Cat

On 12/17/2021 at 9:34 PM, Bosco685 said:

 

OMG I haven't spoken to Zaki in aaaagggggeeeeesssssss. 

On 12/18/2021 at 3:46 PM, Mercury Man said:

Perhaps he should go back into hiding. 

He's far too wellknown to go into hiding. He's simply too recognisable. 

Thank you so much @Wolverinex. I would have totally missed that without your heads-up. 

On 7/31/2019 at 7:20 AM, amphoman said:

You guys are hilarious. 😂 Thanks for the tough love and laughs.

I had the pleasure of spending a half hour with Stan Lee early ‘90 when he visited my local sports complex. There was a handwritten paper that said “meet Stan Lee” and lo and behold there he was in an empty room. He liked my work and encouraged me to continue. He also signed an original art page I had from ASM 238.

The biggest honor I received was to be compared to the man 20+ yrs later and it humbles me to think how everything has become so corporatized since then.

I’m just a guy in the world trying to make his way like the next person. I don’t have the right connections or know the right people so regardless of what I put together I’m at a disadvantage. The old - it’s not what u know but who.

At this time my comic is playing a bit of a distraction for me as I’m coping with the reality my family member survived a school shooting and now has PTSD and is in state custody.

BTW I’m not seeing the Mike Kaye fan club, perhaps we can discuss in July 2025. 😂

Wish u all well. Peace ✌🏼 

Wait, so you had no idea Stan Lee was going to be there that day, but you just so happened to have a page of original ASM art on you for him to sign. Do you always cart that page around with you wherever you go? 

Also, I'm leading the Mike Kaye fan club. I'm the driver of this bus till the bitter end. Honk honk people_without_enough_empathy. 

I don't believe I've ever posted in here. I came here initially from a link from Rich Johnston (I know) from Iirc his old CBR column about the Jason Ewert scandal, and I've been a regular lurker since. I finally decided to sign up back in 2017 I think, even though I thought I'd get laughed straight out of here if I tried to contribute in any way, but nearly everyone is pretty decent, and some are fantastic people I love chatting to. 

I'm skeptical until we get something more concrete, but it doesn't pass the smell test so far. A far more reliable source is needed, and there's no way it's the MH copy for just 4.5mil USD. 

In glummest night, by brightest ice, 

I'll check my list not once but twice, 

Nothing will stop me delivering my joys, 

By Santa's power you'll get your Christmas toys.

It's that time of year, he's checked his list twice, 

Now he know who's been naughty and nice, 

And while the naughty sleep comfy and tucked,  

The reality is once in Santa's sights, you're .

On 12/18/2021 at 3:13 AM, amphoman said:

How's everyone doing this evening?

 

I will pay $1,000 cash to anyone who can provide me with a CGC 10.0 graded copy of:

Amphoman #1 (green cover) from 2/12

Must be listed in the CGC census as a registered copy.

 

Nah, I couldn't do that to you. 

You'd obviously pay more. 

I'm glad Amphoman has saved lives..... a life..... has looked at a person.... Now can you unhook me from this thing I've got a hot date tonight..... Dinner out...... Dinner alone..... Alright.......... I'm going to sit at home in my Amphoman costume and run around the house and pretend to stick to objects..... Now can you get me out of this damn thing.... I don't deserve this shabby treatment...... Sigh....... 

Today I bought the final 3 Gundam Infinity figures needed to complete the set and build the BAF Zaku. Those figures are the RX78-2, the Wing Gundam, and the awesome looking Gundam Barbatos. Enjoy this pic of the Barbatos, the Astray Red Frame, and the Zaku in the front, desperately scrambling for its gun. Things aren't looking good. 

On 12/16/2021 at 10:47 PM, Randall Ries said:

The host of Hollywood Squares in the 1970's was Peter Marshall. After the celebrity answered a question, the contestant would be asked whether they agreed or disagreed. Typically they would say either "I agree, Peter" or "I disagree, Peter." So, I throw that out there even in real life to see how far out my disconnect from today's pop society is. I met a young lady (32 YO) named Desirée. I said "Ah! Like the Neil Diamond song!" I got: "Who's Neil Diamond?" Urk. I get not being a fan but wow. Then I look up and down Billboards Top 100 and I don't recognize way over half the people on there. Not that Billboard features much of anything that isn't fluff.

What you mention about toys and merchandising at large is correct. EPE realized that old fans resent the junk and newer fans respond better to the historical approach. Which is great. Merchandising has its place, of course but they discovered they were patronizing the fan base by relying too heavily on trinkets and doo-dads. Today's fan base is a little more discerning than 14 year old 1956 teenagers. Thank God. Elvis Presley's impact on the direction of music and pop culture at large must not be underestimated. I think they still earn $60-$70 million per year. Not bad for a guy who died over 40 years ago. And that's after a $30 million slump in sales in year ending 2017 - pre COVID -  which prompted them to re-think the strategy.

I have long felt Graceland should be a museum and that merchandising TOO much is really tacky and cheap. But they have bills and people to pay, too. Too much merchandising is disrespectful and the fans sense it. I doubt it helps draw new fans in as well. When we think about all that he did in just a little over 20 years, it is astounding.

I enjoyed the Grateful Dead a lot more than I do now because of the merchandising. They would slap a Stealie on a gas chamber if they thought they could make money from it. It's tacky and a swindle AFAIC. It's too much. I just saw a Grateful Dead "Bertha" bathrobe the other day, encouraging me to buy and wear it while I listen to my favorite "jam". Like Hell I will.

Billie Eilish is just another one to come along to appeal to teenagers and their angst. Someone for them to hang all their worries and depression on. I mean, come on. Smile, Billie Eilish. You struck pay dirt for no really good reason. Now you can show your base that life doesn't need to be 24/7 Eeyore Syndrome.

Right. I had no chance at the first thing. as for the second, well, someone need to tell them to contact this small retailer I was at, and rescue that chintzy car, and destroy it in Elvis' good name. Tell them it's not worth the peanut butter, or the bacon. 

I like Eilish style, and her gimmick? Well I'm not a 15 y/o girl, who'd probably be a better judge on those aspects of her act than me. I also don't think she's getting teen girls to act abnormally. She's just bringing them together. 

On 12/16/2021 at 12:04 AM, Bosco685 said:

Is this the Nintendo Switch game? 

On 12/16/2021 at 1:32 PM, Randall Ries said:

I disagree, Peter. Already, the EPE empire is taking the bull by the balls and instead of pushing shlocky merchandise are revamping their approach. And well they should. No way they are letting that cash cow go without a fight.

Same with The Beatles. Too much money to let go by. Billie Eyelash is a flash-in-the-pan.

Thanks, but I'm Craig, not Peter, unless that was something that went over my head. It's good that the companies are changing, to me that indicates they realise what I posted, so there was some truth to it. Although funnily, and swear to god, just 2 days ago I was in a toy shop and noted they had a chintzy looking Elvis car (I guess from a film he was in, I don't know, he was way before my time) with a miniature Elvis toy included. So some habits may die hard. But you're right, it is too much money for them to just let go without a fight. 

As for Billie Eilish, I couldn't tell you much about her either. I liked a couple of her tracks, but she's really not my style. I don't think it's fair to call her a flash in the pan, but she's definitely not someone whose reached icon status, either. Time will tell, I guess. 

Doneski. 

I still haven't seen Eternals, but I want Ikaris as the MCU's Superman. I'm definitely not a biased fan of Richard Madden..... no sir..... 

I'm so excited for these sequels. I was super ambivalent about the first film, I just didn't care about it at all. Then I finally watched it out of 'duty' and it totally blew me away. Great animation style, fun story, very good voice-acting, it had it all. I was shocked. 

On 9/13/2021 at 12:12 AM, Bird said:

 (Fassbender is so superior to McAvoy IMO anyway, he is a harder replacement). 

Oh you saw Shame too? 

Wait, is who I'm thinking of banned? When did this happen? 

Right, time to hit them with some nuclear level patience. Thanks for the advice, everyone who chimed in. I'll follow consensus and wait some more. 

On 12/16/2021 at 12:24 AM, B2D327 said:

Question for my fellow plastic crackheads (see what I did there )

I really dig the 7” format of the McFarlane action figures and wanted to know if there’s a Marvel characters equivalent in height. I’ve had 6” and 10” figures but I want to keep any other additions in a uniform size (because I have ocd and any difference in height is not gonna let me have a level playing field)

Any Suggestions?

You want the DST line of Marvel Select figures. Give them a quick once over in store yourself if you can to confirm they're in that scale, otherwise pass on them, hope they roll around again. 

I got another of those Gundam Infinity figures today. I went with Gundam Artemis. Not really familiar with it at all, but it looked cool. Turns out it's from the mobile game these figures are promoting, which is not available in Australia, so I can't see it in action for myself first hand. Same articulation issues as the Astray. Thing is though, with the way they're constructed there's no reason why they couldn't have a cut joint right at the top of the shoulder where the arm-pieces attach to the shoulder-pads. That could have been a point of articulation no drama, and vastly increased its mobility. Weird decision, that. The assembly gave them some great articulations points to use, instead they just blocked them all off. It's.... unusual. 

Elvis and The Beatles will always be important, but they're close to losing relevance, as the generations that grew up with them are aging out and well, passing on, and there aren't enough interested young people to make up the numbers and keep the prices inflated and rising. Some of their stuff will hold its value, but the tchochtkes (sp?) and plastic pieces rolled out by the tens of thousands will lose their value, and the pieces with real value will be the Beatle-owned pieces, their autographs, instruments, etc. 

The rest is going to end up in junk antique shops.