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 

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 

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 

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 

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 

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!

Comic Book Pick 9/14/22

 The comic book I am most excited to read this week is...
EDGE OF SPIDER-VERSE #3

(W) Dan Slott, Various (A) Hikaru Uesugi, Various (CA) Josemaria Casanovas
IN THIS ISSUE! SPIDER-MAN: INDIA! AND NIGHT-SPIDER! Wait, WHO IS NIGHT-SPIDER?!
SRP: $4.99
Synopsis Provided By: PreviewsWorld.com 

Comic Book Pick 9/7/22

 The comic book I am most excited to read this week is...
SPIDER-MAN 2099: EXODUS OMEGA #1

(W) Steve Orlando (A) Paul Fry (CA) Ken Lashley
THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF 2099 REACHES ITS EXPLOSIVE CONCLUSION!
The final battle for the Celestial Garden begins! Spider-Man vs. Norman Osborn! The X-Men vs. the Cabal! Two armies, two deadly enemies...and the keys to 2099's future up for grabs! It's a brawl for all: A brave new tomorrow for 2099 starts here!
SRP: $4.99
Synopsis Provided By: PreviewsWorld.com 

Comic Book Pick 8/3/22

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

(W) Dan Slott, Various (A) Mark Bagley, Various (CA) Josemaria Casanovas
THE END OF THE SPIDER-VERSE IS COMING!
edge ('ej) noun - 1. outermost limit of an object - 2. the sharp side of a blade
The leading edge of the Spider-Verse brought you Spider-Gwen and Peni Parker. This final edge will introduce you to some of the most important characters in the future of the Spider-Verse...but it will also slice the final strand of the web. IN THIS ISSUE: SPIDER-MAN NOIR! ARANA'S NEW STATUS QUO! SPIDER-REX AND MORE!
SRP: $3.99
Synopsis Provided By: PreviewsWorld.com 

Comic Book Pick 5/25/22

 The comic book I am most excited to read this week is...
SPIDER-MAN 2099: EXODUS #1

(W) Steve Orlando (A) Dave Wachter (CA) Ken Lashley
INTRODUCING THE WINTER SOLDIER OF 2099!
After a massive CELESTIAL body crashes into the Wastelands outside of Nueva York, a new Garden of Eden erupts from the crash site, offering unimaginable power. And it's not just THE CABAL who is hungry to control the Garden. Everyone's got something to gain from Paradise...including WINTER SOLDIER 13. Salvaged from the black market as a child, the Winter Soldier - raised on mad science - is bent on vengeance and rebirth. But what truly lies within the Garden?
SRP: $3.99
Synopsis Provided By: PreviewsWorld.com 

Tomorrow is FREE COMIC BOOK DAY 2022!

Saturday, May 7th is Free Comic Book Day! You can go to your local comic shop and choose from a variety of great comics from publishers like Marvel, DC, Darkhorse and more! If you want more info or need to know what shops are participating, check out the Free Comic Book Day website. Every year I take my kids out and make this day an event. It's something we look forward to every year. Here are my top five comics for the 2022 FCBD:

TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES

(W) Tom Waltz (A/CA) Sophie Campbell

The Ninja Turtles have broken out of the locked-down neighborhood of Manhattan known as Mutant Town . . . but which Ninja Turtles? And is that... VENUS(!)... spying on them?! As all new mutants haunt and terrorize NYC, enemies and allies of the TMNT alike prepare for a confrontation greater than any that has come before . . . the Rat King's diabolical Armageddon Game! The TMNT event of 2022 starts here from Tom Waltz, Sophie Campbell, Ronda Pattison and Kevin Eastman!

SPIDER-MAN & VENOM #1

(W) Al Ewing, Ram V., Zeb Wells (A) Bryan Hitch (A/CA) John Romita

Announced last week, Spider-Man is gearing up for a brand-new era just in time for the character's 60th anniversary! Fans who pick up FREE COMIC BOOK DAY: SPIDER-MAN/VENOM #1 will see the very beginning of the major storylines writer Zeb Wells and legendary artist John Romita Jr. have planned for their run on AMAZING SPIDER-MAN, including Tombstone's first steps towards becoming Spidey's most terrifying villain. FREE COMIC BOOK DAY: SPIDER-MAN/VENOM #1 will also give fans a chance to check out the thought-provoking work Al Ewing, Ram V, and Bryan Hitch are doing on VENOM! The groundbreaking changes this mastermind trio has in store for the symbiote mythos starts here!

STRANGER THINGS/RESIDENT ALIEN

(W) Michael Moreci, Peter Hogan (A) Pius Bak, Steve Parkhouse (CA) Diego Galindo

Celebrating the weird and wonderful, we present stories both strange and alien! In Stranger Things, Eleven, Will and Jonathan go to a drive-in theater for a double creature feature, but the local festivities and scary costumes bring back haunting memories. In Resident Alien, Dr. Harry and nurse Asta help an elderly patient in the sleepy, small town of Patience investigate a ghostly presence in her house!
Exclusive Original Material.

DISNEY MASTERS DONALD DUCK & CO.

(W) William Van Horn, Joe Torcivia, Dick Kinney, Bas Heymans, Pasqua Heymans (A) William Van Horn, Giorgio Cavazzano, Al Hubbard, Bas Heymans

A star bunch of Disney Masters bring us wild Disney adventures from around the world! In "Snore Losers," Uncle Scrooge has nightmares of giving Donald Duck a million bucks-and then dreamologist J. Slumberbunk Swoonsnooze insists Scrooge must do it for real! Next, in "Here Today, Gone Apollo," that mighty Mouseton madcap Super Goof faces evil Emil Eagle and Dangerous Dan McBoo in a booby-trapped castle... and in "Fall Guy," Cousin Fethry longs to ride over Niagara Falls in a barrel, but only Donald repeatedly takes the plunge!

STREET FIGHTER MASTERS: BLANKA

(W) Matt Moylan (A/CA) Genzoman

It's time to go green with Blanka, the Brazilian berserker beastman! This electrically-charged icon of Street Fighter tears through the jungles of the Amazon in his first solo comic adventure!
Exclusive Original Material

Comic Book Pick 5/4/22

 The comic book I am most excited to read this week is...
SPIDER-MAN 2099 EXODUS: ALPHA #1

(W) Steve Orlando (A) Paul Fry (CA) Leinil Francis Yu
MIGUEL O'HARA IS BACK!
After fighting battles across the timestream, MIGUEL O'HARA is at last back defending hispresent and our our future! For SPIDER-MAN 2099, the only thing constant about life in Nueva York is change. So when a cataclysmic crash creates a new Garden of Eden in what was once the American Wastelands, Spider-Man knows exactly what the next atrocity will be. Watch as THE CABAL plans to set society ablaze - and you'll never guess who is leading them!
SRP: $4.99
Synopsis Provided By: PreviewsWorld.com 

Comic Book Pick 4/6/22

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

(W) Cody Ziglar (A) Justin Mason (CA) Olivier Coipel
ANARCHY IN THE SPIDER-VERSE! SPIDER-PUNK GETS HIS OWN SERIES! HOBIE BROWN is THE ANARCHIC SPIDER-PUNK - set to protect EARTH-138 with his ax in hand and his chaotic band of punk rockin' heroes backing him! NORMAN OSBORN is dead, but will the chaos he's created be too much for Spider-Punk and gang to handle? Feel the vibes as CODY ZIGLAR (AMAZING SPIDER-MAN) and JUSTIN MASON bring you the jams when "BANNED IN DC" begins here!
SRP: $3.99
Synopsis Provided By: PreviewsWorld.com 

Comic Book Pick 3/2/22

  The comic book I am most excited to read this week is...
DEVIL'S REIGN: SPIDER-MAN #1

(W) Anthony Piper (A/CA) Ze Carlos
 The events of DEVIL'S REIGN #1-2 have put Spidey in an awful position. As if that weren't enough, the newly returned ROSE has Spidey in his crosshairs and wants to prove that he's badder than his dad, Kingin, ever was.
SRP: $4.99
Synopsis Provided By: PreviewsWorld.com 

Funko Pop Collection: Part #2

I am a fan of the Funko Pop figures. They are inexpensive and feature some amazing characters. if you are a fan of any show or movie, Funko has probably made a Pop of it! That being said, I really don't collect Pops, but if I do see one of a character I absolutely love, I will pick it up. My collection is not huge, but it is selective and here are a few that I would like to share with you...

Jason Voorhees from Friday The 13th

I'm gonna mention this for about the 1,000 time here, but I'm proud to say that I grew up in NJ, specifically the part of NJ where the original Friday The 13th movie was filmed. It was a great childhood and Funko Pop Jason was an absolute must have for my collection!

Rocko & Spunky from Rocko's Modern Life

Rocko's Modern Life was unquestionably my favorite Nickelodeon Cartoon back in the 90's. The cartoons were funny, witty and a little bit adult. Chokey Chicken anyone? I saw this Rocko Pop at Barnes & Noble and quickly grabbed him up. I wish they would have made the whole crew, but at least we got Rocko, Spunky and Heffer. I wonder why they never made a Filbert?

Slimer from Ghostbusters

Ghostbusters is one of my all-time favorite movies. Ever since I saw it in the summer of 1985, I was hooked. As a kid I was hooked on Slimer. The ugly little spud was funny, unique and cute in a gross sort of way. He became synonymous with Ghostbusters. Anything branded Ghostbusters most likely had a picture of Slimer on it. That's how they would hook us kids and even as adults we were all clamoring for one more shot at a taste of Hi-C Ecto Cooler!   

Spider-Man from The Amazing Spider-Man (2012)

I know this may not be a popular take right now, but I did not care for the Amazing Spider-Man movies. I just did not feel like Andrew Garfield was Peter Parker. If you like the movies, I'm not gonna hate on you. Everyone is free to have their own opinion and this is mine. Anyway, I got this Spider-Man Pop for less than $2 on clearance at Target. The one thing I did like about the Amazing Spider-Man movies was the style of the Spider suit and this Funko Pop captures that look nicely.

Toby Armored & Gnome Chompsky from Trollhunters

Myself and my kids loved the Trollhunters series on Netflix. It became a fixture in our house on Saturday mornings. Each Saturday we would watch one episode in an attempt to recreate the magic of those 80's & 90's weekends spent watching morning cartoons. We made it through the Trollhunters series and then watched 3Below, Wizards and the finale movie Trollhunters: Rise of the Titans. Guillermo del Toro created a fantastic world for these characters to play in and one of our faves was Gnome Chompsky, so my kids got me this Funko Pop for my birthday and it is amazing!

Scoops Ahoy Steve from Stranger Things

Again, I am a fan of the Stranger Things series and when Baskin Robbins joined forces with Netflix a few summer's ago it was magic. B&R pretty much turned their stores into a real life version of the Scoops Ahoy Ice Cream Shop from Stranger Things. The employees wore Scoops Ahoy uniforms, they sold Scoops Ahoy Ice Cream you could even order the U.S.S. Butterscotch sundae! As part of this alliance Baskin Robbins sold these exclusive Steve Pops at their store, so myself and the fam made a few trips and I got this Pop to commemorate this moment in pop culture. Check out a commercial for the promotion below:

Funko Pop Collection: Part #1

I am a fan of the Funko Pop figures. They are inexpensive and feature some amazing characters. if you are a fan of any show or movie, Funko has probably made a Pop of it! That being said, I really don't collect Pops, but if I do see one of a character I absolutely love, I will pick it up. My collection is not huge, but it is selective and here are a few that I would like to share with you...

Blanka from Street Fighter

Around my neighborhood, Street Fighter II was the fighting game of choice. Me and my friends would play this game for hours on our SNES during the summer of 1992 trying to perfect all the characters special moves. Of course one of the easiest to master was Blanka's electrical attack. That paired with his crazy look, made him a favorite of mine to play with.

Casey Jones from the TMNT Movie (1990)

The summer of 1990 brought my favorite Heroes In A Half-Shell to the big screen. My Dad took my brother and me to the theater to see this movie and our minds were blown! The movie was gritty & dark, but it still had the humor and action that we loved from the TMNT cartoon show. It was the perfect balance of the Mirage comics and Fred Wolf cartoon. Of course one of the highlights was the appearance of Casey Jones. He had some of the best scenes in the movie and of course I needed a Casey Jones to go along with my TMNT Funko Pops.

Doctor Octopus

Spider-Man has always been one of my favorite comic book superheroes. So much so that I have a Spider-Man tattoo and back when I was a DJ, my stage name was Spyda-Man. Those days have passed, but Spider-Man is still one of my favorites and my family got me this Doc Ock Funko Pop as a birthday gift a few years ago. He's a bad dude and still looks awesome, even as a Funko Pop!

Gremlin from Gremlins (1984)

Seeing Gremlins with my Dad and siblings in the movie theater is one of the earliest memories that I have. I don't actually remember seeing the movie, but I remember getting home from seeing the movie and the power went off in our house. Of course everyone was joking that it was the Gremlins that caused the power outage, but in fact it was a blown fuse. I didn't know that and those innocent jokes led to a few sleepless nights in my bed!

Harley Quinn from Batman: Arkham Knight

I have the Batman Arkham games collection for the WiiU and honestly, I've only played it a handful of times. I'm not a huge fan of the game itself, but I do like me some Harley Quinn. I picked this Pop up at a going out of business sale at a retro store in our mall. So for a couple of bucks Harley came home with me.

Dustin from Stranger Things (Target Exclusive)

I have been a fan of Stranger Things since the first season hit Netflix way back in 2016. Recently, my oldest daughter has watched the series with me and my wife and now she is in love with the show! For my birthday, my wife and kids got me a Target exclusive Funko Pop Dustin set. The set came with this Funko Pop of Dustin in his "Camp Know Where" outfit and a shirt with the "Roast Beef" design on it that Dustin wore in season 3 of the series. I love this shirt!

That's it for this round. Check back next week for some more random Funko Pop figures from my collection!

Comic Book Pick 2/2/22

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

(W) Joe Kelly (A) Gerardo Sandoval (CA) Mark Bagley
SPIDER-MAN LIKE YOU'VE NEVER SEEN HIM BEFORE!
Peter Parker finds himself at the middle of the biggest, most wide-ranging adventure he's ever had and out of the gate it has turned him into a SAVAGE BEAST! Forget everything you know about Spider-Man. All rules and regulations are out the door and Peter Parker may never be the same!
SRP: $3.99
Synopsis Provided By: PreviewsWorld.com 

Comic Book Pick 1/5/22

 The comic book I am most excited to read this week is...
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #84

(W) Cody Ziglar (CA) Cory Smith
The events of ASM #80.BEY have set Doctor Octopus on a collision course with the Beyond Corporation and their Spider-Hero in residence. Ben Reilly isn't the only one with new tricks up his sleeve, or, in Ock's case, MANY sleeves.
SRP: $3.99
Synopsis Provided By: PreviewsWorld.com 

Comic Book Pick 9/8/21

   The comic book I am most excited to read this week is...
EXTREME CARNAGE: TOXIN #1

(W) Steve Orlando (A) Gerardo Sandoval (CA) Skan
TOXIN RETURNS! Bren Waters, the new host of TOXIN, enters the fray! Will he be enough to turn the tide?
SRP: $3.99
Synopsis Provided By: PreviewsWorld.com 

Tomorrow is FREE COMIC BOOK DAY 2021!

Saturday, August 14th is Free Comic Book Day! You can go to your local comic shop and choose from a variety of great comics from publishers like Marvel, DC, Darkhorse and more! If you want more info or need to know what shops are participating, check out the Free Comic Book Day website. Every year I take my kids out and make this day an event. It's something we look forward to every year. Here are my top five comics for the 2021 FCBD:

STRAY DOGS
(W) Tony Fleecs (A) Brad Simpson, Tone Rodriguez (CA) Tony Fleecs (A/CA) Trish Forstner
For FREE COMIC BOOK DAY, a special expanded edition of the hit IMAGE series, STRAY DOGS!
Meet Sophie, a dog who can't remember what happened. She doesn't know how she ended up in this house. She doesn't recognize any of these other dogs. She knows something terrible happened, but she just...can't...recall...WAIT! Where's her lady? This FCBD edition also features a BRAND NEW prologue, "That Doggie in the Window" the unnerving story of the very first dog to ever come to the Master's house.

MARVEL SPIDER-MAN VENOM FCBD 2021 #1
(W) Al Ewing, Ram V. (A) Bryan Hitch
Free Comic Book Day is the perfect chance to dive deep into the Marvel Universe with new stories and exciting adventures alongside some of Marvel's most acclaimed creators - and this year, Marvel is bringing you the biggest and boldest stories yet!
Starring Spider-Man and Venom!
Exclusive Original Material

SMURFS TALES
(W) Peyo (A/CA) Peyo
The Smurfs are back! To celebrate the new animated TV series premiering on Nickelodeon Fall 2021, Papercutz is releasing a new series of graphic novels entitled THE SMURFS TALES. This new series is three times bigger than the previous SMURFS Papercutz graphic novel series, and what that means is a lot more Smurfs plus other beloved creations by Peyo such as Johan and Peewit, the young page and the court jester; and Benny Breakiron, the super-powered little boy. Join Papa Smurf, Smurfette, Brainy Smurf, Hefty Smurf, and so many smurfy others for fun and adventure in the comics that inspired the cartoons, toys, and Nickelodeon series. But be careful, Gargamel, Azrael, and trouble never seem to be too far behind!

SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 30TH ANNIVERSARY
(W) Gale Galligan (A) Thomas Rothlisberger (CA) Tracy Yardley
Celebrating 30 years of the world's fastest hedgehog! There's no telling how Sonic will react when he sees the results of Amy Rose's new hobby-she's been making tell-all comics about her adventures with Sonic, Miles "Tails" Prower, and their friends! New York Times bestselling author Gale Galligan (The Baby-Sitters Club graphic novels) spills the beans! Plus, fun extras to catch readers up on Sonic's ongoing adventures, on the road to issue 50! Sonics 30th anniversary celebration will be a huge priority for IDW and Sega this year!

SUICIDE SQUAD FCBD SPECIAL EDITION

Just in time for The Suicide Squad movie written and directed by James Gunn, releasing in theaters and HBO Max on August 6th, with this incredible special edition that features the world’s deadliest villains. Discover more about the breakout character from Task Force X in an original Suicide Squad: King Shark story written by New York Times bestselling author Tim Seeley (Nightwing) and illustrated by award-winning artist Scott Kolins (The Flash). This 32-page issue also includes a preview of the sensational Suicide Squad: Get Joker! limited series by writer Brian Azzarello (Batman: Damned) and artist Alex Maleev (Checkmate). An incarcerated and angry Red Hood receives a chance at freedom from Amanda Waller. All the former Boy Wonder needs to do to gain his freedom is lead the Suicide Squad on a mission to terminate The Joker. Paired up with Harley Quinn and Gotham City killers such as Firefly and Killer Croc, he doesn’t care if any of them come back alive, as long as The Joker dies!