Monogram Carnage PVC Coin Bank

Just in time to join the Halloween decorations, this 9" tall Carnage PVC coin bank is one of the more fantastic of its kind. While I've admired a few from afar more than once, seeing this just before Halloween sent me over the edge. Check out the video below:

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Goat Guns M4A1 Replica Desert Storm

When Sgt. Gunner over at Goat Guns heard I was collecting Mega Construx Call of Duty sets and minifigs, he sent over their 1:3 scale M4A1 "Desert Storm" replica to complement my new Heavy Tactical Cargo Truck. The details in these diecast/composite model guns are nothing short of stunning, even including a few tiny dummy rounds that fit in the removable ammo clip, and makes a nice background set piece for my modest "army men" display. Check out the video:

Thanks for the care package, Sarge!

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Captain Marvel Pinup, 1978

As I just posted about the new Marvel Legends Captain Marvel, and we are nearing the release of the new Captain Marvel film, I thought I'd share this great Captain Marvel pinup I found on eBay recently. Featuring Captain Marvel #29 cover art by Jim Starlin (1973), the image measures 9.5 x 14". According to L.Lee Hymn of Tellshiar.Com, this pinup came from The Mighty World of Marvel Pin-up Book, published by Fireside in 1978 for $5.95 retail. On the verso of the poster is a description of Marvel team The Defenders, who would have been featured on the next page. Art by other Bronze-Age greats like John Romita, Herb Trimpe, Dave Cockrum, John Buscema, Gil Kane, Gene Colan, Jack Kirby and others were also featured. Hymn went on to tell me the book can sell for $150.-$300, individual plates going for $25.-$75. His website is a treasure trove of Marvel ephemera that is a must see! This image of Captain Marvel is an early if somewhat hazy memory from my first experiences with comic books, and a joy to frame for display in my home.

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Pepsi Super Series Superman & Flash Tumblers, 1976

Some superhero and popular entertainment themed tumblers like these were fixtures of my youth during the '70s and '80s, and in recent years received a nice set of Marvel tumblers I treasure. My pal Mary gave me these two Pepsi Super Series Superman & Flash tumblers from 1976 this past New Year's Eve, inherited from a family friend some years back. I'm unsure if I had these two particular tumblers, but the Flash glass seems very familiar! These were in mint condition, and a greatly appreciated gift!

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Superman The Movie Magazine (1979)

One very special Christmas gift from my sibling this year was a Superman The Movie magazine, published in 1979- very cool! I have some vintage comics and Christopher Reeve memorabilia in my collection, but have never seen this! Chris was a hero in real life as well as on the silver screen, co-founding the Reeve-Irvine Research Center to develop stem cell research in spinal cord injury rehabilitation. And back in 1978, at the age of six, I thought Chris Reeve really was Superman! 

The book features interviews with the actors, producers, and designers, insight on the sets of Superman's world, and the comic book themes that informed the movie's characters and their story told in the blockbuster film. I'm not sure there was much within the pages I didn't really know, but I loved this movie as a kid, there's plenty to read, and the pictures inside are fun!

The back cover features a favorite promotional photo of Christopher of mine in front of the American flag- he was the Superman of my generation and still my favorite. I've appreciated other portrayals, including Brandon Routh, and Henry Cavill, but we all tend to favor early experiences and childhood heroes. And who can deny Chris Reeve's sincere portrayal ...?

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Framed Marvel Solicitation Posters!

Picked up another 2-sided Marvel Solicitation poster recently, and it reminded me I never got around to getting frames for these, several of which I posted on back in November. I've been enjoying Iron Man since his Marvel NOW! relaunch in 2012, and enjoyed several issues of Wolverine and the X-Men as well. In the end I opted to show the Superior Spider-Man issue #17 promo (with Spider-Man 2099!) and Guardians of the Galaxy, two other books I've followed since the Marvel NOW! imprint took over my life. I've read far more titles, more consistently from Marvel than DC ever since, the latter of whom also rebooted their title catalogue in the New 52 imprint. Regardless, after having regained some footing back into reading comics by trade paperbacks, the relaunch of each respective title got me into the weeklies. While on the subject of decorating, I never showed of the Thor metal poster I picked up this winter at 1/2 price... nice, eh...? 

If you haven't checked my Boyish Wonder Pinterest, head on over! I worked all week pinning what's started to resemble a "Super-DuperToyBox: Greatest Hits" of my collections & photography. It's been fun going back through the last 3 1/2 years of photography and seeing some of my collection that's been stored for awhile!

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DC and Marvel Mugs

Happy New Year!  Picked up a few coffee mugs at good prices over the holidays while shopping for family & friends. While I didn't really need any more coffee mugs, these DC character mugs were both exceptionally nice looking and only four bucks at Big Lots. The Superman mug's red inner wall added a lot of flair in my opinion, and the big, classic shield on blue looks attractive. The Batman mug had great illustration, and features Nightwing on the other side- a member of the Batman family we haven't usually seen on merchandise like this. I've been enjoying the new Batman: Black & White title lately, so I could not have found this at a better time.

With the weather turning cold, I've been taking a coffee with me on the go more often, and was bowled over by this flashy Amazing Spider-Man tumbler at Wal-Mart (also four bucks). There were also retro Batman and Wonder Woman tublers, but I've been reading so much Spider-Man this past year that this was definitely the one for me-  that classic Spidey illustration takes me back to the '70s!

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Spider-Man 2099 Art Print by J.Alonzo Clark...

Met a great artist at Project Comic Con this past weekend, J. Alonzo Clark, and picked up a print of his- Spider-Man 2099! I'm a big fan of the character since I read Vol.1 of the Spider-Man 2099 TPB, and seeing his recent appearance in the Marvel NOW! Superior Spider-Man title had me excited all over again! Mr. Clark also makes custom helmets & shields, and is a cosplayer/actor and stuntman as well. His booth was impressive, and service done with a smile.  Check out his Facebook page for more images of this talented man's work and extraordinary costumes!

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Holiday Haul!

I was a very good boy this year, and along with several other wonderful gifts from my nice family I got some FUN toys for Christmas  :D

I casually mentioned to my mother at Thanksgiving my admiration for this Funko Vinyl Invaders Batman Robot, and she hunted one down for me! It's one of the best mash-ups I've seen, combining Sho-Gun Warriors with Batman- killer! I absolutely love everything about this...

My buddy James got me some Marvel Heroes drink coasters- perfect for setting my icy Diet Coke on while working hard on the Super-DuperToyBox!

My sister got me what may be the tiniest Superman action figure ever- a Heroics mini figure of the Man of Steel that's not much taller than an inch or so... fascinating!

And last, but not least, my Mom's gag gift to all us kids big & small were these Superfly Sock Monkeys, which make a slightly disturbing scream upon impact. Unreserved mirth was the obvious result  :D

Blessed peace to you and yours from myself and mine

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Custom Mouse Pads!

 

Here's something kinda fun- the old mouse here at the Super-DuperToybox was getting worn out, and after picking up a nifty, red Logitech M310 on sale, sadly discovered the local marketplace bereft of any cool comics-related mouse pads! I decided to just upload a couple favorite images on Vistaprint. At twenty-three & change shipped, they cost more than my new mouse. Not cheap  but they are hella fun  :D

*The photo of DC Direct Martian Manhunter & Superman is my own. I'm a big fan of  these two alien heroes for their great power and innate goodness toward the Earthlings. The History of the DC Universe figures were somewhat clumsy on their feet, but have great color and classic styling. Fun!

 

*The Mar-Vell pad borrows a panel from Captain Marvel: Secret Invasion, which is probably the best Captain Marvel story I've ever read. I recently picked up a copy of Ms. Marvel's Secret Invasion, of which I have high expectations- may read that puppy this weekend! The ratio for the mouse pad doesn't match the page size of the TPB, so I had to chop him off at the knees, but the thought panels/speech balloons left at the top say plenty. Great art!

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Saturday Swag!

I scored some sweet deals on Marvel t-shirts while running around town this afternoon- the Ghost Rider and Marvel tees were five bucks at Wal-Mart, and the others were ten at Kohls. I fly the dork flag with pride, and am always on the lookout for another cool tee. Yes, I already have loads of superhero tees in my closet, but these were nicely priced & exceptionally cool...

I also happened upon a couple sweet Batmobiles: a 1966 TV Batmobile for a buck, and a more deluxe 1940 version in a slightly larger scale. The latter was somewhat expensive at eight dollars, but I stop to look at this every time I pass one, so I bought it. I'm not a hot wheels collector, but I do have a few Batmobiles. 

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State of the ToyBox: Currently On Display!

 

One of our fellow toy bloggers was recently getting their collection organized, so I thought I'd get out the featherduster, move some things around, and commit to neatness over the weekend. It's easy to let things pile up and get too crowded, so I shifted the arrangement in my glass case, putting some figures away while bringing out others. 

 

 

Taking a look from top to bottom, my 13" DC Direct Superman came out of the cabinet and onto the top in one of my plexi display boxes, along with some favorite Mattel Flash and Batman toys, including some Retro-Action dollies. I love to see several different sizes & styles of one character together- BIGTOY/littletoy is one of my favorite was to play! I got a couple frames to display some 2011 Marvel calender art I had, and finally framed the Batman Vs. Catman mini poster that came with my Mattel Batman Legacy Catman. Below that I hung my DC Direct Jusice League International Batman, an action figure that looks so cool that I never opened him. I found him tucked in a shelving behind some CDs, brushed him off, and pinned him to the wall so I could better enjoy him for awhile.

And of course the top shelf of my glass cabinet still is, and will likely always be dedicated to J'onn J'onnz, the Martian Manhunter. I arranged a couple packed figures that had been hiding in the closet around the back of my grouping and moved my light feature up from the bottom shelf with them to spice things up. A few of my other 13" DC figures had been crowding it up in there, so now I can better enjoy all the green goodness  :D  See my Martian Nativity from last Christmas!

 

 

Marvel took the second shelf over, represented by some of my Diamond Select figures, 6" Hasbro Avengers, Thor, and Legends figures, and my Marvel Universe 12" Savage Frost Giant...

 

 

Back to DC Comics on the third shelf, the Dark Knight of Gotham being the theme, my deluxe  DC Direct Batman Beyond being the centerpiece, and a couple DC Direct Robin action figures thrown in for good measure. See the two "First Appearance" Batmen? One is a 6" DC Direct, and the other is a 9" Masterpiece Edition dolly by Hasbro, both of which feature wired, poseable capes.

 

 

 

Down below are some favorite Marvel Universe toys, including my 16" Sentinel, Fantastic Four & Guardians of the Galaxy box sets, new She-Hulk & Psylocke, and prized Archangel! My brother asked who the nudist was when he saw Sub-Mariner down there  :D

I've had the Batman Returns poster framed & displayed for awhile now, but put my Green Lantern Series 3 Batman as Green Lantern next to it after the lucky break of my life, finding this rare figure at Slackers for the paltry sum of $14.99. Still can't believe that- SO great   :D

 

 

 

I also finally framed the signed Chris Giarrusso poster I got at Project: Comicon this summer, a tribute to the famous Brave & The Bold cover done by Mike Sekowsky in 1960. I love Chris' childlike interpretation of Marvel & DC characters, and really enjoyed his Mini Marvels: Secret Invasion book!

 

Out in the main room, little has changed, though I put aways some of the crowd gathering around my display shelving. My deluxe DC Direct Sinestro and Green Lantern Corps figures remain the centerpiece atop the bookshelf, but I brought out some Retro-Action Green Lantern figures I still had on card, and my Blackest Night Hal Jordan. Down front is my DC Direct Sinestro Green Lantern- a figure I am still obsessed over after reading the New 52 Green Lantern title. Sinestro is a great character and I'm crazy about Doug Mahnke's art!

 

I rearranged the wall shelving minimally, which still features some of my favorite 10" Deluxe ToyBiz figures, including Beast, Cable, Shatterstar, Gambit, and Spider-Man 2099. I have a lot of these, some newer to the collection alongside my glass cabinet,  and find their simplistic design and bright colors very appealing.

 

And finally, a look at the Hulk collection- no they aren't all in there, but my Marvel Select Avengers Hulk and Hasbro Avengers Hulk are somewhat new to the grouping. Loved the Hulk as a kid, and still do!  :D

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Birthday Edition!

...I knew Cap & the guys would need me sooner or later  ;D

I may act like I'm 12, but I'm actually 40 years old today- hard to believe! But hey, I'm still just a big kid like the rest of you dorks out there, and I love comics as much as I ever did as a kid- probably more  :D  My roommate picked me up this GREAT birthday card- Captain America's shield spins, the Avengers theme music plays, and boy is that fun!

Perhaps more fun was the gift certificate from one of my favorite places to get comics tucked inside, The Fantasy Shop! Mike knows what I like, and is such a good sport putting up with our apartment full of my toys, comics, and pop memorabilia. Thanks Pal!

There's gonna be a cookout tomorrow night with some friends, a couple of which are going to take me to the new Avengers movie next week- can't wait!  :D

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