Get Marwood & I

He was #1 in my Top 20 Sh*t Awful Hulks as I recall, Ken. Never bettered

Talking of Hulk, has his sheer brute rage ever been more adeptly rendered than here:

ETHEL WINS!

Something tells me Ethel was a Commodores fan

The answer to life, the universe and everything is '42'. Coincidentally, this is how many participants we have so far: Participants in Alphabetical Order ADAMANTIUM AJD apocalypse76 Axelrod batcollector bighairjer Black_Adam boron ChrispyC66 CJ Design Cman429 davidtere Doctor Dositheus EastEnd1 filmboyuk Get Marwood & I Grendel72 grendelbo Jesse-Lee John R Kramerica KryptoMayor Panda2 pastandpresentcomics Point Five Ron C. Sandflea silverseeker sledgehammer Stefan_W Superman2006 TheGeneral thehumantorch thingsofstuff Tom789 topofthetotem universal soldier Warlord WernerVonDoom WilliamLunt Wipple zzutak though. There are still 108 places left and two weeks to fill them

Do we have to?

Indiana Jones

Indeed. I don't think I was taking it too seriously when I started it... ...but you're right. I wish I hadn't bumped it now.

Ta. It's over five years old now Andrew, and it's clear to me now that I was 'mucking about' with it somewhat, as I used to do back then very unsuccessfully (if the resulting moderation was any indicator). I take your point, but it's the amalgamation of 'mistakes' on that ASM v2 #13, and general laziness from someone who should know better - and do better - that influences my dislike of it. I just find it a rotten, lazy depiction of Spidey, in the style of an artist whose style I dislike, by that artist. Again, I disagree. The Spidey #556 scene is pleasing to me. It's not necessarily realistic, just a pleasing image and as I said at the time I feel chilly myself looking at it. And there's a confidence to it given how many ASM covers around the time contained uninspiring shots of him in various cover filling positions which betrayed nothing of the story inside. I can see why you would attach more favour to the Byrne Alpha Flight than I think it deserves. There is an attempt at art, at style. At minimalism. Like blue and red blocks of colour on a white page, which tell us something about the struggle of humanity. What irks me is how badly the small, central image is rendered. Giraffe neck. Dematerialising arm. Extraordinarily bad hair moving against the wind. The inexplicably clumsy, totally unnecessary additional line work in the lower left leg that, once observed, can't be unobserved. Is it shade, or defining a muscle that extends to the kneecap? It's unclean in an otherwise clean image. Apart from the equally unclean lines, crashing into each other, that presumably are there to represent the right shoulder. I used to draw, reasonably well. I know what it means to produce a satisfying piece, and then ruin it with one ill judged additional, usually unnecessary stroke. He's done it four times in this small, sparse image. And the three lazy, hesitant lines on the cloak. Why? I get why it is liked, and I get your point about criticising individual elements. But I still hate* it. For me, it belongs in the background of a larger picture as it has a throwaway feel to it. Cheaply rendered because it's just a background addition. But it's not the background. It's the central bloody cover image. And it looks half-arsed. And it's by Byrne. *I say hate - hate is a big word. But in context, the context of a comic cover with pretensions towards high art, I hate it and it's singular nose representing dot.

If it helps, my old Amazing Spidey records show the Overpower cards present in both Newsstand and Direct for issue 406, but only for the Direct edition of issue #416: Issue 406 as a cover corner blurb regarding the cards which is likely why they appear in both: Issue 416 has no such blurb, leaving it optional. Some grainy old photos of mine below, one for each issue:

Notice also how the regular newsstand issue has a barcode #10 (for October) and the barcoded 'Whitman' - which has no cover month - has a 'September' 09 (which is on the 'Whitman' issue #215):

Because she sleeps upside down, so she can see if any massive thirty foot evil eyed claw monsters try to break in through the window. She won't escape though, as the bedspread - that one she's sitting on top of - has swallowed her left leg. That's a result for us really, seeing as how bad her right foot turned out. Maybe Ditko was asleep when he drew it threw it up onto the page.

Spider-Blobby

It's not easy to spot the price on this one from afar - pence or cents - due to that dark grey background: This is my 123rd Dell UKPV, I've just noted. I've tabled 223 of them, a figure that may now stand as the final tally, so I have a nice round 100 left to pursue. I'm not in any hurry really, with the Dells. And certainly not in this heat which makes me feel like this: They'll come when the come. And probably, at this late stage in the game, in generally lousy condition,

Finally managed to snag a copy! And it's still pretty rubbish!

230 bags of sand....

Our reclining lass here puts me in mind of Grace Kelly.

Nice. I could do with some friends like that. Or just some friends, really. I haven't read it for a while now. I was a bit puzzled when I first did, all those years ago. Mercerism and all that hill climbing. Maybe I'll hook myself up to the mood organ and set it to "do some reading" as I've gotten out of the habit recently.

Indeed. I saw the original release with my brother at 14. I can still remember the end credits and thinking how much I liked the music (I still have my original LP - had to wait some time for the Vangelis version to finally appear). A lifetime of collecting and appreciation ensued. It's just one of those films that grabs you and, if you're the right type, stays with you.

Money, unfortunately, is an object, but if it wasn't I'd go for this: https://www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/auction-catalogues/propstore/catalogue-id-the-pr10026/lot-82588cd0-dc49-42f3-a178-b01200deac9b How cool would that be, to own Deckard's original suit. I wonder if the man himself will bid? The half cut shirt is a nice touch. You'd need the belly for it though: I couldn't find the photo of me in my 14 year old's replica(nt) shirt, but from memory, I wasn't too far off.... ~~~~~~~ BLADE RUNNER (1982) - Rick Deckard's (Harrison Ford) Screen-Matched and Photo-Matched Costume from Voight-Kampff and Roy Batty (Rutger Hauer) Fight Scenes - Rick Deckard's (Harrison Ford) screen-matched and photo-matched costume from Ridley Scott's sci-fi classic Blade Runner. Deckard administered the Voight-Kampff test to Rachel (Sean Young), and later fought Roy Batty (Rutger Hauer) before Batty ultimately saved him from falling.Among the most acclaimed and debated science-fiction films in history, Blade Runner has no fewer than seven different versions, including a 1992 director's cut and a so-called "final" cut overseen by Scott and released in 2007. Despite a lackluster theatrical release, the film's success on home-video helped inspire artistic movements in the neo-noir and cyberpunk genres and led to many additional adaptations of author Philip K. MR.'s stories. Blade Runner was ultimately selected for preservation in the US National Film Registry in 1993. Blade Runner has become one of Ford's greatest roles alongside Han Solo and Indiana Jones.Designed by Michael Kaplan and originating from a private Hollywood collection, this costume contains both screen- and photo-matched components. The orange wool and cotton tweed jacket with a single button and three pockets screen-matches to the Voight-Kampff scene, though it was later bloodied by production with visible streaks on the lapel. Deckard also wore a different shirt and pants in the Voight-Kampff scene than appear in this lot.In fact, patterns on the blue poly-blend button-up shirt with two front pockets and red plastic buttons, specifically on the collar, match it to publicity photos from the Batty fight.This costume also includes a pair of orange wool and cotton tweed pants with an Ital Costume tag labeled "Ford Harrison" on the interior; brown leatherette lace-up shoes with rubber soles; and four wardrobe tags, including one hand-labeled "Condition of Suit when Deckard Returns After Batty Fight." One original shoelace from production is included, while the laces currently on the shoes are replicas. Also included are two production stills.This costume is intentionally distressed throughout by production to appear damaged and grimy with pilling to the tweed, fraying at the ankles, and various discolored stains.Estimate: $80,000 - 160,000Bidding for this lot will end on Wednesday, June 28th. The auction will begin at 8:00AM PDT and lots are sold sequentially via live auctioneer; tune in to the live streaming broadcast on auction day to follow the pace. Note other lots in the auction may close on Thursday, June 29th or Friday, June 30th.

Joking aside, donate them to a special needs school. A teacher recently told me it's the only thing the kids will read.

December more like. I thought it was Christmas when I spotted it. Shhhhh

Give it back

I heard you were the head of the Pen 15s? If so, I'm sure you'll be able to enter the R's Holes easily enough.