08th May2013

Thrift Justice: YSE – Back To School

by Will

thriftjYSE

Yes, it’s back – Thrift Justice: Yard Sale Edition. It’s all in the name, folks. The sun is shining, garage doors are opening, and the baseball cards are overpriced. It’s yard sale season, kids! I actually started hitting sales about a month ago, but I haven’t really gotten much worthy of a blog post (except that awesome McDonalds playset you probably saw Joe Colton shooting up on Instagram – add me: williambrucewest). Last weekend was noteworthy for another reason. You see, my thrifting buddy, “Special Forces”, actually just moved into my apartment complex. So, I asked if he wanted to come along, and he replied “Absolutely.” Seeing as how it was also Free Comic Book Day, as well as the monthly Civitan Flea Market, we had a busy day ahead of us.

At the first sale, I ended up being guilted into buying an ass-old World Atlas. The lady was giving me the hard sell, and all I could say was, “Look at all the countries that no longer exist!” Still, it was only $2, and I’m a sucker for a nice wall map, which was included with the atlas. No pics, ’cause you don’t care. Trust me.

Next, we hit up a community sale going on at an elementary school. Man, was this sale perfect! After parking, I immediately saw a table surrounded by 7 yr old boys, and I knew I’d hit paydirt (No MJ!). These kids are the age to have owned the stuff I’m after. It also helped that they had a framed All-Star Batman and Robin: The Boy Wonder poster leaning against the table. I immediately started picking through a tub on the ground, which was filled with action figures. I grabbed all the DC stuff I could find, while the boys tried to have a conversation with me. One tried to give me the hard sell on a Simpsons season 9 DVD set. He knew the retail price and everything! I told him I was going to pass, but thanks. I noticed a lot of Superman stuff, and asked, “So, are you guys Superman fans?” One replied, “Yeah, we were when we were little.” I mentioned they were 7, right? It’s cute how much kids want to be older; it’s nothing but stress and taxes – you don’t want none of this, kid! While picking through the box, the dad tells me that they actually just sold a set of the “big Justice League figures” to someone before I got there. I don’t know if he meant the 10″ or if he meant DC Universe Classics. That’s gonna bother me for weeks to come. Then, one kid said, “There are other Justice League guys somewhere.” He disappeared, and came back with a small tub filled with DC Super Heroes Superman, Batman, and Bizarr0. I snatched up the latter two, and threw them in the back the dad provided me. Here’s what I ended up with:

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Oh, and I remember the Batman poster I mentioned, well…

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The wife was PISSED! The kids and dad couldn’t really figure out a price. Dad said $2 each, but mom jumped in and said she had paid about $50 from AllPosters.com ’cause they frame them and send them to ya. Not sure if they were fighting or if Dad was deaf, ’cause I got them both for $4. I didn’t even need it, as I have the retailer version of the poster (which is the same size), but it was such a beautiful frame job, and I couldn’t pass up that price! I grabbed my spoils, and basically ran before they changed their mind. SF didn’t get anything at that sale, so off we went to find more stuff!

Since the elementary school had been so successful, we decided to stick with the education theme, and we hit up a high school having a sale. They were raising money for their marching band, and I figured they’d be just old enough to want to get rid of their toys because they were “too old for them now”. A) the sale sucked B) the dork manning the toy area said something I hate: “Are these for your kids?” Look, I understand that it’s a valid question, but I feel we live in a world today where that’s almost as bad as asking a woman if she’s pregnant. Does it matter if they’re for my kids? Sometimes, I’ve gone along with the “lie”, and said “Yeah”, but then they usually ask me how old my kids are, and I stand there stuttering. Yes, I’m either buying this for me, or I might resell it, but we’re not here for my life story. We’re here for my dollars and your “junk”.

Anyway, since the sale sucked, we continued on to a neighborhood sale that claimed it was going to have 30+ families. Once we got there, it became apparent that our lack of knowing Japanese might hurt us. Everyone there was Japanese, and looked at us like “Where did you come from?” Still, I like Japanese stuff (sentai!), so I didn’t care. Almost immediately, SF picked up a Kamen Rider OOOs game thing. I describe it as such because we still don’t know what it is. It had cards and tokens, and little figurines, and was boxed like a board game. Still, my eBay searches have proved fruitless in identifying it. He also picked up some of those plug-n-play joystick games. After rummaging through some boxes, I found these:

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If you’ve been here before, you know I like Power Rangers. My favorite season, however, was Power Rangers: RPM which was based on the Japanese Engine Sentai Go-Onger. These are essentially yearbooks to the series, highlighting all the characters and tech from the show. Despite finding his Kamen Rider game, said he was so jealous that I found these. I’d promise to show y’all the interiors at a later date, but I always suck at fulfilling that promise.

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After finishing up at that sale, we decided to take the trip down to Arlington for the flea market. Bottom line, it sucked this month. It sucked so bad that I probably won’t go back until around September or so. Everything either wasn’t up my alley or it was overpriced. I wish I had taken a pic of the messed up Marvel Legends Dr. Strange that a woman had the gall to charge $2 for. If you think that’s not too high, look at this Chris Jericho figure to see the quality of her wares:

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WHAT HAPPENED TO Y2J?!!!! It’s like he was the victim of a bulldog gone HORRIBLY wrong! And she was charging money for this that didn’t have “cents” in the price.

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This was another swindle. I’ve run into this a lot since this yard sale season started. Resellers, take note: if you’re going to completely overcharge for something you found in a thrift store, at least have the decency to remove the thrift store’s price from it before you try to sell it. Look in the lower left side corner, where it says “$1.61″. Yeah, I know that price, because it’s the same charcoal pencil used by the thrift store I frequent. If she got it on a Monday or Thursday, it only cost her $1.20. She, however, wanted $15. I don’t begrudge her, as that’s not an insane asking price, but it’s a matter of laziness and lack of professionalism. Then again, it is a flea market, so maybe I expect too much…

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I almost pulled the trigger on these. I used to have the whole Dick Tracy series except for The Brow and The Blank, but never found the cars. Forever, I thought maybe they were an urban legend. I eventually say one in the wild, but it was too high. This guy was only charging $30 per car, which wasn’t too bad at all. I only had $30 with me, though, and I didn’t want to blow it all on one thing. So, I left them there. Not really regretting it, but they were still awesome to see. Of course, once I finally did buy something, I got swindled.

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Few people know this about me (especially online, since I only rant about toys and comics), but I’m a bit of a watch whore. I’ve been this way since I was 2, and I just LOVE watches. Most people replace the battery when their watches stop, but I just buy a new watch. I go through watches the way most people go through cell phones. I just love them, and I love getting new, unique ones. So, I was intrigued when I saw the watch above. The girl at the table said it was an LED watch, and tried to show me the sample. Unfortunately, someone had dropped it, so the LEDs didn’t work so well. I thanked her, and SF and I moved on to where we saw the Dick Tracy cars. Once that was done, I went back to the watch table, and the husband was there now. I asked a few more questions, and sensing my skepticism, he said he’d sell me the sample for $5 instead of the $10 they charged for new ones. I said, “No, someone dropped the sample! She just told me that.” He assured me that he was actually wearing that one, and had just opened the sample once he got back to the table. I searched the girl’s face to see if “fear of a beating/a smirk” crept across her visage. I couldn’t read her, so I agreed to the $5. He even said, “You can test it if you want”, but I was so tired of the place, I just said “I trust you” and I left. Stupid, stupid Will…

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How it works: push the button on the side, and the time is supposed to show up in LEDs inset in the band. First off, it’s not a watch you can really wear in the daylight. Nor can you wear it in the rain. Once I tested it, I realized this was the sample. Oh, that’s supposed to read “12:55″ up there. Then, I looked at the manual, and realized it was probably shitty to begin with. Forget dropping it – this thing is crappy through its mere existence. Look at this shit:

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If the manual to your new anything reads like a spam comment on a blog, you might’ve gotten swindled!

In all, it was a good weekend, but you’ve just seen the low points of our travels. Oh, and I lost Free Comic Book Day trivia. Apparently, I didn’t know where Dr. Strange was born. SF told me he wasn’t sure he wanted me to give him a ride after my loss. So, I left him there! No, I didn’t. Or did I?

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5 Comm
06th May2013

Monday Musings: Underestimating Batman’s Sheer Brutality

by Will

batman lurking in shadow

Confused by the title? That’s really just me using a bunch of words to say “Batman’s a badass.” More appropriately, he’s a dangerous badass. In recent years, especially due to his many cartoons and animated appearances, two things have become prevalent about Batman: he doesn’t use guns AND he doesn’t kill. That’s all well and good, but this had led somewhat to what you might call “the Pussification of the Bat”. People seem to forget that there are fates worse than death, and Batman has dealt out this kind of justice time and time again. After all, why else would criminals be afraid of him? Anyway, this is just my way of saying that Chris Sims isn’t the only one devoting more thought that necessary to the legacy of Batman.

Justice-League-meltzer

One thing that leads folks to forget about Batman’s brutality is his public persona. I’ve said it time and time again, but Batman doesn’t really work as a public character. It’s not in his best interest to be in a group like the Justice League because it not only requires him to go out in daylight, but it also makes him look like a hero. Yes, Batman works alongside the GCPD, but he shouldn’t be seen as a “hero” – at least not the same way that Superman, Flash, and Wonder Woman are seen. If your primary goal is to strike fear into the hearts of criminals, you’re not going to accomplish much when you’re publicly known as Superman’s friend. Sure, criminals might be afraid of his powerful friends in that case, but they wouldn’t necessarily be afraid of him. That’s why I feel Batman works better when he’s considered an urban legend.

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The comics go back and forth on this, but his most effective “mode” is when the majority of Gotham see Batman as the boogeyman. He’s not necessarily “real”, and he’s seen more as a story told to frighten. He doesn’t operate in the daylight as his 60s predecessor did, and the only ones to actually see him are frightened victims and criminals caught in the act. Sure, he fights Arkham villains, but most of his time is spent dealing with street level thugs and henchmen. He never really inflicts much damage on a Penguin or Joker, but he does all sorts of terrible things to their henchmen. This is why “The Bat” is only discussed in frightened whispers amongst that set. He may not kill, but he leaves them with more than memories. The cartoons depict a Batman who ends things with one punch, but that’s not true of the Urban Legend Defender of Gotham. The “real” Batman operates from the shadows. He tends to leave thugs unable to walk, in traction, or worse – usually dependent upon the severity of the crime. Just look at this example:

Batman Thug

And that’s just Comic Batman. Don’t even get me started on the movies. Cinematic Batman hasn’t even clung to the “doesn’t use guns” thing, so surely some of those thugs died – if not, they wish they were dead! Let’s go back to the very first Tim Burton movie. When Batman is fighting his way up the belltower, thugs are being knocked off and thrown down the shaft. This isn’t Spider-Man, where he quickly webs up a safety net, so they’re stuck until the police arrive. The Joker Thug body count was at least at 3 by the end of that movie.

Taken from http://batmancity.over-blog.com/article-batman-the-movie-series-2-145-leap-from-the-belltower-topps-usa-1989-58578862.html

Taken from http://batmancity.over-blog.com/article-batman-the-movie-series-2-145-leap-from-the-belltower-topps-usa-1989-58578862.html

And before that, he blew up the whole chemical plant – you know, the one that surely had a night crew in it, even if they weren’t all thugs.

1989batmobile_spec

Taken from chickslovethecar.com

Speaking of the Batmobile, it had guns, and there’s no confirmation they were rubber bullets. Yes, Batman gets in his car and shoots the fuck out of people! NOW do you understand why criminals are scared of him?

batmanm

Taken from the ComicsAlliance Batman ’89 review where they were bewildered by the same thing

In Batman Begins, he made no real attempt to save Ra’s Al Ghul, AT ALL.

"Use of of your 'many talents' to save you from THIS, asshole!"

“Use one of your ‘many talents’ to save you from THIS, asshole!”

Finally, if you doubt Batman’s brutality, play Arkham Asylum or Arkham City for just five minutes. I worked at TRU when the first AA demo came out, and I almost needed a towel while playing that thing! The bones crunching beneath your fists, the noises being made. Bottom line: Batman ain’t playing around!

batman-arkham-city_ thugs

So, what have we learned today? Well, first off, they say Batman won’t kill you, but that’s only true if no one’s filming it. Also, even if he lets you live, he will Fuck. Your. Shit. Up. And something tells me the DC Universe doesn’t have Obamacare yet…

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3 Comm
02nd May2013

Thrift Justice – That Figures

by Will

thriftj

I’m an action figure guy. That really shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone, but just in case you’re new here, I thought I’d let you in on that little tidbit. So, when thrifting, the main thing I’m looking for is some sort of cool action figure – usually to fill holes in my many odd collections. Here are a few I’ve found recently.

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Everyone remembers the various Playmates Star Trek lines, but the earlier Galoob TNG series gets no love.  Released in 1988, these 4-ish inch figures depicted all of the bridge crew (except Counselor Troi). There was even a role play Phaser and a shuttlecraft playset. When the line first came out, my mom bought my Riker and the Phaser from People’s Drug (it was the precursor to CVS in the DC area). I loved that Phaser, but it went through HELL. I still have it, but it doesn’t have a prayer of working, and I lost ever part that could be lost on it. Anyway, due to a time rift, Riker traveled back in time to fight alongside the G.I. Joes. Later on, I got Picard from a friend, and he joined Riker in his 20th century adventures. So, when I saw Worf (in his rare Lt. JG colors), I had to snatch him up. The odd thing about these figures was that their Phasers were molded into their hands. This is fine for Away Team missions, as they’re always at the ready. In bridge scenarios, however, it’s like everyone’s expecting a Shakespearean ending to things.

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This is probably the only Wonder Woman villain who matters. Get away from me, The Mary Sue! You know it’s true. Anyway, I bought the “classic” Cheetah, as she’s the one who resonated with me from the old Secret Society of Supervillains comic. I really had no desire to buy this one, but I found her for a dollar, so why not?

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I’ve mentioned it a ton of time, but The Undertaker is my favorite WWE character. A lot of people are over him, but that’s exactly why I love him: his gimmick has no idea still “working” in the current WWE climate. It’s like when kids are way too old to still believe in Santa, yet their parents still go along with it (I was that kid, btw). The current WWE Universe is comprised of stars who USE THEIR REAL NAMES! If I were a wrestler, I’d probably be Bruce Williams or some shit like that. Yet, in the midst of all of these steroid case prettyboys, there’s a dude who we’re still supposed to believe comes from Hell, has a mangled brother, gets his power from an urn, and continues to return from the dead more times that Jesus, Jean Grey, and Wolverine combined! Anyway, the larger figure hails from the late Jakks era, after Taker married Sara, hence the neck tattoo. I’ve said it a thousand times, but my favorite Undertaker quote comes from the WWE Unscripted coffee table book. They ask him, “Given the success rate of wrestling marriages, what happens if you break up?” Even though it’s in print, you can still hear his voice saying it: “I guess I’ll have to find another girl named Sara.” Well, they did break up, but his next girl was named Michelle, and he had the tattoo removed. Next to him is a mini Taker who came from one of those little playsets. I just like him ’cause his tiny tongue is hanging out like a puppy.

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I never really collected a ton of Batman: The Animated Series toys while they were out. There were too many overlapping toylines, so I was still busy with the Batman Returns line when B:TAS debuted, and then I moved on to Power Rangers. Still, today’s kids have got no love for the show, as there have been 2 other animated Batman incarnations since then. So, these are kinda plentiful in thrift stores today. Usually, it’s just a bunch of beat up Jokers, but every now and then you can find a Scarecrow, or a Man Bat, or even a Catwoman. So, I’m currently fortifying my villains. I already had Riddler, Joker, and Two-Face from the old days, but I’ve since picked up Man Bat, Catwoman, Penguin, and this guy right here.

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I like Iron Man armors. I wasn’t always that way. Like most comic fans, I didn’t give a shit about Tony Stark until those movies started coming out. Then, I went back and read the “iconic” Iron Man stories (which reminds me – I really need to start doing Adventures West Coast again!), and realized I had been wrong. So, I’ve found myself buying up all the various armor figures I find. I think I have all of the 4″ Iron Man 2 Comic Series figures, and I’ve snatched up an cheap Marvel Legends I can find. I kinda hate that Rhodey’s missing his mask, but it’s still a cool figure.

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MEGO! I got this thing for $2. I was so shocked when I saw him, and snatched him off the peg. I couldn’t believe I’d gotten an authentic Mego, in pretty good shape for such a low price. I couldn’t wait to get on Twitter and boast to all of my followers about him. Until I got him home. You see, his left knee is busted, but you could really tell outside of the suit. So, he casually sits around, hoping that trouble comes to him. Still, he’s a good looking figure!

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I recently said that I secretly collect Marvel Legends movie figures, but that wasn’t the whole story – I also collect ML X-Men. As long as they’re not retail, I’ll pretty much buy anyone who’s even tangentially related to the X-Men franchise. This Storm has some stray marker streaks on her, but she knew what to expect when she left home wearing white after Labor Day!

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Yay! Power Rangers! ‘Cause we don’t talk about them nearly enough on this site. Anyway, I hate the price point of the 4″ figures, so I only buy them used or in gift sets. That explains Super Samurai Green, Dekker, and Samurai Yellow. As for RPM Red, there’s another weird collection I have. Ya see, I used to buy each season’s team, but I got to an age where I didn’t care as much and fell behind. Still, the key ranger in ANY team is the red one. So, if I come across the Red Ranger for a series I don’t already have, I buy him. One day, I may continue to fill out that team, but Red’s really the only one who matters. And the big Lost Galaxy Red is a Super Legends figure, with the same articulation as the MMPR Red figure that’s currently hard to find in stores. He’s got some play wear, but if you’ve ever watched that season, the “battle damage” is on par with what Leo put that suit through.

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Finally, we’ve got the 6″ Flame On Human Torch from the FF movie line. Again, this is Marvel Legends compatible, and he was $1. So I had to get him, and now my FF team is complete!

So, there ya have it. What figures do y’all collect? Be sure to share that in the comments!

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3 Comm
29th Apr2013

Monday Musings – Mutation Inconsistencies in the 80s TMNT Universe

by Will

This is the kind of thing that’d go into West Week Ever, but I’ll forget it by then. So, anyway…

tmnt

I have real problems with the mutations of both the Ninja Turtles and Splinter. I mean, I’m sure there’s no real “science” behind it, but certain things don’t match up. OK, going by the 80′s cartoon (I never read the comic, and I’m omitting the movie for now), human Hamato Yoshi is exiled to the sewers, but has 4 pet turtles to keep him company.

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Now, first off, why the Hell is he in the sewers?! I mean, this is pre-Giuliani NYC, meaning there’s all kinds of hooker panties and dirty needles down there. Surely he could’ve gotten a job at a Radio Shack, and a roommate, right? Anyway, he and these turtles live in the sewer, and Oroku Saki/Shredder dumps mutagen into the sewers to kill Yoshi. Again, this is fucked up. He’s gonna risk New York’s already questionable water quality to kill ONE DUDE?! He could just jump down a manhole cover with a pistol. Bitch move, Shredder! Here’s where things don’t make sense to me: the turtles get into the ooze, and Yoshi picks them up to wipe it off. Since they were last in contact with a human, they change into humanoid turtles. HOWEVER, Yoshi turns into rat, Splinter, even though he actually last touched turtles! So, shouldn’t he be some weird human turtloid? Or, at the very least, a human/turtle/rat hybrid? Was it ever said that a subject could only undergo one mutation?

Shredder,_Rocksteady,_Bebop

Also, most mutagen experiments were the result of a merger: Bebop and Rocksteady were gang bangers who essentially had a warthog and rhinoceros merged into them. They were humans with animalistic traits and features, kinda like the splicing trend in Batman Beyond. This is basically was happens with Splinter – human who develops animal features. What happened with the turtles, however, is a fluke that isn’t supported by other depictions of mutations: they were animals who basically underwent personification. There’s no precedent for this! Even Baxter Stockman was a human who took on fly characteristics. In all known cases, the human side exerts dominance over the mutation, EXCEPT when it comes to the Turtles. If anything, Hamato Yoshi should’ve mutated into a human/turtle hybrid with multiple personality disorder INSTEAD of four, basic turtles mutating into humanoid teenagers.

april

And why teenagers? That was the worst possible age for this to happen. It’s like being born right into puberty, yet this was never dealt with. No zits, no dateless Saturdays, nothing. Even with April walking around with her omnipresent cleavage! And what kind of weird chick hangs out with turtles. Sure, they saved her life, but she was hot. Was she trying to act out some kind of freaky fantasy. I mean, a busty chick, hanging out in sewers, and banging a dude in a hockey mask? That’s a chick who needs some therapy!

Anyway, I could go on about this for hours, but I’ll stop now. Has any of this occurred to any of you out there? Let me know in the comments!

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5 Comm
22nd Apr2013

Mail Call Monday – Batman, Empowered, Joes and More!

by Will

Check my swag, yo! I just felt there had been such an influx of goodies through the mail that warranted some mention. I don’t typically do this, as most of my stuff tends to come from random eBay sellers. The past 2 weeks, however, have brought stuff from Facebook and Twitter friends, so I want to share those with ya.

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First up, Kevin over at Team Hellions took me up on the Trader Will’s Deal-O-Rama post that I wrote for the League of Extraordinary Bloggers. I was glad he came forward, as I was starting to feel like the kid picked last for sports. Well, he did not disappoint!

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As you can see, I got the first 2 volumes of Adam Warren’s Empowered, as well as a deck of Star Wars playing cards. His wife also sent along something nice for my wife, but she ran off with it before I could take a picture! I read the first volume of Empowered years ago and loved it, but never got around to actually buying any of it. Needless to say, I can’t wait to read these. Thanks, Kevin!

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Next up, I bought this from my buddy Vincent over at Dinosaur Toy Vault/The Robot’s Pajamas. He went to Joe Con, and ended up buying the Exclusive Night Force Nocturnal Fire boxed set. He’s selling off the figures to pay for his trip, and I just had to get Psyceh-Out. Even though I think he gave me a good price, I paid more than I ever should for a G.I.Joe figure. Still, Psyche-Out holds a special place in my heart, as he was the first G.I. Joe figure I ever got. I hadn’t seen the cartoon at that time, so I didn’t even realize he wasn’t important. I just loved that he had satellite dishes all over himself, and that Woolworths only had him and Raptor. I sure as Hell wasn’t buying Raptor! In the years to follow, I would lose all his dish accessories, snatch the antenna from the back of his head, and bite off his fingers. Who knew I was training for a job at GitMo? As maimed as he is, I still have that figure, as he suffers from PTSD in my Joe case at my mom’s house. One day, he will stand side by side with his updated version, and see that it truly does get better (NOTE: It always bothered me they spelled his name – typically that’s pronounced “SY-kee”, making his name pronounced “SY-kee Out”).

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Some more eBay acquisitions to bolster Operation Trade-Up. That X-Statix Omnibus gets rid of an entire longbox for me on its own. That thing retails for $125, but somehow I found it for $32. And if you’ve never heard of it, definitely track down The Last Days of American Crime by Radical. There’s a Bruce Willis-starring movie just waiting to be made!

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Next up, Twitter/Facebook pal @kngfu71 was selling off some action figures, and I snagged this movie Reed Richards off him. Little known fact: I’m not an avid Marvel Legends collector, but I’m trying to track down all the movie versions of Marvel characters on the cheap. I had a Reed body and accessories that I found at a thrift store, but he didn’t have a head. I actually bought this to cannibalize it, but he’s so cool that I think he gets to live, and I’ll just put that other Reed body on the site for a customizer to buy. If I’m not mistaken, I believe I’ve also got a Sue Storm on the way from Michael, so that will complete my movie Fantastic Four!

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Finally, everyone was raving over this figure, and I knew I would need it for my Batman collection. That said, it’s not that easy to find, and I really don’t have time for a toy hunt right now. Luckily, I ended up getting an Amazon gift card for cashing in some bank rewards points, and I couldn’t think of a better way to waste it! Actually, I thought of several different ways, but it was burning a hole in my pocket. Though I probably wouldn’t buy from them directly, this ended up coming from Big Bad Toy Store via Amazon. It was cheaper than I was gonna find at retail, and when everything was said and done, I only spent $1.38 out of my pocket. So, what can I say about him? He’s a big fucking hunk of plastic! The New Plastic Smell was so full and robust that I just huffed his card bubble once I finally extracted him. I saw many colors, and I think I learned Chinese! Since I’ve never owned an MOTUC figure (the line from which the body was borrowed), I wasn’t really familiar with the different articulation. His rubber undies obstruct full movement of his hip joints. I haven’t seen an other review reference that, but that’s how mine turned out. Too bad he’s not a pegwarmer like Penguin – I’m sure a lot of customizers would love to have a field day with that MOTUC body at a lower price than the Matty Collector store charges!

Well, there ya have it. Would you like to be included in a future Mail Call Monday? Then send me some shit, fool! It’s just that simple. I’m out.

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6 Comm
10th Apr2013

Thrift Justice Road Trip – Hershey, PA

by Will

TJRTRevised

Who cares if this happened 2 months ago? I know what you folks like, and I love spinoffs, so Thrift Justice Road Trip is BACK! I mentioned this back in West Week Ever, but the wife and I had a belated Valentine’s Day weekend in Hershey, PA. It was supposed to be a winery/antique mall tour, but the wineries seemed to dominate. Anyway, at the end of Day 1 we were able to meet up with my Twitter pal, @LamarRevenger at the Crossroads Antique Mall, in Hershey, Pennsylvania. I don’t have a ton of pictures from this day, but here’s what I’ve got:

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There was a tempting case of MEGO figures. They didn’t know what they had, as there were figures from Space: 1999 labeled as “Star Trek: TNG”. I almost got the Penguin you see, but I knew that would open a can of worms. He wasn’t in the best shape, and to buy him would mean I’d have to get a Joker, and a Batman, and a Robin. MEGO is not easy to find in good condition, so I nipped it in the bud. Lamar debated on whether or not to get the Star Trek McCoy figure. He passed, but I think he went back to get it later on.

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I’m not a huge Muppets person, but I loved this phone. Kermit is straight chillin’, with the handset propped on his leg. Pimp!

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This made me think of Brian over at Cool and Collected. Look out, Bond! She ’bout to shoot you!

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Sometimes I forget how much I was into Dick Tracy back in 1991. This hand puppet was kind of cool, and I like how his two-way wrist radio is represented on it.

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This is FAR from an “antique”, but I know how some of y’all love your bootlegs and knock-offs.

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Here’s a nice little display of “rack toys”. I always refer to these as “Toys For Poor Kids” because, after the dawn of the “program-length commercial”, only a poor kid would be happy with something that’s not a tie-in to a cartoon or movie. Yeah, I’m a toy snob.

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I just thought this police car was sleek. I’m not a huge car guy, but every now and then I can appreciate a nice one. I loved this model.

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Finally, I love this phone because it looks like it’s a face, saying, “Oooo, he did WHAT?!”

Anyway, promotions and lodging were provided by The La Quinta Inn. Only at La Quinta can you get a good night’s sleep, and then come downstairs to a swanky Nickelodeon show. Just look at this place!

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There are more antique mall pics from that weekend, but I can’t give you everything at once! Stay tuned for a future installment of Thrift Justice Road Trip in Pennsylvania!!!

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7 Comm
07th Apr2013

LOEB Presents Trader Will’s Deal-O-Rama!

by Will

LoEB

So, here we are. If you listened to my most recent appearance on the UnderScoopFire! podcast, then you heard my discussion about the League of Extraordinary Bloggers. Basically, I said that it didn’t do much for me. Don’t get me wrong – it has strengthened relationships I already had, but some of you new cats won’t give me a second glance. Maybe you don’t get my humor, or maybe I’m too “blue” for you, but that’s how I see things. I’ve visited and left comments on your sites, and you’ve never darkened my door with a plate of cookies and a “Welcome to the neighborhood.” So, I guess I’ll just have to buy your friendship.

This week’s League topic is Trading Post, where different members are offering up things they’re willing to trade. Of course this was right up my alley, and here’s some trade fodder that immediately came to mind:

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If you’re a Hot Wheels enthusiast, then you’ll recognize these are the highly coveted Pop Culture series. They have real rubber wheels!

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If you’re into RPGs, then I’ve got this brand new, hardcover Warcraft Manual of Monsters.

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If you’re a Motown fan, I’ve got this unopened 4-disc set of Motown classics!

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For the goth kids out there, I’ve got this 3-book Lenore set, each SIGNED by creator Roman Dirge!

BUT WAIT – THERE’S MORE!

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If you’re not familiar with me, I run a little collectibles site called Will’s World of Wonder. It’s got new and used toys, comics, what have you. Anyway, ANYTHING on there is fair game. ANYTHING.

So, what do I want? Nothing, really. What I mean is that I’m never looking for anything in particular. I just know when I like what I see. So, impress me. Welcome me into this community with your best wares, and let’s make a deal.

NOTE: This deal is only available to LOEB members who participate in this week’s topic.

Here are some other Leaguers offering cool stuff:

Team Hellions – Trading Post

ShezCrafti – For Trade/Sale: My Catwoman Comics

Cool & Collected: Come Visit The Ol’ Cool and Collected Trading Post

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3 Comm
01st Apr2013

Comical Thoughts – Changing The Way I Think About Comics

by Will

comical

While I understand today’s date makes one question everything read, I assure that this is not a joke. This was actually a hard conclusion to come to, as I’ve been dealing with this for the past few months. Anyway, I have decided that the time has come to get rid of the bulk of my comic collection. While the show was a laughing stock of a disaster, there was one thing that I took away from Elyse Luray’s Collection Intervention: it’s important to curate a collection. We live in an age where everyone with a Twitter account thinks they’re a “curator of pop culture” and the like, but it all boils down to the fact that they’ve got certain taste, and what they follow should adhere to that. It’s all too simple for collecting to simply turn into hoarding. I’ve realized that I really haven’t collected in years. Actually, all I was doing was keeping, without any regard to whether or not possession was warranted. Eventually, the “collection” grew to 20 longboxes spread between two houses. I don’t know what I have anymore. All the covers bleed together, and I’ve got no sort of filing system. Long story short, I had about 10,000 books with nothing to really show for it. Something had to change.

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Let’s be honest here: none of these things are worth anything. The general rule is that, with a few exceptions, nothing printed in the past 25 years is worth anything. Think of it this way: those comics were printed under the guise of one day being collectible. The books that are worth money hail from an age when comics were a disposable pastime, purchased for a nickel. People abused those books, and few survived, so those that did are worth money. Fast forward to the 80s and the evolution of the “direct market”. Instead of buying Superman at the newsstand, there were now comic shops – whole businesses dedicated to the sale of what was once disposable. It’s like if a network of POG stores had arisen in the early 90s. To keep people coming back, and to promote the longevity of the medium, the collectability of comics was promoted. Instead of the old approach of “you should read this because it’s fun”, comics became “you should buy this because it’s an investment.” Notice how I didn’t say “read” in that last sentence. It didn’t matter if you read them. Hell, reading them actually hurt their value. No, instead you were to buy them, get minimal fingerprints on them, and get them safely into a bag, with a backing board for support. That’s why every first issue released in the late 80s/early 90s had “#1 Collector’s Item Issue” emblazoned next to whatever die-cut/hologram/prismatic/scratch & sniff cover gimmick they were using that month. I’ve admitted it before, but I fell for all of that.

Fast forward to when I worked for Diamond. This was before budget cuts at publishers, so comps were still being sent out. I amassed a ton of books I’d never actually buy from Image, Dynamite Entertainment, and even Marvel. I got all of World War Hulk that way, and I don’t think I’d ever spent money on a Hulk comic at that point. After a while, I wasn’t really collecting things I liked. Instead, I was just keeping things that I kinda loathed. There were series I despised, yet kept buying because I felt more fulfilled by knowing that I had a complete run of the series. What does that mean, really? Honestly, it simply cost me space and sanity. To look at it in real estate terms, the crap books were lowering the property value of the good ones. As I started focusing on Will’s World of Wonder, I had a lot less time for comics. I stopped going to the shop every Wednesday, and when I did buy comics (usually from Barnes & Noble or Books-A-Million for convenience), they sat around, unread for months. The only books that I actually looked forward to getting were the Marvel Ultimate Universe books and Deadpool. Basically, comics just got in the way. As therapeutic as I find bagging & boarding (I do!), the books are just stacked in corners and in steamer trunks. That’s not how things should be.

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Then, the reboots happened. First, DC threw out their universe during Flashpoint (written about here), and restarted with The New 52. Yeah, except the books I was reading didn’t change anything. See, DC felt that took much work had been put into the Green Lantern and Batman franchises, so their events basically remained unchanged, yet were now forced into the compressed timeline of this new universe. So, I had to learn a new universe, while also trying to make it work with what I already knew. Ain’t nobody got time for that! I’d been reading the Bat books, but really didn’t enjoy them. People are prepared to give Scott Snyder their firstborn, while I’m simply not impressed by the non-event events he keeps forcing into the book. And I just don’t have it in me to reacquaint myself with characters I knew, yet apparently don’t know anymore. The first DC hero I loved wasn’t Batman, but it was actually Tim Drake’s Robin. My first trade paperback was “Robin: A Hero Reborn”. Now, however, he apparently was never Robin. Great…

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Meanwhile, Marvel hopped aboard the “clean slate” train, and gave us Marvel NOW – most of the books restarting at #1, with “bold, new directions”. Or Marvel just wants the comics to look like the movies. Whatever it is, I’m still in Marvel THEN. I haven’t read any of their gimmicks, from the recent “death” of Peter Parker, to the new flagship team of “Uncanny Avengers”, I just don’t have it in me. Why should I care? Once I get comfortable, they’ll just change everything for the sake of change. It’s like going back to a boyfriend who beats you. They don’t care about me, as long as I hate myself enough to keep giving them $4 (FOUR DOLLARS?!!) per book, per month. Something had to change.

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So, here we are. What am I saying? Well, over the past 6 months, I have offloaded about 2,000 books from the collections via Craigslist. Though it may seem like a drop in the bucket, it’s very freeing. I didn’t make a fortune off of them. In fact, I only got about $0.10 per book. Yup, I ended up getting 1969 retail for $2.99-$3.99 books. But I didn’t care. They were already a sunk cost, especially since they’re non-returnable. There are folks in the area who are getting back into comics, and they love the idea of a cheap, ready-made collection. Sure, the fanboy investor in me still kept a lot of the #1s, but I got rid of a bunch of junk. At the same time, it was more about the redistribution of space. Oddly enough, a 6-issue trade paperback takes up a lot less space than those same 6 issues individually. Plus, the TPB can go on a shelf, while the books have to go in something, taking up space. Also, I’ve always been impressed by people who talk about rereading favorite story arcs and series. Do you know how hard it is to reread comics that are in stacked longboxes, individually bagged and boarded, with scotch tape? There are times I’ve wanted to revisit an old tale, and then end up tired just thinking about all the work it’d take to get to the books. Collected editions are simply easier to read, easier to store, and easier to handle.

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So, I initiated Operation: Trade Up. Over winter break (I love working in education!), I used Christmas and birthday money, as well as whatever was in my Paypal (it’s not “real” money until it’s in a bank account) to find the cheapest trade paperbacks I could find. You see, there were stories that I enjoyed, but just didn’t need to have in their “original” versions. As for condition, trade paperbacks don’t have to be in great shape. They’re, by nature, reprints, so they could be beat to Hell as long as they’re intact. My only qualification was that the spine needed to be intact so that I can easily identify the book on the shelf. Other than that, the cheaper the better. I went through all the boxes, and got rid of everything I felt didn’t really belong in my “collection”. Books that held no special meaning, books I’d gotten for free, incomplete miniseries, and stories that have since been retconned. That’s how I got to the initial 2,000. I say initial because I’m not done. At the end of the day, I’d like to be down to no more than 10 longboxes. Seeing as how they each hold approximately 350 comics, we’re looking at 3,500 comics. That may sound crazy, but it’s not too bad when you remember I’ve been doing this for 20 years. That’s roughly 15 books/month purchased over that 20 year period, which isn’t absurd. And I think I can actually pare it down even further than that.

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Where am I now? Well, as I mentioned above, I’ve gotten rid of about 2100 books, and that’s just since I really started to focus on getting rid of books. I’d been doing 50 here, 100 there for the past 5 years or so. Meanwhile, I’ve foolishly had to repurchase storylines that, in many cases, I’d already purchased. Still, many of them were cheap enough that I had clearly spent more on worse. Just as before, I looked at the venture as an investment, only this time I wasn’t look at them for financial gain. Instead, this was an investment in sanity, space, and order. Over the course of the last 4 months, those 2100 books have been replaced by 112 TPBs. Not all stories were worthy of being rebought, while I’m still seeking a few others. Space isn’t really a concern, as I already have 2 IKEA Billy bookcases, and have the wall space for another, if needed. I think I’m heading in the right direction, even if the whole “rebuying” thing sounds questionable.

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Now, where does that leave me with current books? I’m not really sure. I’ve already soured on most of the new stuff coming out of the publishers, but I think I have the biggest problem with the price point. These things just aren’t worth $4 each. Same gimmicks, same bait & switch. Comics have succeeded in regressing back to being disposable. Lucikily, as I discussed here, I’ve found a cheaper alternative: $1 boxes at hotel shows. They’re recent books, and it’s just a dollar. How many things can you get for that price anymore? So far, I’ve taken advantage of it for the first issues of a lot of Marvel NOW. If I like what I see, I might keep buying. If it’s really great, I may upgrade to the collected edition once it becomes available. As with all things, the future’s unwritten, and always changing, but I think I’ve finally gotten a handle on the past. And that’s a good feeling. I’m done simply amassing, and I’m going to explore what it really means to collect again.

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8 Comm
01st Mar2013

West Week Ever – 3/1/13

by Will

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One of these people just had the West Week Ever! Who was it? Keep reading!

I had a bottle of Ruby Red Grapefruit juice last Saturday, and it brought on a rush of memories. Anybody else remember the early 90s, when the Ruby Red grapefruit apparently acquired its own agent? It was everywhere, and Ocean Spray was obsessing over it the way current celeb gossip sites worship sideboob. Where did all that come from? It was a fucking fruit. Had science JUST created/discovered the Ruby Red variety at that time? Was it the same scientist who discovered Blue Raspberry? If so, I’ll bet that fucker’s rich!

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Speaking of weird cultural phenomena, I have a big issue with Hawaii. Ya see, I always thought it was a cool place, filled with pineapples, leis, and dudes named “Danno”. Then something weird happened around ’98-99. Two things converged, changing my opinion of Hawaii forever: the original Making The Band and Baywatch‘s 10th season. Most people think Making The Band started on MTV with Diddy, but that’s not true; ABC started the show, showcasing the creation of the boyband O-Town. This would be boyband mogul Lou Pearlman’s last shot at the big time, and it’s filled with some great moments (like the guys start wondering about their contracts when they see a news report about *NSYNC suing Lou over theirs -which the Backstreet Boys had done just years earlier). In the original lineup of the group, the “brooding, older brother role” (if you don’t know what I’m talking about, here’s a refresher) was filled by quiet, Hawaiian loner Ikaika. We got an inside look at Ikaika’s upbringing, which pointed out that Hawaii was kinda weird. Apparently, his family was almost musical royalty out there, akin to Don Ho and his “Tiny Bubbles”. He had an ambivalent attitude toward fame, and a weird girlfriend. Long story short, all his Hawaiian weirdness led him to quitting the group (NOTE: I once met a MTB producer who told me the real reason, but I ain’t trying to get sued. If Gawker wants to pay me, then I’ll bring out the top shelf material!). After all I saw of Ikiaka’s home life, it was clear Hawaii wasn’t all macadamia nuts and pogs. Then Baywatch made things worse.

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It was pretty well-known that Baywatch was getting tired of Los Angeles, and production was going to be moved somewhere new (and cheaper) like Australia. For some reason, though, the nation originally formed as a penal colony gathered up every citizen and protested the arrival of Baywatch. Apparently, tiny red swimsuits would give the place a bad name. So, producers scrambled, and production was moved to Hawai’i. Yeah, see that fucking apostrophe?! Where the Hell did that come from? Apparently, Hawaii had just decided to get fancy on us. Was it always supposed to be spelled that way? Anyway, Hawaii was not a good fit for the Baywatch formula, as they apparently don’t have shark problems or smugglers down there. Instead, The Hoff opened a “top gun lifeguarding academy”. Lifeguarding requires training? I thought any white kid over the age of 13 could be a lifeguard. I mean, they all HAVE been lifeguards. It’s a “white of passage” (TM williambrucewest.com 2013). Hawaii shat all over the Baywatch legacy. Red suits were traded for yellow, the amazing “I’m Always Here” theme song was replaced by some Hawaiian drum shit, and, worst of all, it introduced us to Jason Momoa – the worst Hawaiian of them all! Many folks know Momoa from Stargate Atlantis (I’d say Conan The Barbarian, but nobody saw that), but he’s been around a lot longer than that. And with the exception of his Baywatch role, he always plays the same role as “silent, long-haired muscle warrior”. Why did Hawaii have to darken my screen with that guy? Why can’t it go back to being the beautiful, normal place George Jefferson went to lower his blood pressure? Is there no hope for Hawaii?!!

courtesy awesometoyblog.com

courtesy awesometoyblog.com

I didn’t really talk about this year’s Toy Fair, but there’s one thing I want to discuss: Mattel’s Batman ’66 line. While a lot of people are excited about it, this is one of the dumbest ideas ever in the creation of toys. Look, it’s cool to see, and I’m sure I’ll buy the Hell out of the ones I find. Note the end of that sentence: the ones I find. There’s no way this line is a success because they’re already handling it poorly out of the gate. This is a SPECIALTY item and not appropriate for mass retail. For folks who don’t understand what I’m saying, this is the kind of thing you should get from comic shops or Mattel’s Matty Collector website, but shouldn’t be sold at Toys “R” Us. One of the major arguments about Mattel’s market viability is the fact that they spent too much time catering to collectors and not to MOMS. After all, moms are the ones who buy toys, and not kids, so they gravitate to recognizable characters. This is why you have a Batman or Superman in every wave (if you’re smart), and you avoid $20 figures from a 30 yr old cartoon. This was the reasoning behind ending the sprawling DC Universe Classics, to rebrand as DC/Batman Unlimited, which focuses on those familiar characters. So, with that in mind, what mom wants to buy her kid “Middle Aged Paunch Batman”? It’s like Mattel’s setting the line up for failure, just so they can blame us for “not supporting the line”. All I’m saying is we better enjoy that first wave, ’cause I don’t see us ever getting an Egghead or King Tut figure. And for the figures that may have been tooled, but we haven’t seen, I wouldn’t be surprised to see them eventually end up on MattyCollector – where they should’ve been all along. And why NOW? It’s not an anniversary year for the series. I think this implies one thing: we’re finally getting DVDs. In any case, I’m very interested to see how this plays out.

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Another week, another podcast – and I’m LOVIN’ it! Classick Material of The Cold Slither Podcast has finally spun off his own side project, with Classick Team-Up. This is a one-on-one interview series, and I was honored to be his very first guest. #1! #1! #1! We discussed everything from Spanish television to “CuntGate” to WWE, and more! I also probably owe some folks an apology (You know I don’t wanna edge you out, TimDogg98!). It’s probably one of my most candid pod appearances, so you’ll either LOVE it or HATE it. That’s just how I pizza roll. You can check it out here.

Oh yeah, before I go, FUCK GEORGE TAKEI! After my deGrasse Tyson takedown, I tweeted that George Takei was next. I hate everything about him on social media. His stuff is just NOT that funny, plus they say it’s really his husband behind all the tweets and facebook posts. All I know is this: if he had spent a fraction of his online energy on his acting career, maybe HE’D be the Priceline Negotiator. He needs to go somewhere and sit down, like Nichelle Nichols.

Links I Loved

Oscars Mixtape: Best Original Songs of the 1980s – Shezcrafti

The League Has Spoken: Happy Birthday! – Cool and Collected

Alright, Lets Discuss the DC Comics Robin Spoilers – Team Hellions

Providing The Grade: Justice League of America’s Vibe #1 – The Kliqnation

This Week’s Posts

Because Nobody Asked: Will On Comedy

Comical Thoughts: Nova #1

This Week’s eBay Auctions

One of them got in trouble for singing about boobs, while another was compared to a different part of female anatomy. One retired but got to continue living with his manservant, while the other resigned for serving man. But only one of them could have the West Week Ever:

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Seth MacFarlane hit the big time start making a low-rated primetime cartoon for Fox. After its cancellation, Family Guy gained an audience in reruns, while Seth slept through his boarding call for American Airlines Flight 11 on the morning of September 11, 2001. Twelve years later, he’s got three animated series on Fox, he’s the highest paid writer on television, and he got the opportunity to host an event that’s simply not offered to everyone. Whether or not he did a good job (the debates are ongoing), he’s made the most of his “second chance”, and this is why Seth MacFarlane had The West Week Ever.

 

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1 Comm
29th Jan2013

Thrift Justice – Bipartisan$#!+

by Will

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Lord knows I’ve been sitting on some stuff for months, but I really wanted to commit this to the page before I forget all of it. This was just such a crazy scenario to me that it HAD to be a TJ post. So, where to begin? OK, last week, the country celebrated not only the second inauguration of Barack Obama, but also the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr. As those events also brought with them a day off work, I decided to use that time to check into some things on Craigslist. One item kinda caught my attention, even though I didn’t really want it. The ad was for a Playmates Star Trek Starfleet Officers Box Set, unopened, for a great price. As a reformed Trekker, that line has always held a special place in my heart, and it hadn’t been opened. Game on! I’d actually started emailing with the guy the day before, but we’d never set up a time. Late Sunday night, I emailed him saying that I was off the next day, and could come by then. Well, I woke to an email saying that he was at work, but his wife was home and I could set up a meeting time with her. Ugh.

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Let me backtrack here. While unassuming, I’m still a random black guy from the internet. No matter how awesome something may sound, I was always raised to think that if something sounds too good to be true, it probably isn’t true. I don’t wanna meet some random dude’s wife, and end up in a Dateline special, as either the victim or the offender. The last thing I need is meeting random white women in their homes, Star Trek be damned! Still, it was a great price…I called the number the husband gave me, and she seemed a bit taken aback. I explained I’d been speaking with “Rick”, and she said that she would have to call him to find out where he had even stashed the thing. OK, fine. She calls back, and she’s found it. Great. She tells me “They usually tell you not to give out your home address to people on Craigslist”. See, she’s just as wary as I am! I tell her that I could meet her somewhere public or even wait until her husband gets home. No, she says it’s OK and proceeds to give me her address. Then, she tells me that she’s in the middle of a homeschool lesson (red alert! red alert!), so to come by around 5. Yeah, it might make me judgmental, but I’m still not in a place where I’m fully comfortable with the homeschooling movement. What makes me think I could do a better job teaching my kid than someone who’s been trained to do it? Hell, my kid would only get As in “Batman”, but he’d fail Math. But I digress…I’ve often said that I judge folks for the stuff they sell at yard sales, and I was beginning to judge this situation.

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At 5, I end up in a small neighborhood, and pull up outside their house. As I walk up to the door, I notice about 3 Romney stickers on the back of their van. THREE?! Then, I notice a big ass Romney sticker in their living room window. You don’t put stickers in a place like that! Stickers aren’t for the home, unless it’s a Fathead, and those people are still douchebags. I kinda thought about turning back, but duty called. I am the Toy Whisperer, after all (don’t worry – I felt like an asshole just typing that). She meets me at the door, and closes the door so the dogs won’t get out. That’s fine, I don’t want this transaction to last any longer than it needs to. I pull out the money, grab the box, and get ready to leave. Before I got away, she began to tell me that the set had been purchased by her father because he thought that stuff would be worth something someday, but he had since died and none of it was really that valuable. Remembering a tip from Brian over at Cool and Collected, I asked, “You mean there’s MORE?” She said that there was, and she invited me in.

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As soon as I got inside, it was like a Romney Wonderland. More posters and whatnot. She told me that the rest of the stuff was in the attic, and she trusted me to hang out with the dogs in the living room as she climbed up to get it. That’s when I heard it: Sean Hannity was playing on the kitchen radio. Aw, shit. “Calm down, Will”, I say to myself. “You’re freaking out for nothing. It’s not like she’s gonna come down and ask you who you voted for.” She comes back down with the stuff, and she proceeds to the kitchen to turn the volume a little lower on the radio. She comes back to me and asks, “Did you vote for Obama?” WHAT IN THE FUCK?! So many thoughts rush through my head: Who asks that? What do I say? Is she asking me that ’cause I’m black? Is she about to make an example of me that will end up on the 11:00 news?! Why did she have to pull this on MLKmas? Didn’t she at least like the Kelly Clarkson performance today? SO MANY THOUGHTS!

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It’s a TRAP!

I wish I could tell you that I became a hero that day. I wish I could tell you I looked her in the eye, and said “You’re damn right I did!” But I can’t. When you’re in an environment like that, “Yes We Can!” because “No We Ain’t!” While still looking over the items, I simply mumbled, “Yeah, the first time”. Careful choice of words. Make her think, “Sure, he did it the first time, ’cause well, the coloreds have to stick together, but he realized that Barry wasn’t the best choice for America. He came to his senses!” At least, that’s what I was going for. Don’t worry black people/bleeding heart liberals: I voted for him both times, but I feared for my life, and what I said wasn’t exactly a lie. I did vote for him the first time. She didn’t need to know about the second time. So, there was a beat, and time stood still. That’s when she said “Well, I turned off the radio. I didn’t want you to be offended.” What an odd sentiment. First off, it was kinda nice that she didn’t want me to be offended, but then it begged the question WHY are you listening to something that you know is offensive? Still, she didn’t have to turn it off. She could’ve turned it UP, so that was considerate of her.

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Diplomacy!

As I look over everything, I ask her what she’d want for the lot. ANOTHER amazing price. But there was a catch: I had to renounce my political affiliation. No, I’m kidding. I hadn’t brought enough money, but I didn’t want this to pass by. I remembered seeing a 7/11 on the way, so I told her that I’d run to the ATM and be right back. She was just fine with that. Fast forward to 10 minutes later, and our transaction was complete. She even helped me to my car. But I also noticed her kinda eye-searching my car. Had she never seen the inside of a black person’s car before? Was she shocked that I didn’t have THREE Obama stickers on my car? Did she notice the Inauguration Edition of The Washington Post on my passenger seat? These things matter not. I got what I came for, and I could escape back to safety!

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So, here’s the my entire haul. As always, if ya see anything you like, shoot me an offer. It saves me from having to list it somewhere. But you can’t have Lando. After my experience on Inauguration/MLK Day, I’m keeping Lando to complete the triumvirate. I Have A Dream That Yes We Can Have A Colt 45!

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7 Comm
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