The Toy Box

Retro Spins: Mike Oldfield - Crises

I'm not opposed to songs which take up the entire side of an album. When done correctly, they can be an amazing rock opus. Rush did it with 2112, and while that's the one most common to me, there are other greats, such as, Iron Butterfly's In-A-Gadda-Da-Vita, Pink Floyd's Echoes and Alice's Restaurant Massacree by Arlo Guthrie, just to name a handful.

However, when done wrong, such as when people don't know what your vision is for the song, therefore rendering them unable to really step into the moment with you, you end up with a mess. This is where I'm at with Mike Oldfield's twenty minute Crises, which takes up the entire first side of said titled album. Consisting of 99.9% instrumental music, it really just serves to be an extended wall of sound.

I purchased this album for one single song, Moonlight Shadow, which features Maggie Reilly on lead vocals. Sadly, this is the only song I ended up getting out of the deal. I suppose since I got what I wanted from it that I should be content, but I'm not. The price wasn't necessarily justifiable, and I definitely expected more for how much I like that particular track.

If there is one certainty that came from this, it's that I won't be journeying any further into the world of Mike Oldfield. Not much more to say beyond that.

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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.

Big Lick NOVA 2023! Part XIII: Black Suit Spider-Man Preview

Every post you've seen to date regarding Big Lick NOVA 2023 were all leading up to this point. Yes, there were hundreds of books I've already shown you that were signed, but it all comes down to these final ones. These were the handful of books that regardless of whatever else I got signed, these were the top tier of my list.

In October 1983, the world got its first look at the all new black suit that Spider-Man would receive in the pages of Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars, and continue to wear throughout his multiple ongoing titles. That appearance was in The Comics Journal issue 85.

Signed by Jim Shooter and Rick Leonardi

While multiple artists would ultimately be tasked with the job of drawing Spider-Man in the following issues, it was Rick Leonardi who's designs would appear in the various preview magazines to come.

November 1983's issue of Amazing Heroes 35 featured the second preview appearance.

Signed by Jim Shooter and Rick Leonardi

Probably the most difficult to find preview issue is the December 1983 Heroes Hotline number four, which showcases the third official appearance.

Signed by Jim Shooter and Rick Leonardi

This book continued to elude me, and it wouldn't be until a couple weeks leading up to the convention that I would finally get one in my collection.

The Comics Reader number 215 was also released in December 1983, and features the fourth preview appearance of the black suit.

Signed by Jim Shooter and Rick Leonardi

In January 1984, Amazing Heroes released issue number 39, and it became the titles second appearance of the black costume, and fifth overall preview.

Signed by Jim Shooter and Rick Leonardi

It wouldn't be until March 1984 that Marvel would finally publish its own images, this time showcasing for the first (and only time) the black suit with red replacing all of the white.

Signed by Jim Shooter and Rick Leonardi

The final preview appearance was one I didn't know existed until Thursday April 6, 2023, just a little over one week leading up to the show. It took a lot of communication and coordination with the seller to make the purchase and ensure it was shipped in time to take to the show with me. I received it on Monday the 10th.

Signed by Jim Shooter and Rick Leonardi

Amazing Heroes 45, dated April 1984, isn't often discussed as a preview appearance of the black suit, but it most certainly is. The reason it's often missed is because it's overshadowed by it also being the first advertisement for issue number one of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

I keep these books bagged and boarded with a faux reprint of the original letter from Jim Shooter to Randy Schueller offering to purchase the fan's black suit Spider-Man concept. Truthfully, I know that Randy is, well, a no-name in comics, but I would let him sign these books if I ever met him. Credit where credit is due.

All of the above were followed by The Amazing Spider-Man issue 252, which is noted as the first full appearance in comics of the black suit Spider-Man.

Among my preview issues I took to get signed were the following books that featured articles on Marvel Secret Wars one and two.

I kept turning to a page in Comics Interview 14 that featured an image of Spider-Man in his black suit, and kept asking myself, "Is that Rick Leonardi's art?" I showed it to him at the show, and he stated it was. Naturally, that meant I had to get it signed by him.

Signed by Jim Shooter and Rick Leonardi

These preview books excite like minded collectors like me because they give us something unique to chase. Once you own the books associated with first appearances, it's fun to then go on the hunt for where all the previews occurred. Not too many people seem interested in them, which is a good thing, because they're sometimes very difficult to find, and expensive to boot. You have to keep in mind, many people who read these simply did so to get information, and then threw them out. I'm very happy to have these in my collection, and to now have them signed.

Amazing trip. Amazing times, and would you believe I still have one final reveal coming in my visit to Big Lick NOVA 2023? It's true. See you next week for that...

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Retro Spins: Martika - Martika

We're Kids Incorporated, K.I.D.S. Good stuff, and also where Martika, as Marta Marrero, got her start playing the role of Gloria. She stayed in in the role from 1984 to 1986. Why she left the role is anyone's guess. However, it may have been a good thing for her, as it would eventually lead to her 1989 self titled album.

The album is most notable for its hit, Toy Soldier. However, despite this song's popularity, it was actually More Than You Know which would end up being her first chart topper. The song made it all the way to number eighteen and it wouldn't be until May before Toy Soldier's charted.

Toy Soldiers debuted at number sixty-nine, flying up the charts to the number one spot by July, where it stayed for two consecutive weeks. A little unknown, or rather, missed fact about the song, is that it's not actually about a relationship between a guy and girl. Instead, it's about drug addiction.

By September, Martika enjoyed the success of another chart topper, I Feel The Earth Move. However, this was short lived, as the song would debut at number ninety-six, and only make it to number twenty-five. No small feat, but definitely not as impressive as someone with a prior number one hit would expect.

This wouldn't be the end of Martika's success. In 1991, with the aid of a song written by Prince, Martika would reach number ten one final time before disappearing into obscurity. However, we're not talking about the 90's...yet.

As for the singer's self titled debut, it's okay. Toy Soldier's is definitely better when you have the true meaning behind the song in mind. The rest of the tracks feel very Debbie Gibson or Tiffany - ish. Almost bubblegum pop. Not a bad thing I suppose. However, in that regard, it's also nothing very memorable. It was good for a listen.

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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.

Big Lick NOVA 2023! Part XII: Jim Shooter Part VII

Go back with me to day one of Big Lick NOVA 2023. Back to when I had my brother, girlfriend, and George of G.I. Jigsaw getting books signed by Jim Shooter. While they had a select few Spider-Man books among them, for the most part, they were tasked (for lack of a better word) with various miscellaneous and one-shot books.

First up was Daredevil: The Man Without Fear. I'm not a big reader of this series, and as such, the books I own revolve around specific story arcs, or covers, such as these that follow the Death of Elektra and Born Again story lines, as well as the Marvel 25th Anniversary issue, and McFarlane cover.

Death of Elektra, skewered by Bullseye

Iconic cover art by Frank Miller

First battle of Daredevil versus the Punisher

First team-up of the Punisher and Daredevil

Kingpin discovers Daredevil's identity,
and Born Again part one, runs through
Daredevil #233

1st appearance of Sister Maggie
Murdock, a nun and Daredevil's
mother, and Origin of Daredevil
retold

Matt Murdock learns that Sister Maggie
is his mother

1st appearance of Nuke, the first
successful mutant test subject of
Weapon Plus who became Weapon
VII

Early Todd McFarlane art

Much like Daredevil, my collection of The Incredible Hulk is tightly confined. However, unlike the prior series, this one is not necessarily story driven, rather the majority of them are the issues which were penciled by Todd McFarlane. Sadly, Jim Shooter was not involved with that complete run.

1st appearance of Rick Jones as the Hulk

First cover art on a main Marvel title
by Todd McFarlane

1st appearance of the intelligent
Grey Hulk, and Peter David begins
writing on The Incredible Hulk title

Samuel Stearns becomes the Leader
again but his head is further mutated
with the appearance of a brain

Cover art by Steve Geiger, interior
art by Todd McFarlane

Todd McFarlane art

The Punisher is a series I used to own in its entirety, along with a complete run of all the spin-off titles. These days, I only own a handful of them.

On the opposite side of that spectrum is a series I never owned, but purchased when I started collecting comics again.

Also signed by Chris Claremont and
Josef Rubinstein when I met them
at Galaxycon 2023!

There were also a handful of miscellaneous books I got signed.

This first Fantastic Four issue is of particular importance to me, as it ends with the symbiote suit escaping its prison, and ultimately the Baxter building. It would lead to the first issue of Web of Spider-Man, and ultimately Venom.

The symbiote escapes the Baxter Building

I wish I would have gotten my issue one and twenty-one of G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero signed by Jim when I was at Big Lick NOVA last year meeting Larry Hama. But, rectified now.

Also signed by Larry Hama at Big Lick 2022!

Early Todd McFarlane art

Also signed by Michael Golden that same day!

Also signed by Rick Leonardi that same day!

A very early appearance of the symbiote suit was featured in issue three of the Transformers mini-series.

Also signed by Rick Leonardi that same day!

Jim Shooter wasn't at all affiliated with this late issue of What If volume two, but since he wrote the original Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars, I was keen on getting him to sign it.

Switching gears to Spider-Man, that brings us to my run of Peter Porker, The Spectacular Spider-Ham, which also includes Marvel Tails Starring Peter Porker, The Spectacular Spider-Ham, the latter of which was the character's first full appearance.

1st appearance of Peter Porker, the
Spectacular Spider-Ham, Hulk
Bunny, Captain Americat, and
Goose Rider

Also signed by Michael Golden that same day!

1st appearance of Deerdevil, Batt Burdock

1st appearance of the Sub-Marsupial,
and the Asinine Torch

1st appearance of Ant Ant,
Waspbunny, and Sandmanatee

1st appearance of Galactypus, a
platypus version of Galactus, and
Kingpig

1st appearance of Nick Furry, Agent
of S.H.E.E.P.

1st team appearance of the Scavengers:
Black Panda, Squackeye, Quacksilver,
Scarlet Pooch, Pigeon, 1st appearance
of Kangaroo the Conqueror, and
Ultrog, a gorilla robot

1st team appearance of Croak and Badger

And, it all wraps up with some great Spider-Man one-shots!

1st appearance of Firestar, not in
regular continuity

1st and only appearance of Skip Westcott,
a teenage neighbor who inappropriately
touched Peter Parker when he was a
young boy

Death of Ned Leeds, Wolverine
discovers Peter Parker is Spider-Man,
and Spider-Man inadvertently kills a
woman by punching her, thinking
Wolverine snuck up on him

So many great books, so many wonderful signatures, and guess what? I'm not even done! The big books hit the Blog next week. The ones that I specifically went to the show for...

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