Some Memories of Halloween past

It's almost here! Halloween 2020 is almost here! While it may be extremely different than it has been in the past, my wife and I are dedicated to making this a freakin' awesome and memorable day for our kids. There will be games, costumes, candy & spooky movies to make October 31st a night to remember. I just hope that we can give my kids some great Halloween memories, just like I have from when I grew up. Below are a few of those memories that I would like to share with you.

Oreo & The Cube

My family consisted of 5 kids, so I know my Mom had to be pretty frugal with the money so we could be fed, stay warm, get an education and have a roof over our heads. This led to her making some of the most memorable costumes I have ever worn! Every now & then my Mom would take it upon herself to make our Halloween costumes and I would say this was around 1985 when she made me an Oreo Cookie and my brother a Rubik's Cube. I remember my costume consisted of 2 pieces of cardboard cut from the box of a Kerosene Heater we had. I know this because the front of the cardboard was painted brown by my Mom, but the opposite side still had the image of a cat & dog nestled warmly around the heater on the inside. She attached the two pieces with string so it could easily sling over my head & shoulders and then she hot glued some stuffing to the inside to create the illusion that I was filled with creamy filling! 

My brother was a cardboard box with cut outs for his head and arms. This was painted various colors to mimic a Rubik's cube. I really give my Mom credit for originality and giving us the opportunity to Trick or Treat, but getting in and out of vehicles in those costumes was a real pain in the butt and over the amount of time we were out getting goodies, the string and cardboard really started cutting into our skin. I'm sure we got a great haul that night and for that I thank my Mom!

Thundercats NOOOO!

It was 1987 and I was in the 2nd grade and I still loved the Thundercats. I had the toys, watched the cartoon after school and even read the comics. I remember having a sword of Omens of my own and even a claw shield and I would play with those all the time, pretending I was Lion-O saving my family on 3rd Earth from the menace of the evil Mutants and their leader Mumm-Ra. My Mom saw that I loved this show so much that she decided to make me a Lion-O costume for Halloween that year. I was excited at first when I heard about the idea, but I think I set my expectations too high.

I went to school at St. Joseph's Regional in Newton, NJ (me and my brother were sent there because my Mom said we "Needed discipline") and every year the school would have a party and parade around the block to celebrate this day of fun and adventure, but it just so happens that was the day my body decided to go against my best wishes and get sick. My Mom could see the disapointment on my face, so she said she would drive me to school so I could take part in the parade and I could wear my new Lion-O costume. Alright! I got up, got ready and after I put on my costume, I realized that this thing showed a lot of leg! It was like wearing one of those wrestling slingletts that A.C. Slater made popular on Saved By The Bell, but somehow even skimpier in the crotch!

I was embarassed, but still went with my Mom to the parade. I refused to get out of the car and the actual night of Halloween decided to re-use my Ghostbusters costume from the year before which was also made by my Mom, but covered up much more of my body! God bless her, she really did try and I greatly appreciate everything she has and continues to do for me, but I'm sorry Mom that Lion-O costume still gives me nightmares!

Mischief Night Mishap

I can't remember the year exactly, but I know it must have been the early 90s. The night before Halloween me and my buddies would go out and do a little "decorating" of our own in town. Traditionally this was called Mischief Night, Devil's Night or some of the old timers called it Goosey Night, anyway we would go out with our friends and our Dad always told us that it was our decision whether or not if we wanted to go out and if we did and got caught he would not bail us out. We went out! I don't want to give out too many details, but we had fun and didn't do anything destructive. We didn't key cars, smash eggs or break windows, but somewhere along the night one of my friends managed to set off the alarm at our local school which brought the cops out.

We were too young to drive and we were pretty far from home, so we did all that we could to dodge getting caught. We went through woods, headed down back alleys and hid behind dumpsters. It was almost like the movie "The Warriors", but in NJ. Finally we were almost in the clear and on our way home when my brother told us to duck down this street that he swore the cops would never go down...

We turned the corner and the cops were right there. In a panic we threw my buddy's Dallas Cowboys bag that was full of our supplies up a hill and as the cops were talking with us and we pleaded our innocence, the bag came rolling down the hill and into the street! We were busted! The cops took our names and numbers and called our parents. That weekend we spent some time cleaning up the town and it was a pretty crappy way to spend Halloween, but we did the crime, so we had to do the time. Lesson learned!

I know to some people these may seem like negative memories of Halloween, but honestly they were some of the best. There were many Halloweens in my life besides the ones I talked about above and the majority of them were AMAZING! I love the life I've lived, I love my childhood memories and I LOVE HALLOWEEN!!! Feel free to share your own Halloween memories in the comments below.

Every Ad In Muppet Babies #7

Recently I have been organizing my entire comic book collection that I currently have at my home. Of course while bagging & boarding I have been flipping through some of my favorites. A lot of the favorites were put out by Marvel under their STAR Comics imprint. These were some of the best comics put out in the 80s and featured many of our favorite cartoon characters including Thundercats, Silverhawks, Heathcliff and of course Muppet Babies. The stories are fun and nostalgic, but if you really want a blast of memories past you need to check out the ads within these thin paper pages of gold! I have decided to share every ad in this issue from May 1986 since all of them are great! I guess that's enough jibber-jabber...on with the ads!!! ENJOY!!!

My Faves: Figure Collection #11

I have a fairly big collection of loose figures from the 80s & 90s. The collection keeps expanding so right now, I would like to share a few of my faves with you at this time. Here we go!

 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Bebop (Playmates, 1988)

This is actually the Bebop action figure my brother got on a shopping trip to K-Mart back in 1988! My Mom bought us almost the entire original TMNT line on that trip. I remember they were on such a good sale, my Mom couldn't pass it up. I got Leonardo, Rocksteady and the Foot Soldier. My brother got Michelangelo, Bebop, Shredder & Splinter. It's not like my Mom to spoil us like that, so they must have been damn cheap! 

 Care Bears: Funshine Bear (Play Along, ?)

I got this Funshine Bear in a grab bag from my local Goodwill Store. I think the bag was about $2 and I am always a sucker for anything Care Bears. I have been down with these happy characters since the 80s when I got my first plush Bedtime Bear!

 Star Wars: IG-88 (Kenner, 1980)

Growing up I was a Star Wars nut! Between myself, my brother and our friends, we probably had every action figure created by Kenner! IG-88 was not one that I had in my collection, but our friend Ron did and he was so cool! A bounty hunting robot...YES PLEASE! The details on this figure are outstanding for being from 1980. The folks at Kenner really did an excellent job in providing so much care in their sculpts that it made you feel like you were creating your own movies set in a galaxy far, far away when it was playtime!

 California Raisins: Singing Raisn ( Calrab,1987)

I have written before about my love of the California Raisins in the 80s. I collected the trading cards and even had one of their cassette tapes. They were so cool and the figures are pretty inexpensive when you can find them and when I do find them, I add them to my collection!

Thundercats: Vultureman (Kidworks, 1987)

I had a good collection of these miniature Thundercats figures back in the late 80s. I loved taking them on road trips or to the park. The only issue I ever had with these guys, is that I would loose the tiny weapons pretty quickly. But that's okay because one does not need weapons to continue the battle between Mumm-Ra's Mutants and the Thundercats. Fists of fury will fly! And they did in epic fashion in the back of my Mom's station wagon. Below is a video with a great collection of Thundercats toy commercials for you to enjoy!

It Came From The Attic: Part II

 Darkwing Duck Pizza Hut Box

Well, here we go again! Staying with my Mom at my childhood home for a few weeks brought back a ton of memories and nostalgia, but looking through all the totes of stuff I own that have been stored in her attic really kicked those feelings into high gear. Today I will share a few of these items I have saved for decades with you. First is this Darkwing Duck Pizza Hut Personal Pizza Box. These came out in the early 90s and you not only got this cool box with your Darkwing Duck feast, but it also came with a cool collectors cup and an official Crime fighter Kit! I still have both of those stashed somewhere, but all I could find was this box to stir up those memories of Disney Afternoon glory!

"Neighborhood Watch" Drawing

It's no secret that I love the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, but in the 90s I was a fan of a lot of independent comic book characters. This drawing I did showcases some of those faves like Usagi Yojimbo, Shi, Cerebus, The Tick, Flaming Carrot, Bone and Scud. Man, I wish I still had time to draw. I guess I will just have to find that time!

Freddy Krueger Squish'em

This officially licensed Freddy Krueger toy was released by LJN in 1989. I wish I could say that was when I got him, but it wasn't until the mid 2000s when Freddy would join my collection. At that time I was working at an auto glass shop as an installer in Morristown, NJ and this little Freddy character was uncovered during a slow day when we had to clean up the shop. He was under our tool bench in a cabinet and I am glad I found him before anyone else could scoop up this Nightmare from Elm Street!

Keith Hernandez Autographed Baseball

I was born an huge New York Mets fan and some day in the distant future I hope to be buried in my Mets hat! So, when my Dad found out that this 1st base playing MVP, Gold Glove and World Series winner would be at a local sports store called Rich's World of Sports in Blairstown, NJ, we had to go! I got to meet the Met & Seinfeld legend that day in 1989 and it was the thrill of a lifetime. He was really nice and chatted with us about baseball for a few minutes. After our chat he signed a ball for me and my brother and a 1987 Topps card for me! I love this ball and the memories that come with it!

Ghostbusters Cereal Box Cards

Ghostbusters cereal was produced by Ralston from about 1985 to 1990 and in that time they had some awesome premiums in their boxes. Glow in the dark flying discs, holograms and of course these nice cards you could cut out from the back of the box. These babies glow in the dark and showcase some pretty cool artwork. Anything Ghostbusters back in the day was like gold to me and these cards are no exception. I just wish that I would have kept the whole box!

Thundercats: Cats Lair

This was the toy of all toys back around the Christmas of 1986! That year was also the year The Real Ghostbusters toys came out and I asked for both at Christmas. Well, the big day finally came around and I have to say I was very disappointed with the outcome. I even wrote a whole article about it a few years ago. If you want to relive one of the worst holidays I ever had, you can read it by clicking HERE!  I still have my Cats Lair and despite not being in the picture, he does still have his head somewhere. This was a great toy and it makes me happy to know my Mom has not thrown it out! Check out it's greatness in the commercial below and be ready to have your mind blown!

Weekend Antique Excursion #3!

A few weekends ago, myself and my family went downtown and visited a few antique stores. I enjoy going to these kinds of stores, because you'll never know what you're going to find. Most of the time the cool stuff that I like is way over priced, but it's cool to know it's out there if I really want it. Below are some of the items we found this time around.

 Vintage Hot Wheels Cars & Shirt Tales Car: $1 - $9.99

I have seen so many Hot Wheels and Matchbox cars over the years that were way overpriced at antique stores just like this. These ones though were pretty reasonable. I'm not a huge collector of cars, but the 99 cent asking price for them was not a bad deal. The Shirt Tales car in the middle was produced by ERTL in 1982 and was priced at $9.99! I loved these guys when I was a kid. I felt the asking price wasn't terrible, but a little high for my taste.

 1990 Donruss Baseball Cards: $8.99

I love finding old baseball cards at the antique store. The only problem is that people price these for way more than what they are worth. These 1990 Donruss cards came out when I was at my peak of card collecting and I have many of them in my collection. I think the design is pretty sharp and there were some great players in this series, but once again paying $8.99 for what is referred to as "Junk Wax" cards in a package that had been opened was not for me.

 2018 Met Solo Bobble head: $35

This was one of the items I am kicking myself for not picking up! I am a lifelong Mets fan and also a lifelong Star Wars fan. This is the best of both those worlds wrapped in a bobble head tortilla. These were given out to the first 25,000 fans who entered the gates during Star Wars Night at Citi Field in 2018. If this is still there when I go back, it may just end up in my collection!

 Nestle Quik Bunny Mug: $5

I have always thought of the Quik Bunny as one of the top advertising mascots of my lifetime. I always liked his commercials and was jealous of my friend when he got a stuffed Quik Bunny for his birthday. This cup is from the 80's and what I like most about it is that it still refers to the product being called Nestle Quik! To hell with this new fangled Nesquik crap, it will always be just plain old Quik in my house!!

 Spaghettios Plastic Bank: $10

I totally forgot about these old styled cans of Spaghettios!!! On there own Spaghettios were great, but throw in some meatballs and you have a feast! I still enjoy this delicacy toady, but my wife usually does the shopping and will not pick up most canned foods because she feels they may be "unhealthy". What up with that? Anyway this was not just your standard can, this was a 9.5 inch tall plastic bank fashioned to look like a can of saucy goodness!

Thundercats Top-Spinner Action Figure: $25

I had this guy as a kid and he was AWESOME! He was part of the bad guy pirate group known as the Berserkers! The Thundercats toyline by LJN was know for each figure having a great battle feature and Top-Spinner's was pretty excellent! He had a trigger on his back that when you pushed it his entire top half of his body would spin around and knock over any would be do gooders! This was an amazing series and when I head back to Jersey, I may just have to search through my Mom's attic to see if I can find any of my original Thundercats toys. Enjoy a Thundercats toy commercial below and let me know who your favorite figure was in the line in the comments below! HOOOOOO!!!!

Weekend Antique Excursion!

This past weekend my wife and her female family members took part in a women's run downtown to celebrate Mother's Day. After the run it is traditional for the girls to grab some coffee and check out the stores. My wife texted me and asked if me and my son would like to join them when they went to the antique store. I asked the boy and he said yes! I enjoy going to these kinds of stores, because you'll never know what you're going to find. Most of the time the cool stuff that I like is way over priced, but it's cool to know it's out there if I really want it. below are some of the items we found this time around.

Walt Disney Mickey Mouse Disco Album: $3.95

I recently received a record player this past Christmas and since then I have been searching for some records to play on it. When I see a stack of vinyl. I'm gonna check it out! This stack had a few old country records and this Disney Disco classic. Very cool, but not exactly my kind of jams.

 Kenner Return of the Jedi Coloring Book: $9.95

This coloring book really took me back! I had a bunch of these Star Wars books back in the day and love that classic look on the cover also I am a sucker for anything that pictures the Max Rebo band! I thought the price was a little high, so I passed this time around.

Pac-Man Mini Arcade Game: $89.99

If there was one item in the whole store that I could get regardless of the price, this one might be it! Pac-Man is one of my all-time favorite video games and these mini arcade games are jam packed with nostalgia for me. I got the Donkey Kong game for around $20 and I know these are tough to find, but I could not justify buying this for myself on Mother's Day. I guess Father's Day is only a few weeks away!

Star Wars Ewok Village, Death Star & Millennium Falcon: $135, $350 & $250

My head exploded when I saw these on top of a display case. I grabbed my wife to show her and picked up my kids so they could have a clear view of the toy greatness before them! This seller always has great toys in their booth, but this time he freakin' nailed it! I had the Ewok Village as a kid, so it holds a soft spot in my heart, but damn that Millennium Falcon in box looked AMAZING!!!!

Random Display of Action Figures: $5.99 - $19.99

This display was a glass case of emotion for me. It had some of the coolest toys I remember playing with as a kid. They had Doc Ock from Secret Wars, Superman from DC Super Powers, Dino Riders, Star Wars and G.I. Joe action figures. If that Doc Ock had any of it's tentacles left, I would have taken it home with me, but just like mine and thousands of other kids who owned this toy, his mechanical arms of doom had been ripped off. Dang!

Vintage Lunch Boxes: $12.99 each

I always stop and check out vintage lunch boxes when I see them on a shelf. Usually I will crack them open to check for a Thermos. 99.9% of the time the Thermos is missing. These boxes were reasonably priced, but had no Thermos. Since I was not attached to any of these, I passed. The lunch boxes I would grab in a minute would be Thundercats, The Real Ghostbusters and Super Mario Bros. Those were the ones that carried my lunches for years during that formative time in my life. If anyone has one of these lunch boxes hit me up, and let's see if we can make a deal!

My Faves: Figure Collection #9

I have a fairly big collection of loose figures from the 80s & 90s. I would like to share a few of my faves with you at this time. These are a few of the toys I re-discovered while cleaning out my basement closet this past weekend. Here we go!

Air Raiders: Battle Squad Member (Hasbro, 1987)

These little guys were AWESOME! I loved the Air Raiders line of toys. I never owned any of the big battleships, but my neighbor did and I was envious. I loved the story of how the bad guys controlled the air and the rebels aka the Air Raiders were on a mission to make the air free to all who lived in Airlandia! The ships in the toy line featured some cool air related features from floating orbs to firing missiles. This little guy sadly is the only relic I own from this forgotten series.

 Star Wars: X-Wing Pilot Luke (Kenner, 1978)

Ah, X-Wing Luke he looks nothing like the character and is probably the least wanted of all the Luke figures in the original Kenner line. In principle it should be a cool figure, but the likeness is way off. The positive side of this figure is that you could incorporate him into any battle as an anonymous pilot who just wants to rebel against the Empire! 

 Masters of the Universe: Orko (Mattel, 1984)
I always wanted this figure as a kid, but never got him until years later. He is so cool! He looks just like the character from the cartoon series. From his removable hat to pull cord spinning action this is one of my favorite Masters of the Universe figures of all time!

TMNT: Rocksteady (Playmates, 1988)
The first ever Ninja Turtles action figure I ever owned was the original Donatello. Some time later my Mom took us shopping at Ames Department Store and the entire line of TMNT toys was on sale and for some reason she spoiled me and my brother by buying us the entire first wave of figures! On that trip I ended up getting Leonardo, Foot Soldier and Rocksteady. He was so cool and the toy pictured above is the same toy my Mom got us over 30 years ago.

Thundercats: Snarf (LJN, 1985)

This figure kinda ticked me off as a kid. He was included when you bought the original Lion-O action figure. By the time Snarf was included though, I already had a Lion-O figure and my Mom couldn't justify buying the same figure just to get this accessory. Damn LJN!!! I found this figure at a second hand store for about $1 and now I can finally add Snarf to my Thundercats collection!

Check out some of my other Fave figures by clicking HERE!