This isn't Goodbye.

Many of you have noticed that my posts here on 20 Years Before 2000 have not been as frequent as they used to be. It's not that I've lost my love for retro goodness or that I've lost my passion to write about the good ole days, it's just that life has been getting busier as my family grows and I find less and less time to give to this site. I can't believe it's been about 7 years, over 1,000 posts and hundreds of thousands of views since I started this! I've met some great people and I will continue to add more, but it will just be sporadic or if something truly amazing happens to me or the retro community. I thank you all for your support and as the title of this post states, This isn't goodbye...

Wrapping Up Christmas 2022

Now that I am a parent Christmas is mostly all about making the kids happy and helping Santa get them the toys that were on their list. There is nothing like seeing their little faces light up on that special December morning...even if it's at 4am. I guess that's karma, but every year I still look forward to unwrapping my own gifts from my kids & wife. They always do a great job of getting me some sweet presents and this year they did not disappoint. I know it's a little late but let's look behind the wrapping paper and see what goodies were under the tree for me in 2022!

"The Last Folk Hero" and packs of sports cards

I have been a huge fan of Bo Jackson since I opened a pack of 1987 Topps baseball cards and found out that I had scored his "Future Stars" card. You know the one I'm talking about. The one with the sweet woodgrain border featuring Bo in the outfield. Once I found out this book was released a few months ago, I had to read it. I have read the great book "Bo Knows Bo", so I am interested in seeing how this book advances the story and digs into the folk hero that is Mr. Vincent Edward "Bo" Jackson. In addition to this book, my wife picked me up a few packs of baseball and football cards. My favorite out of the packs had to be the Wild Card Garrett Wilson Rookie Card. He has been fantastic for my NY Jets this year and I hope to see his continued success in years to come.

DC League of Super-Pets and The Goldbergs Season 5 DVDs

Myself and my wife took our kids to see the DC Super-Pets movie back when it was released in theaters in July 2022. We all enjoyed the movie, and I can't wait to re-watch this one at home with the fam. The Goldbergs is one of the rare television programs that the whole family will sit down and watch. The first few seasons were the best and, in my opinion, captured what it was like growing up in the 80's. My kids chuckle at the jokes, and it gives them the opportunity to ask me and my wife about the things that happened during the best decade ever!

Masters of the Universe Mad Libs and Power Rangers: Battle For The Grid Switch game

Oh man, does my family enjoy Mad Libs! I'm sure everyone reading this has taken part in some crazy Mad Lib sessions and we all know how much fun they can be. The fact that this version is Masters of the Universe related makes it all the more fantastic. We've already done a few and if you are a MOTU fan, I highly suggest picking this up and taking part in the most powerful Mad Libs in the Universe! I was in my teens when the Power Rangers became a huge phenomenon, but my younger brother was big into the Rangers, so I have some fond memories of playing in some epic battles with him and his action figures. I had heard this game was pretty great from some hardcore Power Rangers fans at work and when I saw it at Walmart for under $20, I picked it up. I gotta say, I played it last night and it is so much fun! There are so many characters to choose from and the story mode is actually pretty dark. Power Rangers fans need to give this game a try!!

Hickory Farms Beef & Spicy boxed set

My wife picks me up one of these boxes of meat & cheese every year for Christmas. I don't know about you, but I love getting snack foods on Christmas. My Dad used to stuff our stocking with everything from Slim Jims to microwaveable Pork Rinds and that's where my love for salty snacks on December 25th started. I am so glad that my wife continues this tradition for me every year.

World's Smallest Blind Box figure

I was really surprised to find this in my stocking this year. I had never seen these blind boxes in stores, but my wife did and thought I would appreciate them. She was right! These blind boxes give you the chance to score a micro figure of either G.I. Joe, Ninja Turtles, Transformers or Masters of the Universe figures. Of course, I was hoping for a Turtle, but I was not disappointed with the Battle Cat that I received! These are no cheap Dollar Tree figures. These are fantastically sculpted; have points of articulation and you can even remove Battle Cat's armor! As a bonus, each blind box contains a micro comic and a magnifier so you can read the books. If I see any more of these in the wild, you better believe I'll be picking them up!

NECA Black & White Shredder figure

I received the NECA set of 4 Black & White Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles years ago as a birthday gift from my wife, so when I saw that NECA was releasing a Black & White Shredder to compliment those previous TMNT figures, I immediately added it to my "Want" list! Unfortunately, NECA made getting this figure a bit of a hassle. These were part of the "AutoT" series of figures. In order to get your physical Shredder, you needed to go to Walmart, find the AutoT package, buy the code, go to a website, enter the code and then wait weeks for NECA to send you your figure. Pretty convoluted, but well worth the wait. This figure is amazing, and I was happy to finally receive it on Christmas morning. One cool thing about the AutoT experience is the fact that everyone has the chance to receive an autograph from TMNT co-creator, Kevin Eastman. I did not get one of these randomly packed autographs, but hey, at least there was a chance.

Playmates Toon Turtles 4-Pack

I never had these Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles figures when they were first released back in the 80's. By that point I had already amassed several variations of each Turtle, so getting these was not high on my priority list. Man did I miss out! I love the action features on these figures and the retro packaging really takes me back to perusing the toy aisle at our local department store, Toys R' Us, Child World or KB Toy store. The commercial for these toys really shows how cool they actually are! You can view that below.

It was another great Christmas filled with family, fun and of course presents. I hope you all had an AWESOME holiday and look forward to the new year. Thanks for reading!

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