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

My Personal History of Non-Sports Collecting

The year was 1987 and my favorite baseball team, the NY Mets, were fresh off a sensational World Series winning season and my Dad saw my brother and my interest peak in the sport. He decided a good way to get us acquainted with baseball and the players would be to buy us some packs of 1987 Topps cards. 

You know the set, the one one with the fantastic wood grain boarders. Well, little did he know that this decision would kick start my love for collecting cards. Every time we would stop by a convenience store, gas station or drug store, I would ask for a new pack of cards and the majority of the time my Dad would cave. It would be years later when I discovered the joys of collecting basketball cards with the 1990-1991 NBA Hoops set.

This newfound love of basketball kind of pushed baseball to the side and I started playing organized basketball and it became my favorite sport. My team won two championships and lost only 1 game in 3 years, I was even named to the all-tournament team as the best all-around "Power Forward"! Those were great times and even though I was big into sports at the time, another interest started to creep in and it all started in 1992 with the...

DEATH OF SUPERMAN! Yes, I had a few comics scattered around the house and yes, I did have a small collection of Secret Wars action figures, but it wasn't until this momentous occasion that I really saw what impact comic books could have on people and that story really began my comic collecting obsession. I had to read all the Superman books! Superman led to Batman, Batman led to Spider-Man, Spider-Man led to X-Men and not only did these comics lead to discussions on the play ground, but it also brought together kids who had never really hung out before. This was a type of pop culture that it seemed everyone had an opinion on and my mind was blown when during one of those meetings of the minds, one of my buddies whipped out his collection of Marvel Universe trading cards!

Two of my favorite hobbies were now together in one amazing package! They were cards, but they featured stats and bios of some of the greatest superheroes of the time! Just like my Dad when he bought us those 1987 Topps packs, these cards introduced me to so many fantastic creations that I had never heard of before and I wanted to know more which led to a deeper love of the comic genre.

I became a big collector of these cards when Marvel Universe Series 3 cards came out and I tried to collect the whole set. I had some of the holograms and came close, but ended up a few cards short. After series 4 of the Marvel Universe cards was released, my interest in collecting them kind of waned and I would pick up a few packs every now and then, but I wasn't as big of a comic card collector as I had been.

I've picked up a few cards recently, but my main focus is on the actual comics nowadays, but if the price is right I won't hesitate to buy a box of these magnificent relics from the era of the comic boom in the 90's. I've brought some of these boxes home for my kids to enjoy and to share with them that experience of discovering new characters via the art on these mini masterpieces and of course I am always happy to share my knowledge of comic book characters with my children. It's a nice little bonding experience for us that I hope they will remember for years to come.

Collecting these non-sports cards was a fairly big part of my childhood and although I am not into the hobby as much as when I was younger it still feels good to look through a stack of these cardboard wonders and relive that time when these characters were new to me.

Comic Book Pick 11/17/21

 The comic book I am most excited to read this week is...
SUPERMAN: SON OF KAL-EL #5

(W) Tom Taylor (A) John Timms
Faster than fate. As powerful as hope. Able to lift us all. For all his great power, Jon Kent can’t save everyone, but that won’t stop him from trying. How much can Earth’s new Superman do before this Man of Steel buckles? And when he does, who swoops in to save Superman?
SRP: $3.99
Synopsis Provided By: DCcomics.com

Opening Adventures of Superman #500!

Last week we opened a copy of Superman #75 where the Man of Steel was "killed" by Doomsday. Today we'll be tearing open a copy of Adventures of Superman #500! This is the issue that started the rebirth of The Man of Tomorrow.

We all knew that it was inevitable that Superman would return, but what we didn't know is how DC would pull it off! This issue gives us a peak into that question by giving us a tale about Pa Kent taking a journey into the afterlife where he encounters war flashbacks, demons and his son Clark. After this magical journey we find out that Superman's body is no longer in it's tomb in Metropolis! Where did it go and who could have taken it?

Yes, that mystery was at the heart of this issue, but the big draw for me was the introduction of 4 new Supermen! Superboy, Steel. Cyborg Superman and Eradicator Superman all make their debuts at the end of this issue in grand fashion. Are any of these guys the real deal? Do any of them have anything to do with the missing body of Superman? This single issue led into the "Reign of Supermen" storyline. One of my favorites from 90's DC.

I was lucky enough to stumble upon a copy of Adventures of Superman #500 at a Dollar Tree store, so I had no problem opening it to find out what goodies were inside. Let me tell you, I was pretty bummed. After all the great stuff packed into superman #75, I was expecting some sweet swag. What we got was a fairly cool variant cover that features a removeable translucent sticker showing Pa Kent reaching out to his son in the afterlife...

and this AMAZING DC Bloodlines card. Okay, this card was worth the $1 I paid alone. We also go 8 extra pages of story. These pages were not really necessary and pretty much just took up the space held by ads in the regular edition of the comic. It was 2 pages of  Gangbuster fighting crime and a few more pages of Pa Kent struggling to come back to life. Nothing of note really. 

I did enjoy this issue and it moves the whole death/life story forward, but once again this comic was 50 cents more than Superman #75 and we got a variant cover and 1 card! C'mon DC us loyal Superman fans deserve better than that. Now that I have typed that sentence, I feel kind of jerky. Especially since I got my copy for $1. Ugh! Let's just move on with our lives now and enjoy the richness of storytelling this issue spearheaded with the Reign of Supermen story line. 

Opening Superman #75!

In January of 1993 one of the biggest events ever in the history of comics took place. Something we never thought we would see...Superman had died! The vicious and ultra powerful Doomsday had taken the Man of Steel down in an epic battle for the fate of Metropolis! This Doomsday creature seemed to have no real reason for this destruction except his overpowering drive for carnage. It was an epic way to take down the worlds greatest hero and in our hearts, we all knew he would be back again. But for that one moment all of comic fandom shed a tear at the sight of a fallen Kryptonian. The man stood for truth, justice and the American way. In a sense we saw that ideal destroyed by a monster so vile that good could not overcome, it could only sacrifice itself for the betterment of a nation.

That being said, I was a comic collector at the time, but I mostly focused on the Archie "Adventures of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" comics. It wasn't until this "Doomsday" event that I became an avid reader of Superman. I missed picking up a first printing of Superman #75, but was able to find a 4th printing in a bundle pack at our local K-Mart. I read it and even though it was tragic, I loved it. This comic kicked my love of comics and collecting into full gear. 

It wouldn't be until about 20 years later when I was able to find a first printing "Memorial Set" of Superman #75. Now, I am opening it, to share with you the great stuff that was packed inside. 

First of all, you get this fantastic looking "Tombstone" variant cover of Superman #75. The back of the book contains an ad for the upcoming "Funeral For A Friend" storyline. This story then set the stage for the "Reign Of Supermen" event that introduced us to Cyborg Superman, Steel and Conner Kent aka Superboy!

Next up is a "PROTOTYPE" trading card from the "The Death of Superman" set from Skybox. Who didn't love getting free non-sport trading cards in the 90's? The card features the same tombstone artwork as the variant cover above. My only complaint with this card is the total lack of foil. Would a little bit of bling have killed ya?

Also packed in this bag was an obituary from the Daily Planet. This piece of memorabilia is a little macabre, but still a very cool historical document.

This armband was included so fans of the Boyscout in Blue could litterally wear their emotions on their sleeves. When you wore this foil pressed armband it showed that you were in mourning over the passing of Supes. These were worn by some characters in the DC Comics universe like Green Lantern, Flash and Wonder Woman. It was like the comic world had meshed with the real world. It gave fans a connection to the characters on the printed pages they were reading.

A set of commemorative stamps! These are not the "sticker" type but the lick and stick type. Not sure why these were included. Were they supposed to represent a collection of images sold by the Metropolis Post Offices? If so, why would they include a photo of a deceased Superman or a pic of Doomsday? I have so many questions about this item!

Finally, there was this AWESOME poster! It shows many of the major DC personalities giving their respects to their fallen brother. Pallbearers included Justice League teammates Batman, Flash, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Aquaman and Robin. I really need to get this framed and hung in my man cave aka my former basement room that kids have taken over with their Calico Critters table, Little People playsets and Hot Wheels tracks! Below is a clip from E! that covers the event from 1993. I hope you enjoy this little slice of nostalgia and never forget the time "...THAT A SUPERMAN DIED."

Summer of 1993

Ah, the Summer of 1993! I had just finished up 6th grade and was a few months away from my 13th birthday. Sports had become my life, especially basketball, the weather was crazy hot and Janet Jackson was topping the charts with her song "That's The Way Love Goes".

Me and my Dad didn't really spend too much time together unless it was sports related. He worked in the day and most evenings I was off doing something stupid with my friends. Our paths rarely crossed, but one major pop culture phenomenon put an end to all that in June of 1993.

The movie Jurassic Park was unleashed on the world and my Dad, being the sci-fi fan that he is, decided he was going to take me to see this movie in the theater. Not me, my 2 brothers, my 2 sisters and my Mom, just me and him. This was so unusual, that it shocked me at first, but then it became clear that he wanted to connect with me. Maybe it was because I was about to become a teenager or maybe it was just to get to know each other. Anyway, he made this trip a pretty big deal.

We stopped at a local comic shop and picked up some of the newest issues of the Superman comics. This was a huge time for the series as Superman had just recently been killed by Doomsday, his friends had a funeral for him and now 4 new Supermen were being introduced! AMAZING! I gotta say, my favorite of the 4 was John Henry Irons aka Steel.

While there, I also remember picking up a few packs of the 1992 Skybox Dream Team cards. Me and my brother were trying to complete a second set and all we needed was one dang Charles Barkley card to do so! It didn't happen from these packs, but many years later I just gave up the pack chase and purchased the card off ebay. Now me and my brother own a set of these cards.

After this surprise trip to the comic shop, we eventually made it to the theater and saw the blockbuster movie of the summer, Jurassic Park! It was mind blowing! The action was fast, the special effects were fantastic and the story was entertaining. After the credits rolled the entire audience applauded and so did I. It was the first and only time I experienced that in a movie theater.

Since experiencing this cinematic miracle, there was much discussing that needed to be done. Where else better to do that than at my favorite restaurant, McDonalds. Not only was this my pick for place to eat, but they were also waist deep in their own Jurassic Park promotional campaign!

We both "Dino-Sized" our meals and had some great one-on-one time between father and son. Not sure what we talked about, but I'm sure it was great. We walked away with 2 Jurassic Park cups. I know I got the Dilophosaurus and I think my dad got the Raptor cup.

It would be a long time before me and my Dad did anything like that again, but anytime I drank out of that JP cup, it brought back some great memories from that one cool Summer day in June of 1993!

DC Justice League FLiXSTARS

 Just this past week I was in the local Dollar Tree store and I noticed that they had been getting some cool toys in recently. It's in this section that my eyes were drawn to these colorful packages of DC Comics Justice League FLiXSTARS by MATTEL. Each pack contained 3 DC Super Heroes for only $1! I grabbed 2 of the packs, but noticed there were a couple more with some different characters. I may have to go back this week and pick those other packs up, but for now here is what I got...

 The first package I opened contained a running Flash, flying Superman and ready to punch Batman!

 The second pack I grabbed had a ninja kicking Batman, kicking Wonder Woman and another flying Superman this time in Yellow. I'm pretty sure each pack contains a Batman, Superman and another character. I would have preferred to get some more variety, but I also realize that the Dark Knight & Supes are where they money is at.

 The backs of each of these non-poseable figures is hollowed out and contains a small "trigger".

This "trigger" was included so you could pull off the toys' action jumping feature. I'm not gonna lie, I think this is a pretty cool feature. I tested each of the figures and they all jump pretty good, especially and surprisingly the punching Batman went the furthest!

The main reason I picked these up was because they reminded me of the Tim Mee plastic toys of my youth! I loved the space men from the Galaxy Laser Team set and the demons from the Fantasy Warriors sets. These figures are pretty close to those from the 80s with a new action feature twist. For $1 a pack these DC FLiXSTARS were definitely worth the price!

Comic Book Pick: 4/18/18

This week the comic book I am most excited to read is...
ACTION COMICS #1000

Celebrate 1000 issues of Action Comics with an all-star lineup of top talent as they pay tribute to the comic that started it all! From today's explosive action to a previously unpublished tale illustrated by the legendary Curt Swan to the Man of Tomorrow's future-this very special, oversized issue presents the best of the best in Superman stories! 

(W) Dan Jurgens, Peter J. Tomasi, Marv Wolfman, Geoff Johns, Richard Donner, Scott Snyder, Tom King, Louise Simonson, Paul Dini, Brad Meltzer, Brian Michael Bendis (A) Dan Jurgens, Norm Rapmund, Patrick Gleason, Curt Swan, Butch Guice, Kurt Schaffenberger, Olivier Coipel, Rafael Albuquerque, Clay Mann, Jerry Ordway, Jos? Luis Garc?a-L?pez, Kevin Nowlan, John Cassaday (A/CA) Jim Lee, Scott Williams

SRP: $7.99

Synopsis provided by PreviewsWorld.com

What's inside the Superhero Collector Box!?

Every time myself and my family go to our local Target store, we have to peruse the trading cards section. Of course it's filled with everything from Pokémon cards to Football cards, but every now and then there is something that catches my eye. The last few trips I have been mystified by the $9.99 Superhero Collector Box! I had to find out what was inside! Would it be mini comics, stuffed heros, collector card packs? I was suckered in already by the intrigue of this box and the slim chance that I could win a graded comic autographed by Stan Lee pushed me over the edge. I pulled out my wallet, purchased my collector box, tore it open and here's what was inside...

Dice Masters (2016, WizKids)

There were 3 packs of the Dice Masters game which included the Civil War, War of Light and Age of Ultron variety. Each pack contains 2 cards & 2 dice. I have never really been excited about this game. Yes, I know the packs are cheap, but I was never drawn in. I know it has it's fans and now I have 3 packs, so maybe I'll give it a shot?

Dog Tags (Bullsitoy)

There were 2 packs of Dog Tags in the box for the Avengers: Age of Ultron & Suicide Squad movies. I have no use for these. I don't wear dog tags and neither do my kids. I think they will be re-gifted this coming Christmas. My brother always enjoys the random box of stuff that I send him each year along with a Game Stop gift card.

Hubsnaps (NECA)

I have seen these around at toys stores recently, but most of the time they are in the clearance bin. From what I have seen, they never really caught on like fidget spinners did. They kind of look like fun. I will probably give these to the kids and see how long it takes before I wish I hadn't. I foresee a lot of clicking and frustration in my future!

Superhero Magnets (Bullsitoy)

These I can use. Who doesn't need magnets? Especially parents with kids who want their latest and greatest school art project hug on the fridge. Once again Avengers: Age of Ultron was included in this assortment along with a Batman V Superman magnetic Metal Card! Can't wait to see if I get one of the randomly inserted Parallel Foil Magnetic Cards!

DC Minis (Blip Toys)

These are probably my most favorite items in the entire box. I am a sucker for blind boxes, especially cheap ones. I am definitely keeping these! I hope I get a Harley in one of the packs. She is represented in both the Suicide Squad and DC Comics packs included in this collector box.

HeroClix (Wiz Kids)

Once again, this is a game I have never really been drawn in to play. I have a few of these figures from random giveaways at my local comic shop and they are actually pretty cool looking figures. I will open this pack of Civil War HeroClix to see who I get, but more than likely it will not kickstart my need to collect more of these gaming figures.

And there you have it! The 12 various Superhero items inside the Fairfield Company's Superhero Collector Box. Was it worth the $9.99? In my opinion, NO! Most of these items I have seen and passed on at the Dollar Tree. The box says it has a value of over $30, but I say $12. So, yeah I saved $2 over what I would have spent at The Dollar Tree, but I wasn't really excited about these items and I didn't win that Stan Lee comic! Now that I know what was inside, I would have rather saved the $10 to buy some actual comics. But hey, if you're a fan of Dice Masters, HeroClix or Hubsnaps I say give this box a chance. If not, save your money!

Wax Pack Revolution: All Topps Edition

A recent obsession of mine has been collecting old wax packs of trading cards from the 80s & 90s. Sure, I have a ton of these non-sport cards from when I was a kid, but the artwork and design of the packaging is something I missed. When you would buy one of these packs you would tear it open and throw away the wrapper. Never giving it a second thought. Seeing these again brings back memories of feeling the slick paper in your hands, seeing the simple artwork and the smell of bubble gum. Let's dive into a few of these packs that I have on display...YET AGAIN!

Nintendo Game Pack (Topps, 1989)

I absolutely loved these cards as a kid! Any time we went shopping with my Mom for either clothes or groceries, we would get a pack of Nintendo scratch off cards. For 25 cents you got 3 scratch off cards to entertain you and 2 stickers to decorate your books, trapper keepers or even your Nintendo! But, the biggest draw was the secret tips on the sticker backs. How else would we have known to hit Bald Bull on his 3rd jump for a KO?

Superman: The Movie (Topps, 1978)

To many people Christopher Reeve will always be THE Superman. These cards came out before I was even born, so needless o say, I did not collect these as a kid. As a collector though I can really appreciate the simple design of the cards.

Tiny Toon Adventures (Topps, 1991)

Tiny Toon Adventures was a staple in my house. After we would get home from school we would turn on the local Fox5 station out of New York and watch it along with some other great 90s toons. Surprisingly I never did own any of these cards growing up, but had to add a pack to my growing collection.

Supergirl (Topps, 1984)

I have not seen the Supergirl movie in at least 25 years. The only memory I have of this movie was that it was on TV during a sleep over at my house with friends. One friend got homesick and had to go home. Totally a bummer!

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: 2nd Series (Topps, 1990)

If you have read this blog before, you know I love me some Ninja Turtles. Me and my brother collected these cards so we would have cardboard versions of the cartoons we loved so much! Of course it didn't hurt that Usagi Yojimbo was featured on some of the cards. We loved that guy!