I don't really have any vintage Batman pieces from the 1960's, especially from that magic Bat-Year of 1966 when the T.V show debuted and everyone went Bat-GaGa, especially the merchandising. Seems like there was everything Bat related that year. If you could slap a Bat on the title, then chances were you were selling it. Bat Shirts? Done. Bat Bread? Sold. Bat Toliets? Um.... you get the idea.
However, I do own a few cards from the 1966 Topps Batman sets. I stumbled on them during visits to sports card shows. I usually find them sold as singles for 1-2 dollars a pop. Anytime I find them, I buy them. I know trying to buy a complete set of these cards would cost me a pretty Bat penny. Plus, I love the chase. The hunting of these cards and try to complete this set reminds me when I would buy packs of baseball cards and try to complete the sets. Call me old fashioned, but, to me, it's more satisfying and gratificating completing a set and being able to slam that binder cover closed when completed.
I don't know much about these cards other than there were multiple sets released. A black bat, a blue bat and a red bat set. Some sets had a red back, some had a blue back. Others had a puzzle back. I have even heard of there being multiple puzzle backs. iye, yi. yi. Trying to complete these sets may make me grey, but I'm willing to look like Old Man Winter to get this done.
Here are the cards I do own:
This one is in worse shape than any of the others I own. I will keep it for now until I can upgrade it.
Love how he has green eyebrows here. Looks like the Rock.
Too bad this mask wasn't on the show. Julie Newmar wearing this would have looked puuuuuuurrrrfect. I'm sorry.
Is it me or does Robin look sleepy?
Gulliver's Travels, staring the Caped Crusader.
The Penguin's so smooth. Fighting Batman with an umbrella AND smoking a cigarette. Smooth Criminal.
I've always wondred, does Robin wear chain mail shorts?
Ghost Rider's pissed.
See Batman, Liberace's got nothing on me. Ho, ho, ho. Ha, Ha, Ha.
I have yet to pick up the Laffs Batman cards and I see those at the card shows as well. I will grab some eventually. I just want to grab a few more of these cards before I start another set. By the way, if any one has any more info on these cards they can share, it would be greatly appreciated.
This is a set that will be a thrill for me to try and complete. I love vintage cards and I love Batman. 2 of my passions rolled into one. The Hobby Gods have smiled upon me. Hopefully, there will be more cards for me to add to my collection at the card show I'm hitting up tomorrow. I will post new additions, if any, tomorrow. Check back then.
From Myself and my family, I would like to wish you and your family a very Happy Thanksgiving. I hope you all consume mass quantities of food. Please keep it a safe holiday and not drink and drive.
I'm kicking myself for missing the Laurel and Hardy classic "March Of The Wooden Soldiers" and the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. My body needed the sleep I guess.
Let me start off by saying, I am a HUGE fan of the James Bond movies. I have been since I was a kid. I would watch all the Bond movies when ABC showed them on TV. "A View To A Kill" was my first 007 movie I saw on the big screen and have seen every one since with the exception of one. I have even been lucky enough to have seen "Dr. No" and "Goldfinger" in restoration theathers. Any chance I can get to see a James Bond movies on the silver screen, I'm taking it.
With "Skyfall" coming out today (I'm seeing it tomorrow morning), I got to hear Adele's song for the movie. It was very good. I love Adele's voice and she did a great job with the song. It got me thinking about all the Bond songs. So I decided to come up with a list of my ten favorite Bond songs. Just like any list, this is my personal favorites and you guys may or may not agree with it. As always, I would love to read your opinons in the comments section.
10-Tomorrow Never Dies-Sheryl Crow
This movie was not one of my favorite Bond movies. The plot, which Bond has to stop a media mougl from starting World War III based on events in his newpaper, isn't one of the strongest in the series. The title song, sang by Sheryl Crow, is actually one of my favorites.
9-Goldeneye-Tina Turner
The first Bond movie featuring Pierce Brosnan as James Bond. In this movie, Bond has to stop a British rouge agent and friend from stealing money from the Bank of England and cripple it's economy by using the GoldenEye satalite to conceal the theft. Bono and The Edge from U2 wrote the song, Tina Turner sang it.
8-Nobody Does It Better-Carley Simon
This was the first song in the series that did not share the title of the movie (The Spy Who Loved Me). It's in the lyrics though. Marvin Hamlisch composed, Carole Bayer Sager wrote it and Carley Simon sang it. This is a beautiful song which was nomiated for an Academy Award for Best Song.
7-The Living Daylights-A-Ha
The first movie that featured Timothy Dalton as 007. Intrestingly, he was asked to play 007 for "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" but he felt that at 25, he was too young for the role. Sam Neil and Pierce Brosnan also audition for the role, with Brosnan getting the role. NBC had cancelled "Remington Steele" and it would have allowed Bronsnan to play the role. Because of Brosnan getting the role, ratings surged for "Remington Steele" and NBC decided at the last minute excersise a 60 clause in Brosnan's contract, effectively knocking him out of the movie.
6-For Your Eyes Only-Sheena Easton
This was the first song where the singer (Easton) appears in the opening title sequence. Which I have no problem with. Sheena Easton was hot! The song was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song, but lost to Christopher Cross's "Arthur's Theme". I do remember seeing a great performance from Easton at the Academy Awards that year, being joined in the sequence on stage Richard Kiel, who played Jaws in "The Spy Who Loved Me" and "MoonRaker".
5-You Know My Name-Chris Cornell
From Casino Royale, this was the first James Bond movie with Daniel Craig as Bond. Chris Cornell wrote and sang the title song for the movie. With this movie, Bond was rebooted and the movie told the store of his first mission as an agent with 00 status. Craig did an excellent job as Bond and this movie is the highest grossing Bond movie of all time, earning $594 million worldwide.
4-Goldfinger-Shirley Bassey
Title song from the Third James Bond movie, released in 1964. Shirley Bassey sang the title song and is the only singer to sing other James Bond title songs, singing "Diamonds Are Forever" and Moonraker". This movie was the template for all Bond films to follow and is widely considered to be the best Bond film ever made.
3-Licence To Kill-Gladys Knight
Timothy Dalton starred in only two James Bond movies and both theme songs are on this list. Remember when I said I missed out in seeing only 1 Bond film in the theathers since "A View To A Kill"? well, This was the movie and I have yet to see it. I hear I'm missing out on a very good movie. I will see it soon.
Gladys Knight almost didn't get to perfom the title track. Producers had Eric Clapton tabbed to perform a diffrent song for the movie, but the producers didn't like the song that he and Vic Flick came up with and tuned it down.
2-A View To A Kill-Duran Duran
This song will always have a place in my heart. Not just because I am a big Duran Duran fan, but this was the first James Bond movie I saw in the theathers. I remember my mom taking me and my sister to see the movie only because I pestered her into taking me. My sister fell asleep in the middle, as usual and I ate a bunch of popcorn and enjoyed what was Roger Moore's final turn as James Bond.
1-Live and Let Die-Paul McCartney & Wings
Ok, I'm sure I'm going to get a bit of "Beatles bias" accusations for this pick, but come on, it's a great song. Producer Harry Saltzman only wanted McCartney to wite the song for an African American female singer to perform, but Geroge Martin told Saltzman that only Wings would perfom it. Saltzman agreed to it as he had previously turned down the chance to produce "A Hard Day's Night" and didn't want to make the same mistake twice. Live And Let Die was the first Bond theme to be nominated for an Academy Award, losing out to "The Way We Were".
For the past 50 years, there has been some great Bond theme songs. Some showed up on this list, others missed it. I'm sure every one has their favorites and I'm also sure that in the next 50 years there will be some more great music that opens up each 007 movie. Starting tomorrow, I will get to see the first of many. I'm looking forward to it.
For so long I have been going to thrift stores and I usually leave empty handed. After my big score last Friday, I decided to try my luck at the thrift store by where I work in Manhattan.
There are three thrift stores by where I work. 2 independently owned ones and 1 Goodwill store. I generally gravitate to the Goodwill over the independent stores as there is usually better stuff at the Goodwill and the prices are usually better. The owners of the independent stores usually know what they have and will price to retail and above. Goodwill will just guesstimate and put it out there.
On Monday, I went in during my lunch break and came away with 2 scores.
I usually won't find Beatles stuff at any thrift store so I was quite pleased to find this puzzle sitting on a shelf. I'm not usually a puzzle collector, but this was a Beatles puzzle and it was less than three bucks, so it became mine. A cool addition to the Beatles PC.
I just hope all the pieces are there. I may actually take a stab at putting this together and framing it once I'm done. Not sure what to do if there are any missing pieces. Probably will just display the box on my future Beatles shelf.
I also found this Comedian figure just sitting on a shelf. Now, I must be the only comic fan on earth who is NOT a fan of The Watchmen. I read the graphic novel and it was very good in some parts and not so good in others. The movie was visually stunning, but I wasn't a fan of the story. Guess you can't please everyone. This figure looks like it was never taken out of the box. All accesories are in with the figure. This will be up for trade if anyone wants it.
2 trips to 2 diffrent thrift stores netted some cool stuff for keeps and trade. One day soon, I will put together a trade blog and maybe make some trades with the community.
I'm hooked on thrifting and can't wait to make another trip. My collection needs more goodies.
You'll forgive me if I chuckle at the term "White Whale". It always makes me think of the classic Tom And Jerry cartoon (Chuck Jones Years). This one was a take off of the clasic story, "Mobey Dick", renamed "Dickey Moe. It opened with Ahab pacing back and forth across his ship, muttering to himself "Dickey Moe" over and over again. I seem to remember him drawing a pic of Dickey Moe, then dividing the whale into sections like chicken, beef, etc and eating it. To a kid with a warpped sense of humor, like myself, that was the funniest thing ever and I still chuckle at the "White Whale term.
Well, funny or not, I bagged me a "White Whale". Now I can check this item off my list. I managed to find it at a decent price off ebay and it arrived yesterday.
Yeah, I opened it, but I was excited. Don't judge me.
Oh yeah. Bubble wrapped and all. I have an extra toy now. I love popping bubble wrap. Especially in the movies. I said stop judging me!
Finally! I re-added a 1978 A.J. Renzi Spider-Man bank. I used to have this as a kid and the moment I took it out of the box I had a flood of memories come back to me. I used to love this thing. He looked great on my shelf next to my Megos, My Godzilla Shogun Warrior figure and my Darth Vader carrying case that had my Star Wars figures. I've been trying to add this to my Spider-Man collection for a few years. I would either get out bid for one on ebay or when I did get it, something would happen to it and it would get destroyed. Not this time. I will make sure this is well protected until I can re-display my Spidey collection or die trying.
Let's check out it's awesomeness
I remember there was a sticker on either side of the bank. On this one, there was only one sticker, but no matter really. I'm just thrilled to have it.
I love how the web lines are molded into the plastic and are not drawn on.
With these banks, you had the option of using it as a regular plastic bust or cutting a slit on the top to put change into it and use it as a bank. The only draw back to this was to get your change out, you would have to cut a hole on the bottom as you can see in the pictures above. It's rare to find an unused bank. When you do expect to pay over 100.00 for it.
I wanted to see how the bank stacks up with the A.J. Renzi Spider-Man Halloween pail I bought last month. The bank is taller, but not by that much. The pail has more mass, which means more candy and that is good. Strange, I seem to remember the bank being a bit more bigger. Maybe it's because as a kid, everything was bigger.
Still, I am real happy I can cross this bank off my "Must Have" list. This is a gorgous vintage toy from my childhood and I love it. Too bad there weren't any other characters made like Batman, Superman, Captain America and maybe a Wonder Woman. Regardless, I have the one bank I wanted in my collection and one day soon, I will hunt down the Hulk for the double play and add him to the collection.
It's always sweet tracking down that "White Whale". It's even better when it's someting you had at some point and already has sentimental value to you.
Today was the first day I was able to go out and about in and around my area in the Bronx. I had some errands to run and wanted to head over toward the Riverdale section of the Bronx. There is a thrift store I like going into and I wanted to take the trip over and see if there was anything intresting there.
Yes. I'd say I found some intresting stuff. For 8 bucks I got some nice toys to add to my various collections.
For .99 cents, I scored a vintage Two Bad from The Masters Of The Universe toy line. I don't normally collect Masters Of The Universe, but to score a vintage toy at that price, I wasn't passing it up. He didn't come with his shield, but I will probably not keep it anyway and trade him instead.
In this bag, I got 2 of the same Smurf (I hate Smurfs), an Iron Man for my Iron Man PC, a small Ninja Turtle, a Buzz Lightyear that's missing his helmet, 2 Darth Vader figures, another Darth Vader that is missing his light up lightsaber (sad face), a Anakin Skywalker with a broken arm and a Sponge Bob figure. I bought the baggie for the Iron Man and Darth Vaders. Everything else is either trash or for trade.
This was an intresting lot. I was initially drawn to Spidey but I also scored another Iron Man, a wind up Iron Monger and what I think to be a Halo figure, which will also be for trade. Everything else is mine, mine, mine!
This was a nice sized lot. I got a few pieces here for my various PC's. I got a Super Friends Batman, a Hulk, 2 figures I really have no earthly idea what they are, an Electro, a Super Nova, a Camo Batman with what looks to be one of the ears chewed off, an Avatar figue, a Jedi Luke Skywalker with the light up lightsaber missing (That one hurts) and a Captain America. I had seen the Capt. America and the Hulk in the baggie and bought it for those two. Everything, but the Avatar and the Double Mint Twins are PC.
This lot was the steal of the day. For 1.99 I scored a construction worker, a small Lego guy, an army guy AND some original Star Wars figures. A Hoth Outfit Han Solo, a C3PO, a Bespin Outfit Luke Skywalker and a Bespin Security Guard. I know the Solo, Skywalker and the Security Guard are from the Empire Strikes Back line. Not sure about C3PO though. I can guess he is. There was a Threepeo released in that line, so I'm guessing he is. The Solo and Skywalker were missing their blasters, but I can pick those up on ebay rather easily. It's always a great day when you can find some vintage swag at a dirt cheap price. Those are going into the Star Wars/Luke Skywalker PC.
Tomorrow, I plan to hit a flea market I saw a sign for. I am hoping for much of the same as today. I usually hit thrift stores and come out empty handed. Today I learned that if your patient, you will be rewarded and was I ever.
