2024 WEEK IN REVIEW - WEEK 3

 I HAVE BASICALLY SPENT THIS ENTIRE WEEK WORKING AND FREEZING SO THOUGHT I MIGHT NOT HAVE ANYTHING TO SHOW OFF BUT THANKFULLY I TOOK PICTURES AND SCREENSHOTS OF THE STUFF I DID DO SO THE WEEK IN REVIEW STREAK IS NOW UP TO THREE. TWO MORE THAN I EXPECTED, HONESTLY. THE HIBERNATION INSTINCT IS STRONG THOUGH, I'M STILL TRYING TO PROCRASTINATE WRITING THIS. I'VE WASHED TWO LOADS OF DISHES AND COOKED DINNER SO FAR TO AVOID TYPING BUT A TOO-LATE-IN-THE-DAY CUP OF COFFEE HAS ME HITTING THE KEYBOARD NOW. THAT AND SOMETHING EVEN MORE URGENT I'M PROCRASTINATING FROM DOING. LET'S START WITH A PILE OF CRAP

COLLECTING STUFF I DID THIS WEEK

I GOT A LITTLE BIT OF ORGANIZING DONE BUT THE MAIN ACCOMPLISHMENT WAS DRAGGING A BUNCH OF UPPER DECK STUFF TO MY DESK TO SORT. MY FINALIZED COLLECTING GOALS ARE STILL A DREAM BUT IT ISS SLOWLY COMING INTO FOCUS DAY BY DAY. I MIGHT HAVE IT ALL WRITTEN DOWN BY DECEMBER, WHICH MIGHT BE THE PROPER WAY TO DO SUCH THINGS. ABOVE ARE SOME SETS I MADE SOME WANTLISTS FOR BECAUSE I'D LIKE TO ADD SOME TO MY COLLECTION AND MAYBE EVEN COMPLETE THE SET ONE OF THESE DECADES! HERE'S A LIST OF 'EM:

1995, 1997 SP

1996-1999 SPX

1997 UD3

1999 UD POWERDECK

1999-2000 IONIX

2002 A PIECE OF HISTORY

1995 SP I WAS ALREADY WORKING ON BUT I FORGOT HOW INCREDIBLY SHINY THE 1997 SET WAS AND I HAD MANAGED TO ACCUMULATE A BUNCH OF IT, INCLUDING THE SHORT PRINTED HIDECKI IRABU ROOKIE. JUST LOOKA T THAT BIG SEXY CARD, ETCHED FOIL AND A HOLOFIL BORDER, YOWZA. SPX SPEAKS FOR ITSELF BUT I FINALLY GOT ALL THE ONES I HAVE IN ONE PLACE. I'VE ALWAYS PREFERRED 1998 UD3 TO THE 1997 VERSION BUT I HAD A REALIZATION: 1998 UD3 HAS A FRACTURED BASE SET WITH CARDS IN VARIOUS LEVELS OF SCARCITY THAT'S ALMOST 300 CARDS IN SIZE. 1997 UD3 IS 60 CARDS WITH NO FUSS. I HAVE A CHANCE IN HELL OF COMPLETING THAT SET! IONIX IS A CHROME-LIKE SET WITH SOME FUN DESIGNS, POWERDECK IS POWERDECK, AND 2002 PIECE OF HISTORY IS A COOL LEGENDSISH SET THAT IS SLIGHTLY SPOILED WITH SOME UNNECESSARY SHORTPRINTS BUT I LIKE IT. NONE OF THESE CARDS ARE TERRIBLY COMMON BUT IF I FIND SOME IN MY TRAVELS I CAN MAKE SURE I'M NOT SPENDING MY MONEY ON DOUBLES NOW

I ALSO GOT MY UPPER DECK INSERT CARDS SOMEWHAT ORGANIZED. THEY'VE BEEN A MESS FOR A WHILE AS SOME CARDS WERE IN AN INSERT BOX, AND OTHERS WERE WITH THE SET, AND OTHERS WERE HIDING IN RANDOM PLACES. I'VE AVOIDED DOING THIS FOR SO LONG BECAUSE AFTER 1993, WITH FEW EXCEPTIONS I DO NOT HAVE ANY IDEA WHICH INSERT IS FROM WHICH YEAR AND SINCE A LOT OF THE MID 90S-EARLY 00S SETS HAVE A COPYRIGHT DATE OF THE PREVIOUS YEAR FOR SERIES ONE IT'S A REAL PAIN. THIS ARRAY OF PILES WAS SUPPOSED TO BE SORTED BY YEAR BUT HOO BOY DID I BUNGLE IT ON MOST OF THE STACKS. A LOT OF THOSE AREN'T EVEN FROM FLAGSHIP SETS. ASIDE FROM MOSTLY GETTING THINGS WHERE THEY BELONG I ALSO GOT ALL MY UPPER DECK E-CARD CODE CARDS IN ONE PLACE. THESE WERE CONTEST CARDS WHERE YOU COULD ENTER A CODE INTO A WEBSITE AND WIN ACTUAL CARDS, A DECADE BEFORE TOPPS DID IT. THERE'S THIRTY-THREE CARDS TOTAL BETWEEN TWO FLAGSHIP SETS AND AN ODDBALL CALLED EVOLUTION AND I KINDA WANT TO CHASE THEM ALL SINCE I HAVE A GOOD HEAD START ALREADY

WHILE SORTING THE IONIX, I FOUND THIS GEM:

THIS CARD IS A REAL MESS BUT THAT'S ON PURPOSE. UPPER DECK WAS ON THE CUTTING EDGE OF INTERNET 1337 5P33K WITH THIS SHOCKWAVE SET. THE WHOLE BRAND WAS VERY COMPUTERY WITH SOME WILD DESIGNS AND PIXELY COMPUTER GRAPHIC ART. THERE'S A SLIGHT PROBLEM WITH THIS ONE AS THERE'S A HOLOFOIL TEXTURED OVERLAY ON TOP OF THE CARD THAT OUTLINED THE PLAYER PICTURE BUT THIS ONE GOT A LITTLE JACKED UP. YOU CAN SEE THE BOTTOM LEFT CORNER OF THE HOLOFOIL THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN AT THE CORNER OF THE CARD IN BETWEEN DELGADO'S SHOES. HERE'S A LITTLE BETTER LOOK AT THE TEXTURE

YOU CAN NOT OLY SEE THE TEXTURE ON THE CARD IS RIGHT ON TOP OF CARLOS, BUT THE PLAYER OUTLINE APPEARS TO BE FOR A HORIZONTAL DESIGN. THE HORIZONTAL INSERT IN 2000 IONIX IS CALLED ATOMIC AND IF WE LOOK AT THE BACK...

HERE'S A NICE RIDICULOUSLY MISCUT BACK OF TONY GWYNN'S ATOMIC INSERT. I THINK THAT IS ALSO THE OUTLINE OF TONY ON THE FRONT, HERE'S A PIC SWIPED FROM EBAY, DECIDE FOR YOURSELF. IT LOOKS LIKE A CARLOS DELAGO SHOCKWAVE CARD GOT INTO A TELEPORTER WITH A TONY GWYNN ATOMIC CARD AND GOT BRUNDLEFLYED. CARDS LIKE THIS REALLY GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF JUST HOW INTRICATE THE PRODUCTION OF THESE WILD LOOKING CARDS REALLY IS

MOVIES

ONLY WATCHED ONE MOVIE THIS WEEK FOR REASONS I'LL EXPLAIN SOON

#7 COMIC BOOK CONFIDENTIAL
I HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR THIS FOR A WHILE AND A COPY POPPED UP ON YOUTUBE. THIS IS A DOCUMENTARY THAT DISCUSSES THE HISTORY OF COMICS FROM THE '30S TO THE '80S THROUGH INTERVIEWS WITH THE ORIGINAL CREATORS. FROM WILLIAM GAINES AND STAN LEE TO FRANK MILLER AND CHARLES BURNS. THE DOCUMENTARY SKEWS TOWARD THE INDEPENDENT AND UNDERGROUND COMICS BUT IF YOU'RE LOOKING TO HEAR FROM A LOT OF THE ALL TIME GREATS OF THE MEDIUM THIS IS A FANTASTIC WATCH

THE REASON WHY MOVIES GOT PUT TO THE BACK BURNER THIS WEEK IS BECAUSE THE AGDQ SPEED RUNNING MARATHON WAS LAST WEEK AND I ENDED UP WATCHIGN A LOT OF THAT INSTEAD. I FLAKED AND FORGOT IT WAS STARTING LAST SUNDAY OR I WOULD HAVE POSTED IT IN LAST WEEK'S ROUNDUP. A TON OF GAMES ARE SPEEDRUN FOR CHARITY TWICE A YEAR AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING SOME OF MAY FAVORITE GAMES RUN WAY TOO FAST. IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH SPEEDRUNNING, HERE'S A VIDEO OF THIS YEARS LEGEND OF ZELDA RUN WHICH WAS COMPLETED IN A LITTLE OVER A HALF HOUR

THEIR TWITCH CHANNEL HOSTS SPEEDRUNS ALL YEAR LONG IF YOU IND YOU ENJOY THIS SORT OF THING. I MISSED HALF THE MARATHON SO I'VE GOT A LOT OF RUNS TO CATCH UP ON

BOOKS

YESTERDAY WAS THE LOCAL COMMUNITY CENTER'S ANNUAL BOOK SWAP AND I GOT A BUNCH OF GOODIES. TWENTY ONE BOOKS FOR ME TO THINK ABOUT READING ONCE I HAVE TIME! (SPOILER: I WILL NEVER HAVE TIME) I'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR YEARS NOW WITH MY DAUGHTER AND WE MANAGED TO GET SOME STUFF WE WANTED AND GET THIRTY UNWANTED BOOKS OUT OF THE HOUSE AT THE SAME TIME. THIS IS A GOOD CROSS SECTION OF WHAT I GOT, WITH A LOCAL BASEBALL BOOK, A HORROR COMEDY AND MYSTERY NOVEL. I ALSO MADE A FEW RECORD SWAPS. I HAD A LOT OF FUN WRITING UP THE SWAP POSTS LAST YEAR AND I'LL START SHOWING THE NEW TRADES OFF IN A WEEK OR TWO

PODCASTY STUFF

I MEANT TO SHOW OFF THE POSCASTS I LIKE BUT I KEEP WRITING ABOUT OLD TIME RADIO INSTEAD. THIS BOX SET OF SYDNEY GREENSTREET'S VERSION OF NERO WOLFE JUMPED UP AT ME BECAUSE I WAS HOPING TO FIND SOME OF THE ACTUAL BOOKS AT THE SWAP. I WAS VERY LUCKY TO GET THIS AS IT CAUGHT MY EYE RIGHT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SHOW AND A FEW MINUTES LATER THE AUDIO BOOK SECTION WAS PICKED CLEAN.NERO WOLFE IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE DETECTIVES AND I ENJOY THE BOOKS AND THE A&E TV SERIES. SYDNEY GREENSTREET IS A REAL CHARACTER TOO, I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING HIS INTERPRETATION OF THE FAT DETECTIVE. A TON OF THESE OLD RADIO PLAYS ARE ON ARCHIVE DOT ORG AND YOU CAN LISTEN TO GREENSTREET'S VERSION, MAVOR MOORE'S VERSION, WHATEVER THIS VERSION IS (MAYBE IT'S GREENSTREET'S? THE DESCRIPTION ISN'T CLEAR) AND WHEN YOU LISTEN TO THEM ALL YOU CAN LISTEN TO A PODCAST WITH COMMENTARY ON THE EPISODES. HA HA! I WAS ABLE TO BRING IT BACK TO PODCASTS AFTER ALL! THE GREAT DETECTIVES OF OLD TIME RADIO WITH ADAM GRAHAM IS A PODCAST I LEARNED ABOUT 15 MINUTES AGO AND IT LOOKS LIKE I HAVE - OH DEAR - THAT'S A LOT OF EPISODES TO CATCH UP ON. MAYBE I'LL JUST START WITH NERO FIRST

OK YOU READ THROUGH ALL THAT, TIME FOR YOUR REWARD

THE BEST CARD I BOUGHT THIS WEEK

THE ONLY CARDS I BOUGHT THIS WEEK WERE ON BASEBALLCARDSTORE DOT CA. I GAVE COMC A REST AND IT WAS TOO COLD TO GO OUTSIDE. I MANAGED TO KEEP IT UNDER FORTY CARDS THIS WEEK TOO ALTHOUGH IT WAS HARD TO PICK A FAVORITE FOR THE POST. I GOT A VERY NICE WILLIAM ANDREWS 1983 TOPPS STICKER, THE JOHN SMOLTZ SPORTS ILLUSTRATED (R.I.P.) CARD WHERE HIS DAD'S PLAYING THE ACCORDIAN AND A CHRIS CHELIOS POST CEREAL CARD THAT I DIDN'T KNOW EXISTED. THESE ARE ALL GREAT CANDIDATES BUT YOU KNOW HOW I CAN'T RESIST THE SHINY

I HAVE TO GO WITH THE 2021 TOPPS CHROME PRISMIC POWER CARD OF FREDDIE FREEMAN. I'VE SEEN THESE BEFORE AND THEY ARE VERY PRETTY BUT I NEVER PICKED ONE UP. I'LL TAKE A GOOD LOOKING FREDDIE INSERT CARD (IN A BRAVES UNI) ANY DAY

HERE'S THE TOTALS FOR THE WEEK:

WANTLIST CARDS - 7
BRAVES/HAWKS/ETC. - 6 
SHIIINY - 5
INSERTS - 11
STARS/PLAYER COLLECTION - 5
CHRONICLES - 2
NON SPORT - 1
CHUCK MCELROY - 1

OH NO! I FINISHED THE POST! NOW I HAVE TO DO THAT THING I WAS PROCRASTINATING ABOUT. UNTIL NEXT WEEK, KEEP HAVING FUN OUT THERE

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

HEY KIDS, COMICS: FREE COMIC BOOK DAY 2023

 SUNDAY BLOGS WERE SUPPOSED TO BE SET ASIDE FOR POSTING RECORDS AND COMICS AND OTHER NON-CARD STUFF BUT INSTEAD I USED MY SUNDAYS FOR BEING LAZY AND NOT POSTING ANYTHING. THE DAYS OF SLOTH HAVE REJUVINATED ME AND I'M HERE ON A SUNDAY MORNING LISTENING TO A MARX BROTHERS PODCAST AND DOING SOME BLOGGERY ACTIVITY. YESTERDAY WAS FREE COMIC BOOK DAY AND I WENT WITH THE KIDS TO MOOCH SOME GOODIES AND PICKED UP A LIL SUMTHIN FOR MYSELF. I WAS TARGETING FOUR SPECIFIC COMICS AND MANAGED TO FIND THREE OF THEM. THE ONE I COULDN'T FIND WAS THE FANTAGRAPHICS FREE COMIC AND I HAVE HONESTLY NEVER EVER EVEN ONCE FOUND THAT COMIC ON FCBD SO I WASN'T TOO DISAPPOINTED. I HAVE A BUNCH OF THE ORIGINAL FABULOUS FREAK BROTHERS COMICS AND AN ANTHOLOGY SO IT'S NOT REALLY A BIG DEAL. HERE'S THE ONES I DID PICK UP

MAD BALLS VS GARBAGE PAIL KIDS  - DYNAMITE

MY INITIAL THOUGHT WAS NO WAY THIS COMIC WASN'T TRASH BUT I CAN'T PASS UP ON ANYTHING WITH ADAM BOMB ON IT. AND TO BE FAIR, TRASH IS KINDA THESE CHARACTERS' RAISON D'ETRE. THIS IS ALSO AN EXTREMELY 80S MASH UP WHICH SEEMS ODD TO MARKET TO KIDS, BUT THANKS TO STUFF LIKE STRANGER THINGS AND GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY KIDS LOVE 80S KITSCH. I'M SURE A BUNCH OF OLD GEEZERS LIKE ME PICKED IT UP AS WELL. SO, IS IT ANY GOOD?

IT'S FINE. THERE'S AN ORIGIN STORY WHERE A FAMILY OF YUPPIE SCUM MOVE INTO A NEW HOUSE RIGHT BETWEEN THE MADBALL HOUSE AND THE GARBAGE PAIL KIDS HOUSE AND THE KIDS GET TO MEET ALL THE LICENSED CHARACTERS. ONCE WE'VE INTRODUCED EVERYONE WE HAVE A SECOND STORY WHERE THE GANG SHOWS OFF THEIR SCIENCE FAIR EXPERIMENTS AND SHENANIGANS ENSUE. THEN THERE'S A FEW ACTIVITY PAGES WITH A MAZE AND A WORD SCRAMBLE BEFORE WE GET TO ALL THE ADS. THE BEST BIT FOR ME WAS THE INTERVIEW WITH THE ARTIST AND WRITER. IT'S BASIC BUT FUN AND I CAN SEE IT CHANGING AN IMPRESSIONABLE WEIRD 8 YEAR OLD'S LIFE JUST LIKE PLOP! DID FOR ME A MILLION YEARS AGO. IT'S A TOY ADVERTISEMENT, BUT THEY'RE FUN TOYS SO WHO CARES 

TOM HOLLAND'S FRIGHT NIGHT - AMERICAN MYTHOLOGY PRODUCTIONS

A COMIC BASED ON THE GREAT 80S MOVIE, THIS ONE CAUGHT MY EYE BECAUSE I HAVE READ THE ORIGINAL FRIGHT NIGHTS COMIC FROM THE 80S AND IT'S GREAT. A NICE COMBO OF COMEDY AND HORROR WITH A FUN CARTOONY STYLE. I SAW THIS ONE ON THE FREE COMIC BOOK DAY PAGE AND WAS SUPER EXCITED BECAUSE THE COVER AT LEAST REALLY CAPTURES THE VIBE OF THE ORIGINAL. SO, IS IT ANY GOOD?

MAYBE? LESS THAN HALF THE COMIC IS ACTUAL COMICS AND HALF OF THAT IS A FLASHBACK SEQUENCE DRAWN BY NEIL VOKES WHO WAS AN ARTIST ON THE ORIGINAL 80S COMIC. THE REST IS INTERVIEWS WITH THE ARTISTS, WRITER, AND DIRECTOR OF THE FILM, A PREVIEW OF TOM HOLLAND'S SPIN OFF NOVEL, ADS FOR MORE FRIGHT NIGHT COMICS AND SOME COOL SKETCH PAGES FROM VOKES. THE FLASHBACK SEQUENCE IS BASICALLY A CLIFF'S NOTES VERSION OF THE FILM AND THE NEW STORY THAT BOOKENDS IT ISN'T FLESHED OUT VERY WELL OTHER THAN THERE'S A HOT VAMPIRE CHICK WITH BATWINGS SO THERE REALLY ISN'T ENOUGH HERE TO JUDGE IT PROPERLY.  I HONESTLY PREFER THE ORIGINAL ART STYLE TO THE NEW ART STYLE BUT THAT'S PROBABLY JUST ME BEING AN OLD CURMUDGEON. THE NEW STYLE SUITS THE VAMPIRE VIBE A LITTLE BETTER THOUGH

THE EXTRA MATERIAL IS PRETTY FANTASTIC ESPECIALLY IF YOU LIKE THE FILM. I WAS NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE AMERICAN MYTHOLOGY PUBLISHER AND WHEN I CHECKED THEM OUT I DISCOVERED THEY DO A BUNCH OF OTHER HORROR TITLES AND A LOT OF LICENCED STUFF LIKE EDGAR RICE BURROUGHS AND THE THREE STOOGES WHICH IS RIGHT UP MY ALLEY. AS A COMIC IT'S OK, BUT AS AN ADVERTISEMENT IT'S FANTASTIC WHICH IS THE WHOLE POINT OF FREE COMIC BOOK DAY WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT

I'M ESPECIALLY INTERESTED IN THE COMIC BOOK VERSION OF ONE OF PETER VINCENT'S FAKE MOVIES FROM THE FILM, ORGY OF THE DAMNED. THAT LOOKS LIKE A REAL HOOT

FRAZETTAVERSE - OPUS

FRANK FRAZETTA'S ART IS FANTASTIC AND HAS BEEN A STAPLE OF COMIC BOOKS FOR DECADES. I FOUND A COUPLE OTHER NEW COMICS WITH FRANK'S ART ON THE COVER WHILE BROWSING AROUND DR. NO'S YESTERDAY. THIS COMIC I HAD HEARD OF BEFORE, THE BASIC GIST IS THAT THEY ARE ADAPTING COMIC STORIES OUT OF CLASSIC FRAZETTA PAINTINGS. A PICTURE IS WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS BUT FRAZETTA'S PICTURES ARE WORTH WHOLE-ASS COMIC SERIES. THERE WEREN'T MANY OF THESE LEFT AND I WAS LUCKY TO SNAG ONE. SO, IS IT ANY GOOD?

HELL YEAH IT'S GOOD! THERE ARE THREE STORIES IN HERE BASED ON FRAZETTA PAINTINGS. THE FIRST ONE IS BASED ON DEATH DEALER. A VIKING LOOKING DUDE ASKS A SKULL WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON AND GETS A QUICK SUMMARY OF THE GIGANTIC MESS THE DEATH DEALER GOT HIMSELF INTO. THERE ARE WITCHES AND A WIZARD AND A BIG-ASS DRAGON AND EVERYONE JOINS TOGETHER IN A D&D AVENGERS SETUP TO FIGHT HELL OR SOMETHING. IT LOOKS RAD AND IS AN EXCELLENT TEASER FOR THE COMICS

NEXT UP IS FRAZETTA'S INTERPRETATION OF MOTHMAN. A SPACESHIP MOTHMAN ACCIDENTALLY CRASHES RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF A METH DEALER WAR. THIS PREVIEW SHOWS WAY MORE OF THE METHHEADS THAN THE MOTHMENS BUT IT REALLY DOES WHET MY APPITITE FOR MORE CRYPTIDS. OR IS IT ALIENS? THE SERIES COMES OUT IN MAY SO YOU'LL HAVE TO PICK UP AN ISSUE TO FIND OUT

LAST STORY IS BASED ON DAWN ATTACK. A MIX OF FANTASY AND SCI-FI SHENANIGANS, A VALKYRIE SPACE PRINCESS FIGHTS A GORILLA MONSTER. NOT MUCH MORE TO THIS ONE BUT IT LOOKS COOL. THIS IS EASILY THE THICKEST FREE COMIC I SAW AND THERE'S WAY MORE COMICS THAN ADS. IF YOU LIKE FRAZETTA IT'S WORTH TRACKING DOWN

I HAD A NICE FUN SUCCESSFUL FREE COMIC RUN AND ALSO PICKED UP A NICE BOOK ABOUT WC FIELDS AND RESCUED A FEW COMICS FROM THE DOLLAR BOXES. MAYBE I'LL GET AROUND TO POSTING THOSE ANOTHER DAY. YOU ALL ENJOY YOUR SUNDAY AND MAYBE READ A BOOK AND LISTEN TO RECORD AND GET SOME RELAXING IN

ANTIQUE MALL ADVENTURES PART 2

HOLD ON TO YOUR BUTTS, IT'S ANOTHER ANTIQUE MALL POST WITH A BILLION PICTURES OF COOL JUNK! THIS TRIP WAS A COUPLE WEEKS BEFORE CHRISTMAS SO THAT'S WHY THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF A HOLIDAY FEEL. BLOGGING IS SO MUCH MORE FUN WHEN I DON'T FEEL LIKE I HAVE TO POST EVERYTHING INSTANTLY. I'M NOT EVEN GOING TO BOTHER LYING TO YOU AND ACTING LIKE EVERYTHING IS A BRAND NEW PICKUP. EVERY SINGLE POST I DO NOW IS ABOUT CRAP I'VE HAD FOR MONTHS. WANT TO SEE IT INSTANTLY? CONVINCE ME TO START A PATREON. OR ONLY FANS. TRY EXPLAINING TO YOUR WIFE THAT CHARGE ON YOUR CREDIT CARD IS TO SEE ALL THE RONALD ACUÑA BASE CARDS AN OLD GEEZER BUYS OUT OF THE DOLLAR BOX MONTHS BEFORE EVERYONE ELSE. I'D BE ABLE TO BUY MORE ACUÑA CARDS IF YOU DID SO GIVE IT A SHOT AT LEAST

ON THIS TRIP TO THE JUNK MUSEUM I MADE A BEELINE TO THE BOOTH THAT HAD THE CIGARETTE CARDS FROM LAST TIME. NO CARDS THIS TIME, BUT THEY HAD THIS REPLICA OF THE DRAGULA CAR FROM THE MUNSTERS FOR A HUNDRED FIFTY SMACKERS. WAY OUT OF MY PRICE RANGE, BUT THEY ALSO HAD SOME MODEL KITS FOR FIVE-TEN BUCKS THAT CAUGHT MY EYE ENOUGH TO REMEMBER BUT NOT ACTUALLY TAKE A PIC

SINCE IT WAS THE CHRISTMAS SEASON THEY ALSO HAD THIS WALL-O-VINTAGE STOCKING STUFFERS. MORE EXPENSIVE THAN THE DOLLAR TREE BUT REASONABLY PRICED FOR IN-PACKAGE TOYS THAT ARE PROBABLY AS OLD AS I AM. THAT BARE SPOT ON THE LEFT HAD A VINTAGE PEANUTS TOY OF SNOOPY'S SISTER BELLE, BUT I FORGOT TO TAKE A PICTURE AND WHEN I WENT BACK IT WAS ALREADY GONE. I REGRETTED NOT GRABBING THAT AT THE TIME AND MONTHS LATER I ALSO HAVE SOME REMORSE FOR NOT PICKING UP THE BAR BUG FAKE ICE CUBE

THERE ARE A FEW CASES UP IN THE FRONT WITH SUPER EXPENSIVE STUFF, INCLUDING A BUNCH OF SIGNED RECORDS. THIS SIGNED COPY OF CHUNGA'S REVENGE CAUGHT MY EYE. IT LOOKS LIKE FRANK IS SCREAMING AT HIS AUTOGRAPH BUT HE'S ACTUALLY YAWNING. THIS IS THE FIRST ALBUM WITH FLO AND EDDIE ON VOCALS AND FEATURES A LOT OF LYRICS THAT HAVE NOT AGED GRACEFULLY

AN ORIGINAL PRESS PHOTO WITH DESCRIPTION WAS AVAILABLE FOR TEN BUCKS. THE TEXT IS FAINT, BUT HERE'S BY BEST ATTEMPT AT A TRANSCRIPTION:

025.......NEW YORK BUREAU

SETTING 'EM UP

NEW YORK: JOE BLACK, FORMERLY WITH BROOKLYN,

DOES A FEW EXERCISES ON THE MOUND DURING

??? PITCHING IN THE NIGHT GAME AT EBBETS

FIELD JULY 18TH. AS A CINCINNATTI MOUNDSMAN,

BLACK MADE HIS FIRST START AGAINST THE DODGERS

A BIG ONE, BEATING THEM 9-5.

??? UNITED PRESS PHOTO, 7/18/55 (DS)

THIS ONE WAS REALLY TEMPTING BUT I DON'T NEED TO START COLLECTING VINTAGE PHOTOS 

THE FIRST CIGARETTE CARD OF THE VISIT WAS FOUND ON A TABLE FULL OF KNICK KNACKS. A FRAMED 1938 PLAYER'S CIGARETTE CARD OF GARY COOPER COULD BE YOURS FOR TWENTY BUCKS. NO PRICE ON THE VINTAGE PHOTO OF A CLOWN CHILD AS IT IS TRULY PRICELESS

MOARER PHOTOS! HERE'S A FRAMED SEPIA TONED TED WILLIAMS. THIS ONE WAS HIDING UNDER A TABLE AND ALSO HAS NO PRICE

I SAW THIS ARTSY GLASS OWL VASE AND GAVE A THOUGHT TO GREG AT NIGHT OWL CARDS. THIS WOULD GO WELL WITH HIS RON CEY LAMP

VINTAGE PENNANTS ARE ANOTHER THING I LIKE BUT ABSOLUTELY DO NOT NEED TO BE COLLECTING. THIS MILWAUKEE/ATLANTA UNFORTUNATE LOGO COMBO WAS ON SALE!

I ALWAYS HAVE TO SCROUNGE THROUGH THE BOX OF OVERPRICED TRADING CARDS STUCK TO INDEX CARDS. EVEN THOUGH I'D NEVER PAY THOSE PRICES FOR THEM, I'D JUST FEEL BAD IF I EVER PASSED THEM BY WITHOUT A LOOK. THIS VINTAGE OFF CENTER LEADERS CARD WITH THREE HALL OF FAMERS IS THE ONE THAT TEMPTS ME THE MOST 

INDEX CARD BOOTH ALSO HAD A WALL O' CASSETTE TAPES. LET'S PLAY A GAME. OPEN THIS PIC UP IN A NEW TAB AND FIND $20 WORTH OF TAPES YOU'D BUY. IF THE PRICE ISN'T VISIBLE, JUST CALL IT A FIVER

MY CHOICES:

$10 - THEN AND NOW, BEST OF THE MONKEES

$7 - EARTH, WIND AND FIRE - RAISE

$3 - THE PRETENDERS - LEARNING TO CRAWL

I GOT QUITE A FRIGHT WHEN I TURNED AROUND AND SAW THIS TABLE STARING AT ME ACCUSINGLY. LEAVE ME ALONE, TABLE, I DIDN'T PAINT YOU LIKE THAT

THIS HUMOR FOR ADULTS MAGAZINE CAUGHT MY EYE AND I FLIPPED THROUGH IT TO SEE JUST HOW ADULT THIS COULD POSSIBLY BE IN 1961

THEN I SAW THIS AND LAUGHED MY ASS OFF. GOOD OL' RAUNCHY SIXTIES COMICS NEVER DISAPPOINT

YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT WEIRDNESS YOU'LL FIND AT AN ANTIQUE MALL AND A PILE OF ANCIENT CHRISTMAS PARTY PHOTOS FROM A LARGE LOCAL COMPANY WAS DEFINITELY NOT SOMETHING I EXPECTED

A NICE MATISSE PRINT WHERE THE PRICE WAS SLASHED IN HALF AND THEN FURTHER DISCOUNTED. FOUR OR FIVE MORE PRICE STICKERS AND I MIGHT HAVE TO GET IT

A CHEESE BOX OF VINTAGE CREEPY BABY PHOTOS. BIZARRE STUFF LIKE THIS IS EXACTLY WHY I KEEP VISITING THESE JUNK SHOPS

PURPLE MOOSE! THIS IS NOT A MATISSE BUT IS JUST AS GREAT

A FANCY FRAMED COLLECTION OF ATLANTA OLYMPIC PINS. PINS WERE SUCH A HUGE FAD DURING THE OLYMPICS, SUCH A PERFECT WAY TO GET PEOPLE TO SPEND FIVE BUCKS A POP ON AN ENDLESS SELECTION OF TRINKETS. YOU CAN GET THEM FOR ABOUT TWO BUCKS APIECE HERE AND GET THE FRAME THROWN IN FOR FREE

ONE THING I MISSED LAST TIME WAS A BOOTH OF COMIC BOOKS BECAUSE THERE WERE A BUNCH OF PEOPLE IN THERE AND I DIDN'T WANT TO GET CLOSE AND PERSONAL WITH THEM. THE BOOTH WAS EMPTY SO I GOT TO TAKE A GOOD LOOK THIS TIME. THEY HAD A BOX FULL OF COMIC BOOK COVER REPRINT POSTERS FOR EIGHT BUCKS APIECE AND I ENJOYED THIS HOUSE OF SECRETS COVER OF SWAMP THING'S FIRST APPEARANCE

THE ALSO HAD A PONY VILLAINS POSTER! I HAVE SEEN THESE SAME COMIC POSTERS AT SEVERAL LOCAL COMIC CONVENTIONS BEFORE BUT I DON'T KNOW IF THEY ARE A LICENSED THING OR A HOMEBREW PRINTJOB

THEY ALSO HAD A BUNCH OF VINTAGE MOVIE LOBBY CARDS FOR SALE. MOST OF THE FILMS I HAD NEVER HEARD OF BEFORE BUT THEY HAD THIS GREAT CARD FROM OTTO PREMINGER'S SKIDOO WITH CAROL CHANNING AS A PIRATE. THE MOVIE IS TERRIBLE BUT IT'S NOT GOOD-BAD, IT'S GREAT-BAD. JACKIE GLEASON ON ACID. CAROL CHANNING SEDUCING FRANKIE AVALON. GROUCHO MARX SMOKING POT TO HARRY NILSSON MUSIC. A BILLION CAMEOS INCLUDING MICKEY ROONEY, RICHARD KIEL, SLIM PICKINS, BURGESS MEREDITH, GEORGE RAFT, ARNOLD STANG, FRANK GORSHIN, CESAR ROMERO AND THE GREEN BAY PACKERS. I CANNOT RECOMMEND THIS FILM ENOUGH AND I HOLD NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY BRAIN DAMAGE INCURRED WHILE WATCHING IT

95% OF THE COMICS THERE ARE BORING OL' SUPERHERO STUFF BUT THEY DID HAVE ONE BOX FILLED WITH OLD MAGAZINES FROM THE 70S AND 80S. THIS ISSUE OF CREEPY WITH A COOL FRANK FRAZETTA COVER CAUGHT MY EYE. THIS ONE REPRINTS SOME CLASSIC STORIES FROM PREVIOUS ISSUE FROM GUYS LIKE BERNIE WRIGHTSON, NEIL ADAMS AND WALLY WOOD

ANOTHER COOL ONE IS THIS ISSUE OF EERIE WITH A DINOSAUR WHO HAS A TASTE FOR DRESSES ON THE COVER. THIS ONE REPRINTS SOME STORIES BY RICHARD CORBEN, WHICH IS ALWAYS A TREAT

THE MILLER GENUINE DRAFT SNOWGLOBE THING IS STILL THERE BUT THE SMALL VEHICLE THAT LIVED ON TOP OF IT HAS NOW SOLD. IT'S STILL FOUR HUNDRED BUCKS AND I HOPE IT DOESN'T SELL FOR A WHILE BECAUSE IT'S COMFORTING EVERYTIME I SEE IT

I HAD A BAD STREAK OF POORLY FOCUSED PICS AT THIS POINT BUT I HAVE TO SHOW OFF ONE OF THE ODDEST THINGS I'VE EVER FOUND IN MY TRAVELS. A FRAMED HISTORY OF ALL THE DOG SHOW AWARDS WON BY AN OLDE ENGLISH SHEEPDOG FIFTY YEARS AGO. I REALLY WISH THIS WASN'T SO BLURRY BUT I THINK YOU STILL GET THE POINT

TWO ATLANTA FADS IN ONE CONVENIENT PACKAGE. AN OLYMPIC-THEMED CABBAGE PATCH KIDS DOLL. UNLIKE THE PINS, I'M SURE SOMEBODY WILL BUY THIS

THE BINS OF JUNK WAX PACKS UNDERNEATH THE PLAYBOYS ARE STILL HERE BUT THEY WEREN'T ON SALE THIS TIME. THERE WAS A NEW ADDITION WITH SOME CLASSIC MINOR LEAGUE PACKS RECENTLY ADDED

YET ANOTHER BOX FILLED WITH A RANDOM ASSORTMENT OF OLD PHOTOS. A LOT OF THESE HAVE THE DECKLED EDGES COPIED BY TOPPS INSERT SETS IN THE 60S. I LOVE THIS PIC OF A COUPLE AND THEIR CAT

TUCKED AWAY IN A HIDDEN CORNER WAS A NICE SHELF FILLED WITH GRAPHIC NOVELS AND ART BOOKS. THERE'S SOME GOOD STUFF IN HERE, HARVEY PEKAR, JEFF SMITH AND SERGIO ARAGONES FOR STARTERS

HEY KIDS, COMICS! AND PLAYBOYS FOR WHEN YOU CAN REACH THAT HIGH. THIS IS A VERY ECLECTIC COLLECTION OF COMICS TOO, FROM JUGHEAD TO DEADPOOL

PLUS THERE'S SOME UNEXPECTED WATERCOLOR PINUP ART IN THE BOTTOM CORNER. THIS ISN'T A PRINT, THIS IS AN ORIGINAL. NO IDEA WHY IT'S IN A COMICS RACK

MORE RANDOM CARDS OUTTA NOWHERE! THIS IS ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE JUGHEAD/PLAYBOY RACK. NO IDEA IF IT IS FROM THE SAME SELLER. THIS IS A GREAT CARD WITH A HORRIFYING PRICE

YOU CAN ALSO GET AN AUTOGRAPHED ROOKIE CARD FOR HALF THE PRICE OF EMMITT. TECHNICALLY A ROOKIE CARD AT LEAST, SIMI HASN'T PLAYED ABOVE THE G-LEAGUE YET. THIS PRICE IS PRETTY COMPARABLE TO PRICES ON EBAY BUT YOU CAN GET THE SAME CARD ON COMC FOR ABOUT TWO BUCKS

THE BEST OF THE RANDOM LOOSEY TRADING CARDS. I DON'T REMEMBER THE PRICE BUT IF IT WAS UNDER FIVE BUCKS I PROBABLY WOULD HAVE IT RIGHT NOW

I HAVE COVETED A RALPH STEADMAN FLYING DOG BEER GLASS FOR A LONG TIME AND DEEPLY REGRET NOT BUYING A FOUR-PACK OF THEM AT GOODWILL A DECADE AGO. OF COURSE MY KIDS HAVE SMASHED SOMETHING LIKE 90% OF MY GLASSES OVER THE YEARS SO PERHAPS IT IS FOR THE BEST I PASSED THEM UP. THIS IS A GREAT LOOKING GLASS BUT I'M NOT PAYING TEN BUCKS FOR IT

NO ONE CAN CONVINCE ME THAT THIS SIGNED LOBBY CARD WAS NOT PERSONALLY AUTOGRAPHED BY TRIGGER. HE WAS THE SMARTEST HORSE IN THE MOVIES AFTER ALL

I WAS MILDLY OBSESSED WITH THIS ANCIENT STEELMAN PORTABLE RECORD PLAYER EVEN THOUGH IT ABSOLUTELY DOES NOT WORK AND I WOULD NEVER BE ABLE TO GET IT TO WORK AGAIN. THE TIME CLOCK NEXT TO IT WAS IN WORKING CONDITION HOWEVER AND STARTLED ME WITH CLICKS AND BONGS MULTIPLE TIMES

ANOTHER COMPLETELY RANDOM ITEM FOUND WAS THIS 18TH HOLE FLAG FROM THE 1999 RYDER CUP. I THOUGHT MAYBE IT WAS HELD IN A LOCAL COURSE BUT THE TOURNAMENT WAS HELD UP IN BOSTON. NO IDEA HOW THIS ENDED UP IN AN ANTIQUE MALL IN GEORGIA

VINTAGE BOARD GAMES ARE ALWAYS A FUN FIND, YOU CAN GET THE SIX MILLION DOLLAR MAN AND THE BIONIC WOMAN GAMES FOR ONLY A HUNDRED AND FIFTY BONES. HASBRO SET THE AGE CUTOFF FOR BOTH GAMES AT 12, I'M NOT SURE WHY PUBERTY WOULD KILL OFF ALL INTEREST IN PLAYING SHITTY LICENCED BOARD GAMES

SOMETIMES YOU FIND A COOL PLEATHER COWBOY HAT AT THE ANTIQUE MALL AND YOU GOTTA TAKE A PICTURE FOR POSTERITY BECAUSE YOU COULD NEVER PULL OFF THAT LOOK

DESPITE NOT PLAYING I HAVE FOUND MYSELF FOLLOWING SOME COOL GUITAR ACCOUNTS ON TWITTER AND I WAS PLEASANTLY SURPRISED TO FIND A SQUIER STRAT HANGING OUT IN FRONT OF OUR OLD FRIEND THE ROOT BEER COOLER. I COULD NOT FIND A PRICE ON THIS THING ANYWHERE WHICH IS PROBABLY FOR THE BEST 

CARY GRANT AND BOB HOPE ARE AN ODD PAIR TO SHOEHORN TOGETHER ON A BUDGET DVD SET BUT THERE'S SOME GREAT MOVIES IN THIS COLLECTION. I WOULD'VE BOUGHT THIS BUT THERE WAS NO PRICE ON IT ANYWHERE AND I'M NOT DEALING WITH THE HASSLE OF TRYING TO ASK SOMEONE WHO WORKS THERE WHAT THE PRICE IS. I'VE DONE THAT BEFORE AND IT DID NOT END WELL FOR ANYONE. A SHAME, BUT PRETTY MUCH ALL OF THESE FILMS CAN BE FOUND ONLINE FOR FREE WITHOUT TOO MUCH HASSLE

ANOTHER 'I WILL NEVER EVER SEE THIS THING AGAIN IN MY LIFE' FIND IS THIS RANDY RAYDER IN OUTER SPACE RECORD AND COMIC BOOK COMBO

THE FUNNIEST THING I FOUND THOUGH IS THIS PLASTIC ABSTRACT  PROMOTIONAL ART SIGN FROM CITIZEN'S BANK AND TRUST OF WEST GEORGIA OF WHAT I AM GUESSING TO BE FREDERICK DOUGLASS WITH A PRICE STICKER PROCLAIMING IT TO BE 'GERRY GARCIA'. IF I HAD TWENTY BUCKS TO BURN I WOULDA GOT IT JUST FOR THE COMEDY

WE NOW OFFICIALLY REACH THE MUSICAL PORTION OF OUR FESTIVITIES AS I START TO MAKE MY WAY TO THE RECORD CRATES

I HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR A CHEAP COPY OF PAUL MCCARTNEY II FOR YEARS NOW AND EVERY TIME I LOOK FIVE COPIES OF WINGS - VENUS AND MARS MAGICALLY APPEAR. IT'S REALLY GETTING FRUSTRATING

ABSOLUTELY AMAZING FUNK RECORD FROM 1977. IF YOU LIKE RECORDS AND SEE THIS OUT IN YOUR CRATE DIGGING PICK IT UP IMMEDIATELY. CHECK OUT THIS SONG IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE ME. THAT BASELINE AND GUITAR SOLO ARE HALL-OF-FAME QUALITY. I FOUND THIS FOR A BUCK AT THE FLEA MARKET YEARS AGO AND IT'S STILL ONE OF MY FAVORITE RECORDS

SPEAKING OF HALL-OF-FAME QUALITY, THIS ALBUM COVER IS IT. I- I KINDA DIG THE GOSPEL DEBBY BOONE COVER TOO??

MAYBE MY FAVORITE MONKEES ALBUM. I PASSED IT UP BECAUSE I PICKED UP THE CD A LITTLE WHILE BACK BUT AT EIGHT BUCKS I'M WONDERING IF I MADE A MISTAKE. THIS POST HAS GOT ME LISTENING TO MUSIC INSTEAD OF THE BRAVES

MORE BOARD GAME GOODIES. WHERE ELSE ARE YOU GOING TO FIND A MINI FIGURE OF SMITHERS IN A MAID OUTFIT? ACTUALLY THAT MIGHT BE A BIG SELLER IF ONE OF THOSE HIGH-END ANIME FIGURE COMPANIES PICKED IT UP

OZZIE ALBIES AS LANDO BOBBLEHEAD IS ONE OF THOSE COOL AS HELL THINGS I JUST CANNOT JUSTIFY ADDING TO MY COLLECTION

THERE WERE WAY LESS RANDOM AUTOGRAPHED BASEBALLS THIS TIME. ALL THE ONES I POSTED LAST IME WERE GONE EXCEPT FOR JOHN SMOKES. I DID RUN ACROSS THIS KNUCKSIE BALL HOWEVER AND I'M VERY GLAD I PICKED UP MY SIGNED BALL A COUPLE DECADES AGO FOR A THIRD OF THE COST

THERE WERE A FEW DISHWASHER INDICATORS FOR SALE AND THIS ONE WAS BY FAR THE CLEVEREST OF THE BUNCH

THE SECOND BATCH OF RECORD CRATES HAD ONE OF THE FIRST ALBUMS I EVER BOUGHT IN IT. I WORE THIS CASSETTE OUT BACK IN 1982.

THEY DON'T MAKE RECORD COVERS LIKE THIS ANYMORE, SUCH WONDERFUL CHEESE

I WAS NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE BAND OSIBISA BUT I SURE KNEW ABOUT ROGER DEAN AND I DID A TRIPLE TAKE WHEN I SAW THIS COVER. THE MUSIC IS AWESOME TOO, A REAL HIDDEN GEM HERE

MY OLD GOODWILL SALVAGE RECORD PLAYER IS ACTING UP AGAIN SO I'VE BEEN SADLY LOOKING AT NEW ONES OUT OF MY PRICE RANGE AGAIN. I ALSO APPRECIATE THAT WEIRD LITTLE ART PRINT IN THE BACKGROUND TOO

LIKE I MENTIONED BEFORE, THIS VISIT WAS IN DECEMBER SO THERE WAS A BUNCH OF CHRISTMAS STUFF  EVERYWHERE. THIS ODDBALL VINTAGE TREE TOPPER GAVE ME A HARD HIT OF NOSTALGIA FOR SOME REASON

MISFITS SANTA MADE ME THINK OF GRITZ AND I HAD A GOOD SMILE

THIS GROUP OF RECORDS IS FROM A DIFFERENT SELLER THAN THE OTHER ONES AND THE PRICES REFLECT THIS. THERE'S SOME SERIOUSLY QUALITY STUFF HERE THOUGH

THIS IS ANOTHER FANTASTIC ALBUM AND IT WOULD HAVE BEEN AN INSTANT BUY FOR FIVE BUCKS. BUT THERE'S A SQUIGGLE IN FRONT OF THAT FIVE AND IS IT A ONE? IS IT AN EIGHT? IS IS AN EXTRA DOLLAR SIGN? I WAS TOO SCARED TO FIND OUT

FINISHING UP THE TOUR I FOUND THESE SOAP ROCKS WHICH ARE ROCKS THAT LOOK LIKE SOAP? OR MAYBE VICE VERSA? I'VE SEEN THESE AT SEVERAL PLACES NOW INCLUDING SECOND AND CHARLES SO I GUESS THEY'RE SOME NEW FAD. THEY LOOK PRETTY COOL THOUGH I HAVE TO ADMIT

THE LAST NEATO ITEM I PASSED BY ON THE WAY OUT WAS THIS MAP DESK THING. THIRTEEN YEAR OLD ME WOULD HAVE THOUGHT IT WAS THE COOLEST THING EVER AND IT ABSOLUTELY WOULD HAVE BEEN BROKEN BY THE TIME I WAS SIXTEEN. STILL SUPER COOL AND I CAN SIT AT IT WHILE SORTING CARDS AND GOOFING OFF IN MY DREAMS

WHILE I HAD A LOT OF FUN ON MY VISIT TO THE TRASH MUSEUM I DIDN'T FORGET TO STOP AT THE GIFT SHOP ON THE WAY OUT. HERE'S MY PICKUPS 

AN AMERICAN SPLENDOR ANTHOLOGY REPRINTING COMICS FROM 1986 TO 1991. AS THE STICKER HELPFULLY REMIDS US THESE COMICS ARE THE BASE FOR THE MAJOR MOTION PICTURE STARRING PAUL GIAMATTI AND HOPE DAVIS. I'M NOT SURE IF THIS WAS REPRINTED FOR THE MOVIE OR IF THE PUBLISHER HAD A BUNCH OF THE ORIGINALS FROM 1991 IN A WAREHOUSE AND JUST THREW SOME STICKERS ON THEM SO THEY'D SELL. I GOT IT FOR SIX BUCKS AND DON'T COLLECT FIRST EDITIONS SO I CAN GO AHEAD AND TRASH IT BY READING IT OVER AND OVER

IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH AMERICAN SPLENDOR COMICS, THIS SAMPLE ON THE BACK IS A GOOD REPRESENTATION OF THE WORK. SLIGHTLY SURREAL AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL SLICE OF LIFE VIGNETTES FROM THE WRITER HARVEY PEKAR'S LIFE. 'HORVEE' DOESN'T DRAW SO HE GOT A TON OF COMIC ARTISTS TO BRING HIS SCRIPTS TO LIFE INCLUDING R. CRUMB, DREW FRIEDMAN, SPAIN RODRIGUEZ, CHESTER BROWN, AND JIM WOODRING. HE EVEN GOT ALAN MOORE TO DO THE ART FOR ONE COMIC! HARVEY IS ALSO KNOWN FOR CAUSING A LOT OF TROUBLE ON THE DAVID LETTERMAN SHOW AND A FEW OF THOSE STORIES ARE REPRODUCED IN THIS ANTHOLOGY. I ONLY HAVE A COUPLE OF THE MORE RECENT AMERICAN SPENDOR COMICS SO WAS VERY EXCITED TO SNAG A BOOK OF ONE OF MY HEROES

I PASSED ON THE WARREN HORROR COMICS AT THE COMIC BOOTH BECAUSE I COULD NOT LEAVE WITHOUT THIS COPY OF LOVE AND ROCKETS #3. THIS IS A FIRST PRINTING FROM 1983 AS IT HAS THE CX COMICS EXPERIMENTAL LOGO INSTEAD OF THE FANTAGRAPHICS LOGO ON THE COVER. I FIRST GOT INTO COMICS IN THE LATE 80S WHEN MY LOCAL SHOP DUMPED ALL THEIR BLACK AND WHITE INDIE ISSUES INTO A QUARTER BARGAIN BIN. I PICKED UP A TON OF FANTAGRAPHICS COMICS CHEAP INCLUDING LOVE & ROCKETS 22 WHICH I ABSOLUTELY WAS NOT PREPARED FOR AS A DUMB TEENAGER. I'VE READ SOME OF THE ANTHOLOGIES BUT DON'T HAVE MANY COPIES OF THE ACTUAL COMICS, REPRINT OR OTHERWISE. THE PRICE TAG ON THIS ONE WAS A LITTLE MORE THAN I'D USUALLY SPEND ON A COMIC BUT WELL WORTH IT

LOVE AND ROCKETS IS A LITTLE DIFFICULT TO DESCRIBE, IT'S WRITTEN BY BROTHERS JAIME, GILBERT AND MARIO HERNANDEZ. THERE ARE TWO DIFFERENT STORYLINES GOING ON WITH ONE FOCUSED ON A FICTIONAL VILLAGE NAMED PALOMAR AND THE OTHER ON FRIENDS IN THE LOS ANGELES PUNK SCENE ALONG WITH SOME OCCASIONAL ONE-OFF STORIES. THERE'S A LOT OF MAGICAL REALISM AND SCI-FI AND GENERAL WEIRDNESS GOING ON AND IT'S PRETTY DAMN COOL. GILBERT DID THE FRONT COVER OF THIS ISSUE AND JAIME DID THE BACK. THEY'RE BOTH PRETTY SWEET BUT I REALLY LOVE THIS BACK COVER

FANTAGRAPHICS HAS REPRINTED A FEW ANTHOLOGIES OF LOVE AND ROCKETS AND YOU CAN USUALLY FIND AT LEAST ONE OF THEM AT THE LIBRARY IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN CHECKING OUT THE SERIES. GILBERT DOES THE PALOMAR AND LUBA SERIES ABOUT THE RESIDENTS OF A CENTRAL AMERICAN TOWN. THIS ISSUE INCLUDES THE STORY HEARTBREAK SOUP WHICH FIRST INTRODUCES THE TOWN. JAIME DOES THE LOCAS STORIES FEATURING SUPERHEROES AND WRESTLERS AND PUNKS. I REALLY LIKE THESE ONES, ESPECIALLY THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MAGGIE AND HOPEY. I THINK PART OF THE REASON I PREFER THE MAGGIE STORIES IS BECAUSE ONE OF GILBERT'S STORIES IN THAT ISSUE #22 I READ AS A KID HAS A REALLY SHOCKING SCENE THAT MESSED ME UP. I SHOULD PROBABLY FIND THAT ANTHOLOGY AND GET SOME CONTEXT ON IT ONE OF THESE DAYS. AT ANY RATE THIS IS A HELLA COOL COMIC THAT IS IMMEDIATELY ONE OF THE JEWELS IN MY COLLECTION

I ALSO PICKED UP ONE OF THOSE PACKS OF CLASSIC MINOR LEAGUE CARDS IN THE BLURRY PHOTO. I WAS A BIG FAN OF THIS SET BACK IN THE DAY AND THIS PACK WAS VISIBLY THICKER THAN THE REST. ALWAYS BUY A FAT PACK. WHAT'S INSIDE? THAT'S A SUBJECT FOR ANOTHER POST. I HOPE YOU ENJOYED THIS TRIP BACK TO THE TRASH MUSEUM, MAYBE I'LL GO BACK AGAIN THIS SUMMER