A Rare, Cool Moment in My Life- June 13, 2024

Last year it was announced that Niall Horan- "The Show: Live on Tour" would be playing Madison Square Garden. He is Anabelle's favorite singer. Following the Taylor Swift mess, she and Rosa did much online jiggery pokery  (mostly Rosa, she excels at that) when the tickets dropped and first scored her a 100 level seat in the stands for Friday's concert, but then a floor seat for the Thursday performance. The Friday ticket was sold off at list price, because we are not evil.

Inside the Mind of a Toy Addict Part 10 - Happy "Ending"

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5 Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9

So…
 
This happened.
 

Clone Wars Episode Guide- Bad Batch Season Three

February 21st- May 1st, 2024. 15 Episodes

OK, Dave Filoni, I don't care how you continue your Clone Wars stories anymore, now including animated. Granted, I will keep watching them and reviewing them, like I did with  Ahsoka aka Rebels Season Five. However, as you've reached the end of this tale, here is my final foray into an Episode Guide.

Inside the Mind of a Toy Addict Part 9 - The Legends Live On

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5 Part 6, Part 7, Part 8

There are three reasons the collection will continue to grow. This is irrespective of how hard it continues to be finding new figures at what my old man brain considers "acceptable prices."

These three are not counting the obvious reason- 

"As should be crystal clear by now, I do have a problem."

The first is the “feature” of the addiction leading to the tuning various websites into awareness of it, as highlighted by the AIM Scientist Supreme.
 

Yes, They are Dead, Boys and Detectives...But That's Not All

 

One would think with a show name like "The Dead Boy Detectives" the title would point out everything needed to understand the show.

Inside the Mind of a Toy Addict Part 8- Master Class in Justification

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7

With the Minor Acquisition Path reviewed. It is time to move on. The Major Acquisition Path that began with US Agent (2022, in case anyone forgot) is connected to the idea that, as the collection expands, there is always a “Location” for a character…

George Awards 11: Dana Awards "We All Waste Time. The Important Thing is When We Decide To Stop"

Warning

This post contains bad, foul, filthy and unacceptable language - the words that “will curve your spine, grow hair on your hands and maybe, even bring us, God help us, peace without honor.”
 
This is not a post for children.  Kids, take a hike.
This is also not a post for those adults who are offended by this type of language.  Do yourself a favor, and go read some of my cute stuff before moral outrage can kick in.
Just about everything else on this blog is clean…Stupid sometimes, but clean.
End of Warning.
 

Inside the Mind of a Toy Addict Part 7 – Intermediate Level Justification

Part 1, 

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

The Cosmic Marvel shelf continues to get far denser than I originally planned due to store closing sales on Kree and Skrull themed two packs (2021), and the sale of the entire Kree Sentry (2019- purple and silver robot in the back corner) Captain Marvel build a figure line featuring those same races of aliens.

 

George Awards 11- Dana: "Eric McCormack Tweeted Me So Obviously This Is a Fever Dream"

 

Warning

This post contains bad, foul, filthy and unacceptable language - the words that “will curve your spine, grow hair on your hands and maybe, even bring us, God help us, peace without honor.”
 
This is not a post for children.  Kids, take a hike.
This is also not a post for those adults who are offended by this type of language.  Do yourself a favor, and go read some of my cute stuff before moral outrage can kick in.
Just about everything else on this blog is clean…Stupid sometimes, but clean.
End of Warning.
 

Inside the Mind of a Toy Addict Part 6- Introduction to Justification

Part 1, 

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

While also K-Mart priced, and with an awful neck joint, Black Widow (2004) was too important to skip, being connected to both the Avengers and Daredevil. Taskmaster (2016) is a frequent villain in my comics, ensuring I grabbed him on sale much later. This was important as they both provided movie justification for when the two pack of Natasha’s on screen “parents” went on sale. (2021) Although, they both fulfilled “NEED”s anyway. The Red Guardian was hilarious and came with an action figure of himself. (As should be clear by now, “NEED” has a widely varied definition.) Melena was equally important as Rachel Weisz and I share the exact same birth date. Granted, she looks infinitely better in a white cat suit. (Again… widely varied.)

Sadly, a Florence Pugh Widow figure has not gone on sale yet to complete the set. I have hopes for Thunderbolts. However, I'd rather have one with the vest in the Black Widow movie. That was a really cool detail. They joked about it being an obsession but the idea that it was the first thing she bought for herself after a lifetime of brain-washing was sweet.
 
As should be crystal clear by now, I do have a few problems... including overthinking.

George 11- ...Dutch Elm disease, the Contraction of the Universe, Paper Cuts...

 Warning

This post contains bad, foul, filthy and unacceptable language - the words that “will curve your spine, grow hair on your hands and maybe, even bring us, God help us, peace without honor.”
 
This is not a post for children.  Kids, take a hike.
This is also not a post for those adults who are offended by this type of language.  Do yourself a favor, and go read some of my cute stuff before moral outrage can kick in.
Just about everything else on this blog is clean…Stupid sometimes, but clean.
End of Warning.
 

Inside the Mind of a Toy Addict Part 5- Harbingers and Hardships

Part 1, 

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

As much as I am offended by the price increases, I do have an exception to the sale rule.

When travelling, they don’t count as full priced parts of my collection, but rather souvenirs!

Trips to Disney World and Colorado netted: 

The Enchantress (2016- Villain in Secret Wars and key to the Thor run I started collecting comics with), 

Puma (2019- Featured prominently in the Spider-Man Wedding issues - a key event of my early Marvel reading time) 

and 

Silver Sable (2019- Not really any kind of key, but she’s… really shiny!)

As should be crystal clear by now, I do have a problem.
 

George 11- How About Ghosts and Fairies, Werewolves and Vampires?

 

Warning
This post contains bad, foul, filthy and unacceptable language - the words that “will curve your spine, grow hair on your hands and maybe, even bring us, God help us, peace without honor.”
 
This is not a post for children.  Kids, take a hike.
This is also not a post for those adults who are offended by this type of language.  Do yourself a favor, and go read some of my cute stuff before moral outrage can kick in.
Just about everything else on this blog is clean…Stupid sometimes, but clean.
End of Warning.
 

Inside the Mind of a Toy Addict Part 4- Price Hikes and Hunting

Part 1, 

Part 2

Part 3

Toy Biz finished their license with two final build a figure waves featuring MODOK and Mojo. (2006) The era of “hard to find” figures was kicking off. However, the prices were still low, and MODOK is incredibly goofy and ridiculous thus rendering him awesome. Therefore, when the love of my life, and my enabler, came back from shopping one night and told me she saw boxes of them being unloaded in an aisle at Toys R Us, I jumped in my car and drove to the mall. The excitement of finding the whole MODOK wave still in shipping cartons led to the purchase of the Mojo wave as well.

 
As should be crystal clear by now, I do have a problem.

 

George 11- We Loved Our Daughter Very Much but She was Evil... Made the Horses Crazy

  Warning

This post contains bad, foul, filthy and unacceptable language - the words that “will curve your spine, grow hair on your hands and maybe, even bring us, God help us, peace without honor.”
 
This is not a post for children.  Kids, take a hike.
This is also not a post for those adults who are offended by this type of language.  Do yourself a favor, and go read some of my cute stuff before moral outrage can kick in.
Just about everything else on this blog is clean…Stupid sometimes, but clean.
End of Warning.
 

Inside the Mind of a Toy Addict Part 3 – The (Marvel) Legends Build

Part 1, Part 2

In spite of various six inch scale acquisitions, I wasn’t planning on building an actual Marvel collection.

At least not yet. 

Addicts never do.
 
The series of decisions made in short succession indicates that “not planning on an actual collection” concept wouldn’t last for long.
 
With “room” on the book shelves now that all the little figures were away, I had been debating on beginning to collect Marvel Legends in earnest, based on comic book ads and inserts for some upcoming lines having characters I cared about due for release. I was mostly looking at characters from my main Marvel reading years- members of Daredevil’s world (which I will call "Marvel Knights" to annoy those who know better) and appropriately timed Avengers, like the Iron Man Silver Centurion and other members of the West Coast team

.
 
Aside- I could SWEAR I saw that armor listed as “Silver Sphinx” when it was first coming out. And yet I cannot find any evidence of this being accurate. Even the oldest stuff I have calls it “Silver Centurion.” Can one generate a personal Mandala Effect? 

Maybe I blew a fuse in my brain.

 
However, I was debating between starting down that comic book-based path, or starting to collect Eighties era professional wrestling figures. Yes, I had begun an equally focused path down the rabbit hole of renewing an obsession in that world.
 
I decided to let it come down to what I would find in a store together first. After much comparison shopping, I was unable to locate a Rowdy Roddy Piper and a Junkyard Dog in the same location. However, I did locate a Sabretooth and Colossus (2003), which I knew would go well with the brown costume Wolverine (2004) due out shortly.

George Awards 11- The Main Reason Santa is So Jolly is Because He Knows Where All the Bad Girls Live

 

 Warning

This post contains bad, foul, filthy and unacceptable language - the words that “will curve your spine, grow hair on your hands and maybe, even bring us, God help us, peace without honor.”
 
This is not a post for children.  Kids, take a hike.
This is also not a post for those adults who are offended by this type of language.  Do yourself a favor, and go read some of my cute stuff before moral outrage can kick in.
Just about everything else on this blog is clean…Stupid sometimes, but clean.
End of Warning.
 

Inside the Mind of a Toy Addict Part 2- Dawn of the Superheroes

Part 1

While I do accept (And often embrace) my problem, I do enjoy placing the fault of my out-of-control Marvel Figures collection squarely on my sister’s shoulders.

Part of me feels this is well deserved payback for the multiple, "Saaaaaa...llllllyyyyyyyy" incidents over the years.

Due to the success of animated Superhero shows and the comics explosion of the Nineties both Marvel and DC were pumping out action figures by this point. I would look at them at stores but was sticking with what I had.
 
Then one year, when it was time for me to be the annual pain in the butt and regularly ask my sister, “What did you get me for Christmas,” she would constantly answer “Marvel Figures.”
 
She was so deadpan about this that I was convinced she was telling the truth.
 
She was not.
 
She found this hilarious, and for the next MANY years, that would be her answer as any gift-based holiday approached.
“Marvel Figures.”
 
This was her go to gag for a long while.
 
By the time I finished college, I was used to this.
That’s when she actually got me some Marvel Figures for my birthday.
 
She was right, it was hilarious.
 
However, I can now blame her for that gift leading to the raging addiction that stands before me now.
 

I do not remember which figures she got me; they were whatever she found on sale. I do know one was “Exploding Ghost Rider” because I learned falling off the top row of my bookshelves made the “explodey” feature a permanent one.
 

George Awards 11- Twenty Five Points For Any Ball That Goes In the Basket Off Another Guy's Head

 Warning

This post contains bad, foul, filthy and unacceptable language - the words that “will curve your spine, grow hair on your hands and maybe, even bring us, God help us, peace without honor.”
 
This is not a post for children.  Kids, take a hike.
This is also not a post for those adults who are offended by this type of language.  Do yourself a favor, and go read some of my cute stuff before moral outrage can kick in.
Just about everything else on this blog is clean…Stupid sometimes, but clean.
End of Warning.
 

Inside the Mind of a Toy Addict Part 1- The Foundations

Hello, I’m Jeff, and I’m addicted to Marvel Action Figures.
 
(“Hi Jeff!”

“YOU GEEK!!!!”)
 
Greetings to the imaginary fellow addicts…
And the ghosts of middle school.

Original Rocky Movies What If Part 2

The Mom inspired Mother's Day boxing posts continue. Not only did she point out that Rocky shouldn't lose, but she also said for the initial "Boxing What If" -

"The son shouldn't beat the father."

The initial intent was for this to be a one off "Bonus Fight" at the end of the "Rocky What If" story.

Our Heroes Investigate Gonzo’s Stronghold Part 4

Original Rocky Movies What If Part 1

 With Mother's Day this weekend, it is logical to bracket it with boxing posts.

Our Heroes Investigate Gonzo’s Stronghold Part 3

LIVE! From Morristown New Jersey!

I gotta admit, it was pretty cool hearing the actual Dancing With the Stars announcer say that when we saw the travelling stage show back in January. 

(Photo credit to Rosa, which should be obvious since it's clear what the photo is of.)

Our Heroes Investigate Gonzo’s Stronghold Part 2

A Plain and Simple Story

Deep Space Nine was robbed of having follow up stories in motion pictures by the poor performance of the later Next Generation films. 

So sad. 

Our Heroes Investigate Gonzo’s Stronghold Part 1

The Area Where DC is Untouchable

As stated, Marvel is kind of beating the pants off of DC in many areas of the media.

However, there is one set of outputs over a period of time (I recently watched again) where DC's quality is untouchable and unlikely to be equaled.

The DC Animated Universe.

Our Heroes Rescue the Silver Princess Part 2

The ConluDUNEtion.

 And the Oscar for stupidest blog title of the year goes to...

Our Heroes Rescue the Silver Princess Part 1

Godzilla X Kong! You know what the "X" is for?

X-ceptional!

X-citing!

X-ception to American Studios screwing up Toho properties!

WOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

Dungeons and Dragons Campaign Back Story-Early Advanced D&D Characters

Click Here for Basic D&D Character

Return to Arkham City

After two and a half years (and setting an alarm this year) I finally remembered to return to this Playstation 3 superhero video game and bring Batman to meet Calendar Man on Saint Patrick's Day to finish that one holiday a month, year long, requirement in the urban setting turned prison that is Arkham City.

Dungeons and Dragons Campaign Back Story- Basic D&D Character and DM Lessons

DC and Marvel, What kind of Guy?

 Given my history (and my tattoo) people identify me pretty quickly as "You're a DC Guy."

General Dungeon Master Philosophy- New Young Players

Teacher Tributes: German

I have always had an excellent memory, the ability to read and retain things quickly, and often well past when I needed them. 

The ENORMOUS exception to this is languages other than English. 

Fun Filled Old Dungeons and Dragons Memories- Reference Sheet and Index

Here are the links to the goofy adventures of a gaming group that really got the hang of the fun parts of interactive storytelling
 

Books to Open Your Mind- Frog and Toad

As a kid I had Frog and Toad are Friends by Arnold Lobell, and took his three other books in the series out of the grammar school library frequently. 

The set is one of the most frequent gifts I give to people when they have a baby. 

And reading them were featured performances of my doing voices when my daughter was little.

That's a remarkable string of happenings considering how much I dislike the animals the main characters are based on. 

There must be something special about these books. 

Washington DC Day 7- May 20, 2023

 Excessive Elephants

Half Way Across The Spider-Verse

 

Whoah, over thirteen years of blogging and this is the only post that landed on a Leap Day.

One would think it would be something more exciting than a late movie review.

One would, in that case, clearly not know me very well.

Washington DC Day 6- May 19, 2023

 Dazzling Ducks

What If... Marvel Made the Second Season Even More Engaging!?

The new season of What If? was loads of fun. It embraced the wild and free sense of the best of the original comics, more than the dark, downer endings that many of the modern runs have taken. 

Washington DC Day 5- May 18, 2023

Zestful Zeuglodon

Moving Under New Leadership

This is normally the time of year where I say nice things about Miss Chris.

This will not change as she continues to teach, choreograph, and help out in moving the Moving Company through various twists and turns towards the future in her role as Danceworks Founder.

Washington DC Day 4- May 17, 2023

Mesmerizing Modern Art

A Mid-Dumber Night's Dream

My mind should just let me forget my dreams. 

It never goes well. 

Do they sell brain leashes or something? 

I would have preferred, off the shelf, standard script, regular, terrifying nightmare.

This was more of a "stress mare." 

A highly vivid, deranged, lucid and realistic feeling "stress mare."

Washington DC Day 3- May 16, 2023

Loquacious Legislature