F For Fake

I am agog! I am aghast! I DEMAND SATISFACTION! It's specifically the big head fins AND that cool light effect coming off of the claws that I love so much! YOU'VE MADE A POWERFUL ENEMY TODAY! Phil's parking lot, etc.

Maybe MCP 1 is selling because people FINALLY realize it has an awesome Simonson cover? I had a promo poster of that cover as a kid, hang on my wall for many years. Love Uncle Walt!

I was tempted to pick this up, but I've already got Long Halloween, Dark Victory and Haunted Knight in Absolute form. But the material is strong enough that a double dip would probably be warranted. Terrific stuff!

I still buy Fish Police #1's when I find them in junk bins, because: 1. I have vivid memories of those books being red hot when I was a kid and 2. FISH POLICE RULES! Seriously, I love Fish Police. Fish Police doesn't deserve the hate that it gets. ALL HAIL FISH POLICE! There are still lots of 80's funny animal books that aren't worth the paper they're printed on, that are terrific books. As long as you're steering clear of anything even vaguely associated with TMNT or Usagi, you can still find great stuff out there. Dog Boy, Adventures of Captain Jack, Boris the Bear, etc. Grendel is an interesting case. Comic Primer 2 is considered a copper key, and is very pricey, and the three issue mini from Comico can be expensive. But the 40 issue Comico run and most of the DH run are common dollar bin drek, and they are a TREMEDOUS story, altogether. Such imagination, and lots of great artists as well. Edit to add: Nexus, Grimjack, American Flagg...tons of great 80's indie reading, and I can't think of any of them that are expensive either.

It’s true! The X-men floodgates really opened up in recent months, after having a dry spell for a few years. It’s fun, but expensive! And I agree, I’m pretty sure we’ll see UXM 2 again, so I’m not biting at current prices.

I went with X-Men Fall of the Mutants - probably a wasted vote as it seems to be a foregone conclusion that it’s coming. UXM 2 - because I got my dates confused and missed the reprint, which is already selling for $250-$300! Inmortal Iron Fist - this one has been gone for a long time now Avengers by Hickman 1 & 2 - I sold these as I couldn’t resist the money they were selling for, and I regret it. They were really nice looking books and I really enjoyed the scale of the story.

Omar is running his annual reprint poll, voting ends next Friday. Whatever you think about his videos (I tend to watch with the sound off) I don't think there's any doubt at this point that he has Marvel's ear. Never hurts to make your voice heard! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfYWNKpX-jUdvgFlxmReCD2KaiodCwyxDP3M56ljMTOFQMRrQ/viewform?gxids=7628

Awesome! Love the Riddler GL repaint!

I've only been to two shows since the pandemic hit. One was the annual summer GI Joe show that I attended as a dealer with my friend, and the other was their first ever winter show, back in January. Both were very well attended, and the organizers did a good job of making sure everyone was masked, distanced, etc. I'll admit, I was sweating bullets after the July show, because we were fully in the thrall of COVID at that time. Setting up at a toy show didn't seem like a smart idea, but we'd already paid for the booth and I hated to miss it. We got lucky, everyone stayed healthy. I wouldn't have done that again, though. The January show was much smaller, by design, but still well attended. Since these were put on as "GI Joe shows", that is obviously the thrust and focus, but you'll see other things there as well. One guy brought Marvel Legends and DC figures, and was completely sold out by end of the second day (a local dealer bought was was left of his stock, which was well picked by that time.) Now that I'm vaccinated, I'm ready to get out there and pick and hunt. I'm still going to be wearing a mask...maybe for the rest of my life. No good reason NOT to, other than discomfort. And I've got my gloves, and hand sanitizer, and keep my distance. But I'm definitely ready for summer shows, and expect I'm not the only one. Really, more than anything, I'm hoping that estate sales/auctions and garage/yard sales pick up soon. Last year was super dead, and no surprise there. But that's where I score most of my best deals ,so I'm hoping they rebound this spring. By the time toys end up at a show, or an antique store, they've already been marked up. The dealers are getting their stuff the same place I am, at those auctions and sales. Time to get pickin'! Looking forward to the pics!

Dutifully logged into IST at 3pm today, expecting to order the Alien Omnibus, which they have listed as arriving today. Never popped up, so I poked around online, and looks like it's been pushed to May, but IST hasn't updated their list. So, I went ahead and ordered both covers from TOW, as I don't want to miss these. I'll be keeping the DM Mark Nelson variant (featuring his classic cover art to the first issue of the DH series) in my collection, and the ugly Land cover will be my "reader" copy. Since I was all revved up and ready to buy something, I went ahead and picked up the DC Who's Who Omni at IST, as well as the OHMU DM variant, which I'd been meaning to pick up for a while now. Also, for anyone who is still looking, IST has the X-Men Inferno omni's back in stock, both the regular and DM variant. I already have my DM copy, but i went ahead and ordered the regular edition, as that was the cover I'd originally wanted anyway. I'll hang onto my DM variant until it goes out of stock again, and either hold onto it, or sell it at that time. No big hurry. IST also has both covers of the New Mutants omni in stock. I thought that one had sold out? I must have missed the restock. I'll keep an eye on stock levels. I've already spent too much today, but if they still have the DM variant on payday, I'll probably go ahead and grab it.

You know, I was probably a little hard on them. There are a few issues that go down a little easier. The three part Mutant Master storyline is fair, and I kind of enjoyed the Avengers crossover. I think my biggest complaint is that you can really, palpably feel that no one really knows what the book is supposed to be, or where they want it to go. Very frustrating and not easy to read at all. Oh well. As for Hellboy, can the library order the books for you? In addition to these library editions, there are also less expensive paperback "omnibus" editions, I wonder if a library might be more likely to carry those. Also, not sure about your feelings on digital, but Comixology may be the most efficient/cheapest way to read them. But again, some folks don't like reading digitally, and I understand that.

I've neglected updating my tally, but I have been reading! I've finished the first three volumes of the X-Men Children of the Atom box set, which comprises the complete SA X-Men run right up to the point where Neal Adams starts, or nearly there, at least. I count about 65 issues in all, I think, as it includes appearances of the characters in other titles as well. To me, aside from the super snazzy presentation of the box, that was the real draw: all of the appearances of the X-Men, chronologically presented, in one nice edition. SO, as for the material, I'm on the record as not being a fan of the SA X-Men stuff, and this didn't change my opinion. My last read through of the X-Men was about 10 years or so ago, and I read everything from the beginning up through whatever was current at that time...Siege? AvsX? I can't remember now. Anyway, yeah, it hasn't improved. I think that the X-Men was definitely the least of the Jack and Stan titles, and when they leave the book, whoo boy, it gets even rougher. To be fair, while it's "the least" of Jack and Stan's SA Marvel work, there's still a lot to love. You get the X-Men, Magneto, Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver, The Blob, The Sentinels, and lots of stuff that stood the test of time. But the rest? Truly z-grade stuff here. I know Roy Thomas has his fans, but I don't think they came from reading this stuff. Lucifer; the Locust; a team up between the suck brigade of Unicorn/Porcupine/The Eel/some other people I've already forgotten; Red Raven; El Tigre; The Warlock...holy hell, this is some really dire stuff. Did I mention the issue where it turns out that the Frankenstein monster was real AND he is a robot AND he was left here by aliens??? Holy smokes. You can really feel everyone involved floundering to find a direction for the title. What IS this book supposed to be about? Professor X can't walk. Then he gets a transistorized exoskeleton that helps him walk, but then we're done with that a couple of issues later. Oh, and now he's dead. Or is he? No. But also yes. Now the X-Men are being split up into separate teams that answer to government agent. Oy vey. These are not good comics, and they were a chore to plow through. BUT, help is on the way! I made it through these, and Neal Adams shows up in the next volume, and the volume after that is the one I'm REALLY excited about, as it has all of the various X-character appearances that took place between the cancelation of X-Men and the revamp with 94/GSX. The good times are about to roll! I also read the 6th volume of the Dawn of X trades. I think I'm six or seven volumes behind on this but that's fine. I'm not in any hurray. Generally enjoying the overall thrust of the series, primarily the main X-Men book, a little bit of Marauders, and a bit of Excalibur. Not so much into the rest, but they help tell a larger story. That's six issues there. My other big project was re-reading the complete Hellboy Library. I read all of these when they were originally released as comics, never missed a single one. But in all of this time, I've never sat down to reread the entire saga in one go. Man, am I glad i did. NOW THESE ARE COMICS! An absolute master, at the very peak of his prime, drawing exactly what he was born to draw. How great are these books? To be sure, I'm more into the shorter mythology and folklore stories moreso than the overarching Hellboy tale, and yeah, it's a bit of a bummer when Mike leaves art chores behind (though Duncan Fegredo is terrific.) But still, wow, what an easy, breezy, delightful read. And these library editions are GORGEOUS. Huge, oversized trim, perfect binding that opens up beautifully, just like a feast for your senses if you're a book lover. My only quibble is with the cloth covers, as they attract lint and hair like you wouldn't believe. But still, wow, what a perfect presentation of a perfect story. I apparently still need to pick up the library edition of Hellboy in Hell, and will be getting on that shortly. A lot of these are shorts from various anthologies like the Dark Horse horror hc's and DHP, so it's hard to get a total "issue" count, but i clocked it at about 70 altogether?? So, with my previous total of 80, with these 141, that puts me at 221. Oh, and when I opened these up, I'd forgotten that I'd had Mike sign the first one, many years ago. What a nice surprise!

Woohoo! Thank you sir!

Yes, precisely. Sure, maybe the seller is honest and really IS going to put that $1k+ key book in your box...but why would they? If no one is there to see, who will know the difference? This may just be my own cynicism, but yeah, I'll keep my money.

So...Haslab Galactus?

I'm not an Iron Man guy, but if they're going to actually do the Soviet Super Soldiers figures, I may need that wave. The Dark Star is nice, and that Ursa Major is beautiful!

The Ark was $159.99, which seems about right for a Titan. I appreciate your looking out! I have gone back and forth on Omega Supreme. I keep telling myself I don't REALLY buy "new" toys, so I've mostly made myself stick to the Studio Series 86 figures, and others related to Transformers The Movie. But my resolve is legendarily weak!

yeah, nothing for me, thankfully. I don't collect Classified scale and I don't really care about the Snake Eyes/Ninja stuff. I will get the Scarlett, but that's probably it. Wow, the Transformers Ark has already sold out on Pulse, didn't make it to the post-premium window. Oh well. Hopefully BBTS or someone will have some, doesn't look like it was an exclusive.

That's a healthy list! I will have to get What If 1 & 2 for sure, and likely Man-Thing as well, to replace the one I sold once upon a time. The only thing I have coming up soon is the Marvel Aliens Omni, and I'll buy both covers on that one for the collection. Otherwise I'm happy to take a little break. 2021 has been brutal for X-men collectors so far, glad to have a breather!

Yeah, I think the Hot Rod figure was a pretty nice value at its size, but $80 for Rodimus is a bit much, especially when I only paid $60 for Jetfire. I'll be waiting for a sale on that one for sure.

Ha, yeah, I'm the same. "Oooh, talking, auto-transforming Optimus! I need that." "It's $699." "Turns out I don't need that."

Anybody else watching the Hasbro Pulse fan thing? @Buzzetta? That Transformers Titan Ark has me very excited!

Oh believe me, I always have my joystick handy! I think it was actually released in 87, one of the few bits of licensed merch released for the movie at that time. I would have bought it in 88, when I was 11. I remember that pretty vividly. Edit: Looking at ye olde wiki, it appears that the C64 version was released in 1986. I saw Aliens on VHS, so that would have been around 1987 at the earliest (because movies took a lot longer to hit home video back then) so yeah, I'd say I definitely first bought it 87/88.

Nice! I was getting this series from my shop, and I was supposed to get both the regular and variant covers ,but for some reason they missed this one. I thought all of the variants on that series were super nice.

You're absolutely right about the cards, but boy, was that a fun couple of weeks! .