE SOMETIME. ONE OF MY BIG FINDS LAST YEAR WAS A LORI PETTY AUTOGRAPH! I FOUND A BUNCH OF TANK GIRL MOVIE CARDS AND PICKED OUT THE ONE WITH THE COOL COMIC BOOK COVER

1998-99 SKYBOX METAL UNIVERSE ANTONIO DANIELS NEOPHYTES

CATEGORY - INSERT

LATE 90S METAL UNIVERSE ANYTHING IS AWESOME. SOMETIMES THE INSERTS ARE LESS WILD THAN THE ACTUAL BASE CARDS BUT THIS ONE IS NICE AND COLORFUL. ANTONIO DANIELS WAS A PRETTY GOOD ROLE PLAYER IN THE LEAGUE, YOU DON'T PLAY ALMOST 900 GAMES IN THE NBA WITHOUT HAVING SKILLS. THAT VANCOUVER GRIZZLIES LOGO REALLY SCRATCHES THE NOSTALGIA ITCH

1994 UPPER DECK STREET FIGHTER M. BISON

CATEGORY - NON-SPORT, SUPERSTAR

I MISSED OUT ON A NICE ADDAMS FAMILY STICKER OF GOMEZ BUT DISCOVERED THERE WAS A STREET FIGHTER SET. I FOUND THIS CARD WITH A GREAT PHOTO OF RAUL JULIA IN FRONT OF THE STREET FIGHTER 2 BACKGROUND AND HAD TO SNAP IT UP. I WASN'T FAMILIAR WITH THE SET AND WENT DIGGING AROUND ONLINE AND DISCOVERED THAT WHOEVER PUT THEIR STREET FIGHTER CARDS ON COMC IS CHARGING ABSURD PRICES FOR THE THINGS. I'M PRETTY SURE THE CARD IS MORE CLOSELY WORTH WHAT I PAID FOR IT IF YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT GETTING RICH QUICK ON MID 90S MOVIE CARDS

1993 COLLECT-A-CARD AMERICAN BANDSTAND DEVO

CATEGORY - NON-SPORT

ARE WE NOT MEN?! THE HOLE IN THE WALL CARD SHOP I LOVE HAS TWO SETS OF THIS AMERICAN BANDSTAND CARD SET COMPLETE IN TINS FOR TEN BUCKS A POP. I HAVE BEEN VERY TEMPTED TO PICK UP A SET MAINLY FOR THIS CARD HERE ALTHOUGH THERE ARE SOME OTHER GROUPS IN THE SET I LIKE. FINDING JUST THE DEVO HELPS WITH THE TEMPTATION. I STILL DON'T QUITE UNDERSTAND HOW DEVO GOT IN A SET WITH ANNETTE FUNICELLO, THE CAPTAIN AND TENNILLE AND THE NITTY GRITTY DIRT BAND BUT I'M NOT COMPLAINING

1991 LIME ROCK 1968 FORD MUSTANG

CATEGORY - NON-SPORT

MAD MAGAZINE WASN'T LIME ROCK'S ONLY CARD SET FOR THEIR BRIEF EXISTENCE, THEY ALSO HAD CARDS OF CARS, CHEERLEADERS AND THE GULF WAR. I LOVE MUSTANGS AND ESPECIALLY THE MUSTANG IN BULLITT. THIS ONE ISN'T GREEN BUT IT'S A 1968 MODEL WHICH IS CLOSE ENOUGH FOR ME. THE PASTEL PURPLE BORDERS ARE VERY CALMING

1992 DONRUSS LENNY DYKSTRA

CATEGORY - WANTLIST

SO. RANDOM 1992 DONRUSS CARD. WHY ON EARTH IS THIS MIXED IN WITH ALL THE RANDOM INSERTS AND NONSENSE. NIGHT OWL IS ALREADY IRRITATED WITH ME FOR SHOWING OFF COOL DODGER CARDS I SNATCHED AWAY AND REMINDING HIM THAT EDDIE ROSARIO EXISTS, AM I TRYING TO RUN OFF ONE OF MY THREE LOYAL  READERS?? NO! I AM DECLARING I AM NOW DONE WITH 1992 DONRUSS FOREVER! THIS IS THE LAST CARD I NEED FROM THIS SET! IT'S COMPLETE! I CAN IGNORE THESE BLUE AND SILVER NIGHTMARES FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE NOW!!! I COMPLETED A REAL SET AND IT FEELS GREAT!

UP NEXT - GINTERS AND IMMORTALS AND SOME BAD DUDES