HAPPY NEW YEAR! IT'S 2023!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR! Can't wait to see what 2023 brings us! Hope you have a great one! Now...LET'S PARTY!!!!

Comic Book Pick 12/28/22

 The comic book I am most excited to read this week is...
MIGHTY MORPHIN POWER RANGERS/TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES II #1

(W) Ryan Parrott (A) Dan Mora (CA) Kevin Eastman, Freddie Williams II
It's been six months since the Teenagers With Attitude and the Heroes In A Half Shell teamed up to defeat the unholy alliance of Rita Repulsa and Shredder, but a new threat will force them to reunite in the crossover YOU demanded! Between an invasion from beyond, old enemies teaming up with unlikely accomplices, and a threat to the Rangers' powers themselves, will the two teams survive the onslaught, or will they need help from the most unexpected ally imaginable? Longtime Power Rangers architect Ryan Parrott (Rogue Sun) joins forces with superstar artist Dan Mora (World's Finest, Once & Future) to deliver the follow-up to the hit crossover!
SRP: $4.99
Synopsis Provided By: PreviewsWorld.com 

Throwback Jam of the Week: 12/26/22

 Throw on your Puffiest Shirt and head to Paisley Park as we take you back to the 80s! Without further ado, here is the 20 Years Before 2000 THROWBACK JAM OF THE WEEK!

Artist: Prince and the Revolution
Song: Purple Rain
Album: Purple Rain (1984)
Peak Billboard Hot 100 Position: #2
Bonus Fun Fact: Following Prince's death in 2016 this song re-entered the Billboard Hot 100 chart and peaked at #4! This song is ranked #18 on Rolling Stone's "500 Greatest Songs of All-Time" list.

Merry Christmas 2022!

Wishing everyone a MERRY CHRISTMAS from all of us at 20 Years Before 2000! Hope it's full of great food, cups of cheer, awesome gifts from Santa and tolerable family appearances! Can't wait to see what 2023 brings to the table. Whatever it is...we'll be ready! As a gift to you, please enjoy some shots of Christmas' past below! Ho-Ho-Ho!!!!

Comic Book Pick 12/21/22

The comic book I am most excited to read this week is...
MARY JANE & BLACK CAT #1

(W) Jed MacKay (A) Vincenzo Carratu, Michael Dowling, Jan Bazaldua (CA) J. Scott Campbell
From Jed MacKay (MOON KNIGHT, IRON CAT) and Vincenzo Carratu comes one of the most explosive and kick-ass adventures in Marvel Memory! Set against the explosive backdrop of DARK WEB, Mary Jane Watson and Felicia Hardy find themselves thrown into one another's paths and then into LIMBO! But SOMETHING HAS CHANGED WITH MJ! And she's not the only one keeping secrets - Felicia's got a guilty conscience and it's playing havoc with their escape plan!
SRP: $4.99
Synopsis Provided By: PreviewsWorld.com 

Throwback Jam of the Week: 12/19/22

 Throw on your Elf Ears and head to Hollis Ave in the dark as we take you back to the 80s! Without further ado, here is the 20 Years Before 2000 THROWBACK JAM OF THE WEEK!

Artist: RUN DMC
Song: Christmas In Hollis
Album: A Very Special Christmas (1987)
Peak Billboard Hot 100 Position: #78
Bonus Fun Fact: This holiday classic features a cameo by DMC's adoptive mother, Bannah McDaniels!

Comic Book Pick 12/14/22

 The comic book I am most excited to read this week is...
BATMAN/SPAWN #1

(A) Greg Capullo (W) Todd McFarlane
Two dark heroes, cursed by tragedy, find their paths again crossing…but not by choice! What sinister foe is at work, pitting the Dark Knight against the Hellspawn? From the shadows of Gotham City to New York City, this epic event is the blockbuster you’ve been waiting almost two decades for! DC will partner with CGC to include a Certificate of Authenticity with each signed copy of Batman/Spawn #1. CGC will witness and authenticate that the Batman/Spawn #1 copies were signed by Todd McFarlane and/or Greg Capullo. These will be eligible for CGC Signature Series if submitted by the submission deadline.
SRP: $6.99
Synopsis Provided By: DCcomics.com

Throwback Jam of the Week: 12/12/22

 Throw on your Best Christmas suit and celebrate as we take you back to the 80s! Without further ado, here is the 20 Years Before 2000 THROWBACK JAM OF THE WEEK!

Artist: New Edition
Song: Christmas All Over The World
Album: Christmas All Over The World (1985)
Peak Billboard Hot 100 Position: N/A
Bonus Fun Fact: This song was the last song recorded with Bobby Brown on vocals before he was kicked out of the band for his behavioral issues!

Comic Book Pick 12/7/22

  The comic book I am most excited to read this week is...
TMNT: ARMAGEDDON GAME #3

(W) Tom Waltz (A/CA) Vincenzo Federici
The TMNT and their new mentor, the Shredder, have quickly discovered their mission to recruit new allies to battle against Rat King and his minions (Baxter Stockman, Madame Null, and the newly minted MetalKrang) in NYC has its own set of perilous circumstances. In Dimension X, Michelangelo and the Neutrinos are forced to join the Nova Posse as would-be bounty hunters. Meanwhile, in Dimension Z, the Shredder and Dark Leo realize they must undertake a deadly rescue mission if they are to have any chance of bringing Cherubae to their side. And on Earth, Raphael is finding nothing ever comes easy when Old Hob is involved, while nearby, Donnie and Jennika have their fair share of dangerous problems, not the least of which is the mysterious Null Turtles!
SRP: $4.99
Synopsis Provided By: PreviewsWorld.com 

Throwback Jam of the Week: 12/5/22

  Throw on your Bandanna, grab your Bo Staff and head to the sewers as we take you back to the 90s! Without further ado, here is the 20 Years Before 2000 THROWBACK JAM OF THE WEEK!

Artist: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Song: Splinter's 12 Days of Christmas
Album: We Wish You A Turtle Christmas (1994)
Peak Billboard Hot 100 Position: N/A
Bonus Fun Fact: This straight to VHS video features the first time the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles rap!

Comic Book Pick 11/30/22

 The comic book I am most excited to read this week is...
SPIDER-MEN: DOUBLE TROUBLE #1

(W) Mariko Tamaki, Vita Ayala (A) Gurihiru (CA) Romina Jones
They're friends, heroes and... sidekicks? Peter has dragged Miles into Take Your Sidekick to Work Day, and Miles is not amused - they're both Spider-Man, after all! So when Peter makes a mistake that unleashes villainous shenanigans on New York City, it's up to Miles to save the day - and prove who's the true sidekick among the Spider-Men. Vita Ayala joins the fan-favorite team that brought you SPIDER-MAN & VENOM: DOUBLE TROUBLE and THOR & LOKI: DOUBLE TROUBLE for a brand-new adventure!
SRP: $3.99
Synopsis Provided By: PreviewsWorld.com 

Throwback Jam of the Week: 11/28/22

 Throw on your Brightest Shirt and Continue To Rock as we take you back to the 80s! Without further ado, here is the 20 Years Before 2000 THROWBACK JAM OF THE WEEK!

Artist: D.J. Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince
Song: Jeff Waz On The Beatbox
Album: And In This Corner... (1989)
Peak Billboard Hot 100 Position: N/A
Bonus Fun Fact: This song features a sample from the 1978 song "Sing Sing" by Gaz!

Happy Thanksgiving 2022!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE! I hope you are having fun watching football, enjoying some time with your family and stuffing yourself silly! Truly this is a year to reflect and be thankful for all of those that we care about around us. Have yourself a great holiday weekend!

From all of us at 20 Years Before 2000, thanks for visiting and HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Comic Book Pick 11/23/22

 The comic book I am most excited to read this week is...
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #14

(W) Zeb Wells (A) Michael Dowling, Kyle Hotz, Terry Dodson (CA) John Romita Jr.
"DARK WEB" PRELUDE!
We haven't seen Chasm since ASM #894 and the FCBD issue, but that doesn't mean he hasn't been busy.
Join us for this very special issue featuring Spidey's most dangerous new villain as well as the Goblin Queen and a BRAND-NEW villain that you won't believe.
SRP: $4.99
Synopsis Provided By: PreviewsWorld.com 

Throwback Jam of the Week: 11/21/22

 Throw on your Puffiest Shirt and Go Crazy as we take you back to the 80s! Without further ado, here is the 20 Years Before 2000 THROWBACK JAM OF THE WEEK!

Artist: Prince & The Revolution
Song: Let's Go Crazy
Album: Purple Rain (1984)
Peak Billboard Hot 100 Position: #1
Bonus Fun Fact: This song was Prince's second #1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and was the opening track to the film Purple Rain!

Comic Book Pick 11/16/22

 The comic book I am most excited to read this week is...
SONIC THE HEDGEHOG: TAILS 30TH ANNIVERSARY #1

(W) Ian Flynn (A/CA) Aaron Hammerstrom
Join Ian Flynn, Aaron Hammerstrom, and Reggie Graham in celebrating Classic Tails's 30th Anniversary! A comic all about the cutest, smartest, bravest fox around?! Heck yeah! Best buds Sonic and Tails are off to Flicky Island for a much needed vacation! But the relaxing beaches and beautiful mountains have been replaced by railroad tracks and giant crystals--scaring off the Flickies! Tails will have to put on a brave face to defeat the magical villain: Witchcart!
SRP: $5.99
Synopsis Provided By: PreviewsWorld.com 

Throwback Jam of the Week: 11/14/22

 Throw on your Hippie Glasses and take every little piece of my soul as we take you back to the 90s! Without further ado, here is the 20 Years Before 2000 THROWBACK JAM OF THE WEEK!

Artist: PM Dawn
Song: I'd Die Without You
Album: The Bliss Album...? (1993)
Peak Billboard Hot 100 Position: #3
Bonus Fun Fact: This song first appeared on the soundtrack to the Eddie Murphy movie "Boomerang" in 1992!

Comic Book Pick 11/9/22

  The comic book I am most excited to read this week is...
THE DEATH OF SUPERMAN: 30TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL #1

(A) Lee Weeks, Tom Grummett, Clay Mann & Dan Jurgens (W) Louise Simonson, Roger Stern, Jerry Ordway & Dan Jurgens
30 years ago, the unthinkable happened. The Man of Steel died. After sacrificing himself to stop the unstoppable global threat, Doomsday, Metropolis and the rest of the DC Universe mourned the loss of their greatest hero. To mark this monumental moment in comics, DC has reunited the complete creative team behind the original event for four brand-new stories. Led by Dan Jurgens and Brett Breeding, the special kicks off with a new Superman story and villain…DOOMBREAKER! Followed by a series of short stories revisiting some of Superman’s greatest allies and exclusive pinups done by some of comics’ greatest artistic talent including LEE WEEKS, GABRIEL RODRIGUEZ, BILL SIENKIEWICZ, and WALTER SIMONSON.
SRP: $9.99
Synopsis Provided By: DCcomics.com

Throwback Jam of the Week: 11/7/22

 Throw on your Short Circuit t-shirt and prepare to take the stand as we take you back to the 80s! Without further ado, here is the 20 Years Before 2000 THROWBACK JAM OF THE WEEK!

Artist: El DeBarge
Song: Who's Johnny?
Album: El Debarge (1986)
Peak Billboard Hot 100 Position: #3
Bonus Fun Fact: This song was used in the movie Short Circuit (1986) and was El Debarge's only top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 charts after leaving his family's band Debarge in the mid 80's!

Best of Halloween 2022

What a great year this was for Halloween festivities! My kids are getting older, but their love for the holiday is still there. The whole thing started this year when my Mom sent us this pretty sweet inflatable ghost lawn ornament. Never had one of these before, so it was cool to add some spooky decor to the front yard of our house! Thanks Mom!

We made our annual trip to the corn maze and pumpkin patch. This year nobody got lost and we all had a great time by taking a hayride and tromping through the pumpkin patch in search for the biggest, best pumpkins we could find!

Our old friend Linus was there, and he is still waiting for the Great Pumpkin to arrive. I guess he needs to be a little more sincere? Anyway, we found our pumpkins and had a blast carving them on the night before Halloween.

I chose to carve the visage of pure evil himself, Skeletor! My kids carved images of Morticia, King Boo and Eevee into there pumpkins while we watched "Ernest Scared Stupid" and the new Netflix film "The Curse of Bridge Hallow".

The Curse of Bridge Hallow is the story of Stingy Jack and how he is accidentally brought back by a young girl who letshim out of his turnip prison. This causes all of the Halloween decorations in the town to come to life! In all honesty, this movie was pretty fun and a lot better than I thought it would be. The kids enjoyed it, so it will probably become a staple in our Halloween viewing for years to come.

Lucky me! I won a Halloween themed contest on Twitter just by liking a post! The prize pack was very cool and included some packs of Halloween themed Pokemon cards, a big Slimer sticker a Sloth key ring and of course lots of candy treats!

Speaking of sweet treats, my wife picked up these Vampire O's donuts. I don't usually like powdered donuts, but these were really good. The powder wasn't overpowering, and the ring of raspberry filling was tasty! The wife also picked up some zombie themed, chocolate covered donuts, but they all got eaten before I could snap a picture!

In addition to all the sweets, we got some savory offerings from two of the biggest burger chains around. Burger King kicked up their Whopper, by creating the Ghost Pepper Whopper which has to be my favorite new burger of the last few years. If you like a little bit of spice with your beef, definitely give this a try. It is so good! This limited-time burger features a classic flame-grilled beef patty topped with spicy queso, bacon, jalapeños, and ghost pepper cheese on a seasonally appropriate orange-and-black sesame seed bun.

Not to be outdone on the Halloween front, McDonald's resurrected their Boo Buckets! I took the kids to McDonald's, and we all got the McBoo Pail, which is totally cool because that was the one, we all wanted. The food was not Halloween themed, but it doesn't get much better than eating your food out of the head of a ghost themed bucket!

My twins went trick or treating as Luke & Leia from Star Wars, so of course I had to be their Dad aka Darth Vader! I went nuts looking for an affordable costume and, in the end, I ended up with this Ben Cooper Darth Vader ensemble. I saw it at Spirit Halloween for $9.97 and immediately snapped it up! 

What a great 2022 Halloween season this turned out to be. I hope you and your family had a fantastically scary time. Can't wait to see what 2023 brings us! HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

Comic Book Pick 11/2/22

 The comic book I am most excited to read this week is...
TIGER DIVISION #1

(W) Emily Kim (A) Creees Lee (CA) Stanley Lau "Artgerm"
FIERCE FIGHTERS!
The defenders of South Korea take center stage! In their first ever solo series, you'll learn more about TAEGUKGI, a powerhouse with a heart of gold; LADY BRIGHT, a card-wielding sorceress; MR. ENIGMA, a street-brawling demigod; THE GENERAL, a living totem; and GUN-R II, an android with an attitude. They're joined by fan-favorites WHITE FOX and LUNA SNOW to form an unstoppable team. Created by our own unstoppable team, writer EMILY KIM (SILK) and artist CREEES LEE (MARVEL VOICES), this is one epic series you won't want to miss!
SRP: $3.99
Synopsis Provided By: PreviewsWorld.com 

HAPPY HALLOWEEN 2022!!!

Hope everyone has a night filled with frights, fun and of course CANDY!

Throwback Jam of the Week: 10/31/22

 Throw on your Red Leather Jacket, and dance with some zombies as we take you back to the 80s! Without further ado, here is the 20 Years Before 2000 THROWBACK JAM OF THE WEEK!

Artist: Michael Jackson
Song: Thriller
Album: Thriller (1982)
Peak Billboard Hot 100 Position: #4
Bonus Fun Fact: Vincent Price was brought in for the "rap" portion of the song when it was decided that a horror icon needed to recite the lines. Luckily, Quincy Jones' wife, Peggy Lipton was a friend of Vincent Price.

Comic Book Pick 10/26/22

 The comic book I am most excited to read this week is...
PUNCHLINE: THE GOTHAM GAME #1

(A) Gleb Melnikov (W) Blake M. Howard & Tini Howard
THE NEW QUEEN OF CRIME! Punchline is out of jail and back on the streets of Gotham City. She’s not coming back for some of what Gotham has to offer, she’s coming back for all of it. She wants to be the queen of crime, and with the help of her Royal Flush Gang, no one will stand in her way. But Punchline created a lot of angry enemies in Gotham before she was incarcerated, and they all want payback. Presenting a miniseries that will redefine the criminal landscape of Gotham City from the superstar creative team of Tini Howard (Catwoman, Knights of X), Blake Howard (Batman: Urban Legends), and Gleb Melnikov (Robin, Wonder Woman)!
SRP: $3.99
Synopsis Provided By: DCcomics.com

Throwback Jam of the Week: 10/24/22

Throw on your freakiest outfit, cut your hair in the fresh wave style and slip on your Ben Cooper mask as we take you back to the 80s! Without further ado, here is the 20 Years Before 2000 THROWBACK JAM OF THE WEEK...

Artist: Whodini

Song: The Haunted House of Rock

Album: Whodini (Released 1983)

Peak Billboard Hot 100 Position: NA

Bonus Fun Fact: Whodini was one of the first rap groups to mix rap & R&B, in turn this helped bring about a new genre of music known as New Jack Swing!

Comic Book Pick 10/19/22

 The comic book I am most excited to read this week is...
DEADLY NEIGHBORHOOD SPIDER-MAN #1

(W) Taboo, B. Earl (A) Juan Ferreyra (CA) Rahzzah
A REVOLUTIONARY DARK TAKE ON SPIDER-MAN BEGINS HERE!
What is reality and what is dream? What is science and what is magic? At the intersection of all of this stands the Deadly Neighborhood Spider-Man. Peter Parker goes to Los Angeles and what he finds there are definitely not angels. The demons waiting for Peter are going to test him like never before. One demon in particular, a very famous one for Marvel and X fans in particular, might just eat Spider-Man alive.
SRP: $4.99
Synopsis Provided By: PreviewsWorld.com 

Throwback Jam of the Week: 10/17/22

 Throw on your darkest shades and road trip to Cleveland as we take you back to the 90s! Without further ado, here is the 20 Years Before 2000 THROWBACK JAM OF THE WEEK!

Artist: Bone Thugs-N-Harmony
Song: Look Into My Eyes
Album: The Art of War (1997)
Peak Billboard Hot 100 Position: 4
Bonus Fun Facts: This song was initially released as the third single from the Batman & Robin Motion Picture Soundtrack!

Comic Book Pick 10/12/22

 The comic book I am most excited to read this week is...
GODZILLA MONSTERS & PROTECTORS: ALL HAIL THE KING #1

(W) Erik Burnham (A/CA) Dan Schoening
It's been a year and, to Cedric's dismay, there have been no more Godzilla sightings. Sure, that means no destruction, but it was also his vlog's most popular series of videos. He needs new content! His views are dropping, and he's running out of ideas. He's being called out for lying by cyberbullies Dragon, who is trying to see if Cedric really has the Godzilla chops, and Karen Higa, who has her own agenda. There's more going on beneath the surface, but will Cedric find out what before something deadlier than Godzilla rears its head?
SRP: $3.99
Synopsis Provided By: PreviewsWorld.com 

Throwback Jam of the Week: 10/10/22

 Throw on your sideways cap and start livin' on the edge as we take you back to the 80s! Without further ado, here is the 20 Years Before 2000 THROWBACK JAM OF THE WEEK!

Artist: Janet Jackson
Song: Black Cat
Album: Rhythm Nation 1814 (1989)
Peak Billboard Hot 100 Position: 1
Bonus Fun Facts: This song garnered Jackson a Grammy nomination for "Best Female Rock Vocal Performance". This gave Jackson the distinction of being the only person to be nominated for a Grammy award in 5 different music genres including Rock, Rap, Pop, Dance & R&B!

Comic Book Pick 10/5/22

 The comic book I am most excited to read this week is...
SPIDER-MAN #1

(W) Dan Slott (A/CA) Mark Bagley
"The End of the Spider-Verse" is here! Morlun is back and he is not alone. Allied with one of the most powerful beings known to the Spider-Verse, the scariest Spider-Villain of all time is making his biggest play and no Spider is safe. Especially not the Chosen Spider himself, Peter Parker. With Peter working for Norman Osborn and using a glider...does he have it coming? Spidey's 60th Anniversary is no joke as two of the most legendary Spider-Creators are working together on Spidey for the first time and you know it's going to be one for the record books!
SRP: $4.99
Synopsis Provided By: PreviewsWorld.com 

Throwback Jam of the Week: 10/3/22

  Throw on your bandana and head to Yonkers as we take you back to the 90s! Without further ado, here is the 20 Years Before 2000 THROWBACK JAM OF THE WEEK!

Artist: DMX
Song: Stop Being Greedy
Album: It's Dark and Hell Is Hot (1998)
Peak Billboard Hot 100 Position: 79
Bonus Fun Facts: The video for this song was shot in Chester, NY! This song features a sample from the Diana Ross song "My Hero Is A Gun" from the movie Mahogany! 

Comic Book Pick 9/28/22

 The comic book I am most excited to read this week is...
TMNT: ARMAGEDDON GAME #1

(W) Tom Waltz (A/CA) Vincenzo Federici
The Armageddon Game Has Begun! Under the leadership of the Shredder, the TMNT begin a dangerous quest to seek out allies against Rat King's trio of terror: LeatherKrang, Baxter Stockman, and Madame Null. It's a mission that will see the Turtles spread out across New York City... and across multiple dimensions! But they better hurry, because their enemies are already on the march, and things are not looking good for Mutant Town while most of our heroes are away. Desperate measures, false flag attacks, mysterious new villains, and unexpected alliances... It all starts here in the premiere issue of the biggest TMNT event of the year!
SRP: $5.99
Synopsis Provided By: PreviewsWorld.com 

Throwback Jam of the Week: 9/26/22

 Throw on your darkest tinted shades and head to Lover's Lane as we take you back to the 90s! Without further ado, here is the 20 Years Before 2000 THROWBACK JAM OF THE WEEK!

Artist: Mary J. Blige
Song: Reminisce
Album: What's The 411? (1992)
Peak Billboard Hot 100 Position: 57
Bonus Fun Facts: This song features a sample from the song "Stop, Look, Listen" by MC Lyte! The remix of this song features Pete Rock & CL Smooth!

New Retro Toy Store Discovery!

Recently a co-worker told me about a new retro toy shop that opened in town. You better believe that's where I took my lunch break that day. There was a ton of great stuff to look at and I had limited time to do so. I will have to go back and take a longer look at some of the stuff in this store. The prices were a little bit all over the place. Some things were priced too high and some were surprisingly affordable. In my haste to squeeze this trip in, I did find a few solid pick-ups in the comic book bins. Here is what I grabbed:

Gen 13 #1 (Image)

The Adventures of Kool-Aid Man #1 (Marvel)

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures #2 (Archie)

Ultimate Spider-Man FCBD #1 (Marvel)

I always love finding some sweet deals on new comic books and you know I couldn't leave without picking up a new TMNT item for the collection. I looked at their selection of vintage TMNT toys and saw a carded Venus for $150! The card was a little beat up and I already have the loose figure, so I passed this up and my wallet thanked me. As I continued looking around, I noticed randomly placed boxes of Non-Sport cards around the store, but something caught my eye more than the others...

Upper Deck Comic Ball Cards: Series #1

Upper Deck Comic Ball Cards: Series #2

Upper Deck Comic Ball Cards: Series #3

Upper Deck Comic Ball Cards: Series #4

Sealed packs of Upper Deck Comic Ball cards! I grabbed one pack from all 4 series for $1 each! I loved these cards as a kid. This was Space Jam before Space Jam existed. Once you collected the whole set, you were treated to a comic book style story that featured the Looney Tunes and some huge names from the 90's spots scene. Included were stars like Ken Griffey Jr., Reggie Jackson, Thurman Thomas & Jerry Rice to name a few. I remember pulling a Wile E Coyote hologram from one of these packs years ago and feeling like I was a Goonie that just discovered the Inferno! Loved these cards then and still love them now! Hopefully, I'll be back soon to see what other treasures I can uncover!