New York Comic Con

I resigned myself to the fact that I would be missing New York Comic Con this year. I was actually fine with it. I am saving my pennies for my trip to Los Angeles to see my baby at the end of the month, so I wasn't even thinking about trying to find a way in this year.

Then, around 4:30 PM Friday afternoon my buddy, Jose, texted me asking me to call him. I ran to my desk at the office and called him back. Turns out he had weekend passes and his friend cancelled for that evening and he wanted to know if I wanted to go.

Um, yeah.

So, after I got off work, I met up with Jose in front of Jacobs Javitz Center and in we went. Jose runs a website called Talking About Games, which talks about makeup and hair styles. Nah, it's a video game website. You can check out the website at talkingaboutgames.com.

Ok, enough of the props. On to the pictures.

I'm pretty much going to let the pictures do the talking here. Unfortunately, since time was limited, I didn't get to see everything I wanted, which is fine. I ha a blast in the time I was there and hope I can make another Comic Con in the future. If you are on my Facebook page, you already seen these, but if you aren't (shame one you), here they are.

Walking up to the entrance

.
I would kill to own this.

This too.

I love this poster

Snootchie Bootchies

I still need that Art FX Batman statue.

Love these bust banks.

My favorite booth was the Toyworth booth, which displayed some sweet vintage stuff.

Check out that awesome vintage Batman and the Justice League playset. Drool.

Sweet vintage looking Spidey card from Hallmark.

Awesome Batman stuff. I want them all!

I will be reading this when it's released. I believe it's going to be put out by Dark Horse.

Lola from Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. made an appearance.

We end with Neil Adams. One day, I will have a commissioned Batman piece from Neil. Unfortunately, at $300.00 a pop, that will be a long way off.

Again, I want to thank my buddy, Jose from Talking About Games for the pass to get in. I really enjoyed looking at all the cool stuff. Go check out his website and listen to his podcast as well. I will guest on it one day and knowing the two of us, you never know what will come out of our mouths.

Hope you enjoyed the pictures.

What Do You Think?

Can You Help A Poor American Who's Down On His Luck?

I love that bit from a Bugs Bunny Cartoon. Always wanted to use it here in someway.

Back on June 3rd, 2009, I wrote my first entry for the "Sexy Geek's House Of Swag". Originally, it was intended to be a sports blog, covering my sports card addiction as well as showing off any autograph, figurine pick ups and posting any views on what was going on in the sports world.

Obviously, something happened on the way to Heaven.

4 years later, The Sexy Geek's going strong, but whatever ideas I had about making this a sports blog went out the window when I restarted reading comics, buying toys and reading blogs like Cool And Collected, Batcave Toy Room, and William Bruce West. These three blogs are who I give credit to inspiring me to switch up from sports, which I was really comfortable discussing, to pop culture, which I was not initially, I really still feel like I am relearning everything pop culture, but it has now become such a passion for me that I am re-reading comics I read as a kid, reading comics I missed out on, watching movies, reading books and, more importantly, collecting. After 4 years later, I think I'm doing something right. What that is, I really don't know.

Now that we are in the month of October and 2013 is nearing it's end, I wanted to get some feed back from you guys. Do you enjoy reading the blog? What changes would you make to make it even better? Are there any subjects I should be discussing more? I really want to make this blog one you guys enjoy reading and would love to have more readers come by and take a look

Some of the things I was tinkering with in my head was to maybe add a YouTube page as a companion to the blog, expanding the page with links to trade bait or maybe even moving it to another blog page.

One thing I really would love to do is create a banner for the page. Problem is, I have no artistic skills nor am I handy with Photoshop and I cannot afford someone to create the banner for me. Hopefully, I can figure out how to add the banner before 2014 begins. Again, I am open to suggestions on how I can go about creating one.

Anyway, I'd like to say thanks ahead of time for any suggestions you guys might have for me. I love writing this blog and I want to make it one you guys will continue to enjoy reading for the next few years or for as long as I am able to write it. I have a lot of plans for 2014 and making "The Sexy Geek's House Of Swag" even better is one of them.

League Assignment: Halloween

Another assignment from the League. This one is about one of my very favorite holidays.

Halloween.

Who doesn't love Halloween except, maybe, the Amish. I mean, what's not to love? Candy, costumes, candy, scary movies, candy, tricks or treats, candy, It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, and did I mention candy?

As a kid, Halloween was a very special occasion. It meant a trip to Woolworth's (Google it, kids) to pick out a Halloween bucket to hold the loot in and a trip to my favorite aisle. The aisle of Ben Cooper Halloween costumes.

For those not in the know, Ben Cooper was a company that manufactured Halloween costumes. They had licenses to turn any character into a Halloween costume. The costumes were basically plastic masks and vinyl smocks with a silk screen image on the front, but during the 50's, 60's and 70's Ben Coopers was synonymous with Halloween.

Thanks to Ben Cooper, you didn't need an imagination. For around $4.00, you could be a Six Million Dollar Man

A Beatle

Or A Damn Dirty Ape

You could be a masked crime fighter

Or something just down right creepy

How parents allowed their kids to dress up as an Alien yet fight for the removal of said toy I will never understand.

Some of my personal favorites costumes are some that I wore as a kid. Allow me to indulge my middle aged geeky self and take a walk down memory lane.

Since two of my favorite heroes are Spider-Man and Batman you would think that I was Spidey and the Caped Crusader for Halloween and you would be correct. Two of my favorite costumes are the Batman and Spider-Man costumes. I believe I was Batman first, then Spider-Man the next year. With the Spider-Man costume, I had the matching Spider-Man Halloween bucket. Batman, I had the usual pumpkin shaped bucket. No matter, that bad boy was filled with candy and when I got to my little Batcave, I ate as much candy as I could before I passed out.

Another year, The Incredible Hulk T.V. series was a huge hit, so I wanted to paint my skin green and wear rags. Thankfully, I was given this instead:

Give me that candy and don't make me angry. You wouldn't like me when I'm angry.

The last year I remember getting a Ben Cooper, I wanted to be Luke Skywalker. So, basically, I asked my mom for this:

And I got this instead:

Is it any wonder why I can be deliciously evil? That's all on you Mom.

I never wore this, but I just think it's freaking sweet and would love to add it to my future Green Hornet collection.

As much as kids today have costumes that look a bit more realistic, I will always have a soft spot for the Ben Cooper outfits. I mean, today's costumes come in a bag. No presentation whatsoever. You guys can keep that. I will just cherish the memories I have of seeing those boxes stacked on the shelves of Woolworths, going home and staring at the graphics on the box. I wish I had some of them. To me, nothing says Halloween like Ben Cooper.

Check out what Halloween means to the other League members:

http://coolandcollected.com/1965-munsters-lunch-box/

http://monstercafesaltillo.blogspot.mx/2013/10/league-assignment-here-comes-halloween.html

http://teamhellions.com/2013/10/09/halloween-the-league/

http://goodwillhunting4geeks.blogspot.com/2013/10/halloween-countdown-day-7-loeg-here.html

http://nerdoutwithmeblog.blogspot.com/2013/10/this-nerds-favorite-halloween-movies.html

Ask them for some candy and bring it to me!

Dark Knight Mez-Itz Pickup

Sometimes, It's worth waiting on picking up an item for your collection.

Case in point, I have been wanting to pick up the Dark Knight Rises Mez-Itz figure. I had seen it in Toys R Us all last year for 12.99. I would always think about picking it up, going as far as holding it in my hand before putting it back. Then I couldn't find anymore. One week it was there and the next, gone. 

I was kicking myself for not picking it up when I had the chance. I always seem to do that. I will see something that intrests me and not buy it for whatever reason and then never see it again. I figured I was doomed to picking it up off eBay for whatever the seller was asking plus shipping. I may have paid more for it then I would have had I picked it up at Toys R Us.

Funny how things work itself out.

I had decided to hit Barnes N Noble after work one day. I wanted to see if there was any books or comic trade paperbacks on clearance. What I did find on clearance shocked me.

The Mez-Itz Dark Knight figure. 

It had a 50% off sticker on it, so it was a no brainer for me to pick it up at 7.00. When I got to the register, the figure rang up at 5.00. I have never been more than happy to open my wallet and pay the guy behind the register and get out of dodge with my newest Batman figure. 

And here he is. Red Sticker and all.

On one side of the box, you have pictures of their 2 releases in this line, Batman and Bane.

Other side is the brand name, letting you know that you indeed bought a Mez-Itz figure.

The back has a cellophane window, displaying the back of the figure with the company website on top and the Dark Knight Rises logo on the bottom.

Here is Batman out of the box. Ta-da!

The figure has a very nice paint job. I like how the gray contrasts with the black to give it a real nice shading effect on the mask. He looks really Po'ed. Like I am when someone eats my nachos.

The coloring extends to his body. The artists also did a nice job with the utility belt as well. I really like the way they did the costume. Not a straight black and grey, but the artists highlighted the details of his costume that  really pop out on the figure.

I love that we get a cloth cape with this figure instead of a cape molded from plastic. I think it is a real nice touch that makes the figure even better.

On the bottom of one foot is the copyright info and on the other is the Mez-Itz logo molded onto the bottom of the foot.

I have to say I really like this figure and I would pick up more as I find them in stores. I have seen the blue and grey costume Batman that I am now yearning for as well as the Batmobile and Tumbler as well as mini two packs with Bane and Catwoman. If your not a Batman collector, fear not, I have seen Superman, Wonder Woman and Green Lantern Mez-Itz figures. All look great and I may actually pick them up as well.

I think I really did well. I picked up a great looking Batman figure at more than half off the original price. He's going to look great with my other Batman figures and collectibles and I cannot wait to get that shelf up. I'm going to enjoy this purchase for a while.

What I Hunt For- A League Assignment

I love hunting and I don't even have to wear a hunters hat either (Be vewy, vewy quiet. I'm hunting Megos. Hahahahahahahahah). I always have my eyes, ears and nose to the ground in my travels. I never know when I may come across a thrift store, a goodwill store, a flea market or even a toy show. I try to always be prepared for that eventuality (George Harrison representin' yo!).

When I first started collecting and going out for new additions, I used to pick up anything that looked good and interested me. Now while I would love to do pick up and add anything that is remotely close to what I collect, I find that room is a factor in what I can keep and display. So I now try to just keep it to what I collect.

I try to pick up as much vintage as I can. After drooling over Brian's shelves I decided to do the mature, orignal and practical thing....Be a dirty, stinking copycat. To do so, I scour each box, table, rack and shelf in every place I go to until I find something worthy of bringing to the House Of Swag. I'm not above adding more contemporary pieces either, as long as it fits the collection and looks awesome.

So, what do I look for? Well, pull up a chair because I have a list to share.

Batman

Batman has always been a favorite of mine and he has some pretty sweet swag to pick up. Batman's vintage pieces are among the best toys out there which is why I always am on the look out for Batman stuff of the 1960's and 70's. Growing up I had some great Batman toys that I would love to reacquire like the Duncan Batmobile, Mego Bat-Computer and Remco CSF Copter. Some of the vintage pieces I've never owned, but really want are the Janex Batman Clock, Mego Bat Lab, Batman lunchbox from the 1960's and the Mego Wayne Foundation, which I will probably never own because that piece costs a pretty penny. Oh well, a guy can dream, right?

Spider-Man

Spidey and Batman are my most favorite heroes. They flip flop in my heart at times. I got a Spider-Man tattoo, but haven't added the Caped Crusader to my arm...yet. But, I am just as passionate about the wall crawler as I am about Bats. My Spider-Man collection might be larger than my Batman one right now and I am always looking for more Spider-Man pieces to add to my collection. Some of the vintage Spider-Man toys I am always looking for are the Mego Spider Car, Funstuff Spider-Man Web Shooters, Mego 12 inch Spider-Man figure, Ideal Spider-Man Hand Puppet and Spider-Man Colorforms. If I can find the 1960's Spider-Man board game I would be thrilled. I'm also always looking for vintage Amazing Spider-Man and Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man comics.

Luke Skywalker

I love Star Wars. Unless this is your first time to this blog, then you already know that Luke is the one character from that awesome franchise I collect. I have picked up some great Skywalker pieces, but there are a few I am missing and have always kept my eye out for including a vintage X-Wing fighter, a vintage Landspeeder, a Kenner Return Of The Jedi Jedi outfit figure, an original 12 inch Skywalker figure, a vintage Kenner puzzle and the Star Wars and Return Of The Jedi Burger King glasses I am missing from completing my Skywalker set.

Star Wars

Of course, I also collect Star Wars as well. I have put that aside though in my pursuit of anything Skywalker. But if I found a Death Star Playset, an Escape From Death Star board game, a Darth Vader action figure carrying case or any of the posters from the movies I wouldn't turn them away.

The Beatles

My all time favorite band has a place in my collection as well. I cannot get enough of the Beatles (if you haven't listened to Beatles-A-Rama, then shame on you) and will always pick up anything Beatles related. Some of the Beatles stuff I really want are pricey, but I always look anyway because you never know what you may find. Among the Beatles stuff I want are the Beatles "Flip Your Wig" board game, the Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr Soaky bottles, McFarlane Cartoon Beatles figures box set that I missed out on, Remco Beatles figures, Beatles lunchbox, Beatles Hamilton figures from 1991 (I had John Lennon, but the figure was lost in one of my moves.), trading cards and the mini Beatles cake top nodders. If I can find the vintage albums and 45's, I want those too.

The Monkees

I have a few pieces of memorabilia from my favorite T.V. band, but I am always looking for more stuff to add like the Mattel Monkees Talking Hand Puppet, Johnny Lighting 1/64 scale Monkee Mobile and Van, vintage Kellogg's Monkees cardboard album, Lunchbox, trading cards, Fairchild Monkees puzzle from 1967, Monkees Bennie Babies Mickey, Davy and Peter bears (I have Mike Nesmith), Ertl 1/18 scale Monkee Mobile and the finger puppets, which I had and lost in the same move. A box or two were "lost" by movers. As with The Beatles (love that album), I also want to get the albums and 45's.

Superheroes

Of course, the comic book lover in me always loves to pick up anything related to my favorite Marvel and DC heroes. I have a small Iron Man collection that I am always adding to, but I also love Superman, The Hulk and Captain America. As a kid, I would have killed for a Hulk Rage In The Cage, but never got it. I would love one now as well as the Mego Captain America car, Super Powers Hall Of Justice Playset, Mego Iron Man and Thor figures, Marx Marvel plastic figures, Mego 12 inch Hulk and Captain America figures, Marvel Superheroes and DC Super Friends lunchboxes, Pocket Mego figures, Funko POP Vinyls, Viewmaster Reels, Knickerbocker Fiddle Sticks Playset, Milton Bradley Marvel Superheroes Card Game and Whitman DC Superheros Dominoes. I also would love to try and put together the Super Powers and Secret Wars action figure sets.

There is a lot more that I want, but I will keep it not so short. My shopping list is pretty extensive and I can go on and on and on about what I would love to own one day.

If you find anything on my shopping list, give me a shout and I will come running. Hopefully, we can work out something or I will go away crying and who wants to see a grown man cry?

Check out some of the want lists of my fellow bloggers:

http://goodwillhunting4geeks.blogspot.com/2013/10/league-post-whaddya-want.html

http://www.nerdoutwithmeblog.blogspot.com/2013/10/so-watcha-watcha-watcha-want.html

http://fortuneandglorydays.blogspot.com/2013/10/league-of-extraordinary-bloggers.html

http://www.nerdcantina.com/1/post/2013/09/league-challenge-waddaya-want.html

I Will Be Wanting These....OK, I Already Do!

I have been seeing some pictures of future POP Vinyl releases and they all had my heart racing. I cannot wait until these are released so I can add these beauties to my growing POP collection.

First up are a couple of Comic Con exclusives:

This piece is exclusive to the upcoming New York Comic Con.This batmobile has been made up to look like those old 1970's Japanese tin batmobile toys. You know, the ones that would require your first born to own (I looked it up. Good thing I don't have children). Well, owning this would be the next best thing. I'm missing NYCC this year, so I will have to pony up the dough on eBay to add this to my collection.

Oh man, this one is also pretty cool as is also a Comic Con exclusive. To get this unmasked Spider-Man POP, you will have to be at Comikaze, which is the first weekend of Nov at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Hey, I'm going to be in L.A. that wekend. Hmmmmmmm..

Ever since I was a kid, I have begged for some Back To The Future stuff and I have some, but no figures. When Mattel bought the licence, I was drooling over the prospect of what figures we would get. Then they never released them so that was a waste. When I saw these pictures I almost had a coronary. I must have these.

Funko has been releasing some terrific POP Vinyls and these are no exception. POP has easily become one of my favorite toy lines and I love picking up new figures to add to the collection. I always wonder if I should display the Batman and Spider-Man ones with those collections or should I display them with the other POP figures I pick up. At the rate I'm going, I will have a nice POP collection. Which means I will need a bigger boat...or house. Whichever comes first.