2023 COMC BINGE - PART 20 FORRY 5000

IT'S SPOOKY SEASON! A GOOD TIME TO POST A CARD OF A SKEERY MONSTAR. I DIDN'T MEAN TO TAKE A TWO MONTH HIATUS SO I COULD POST A MONSTER ON HALLOWEEN BUT SOMETIMES THINGS WORK OUT THAT WAY

1963 ROSAN FAMOUS MONSTERS SERIES TERROR FROM THE YEAR 5000

WHAT THE HELL IS THIS UUUUGLY THING?! THIS IS A CARD FROM A SUPER LOW-RENT COMPANY CALLED ROSAN THAT PRODUCED A HANDFUL OF SETS IN THE EARLY 60S. THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR A WAR SET, A JFK CASH-IN SET AND FOUR MONSTER MOVIE SETS. THE ORANGE BORDER SET IS NOT DIFFICULT TO FIND. A SECOND SET FROM 1963 DISTRIBUTED IN A GREEN FIRST SERIES AND PURPLE SECOND SERIES IS NOT QUITE AS EASY TO FIND. THEN THERE'S A THIRD, POSSIBLY TEST ISSUE, BLUE SET IS A BAD COPY OF A PREVIOUS NU-CARD SET. THESE SEEM TO BE A LOT HARDER TO FIND. THIS FORUM THREAD INDICATES THAT THE CARDS WERE DISTRIBUTED THROUGH VENDING MACHINES, BUT THIS FAMOUS MONSTER SET WAS SOLD AS A SET IN THE BACK OF MONSTER MAGAZINES. I SEARCHED THROUGH A LOT OF THESE MAGAZINES BUT NEVER ACTUALLY FOUND THE AD. LUCKILY, THIS COLLECTION OF CARD IMAGES HAS ONE! 

OK COOL, THAT'S THAT WHAT THE CARD IS, BUT WHAT THE HELL IS THAT THIIIING ON THE CARD?!? SHE IS A TERROR! A TERROR FROM THE YEAR 5000. THIS IS A NICE GOOFY LITTLE MOVIE WHERE A COUPLE OF SCIENTISTS IN FLORIDA CREATE A TIME MACHINE THAT CAN TRANSPORT OBJECTS TO THE FUTURE AND THEN RECEIVE AN OBJECT FROM THE FUTURE BACK. BUT THE OBJECTS ARE RADIOACTIVE! AND THEN THEY RECEIVE A CAT! THEN THIS LITTLE LADY SHOWS UP AND SHENANIGANS ENSUE. IT AIN'T GREAT, AND IT'S KINDA GOOFY BUT THE VILLAIN IS A MUTANT LADY WEARING A BLACK SEQUINED CATSUIT AND WHO DOESN'T LIKE THAT. THERE WERE TWO CARDS FROM THIS SET THAT WERE CHEAP AS HELL DURING THE SALE AND I CHOSE THE ONE WITH A PHOTO OF A HALF-DEAD LADYMONSTER ON A HOSPITAL CART WITH HER BOOBIES IN FULL FOCUS BECAUSE OF COURSE I DID. THIS IS FROM A PROMO PHOTO AND IS NOT SEEN AT ANY TIME IN THE ACTUAL FILM. YOU CAN SEE THE MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER VERSION OF THE MOVIE IF YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE

A COOL THING ABOUT THESE CARDS IS THE BACK IS NOT THE TYPICAL CORNY JOKE THAT IS THE STANDARD OF THESE OLD TIMEY MONSTER SETS BUT AN AUTHENTIC VINTAGE CRUMMY ADVERTISEMENT FOR PLASTIC JUNK! IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH FAMOUS MONSTERS OF FILMLAND, IT WAS A MONSTER MAGAZINE CREATED BY FORRY ACKERMAN AND PUBLISHED BY WARREN MAGAZINE. IT'S A PRETTY FUN READ IF YOU LIKE CLASSIC HORROR, BUT THAT'S NOT THE IMPORTANT PART. LIKE ALL TRASHY PULP MAGAZINES FROM BACK THEN THE REALLY GOOD STUFF IS THE COOL ADVERTISEMENTS

THERE'S THAT AD FOR MONSTER RINGS! AND INVISIBLE INK! COWBOY MAGAZINES! UUUH - A FAKE DRUG NEEDLE? A PERPETUAL MOTION MACHINE? CARNIVEROUS PLANTS! AN EGG INCUBATOR?? AN ACTUAL AIR FORCE SURPLUS PARACHUTE??? SO MUCH COOL STUFF! I WISH I COULD'VE FOUND A PAGE WITH THE MONSTER RINGS AND THE FREE LIVE MONKEY ADS. GUESS I'LL HAVE TO BUY MORE OF THESE CARDS AND GET A COMPLETE SET OF AD BACKS

AND HERE'S THE CARD IN THE MONSTER BINDER. NON-SPORTS CARDS ARE OFTEN IN LANDSCAPE SO I STARTED A PAGE FOR THOSE CARDS. ENJOY THE SPOOKIES THIS HALLOWEEN!

BLACK FRIDAY COMC PICKUPS - PART 72 CREEPY CAVE

THE GRAND FINALE, AKA THE LAST CARD I FOUND WITH THE LAST MONEY I HAD. IT'S A GREAT ONE THOUGH

2020 TOPPS ALLEN & GINTER WHERE MONSTERS LIVE MINI A CAVE

I FRIGGIN LOVE ALLEN & GINTER'S WHOLE THING AND WHILE I HAVE RESIGNED MYSELF THAT I WILL NEVER OPEN ANOTHER PACK OF THE STUFF AGAIN - LET ALONE A BOX - I STILL WANT TO COLLECT IT IN SOME WAY EVEN THOUGH BUILDING SETS IS NOT GONNA HAPPEN ANYMORE. THE FRANKENSET(S) IS STILL GOING STRONG AND THERE ARE MULTIPLE POSTS WITH MINIS IN THE DRAFT FOLDER I NEED TO FINISH ONE OF THESE YEARS. AT THE END OF LAST YEAR'S BINGE I HAD A HANDFUL OF CHANGE LEFT AND I WAS LOOKING FOR SOMETHING TO SPEND IT ALL ON. NO PENNIES LEFT IN MY WALLET! THIS IS SLIGHTLY TRICKIER THAN YOU'D THINK, IF YOU JUST TRY TO SEARCH ON EVERYTHING HOPING TO GET TO YOUR PRICE POINT THE SITE BOMBS AFTER 100 PAGES. YOU HAVE TO SEARCH FOR SOMETHING REASONABLY SPECIFIC SO YOU DON'T GET 82 MILLION RESULTS. I SEARCHED FOR ALLEN & GINTER AND STARTED LOOKING FOR SOMETHING COOL AND THIS LITTLE MINI POPPED UP AT ME. I HAD FORGOTTEN ABOUT THE CREEPY GLOW IN THE DARK MONSTER SET! IT DIDN'T COMPLETELY DRAIN MY ACCOUNT BUT IT WAS TOO COOL TO PASS UP. MORE CARDS SHOULD HAVE GARGOYLES AS A DESIGN ELEMENT

THIS CARD REALLY HIT HOME WITH ME AS I HAD RECENTLY WATCHED THE SERIES HELLIER ON YOUTUBE EARLIER THAT YEAR. IT'S A SERIES ABOUT SOME PARANORMAL INVESTIGATORS THAT GO CHASING AFTER GOBLINS IN KENTUCKY CAVES AND THEY GET MIXED UP IN A BUNCH OF WEIRD SHENANIGANS. PARANORMAL INVESTIGATION TV SHOW IS SYNONYMOUS WITH FAKE HOOEY SCHLOCK THANKS TO CRAPPY REALITY TV, BUT THIS SHOW IS VERY THOUGHTFUL AND IS SHOT BEAUTIFULLY. EVEN IF YOU DON'T CARE AT ALL ABOUT LITTLE MONSTERS IT'S SOME GREAT EYE CANDY. IT IS STILL A LARGE DOSE OF HOOEY BUT SUPER CLASSY HOOEY THAT BOUNCES ALL OVER THE CRYPTID CONSPIRACY LANDSCAPE FROM GOBLINS TO MOTHMAN TO INDRID COLD AND ULTRATERRESTRIALS. WHEN I WAS A KID I PICKED UP A COPY OF CHARIOTS OF THE GODS AT A GOODWILL BOOKSALE AND THOUGHT IT WAS REALLY NEAT. THE NEXT YEAR I PICKED UP MORE ALIEN BULLSHIT BOOKS AT THE SALE INCLUDING CRASH GOES THE CHARIOTS BY CLIFFORD WILSON WHICH DEBUNKED A LOT OF THE CHARIOTS NONSENSE AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS EVEN COOLER. THE PLANET WEIRD FOLKS ARE MORE IN THAT LATTER CATEGORY AND ARE NOT AFRAID TO CALL OUT THE BULLSHIT WHILE STILL HAVING A LOT OF FUN WITH THE COOL WEIRD PARANORMAL STUFF. IF YOU LIKE HELLIER OR JUST PARANORMAL STUFF IN GENERAL I STRONGLY RECOMMEND THEIR SHOW THE HAUNTED OBJECTS PODCAST WHERE GREG AND DANA SHOW OFF SOME OF THE STRANGE HAUNTED TCHOTCHKES THEY'VE COLLECTED IN THEIR MUSEUM. IT'S SUPER FUN AND OFTEN HILARIOUS

I'M DEFINITELY COLLECTING THIS ENTIRE SET AND HAVE ALREADY PICKED UP A FEW MORE CARDS INCLUDING A SECOND CAVE FROM NIGHT OWL. SERVES ME RIGHT FOR TAKING AN ENTIRE YEAR TO POST THIS CARD BUT REALLY YOU CAN NEVER HAVE TOO MANY CAVES. AND GLOW IN THE DARK CAVES AT THAT!

ONLINE DIMEBOX BLASTER - PART 9

 SOME MONSTER HITS IN THIS BATCH, ALONG WITH A NEAT CARD OF A GUY WHOSE ROOKIE CARD IS ONE OF THE BEST OF THE SEVENTIES

1992 PINNACLE BERNIE WILLIAMS TEAM 2000

CATEGORY - INSERT

AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, I CAN'T FIND MY PINNACLE INSERTS* TO SEE WHICH TEAM 2000 INSERTS I NEED AND IT'S FRUSTRATING ME GREATLY. BERNIE WILLIAMS IS WORTH TAKING A FLYER ON. WORST CASE SCENARIO I ALREADY HAVE IT AND IT GOES INTO A CHAOS BINDER

2021 BOWMAN BRADEN SHEWMAKE

CATEGORY - BRAVES

BRADEN SHEWMAKE WAS THE BRAVES' TOP SHORTSTOP PROSPECT FOR A WHILE. THEN HE GOT HURT AT THE ABSOLUTE WORST TIME LAST YEAR WHICH GAVE VAUGHN GRISSOM AN OPENING TO GET CALLED UP TO PLAY SECOND BASE WHEN OZZIE ALBIES GOT INJURED. THEN DANSBY WALKED AND THE ORGANIZATION WAS ALL 'VAUGHN AND BRADEN WILL BE COMPETING FOR THE STARTING SHORTSTOP SPOT' BEFORE HANDING THE JOB TO 2023 STARTING NL ALL STAR SHORTSTOP ORLANDO ARCIA. SHEWMAKE DID GET TO MAKE HIS MLB DEBUT AND HAS PLAYED WELL IN GWINNETT PLAYING SECOND AND SHORT. I LIKE TO PICK UP AT LEAST ONE BOWMAN CARD OF BRAVES PROSPECTS IN CASE THEY HIT IT BIG. THIS HAS ONLY HAPPED A COUPLE OF TIMES BUT IT HAS HAPPENED. SO I PICKED UP A SHEWMAKE. AND THEN I WENT AND PICKED UP ANOTHER ONE IN A FUTURE BATCH BECAUSE OF COURSE I DID

1979 TCMA JAPANESE PRO BASEBALL DAVE HILTON

CATEGORY - ODDBALL

THIS SET WAS THE FIRST JAPANESE LEAGUE CARDS I EVER SAW, HAVING PICKED UP ONE OR TWO FROM AN OLD CMC COLLECTOR'S KIT WHEN I WAS A LITTLE KID. I'VE LIKED THE CARDS EVER SINCE AND WAS HAPPY TO SEE ONE POP UP ON THE SITE. DAVE HERE PLAYED FOR THE YAKULT SWALLOWS, THE SAME TEAM BOB HORNER WAS ON WHEN HE GOT COLLUDED OUT OF THE LEAGUE. I DIDN'T REALLY CARE ABOUT THE PLAYER AS I WOULD HAVE BEEN HAPPY WITH ANYONE FROM THE SET BUT WHEN I GOT IT I THOUGHT I RECOGNIZED HIM. THEN IT CLICKED, HE'S THE GUY SANDWICHED IN BETWEEN RON CEY AND MIKE SCHMIDT ON THIS CARD. NO MORE GLASSES AND A NAME CHANGE LATER HE ENDED UP IN JAPAN. THIS ONE IS FROM ONE OF THOSE CMC KITS AS CAN BE SEEN BY THE LITTLE MLB LOGO ON THE BACK

2020 FIRE ANDRELTON SIMMONS ARMS ABLAZE

CATEGORY - INSERT

THIS IS THE SECOND MONOCHROMATIC TOPPS FIRE INSERT I'VE PICKED UP THIS MONTH ALONG WITH THAT EXTREMELY YELLOW BRYCE HARPER CARD I POSTED A WHILE BACK. I DON'T KNOW WHY FIRE, A CARD SET FOR A WILD CACOPHONY OF COLOR, DOES THIS BUT THE SET GOT DUMPED BY FANATICS SO I GUESS IT DOESN'T MATTER ANY MORE. I MISS ANDRELTON SIMMONS AND HIS SPECTACTULAR DEFENSE BUT I BEGRUDGINGLY ADMIT IT ALL EVENTUALLY WORKED OUT IN THE END

1991 FLEER ULTRA RYNE SANDBERG ULTRA TEAM

CATEGORY - INSERT

THE ULTRA BASE SET IS DONE, TIME TO WORK ON THE ALL-STARS, UHH I MEAN ULTRA TEAM SET. TEN CARDS, SUPER COMMON, I CAN DO THIS. RYNO IS A VERY NICE PICKUP AND ONE OF THE BETTER PLAYERS IN THE SET

1991 FLEER ULTRA RICKEY HENDERSON ULTRA TEAM

CATEGORY - INSERT

I WOULDA BOUGHT THIS EVEN IF I WASN'T WORKING ON THE SET. I MIGHT BUY A COUPLE MORE IF I CAN FIND EM. GIMME GIMME GIMME ALL THE RICKEYS 

1992 UPPER DECK ARCHI CIANFROCCO SCOUTING REPORT

CATEGORY - INSERT, WANTLIST

I'VE BEEN FOCUSING MUCH MORE CLOSELY ON MY 1993 UPPER DECK INSERTS THAN 1992 BUT HERE'S ONE MORE CARD OFF MY WANTLIST. THIS SET ALWAYS CAUGHT MY EYE DUE TO THE NEAT CLIPBOARD SCOUTING REPORT DESIGN ON THE BACK. THIS DUDE ALSO CAUGHT MY EYE WITH HIS NAME. YOUNGER ME HAD READ TOO MANY COMICS AND WAS BEFUDDLED BY THE LACK OF AN E ON ARCHI'S NAME. HE ENDED UP A PRETTY GOOD UTILITY PLAYER SO WHO NEEDS EES

1995-96 UPPER DECK SP DIKEMBE MUTOMBO

CATEGORY - HAWKS

I REALLY LIKED THIS SP DESIGN WHEN IT CAME OUT. ALL FOUR SETS LOOKED A LITTLE DIFFERENT BUT WORKED WELL FOR THEIR RESPECTIVE SPORT. THE BASKETBALL FLAVOR HAS A MARBLE AND CREAM BORDER THAT LOOKS PRETTY CLASSY. IT ABSOLUTELY COULD HAVE BEEN A PARQUET FLOOR MOTIF LIKE A DOZEN OTHER SETS SO I THINK WE DODGED A BULLET. A FULL FOILBOARD BACK WAS ALSO A PRETTY WILD CHOICE BUT IT WAS BACK WHEN A HIGH END PRODUCT MEANT SOMETHING. I LOVE FINDING NICE CARDS OF DIKEMBE AND THIS IS ONE OF THE NICEST BASE CARDS OUT THERE

1993 COMIC IMAGES FRAZETTA II FRANKENSTEIN AND DRACULA

CATEGORY - NON-SPORT

CARD ONE OF TWO FOR THE MONSTER BINDER. FRANK FRAZETTA IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE ARTISTS DUE TO HIS PROLIFIC PAINTINGS OF FANTASY SCENES WITH A HEALTHY DOLLOP OF CHEESECAKE MIXED IN. FRANK ILLUSTRATED A TON OF STUFF AND HAS A PRETTY HEALTHY CULT FOLLOWING NOW. IT'S HARD TO NOT FIND A HORROR OR SCI-FI MAGAZINE FROM THE 70S THAT DIDN'T HAVE A FRAZETTA COVER. HE EVEN DREW LITTLE ABNER FOR A WHILE! COMIC IMAGES KNEW WHAT WAS UP AND PRODUCED THREE CARD SETS OF HIS ART IN THE EARLY 90S. I'M NOT SURE WHAT'S THE STORY WITH THIS PAINTING HERE AS THE BACK OF THE CARD SAYS NOTHING ABOUT IT BUT IT WAS USED AS THE COVER FOR A COMBO BOOK OF DRACULA AND FRANKENSTEIN. IT'S A GREAT LOOKING IMAGE BUT DUE TO THE UV COATING ON THE FRONT IT LOOKS A LOT DARKER IN PERSON THAN IT DOES IN THE PHOTO

1993 COMIC IMAGES FRAZETTA II KING KONG

CATEGORY - NON-SPORT

IT'S HARD TO DECIDE BETWEEN DRACULA, FRANKENSTEIN AND KONG SO I JUST GOT THEM BOTH. THIS IS ONE OF THOSE EARLY 90S NON-SPORTS SETS I WOULDN'T MIND JUST BUYING THE WHOLE THING. FRAZETTA LOVED KING KONG AND PAINTED QUITE A FEW PICTURES OF OUR BELOVED MONKEY. THIS ONE HERE CAN BE FOUND IN DIFFERENT VARIATIONS ON THE COVER OF A 1976 MOVIE TIE-IN NOVEL AND ON THE COVER OF CREEPY MAGAZINE #11. THIS ONE IS ALSO SADLY DARK IN HAND, POOR KONG HAS BEEN SUCKED INTO A BLACK HOLE

UP NEXT - QUITE POSSIBLY THE MOST RANDOM BATCH OUT OF THE BOX

* NOTE FROM A MONTH LATER - I FOUND THEM. STILL HAVEN'T POSTED THE WANTLIST BUT LET'S JUST SAY A FUTURE ONLINE DIME BOX POST MIGHT BE A LITTLE TEAM 2000 HEAVY

BLACK FRIDAY COMC PICKUPS - PART 53: IT ME

AFTER STUMBLING UPON THE GREATEST CARD I MAY EVER FIND I REALISED THERE WAS NO WAY TO TOP IT AND JUST STARTED FUCKING AROUND. WITH ALL PRESSURE ON ME TO FIND A WINNER GONE I GOT TO RELAX AND LET MY MOUSE TAKE ME TO WONDEROUS PLACES. THIS IS BUT THE FIRST OF MANY AMAZING FINDS I FELL BASS ACKWARDS INTO WHILE IN MY PEACEFUL ZEN STATE

1965 FLEER WEIRD-OHS DAVEY THE PSYCHO CYCLIST

READING OLD MAD MAGAZINES I SWIPED FROM MY UNCLE AT WAY TOO YOUNG OF AN AGE INFLUENCED ME GREATLY FOR GOOD OR ILL. MIXED IN WITH THE MADS WERE A FEW ISSUES OF CAR TOONS AND CYCLE TOONS AS MY UNCLE WAS A GEAR HEAD. I NEVER GOT THAT INTO THE MOTOR VEHICLES BUT I WAS INTRODUCED TO WILD LOOKING FUNNY CARS AND HOT RODS A COUPLE DECADES AFTER THEY HAD GONE OUT OF STYLE. SINCE I WAS ALSO A STRANGE MONSTER KID I WAS ATTRACTED TO THE ED ROTH STYLE CREATURES DRIVING FUNNY CARS ARTWORK, INCLUDING THE WEIRD-OHS MODEL KITS. I NEVER SAW ONE OF THOSE MODELS WHEN I WAS A KID BUT I ENJOYED THEM FROM AFAR THROUGH OLD ADS. I WAS SURPRISED TO FIND IN MY RANDOM COMC SEARCHING THAT FLEER PRODUCED A SET OF WEIRD-OHS TRADING CARDS, ALTHOUGH I SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN AS FLEER WAS A LITTLE DESPERATE TO MAKE ANY KIND OF CARDS BACK THEN. I DISCOVERED ONE OF THE WEIRD-OHS SHARED A NAME WITH ME AND I WAS COMPELLED TO PICK IT UP FOR MY MONSTER CARD COLLECTION EVEN THOUGH IT COST AN ASTRONOMICAL BUCK AND FIFTY-ONE CENTS, MORE THAN THE PAST THREE CARDS COMBINED. I REALLY AM A BIG CHEAPSKATE, AREN'T I 

 

"A HIGHWAY TERROR - WRECKER OF THE BEAUTIFUL, WHO HATES TO SEE THINGS GO WELL AND SEES TO IT THAT THEY DON'T" A VERY RELATABLE BIO FOR OUR DAVEY. THE WEIRD-OHS WERE DESIGNED BY ILLUSTRATOR BILL CAMPBELL, WHO HAS INFLUENCED MY OWN ART SENSIBILITIES QUITE A BIT. IN HIGH SCHOOL I MAKE AN ART PROJECT OUT OF CLAY THAT WAS A GOOFY GREEN MONSTER RIDING A SKATEBOARD THAT CRIBBED HEAVILY ON THESE MODEL DESIGNS. I DON'T KNOW IF BILL IS A LONG LOST RELATIVE BUT HE LIVED RIGHT UP THE STREET FROM ME IN PAULDING COUNTY WHICH IS COOL. I'M FINDING A LOT OF GEORGIA NATIVES RESEARCHING THESE POSTS. ANOTHER THING I WAS UNAWARE OF IS THAT WEIRD-OHS GOT THEIR OWN CARTOON IN THE LATE NINETIES. I HAD TO CHECK OUT AN EPISODE AND WHILE I CAN'T REALLY SAY THAT IT'S GOOD IT'S NOW OLD ENOUGH THAT THE CLUNKY CGI CLAYMATION ART STYLE IS KIND OF CHARMING PLUS IT HAS SOME REALLY GOOD VOICE ACTING. THERE'S A FEW VHS-RIPPED EPISODES ON YOUTUBE TO CHECK OUT, HERE'S ONE WHERE PORTIA (VOICED BY TABATHA ST.GERMAIN!) WORKS OUT HER UNREQUITED LOVE FOR DAVEY IF YOU GOT TEN MINUTES YOU NEVER WANT TO HAVE BACK

ANOTHER GREAT THING ABOUT THIS CARD OTHER THAN THE ART IS IT'S PURE FLEERNESS. IT'S ON THAT GREAT FLEER WHITE CARDSTOCK WITH A VERY SIMPLE TWO COLOR BACK. AND LOOK AT THE SIZE OF THAT CARD NUMBER! I'LL STILL BE ABLE TO READ THAT YEARS FROM NOW WHEN MY EYESIGHT DEGENERATES TO DR. CYCLOPS LEVELS OF BLINDNESS. OLD FLEER CARDS MAKE ME VERY HAPPY AND THIS IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF ONE. PLUS, I'VE BEEN COVETING A VINTAGE FLEER BASKETBALL CARD FOR A VERY LONG TIME AND THANKS TO THE HAPPY LITTLE DUDE ON THE BACK I HAVE ONE NOW! KINDA. IF YOU WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT WEIRD-OH MODELS, HERE'S A GREAT POST INCLUDING PICS OF DAVEY'S MODEL KIT. NOW THAT I KNOW THESE THINGS ARE STILL BEING MADE I WANT TO FIND A HOBBY SHOP AND PICK UP A MONSTER MODEL I'LL PROCRASTINATE BUILDING

BLACK FRIDAY COMC PICKUPS - PART 31: MY LIMITS

MORE BLACK FRIDAY BINGING. THIS IS THE SECOND CARD PUT IN MY CART AND HITS THE CATEGORY OF 'SNAGGING COOL STUFF I LEFT BEHIND THE YEAR BEFORE' I'D BEEN LOOKING FOR ONE OF THESE FOR A WHILE

1964 BUBBLES OUTER LIMITS - MARTIAN TORTURE

THERE'S A LOT OF 'WHAT IN THE WORLD IS THIS HORRIBLE TIHNG' QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS CARD SO LET'S GO AHEAD AND KNOCK THOSE OUT. DAFUQ IS BUBBLES? BUBBLES IS TOPPS' ALTER EGO THAT THEY USED TO RELEASE GRUESOME CARD SETS FOR THE KIDDOS SO THEY WOULDN'T TAINT THE TOPPS BRAND. AWFUL TERRIBLE STUFF LIKE MARS ATTACKS, YOU'LL DIE LAUGHING, AND ELVIS. WHATFOR IS A OUTER LIMITS? OUTER LIMITS WAS AN INFLUENTIAL HORROR/SCI-FI ANTHOLOGY SERIES FROM THE SIXTIES. WHILE IT HAD A LOT OF TWILIGHT-ZONE STYLE PSYCHOLOGICAL HORROR AND TWISTS, IT ALSO FEATURED LOTS OF CRAZY LOOKING ALIENS AND MONSTERS PERFECT FOR A TRASHY TRADING CARD SET. WHY IN THE HELL DID YOU BUY A TRADING CARD OF A MARTIAN DOMINATRIX? BECAUSE IT WAS THE CHEAPEST OUTER LIMITS CARD I HAD EVER SEEN

THIS IS A TOUGH SET. THE OUTER LIMITS WASN'T THE MOST POPULAR SHOW, THE BLACK BORDERS ARE CONDITION SENSITIVE, AND A BUNCH ARE SHORT PRINTED. IT'S A WILD LOOKING SET THOUGH, THE MONSTERS ARE LOW BUDGET BUT VERY CREATIVE AND WELL CRAFTED AND TOPPS' COLORIZING THE BLACK AND WHITE IMAGES MAKES THEM LOOK EVEN MORE UNCANNY. A LOCAL ANTIQUE MALL HAD THE 'YOU ARE IN MY POWER' CARD AND I COVETED IT GREATLY BUT THE SELLER WANTED NINE BUCKS FOR IT SO I NEVER GOT IT. YOU COULD BUY THREE VINTAGE HELMAR COAT OF ARMS CARDS AT THE SAME BOOTH FOR THE SAME PRICE! THEN THE ANTIQUE MALL WAS TORN DOWN TO BUILD CONDOS AND I LOST IT FOREVER. I HAVE A SMALL TYPE CARD COLLECTION OF VINTAGE MONSTER MOVIE CARDS AND I REALLY WANTED TO ADD AN OUTER LIMITS CARD. I ALMOST BOUGHT A CANADIAN VERSION OF THE CARD WITH TINY BUGS WITH HUMAN FACES ON THEM IN 2021 BUT DIDN'T PULL THE TRIGGER FOR SOME REASON. THAT CARD WAS LONG GONE BY 2022 BUT THE OLD 'SEARCH BY LOWEST PRICE' TRICK FOUND THIS ONE FOR 67 CENTS SO I GRABBED IT BEFORE ANOTHER CHEAPSKATE COULD

THE WEIRD THING ABOUT THIS SET IS WHILE TOPPS GOT THE LICENSE TO MAKE CARDS OF THE MONSTERS FROM THE SHOW, THEY DID NOT GET THE RIGHTS TO USE THE STORY. SO TOPPS HAD TO MAKE UP SOME BULLSHIT TO GO ALONG WITH THE GRODY MONSTER PHOTOS. TOPPS GOT EXTRA GRUESOME ON THIS STORY, WHERE THE KING OF MARS CAPTURES AND TORTURES THE FIRST EARTHLING ON MARS TO DISCOVER THE SECRET OF SPACE TRAVEL. SPOILER ALERT: HE KILLS THE SPACEMAN ON THE NEXT CARD! NO HAPPY ENDINGS, ONLY BRAVE SACRIFICES. THE ACTUAL SHOW THIS CARD IS BASED ON IS THE TENTH EPISODE OF THE FIRST SEASON: NIGHTMARE. EARTH IS AT WAR WITH THE PLANET EBON AND HUMAN PRISONERS OF WAR ARE INTERROGATED BY THE EBONITES. YES, THERE IS SOME TORTURE INVOLVED BUT THE STORY HAS A GIGANTIC TWIST WORTHY OF THE BEST TWILIGHT ZONE EPISODES. IT'S GOT A GREAT CAST INCLUDING A BABY MARTIN SHEEN. FOR A SECOND I THOUGHT THIS MIGHT BE A VERY ODD ROOKIE CARD FOR MARTY, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE THE ACTOR IN THIS SCENE IS ACTUALLY JAMES SHIGETA, WHO YOU MIGHT KNOW AS TAKAGI FROM DIE HARD. IT'S ONE OF THE BEST EPISODES OF THE OUTER LIMITS AND I STUMBLED UPON THIS AWESOME DEEP DIVE BLOG POST ON THE SHOW INCLUDING SOME COOL MERCH AND COPIES OF THE CARDS FROM THIS EPISODE THAT IS WELL WORTH A CLICK

I GOT MY OUTER LIMITS TYPE CARD BUT NOW THAT I HAVE IT IN HAND... I DON'T REALLY LIKE IT? I DON'T MIND THAT IT'S BEAT TO HELL BUT THE PICTURE OF THE MONSTER ISN'T GREAT AND THE WHOLE TORTURE THING IS KINDA GROSS THE MORE I THINK ABOUT IT. I SHOULD HAVE PONIED UP FOR ONE OF THE CLOSE UP PORTRAITS OF ONE OF THE MONSTERS INSTEAD. THE SEA BEAST IS ESPECIALLY FUN AND GOOFY. OH WELL, LESSON LEARNED. DON'T BE A CHEAPASS. A TYPE CARD IS A TYPE CARD THOUGH AND I CAN ALWAYS GO FOR AN UPGRADE  

On the Twelfth Day of Cardmas...

I finished this dumb post!

TWELVE GOONY GUNNERS

ELEVEN RANDOM ROOKIES

TEN LOONY LEONARDS

NINE BARVEY AUTOS

EIGHT PERFECT CORNERS

SEVEN SKEERY MONSTERS

SIX STAR WARS CARDS

FIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIVE SAAAAAAAAADDESSSSST CAAAAAAAARDS

AAAAAAH SCARY GRADED CARD COFFIN THING

THREE BAD DUDES

TWO RUINED CARDS

AND THE GREATEST STICKER SET IN HISTORYYYYYYYYYYYY

yAY cHrISTMAS!