Is Nothing Sacred?

More Spidey Toys

2009-07-14T06:22:00.007-04:00

So the wife and I were at this outlet store called The Christmas Tree Shop (never could figure out why it was called that, because it doesn’t sell Christmas trees, but that could just be me). To be sure it is sort of an “Odd Lot” store and sells all sorts of remainder items for next to nothing. The wife really likes the place because it sells all sorts of stuff really cheap, and I really like the place because it sells comicbook stuff (read: Marvel/Spidey) stuff really cheap.

So we were there the other day, and I found a tube of Face Off Spidey figures (there was another with Iron Man or X-Men characters (or both, I don’t recall), but I didn’t pick it up). As I understand it, Face Off is some sort of Marvel game where the characters go up against other characters. Personally, I don’t care about the game, but the figures were kind of cool, and seemed cheap enough, so I grabbed them and snuck them into the carriage.

I also saw a Spider-man lawn sprinkler, but that was 10 bucks, and (I felt) too expensive for something that I was never going to use. I figured that I’d wait a month or so to see if it was still there and went down in price after the Summer. I figure that if it hit $5.00 I’d grab one for my collection.

The house where Superman lived...

2009-07-13T10:24:00.004-04:00

Yes, I’m more Spider-Man than Superman, but I wanted to share this one with you all. I found it today and, well, this is truly where we all started.

The story of Superman started on June 2, 1932, when Michel Siegel was robbed in his second-hand clothing store not far from his home. He died later that night of a heart attack.

The youngest of his six children, a gangly, 16-year-old comic-book fan and budding artist named Jerry, began to fantasize about how his father might have been saved, said Bradley Ricca, who teaches a Superman course at Case Western Reserve University.

The next year, in a cramped bedroom, the young Mr. Siegel imagined a bulletproof "Man of Steel" whose superpowers were cloaked under the mild-mannered guise of a bumbling alter-ego. According to lore, Mr. Siegel sprinted nine and a half blocks to the apartment of his friend, Joe Shuster, to describe his vision. Mr. Shuster began to draw the first renditions of the square-jawed hero.

In 1938 the first Superman comic strip was published. It sold out immediately.

For more on this story read it in the Wall St. Journal.

A weekly Spidey Fix!

2009-07-13T07:31:00.004-04:00

No, I’m not talking about the three-times-a-month Amazing Spider-Man comic that has been coming out for the past year or so, I’m talking about the fact that Spidey now appears weekly in Comic Shop News.

That’s right, beginning (I think) with issue #1150, CSN is starting to reprint the syndicated Spidey strip by Stan Lee and (his brother) Larry Leiber. My local paper doesn’t carry the series, and, well, as much of a Spidey fan that I am I‘m simply not going to pick up another newspaper that I’m not going to read, simply to read these stories.

I believe that many of them were reprinted somewhere, and either I purchased this reprint volume, or will purchase it when (if) it becomes available.

In the meantime, I’ll settle for picking up CSN each week at my local comicbook shop. At least these strips are all in color, and you know, free.

Transformers the (giveaway) Comic

2009-07-11T09:24:00.004-04:00

Say what you want about Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (and I’m planning on saying plenty when I post my film review), but they did something I consider to be very cool, and wonder why more films that have inspired comicbooks (and have been inspired by comicbooks) haven’t done, and that is to provide a copy of the comic in the theater for kids (even big kids like me), to read, enjoy, and then (hopefully) seek out and purchase in comicbook shops.

Now I realize that we all have long since realized that comicbooks are merely portable storyboards for potential films that are sold to people in the anticipation that these storyboard pamphlets will translate into a buzz of sorts that will then hook in an audience so that when the next big-budget blockbuster based on those storyboard pamphlets is released, you can then charge that same audience triple the price of the storyboard pamphlets to see an abridged version of what they already read in the first place, and then leverage that film into convincing those self-same folks into believing that they simply can’t live without t-shirts, toys, games, and Happy Meals again based around the characters in that film.

(Not too cynical, am I?)

Seriously though, with so many films these days dancing around comicbooks (again either inspired by or adapted into) You have to wonder why more comicbook companies simply don’t issue more film-related comics. Now I realize that back in the ‘80s & ‘90s Marvel, DC, and others did issue comicbook adaptations of films, but to my mind, those simply never worked, as they tended to be written well before the release of the film, and simply hit the big points of the film effectively capturing random static moments in the film and sucking all live and enjoyment out of the film-going experience itself.

No, what I am talking about is having a standard-sized comic that can be given away to the folks in line at the film that will work both as a cool collectible/giveaway and as a way to leverage that captured audience into going into a comicbook shop to buy more comics, and yes toys, t-shirts, and Happy Meals.

While the IDW/KMart comicbook that adapts the first 20 minutes or so of Transformers,, is kind of cool (even though it suffers from the exact same problem of the old Marvel/DC film adaptations that I spoke of earlier), is a very cool thing, and I’ll tell you why:

First, it was co-sponsored by KMart and second, it didn’t give a complete story, and as IDW is producing an on-going Transformers series, perhaps it will inspire some folks into heading into a comic shop to find the continuing adventures (As an aside, according to IDW, fan enthusiasm has caused the company’s movie prequel Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen - Defiance is on the New York Times Best Sellers list for the second time.

I actually found the comic by accident, as the theater where I saw the film didn’t have the comic, but another theater did. Like I say, I really wish that more comicbook companies would do this, as it would (hopefully) help funnel people back into comic shops, and thus benefit the shops that purchase and resellthe comics to the film’s audience in the first place.

Busted Superheroes

2009-07-10T13:54:00.002-04:00

Now I know that (in the Marvel Universe) The Superpower Registration Act (SRA) requires folks with superpowers to register with the Federal Government, and those that don’t (like my buddy Spider-Man), are summarily hunted down and arrested. But in the gleaming DC Universe, no such grittiness has yet occurred, so you can imagine my surprise when I learned that Superman and Batman had been arrested today.

Only they weren't arrested in the DC-verse, but here on Earth Prime. In NYC even. Right in Times Square!

Don’t believe me? Check it out (from the NY Post).

Superman and Batman took on New York's Finest last night in an epic Crossroads of the World battle that left the Caped Crusader in cuffs.

Stunned Times Square tourists and office workers watched agog as cops struggled to subdue Clark Kent's alter ego without kryptonite.

"The Man of Steel didn't go down with just two officers, it took seven officers!" witness Ryan McCormick said. "He was putting up a good fight. Little kids were like, 'Mommy, it's Superman!'"

WHat is the world coming to I ask?

Iconic in the news

2009-07-10T09:07:00.005-04:00

Hey there folks, Iconic just got a very nice write-up in The Sun Chronicle.

Yep, that’s right, I got Mike Gelbwasser, a reporter/columnist for the Chronicle (who once interviewed me) to chat up Iconic editor, Liam Webb about the project (you’re welcome, Liam).

Also, thanks to Mike for enjoying comics, listening to us, doing the interview, and helping us get some press in the mainstream.

And that, folks, is the way it is done.

Belkis in July

2009-07-08T10:33:00.006-04:00

Ah, it is finally July, and time to (re) spotlight my good buddy, James Rodriguez, who produced the NovaStar Studios Fantasy Art Calendar

As we’ve discussed, James was born and raised in New York, James attended both The High School of Art in Design and The School of Visual Arts. He freelanced for the next few years working in advertising, comics, theatre, television, and film. He was a co-producer of the comedy troupe Sal Soul at the famed Caroline’s Comedy Club. After meeting Keith Murphey he became a member of the Comic Book Artist Guild and wound up drawing the cover for their anthology (CAG#1). Soon after that he was asked to become the new penciler on Philip Clark’s Quantum Rock of Ages which has gone on to gain critical acclaim.

At present James has established his own illustration studio, Novastar Studios (the studio is named after one of the first comicbook characters he created in high school). Not only did James’ Novastar Studios produce both this calendar but he is producing an on-going comicbook series, The Chronicles of Sara.

On another front, James is also drawing a story of mine An Act of Attrition for an Atlas Unleashed comic anthology to be announced later. As we’ve mentioned. Belkis, the subject of the year in question, is a marketing professional who’s website is nothing short of brilliantly insightful.

Now leave me alone while I stare at the calendar.

It’s a Timing Thing.

2009-07-08T08:47:00.003-04:00

Time, they say, is that thing that keeps everything all at once.

Today, shortly after 12:30 P.M. today, comes the moment that can be called 12:34:56 7/8/9. It happens only once a century, and even though it has nothing at all to do with comics I think that it is kind of a cool bit of information, so I wanted to share it with all of you.

Hey look! I’m on TV!

2009-07-08T01:55:00.006-04:00

So, this is a little bit dated, but it just popped up on my radar, and I was so tickled by it that, well, I just had to post it.

Anyway, like I said, GWP is so last year, right now Mark and I are involved in Mark’s new venture, Atlas Unleashed. We are building a new publishing paradigm, and right now are gathering creators and material to publish.

There will be more info as we are ready to talk about it, but let me leave you with this: We brought Psychosis! over with us, and are preparing to launch a Sci-Fi mag, and a number of creator-owned titles, including my own Agent Unknown, and Wülf Girlz.

Who ya gonna call?

2009-07-07T11:14:00.003-04:00

I saw this comic in a free local (weekly) paper that is distributed in my area. The strip Bassist Wanted is online, but this particular strip isn’t posted as of yet, but it was very funny,and my pal Chris Buchner is a huge Ghostbusters fan, so I figured that I’d post it for him.

On the Local Front

2009-07-07T09:52:00.007-04:00

A month back, while at MoCCA, my good friend, collaborator, and client, Mark Mazz produced a limited edition “Script Book” for his Mark Twain story, Expressions of Bull-Frog Wisdom on the Lady Mississippi. The story was originally supposed to appear in the CAG-produced Graphic Album, Iconic, but due to creative differences (Mark wanted to be creative and the editor wanted something different), it was pulled. The good news is that the story will be re-released in a book entitled Literacy that is slated to come out from Atlas Unleashed.

My good buddy Chris Torres (who is drawing my own Springload & Renegade — also due out from Atlas Unleashed) illustrated it. Chris is a major talent, and seriously should be busier (and more well-known) than he already is. We sold the script book for a buck a pop, and it received some very nice comments.

The other very cool publication I recently acquired is the new issue of DitkoMania (#73) which is produced by Rob Imes. The issue is B&W and a buck-fifty. You can acquie your own copy by going to Rob's website and purchasing one yourself. This issue cover-features Dr. Strange, and is well worth the price.

You can also write directly to Rob at 13510 Cambridge #307, Southgate, MI 48195.

This is a must fro any serious Ditko fan.

Love & Rockets

2009-07-04T12:05:00.007-04:00

So, when I first entered comics professionally (back in the Stone Age), I began working for a small local company called Fantagraphics. At that time they published The Comics Journal and Amazing Heroes. They were also getting into publishing some independent comics, one of them was Love and Rockets (later on an indie rock band appropriated the name for themselves).

Well, I began read L&R back then because well, two reasons really, they were free (because I worked there), and they were really different and somewhat subversive from what I normally read (Marvel’s DC and the like). It was like an underground Archie, with Hispanic characters, plus it was literally oozing with a sensuality that simply couldn't be found in mainstream funnybooks. Oh yeah, every once in a while it flashed some skin, but while that was what got me started reading them, what kept me was the intricate and powerful stories, as well as the truly intriguing art.

Yep, I loved these books.

Not entirely sure why, but somewhere along the way, I stopped reading them (long after I stopped getting them for free and had been spending my own money buying them). Well, this past Free Comic Book Day I managed to score the free L&R and read the new adventures, and was reminded of how much I truly enjoyed this series. So when I was up in Falmouth, MA at A Blast from the Past, I purchased a new graphic album of L&R adventures and was totally blown away as to how good it still is, and to how much I really missed reading about these characters.

If you have the opportunity to pick up any L&R comics, I highly recommend it, as it is still some of the consistently very best comics that is being produced.

The Avengers and the Military

2009-07-03T09:23:00.004-04:00

Since 2005 Marvel has published seven specialty comics featuring the New Avengers (and co-stars) and the U.S. military in a series of comics that are distributed only to U.S. military bases. These comics are produced in conjunction with AAFES (Army & Air Force Exchange Service)these stories have ranged from excellent to passingly OK.

Well, I just acquired the most recent issue (#7) from ebay, and I’m here to say that this one is actually quite good. This issue features not only the New Avengers, but virtually every other Marvel Superhero as they all converge on the American South West to bring down the Hulk (who is on a rampage that harkens back to his Hulk-Buster Glory Days. As always, featured prominently in the comic is some branch of the Armed Forces.

The story here is that the military is testing some new OsCorp ordnance and accidentally target the Hulk, who becomes (understandably) irritated at this inturuption of his life. In an effort not to be killed, the military calls out to Tony Stark, who brings in the (superhero) Calvary who all rush to the scene and slow the Hulk long enough for a couple of Army sharpshooters to pepper Hulk with numerous rounds of (adamantimum tipped) tranks which knock him out, causing the Jade Giant to revert back to Bruce Banner.

While I enjoyed the comic (and the throw-back storyline) I really have to question the chronology of the events that happen within the story (this only because I’m now working on The Official Index to the Marvel Universe, and, well, these things are now starting to bother me). The events of the story seem to be set in current continuity (OsCorp not Stark) has a military contract, and Aries is apparently an Avenger, but Stark/Iron Man is a hero in good standing and the Thunderbolts are on the outs and the villains that populated Osborn’s “Dark” Avengers are nowhere to be seen.

Still, these are minor, and since I’m not one to make facts (or slavish adherence to continuity) get in the way of a good story, it really doesn’t matter so much to me, as I think that the story (standing on its own) reads quite well, and is a fun read.

The Official Index to the Marvel Universe

2009-07-03T00:17:00.004-04:00

In case you haven’t figured out by now, I’m something of a Spider-Man geek. I began reading his adventures back in 1962 when his adventures were first published in Amazing Fantasy #15. I’ve been reading his adventures ever since, and today, I have a rather sizable collection of Spidey comics, toys, clothing, Chachkas, and other assorted Spidey-stuff.

During that time, I’ve written about Spidey in numerous venues. Lately, I’ve been writing about him for Marvel Comics itself, and seriously, nothing could be cooler than that. I’m one of the contributors to The Official Index to the Marvel Universe. Issue #7 has just hit the stands, and I just today acquired my copy of it.

Well, I tell you three times. Nothing can be cooler than this.

Benefit for Rusty Haller

2009-07-02T17:58:00.002-04:00

I’ve talked a bit about my buddy, Rusty Haller, and now I want to point you all in the direction of a benefit that is being given to help raise money for Rusty’s Expenses.

you can learn more by following this link over to Mike Gelbwasser’s online column for The Sun Chronicle

Machine-Delivered Heroes

2009-07-01T13:31:00.005-04:00

So, you recall me telling you all of my growing collection of “gum machine” superheroes? Well here are a couple of pics I snapped last night while attending Year One and The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 (Yep, Dylan & I went to see both of them).

Here is the front of the machine (I know I keep calling it a “Gum” machine, but that is because I really don’t know what else to call it. Anyone out there know what these things are really called?)

Here is a close-up of the figures themselves inside the machine.

Here they are on my desk (I’m still missing the Human Torch):

Stan and Jack-o meet!

2009-06-30T12:27:00.002-04:00

Yep, that’s right, according to Jim Salicrup, Stan Lee and Michael Jackson met and there was someone there to film the whole thing. here is a piece of it.

Read the rest about the encounter on Jim’s blog.

Transformers @ BK

2009-06-30T12:09:00.005-04:00

OK, so I went to a BK over the weekend in the hopes to score some very cool Transformers, only the one I went to was apparently out of the figures (or simply refused to sell me them without the meal). Slightly disappointed, I looked at the figures, and was somewhat less than impressed.

To be sure, they might be cooler when you actually get one in your hands, but I just wasn't impressed by the look of them in the display case.

Perhaps I’ll just skip them, and wait for the GI Joe toys that I know are coming.

Have to think about this. Still, the movie is wicked-cool!

Rusty Haller

2009-06-29T18:41:00.002-04:00

So I have this professional friend...or rather this friend who is a fellow professional. He is a cartoonist, and well, has been having a bit of personal and professional bad luck. In this tough economy he is having some difficulty getting a stead stream of assignments and, is getting evicted. He has to move out of his place at the end of the month (which as you all know is two days from now).

I’ve been doing what I can to get Rusty hooked up with more work, or representation of some sort (even commissioned and purchased art from him recently). I’ve also been trying to get other friends of ours to help in in whatever way they could. Sever folks have risen to the challenge (including the folks at Bryanna Bunny, who have set up a donation fund for Rusty, and the guys over at Free Lunch Comics who are holding a charity auction to help raise money for Rusty).

Rust was doing a bunch of great work in the ‘80s and ‘90s for Marvel, Dc, Archie, and other companies. He is also the creator of Ace & Queenie, a very cool action/adventure anthropomorphic espionage series, that began live over at Radio Comix and lives now on the Web.

In the mean time, take a look at a very cool comic that Rusty recently drew (I'm trying to see if I can find a magazine that will purchase it — so if you know of any editor that want's to get his or her hands on a very talented cartoonist, let me know).

More Spidey, More Spidey, More Spidey!

2009-06-29T17:59:00.005-04:00

Went to the movies last night to see Transformers, and while I was there I made my usual trip to the toy dispensers that are in the lobby. One of them contains Marvel characters packed in a little plastic egg. Well there eight toy figurines and I now have seven of them (only Missing the Human Torch).

Needless to say, I also managed to score five duplicates (two of which I’ve given away, one is slated to be given away, and the other two are sitting on my desk, looking for a good home.

The figures in the set are two Spideys (different poses)Wolverine, Ghost Rider, The Thing, Captain America, and Hulk. (The ones awaiting “homes” are an extra Hulk and Ghost Rider.) They each come in three pieces and need assembling.

They are very cool, and only a buck a figure. Whenever I go to this particular theater, I drop a buck (or two) into the slot and (hopefully) grab a figure I didn’t have. Well, like I said, I have only one more to go. Normally, I stop after I score the Spidey figure, but it wasn’t ‘til this last time that I managed to get the 2nd Spidey.

This Week’s Funnybooks

2009-06-29T09:50:00.009-04:00

I’ve been reading the Avengers/Invaders mash-up this past decade or so (actually, it has only seemed that long with the ponderous and meandering storyline that Writer Jim Kruger has been trowling about. Seriously, after all this time, nothing of note has occurred (OK there were two minor linchpins that get pulled out at the end, but seriously, This whole thing could have been told in a Giant-Sized special, and told much better.

By comparison, let me tell you that I sat through two hours and 42 minutes of Transformers which had way less storyline than did Avengers/Invaders, but seemed to take up way less of my time. No I realize that it my not be fair to compare the two, but seriously, A/I (which contained characters that I love), just seemed interminable while Transformers (about which I care not in the least), was really enjoyable. The only thing that i can think of was that Kruger had a point to make and then decided what size sledge hammer he needed to pound it in, while Michael Bay simply wanted to entertain me.

Needless to say, I hate Norman Osborn with the whit-hot passion of an exploding sun (hate hate hate), yet I've been reading Dark Avengers by Brian Michael Bendis (who I consider to be a very talented hack — no offense Brian) but is certainly writing the Hell out of this series, and actually is making me care about Osborn as a person (and I totally hate Bendis for doing this. I want to hate Osborn, but for the first time in like 40 years, I actually feel sorry fo the guy — Osborn not Bendis)

Now that is seriously good writing!

Ms. Marvel is a hit-and-miss character for me, but the last couple of Spidey appearances in her book (#40 being the most recent) have been pretty decent, and I’m enjoying her storyine as we wind through the Dark Reign scenario. (Oh, can anyone tell me if the Moonstone/Ms. Marvel we’ve been seeing in the Thunderbolts/Dark Avengers is the same Moonstone from back in the day who was the bald chippie in the Avengers during the Celestial Madonna storyline? Just wondering.)

I want to see what’s up in Captain America (Yeah the Steve Rogers is back hype got to me, and while I still think that Marvel missed a way-cool opportunity to put Sam Wilson in the suit, I still want to be there when Cap comes back.

Also, while I’m still on the fence about the whole Timestorm thing, I can’t help but to point out that the 2099 Universe into which Spidey and Wolverine have been pulled isn’t the same one from way back when. Not sure if I’m liking this, but it isn’t entirely bad, and I want to see where they go with it (Plus it is way better than A/I)

Haven’t read the Sinister Spider-Man (staring Scorpion/Venom) or Mr. Negative minis yet, and well, I’m still POed about BND, but with #600 of ASM coming up, I’m hoping that they will put the whole thing to rest (Still, I’m not afraid that they are going to wait until #666 to put a fork in it, which will seriously wind my clock.

OK, time to get back to (paying) work.

Real Heroes

2009-06-28T16:54:00.003-04:00

Each year Marvel does a bunch of giveaway or sponsored comics. for the past six, they have done one in conjunction with the U.S. Military, well this year is no exception, and we just have received news that it is now time for issue #7. If you don’t live on or near a U.S. Military base, you had better head to ebay to score your copy.

******

WRITER: MARC SUMERAK
ARTIST: PERE PEREZ
COLORIST: SOTOCOLOR's C. GARCIA
LETTERER: VC'S RUS WOOTON
COVER ARTIST: IG GUARA
PROJECT MANAGER: JON-MICHAEL ENNIS
CONSULTING EDITOR: RALPH MACCHIO
EDITOR: NATHAN COSBY
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: JOE QUESADA
PUBLISHER: DAN BUCKLEY

RELEASE DATE: APRIL, 2009
COVER DATE: 2009
PUBLISHED BY: MARVEL COMICS

TITLE: "An Army of One"

Marvel Comics once again salutes the real heroes -- the men and women of the US Military -- with this special comic book! The Hulk is leaving a trail of destruction across the American Southwest, and it will take the combined might of Marvel’s super heroes and the United States Military to end the green goliath’s rampage!

NOTE: This special free comic will be available exclusively at Army and Air Force Exchange Service locations on US Military installations worldwide during the Summer of 2009.

A Father's Day gift for myself

2009-06-27T15:49:00.004-04:00

So, a week or two prior to Father’s Day (Which I spent on the Cape at my niece’s wedding) I was shopping with (~~the ball and chain~~) my lovely wife; and we were at CostCo picking up a couple of things. Well, as we passed the DVD aisle, I spotted an eight-pack of Marvel films (X-Men, X2, X-Men: The Last Stand, Elektra, Daredevil, Fantastic 4, and Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, which were packaged together with Fantastic Four: World’s Greatest Heroes — volume one (containing four episodes from the Fox FF animated TV show).

Also packed in this slipcase, were some “exclusive” Marvel collectibles: Two X-Men mini comics (a single flip book, actually), a Silver Surfer digital comic, and a custom-designed lobby card.

What made this package extra-cool, was that it was $29.99. I mentioned how cool a package this was (given that I really only had two of the films on DVD) and my wife mentioned that “Father’s Day was coming.” So I put the package back on the shelf.

Well Father’s Day came and went (with me at the Cape) and no Fox DVD Film package. Needless to say, the other day I found myself at Costco’s again, and low and behold, the boxed set was still there, so I snagged one for me.

I haven’t had time to watch them yet, but, well, I have time.

Blast from the Past

2009-06-26T18:23:00.006-04:00

So, last weekend I went up to Cape Cod to attend my Niece’s wedding (yeah, on Father’s Day Weekend), and while we were up there, we took part of one day to walk around downtown Falmouth (yeah, where the tourist shops are located), and there, nestled among all the “standard” tourist shops was this kitschy shop Blast from the Past. In fact it was this display (off to the left) that first attracted my attention to the shop. Then (of course) it was the sign in the window that said “Comics sold here” that finally pulled me in.

Well, I went inside and began chatting with the gal who was working there, and, well, in short order she introduced me to her husband (at least I think they were married), who had worked in comics back in the ‘80s & ‘90s. His name is Kevin Juaire, and well, it turned out that we knew some of the same people.

Needless to say, I couldn’t leave the shop without buying something, so I picked up a pack of Marvel cards (packed with a figurine of Spidey), a couple of plastic eggs of toys from his “gum” machines out front, a miniature tin Spidey lunch box, and a copy of the new Love & Rockets compilation (I had acquired the Free Comicbook Day version of the book back in May, and recalled how much I loved L&R.

So, as much as I did enjoy going to my niece’s wedding (on Father’s Day) being able to visit Kevin’s shop and chat with him about our glory days in comics, really helped the weekend out. (Not that I need to find comics wherever I go, but, well you know.)

So, anyway, between the cards, toys, key chains, and comicbook graphic album (and just being able to walk around Kevin’s wicked-cool shop, soaking in all of the very neat stuff he has on display), the weekend was fun...oh yeah, my niece’s wedding was pretty much fun as well (there was alcohol and family involved — which of course required more alcohol).

When I get to reading the L&R book, I’ll post about that as well. In the mean time, if you ever find yourself in Falmouth, check out Blast from the Past. Heck, even if you are not in Falmouth, you can visit Kevin’s web shop and get a pretty decent idea of how very cool his retro shop is in person.

Fanning the Flame!

2009-06-25T09:21:00.002-04:00

So, you might not know this, but I (generally speaking) work from home. My office is in my basement. Hence I am “underground” down here. Needless to say, it is always quite moist, so I run a dehumidifier to suck the moisture out of the air. then because there are no windows down here I run a fan to circulate the air. Then to help improve the air quality I run an air filter to help clean that up. Plus, because we are below ground it is about 5-8 degree cooler so I also run a small space heater. Oh yeah, the cats (two of them), have their litter box down here (in the laundry room, not in my office) combined with the musty smell often requires that I light a scented candle in my office.

Funny thing, is that I noticed that where I had placed the candle just struck me as funny. Take a look at this pic, and see if you agree.