The Toy Box: 2026

Comics Corner: Web Of Spider-Man 35

Title: Web Of Spider-Man
Issue Number: 35
Release Date: February 1988

Highlights

First appearance of Steve Petty, Roland Rayburn, Jake Dorman, Ronda Kramer, and Dr. Karl Mendoza
First appearance and death of Miguel Sanchez
Also the first appearance of Luis Alvarez as the new Tarantula
Peter has taken a job as a substitute teach for his old high school, and it's his first day
Midtown High School is a dump now, with the neighborhood all run down
Jake is blaming Steve for his "F", and the smarter classmate isn't having it

As they almost come to blows, Peter breaks it up, but feels like this is history repeating itself when it was he and Flash constantly butting heads

Steve recognizes Peter, and says that he's his hero, being the only person to win an award for science in the school
Steve says Jack is just a dumb jock, and that all jocks are dumb

Peter tells him they should meet for lunch to talk about it

In Santa Maria, El Arana, AKA Luis Alvarez, heads to a church in his jeep, and upon arrival tells the priest he wants Miguel Sanchez

The priest denies his request, telling him that his church is a sanctuary

After beating the priest, Miguel comes out, only to be met by cold blooded murder from El Arana, who then orders his men to kill every at the church

At lunch, Steve takes Peter to the basement, and shows him all the computers which his dad donated
Steve tells Peter that people don't take electronic engineers seriously, and call them Phreaks

That will be important later, as it's the persona that Steve will soon take

Peter tells Steve he's a lonely kid, and needs to understand the importance of having people in his life, but when he suggests Steve open up to Jake, that's more than enough for him, and Steve storms off
In the cafeteria, Ronda calls Steve over, and tells Jake to apologize, but the kid gets his leg caught, dumping his food tray on the jock

Enraged, Jake pushes him, breaking Steve's glasses

Steve has coupled together the old parts to recreate the Living Brain robot, and it crashes through the school on a rampage
Reference is made to The Amazing Spider-Man 8
Steven directs the robot towards Jake and Ronda, destroying the jock's car
Spider-Man eventually lures the robot to an elevator shaft, and jumps out of the way just in time for its arm to smash an electric junction box
Spider-Man sees Steve as a darker mirror version of himself
El Arana is told that after he has been enhanced medically, that he will become the new Tarantula, and deal with the refugees who have fled to the USA
Peter goes looking for Steve, trying one last time to help him, but can't find the boy

Low Points

None

Oddities

None

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

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Retro Spins: Sade - Diamond Life

Sade was unique when she emerged in the 80's. While mainstream was focused on new wave, and the emerging hair bands, she instead focused on a smooth jazz, pop soul sound. She paved the way for artists like Tool, Pantera, and Korn, just to name a few.

The group started as Pride, with members Sade Adu, Stuart Matthewman, Paul Denman, and Paul Anthony Cooke in 1982. However, they soon changed the name to Sade and began writing material. While they would spend the year performing locally in London, by 1983 they made their way to the USA for their first appearance. It was here that they picked up Andrew Hale. In early 1984, Dave Early, would replace Cooke.

As Sade (the group), they were garnering far more attention than Pride, and by October of 1983 signed a deal with CBS Records. Prior to their July 1984 album debut, Your Love Is King, was released as a single, and became a top ten hit on the Billboard US Adult Contemporary charts. Additionally, it peaked on multiple chart lists, not only in the USA. Its follow-up, When Am I Going to Make A Living didn't fare as well, barely cracking the charts.

Regardless, when their debut, Diamond Life was released, it smashed the Billboard Hot 200, landing at number five. It would remain on the charts for two more years, dropping to twenty-four in 1985, and sixty-one in 1986. The single, Smooth Operator would not only be the first to receive a music video but also hit multiple charts. They would be nominated for Best Female Video, and Best New Artist, for the 1985 MTV Music Video Awards.

Smooth and silky, with a funky beat. That's the best way I can explain it. As a singer, Sade has a sultry voice which easily cuts through the jazz infused tracks, and while it's certainly a calming experience, I won't say that it was my favorite album. Not by a long shot.

Sade was one of those, "Yeah, I know them," purchases. I wasn't necessarily chomping at the bit to have Smooth Operator, Your Love Is King, or in the case of her second album, The sweetest Taboo. But at the same time, I couldn't fathom building an 80's collection without them. Essentially, this is how her albums came to be in my collection. Not as a fan of her music, but a fan of the era in which it dominated.

Personally, I will probably never listen to this one again. I will, however, continue on through her other two from the 80's.

With a multi-platinum debut under their belts, Sade were sailing off to a grand start. All of this was aided by the continued success of singles from the album, Why Can't We Live Together, and Hang On To Your Love.

In July of 1985, Sade would perform at Live Aid, the UK portion, where they performed Why Can't We Live Together, Your Love Is King, and Is It A Crime. In between this, February to August, they worked on the tracks that would become their sophomore album, Promise.

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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.

Comics Corner: The Amazing Spider-Man 297

Title: The Amazing Spider-Man
Issue Number: 297
Release Date: February 1988

Highlights

First appearance of Al and Martin
First appearance and death of Eddie
Spider-Man has finished his new web shooters, and swings through the night sky, testing them out

The upgraded unit is now made of plastic, meaning it won't be set off by metal detectors, and also has a flashing red LED visible through his costume to warn him when the cartridge is running low

Further, the wrist capsule now rotates to put another cartridge in place, or he can simply open the compartment, and replace it with a cartridge from his belt

Lastly, he's also built a spider tracer launcher on the other side, allowing him to hit targets more accurately, and from greater distances

Aunt May and Aunt Anna stop by Peter's apartment to surprise him with dinner out on them, but Peter has just returned, still in his Spider-Man suit

He hides in the shower as Aunt May comes into the bathroom, making like he was bathing

Eddie, the pilot for Al's Air Rents, a helicopter rental shop, is all booked up, and this doesn't please Doc Ock

Doc Ock literally tears the man apart with his metal arms, killing him

Robbie overhears Peter telling Joy about his ongoing financial difficulties, and suggests to the young man that he should consider looking for a different line of work
Spider-Man attempts to break up a robbery of a wealthy penthouse owner named Henry

In the process, one of his priceless paintings, and a gargoyle statue are damaged, resulting in Henry claiming he's going to sue Spider-Man

Doc Ock breaks into a secure military lab, and steals a bacillus, and takes it to his hideout within the Trade Center Towers
Ock has gone mad - In his desire to kill Spider-Man, he's opted to kill everyone in Manhattan, convinced Spider-Man will be among them

He orders his men to activate the bacillus

Spider-Man crashes through the window, sending Ock into a frozen state of panic

Though Spider-Man takes one of his men captive, and orders him to tell the pilot to abort the operation, he's told that only Doc Ock knows the code words that would make him cease his mission

Despite physically being immobilized, Ock's arms go into full on defense mode

Reference is made to Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man 79
Spider-Man deduces that he needs to lose the fight to build Ock's confidence back up, and snap him out of his frozen state of fear
Allowing himself to take blows from Ock's arms, the villain snaps out of his comatose state, and celebrates his victory

Spider-Man tells him he wouldn't want to kill all the witnesses to his victory, and agreeing, Doc Ock calls off the mission

Dock Ock tells Spider-Man he has no intensions of killing him, but rather that the hero will have to live with his regret of defeat, just as he has had to
Despite having to take a beating, Peter is proud that he was able to save so many lives, and tells himself he's just become an adult

Low Points

Mary Jane is now in Colorado on a shoot, and with a brief couple panels where she calls home saying she'll be back by the weekend, is once again being written out of the story

Oddities

Either Doc Ock has changed his costume, or it's another Editor's Day Off moment

His suit, which was green and orange, and has been for decades, is suddenly blue and orange

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

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Retro Spins: Make A Difference Foundation - Stairway To Heaven / Highway To Hell

The Moscow Peace Festival which took place in August 1989, brought hair and metal bands together under one venue for a night of rock across the USSR. Cinderella, Gorky Park, Nuance, Brigade S, Scorpions, Skid Row, Mötley Crüe, Ozzy Osbourne, Bon Jovi, and special guest, Jason Bonham, would all take respective turns performing a selection of their hits, all broadcast live across fifty-nine nations. The event would go on to inspire the hit, Winds Of Change by Scorpions.

This was followed by the compilation, Stairway To Heaven / Highway To Hell, released under the banner, Make A Difference Foundation, which featured studio performances of cover hits by most of the folks noted above. All album proceeds would be split between Make a Difference and the Soviet Union's All-Union Society for Sobriety.

Now I'll be the first to tell you that most covers never hold a candle to the original, but there are exceptions. What's surprising is that all of them on this compilation fall under the exception. They're amazing!

Each respective artist brings their all, in only the style they know how. With amps cranked up to eleven, and bellowing vocals that would scare a pack of wolves away. Part hair band, part metal, all loud.

It's awesome to hear some of my favorite artists from the 80's performing "new" material, like an old friend come to visit again. While each artist performs their own studio cover, it wraps up with a three-part live performance "jam" from the event with everyone involved performing Hound Dog, Long Tall Sally, Blue Suede Shoes, and Rock & Roll.

Though it was never released on DVD, you can also get a two-volume VHS set from 1989 of The Moscow Peace Festival, though volume one is far rarer than two for some reason. While I wish it was on DVD, this is still a great way to enjoy the show.

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Comics Corner: The Amazing Spider-Man 296

Title: The Amazing Spider-Man
Issue Number: 296
Release Date: January 1988

Highlights

First appearance of Dr. Barnum
Spider-Man has run out of web fluid, and broke as usual, he's hoofing it in the rain back home

He talks about redesigning his web shooters so that this doesn't happen again

Mary Jane is away in Aspen on a photo shoot
Dr. Barnum and Jefferson seek to treat Otto Octavius through sleep therapy

Rather than dream, Octavius falls into a nightmare, his subconscious battling Spider-Man

His mental state causes his metal arms, locked up elsewhere, and bound by adamantium to thrash

Peter designs his new web shooters, but doesn't have the money to build them

A call to the Bugle yields no work

Octavius's nightmares continue, and this time when he mentally links with his metal arms, they break free
Spider-Man swings through the city looking for news to photograph, and finds it in the arms of Doc Ock smashing its way down the street
Though he initially resists them, and even fears his arms when they find him, once the security guards shoot at them, Octavius accepts his fate as Doc Ock, and dawning them, breaks out of the hospital
Doc Ock returns to one of his many lairs, and finds that his ex-henchmen don't want to work for him anymore, but they change their mind when his arms rip their car in half
Reference is made to Web Of Spider-Man 5
Spider-Man works with the Bugle and Dr. Jefferson to lure Doc Ock out
Peter gets the money to fund his new web shooters
Doc Ock determines himself to destroying New York City to get ensure the destruction of Spider-Man

Low Points

None

Oddities

Peter can barely rub two nickels together, and his first priority when getting cash in hand is upgrading his web shooter, not putting it away from him and his wife

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

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Retro Spins: Book Of Love - Lullaby

It's ironic that I would say in my previous post about Book Of Love that tubular bells and chimes felt a bit overused, only to then fire up their sophomore album, Lullaby for the opening track, Tubular Bells.

Though their 1986 album featured multiple charting hits, it would be the group's commitment to serve as opening act for Depeche Mode's Black Celebration Tour, which kept them out of the studio. It wouldn't be until spring 1987 that they finally got the opportunity to start laying down demos for what would become 1988's Lullaby.

Preceding its release, Pretty Boys And Pretty Girls, was released as a single, and darted up the dance charts to number five. This was followed by the mildly successful album title track, which peaked at twenty-seven. The third single, Witchcraft wouldn't fare so well, failing to chart. As a whole, the album would also be their first to hit the Billboard Hot 200, peaking at one hundred fifty-six.

As noted above, the album kicks off with Tubular Bells, a fun instrumental, which segues into the hit, Pretty Boys And Pretty Girls. The two tracks really hit the mark for me and excite me for the things to come.

I can't help but feel like if Witchcraft had been released in 1984 / 1985 that it would have been a success. It's not a good song by any means, but what it does have is quirky vocals, which bounce from Susan to Jade to Lauren, all mixed together in a solid beat.

While I will say that the album is pretty okay overall, for the year it was released, it's a bit dated. I suppose part of my opinion driving that is that by this point in time I was listening to more hard rock / metal. Still, it's a decent listening session.

Book Of Love would release two more albums, 1991's Candy Carol, and 1993's Lovebubble. Carol would hit the Billboard 200 (174), and both it and Lovebubble would produce one successful dance chart hit. However, witnessing the changing landscape of music in real time, they would opt to disband in 1994. While part of this decision was to avoid continuing on until irrelevant, the members were admittedly burned out and facing family issues. In the end, they just felt that things had run their course, and it was time to bow out.

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Comics Corner: Web Of Spider-Man 34

Title: Web Of Spider-Man
Issue Number: 34
Release Date: January 1988

Highlights

First appearance of A'Sai, Gerbil, Truck, Lumpy, and Grunz
First appearance of Bally's Las Vegas
Uatu, the Watcher, is ambushed by the alien, AiSai, a feet never before achieved
Spider-Man joins the game when Gerbil is injured
Grunz bet A'Sai eight million credit-units that the latter couldn't accomplish what he just did, and now Grunz is flat broke

A'Sai explains that he was able to accomplish his task with a piece of Galactus's home world that he salvaged

Reference is made to Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars 11
A'Sai wants the weapons of the Watcher, and negotiates a wager

If Uatu wins, A'Sai will turn over his weapons
If A'Sai wins, Uatu turns over his weapons, and A'Sai will also kill him

The two see Spider-Man playing football on a monitor, and decide that the game he's playing will be their bet

A'Sai gets the red shirts, AKA, the big guys
Uatu gets Spider-Man and the kids

Though initially down fifty-six to nothing, Spider-Man is able to pep talk the kids into giving it all they've got, bringing the score to fifty-six to forty-five

Seeing them making a comeback, A'Sai blasts Truck with his weapon, giving him added strength and speed

Gerbil comes back into the game when Lumpy gets injured too

With time expired, and the ball in their possession, Gerbil scores the winning touchdown by barreling through Truck

A'Sai loses the bet, and though he attempts to turn the weapon on Uatu, finds it has vanished
Though Uatu promised he would not punish A'Sai for invading his home and taking him prisoner, the villain's attempt to use his weapon after the bet was won demands the Watcher punish him
Uatu banishes him to a prison inside of a Joker card at Bally's Grand Hotel Casino in Las Vegas

Low Points

Jim Shooter leaves, and you have Spider-Man playing football, and a bet between a Watcher and alien?

Oddities

Spider-Man sees some guys playing football with a group of kids, and says the ball is probably full of crack
Editor's Day Off: Truck says to his team, "I ain't gonna sit on the bench just 'cause the the shrimp got bunged."

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

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Christmas Catalogs - Sears Wish Book 1974

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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