Drummy

I didn't think Pride flag or Pink Floyd -- reminded me of the old Atari gaming cartridges of the late 70's and early 80's... Dan

Great picks here! Two epidodes I loved that often get overlooked are "Booby Trap" (with apologies to LeVar Burton, who hated the stereotype that an engineer can't be comfortable around women) and "The Defector", a cool Romulan-based episode which kept you guessing throughout. Dan

Hey all -- I agree that this book is pretty fairly priced, but it's not a steal, and that the MC + PQ does make it a tougher resell for profit. A few thousand maybe, but that would be about it. On the flip side, waiting for the stronger 4.0 will probably mean competition well above the $33k level. I'm not selling mine (4.0 wp), but I'd probably put the floor at $50k...not going to get it back anytime soon, etc. Dan

I'll play! I've slowly (read that word with emphasis) been gathering a few Marvel Bronze Age superhero splashes, and here's one I haven't posted anywhere -- Hulk #202 splash by Sal B./Staton:

Actually, I assumed realsilvermane's comment was about Shazam AND Ant-Man...both fit the definition!

Saw this yesterday as part of a double feature with 'Air' and enjoyed it a lot. A high 'B' or low 'B+' seems about right, but it was really consistent tonally with plenty of laughs and fun characters. I too enjoyed figuring out which spells were being cast at any given time, and appreciated that they didn't hit the audience over the head with those names. Effects were also 'B-level' -- not great, not bad -- but that was also on point for the vibe they were going for. Definitely decent escapist entertainment with a heart. Dan

Awesome, Michael! Great book!

per PM! Beautiful book, thanks so much! Dan

Anyone know a good source for a killer Moon Knight statue? I'm on the lookout for a friend. Thanks! Dan

These are all great choices, which adds to my 'want to read' list... One mini-series that I loved, probably because it connects the Marvel history/universe with the English Renaissance, is 'Marvel 1602' by Neil Gaiman. I re-read it about once every year or two and find the concept, the art, and the execution masterful. Is it among the greatest all-time? No, probably not (too niche). But it's one of the best to me. Dan

Appreciate the link and the info -- I may actually be able to make this one! Dan

Some of you may remember me complimenting the Twin Cities copy of ST #110 a while back on this thread. Now thanks to a recent auction, I own it! Thanks for looking, Dan

Great book there. Although I have to disagree with Kid Colt, Outlaw. "How can I fight the Fat Man?" Um, shoot him? D

I was excited to land this from a semi-recent auction -- pages are really nice (hoped for WP but no luck!):

I think I'm meaning 'stakes' more in the sense that some of the films are leaning more into the CGI special effects possibilities, creating a sense that spectacle is more compelling for audiences than characters. I love me some Wanda, for example, but thought it was a poor story-telling choice to have her corruption by the Darkhold take root off-screen. I think showing her battle with the book, her loss, and the subsequent outcomes would have made for a stronger story that what we got in DS2. I guess I would wish to spend more time with her than running around the multi-verse for dozens of cameos and secondary plots, etc. (And I think that's why 'No Way Home' works well as a multiverse movie -- we already knew and sympathized with the characters they brought together.) In other words, your point about the car holds, as the only reason I care about the car is that it's seen me through a lot already -- the car and I have a detailed, shared history, and that's what I'm looking for in these films at this point: spending more time with characters I've come to appreciate rather than watch other versions of the characters whose past I know so little about. D

I liked the new trailer, and hope the film can clarify and focus Kang as an interesting and potent villain. The MCU more than ever needs a narrative through-line, which is made almost impossible by their embrace of the multiverse and its infinite possibilities. Such possibilities erode any sense of 'stakes' with regard to story-telling, so the sooner they can set its limits and move us forward in terms of character interactions (which is what I loved about the Infinity Saga), the better. I am a huge fan of Phases 1-3, but have found Phase 4 too scattered and broad in its storytelling thus far. There are some pockets of real potential, I think, but only pockets. Hope Quantumania helps the cause. Dan

Wow, pretty copy!

I really enjoyed this movie, and I'll say up front that I think the writing is the key element I admired about it. Unlike those who found it thrown together without much thought, I'd say the opposite feels true. One bigger example I liked, which speaks to many of our critiques of the Mona Lisa destruction, is Miles' monologue about 'true disruptors': Okay. If you want to shake things up, you start with something small. You break a norm or an idea or a convention, some little business model, but you go with things that people are kind of tired of anyway. Everybody gets excited because you're busting up something that everyone wanted broken in the first place. That's the infraction point. That's the place where you have to look within yourself, and ask: Am I the kind of person who will keep going? Will you break more things? Break bigger things? Be willing to break the thing that nobody wants you to break? Because at that point, people are not going to be on your side. They're going to call you crazy. They're gonna say you're a bully. They're gonna tell you to stop. Even your partner will say you need to stop. Because as it turns out, nobody wants you to break the system itself. But that is what true disruption is, and that is what unites all of us. We all got to that line, and crossed it. This speech perfectly mirrors the scene at the end when Helen destroys his Glass Onion -- she starts with something small, her glass, and begins moving up the line to statues, the piano, and the building itself. Everyone except Miles 'gets excited' by her transgressions, but when Helen goes after the Mona Lisa, 'the thing that nobody wants you to break,' everyone tries to stop her (even we the audience don't want her to do it). But Helen proves herself a true disruptor who crosses the line, destroys the painting, and destroys Miles' success in the process. It's the central theme of the film, and we're part of the experience as the audience. I found a ton of moments like this where the writing has multiple layers to it, which increased my appreciation of the film. The more I look at the -script, the more I find to enjoy. Dan

Never posted in one of these types of threads, so I'm happy to start! Happy New Year, everyone! Dan

We appreciate the irony, Math Teacher! Dan

Agreed -- I like 'Knives Out' a bit more, but this movie's a ton of fun and has all kinds of little things to look for, especially on a second viewing once you know the whole story. Very well shot and choreographed in addition to solid acting and story. Dan

Awesome to see everyone's pick-ups in 2022 -- LOVE the variety! I've been trading and selling more since the prices rose, but have still managed some nice finds. Here are my Top 3 for this year, including a fantastic Byrne/Layton DPS from the Champions. Thanks! Dan

I think that 4.0 wp copy sold for $78k about a year and a half ago, if I remember correctly. Maybe it's 'sale pending' due to time payments or something, but that's definitely an older sale. (I remember being interested since I also own a 4.0 wp copy). Dan

I do like de Armas and that poster image has lots of layers -- pretty cool once you start looking at all the choices they made. Has potential, but definitely not a spinoff I was clamoring for? Dan

A friend of mine wanted to watch Episode 1 of 'Willow' the other night, so we watched it. Despite enjoying the original film and the concept behind the fantasy story, I had three major issues with the pilot: 1. The writing is quite poor. Bland, cliched, superficial. 2. The acting is worse, especially the actor who plays the princess. 3. The editing is worse than either the writing or the acting -- "atrocious" is the word that comes to mind. Worst editing I've seen in years. Avoid at all costs, or at least be willing to give the pilot a pass and see if it improves in episodes 2 and 3. Good luck! Dan