Things that I have read by towards2112

[CSJournals-migration]

Oh, I have to enter a teaser do I ? We will see...

 

Just finished the first 10 issues of The Human Torch (2004) with the art by Skottie Young. I was not before, a fan of said Mr Young. I've got copies of most of his variant covers from the past few years, but that type is not reallly up my alley. I have to admit that the story line, though a little disjointed, was actually pretty good, but was either streatched out too far , or mashed together too tight. And Young's artwork did grow on me a little, but the soul patch on Storm's chin was a little too 1990 ... . I fail to remember who the writer is, kinda reflects my effort to learn. RECEIVES : Three Stars out of Five.

 

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[surfer99]

I've given up on new books. I'm all about those Silver and Bronze back issues.

[towards2112]

http://comicbookplus.com/?dlid=60332

 

I've always been a Charlton fan. It's the little kid in me that refuses to grow up.

At Chuck's Barber Shop, Rexall Drug, and Kodrich Market I experience the joy

of the comic book spinner rack, and the magazine racks et al. When you are

just five years old, the world can be so full of amazing adventures. I learned to

read quite early as my mother and grandmother were both teachers assistants.

Could have been teachers in their own right, but neither completed college or

sought any teaching credentials. But I could read and write at a high level by

the time I was 4. Such is their mark on me, and I think I still read quite well.

 

I remember having a copy of this particular issue somewhere along the line

these past 57 years. The first story about a Venus / Earth war was quite an

eye opener for a young American boy hearing about the Indo China War on the

television news every night. I knew that my uncles were somewhere in the world

fighting for what my family at large viewed as American Good. The artwork is the

standard Charlton "get it done quickly" basic art, but the story, even stretched

to 10 pages was easy to recognize, and had been done hundreds of time before,

and thousands of time since, still resounds to this day. Given the end of the

story, one wonders about the future of mankind , not only on this wonderful

planet, so beautiful and welcoming, but to the possibilities of our lives in the

universe at large. Either today, or off in the long future ahead of us.

 

Story # 2 is a classic story of ignorant thought, and not accepting responibilities.

And yes, there is a witch involved. Saw this story coming by panel 4.

 

Enjoy this one with a cold chocolate milk and a couple of Hydrox cookies.

[towards2112]

I have read a couple of interesting threads this past week or so, concerning the

logistics of our comic book collecting hobby. And added to the thought is the

fact that we conduct our lives to one extent or another on this website of a comic

book grading company.

There is a thread active in CG, concerning the storage of comics in a public

storage self serve type facility. A debate of short length occurred over the

use of the facility, concerning a standard or climate controlled space, and obviously

the climate controlled space easily won. As to the cost effectiveness of the monthly

rent, well, let's just say that the debate still rages on. Some folks have never

used such a facility and never ever would. There is a bias against such things that

may come from a " small town America " upbringing. Big city folk don't really

seem to have this bias against using such places. This may come from the lack

of elbow room that is ingrained from childhood, by living in an apartment, or

a tenement building. Moving from a traditional one family house, to a smaller

apartment means jettisoning a lot of additional creature comforts. And to a comic

book collector, the comic books will never be jettisoned.

As to the cost, that is simply a matter of your personnel financial situation.

The thought of renting an additional space at $150 to $400 a month is mind

boggling to someone making $ 2000 a month with rent of $800 a month.

Of course on the other extreme, someone making $ 92K a year, that extra

expense is spit in the ocean. Such is our lot in life.

One poster mentioned that he had two types of boxes, one that bent in the

middle, making a V when you picked it up, and an older style that was double

walled and more durable to rough and heavy handling. Personally I have moved

on, actually quite a few years ago, to mostly short boxes. I no longer have

any slabs, having cracked or sold all that I have and after 49+ years of

comic book collecting, started using just top quality poly bags for my books.

I only have a half dozen or so boxes of keepers. The rest is inventory to be

sold.

AND a few months ago, I ventured off in the path of making and using

my own midboxes. My thought was that a short box is relatively easy to

handle, but the long boxes were just a bit over the top for my back. The

rotator cuff I tore last year, and the subsiquent surgery to fix that puppy

was at the forefront of my thought. My good and old friend Mr Bedrock,

the original Tall Texan and I go back quite a ways. At the time of the surgery

I happened across the misfortuned of a comic book shop that was closing ,

and the owner, another friend was looking to sell his back stock. The stock

had been cherry picked quite cleanly, but he only wanted pittance for the

remaining drek. And there I stood, handing over cash, albeit, very little, not

even hotel money for the 40 or so long boxes that remained. It would actually

cost me more to have the two pallets shipped home than I paid for the comics.

The condition of the long boxes was another story entirely. Natureally they were

the worst of the remaining boxes available in his old store. Magic marker writing

over the ends, torn flaps and hand holds, browning from age, and of course, the

obligatory tape. One's thought was that 3M had made a fortune off my friend

from his wide and varied use of tape, both in size, type, color, and cost.

This brings us back to Mr, Bedrock, and after a short call on the phone, I'm off

to one of his nearby stores to buy some short boxes. Not insult my friend , but

the quality and thickness of boxes nowadays has gone to the economy side.

I purchased a small pile, loaded them into the pickup, stuck my spare tire on

them to keep everything from blowing out and proceded home.

After building the first few, I decided that they needed some re-enforcement.

So out came the box cutter, some glue, and tape. After an additional 20 minutes

I had a proper short box. No shiney white exterior, and again, tape. I wouldn't

be setting these up at a show. Then my wife stepped in with her usual

aplomb and suggested that if I wanted a better box, to build it myself. I did.

That tale will come in my next post.