Pop Culture League - Halloween

The Pop Culture League has been posting seasonally appropriate things all October but this is the first week where I've had space to fit a topic in!

Here comes Halloween!
It’s the most wonderful time of the year.

 There are certain things that always herald the Halloween season like leaves changing and Halloween merch in stores. For me, there's always one thing that really gets me in the Halloween mood and that's Salem in October. I wasn't able to get there as early or as often as I would have liked this year but I did manage to go this past Sunday.

It was a pretty perfect autumn day: sunny, not too cold but with a slight chill wind. I grabbed a cup of hot cider and took a little walk around downtown to snap a few pics to share the experience. Having done a few of these posts in previous years, it was a little challenging to find new things to share.

There is a pedestrian mall where every weekend all sorts of vendors set up to sell their crafts. If you come to Salem outside of October, you'd maybe see a handful of people in this area.

There's many street performers ranging from an a capella group to a juggling unicyclist to musicians to characters like Frankenstein's monster, a Minion, and Michael Myers who are happy to take a photo with you in exchange for a tip. There is one guy that has been doing this for years called Steve the Vampire. He is amazing.

You'll also come across many costumed visitors of all ages. This is one of the things I love, seeing these people come out during the day to celebrate really gives you a warn fuzzy Halloween feeling.

Seeing this older Dynamic Duo put a huge smile on my face. And what great costumes!

Even pets get in on the fun!

Where else but a convention would you run into Sweetums from the Muppets?

There are all sorts of delicious things to be smelled and tasted!

I saw this house just off of Salem Common. You'll have to view it larger to see the wonderful decorating job they did. See if you can spot the demon clown child in the front door.

During October, there are all kinds of food vendors set up on the Common along with some kiddie rides. They also have a pumpkin decorating contest and show off the entrants.

Although I only spent a couple of hours in Salem, it really helped put me in the Halloween mood. The festive mood all around town is great for lifting your spirits.

You can see more photos from around town in these Flickr albums.

2016

2014

2013 
Fivehands Curiosity Shoppe

Here's a few more Pop Culture bloggers take on the topic.

You can check out all the participants at Cool and Collected.

Alexis' Universe gets spooky with some decorating.

A sad tale of a Halloween that wasn't from Spyda-Man.

AFB talks about some Halloween tunes.

Be sure to check out all the Countdown to Halloween bloggers!

Pop Culture League - Aliens Among Us

The League poses another vague challenge this week

Aliens Among Us

“If aliens visit us, the outcome would be much as when Columbus landed in America, which didn’t turn out well for the Native Americans.”
–Stephen Hawking

Hawking's a pretty smart guy, but I prefer to think things will go the way of an 80s comedy movie with the aliens getting totally obsessed with our pop culture.

 

Of course, if they ran across this, it might change their tune entirely. Who knows, maybe they were driven to Earth because their own planet was attacked and they'd dig it. Or they might think they were actually controlling Earth's defenses and just let the tank get blown up over and over. Or they'd zap it with their alien mind powers and make it so they were actually controlling our defenses!

 Invade a few other sites to see their take on the topic

Green Plastic Squirt Gun has my favorite so far.
They're already here according to Mr Smith's Plastic Bubble
Marc Allie wrote a whole short story!

To see all the participating blogs head over to Cool and Collected!

Pop Culture League - Buying Blind

This week the Pop Culture League poses a particular favorite type of challenge: the very vague. I like these because you can run all over with them.

Buying Blind

Who doesn’t love gambling on a blind box or mystery package?

I've been on the blind bag wagon for years now. Before Funko, before LEGO, there were all sorts of Japanese import toys and Kubrick Universal Monsters that I'd get at Newbury Comics. For those of you outside New England, Newbury Comics is a small chain store specializing in pop culture everything.

 Sometimes, the fun of it really is not knowing what you're going to get. It's just like when you were a kid and you plopped two quarters into a capsule vending machine that promised all sorts of goodies. You could get candy, maybe a cheap-o ring, for a quarter, but for two or three? You convinced yourself you might get something really cool.

Even though it was something like two years ago, I remember seeing the breakdown Funko's first series of SciFi Mystery Minis. It went a little something like this...

That's some pretty iconic characters right there, but they seemed to make a lot of the ones I'd want hard to get! Sure I was excited as all get out to see Tron in there, but then I saw the Rocketeer and got even more excited...until I saw that there was a 1 in 72 chance of getting him. I get that the reasoning might be he's not as popular so in order to get him made at all, they make less but...c'mon!

So one day at Newbury Comics, I picked up a couple of boxes for the heck of it. Hey, at least I had a decent shot at getting Tron, right? I mean there are two versions so that's like double the odds or something. Who said I'd never use math after high school?

One of them was Robocop

A photo posted by Ed Dexter (@dex1138) on Nov 26, 2014 at 1:36pm PST

Not bad, not bad. Robocop's cool. He's not Tron or the Metaluna Mutant but considering how many of the series I couldn't care less about, I was happy.

Then I opened the second one...

A photo posted by Ed Dexter (@dex1138) on Nov 26, 2014 at 1:34pm PST

Holy Sweet Mother of Dragons!

Sometimes you break even and get something you're satisfied with. Sometimes you get something you don't like...but maybe you can trade it. And sometimes you just get flat out "I should go buy a lottery ticket" lucky as anything and you nail it.

Check out what other League members are posting about here.

And here's a few to whet your appetite...

Brother Midnight has got quite a collection!
Garbage Pail Kids pop in at 20 Years Before 2000
AF Blog has plenty of cool little monsters

Pop Culture League - First Quarter

This week, the Pop Culture League asks

What’s your earliest arcade or video game memory?

This was a fun mental exercise for me because I've been into video games for a very long time (I"m old). I had to fire up the Wayback Machine and try to piece together the sequence of my early video game memories. But I have to admit, it really wasn't that difficult using the game's release year as a benchmark.

It helps if you imagine a whirling time tunnel graphic here.

Or maybe just Wayne and Garth doing that flashback thing.

Was it...

going to the local bowling alley with my dad on Friday nights, which was the only real arcade in my area for some time?

stopping at the mall on the way home from middle school which had a handful of games crammed into a space that wasn't meant to hold them and a bunch of kids?

playing Donkey Kong or Karate Champ at the corner store with my best bud?
(Just like Karate Kid, sweeping the leg was the ultimate lame move.)

playing Pac-Man at the roller rink?

In my time on this planet, all the above memories fall into a very small span of years but there is one game that was the genesis of my love of video game...

Way, way back when I was still in grade school, I used to go to the local YMCA quite a bit. Sometimes for swimming lessons, sometimes for basketball practice. Until I started this little mind warp, I had nearly forgotten I played basketball as a kid!

At some point, the YMCA added a Space Invaders machine to the lobby next to the foosball table and that was the start of my love affair with video games. I remember at the end of whatever had brought me to the Y, I'd go and play Space Invaders. There usually wasn't much of a wait for the machine but I do recall having to put my quarter on the bezel to be the next pilot in line to defend the planet.

As fate would have it, this YMCA was directly across the street from where I ended up going to middle school. The school didn't have a proper gym so when it was time for PE, we walked across the street to use their gym. I distinctly remember Ladybug, Mouse Trap, and Vanguard joining the lineup during that time.

I know I played Space War which came out before Space Invaders but I don't have any strong memory of it like I do Invaders. I'd chalk it up to the ever increasing beat as you take out the Invaders one by one. Their descent speeds up, along with your adrenaline, as you have to start timing your shots to keep the ever advancing horde from destroying your bunkers and making planet fall.

I also have to give honorable shout-outs to Oregon Trail and Lemonade Stand, both of which I played in grade school.

A few other League posts

Retro Ramblings' first encounter was with an NES.
The Toy Box was lucky enough to live near an Aladdin's Castle.
Another old timer in the video wars, Marc Allie remembers Sears Telegames.

For more video game goodness, check out the post at Cool and Collected.

The League is Back in Season

Like a phoenix rising from the ashes of the League of Extraordinary Bloggers, the Pop Culture League is born anew!

Masterminded by Brian over at Cool and Collected, the original LoEB was a fun way for bloggers to join together with their take on a weekly topic or challenge and it's a good way to meet folks outside your current circles. It's back and slightly tweaked for the hip kids to join in with their Instapics, Facebooks, or Slapchat. If you want to join in, you can get all the details here. There's no commitment, just join in when you want.

If you're reading this, you probably already know the League is back because someone else has posted about it. I don't have a lot of time to write during the week so I'm usually going to be the last one to the party every week. But I'm here!

The topic for the return of the League is Shelfie.

With the end of August looming, I thought I'd start getting into the Halloween spirit! I know stores have had candy displays out for weeks and the Spirit store at the mall has opened so it's time to get things started!

There's plenty of books on this shelf to keep you busy during the spooky season. Starting on the left are quite a few (if not all) of artist Gris Grimly's books. I highly recommend his Wicked Nursery Rhymes series. 

All sorts of "reference" material for encountering the supernatural. The only thing I'm really missing is Tobin's Spirit Guide and now I can finally get one!

The right side of the shelf is mostly fiction with the odd "idea" book. This is also where most of my Halloween-ish Playmobil characters live. Now that I think about it, this is not most of them. Most of them are packed in with the Halloween decorations but those are trick or treater types dressing up, not actual creeps!

Off to the far, far right (out of frame) is the Halloween Tarot and the I Luv Halloween omnibus. The book is a collection of the three I Luv Halloween manga in glorious color. If you've got a warped sense of humor and a love of Halloween,you have to read this. It's got an 80s kid adventure vibe to it, only it's definitely R-rated! I re-read it every year.

The Egyptian princess is there because of the mummy on the left and because of the Egyptian dagger. If you've got books on how to fight monsters, you need something to fight them with, right? Plus, I think it just looks cool, like it could be magical.

Well, that wraps up the first Pop Culture League post! Curious what other League members are posting? Head on over to the Shelfie post at Cool and Collected.

Here's a few to get started

GI Jigsaw has an amazing vintage Star Wars display

Relatively new blog Scotch and Spacemen has got lots of 80s toys

The Harvey Mercheum is packed with merch based on Harvey Comics

Halloween Web - Kevin Hellions

For the people that may not know you, tell us a little about yourself.

Hey guys.  Kevin "Hellions" Decent here.  You might remember me from TeamHellions.com and all over social media either @TeamHellions or @KevinHellions.  I discuss comics, wrestling and all sorts of geeky stuff.  Thousands of articles, dozens of publications and millions of hits later and I still get so excited for Halloween.  This year as part of the Countdown to Halloween I'm remembering my personal history with all things that go bump in the night.

What was Halloween like in your neighborhood as a kid?

I grew up in Watertown NY, about an hour north of Syracuse and 45 minutes south of the Canadian border.  That far north the weather can be all over the place.  There were many years when part of planning a Halloween costume involved accommodating a winter coat underneath.  Yet I still have that perfect feeling for Fall.  Anytime from September through November I will walk outside and smell the crisp air, the leaves on the ground and think it feels like a perfect day for Halloween.  Alas, there is only one day for Halloween.

Do you have a particularly fond/funny/scary Halloween memory?

I'm leading up to this post on my own site but here's a preview story.  Its about the last night I went out trick or treating.  My two best friends at the time were a year younger than me.  I was in 8th grade and they were in 7th (I'm pretty sure.  Its possible we need to add one.)  Up until that night I was all set to stay at home.  Watch some TV, go to bed early, call it a night.  But I neglected to tell anyone this.  So they show up to my house ready to go out and get some candy.  They had picked the easiest costumes as well and threw on some camoflague clothes to go as soldiers.  Easy.  I must have some camo.  Wrong.  So in a bit of desperation I took some extra pants that they had with a hole in the crotch.  We tore that hole open more so I could stick my head through and wear the legs as sleeves.  Some black shirt and pants later and I was the most pathetic saddest looking kid out that night.  You laugh and I would be embarrassed but dammit I had candy so I don't care.

Any favorite costumes from Halloweens past?

I really wish I had pictures nearby.  I do remember going out one year as Buzz Off from Masters of the Universe.  Buzz Off.  The giant bee man.  It doesn't get more obscure.  I was THAT kid.  The kid that anyone who answers the door shakes their head and thinks "I don't even know these characters any more."

What do you do to celebrate now, out in the real world?

When I moved to the city I'm currently in with my now wife she brought me to one of her best friend's yearly Halloween party.  We try to have complimentary costumes and keep everything fun.  When that friend moved we took over the tradition.  Maybe 10 people at the most and we have some sort of game going just in case there's a pause in conversation.  Darts or Cards Against Humanity.  There are no winners just whoever is in the lead when the conversations get too fun to continue.
We are very close to having a little kid to take out trick or treating though.  He's probably still too young but I think next year will be the first of many fun times.

Do you have any yearly rituals?

Last year I ran a Halloween City store and I have added the store CD to my tradition.  Its a 3 CD set full of creepy songs and sounds.  I do plan on playing it during the aforementioned party.

My only must watch are the double bill of Peanuts and Garfield Halloween specials.  There's no forgetting that.  Even if its Halloween night I'll find the time to watch those.

There are so many great horror movies and shows that I've never seen I think its important to discover new things every year.  I have favorites, like everyone else but isn't it more fun to discover something every year?

What do you think it is about Halloween that keeps it in our hearts as we get older?

I think Halloween, while very adult and scary, also is a sort of innocence.  Put on a costume and be anything you want to be.  Watch scary things and know deep down inside its all fake.  There is too much real terror in the world.  When every day is spent expecting the next terrible act of human violence and praying its not in your town silly things like monsters and ghouls become welcome.

Inside the Spookster's Studio

The worst thing to get while trick or treating was...Mary Janes.  That being said I really want to buy some just to be sure about how bad they were/are.

My favorite thing to get was...Of course everyone wants to say full size candy bars but you know what was surprisingly good?  Mini Twizzlers.  Just the right amount and I dare say more chewy than the regular kind. 

Where can folks find you online?

Like Team Hellions on Facebook.  Follow @TeamHellions on Twitter, @KevinHellions on Instagram.  Subscribe to the Team Hellions blog and be sure to check out the other bloggers talking about Halloween.  We all depend on our readers. 

Before you run off to check out all the Cryptkeepers at Countdown to Halloween, here is today's audio Trick or Treat mix: Hell: The Second Rung

Happy Blogday to Me!

Four years ago on this very day, the first post to AEIOU and Sometimes Why was published!

I can't believe it's been four years that this blog has been up and running. I've had a lot of fun keeping it going and I've met some really cool people (virtually) through the community.

Here are the Top 10 most viewed posts over the last four years.

Ah, the League of Extraordinary Bloggers. I don't know if you're reading this Brian, but thanks again for creating that gang. The weekly topics frequently gave me something to post about when I had nothing in particular planned and kept me challenged.

It's also how I connected with a lot of the bloggers I know today.

And somehow, that Andy Gibb poster ad continues to be one of my most popular of all time.

What's bringing people here from an internet search?

What's the deal with Andy Gibb, internet?
What???

And on that note, here's a little present for you!

League No More!

It was with heavy heart that I caught up on my RSS feeds last night when I saw that Brian at Cool and Collected is closing down the League of Extraordinary Bloggers. Although Cool and Collected and the other League members aren't going anywhere, I'll still miss having a topic thrown at me to write about.

Over the course of the League, 75 different blogs have risen to the weekly challenge at one time or another. Some of these cool people I may not have met otherwise. I think the League's lasting legacy will be the community and friendships that formed around it.

Brian's post says "Goodbye" to the League, but I prefer to say "Until next time." Like any good super team, I think the League will wait in the wings until the world needs them again and their leader (whether new or old) calls for them to assemble.

Huge thanks to Brian and all the bloggers who made The League so much fun.
*Cue the slow clap*

Really, Superfriends? If you need pall bearers, why choose the Flash? That's gotta be some kind of torture for him to have to walk as slow as everyone else.

League Post - Dinner Party

This week the League of Extraordinary Bloggers has been tasked to hold their ultimate dinner party. Invited guests can be living, dead, and/or fictional.

I was good up until the fictional part. It's hard enough putting together just five people from real life people, never mind all of literature, TV, movies, and video games! So I'm thinking this may call for some creative interpretation, also known as cheating the topic.

For starters, here's my real world guest list. Not to be confused with the Real World, although it could be interesting to see these people living in a house together.

If you know me at all, it's no surprise that Vincent Price is numero uno on my guest list. I'm pretty sure I'd have no problem with him being my only guest for the evening! His daughter is coming to Salem in October and I'm hoping really hard that I"ll be able to attend her lecture. It'll be the next best thing to being able to actually meet him.

Second is Roger Corman, King of the B Movies! Not only do I love B movies, but he's worked with so many people during his career, he's got to have some fantastic stories.

The next two gentlemen should need no introduction. I'd love to pick Walt's brain about theme park design and attractions. Maybe even ask him to design his version of a Star Wars ride, after showing him the movie of course!

Jim and Kermit are a package deal. I wouldn't make Jim perform, technically. I mean, if I'm bringing people back from the dead, I'm sure there's some magic way Jim could "be" Kermit without having to be under the table, right? I don't even know where I'd start with them. Sesame Street and The Muppet Show have had such an impact on me. I'd probably be more star struck and tongue tied trying to talk to Kermit.

My last guest does need an introduction and his name is Howard Scott Warshaw. Maybe you've heard the name, maybe not. But if you owned an Atari 2600 as a kid, chances are you're familiar with at least one of his games: Yar's Revenge, Raiders of the Lost Ark, or E.T. Yar's is one of my favorite video games ever and the Atari was a big part of my childhood.
I promise not to bring up E.T.

Now we come to the fictional party list!

Right off the top, it has to be The Doctor, but which one? Maybe he'd start at 1 and regenerate into each version as the night wears on. Or he could just randomly rotate between 4, 9, 10, and 11 all night. Wouldn't that be fun? Or some (or all) could show up at once, not like that hasn't happened before.

Next is probably my most loved character in printed fiction, Tasslehoff Burrfoot from the DragonLance novels. He's like a halfling with ADHD and has a habit of "borrowing" things that aren't nailed down. He's pretty much fearless and if there's trouble to be found, he'll won't just find it, he'll find it and poke it with a stick!

From Marvel comics, a pair of distinctly different doctors: Doom and Strange. When it comes to comic characters, I tend toward the more mystically inclined. Doom might try to steal the TARDIS, but I'd bet Tasslehoff would be stowed away in there and drive him crazy. And Strange I've been a fan of almost as long as I've been reading comics. I'm much more into his extra-dimensional adventures than the Earth-bound ones.

I was going to put Rocket Raccoon in the last chair. But as much as I'm into Guardians of the Galaxy right now, I have to put Adventure Time's Finn as my final fictional guest. He knows how to party but if Tas isn't plundering the depths of the TARDIS, he and Finn will probably run off to find adventure somewhere. There's so much doctor going on at this party, I had to use this particular image of Finn, even though he's not a doctor.

Check out other League members' guest lists
Retro Robot Review has got some creative inspirations
Author! Author! over at Kalem Klub
Super Powered Fiction invites some world changers

Check out all the participants at Cool and Collected!

League Post - Top 10

The League of Extraordinary Bloggers is looking for your Top 10 this week. 

Top 10 what? That's up to us to decide!

I've been working on a top sci-fi music videos from the 80s post but it needs more research, so I almost sat out this week. But I got an idea while watching the UK Guardians of the Galaxy press conference. In it, James Gunn was talking about the soundtrack and how he wanted to use ELO's "Livin Thing" in the movie, which would have been cool, especially for Groot. So what I came up with is my Top 10 additional/alternate tracks for the movie. And really, any excuse to talk about this movie is good enough for me.

Spoiler Alert! 
If you haven't seen the movie yet this is your warning as I'll be describing certain scenes where my picks would go in the flick. I'm not claiming my choices are better than what we got, because the soundtrack is fantastic. These are just some tunes I picked out and where I thought they could fit.

Summer Breeze - Seals & Croft
Opening/Hospital "I'm Not In Love"
I haven't been able to get the song out of my head since seeing the movie, but that's where I'd swap this one in. It doesn't have "big boys don't cry" but the lightness of the song would contrast well with what's going on at the start of the movie. And it kind of has that same etherealness to it.

Get Down Tonight - KC & The Sunshine Band
Bang a Gong - T. Rex
Star-Lord approaches the temple "Come and Get Your Love"
You can't really argue the song choice in what has become a fan favorite scene. The music, and Quill's actions, instantly set the tone for what's to come. But go ahead and spin any of the above tracks and picture him dancing across the alien landscape and abusing space rats.

 Magic - Pilot
Prison intake "Hooked on a Feeling"
I know, I know. How could I replace "Hooked on a Feeling?" In the same vein, it's a light happy tune that would be an oddball combo when Quill goes after the guard with his Walkman and subsequently gets the beat down.

Jailbreak - Thin Lizzy
Blitzkrieg Bop - The Ramones
The gang breaks out of Kyln
This section is scored but either of these songs would make a great addition to the action. Or you could just have that last guard in the tower listening to one of them and bobbing his head, oblivious to what's going on around him. I was also thinking "Ballroom Blitz" by Sweet but that might be too cliche.

Love is Like Oxygen - Sweet
Gamora's "seduction" "Fooled Around and Fell In Love"
It's not as light as "Fooled," but it would tie in nicely with Star-Lord saving Gamora later.

You're So Vain - Carly Simon
Showdown with Ronan "Ooh Child"
How hilarious would it be to have Star-Lord singing this to distract Ronan? Granted, he wouldn't really be able to bust out those sweet moves to this song though. With all the talk of Bacon, would "Footloose" be a little too on the nose here?

Magic Carpet Ride - Steppenwolf
Slow Ride - Free
Where to Next? / End
Either of these would provide a rockin send off as the Milano heads off into parts unknown for its next adventure. I imagine the ship blasting away from camera as the songs break.

What hits from the Awesome Mix era would you want to hear in the movie?

Here's what other League members are posting
D.I. Treasures eats through their Top 10 cereals
Action figure are where it's at for The Goodwill Geek
The Trash Man shows off his 10 favorite VHS tapes

Hit up Cool and Collected to see all the participating bloggers!

League Post - Hake's Auction 212

The League of Extraordinary Bloggers has teamed up again with Hake's Americana & Collectibles for this week's assignment. These fictional shopping sprees are always one of my favorite topics. There are always so many interesting pop culture items to pick and choose from. Even without these assignments, I can spend way too much time just looking at everything and dreaming I have a house big enough for all these treasures!

It also doesn't hurt that Hake's will pick a random blogger to win a $100 credit with them!

 

Set of four Monster Cereal Rings

Expected: $200 - $400

The first thing I selected was a set of four Monster Cereal rings. The other two were Boo Berry and Fruit Brute. I had a Boo Berry one as a kid so getting a set of them would be pretty neat. The character images are actually lids that open to reveal a small compartment that you can put something very small in. Hake's says their last set sold at $275 and it looks like this auction is already gone from the time I put my list together!

Mysterymen of America Prototype Ring

Current: $138 Expected: $100 - $400

Yes, it's those Mystery Men from the movie, which was based on comic characters. I'm not the biggest fan of the franchise but I love the retro pulp look of the ring. As you can see, it was made in 1992.

The Shadow Secret Society "Magic" Glow in the Dark Member's Button

Current: $300 Expected: $400 - $700

Sticking with the pulp theme, I picked out this Shadow button from 1939. It'd be pretty cool as just a regular button but it even glows in the dark!

 

Spookshow Window Card Trio

Current: $100 Expected: $200 - $400
I am completely fascinated with the whole spookshow thing. Nothing today comes close to the sensationalism used to advertise these midnight monster movie shows. They often had live entertainment like a magician or psychic to warm up the crowd. Sometimes the movie monsters would "jump off the screen" and roam the theater!

Shogun Warriors Boxed Figures
Current: $220 Expected: $200 - $400
I had a few of these as a kid and the bigger 24" ones too. Even though these guys are only around 5" they're mostly die-cast. These bots are heavy, man! Plus, most of them came out before they passed that "no more rocket firing toys" thing so they have real firing weapons! They were featured in the syndicated Force Five cartoon I used to watch after school. There were 5 shows, a different one airing each weekday.

Star Wars Micro Collection: Bespin Freeze Chamber Boba Fett 4-up Unpainted Hardcopy Prototype
Current: $1000 (no bids!) Expected: $2000 - $5000
Saved the best for last! For those that aren't up on their action figure production, a 4-up is an initial design prototype that is four times the size of the normal figure so they can get all the detail on it. But considering that this is from the Micro Collection series, which were mini-playsets, the prototype itself is only 5.5" tall. I've always wanted to have some kind of Kenner prototype in my collection and I'm one of those Boba Fett fanboys, so this would be an amazing piece.

Here's what other League members have their eyes on
Nerd Life of Mine likes sci-fi and superheroes
Megos, movie posters and comics at The Toy Box
Toyriffic goes batty!

Head over to Cool and Collected to see all the participating blogs.

League Post - Look What I Can Do!

Ok, so my title isn't exactly on point for this week's League of Extraordinary Bloggers post, but I couldn't resist dropping a reference to one of the best things to come out of Mad TV: Stuart.

Here's what the League is looking for

Look what I made! Do you worship at the altar of MacGyver? Have you ever drawn a stick figure? Given birth to a child? Put together an Ikea product? 
Let’s see it!

While I have put together Ikea furniture (cursing like the Swedish Chef does not help the process), I decided to show off something that is potentially far more embarrassing. Today we're setting the WABAC machine for the early 80s, specifically the '81-'83 time frame.

I was in middle school/junior high at that time and did a lot of doodling then. I hesitate to call it drawing because that would imply I had some kind of talent for it. The same period that birthed the intergalactic adventurer Captain Blaze, also created another space-bound hero...

Spaaaaaaace Snaaaaaaaake!

You read that right, Space Snake! Please don't ask me to explain how a pre-teen boy creates these things. It was the early 80s, I was into comics and there were so many awesome cartoons on the three channels Saturday morning that it was a life decision which channels to watch if you didn't have a VCR.

Here is Space Snake's data file which was heavily inspired by the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe.

I have no explanation for the names. Harold and Lydia, what was I, 80? Why would the Galactic Federation take in a mutant snake and train it to be a soldier with a jetpack and laser gun? Who knows. Astute readers will notice his pistol bears a striking resemblance to the sidearm carried by the Visitors. And by striking, I mean if you squint really hard, it kinda looks like it. And it also establishes the creation time a little better.

My stepdad served in the USMC for many years (OOO-RAH!) and early in his career he got a sketch book and took it with him wherever he was assigned. He had friends at different bases contribute something to the book. There is some weird shiz in there, let me tell you. Anyway, I got hold of it one day and drew the first and only Space Snake comic strip in it.
Of course, it was an origin story.

Below is the first ever drawing of Space Snake. I keep it in a hard plastic trading card case that screws shut. You know, just in case someday he makes it big and then I can sell it for millions of dollars. Having said that, if any artistic readers want to use ol' Harold, I'm available as a consultant.



Enough of my scribbles, here's what other Leaguers are doing
GI Jigsaw built his own Death Star!
Go quazy for Harley Quinn with Toyriffic's Playmobil custom figures.
Monster Cafe might be into wrestling, I'm not sure...

See what the whole gang is posting about at Cool & Collected.