The Toy Box

Comics Corner: The Amazing Spider-Man 320

Title: The Amazing Spider-Man
Issue Number: 320
Release Date: September 1989

Highlights

McFarlane cuts to the chase, and puts Felix the Cat right on the cover

If there are any hidden spiders, I don't see any of them

Peter is hard at work in a lab at Empire State University, creating a new formula of webbing, one that doesn't burn

Doctor Swan walks in on him, and tells Peter that while the university is paying him to be an assistant that he needs to be working on the appropriate work, not conducting his own experiments

Spider-Man heads out into the night to test his new webbing
A call comes in for Mary Jane, and Aunt May asks her to keep it brief to keep the line open

The call is from Harry Osborn, who asks if her and Peter can help them move to their new loft over the weekend

High above the city, Spider-Man sees downed bodies below, and follows the trail to find Paladin

Before Paladin can answer any questions, guards burst in, blasting everything that moves

Spidey uses the opportunity to test the strength of his new webbing on a pile of heavy crates

As Spider-Man swings towards Paladin, he finds a flaw in his new formula - It's too strong for his web shooters to cut and release the line

Spider-Man goes through some of the papers left behind, and discovers they're for a guest list at a party at the Waldorf Astoria that evening

Peter goes home, and asks Mary Jane if she wants to go to a party, notes the Waldorf event, and states that she can get invitations through her connections

She also tells him about helping the Osborns move

Reference is made to Marvel Team-Up 109, The Amazing Spider-Man 298, and 299
Peter spots Paladin, unmasked at the party, and he's watching two individuals like a hawk

They leave, and Paladin follows, after a quick change, so does Spider-Man

The parties leave the building, and Spider-Man pursues all the way to Brooklyn

Paladin subdues everyone except the men he's after, Drake and Chakane

Spidey intervenes, only for one of them to pull his own gun

Soldiers enter the fight, and they bring tanks, which the two heroes make short order of
Drake and Chakane get away, and Paladin calls in a ride, via helicopter, which he invites Spidey to tag along in

Silver Sable is aboard, and she informs Paladin she's taking a more hands on approach with the mission

Spidey remembers that Drake is the head of the Life Foundation

Apparently there's a conspiracy brewing against Sable's home country of Symkaria

Feeling bad for botching everything, Spider-Man offers to help for free

The next morning, Peter goes to make a call from Aunt May's home, but she's on the line already

He overhears some talk about heart disease, and six months to live

He assumes it's about his Aunt, but this is not revealed in the cliffhanger ending

Hidden Felix

In addition to the one on the cover, there is a tiny Felix the Cat on the label of a file cabinet drawer that Paladin is rummaging through

Low Points

None

Oddities

We never see or hear of Peter making adjustments to his web shooters, but yet he doesn't have any further issues with his webbing not being cut

Rating (based on a 1 through 5 Stans grading system)

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Retro Spins: R.E.M. - Green

Today wraps up my trek through R.E.M.'s 80's discography. Admittedly, it hasn't been my favorite series of listening sessions, but it also hasn't been painfully terrible. There've been a few standouts along the way, but for the most part, much of it has been mediocre at best.

Upon the release of 1987's Lifes Rich Pagent, R.E.M.'s contract with I.R.S. expired. Rather than renew, the band voiced their disappointment with the label's overseas production and support, prompting them to leave, and sign with Warner Bros. Though Warner wasn't the highest offer they received, ultimately, they chose the label because of the promised creative freedom.

Green would be a departure from the college rock and jangle pop sounds of previous album, pushing the band into full on mainstream alternative rock. As a result, the album would become their biggest selling at the time, reaching 2X platinum in the USA and Canada, while also going platinum in the UK.

Singles, Orange Crush, and Stand would dominate the Mainstream Rock charts, taking the number one spot. Third single, Pop Song 89 would also chart, but taper off at number sixteen. Stand, and Pop Song 89 would also reach the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number six and eighty-six, respectively.

Though it wouldn't be until 1990, with the debut of the Chris Elliott starred, Get A Life that the band would finally hit my radar. That being because the series utilized the song, Stand, as its opening theme. This prompted me to eventually get their album, one of the first CD's I owned in the early 90's (Thanks, Columbia House!).

While I couldn't really get into the album back int he day, in retrospect of today's Retro Spin, I appreciate it far more. The hits are bar far the biggest standout, but as a whole, it's not a bad album. Granted, I couldn't tell you what any other songs are, nor would I be able to hum them back to you at this point.

Green is definitely the full transition for R.E.M. to the sound that they would launch into superstardom within the 90's. Being the decade where I essentially first heard of them, I was actually shocked when I first learned they were not only around in the 80's but had so many albums to boot.

At the end of it all, I wouldn't necessarily say I'm a fan of the band, I've said that many times throughout this series of Retro Spins. However, I will say that the hits are fantastic...well, most of them towards the tail end, '86 and on. I'm still not impressed with their stuff prior to that.

But that wraps up my journey with them, and I'm off to find something else to listen to.

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Disclaimer: They Toy Box does not endorse or contribute to piracy. Retro Spins posts are intended for educational and entertainment purposes only. None of the music discussed here is available for sale, downloading or distribution.

And now, 31 Days Of Halloween!

Ah yes, Jaws. The horror film where back in the day only garnered a PG rating, prompting many children to not only see it, but be horribly scarred in the process. Fun fact. You can thank Steven Speilberg for the PG-13 rating, which came about because of his 1984 films, Indiana Jones And The Temple Of Doom, and Gremlins.

I've seen all four of the Jaws films, having owned them previously on VHS, and currently on DVD. Candidly, with exception of some parts from the first, I really couldn't tell you much about any of them. I vaguely remember one of them had an underwater facility, and a shark smashing into the glass, but which one that was, I have no clue.

Comics Corner: Web Of Spider-Man 55

Title: Web Of Spider-Man
Issue Number: 55
Release Date: October 1989

Highlights

One of the first Spider-Man comics I owned as a kid
Death of Eduardo Lobo
The Lobo brothers are burning New York City down in their rampage to draw Kingpin out
As Spider-Man protects civilians from the chaos, Nick Katzenberg gets photos for the Bugle
Reference is made to The Spectacular Spider-Man 143
As Arranger runs construction men ragged repairing Fisk's tower, the Kingpin returns

He demands the Arranger schedule a meeting with the Lobo brothers to end this war

Among the construction workers is a disguised Chameleon, who overhears everything

Chameleon informs Hammerhead, and the two plan an ambush

At the Bugle, J. Jonah Jameson ponders over both Nick and Peter's photos

Kate Cushing makes it easy for him by stating if he print's Katzenberg's that she'll quit

Peter's photos get the front page

Katzenberg overhears Joy Mercado talking to Peter about Gloria Grant and her love affair with the gangster, Eduardo Lobo
Peter attempts to talk to Gloria, but botches it, and tells her he has to go
Peter meets Mary Jane at an apartment in Hell's Kitchen that they're looking at possibly renting, but it's once again out of their price range
The Lobo brothers agree to meet Kingpin, but Eduardo insists Gloria come with them

High above, Spider-Man has tracked them down by following Gloria home

The meeting takes place at Flushing Meadow Park, and the Lobos will accept only one thing for piece - The Arranger
Hammerhead and Chameleon ambush the meeting, guns blazing

A massive battle breaks out, and the Lobos join it in wolf form

The Lobos think Kingpin set them up, and attempt to kill Arranger

Meanwhile, Hammerhead and Chameleon chat casually from a safe distance about how they'll break up the territories amongst themselves

Arranger tries to shoot Eduardo with his silver bullet loaded gun, but Spider-Man knocks him and the gun away

Kingpin knocks Carlos Lobo out with his cane, which he states has been line with silver, all while shaming the Arranger for causing all of these problems

They take their leave, not bothering with any of the battle further

As Eduardo grapples with Spider-Man, Gloria grant finds the gun, aims, and shoots Eduardo, killing him
Carlos lunges at Spider-Man, and takes a solid punch to the face, knocking him out
As Spider-Man tries to console Gloria for saving his life, she shouts at him that she wasn't aiming for Eduardo, but rather Spider-Man
From a distance, a hidden Nick Katzenberg has captured everything with his camera

Low Points

None

Oddities

None

Rating (based on a 1 through 5 Stans grading system)

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Retro Spins: R.E.M. - Lifes Rich Pageant

After taking a break from touring, R.E.M. returned to the studio revitalized, and eager to keep pushing their music in new directions. While they enjoyed the adoption of new instrumentation from their previously released Fables Of The Reconstruction, they wanted this next piece of work to have more energy and be less murky in tone. For this, they moved on to producer, Don Gehmen.

Despite their eagerness to work with Gehmen, the band was skeptical at first of his recording style. The band had never experienced what the producer called the normal recording process, and at first didn't embrace him spending time on the arrangement, layer in the overdubs and comping the vocals. When they saw that this approach didn't take away from the end result, but actually positively added to it, they fully embraced the style.

Lifes Rich Pageant became the band's fourth consecutive hit album, peaking at number twenty-one on the Billboard 200, while once again also charting in Canada, New Zealand, and the UK. Though this time it would also chart in new territories; Australia and Norway. With it would come singles, Fall On Me, and Superman, which would peak on the Billboard Hot 100 at ninety-four and seventy-four, respectively. However, the two would fare better on the Mainstream Rock charts, where they landed at five and seventeen.

We're now very much so in the era of R.E.M. that sounds like their greatest commercial success, which was just on the horizon. It's full-on alternative rock, and becoming more mainstream radio friendly, though not the style most people were into yet in 1986. I dare say if this was released in 1991 or 1992 that it would have skyrocketed into the top ten.

Begin The Begin and Fall On Me were the two standout tracks for me, and at this point, I'm just happy to say that there was something I would bother to listen to again in the future. This iteration of R.E.M. I can endorse, but at the same time, I still wouldn't call myself a major fan by any stretch of the imagination.

The band would follow-up with their first top ten album, Document, in 1987. It would become their first platinum seller and fully lay the foundation for the band's popularity on mainstream radio and MTV. It's also the first Retro Spin I did on them, back in 2021. As such, I'll be skipping over it, and heading right into their final album of the decade, Green (1988).

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And now, 31 Days Of Halloween!

With Scream being a massive success in the 90's, the slasher genre was reinvigorated. With it came a slew of new franchises, including I Know What You Did Last Summer. I saw the first two in theaters and didn't bother with any others. They were generic at best. An excuse to put pretty boys and girls on the screen, each having no further character development then their persona; athlete, jerk, heartthrob, etc. I often mock the series, stating the next sequel will be, "Who Gives A S**t What You Did Last Summer?"

Comics Corner: The Spectacular Spider-Man 154

Title: The Spectacular Spider-Man
Issue Number: 154
Release Date: September 1989

Highlights

Reference is made to The Web Of Spider-Man 50, and 54
J. Jonah Jameson publishes an article in the Bugle that the gang war is over, and credits an unidentified passer-by as the individual who rescued him from the villain, instead of crediting Spider-Man
As a limo drives by, Spidey's spider senses go off, and learning from his mistake of ignoring the disguised Chameleon, states he'll never let that happen again

The passenger is Thomas Fireheart, AKA Puma

In Hammerhead's home, he and Chameleon discuss the lost battle with Spider-Man, and the setback in their gang war against Kingpin

One of Hammerhead's men informs them that there is a visitor to see them, one of the Kingpin's top men named Vermicelli

With a quick change, Chameleon becomes the Arranger

He informs Vermicelli that he's worried that their boss, the Kingpin, has gone missing, and to inform him immediately at Hammerhead's home as soon as he's found

J. Jonah Jameson calls Nick Katzenberg into his office, and while he fears it's to be yelled at, Jameson praises him for his photo of Spider-Man outside of Kingpin's window

Jameson tells Kate Cushing to give him a raise the next time circulation breaks ten million, to which she reminds him they've never achieved above five

He simply shrugs her off, explaining that these are just details

Jameson has received a letter from his broker that unknown foreign entities are staging an aggressive bid of stock to take over the Bugle
With Fireheart back in town, Peter breaks his dinner date with Mary Jane
Spider-Man breaks into Fireheart's office, and comes face to face with Puma, who finds the intrusion to be a dishonor

The fight starts, with Spider-Man simply wanting to know why Puma is in New York

Elsewhere, Arranger is meeting with a gunsmith, who's crafted him silver and lead alloy bullets
Though they continue to battle, Puma explains he came to New York to help Spider-Man after misjudging him previously, but now that he's been dishonored with the break in, they must fight
Later, Peter heads to the hospital to visit Kristy, and finds Aunt May there as well

Kristy refuses to admit she has an eating disorder

Low Points

Puma randomly ends the fight saying they'll pick it up another time
The battle with Puma is pointless to the story

Oddities

Mary Jane still goes out dancing, even when she's married

Rating (based on a 1 through 5 Stans grading system)

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Retro Spins: R.E.M. - Fables Of The Reconstruction

Before I start, I'd like to give a shoutout to the robots. Nobody has ever said anything so kind about my blog than them. So, thanks!

Fables Of The Reconstruction saw R.E.M. taking their established sound from its two predecessors and adding in elements of folk and darker toned lyrics. With it came new instrumentation for the band, including strings, brass, and banjo. Though critically well received, the band has vocalized mixed opinions of it since its release.

The album would prove to be another success for the band, peaking at number twenty-eight on the Billboard 200, while also charting in Canada, New Zealand, and the UK. Though it wouldn't produce any Billboard Hot 100 singles, both Can't Get There From Here, and Driver 8 would land on the Billboard Mainstream Rock charts at number fourteen, and twenty-two, respectively. Wendell Gee would also be released as a single, but only chart on the UK Singles at number ninety-one.

The new sound is very obvious from the starting gate, and quite honestly, I dig it a lot more than their previous releases. It showcases the sound that R.E.M. was soon to be associated with, but not quite there just yet.

Starting tracks, Feeling Gravitys Pull, Maps And Legends, and Driver 8 made me want to consider being a fan, even if the remainder of the album took a back seat for the most part. Mind you, it's not bad, but those three were definitely the standouts. In retrospect, I'm wondering if it was because things sounded fresh at first. Perhaps this just wore off fast. I don't honestly know.

What I do know is that as a whole, the album is still pretty mediocre. I don't see myself picking it up again or even wanting to hear the aforementioned tracks for a second time. As a whole, I'm just not all that into R.E.M., and it's a bit of a slog getting through their albums. Regardless, my next stop is 1986's Lifes Rich Pageant.

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And now, 31 Days Of Halloween!

House and House II are underrated hidden gems in the horror genre. The first one takes you on a somewhat action-adventure akin to that of your average Schwarzenegger or Stallone films, but with a massive zombie villain. Meanwhile, the second one adopts a more comedy horror script.

Part three serves as a standalone film, but with four, we're returned to the life of Roger Cobb, last seen in the first installment. It serves as not only a direct sequel to the original film but also wraps up Cobb's story.

Retro Spins: R.E.M. - Reckoning

Today I'm circling back to R.E.M. to go through their remaining discography of the 80's. I touched on them way back in 2021 when I played through 1987's Document, and again in 2025 when I went into their 1983 debut, Murmur. It's during the latter that I touched on the band's initial history, so unfortunately, there's not much groundwork to include here.

Much like its predecessor, Reckoning found its success on college radio stations, but remained relatively ignored on mainstream airwaves, including MTV. Despite this, it did manage to have the minor Billboard Hot 100 hit, South Central Rain (I'm Sorry), which peaked at number eighty-five. The album itself also reached number twenty-seven on the Billboard 200.

For me, it's a relatively forgettable experience. Beyond South Central Rain (I'm Sorry) there was nothing that really stood out as necessarily good or noteworthy. Not that it's a terrible album. It's just not for me. Then again, I didn't really expect it would be. R.E.M. is a band that made its way to my discography after a used CD store run, and not necessarily because I was actively seeking them out.

I can definitely see the appeal to the college radio scene. It's layered with hints of post-punk and alternative rock, something which appealed greatly to the young adults of the time bucking against traditional conformist mainstream sounds. Personally, I never fell into that landscape.

Even when R.E.M. took off in the early 90's, I never really got onboard with them. So, I honestly don't have a lot of expectations for any of the albums I'm about to go through. But I suppose without expectations things can only have a chance to exceed them. My next stop is 1985's Fables Of The Reconstruction, and we'll see what happens from there.

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And now, 31 Days Of Halloween!

As my teenage self-grew into my twenties, my VHS collection of the time continued to expand as well. Soon, Hellraiser was added to the fold, mainly as a result of me finishing my viewing sessions of the complete (at the time) Friday The 13th and A Nightmare On Elm Street franchises.

Admittedly, I've only seen the first four, with the latter being one I saw in the theater. I think I may be among the few who really liked Bloodline. I thought it was a great origin story for the box.

Christmas Catalogs - JCPenny 1977

Hey! You want to spend the next two years looking at the fantastic Christmas catalogs produced by Sears, JCPenny, and Montgomery Ward? Cause I do! Yeah, I said two years, cause that's a lot of catalogs! Join me on most Monday's each month as I post up one of those fabulous books starting with 1970, and ending with 1989.

Look through every page, feeling every bit of nostalgia. Chuckle at the look and style of the wardrobes those zanny past decade people wore. Gawk at the toys you used to have, but long since parted ways with. Bring back all those memories of hours spent laying on the floor, combing every inch as your young mind pined over everything you wanted. Reminisce over the Christmas that followed as you unwrapped those lucky few that you got.

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