No reviews this week, but I found something truly wonderful at Austin Books and Comics: Dynamite #4 with the dreamy Shaun Cassidy and Parker Stevenson on the cover! Squeeeeeal! On a less gay note, Dynamite was one of those magazine’s for kids that we got through Scholastic Book Services in school. It was a step above Highlights for Children in terms of content and reading level, but less erudite than CBS’s “In the News”. The cool thing about this find is that it still has the subscription form and club patch inside. And, yeah, the Hardy Boys.

I’m going to write this feature without referencing Calvin and Hobbes, because any comic with a put-upon daydreaming ten-year-old boy is going to call up the comparison (plus, everyone else who discovers this comic is going to say the exact same thing). So, let me say that for those who enjoy pre-adolescent (and at times rather dark) whimsy and have an affection for all things superheroic, then as fast as you can type the URL, get yourself over to SMASH, and let the stupendous wash over you. It kicks Kick Ass’ ass without breaking a sweat or breaking a skull open.

Thanks to Lorin of the GLA for the tip!

Xposted to CPB

The first toys I remember my parents getting me for Christmas were the Mego Batman, Robin, Superman, Spider-Man, Joker, the Batmobile and the Hall of Justice. And “remember” is far too light a word. These toys are ingrained in me, and still pull and tug at me to this day (they’re also sitting on a shelf in my bedroom, which has a lot to do with that, no doubt).

Now, Mattell (!!!) is coming out with their DC Universe Retro-Action Figures series, which are unaplogetically based on the Mego aesthetic.

In the Set One (the first of many, I hope) only one figure (Superman) was ever produced by Mego; the others (Green Lantern, Lex Luthor, and Sinestro) were rumored to be in production, but never made it to the assembly line before Mego went bankrupt in 1981 (thanks a lot, Kenner!). They look like the real thing and are going to be packaged to look like Megos (along the same lines as Diamond Select’s Star Trek re-issues) , but that $85.00 price tag is enough to give an enthusiast like myself pause.

Looks like I may be selling some less desirable things on eBay to cover the bill. Maybe my Dark Tower…?

Oh, YEAH!!!!