What Do I Want?

First and foremost I want my family and friends to get saved. Next, I want to serve God in whatever capacity he sees fit. Third, I want my life to have meaning.

I want to love more, forgive more, be thankful more and especially love God more.

As a old curmudgeon who loves to collect I’ve often asked what do I want to find to complete my collection bucket list? So here goes:

I want to have all of Marvel/DC and other comic book publishers Bronze Age and Silver Age comics books. A few Golden Age comic books would be nice too.

I’d love to find all of the original series Star Trek collectibles I had as a teenager-trust me, there were a lot.

The original Star Wars toys, play-sets and vehicles would be nice.

Other movie and TV/movie memorabilia I would like to have include Lost In Space, The Wild, Wild West, The Man From U.N.C.L.E, James Bond and The Batman TV series.

Several DVD collections I would like to own include all of Canon, Mannix, The original Hawaii 50, Barnaby Jones, The Man From U.N.C.L.E, Have Gun-Will Travel, Lost In Space, Murder She Wrote, Simon and Simon, Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea, The Time Tunnel, Land Of The Giants, Beretta, Ironsides series, the original cast Star Trek movies, The Teen Titans first animated TV series and The Legion of Superheroes animated TV series

Several books I’m looking for are Taschen’s DC Bronze Age and its giant DC book, TwoMorrow’s 1940’s and 1990s comic book history, Mike Benton’s Horror book, DK’s releases of pop culture and comic book history.

Of course I need comic book supplies, a few bookcases and oh-I’d love to get a steady supply of Hot Toys and Sideshow 12-inch figures, the Toy Biz Marvel figures, old model kits, toys, diecast, magazines, 1960s and 1970s singer/songwriter albums and trading cards.

Since my blog now has a readership of over 200,000 a month, not counting my Linked-In, Facebook, X and Goodreads sites, I’d like to expand my blog to review even more merchandise-of all types.

Sure, I know it’s a big ‘wish list’, but I figure why not dream big?

I know that it would probably be easy to go out on E-bay or any other collectible merchandise site and find and buy everything I have listed.

The only problem is, I don't have the money and even if I did I wouldn't spend it on my want list.  

I'm a nickle an dime sort of guy.  I would rather wait and find the items I want at a yard sale, in a trash heap or trade for them with collectible items that I already have.

As a married man the money belongs both to me and my wife.  I would never dream of spending large amounts of money on my hobby when our money would best be spent on paying bills, helping our family, tithing and meeting financial responsibilities.

Don’t get me wrong I already have a respectable collection. Still a few more goodies would be great.

But, wanting somethig is a far cry from needing something.  Priorities must be set.

I appreciate all the publishers and manufacturers that support my blog and especially my readers. 

Philippians 4:13I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

 

Musing To My Ears

I am no prophet, muse, expert, philosopher or zealot. I’m just a guy, writing down his thoughts and attempting to share what we all feel, know and experience.

I’ll attempt to unravel a few questions we all ask and delve into what exactly qualifies us as human beings.

True, I have my own beliefs about God (I’m a Christian), but I have no intention of shoving my beliefs down anyone’s throat. So I’ll make it brief.

Here is what I believe in a nutshell: Man is a God created being. We started as perfect beings, messed things up and because God gave us a free will we reaped the results of making a bad choice.

God is love so he made a way of escape and redemption for us through his son Jesus Christ.

Jesus the Messiah came to earth, sacrificed his life for humanity and took the collected sin of all mankind, past, present and future, on his back. He died, rose again and thus established a way we all can go to Heaven.

It’s really simple. We have to admit we’re a sinner, ask for forgiveness and for God to save us. He keeps his promise. Salvation is not through our own power or good works but through the grace of God. It takes faith and it is not ‘easy believism’ as so many call it.

I keep God’s commandments not because I have to, but because I want to. It pleases God-could I do anything less but to thank him for saving me?

OK, preaching time is over-on to the meat of this book.

Existence

Have you ever taken the time to find a quiet corner of a room, comfortably set in a chair, gather yourself and just think about things?

I’m not talking about day-to-day activates like family, work, what to eat, etc. I’m talking about deep thoughts, pondering the possibilities of existence and what life is and why you’re here, among other things.

Take the time to look past yourself, to explore new areas you’ve never speculated before. Time, eternity, creation, death, life after death, final destination, your abilities-tapped and untapped, how you can shape your life and benefit the lives of others-the door to everything is wide open.

It’s fun to speculate, dream and be awestruck by the possibilities. Nothing is impossible for God! I truly believe as humanity we have barely began to realize our full potential-God willing.

Have you ever wondered about creation? People have all sorts of theories.

I believe God created man. Evolution is pure speculation.

Think about it. How is it possible that life springs from something that is not alive?

Just look at the complexity of the human body. How is it possible for all the cells in the body to coordinate with each other in all the systems in the body? By chance? Hardly. The body is designed as are all the living things on the planet.

Take the DNA-it’s a code-very much like a computer program. What are the odds that by pure trial and error such a complex structure could exist-let alone operate? Again how can life spring from un-life?

I’m not trying to persuade anyone. Everyone has their own opinion and my point of view or others will not change. Why argue? I will say that no matter how you mix chemicals together, shoot it with electricity or other ‘scientific’ paraphernalia, life will not be created. You may get a few molecular bonds and groupings, but life? It’s never going to happen.

Do you realize that human beings are essentially made from dirt, sunlight and water? Our bodies are nothing more than biological machines that transport our consciousness about.

You’ve heard of mind over matter. We are perfect examples of it. How is it possible that our minds can trigger electrical responses that course out to our limbs and organs causing them to move and function? Some are voluntarily, and some automatically. Imagine having to tell yourself to breath, pump blood, digest food, saturate your body with oxygen or a thousand other functions we simply take for granted.

Our brains are nothing more than containers for our spirits/souls.

When we die our consciousness lives on. What happens to solids when they break down? That’s right, energy remains and our consciousness is energy-spiritual-but energy.

Life is complex-far too complex to have been formed by evolution.

Think about that for a moment. In order for evolution to exist every living thing all over the entire world would have to evolve at the same time. It could not start with one organism. For a fish to walk on land is impossible. Sustenance, bodily functions, symbiosis, everything would have to be already in place for an entire ecosystem to exist.

For one thing the fish has no idea what land is. How would fish know to sprout legs and breath air? It wouldn’t. We give nature too much credit for intelligence right down to the cell level. Does a cell have a brain-of course not.

What would be the point for the fish to evolve to walk on land? Water is its environment. It’s sustenance exists in the water. Why would it need to move to land? It would have no idea what to do to survive, let alone eat. How would it reproduce? There would be no other landfish to reproduce with. The whole idea is absurd!

Why is so hard to believe that the creation of the universe needs a creator? Why do science and God need to be separate? After all, God created everything. Doesn’t it makes sense that he is the chief scientist?

Did it never occur to anyone that God created everything to appear aged? He didn’t create Adam and Eve as babies-but as full-grown adults.

Why Are you Here?

Everyone in some time during their life asks that question.

Here’s what I think-it’s not about you.

I used to think that my sole purpose in life was to be happy, accomplish my goals and satisfy my wants and needs.

Now I know that I am here to contribute to society, to uplift others, to serve God and to put other people’s needs before my own. Think about it. If everybody had those goals in life everyone’s needs and many of their wants would be satisfied.

“But, what about my wants and needs?’ you might ask.

I’ve discovered if I put my selfishness aside and aim to help, uplift and encourage other people that my wants and needs are always met. It’s a win, win.

Let’s face it. We’re only on this earth for a short time. We can spend our time accumulating stuff, chasing fame, fortune, accomplishments and the like. But, in the end it all means nothing. We can’t take it with us.

My old pastor used to say, “I’ve never seen a hearse hauling a U-Haul trailer.”

Be honest. If you have food to eat, cloths to wear, a place to stay, your health, friends, family and the basics of life, what more do you need?

As I grow older I find I need less and less clutter in my life and that includes stuff, activities, caustic people and ‘me’ time.

Having the most toys means nothing. Everything eventually turns to rust or dust.

Don’t get me wrong. It’s wise and prudent to plan your finances, set goals and provide for your family. But, isn’t family your first priority? Isn’t a friendship worth more than its weight in gold?

We all experience up and downs in our lives. You have to go into the valley to appreciate the mountaintop experiences. No one likes suffering, loosing a loved one, sickness or other bad experience or catastrophe. After all, we are human.

Considering how short life is, why not make the best of it?

I am blessed. God has given me so much. I can’t possibly thank him enough. It took a long time for God to knock some sense into my brain. It’s not been easy and I’d be lying if I said I went along with God’s plans all the time. I’m a work in progress.

Body/Mind/Spirit/Soul

As humans we are a complex, multi-layered species.

We have a physical body that needs care and attention, a mind that must be kept active, a spirit that needs guidance and a soul that is eternal.

I’d like to talk about our thoughts specifically.

As I mentioned earlier we all have thoughts-most of them about routine day-to-day stuff. We get caught up on life’s ups and downs, events, issues and the like. We spend an inordinate amount of time thinking about our body, pampering it, spoiling it, catering to its wants and needs and just surviving.

But what about our thoughts?

Do you think deeply and ponder? Do you attempt to look past everyday thoughts and expand your understanding of all that is around you? The things seen and unseen?

Over the past few years I’ve attempted to learn new things, read about subjects that in the past I skittered over and to look further into my mind, my motivations, capabilities, limitations and so forth. It’s really quite fascinating.

I allow my mind to wander. To look at other’s opinions with a fresh mind. To reach out to understand, learn and grow.

Spend time with yourself. Sit. Think. Use your time to better yourself and in the process you’ll not only benefit from your efforts but pass those benefits onto others.

How do you break out of your mundane, daily train of thought?

Dare to try new things, explore, read, try to solve problems, look outside the box, try to solve problems from a different direction.

It can be a bit scary and intimidating. But, how else can you see things from a different point of view unless you try? Success comes one step at a time. Take your time, allow your mind to wander, see things as they are, speculate, don’t play it safe by falling back on the way things have always been done. Do they work? Can they work better?

Dig in, step up, take a chance and reap the rewards.

If you’re a soft spoken person-speak up. If you tend to be in-your-face, step back and let someone else talk. Listen, speak sparingly. See people for who they are. Appreciate those around you. See what God sees-all people are precious to him. Take in all creation and enjoy each moment-time heeds to no one.

Dare to ask questions. Is there life on other planets? Is time travel possible? Does magic exist? Does God exist? I’m just offering a few examples. Asking questions and pondering challenges your mind.

Events

Do you know the difference between dreams and goals?

Dreams tend to be the pinnacle to what we can believe we can do, accomplish and wish. Sort of the ultimate wish fulfillment.

Goals are things that we want to accomplish set to a time table and require work, perseverance and patience.

For example, I could dream to be a great artist. But in order to accomplish my dream I must set a goal to learn the basics of art, put in the time at a drawing board or easel and slowly build up my ability and techniques.

So often our dreams get waylaid or dashed. That’s life. Sometimes our goals are delayed, put on hold or abandoned due to circumstances.

Life is a great distractor. Personal problems, work struggles, family tragedies, changing locations, illness-there a lot of unexpected events that can disrupt or curtail goals.

Pain and pleasure are feelings we all experience. Both can be beneficial.

Pleasure comes from doing or accomplishing things we desire-with certain restraints and moral stopgaps.

Pain can can cause us to stop and reflect, correct our behavior, teach us how to avoid toxic and detrimental people, places, practices and things.

Have you ever had the urge to travel? To see the world and all of its wonder? Make plans to do so. Experience life as other people do all over the world. Try new foods, attend events and social gatherings, wander, soak in the people and places.

Domestically connect with a distant relative or friend. Climb a mountain, swim in the ocean, travel trails, visit a city and take a train, call an Uber, hike-your native country offers so much.

Like a geographical journey your life can be a journey with plenty of ups and downs, surprises around each corner, exhausting, exhilarating, frustrating, fun, dangerous, exciting, rewarding and filled with wonder.

Life is full of possibilities. It offers endless moments of learning, sharing and infinite variety. A life unfettered by the past, hopeful of the future and content for the present is a full life that overcomes any obstacle placed before it no matter how debilitating or distracting.

What are your talents? Learn to identify them, appreciate them, apply them, share them and direct them to achieve great things.

Every painting starts with a single brushstroke. Each song begins with one note. Every journey embarks with a first step.

Achievement is not measured by fame, fortune and sacrifice. It is about finishing the course, helping others, living life to its fullest and most importantly thanking our creator for the years we have been granted, the people we love and life itself.

Here’s a piece of advice: love yourself. No, I;\’m not talking about vanity or thinking of yourself more than you should.

What I am saying is that you need to like yourself-God does. You’re just the way God wants you to be. There are no mistakes with God. Sure we may need to loose a little weight, perhaps we could use more exercise but to God’s eyes we’re beautiful.

Who has the right to say to you you’re not attractive enough, smart enough or good enough? No one!

I figure it this way. I might as well like myself because I’m stuck with me the rest of my life.

 Another thing. Not everyone is going to like you. There are people out there that will simply dislike you because of how you look, your voice, your behavior or because you might remind them of someone who they had a bad experience with.

Face it, there are people who are mad about everything. They complain, fuss and are never satisfied. Avoid them. They’re caustic and the last thing you need is negativity in your life.

Time/Eternity

Everyone experiences time and its results. We grow older and eventually pass away. We have a set limit to our days and we have no control over when, where and how we die. And that’s OK-everyone experiences life and death.

But, what if I told you that life is eternal? Whether you believe in Heaven and Hell, life after our physical death goes on. It never ends. Where will you spend eternity is completely up to you. You choose.

What happens after death? What now?

Will we exist as an eternal spirit or ghost or occupy a new body? Will our new body be restricted by time, space, physical and mental limits? Will there be no limits as to what we can do?

Interesting questions? I wish I had all the answers.

Life is about change, adaptation, interaction, conflict, controversy and perseverance.

Will your life be productive or destructive? Will you reach new heights or sink to new lows with no hope of climbing back out?

We’re all given free will. What we do with that free will is up to us. No one can substitute for another, live another person’s life or experience their highs and lows. We can sympathize, empathize and help.

Inevitably we will all answer for our own life. Our final destination is determined by our choices. There will be no second chances.

It is my hope that you choose the path I have chosen. If so I can promise an excellent eternity. If not, you’ll have no one to blame but yourself.

John 3:16 - For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

I’ve About Had It!

For years I wrote and published a printed review newsletter. Readership was impressive at about 30,000 readers.

When the digital age went into full swing I created a website and it too had impressive readership numbers.

As product reviews shifted more and more to blogs I created the blog you’re reading now.

At first the blog readership numbers were good-hovering around 5,000 visitors a day. My Facebook, Linked-In, Twitter (X), Amazon and Goodreads social sites still have good numbers.

But, my blog (https://bamcc-bam.blogspot.com) readership each day is like a roller-coaster-up and down, mostly down lately. I’ve tried keywords, phrases, cross promotion and other attempts to keep the readership consistent.

Honestly, I don’t know what to do.

Those that visit the site love it. Manufacturers and publishers are pleased with the reviews. Still, I can’t get the numbers to increase despite all attempts to do so.

I need more readers and more companies to send review items.

I’ve prayed about it, asked advice, expanded my social media outlets and still-zilch!

If anyone has any suggestions as to how I can get my readership up and get more review material by all means contact me.

I will not do YouTube videos. Video broadcasting is not my forte. Snapchat, Instagram, Pinterest and Tik Tok aren’t suitable for my needs.

I love writing reviews, but if things don’t improve soon I may have to call it quits after 32 years of publishing.

Mark 11:24 - Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

The Art Of...

The images, costumes, locations, special effects and characters seen in Marvel Comics movies are amazing!

Have you ever wondered how they were created?

In Marvel Books' The Art Of... series of hardbound books the conceptual and final art that inspired the movies are shown in great detail.

I was fortunate enough to have come across most of the books in the series at my local used book store where I just happen to have a lot of credit.

Needless to say I snatched the books up in a flash.  I highly recommend them, especially if you are interested in the how and by whom the magic for the films was created.

"And he said: 'Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.'" — Job 1:21

What I Want For Christmas and 2024

What do I want for Christmas and 2024 as it pertains to my blog?

Here's my list:

• More readers
• Coffee table books from more publishers
• 12-inch collectible figures
• Toys for all ages
• Statues
• Trading cards
• Anime and Manga
• Household items
• Auto supplies
• Camping/survival supplies
• Diecast
• Electronics/computers/peripherals
• Music
• DVDs/Blu-rays
• Sports collectibles
• Model Kits
• Comic books
• Magazines
• Table top and video games/consoles
• ...and more!

"I can do all these things through Christ who strengthens me." — Philippians 4:13

Books! Books! Books!

 Here is just sampling of my library.

"Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes." — Ephesians 6:11

How?

Have you ever wondered why some individuals excel?

Why is that some people absolutely knock it out of the park when in comes to science, math, sports, art, music and other professions and pursuits?

The other day I was crusin' the Web looking at some comic book artists' work.  For the sake of brevity I'll pick out one particular artist: John Byrne.

John got his start professionally in comic books back in the mid-1970s.  From there he soon found himself one of the most sought after artists in the comic book industry.

After drawing some second-tier titles he soon graduated to the larger titles such as The Fantastic Four, Superman, Woman Woman and so forth.

Not only did he draw the various books but he wrote them, usually inked them and more often than not lettered them.

The man was a comic book creating machine!

While it's true that his comic book art is seldom seen in comic books anymore John is anything but idle.  He still produces plenty of art-primarily for himself.

My point is--how in the world could he produce so much art and stories of such high caliber?  Take a  look at some of his art commissions?  Incredible.

His imagination and story-telling knows no bounds.  Why? Obviously he's talented, but it's more than that.

He's a creative genius, plain and simple.

How can one person have so much talent?  Hard work?  Consistency?  Determination?  A superior memory?  Probably all of those combined and more.

Personally I'm a little jealous.  I can draw, but not at John's scale.  I have a pretty good imagination-but not equal to the level of his story-telling talent or scope.

As I said before, there are many talented people out there-especially when it comes to visual art.  What's their secret?

If someone finds out, let me know.

"For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." — Ephesians 2:10

Lights, Lights, Lights!!

One of my all-time favorite stores to visit is Dollar Tree.  Or should I say Dollar and Twenty Five Cents Tree?

Anyway, I love to walk through its aisles and check out the latest inexpensive gadgets and merchandise it offers.

Two of my favorite sections art the Arts and Crafts aisle and the Tool and Lights section.

Dollar Tree's LED Lights section has some interesting items.  I've picked out four that I think are the coolest.

First up is a blue lantern with an adjustable knob to turn op the intensity of the LED light strip.  The lantern also has two side arms that when folded up allow it to be hung from hooks, branches, etc. 

It's surprisingly bright and sturdy.

Second on the list is a multi-color frosted globe that when turned on shifts through a rainbow of colors  It's very soothing and gives a nice ambiance to any room.

The third light is a small handheld flashlight that boasts not only a front bulb but also a large side bulb with reflector that is incredibly bright.  You can light up a whole room with it.

The fourth light is a small tabletop light that emulates a candles flicker.  Simply turn on the light hidden under the black base an viola!, you have a flickering candle. 

It's great for special occasions and the holidays.

All of the items are well made, inexpensive and are battery powered, save for the flickering candle that is solar powered.

I highly recommend each for handy little lights around the house, while camping or on a trip.

"When I fall, I will arise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord will be a light to me." — Micah 7:8

Been There, Done That

One of the biggest challenges I've discovered as I've grown older is dealing with boredom.

Let me elaborate.

After so many decades of life things tend to get routine and if not careful they can become boring.

Each day tends to be like every other day. Get up, dress, eat, tend to chores around the house, shop, come home, watch TV, read a book, maybe go for a walk, watch some more TV and go to bed.

Day after day after day. It's easy to get caught up in a mundane routine.

While I don't pretend to know everything certain activities can get tedious and repetitive. Reading for example.

After reading so many mysteries, westerns and other forms of fictional literature you start to notice a pattern. You find yourself skipping though pages and nine times out ten you never finish a book because you've already figured out what will happen.

The same thing goes for TV shows and movies.

Conversations become a chore. Mostly because you're tired of hearing other peoples' same old stories, as well as your own.  It's too easy to get a one track mind. You get tired of your own voice.

Exercise, travel, family, friends, social activities, entertainment, etc. can all take a hit and become commonplace and repetitive.

But, knowing this there is a way (or ways) to stay active and alive. Here are just few examples:

• Break your routine. Change your day-to-day activities.  Sleep late, get up early, exercise in the morning instead of the evening. Read more non-fiction books. Challenge your mind to learn new things.
• Don't be afraid of changes. Accept them, enjoy them and move on. Shake things up a bit. Reject regrets.
  
• Meet new people, travel to places you've never been before and do things you never imagined.
• Go back to school-earn a degree. Get a part-time job.  Volunteer for a cause you believe in.
  
• Learn new things. Take up music or dance lessons. Try new activities. Go to an opera. Take in a play. Slow down, enjoy each moment. Get tired, work hard, play hard.
  
• After all, you're older. You have nothing to prove. Take up art. Start writing. Begin a journal. Document your life for future generations to read. Downsize. Don't hold onto 'things'.  Impulse buy once in awhile. 
• Try a new wardrobe. Get in shape. Try new foods. Challenge yourself. Push yourself. Love more. Give more. Live more.
• You only have one life-enjoy it. Be kind, trust people, attend church or a club. Get to know people you normally wouldn't hang out with. Don't act your age. Laugh. Cherish every moment.
• Let people know you care about them. Help a friend. Buy someone lunch. Give a gift.
• Stand up for what you believe.  Never be afraid. No one is better than you and you're no better than anyone else.  We're all equal in God's eyes. Forgive others. Forgive yourself.
  
• Take the time to really listen, see, feel. Take in the aromas of life. Taste and eat food you've never eaten before.
• If you're not into professional sports, give them a try-you may like them. Make the library you're second home.  Read, read, read. Learn all you can. Keep moving. If you don't use it, you lose it.
  
• Appreciate your talents and strengths. Don't worry about what you can't do. Appreciate other people's talents and gifts.
  
• Your body may be getting older but your spirit is still young. Face it, we are little more than dirt or ashes in the wind.
• Get dirty and make an 'ash' of yourself. Learn to laugh at yourself. Forget the past, don't dread the future, embrace now.
• Love God, your family, your friends and strangers. Learn to see the value of every human life.
• Don't gossip. tell the truth even though sometimes it hurts.  See yourself for who you are. Never pretend to be someone you're not. Admit your mistakes, apologize if you're in the wrong.
  
• Dare to be yourself. It doesn't matter if no one else likes what your like. You have no need to apologize.
• Appreciate what others enjoy. Give them some space and slack.

I could go on.  It's too easy to get in a rut, especially when you get older. 

I'm 70 years old.  

One of my favorite sayings is, "I may be getting older, but at least I'm immature."

"There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus." — Galatians 3:28

Be Prepared--Life Is Short

This last January I turned 70 years old. My wife is one year younger than me. We’ve been married for 44 wonderful years.

We have two kids, their spouses and two grand children: one boy and one girl.

Both my wife and I are in good health. We exercise, watch what we eat and get plenty of rest.

We’ve had a couple of health issues but nothing serious: I had some cancer on my right ear and my wife has had some respiratory concerns.

Other than that we‘re fit with the usual aches and pains associated with age along with the signs of getting old.

We’ve always been frugal and wise with our money and property. We’ve paid off our house, car and other expenses.

My wife is the financier in our family and she makes sure the monthly bills are paid.

We’ve set up our final estate making sure our kids will split up our property and funds. Final funeral arrangements are made-both of us are to be cremated.

Since my wife takes care of the bills and finances I’ve made a list for myself on where our money is, expenses, etc.

I’m the tech guy, so I made another list of passwords, computer procedures, etc. for my wife.

Our son, the oldest, knows where our important papers are, where our money is and what our final wishes are.

It’s not been easy preparing these things. No one likes to think about their own death, let alone preparing for it. But it must be done, death is a part of life. No one escapes it. We all grow old and die eventually.

As healthy as my wife and I are all it takes is a blood-clot, fall or other accident or medical condition and our whole lives could change, even death.

Both my wife and I are saved. We know we will spend eternity with our savior Jesus Christ. He has supplied all our needs and more.

We pray everyday for the saving salvation of our children and grand children.

As to my collectibles. I’ve already started weening down the collection beginning with selling off most of my trading cards and pulling boxes of books from my library which I am selling.

Next up is my toys and finally my comic books. Hopefully I’ll have most of it gone before I die.

Should I die first I don’t want my wife and kids having to deal with the stuff. If all of it isn’t sold off before I die my son promised me to make sure it is taken care off.

Other than a few items My kids and grand kids want I plan on liquidating my collection.

As they say, “You can’t take it with you.”

I hope to be around for a few more years along with my wife. We both want to see our grand kids grow up, graduate high school and start their lives and careers.

With God’s grace and his permission we’ll be allowed to do so.

"He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?" — Micah 6:8

 

Times Certainly Have Changed-But Is It For The Better?

A lot has changed since I first started writing reviews over 30 years ago.

I began writing just comic book reviews and soon expanded into writing reviews about pop culture items and then added consumer products.

Long ago the majority of contacts I had with publishers and manufacturers were by mail and some e-mail.

The internet was just coming into use and most companies did not have a website.

Although my review readership was less than 10,000, I mailed a physical newsletter out to the companies and distributed the newsletters to shops and businesses.

Review items arrived almost on a daily basis and I was very busy writing reviews.

As the internet began to take hold and social media became common place the amount of review items dwindled considerably.

Companies began to cut back on samples and many sent only PDF's or photos, along with press releases expecting me to review their products.

Honestly, how could I possibly be expected to review products from photos?

When YouTube arrived more and more people began to post video reviews of products.  The majority of the reviews were amateur at best and failed to go into any amount of detail about said products other than the usual fanboy gushing over a toy, comic book, etc.

More and more sites turned to collecting and how much objects were worth.

I do not consider myself a video reviewer.  I find most video reviews lacking in any kind of solid, nuts and bolts, tire-kicking kind of content.  Most are superficial.

Unfortunately many publishers and manufacturers are content to have their products showcased on YouTube never realizing that few people make the decision to buy a product simply from watching a video.

Most consumers want to dig into the guts of a product, examining its quality, how much bang for a buck they get and product specs.

It's a sad state of affairs when a legitimate review blog, such as mine, that has been around for decades and offers more than the 'fad of the week' review, is pushed aside and grouped with 'smaller' review sites.

A word of wisdom to publishers and manufacturers.  Just because a site boasts huge audience numbers does not make it so.  There are many ways to fabricate numbers making it appear a site is getting more views than it actually is.

I love writing reviews.  I wish I had more support from publishers and manufacturers.  My reviews offer good solid examinations of products-regardless of what they are.

I hope things turn around. 

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving." — Colossians 3:23-24

Christmas Wish List

At this time of year nearly everyone has their own 'Wish List' of things they want for Christmas. 

I'm no exception. So I thought I'd share my list by priority.

• I pray that all of my family and friends would accept Jesus Christ as their savior and get saved.  

Christmas is a celebration of Christ's birth.  What better gift to give someone than salvation and the wonderful hope of spending eternity with Jesus?

• I pray God will show me how to use my talents to serve him to see people saved.

Now as to material wants:

• A new laptop and tablet
• A bigger audience for my reviews
• A consistent and varied supply of review items
• Old comic books, toys and collectibles
• Comic book, magazine and collectible supplies
• The eventual sale of my collectibles so that the money goes to my family and church
  
• A generator/inverter
• A back-up power supply for my computer
  
• Bookcases
• Shelves
• Large toolboxes with wheels
• Wheel platforms
• A handgun with a holster and concealed weapons permit

I'm sure there are other items, but these are the ones I can think of right now.

Quite a list.  But, I figure I might as well ask big-you never know.

Regardless if I do or do not receive any of the material 'want' items, I leave the final outcome to God.  I've discovered over my lifetime that it's best to leave the details to God.  After all, he knows all, owns all and knows what I need or do not need.

I already have the greatest gift of all: the assurance of my salvation and eternal life.  Who could ask for anything more? 

God said to ask Him for needs and wants and to trust him.  It's entirely up to Him what happens.  

I do not abide by the 'name it and claim it' Christianity that is so prevalent today.  It's a false doctrine.

Any and everything I ask for needs to glorify God.

I hope and pray that the above material items I asked for can be used to spread the message of salvation, be it through reviews, giving, etc.

The salvation of my family and friends is the priority and also as to how I can serve Him.

Read below what God says about asking for things:

• Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it. – John 14:13–14
• If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. – John 15:7
• I chose and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. – John 15:16.

 

 

 

 

More Doodles

 

A Few Drawings

 I knocked out a few pencil drawings this morning.

I needed the practice. It's been awhile.

 

 

Character Montage

 Here's montage sketch of my various
characters I made this morning.

 

Times Are Tough

I’m sure I don’t have to tell you that times are tough. High gas and food prices, skyrocketing rental and home purchase costs, distribution problems, unsettling world conflicts and political and social upheaval-the list goes on and on

People have very little disposable income. Comic book, book, toy and other collectible sales are down as are other products on people’s wish lists.

It seems everywhere you look people are hurting and stressed. Honestly, if wasn’t for the fact that I’m saved and confident that God has everything under control I’d be stressed, panicked and lost as to what to do.

Like other endeavors my blog has been hit by the troubling economic times. Review samples have nearly dried up. With the high cost of producing goods, expensive mailing and shipping rates and the upheaval in manufacturing overseas it’s easy to see why.

But, I refuse to give up. God has a plan for my life and that includes my blog. To me it is more than just reviewing products. It’s a great way to communicate the love of God in the scriptures I include in my reviews and the opportunity it gives me to praise God.

Sure, product review samples are few and far between but I won’t let that stop me.

I have plenty of old comic books, books, toys and other merchandise that I can retro review. Think of it as stroll down Memory Lane.

That’s not to say I don’t want review samples to come in. I welcome any and all review samples that publishers and manufacturers provide.

If you are interested in having your products reviewed all you have to do is contact me via the contact form on my blog’s homepage.

Thanks to everyone who has stuck with me all these years. God willing I still have a few more years to review products under my belt.

Reality For The Average Comic Book Collector

I enjoy going online and looking at collecting comic book videos on You Tube.

I’m referring to just a handful of collectors/speculators who tout the ‘Top 10’ and sending their books off to CGC (Certified Guaranty Company).

That’s all fine and dandy but I’ve found a few problems with their approach to collecting comic books as it pertains to most comic book readers/collectors.

First and foremost is the cost.  

Back issue ‘key’ sales have gone through the roof!  I don’t know about you but I can’t afford to plop down hundreds or thousands of dollars for comic books.

Comic book speculation is a very iffy proposition.

For example.  Let's say I purchase a ‘hot’ comic book for $200.  I then send it to CGC and get it graded.  It comes back as 9.8 with a ‘value’ of $1,000.

Where does CGC come off determining comic books’ grades?  Who exactly grades comic books?  Is it dealers?  If so, isn’t that a conflict of interest?  

OK, so I’ve made $800-right?  Not necessarily.  First off I have to take into account that I have to pay for postage both to and from CGC.  Then I have to pay the cost of grading the comic book.

I’ll be generous and say the total cost is $100.  Taking that into consideration my ‘profit’ is now $700-right?

Not so fast.  Say I want to sell the comic book.  I can do it on E-bay, Amazon or some other social network site.  I get bids, none of which reach the $1,000 my book is supposedly worth.

For the sake of time, let’s say the final bid comes in at $900.  I decide to sell.  I now have to package the book up and ship it out.  My time is worth money.

The buyer receives the book, questions its grade, but eventually I get my $900.

Remember after my costs the book was only worth $700 if the book sold for the actual $1,000-which it didn’t.  It sold for $100 less than amount.  So technically my book is only worth $600.

That does not include my time and the effort I took to sell it.  That’s a lot of work for one book and most books do not sell what their supposed CGC value is.

If I took the book to a show I wouldn’t get as much as I wanted nor if I sold it to an individual-that’s almost a certainty.

Let’s be honest most comic books printed in the last 20 or 30 years will lose their value. You’re seeing it already.

Collecting comic books and maintaining their ‘value’ involves travel expenses, supply costs, shipping expenses and much more.

Have you seen the cost of comic book boxes, sleeves and backing boards lately?! Outrageous.

Most, if not all, of the ‘collectors’ who showoff their acquisitions are dealers of one sort or another.  They make their living off of selling comic books.

They offer people a fraction of what books are worth-jack up the prices and basically play the game.

If I were a comic book dealer masquerading as collector I would push the value of my books and promote certain titles I have a huge inventory of as hot.

Remember there’s a sucker born every minute and these so-called collectors try to take advantage of them.

I’ve seen ‘collectors’ brag about buying a collection for pennies on the dollar and then turn around and boast about their acquisition and the high-end and expensive titles they got out of the purchase.

I have absolutely no respect for dealers that buy up collections for a song and then turn around and charge collectors a fortune for the same titles they paid a pittance for.

I witnessed one dealer who paid less than a thousand dollars for a collection of graded books and profited ten times that amount.

To put it simply-I do not trust most online collector/dealers no matter how nice they try to come across.

I’ve discovered if I challenge their assertions by replying to their videos I have yet to see any of my comments make it to their comments sections.  Nobody gets all positive feedback.

Go on-try to find any negative comments-you won’t-it’s bad for business.

Let the buyer and seller beware.  Unless you’re in the business of buying low, selling high and dealing dishonestly stick to just collecting.

If you do decide to sell your collection, it’s best to stick with other collectors.

Know the value of your books, do your homework and go into any transaction with your eyes wide open.  An informed consumer is a smart consumer.

Proverbs 21:3 (NKJV) ‘To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.”