Toys for Tots...

Whoa! If this isn't a walk down memory lane, I don't know what is. I think I received almost all of those during my rookie X-mas career. Who needs a Leapfrog when you have wooden dog w/ wheels for feet?!

GEEK BLING!!!

Ran across the above Doctor Who 'Tomb of the Cybermen' Promo Pin rooting around online a few weeks ago and went ahead and nabbed it. It'll (fix up) look sharp on my new Spiewak winter jacket I purchased a while back.

Still working on my official return to the Blogosphere, but I may post a few updates here prior...just to help shake the rust off. Stay tuned!

When I Get A Job...

...these cubist-inspired Chucks may be one of the first things I buy. Kind of loud, but cool.

And Speaking of the Cubbies...

...i'm about due for a new ball cap. Thinking I may go w/ the 1968 Cooperstown 'Franchise' cap from Twin Enterprises, as they fit great and can take a helluva beating.

Runnin' (or Walkin') w/ the Devil...

As most of you know, i'm a huge sneaker freak. Additionally, i'm a recovering Van Halen fanatic as well. It seems both worlds will be colliding at some point, when Eddie Van Halen releases his official EVH Shoes...exact replicas of the 'Frankenstein Guitar' inspired black/white/red striped motif he wears.

No word on when they'll actually be available, but you can keep checking his website, EVHgear.com...where you can buy replicas of nearly everything he plays and wears, from his signature Wolfgang guitar for you guitar nerds, which he used on the band's last tour (upgraded over two and a half years to what he calls "NASA quality"), to the aforementioned kicks.

Frankly, i'd just settle for a decent Van Halen album...but a new pair of shoes will do for now.

BIG DADDY OF THEM ALL!

Outside of all my recent fanboy-ism over U2, i've also been knee-deep in a sort of Ed 'Big Daddy' Roth phase. I'm no gearhead, but i've always been fascinated by vintage Hot Rods and the culture around them. More on Ed later, but I thought i'd post up w/ some cool ads for his Revell model kits and detailing supplies.

Best. House Party. EVER.

'The Invite'

'The Party'

Okay. How ill would it be if this wasn't just a sweet ad campaign celebrating 60 years of Adidas Originals making your feet look as fresh as can be?! David Beckham, Russel Simmons, DMC, Katy Perry, Meth & Red, Kevin Garnett, Missy Elliott and Mark Gonzales...DAMN!

Seriously, where else you going to see something as funny as this...

You Invented Space Paranoids?

How in the hell did I miss these? Adidas/Adicolor TRON-flavored Stan Smiths! Looks like these were limited edition of 25K and came out a year or two ago...but i'd be remiss if I didn't post them up in all their beauty. Velcro nonetheless!

I bet Mr. high-and-mighty Master Control doesn't have kicks this fresh!

Now that I Have Some More Free Time...

...i'm finally devoting an hour or two each day to my new hobby of splitting atoms and creating an army of mutants to carry out my bidding. I thought about brewing beer instead, but I don't have the patience.

Atomic, Dawg?

A Blast from the Past...

I got an email this morning that the wonderful item above is on it's way to my house, not via time travel...but Fed-Ex. I ordered it pre-unemployment over a month ago and had completely forgotten about it.

Oh well, a nice addition to the menagerie until I can afford stuff like this again.

COOL TOY ALERT!

Character Options is introducing its new Time Squad line, which features The Doctor and the best WHO baddies in collectible sets! Very similar to the Star Wars Galactic Heroes and Marvel Squad lines of kid-friendly good guys and villains...these look awesome.

Looks like Wave 1 will feature The Doctor, Cyberman, Daleks, Scarecrow, Vashta Nerada, Sontaran, Sycorax, Ood, Pyrovile Centurion, Clockwork Man, Davros, Slitheen and even a Weeping Angel! They are available for order from a slew of online toy stores...I know i'll be placing an order soon.

MMMMMMORE MUGGS!

Doh! I must have missed it (again), but looks like Wave 5 of Hasbro's MIGHTY MUGGS are available. Mach I Iron Man, Vision, A Skrull and (for some reason) an Ultimates version of Captain America. I'd really wish they'd focus on all new stuff versus the different versions of the same ala Spidey, Shellhead and Cap.

Looks like Wave 6 will feature another Wolverine (Logan in casual duds), but in much cooler X-Men news...Sabertooth, Cyclops and Phoenix. Personally, i'm still waiting on them to do a Magneto, Green Goblin, Mysterio, Electro, Daredevil, Invisible Girl and Doctor Strange (amongst others).

For my fellow geeks who aren't so much into the Marvel line, they've also started doing Muggs based on two classic late 80's afternoon cartoons/toylines...G.I. JOE and TRANSFORMERS. The JOEs are cool, the 'Bots and Cons'...not so much. COBRAAAAAAAA!

Speaking of Yetis...

...how cool is the ultra-boss limited edition 'Big Vinyl Yeti' from Gama-Go?! Produced in collaboration with Ningyoushi in an edition of 1000, they've actually sold out at at Gama-Go.com. No worries, Yeti-lovers, you can still nab one at Ningyoushi.com for $90.

For those unfamiliar w/ the most excellent Gama-Go, in late 2000, Tim Biskup, Chris Edmundson & Greg Long started screen printing t-shirts out of the basement of Greg's house. The business grew to include other cool limited edition clothing and accesories featuring some of Biskup's characters. In 2006, Tim (still a partner) stopped working creatively for Gama-Go to focus on his illustrious career in fine art.

Fun stuff, available only in certain boutique-ish joints and online. For further fun, you should check out Tim Biskup.com for a link to his blog and some examples of his work...or just google him. I have been a huge fan for a long time now and really dig that Jim Flora album cover influence to his style. Retro-influenced, but w/ his own mark to it.

More Snow Means...

...more unfunny yeti posts. Seems to be a bit of a lull out there right now and I was able to dig things out. More on the way though. JOY!

SAVE THE DATE!

The quality of the start of each new year is very contingent upon my calendar(s) at work. Don't know what it is, but staring at a great calendar in the midst of day of craziness is very zen to me. However, as I always like to try and get it for the inevitable after-Christmas 50% off...sometimes I end up having some trouble finding the one I actually want.

That was the case w/ the beauty above. As they didn't do a 2009 version of the Museum of Modern Art Vintage Monster Movie wall calendar I had up last year...I opted for the Vintage DC Comics Super Heroes deal you see pictured above.

It features archival-quality reproductions of Golden and Silver Age covers from the DC Comics pantheon. Each month's 11 x14 image is printed on heavy, 100% recycled paper with soy-based inks and (best of all) removes easily to fit a standard frame. Looks cool and is cool for the environment!

I saw it back in October at my local Borders and by the time I was ready to go and get it...gone. Same w/ the 3-4 other Borders, Barnes & Nobles and mall calendar shops I went to. Finally found it at a place nearby work and I was so close to ordering it from the publisher for full price. Nuts...I know.

...but is it as nuts as purchasing the same version of desk calendar every year since 2002? Call it superstition or OCD, but i've had the Cavallini Japanese Woodblock Painting one pictured above religiously placed next to my phone since then. *Serentiy Now!*

Oh Yeah...

...i've completely geeked out over this show again. Purchased the above tee at my local comic shop this morning and I don't feel even a shred of embarrassment over it. Owen, however, thought I should have bought a Batman t-shirt.

Spend Some Holiday GREEN...on (RED)!

I mentioned it briefly in yesterday's post and i've posted up about it numerous times before...if you haven't finished your holiday shopping (or, really, even if you have), think about buying a little (RED). Again, each (RED)partner company creates a product with the Product (RED) logo. In return for the opportunity to increase their own revenue through the (RED) products they sell, a percentage of the profit is given to the Global Fund for AIDS/HIV awareness/relief.

I've been involved w/ (RED) as both a partner and a consumer since it started. The past few year's, i've always made sure at least a few of our gifts are from (RED) partner companies, even if they're something small. Considering you can do you part via purchases w/ American Express, Apple, Starbucks, Converse, Motorola, Gap, Armani, Hallmark, Microsoft, Dell and even GIRL Skateboards...there is an opportunity to do something good, regardless of your budget. Plus, really, it's cool stuff you'd think about buying anyway.

Get more info at joinred.com and enjoy another classic U2 holiday cover while you're at it...

'Gift Ideas For Him' or Recipe for Disaster?

Hopefully, after 32 oz. worth of 'holiday cheer' from that lowboy blender, Dad doesn't light up more than his smoke w/ that fan-forced firestarter (twisted firestarter!) or carve up carolers demanding figgy pudding w/ the automatic slicing knife. Eh, at least his shoes will be nicely polished as they haul him off to jail...too bad Hermie went into dentristy versus law school.

The Aisle of (Awesome) Misfit Toys?

We really got a jump on our holiday shopping this year and i've been waiting for weeks to post up about the incredible display of awesomeness I saw at my local Toys 'R' Us. Right near the front they had and ENTIRE WALL of toys and ornaments from the always-classic Rankin Bass stop-motion masterpiece 'Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer'!

I mean they had everybody from Rudolph to Yukon Cornelius to Hermie to The Bumble to...well, they had just about EVERYBODY. They have individual figures, entire sets and some sweet looking clip-on ornaments for your tree as well! These are all really well done too and look like they hopped right out of the TV. This will very soon be adorning our mantle above the fireplace...

It's perfect timing too, as the boys have just gotten old enough to start appreciating not just Christmas...but Christmas TV Specials! Right now, they seem a little more partial towards the animated Rankin Bass 'Frosty the Snowman', but (barring a few freakouts over the Bumble) they seem to be warming up to 'Rudolph' too.

Just wait 'til the boys get a load of the Burgermeister Meisterburger, Winter Warlock and the infamous Miser Brothers. Yikes!

There Won't Be Snow in Africa this X-mas...

...but we're getting a shitload of it right now up here in Libertyville! I'm heading out now so I can really savor the longer commute home to the snow-covered hacienda that will likely need to be shoveled out as well. Hooray!