Comics Corner: Marvel Team-Up 19

  

Title: Marvel Team-Up
Issue Number: 19
Release Date: March 1974

Highlights

• First appearance of Stegron, AKA Vincent Stegron
  
• Reference is made to The Amazing Spider-Man 103, 104, and Marvel Team-Up 13

Low Points

• Boring, and overly wordy
• Typical villain wants to take over the world story
• Ugh...It continues in the next issue

Oddities

• We skip Marvel Team-Up 18, because the issue doesn't have Spider-Man in it, and is not relevant to his story line
• First lines in the story, "The sun has been up since September." What the heck does that mean?
  

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

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Instant Collection - Memorial Day Sale at 2nd and Charles!

I had been kicking around for several months the thought of picking up all the Disney Animated Classics on DVD. However, after price comparing on ebay, the idea of spending $500 to $600 wasn't too appealing. I put the idea aside, and didn't think too much of it.

Then I ended up at 2nd and Charles over the Memorial Day weekend.

You know the old saying, "Made him an offer he couldn't refuse?" Yeah, it was that kind of situation. The store was have a, "Buy 5, Get 5" sale. Yeah, that's not a typo. Basically, buy one get one free. I decided I'd go ahead and poke around the DVD's, and see what they had. Needless to say, I walked away with an instant collection.

They were shy just ten of the DVD's needed to get an entire collection, but for $200.00, I wasn't going to pass up getting the vast majority of them. I even grabbed a copy of Mary Poppins and DuckTales: The Movie. I was looking for very specific releases of each movie, and was pleased to see they had them.

Having all these made it easier to go ahead and grab the last handful off of ebay. Basically, I ended up with the complete set for around $350.00...well, once the others arrive in the mail. Until then, I'm off to start watching some great classics in release date order.

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Comics Corner: The Amazing Spider-Man 131

  

Title: The Amazing Spider-Man
Issue Number: 131
Release Date: April 1974

Highlights

• Doc Ock is marrying Aunt May, or rather, trying to by way of having a marriage ceremony - It gets interrupted
  
• Reference is made to The Amazing Spider-Man 113, 114, and 120
• Mary Jane is starting to display she has feeling for Peter Parker
  

Low Points

• Spider-Man talks about waiting for the right moment to smash Doc Ock while limiting the shock to Aunt May, except in this issue, he hasn't done anything wrong - He's just trying to get married
• There's an atomic blast on the island where Doc Ock and Hammerhead are fighting, and they're right at the center of it, but *spoiler alert for future issues* they don't die
  
• Very incoherent story with convenient plot holes to move the story along to its conclusion
• All that build up from the prior two issues for no payoff
  

Oddities

• Spider-Man fears that him battling with Doc Ock might be too much for Aunt May's fragile heart...But moments ago Hammerhead and his guys just bashed in the door at her wedding, shot darts at all of them, and they've been running ever since - Bottom line, she's fine
• Reference is made to The Amazing Spider-Man 221, but we are only in issue 131
• Between the wind and the engine, Spider-Man can listen through the bottom hull of a mid-flight helicopter just by putting his ear to it
• Aunt May inherited a privately owned atomic processing plant? From who? When? Huh?
• Hamemrhead's plan for stopping Doc Ock is to crash his own helicopter into his
• Spider-Man didn't want to fight Doc Ock earlier, because he was afraid it would be too much for Aunt May's fragile heart...Yet he's gung ho on fighting pages later
• Spider-Man's plan for getting off the island is to hopefully grab one of the helicopters...You know, the ones that smashed into each other...Further, how does he know how to fly a helicopter?
• Oh...Never mind...He found a perfectly good plane which has, "been modified so even an idiot can pilot it"
  

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

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Comics Corner: The Amazing Spider-Man 130

  

Title: The Amazing Spider-Man
Issue Number: 130
Release Date: March 1974

Highlights

• First full appearance of the Spider Mobile
• It's Christmas Eve
  
• Reference is made to The Amazing Spider-Man 3, 113, 114, 115, and 120
• Peter Parker owns an album called, Aretha Sings the Blues, which features a very familiar Aretha Franklin on the jacket - It's an interesting foreshadow, because an album from her of that same name would be released six years later (1980)
• The Spider Mobile has a camouflage feature where if you flip the switch, it transforms into a normal looking car
• J. Jonah Jameson gives Peter a cigar as a Christmas bonus
• Doc Ock and Aunt May are getting married on the last panel of the page - Major cliffhanger that excites me to dive right into the next issue
  

Low Points

• Mary Jane tells Peter that he an her need to find some mistletoe, and he tells her he isn't in the mood?
• A lot of events continue from the prior issue, or occur in this one, but they all come off as building up to something else - There is no beginning nor end to this story
  

Oddities

• Marvel can't keep the name straight from page to page. Is it the Spider-Mobile, Spidermobile, or Spider Mobile? They state all three
• Um...one of the thugs makes a very odd comment which I don't know how to take, "The boss sure knows how to plan a caper - Right down to beating off punks who probably won't even show!" - What?!? Beating off punks?
• Reference is made to The Amazing Spider-Man 213, an obvious typo as we're only up to 130
• Spider-Man needs to travel thirty-two miles to Westchester, and says he needs to do it "fast". He then proceeds to swing and ride on top of random cars - Um...Spider Mobile?
  

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

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Comics Corner: The Amazing Spider-Man 129

  

Title: The Amazing Spider-Man
Issue Number: 129
Release Date: February 1974

Highlights

• First appearance of the Punisher
• First appearance of the Jackal, but his true identity, Professor Miles Warren, has been in the series since The Amazing Spider-Man 31
  
• Reference is made to The Amazing Spider-Man 121, 126, 127, and 128
  
• Peter states that his Spider Mobile will be ready today
• Peter sitting on his bed with a needle and thread, sewing his costume back together
• Harry Osborn listens outside of Peter's room, self delusional of Peter being on to him about becoming the next Green Goblin
• The Jackal sets the Punisher up as a patsy
  

Low Points

• None
  

Oddities

• Peter still refers to Harry as his best friend, even though in issue 127 Harry told him they weren't friends, and never have been
• Peter's face when he forces himself to smile

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

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Comics Corner: Marvel Team-Up 17

   

Title: The Amazing Spider-Man
Issue Number: 17
Release Date: January 1974

Highlights

• Reference is made to Fantastic Four 128 and 141
• The Fantastic Four have broken up, and only Mr. Fantastic remains at the Baxter Building

Low Points

• None

Oddities

• None

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

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Retro Spins: The Steve Miller Band - Abracadabra

Have you ever wondered why the only song you hear from Steve Miller's 1982 album Abracadabra is the title track? Well, it's simple really. The rest of the album is terrible. I can really keep this one short today, because there's no reason to really draw it out.

In 1982, songs from their 1981 album, Circle Of Love, were still hitting the charts, but so too did Abracadabra (the song). It debuted at number seventy-five in May, and soared up the charts. After spending three consecutive weeks at number three, it eventually broke through to the number one spot on September 4th. It then dropped slightly to number two, then three in following weeks, only to return to the number one spot on September 25.

It was soon joined by Cool Magic, which debuted at number seventy-eight and Give It Up at number eighty-three. However, both of these songs immediately fell off the charts by the following week.

As I essentially said above, I'm not a fan of this album. I really like the title track, which is the reason I bought it, but the rest is easy to pass on.

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Big Lick NOVA 2023! Part V: Art Suydam

 

Five posts in, and we're still talking about day one of Big Lick Nova 2023!

I was admittedly confused by Art Suydam’s signing practice, but certainly didn't hate it. He would only sign books for you if you bought a $20.00 print, but then he would also sign the print, and provide a signed certificate of authenticity for the print. So basically, you got three signatures from him for the price of one. Cool!

I ended up buying eight prints from him, five for me, and three for my girl. Mine were mostly Spider-Man related, but I also snagged a sweet Batman Versus Predator print which was essentially the duel cover of the classic 1991 / 1992 mini-series.

I dug how he doodled a little skull and crossbones in the UPC section of the print!

I really wanted to buy the physical issue he had of this McFarlane style Zombie cover. However, at $200.00, it was more than I wanted to spend. Especially for a modern book.

What was affordable was his entire run of Batman Versus Predator mini-series, which I promptly bought directly from Suydam. I had this set as a kid, and it was on my want list to replace. What better way to get it than to buy it directly from the man who did the covers?

In general, I thought it was brilliant how he brought two or three tables worth of his own books, and was selling them directly. Granted, these were not at cover price, but rather current market value. Regardless, I found this to be incredibly smart. How many more books would these creators sell if they had the foresight to bring stacks of them with them? It’s certainly difficult to walk away when both the “artist” and book are literally sitting at the same table.

My main reason for going to his table was to get my Echo of Futurepast one through five signed by him. In hindsight, I’m kicking myself for missing his name clearly on the Amazing Heroes issue fifty-one that I also had with me. I didn’t even notice this until I was home scanning the book in for this post, a full week later. Oh well…Maybe / hopefully next time.

Also signed by Michael Golden that same day!

Also signed by Michael Golden that same day!

Also signed by Michael Golden that same day!

Also signed by Michael Golden that same day!

Also signed by Michael Golden that same day!

Prior to leaving the table, Art took an interest in two Batman books I had with me, and asked if he could thumb through them. I didn't mind. Not at all. In general, it was interesting to see the reactions from these guys when they saw books they didn't know about, or in the case of Rick Leonardi, books they had worked on, but then stepped away from.

Mr. Suydam's table was actually the first one I went to at the show, and I was already having such a blast at this point. Oh, but things were about to get better and better...

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Got My Book

 

In continuation from yesterday's post, I made my way to Lot Con 2023 at my local comic shop, and met up with the vendor who told me he had a copy of The Amazing Spider-Man 36.

This is a minor key in the world of Spider-Man, but also a unique one. It features the 1st appearance of the Looter, Norton Fester, who later becomes Meteor Man. However, the reason I really wanted it is because it's the first use of the word 'Thwip' when activating Spider-Man's web-shooters.

As I get into the lower double digit books in the series, I have to be really choosy about what I can get. I'm only willing to drop a hundred bucks on any given book, and that's reluctantly. So, the ones I get have to be meaningful to me, knowing full well there are several that I will never own.

Fortunately, this book flies under the radar for many collectors, not being a high priority to them. So prices haven't gotten too out of control...Well...In the condition I can afford, which is far from mint.

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Comics Corner: Marvel Team-Up 16

   

Title: Marvel Team-Up
Issue Number: 16
Release Date: December 1973

Highlights

• First appearance of Basilisk, Basil Elks
• Lots of action to keep you turning the pages
• Origin of the Alpha and Omega gems
• The Alpha gem gives Basil his powers
• The Omega gem entraps Captain Marvel, leading to a cliff hanger ending

Low Points

• Basilisk's eyes are a one stop shop of being able to do everything - They turn things to stone, dig holes, create quicksand, rubber, crystal shells, dig holes, make him fly, and even created his costume...It's too convenient

Oddities

• Basil only gets caught by the security guard because he lost track of time gloating about stealing a gem

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

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Comic Convention Today

 

Went to a comic show today. Found a couple more McFarlane Spider-Man issues number 1's.

My short box is coming along nicely. These are all various versions of issue number one, and I'm up to seventy-six of them in total, owning at least one of each variant.

Initially, I came to the show on the hunt for an Amazing Spider-Man 36. While I didn't find any at the show, there was a vendor there who said they had one, and would be in my area tomorrow for another show. He said he would bring it with him. I'm really hoping he remembers because I plan on being where he's at to get it.

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Comics Corner: The Amazing Spider-Man 128

   

Title: The Amazing Spider-Man
Issue Number: 128
Release Date: January 1974

Highlights

• Professor Shallot is revealed to be the Vulture, transformed through bio-mutation techniques

Low Points

• Wraps up too neatly, and none of the clues come together in the panels - Spider-Man just has the right conclusion
• End of the story turns preachy, with too much text

Oddities

• None

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

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Comics Corner: The Amazing Spider-Man 127

   

Title: The Amazing Spider-Man
Issue Number: 127
Release Date: December 1973

Highlights

• First appearance of Professor Clifton Shallot as Vulture, but readers don't learn about it in this issue
• Spider-Man and Human Torch work on the Spider Mobile, showcasing it in its frame format
• Harry Osborn shouts at Peter Parker, telling him they aren't friends, and never have been
• Flash Thompson gets a new car, only to immediately crash it into a telephone pole
• Harry Osborn grows angrier and crazier with each panel he appears in

Low Points

• None

Oddities

• One minute Spider-Man is fighting the Vulture, who just killed a woman, and even though he loses the fight, he simply goes off to work on building a car

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

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