"Oh, Behave!" Austin Powers Felicity Shagwell’s Corvette

Austin Powers met his female counterpart with Felicity Shagwell.  Austin has his customized British car while Felicity has her red, white and blue Corvette American Muscle Car.

You got to love the packaging for this diecast with it predominant Johnny Lightning and Austin Powers logos to the debossed image of the side view of the car just above the clear plastic bubble containing the vehicle.

The car itself has rubber wheels, a windshield with side windows, a complete two-set light gray interior with instrument panel and steering wheel and a red, white and blue paint scheme looking like an American flag.

Full headlights and taillights, front and rear silver bumpers and an open convertible passenger 

compartment.  ’It’s groovy baby!’ 

Ecclesiastes 3:1 (NKJV) “To everything there is a season,A time for every purpose under heaven:..”

Classic Light Aircraft

One of things on my bucket list is to fly in a small single engine aircraft.  Little did I know just how many different types of small aircraft have been manufactured over the decades.

It’s amazing as to the various types of small aircraft there all from single pilot to multiple passengers.  There are single wing, bi-wing and even triple wing aircraft.

Some have bubble cockpits while other have open cockpits.

There are a variety of body designs, wing configurations, landing gear and type and number of propellers.

Planes are listed by company alphabetically and include black and white and color photos.

Full specs and the history of each company and their aircraft are included starting from the 1920s up until present day.

Classic Light Aircraft, written and compiled by Ron Smith and published Schiffer Military History is a thick hard bound book with dust cover that provide invaluable information on light aircraft for the curious and professional pilot.

Jeremiah 33:3 (NKJV) “‘Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.’

More Than Just A Price Guide: Fan #1

There was a time back in the mid-1990s that comic books were experiencing a boom in sales.

Dubbed ‘The Speculator Glut’ comic books were selling in the hundreds of thousands per issue, some in the millions.

With the prosperity of the market a number of publications about comic books sprung up, Fan being one of them.

I was in comic book heaven back then and I read each magazine about comic books such as Fan, Combo, Hero, Wizard and many more.  In fact I still have many of the issues-they make for great research material.

I enjoyed reading each and every issue of fan and from each I learned a great deal.

The first issue of Overstreet's Fan sported a fold out Superman/Alien front cover/poster by Dan Jurgens and Kevin Nowlan.

Inside Newz brought readers up to date on the current happenings in the industry in 1995.

Readers were treated to articles about Superman and Aliens, Shaquille O’Neal, an Animation Primer, Star Wars, Wildstorm, Lady Rawhide, a Peter David commentary and movie reviews.

Continuing on the magazine talked about Vertigo, Black Lightning, Spawn, Badrock and offered Market Reports.

Also reviews, a price guide, fan mail, Manga, Trading Cards and much more were included.

It was a jam-packed issue and Overstreet’s delivered a first-rate publication.

Psalm 29:2 (KJV) “Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.”

The Big Book Of Knives

When I was a young kid-starting in Kindergarten, all young boys carried pocketknives.  I can remember playing mumbley peg at recess.

So many knives: jack knives, pocket knives, cooking knives, hunting knives, survival knives, multi-purpose knives--the list goes on and on!

The beautiful hardbound book: The Big Book Of Knives, written by Oliver Lang and published by Schiffer Books, delves heavily into the history of knives.

Each type of knife is examined along with the history of each, how they are made, the people responsible for their creation, the different types of blades, handles, functions and so forth.

Full color photographs accompany in detail text along with the care and maintenance of knives, how each is used and the material each is made of.

There’s also a glossary in the back of the book of important knife terms and parts and a chart on the various steels used to make knives.

If you are a knife collector this book offers a veritable library of information about all aspects of knives.

I highly recommend this book to any hunter, cook, camper, law enforcement, military and any other professionals or hobbyists that uses knives on a daily basis.

Proverbs 31:30 (NKJV) “Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, But a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.”

Alex Ross Rules! 30 Postcards Super Heroes

Alex Ross-to comic book readers and collectors that name is instantly recognizable.

Bounding onto the comic book scene back in the mid-1985 drawing/painting the memorable Marvels for Marvel Comics and Kingdom Come for DC Comics, Alex took the comic book industry by storm.

Over the next few decades he provided full issues of art, covers, portfolios, a few books and more to anxious readers who enjoyed his work.

The 30 Postcards Super Heroes collection of postcards that easily detach from the binding which are nestled in a flip case illustrated cover from Chronicle Books.

Inside much of the work on covers and posters Ross did for DC comics are included.

On the back of the color postcard comes a small screened back illustration by Ross and a postage box with an additional illustration.  Four address bars complete the inside of each postcard.

For a miniature gallery of Alex Ross’s DC Comics work this postcard collection is a great place to start.

Philippians 4:19 (NKJV) “And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”

Navigator’s Notebook

It’s always fascinated me that sailors and other nautical types are able to navigate across vast expanses of water.

I’ll be the first to admit I’m lousy with numbers and charts.

How nautical navigators are able to chart their course by the stars, longitude and latitude, earth’s rotation and the like is far above my capability to understand.

I don’t know how they do it, but I’m glad they can.

Where would the world be without navigation?  

In Navigator’s Notebook A Workbook For Marine Navigation instructor Professor Anthony Palmiotti provides many of the charts, handouts and important information he provides for his students in Navigation.

Schiffer Publishing/Cornell Maritime Press has compiled all of the Professors teaching instruction into the Navigator’s Notebook.

Areas covered extensively include Terrestrial Navigation, compasses and compass error, tides and tidal currents, sailings, common calculations in celestial navigation and sight reductions.

All provide formulas, examples, calculations and charts.

Proverbs 4:23 (NIV) “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”

The USAF Weapons School

Revvin' up your engine
Listen to her howlin' roar
Metal under tension
Beggin' you to touch and go
Highway to the Danger Zone
Ride into the Danger Zone
Headin' into twilight
Spreadin' out her wings tonight
She got you jumpin' off the track
And shovin' into overdrive
Highway to the Danger Zone
I'll take you
Right into the Danger Zone
You'll never say hello to you
Until you get it on the red line overload
You'll never know what you can do
Until you get it up as high as you can go
Out along the edges
Always where I burn to be
The further on the edge
The hotter the intensity
Highway to the Danger Zone
Gonna take you
Right into the Danger Zone
Highway to the Danger Zone

(Lyrics and music by Kenny Loggins)

If you like the Top Gun movies you’re sure to like Schiffer Books and author Don Logan’s The USAF Weapons School at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada.

I never knew that USAF pilots can receive special training in weapons and battle tactics and earn a special insignia that follows them through their entire military and civilian careers.

At Nellis Air Force Base special classes are provided to candidates and eighteen squadrons are specially designated to the school.

In the book readers learn about individual squadrons, their aircraft and the insignia of each.

Over 200 color photographs are provided detailing each type of aircraft.

What is especially impressive about the book is the incredible amount of time to procure such photographs, identification of the aircraft and the history of each individual squadron.

It’s a fascinating book and I learned al lot.  It just goes to show that no matter how old you are you can always learn something new.

I have a whole new appreciation for the people who fly and maintain each of the aircraft seen.  Incredible machines, amazing people and impressive branches of the various armed services all are due the respect they deserve.

Matthew 19:26 (NIV) “Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

The Jokes On You! The Joker 80th Anniversary 100-Page Super Spectacular

It’s astounding that one of comicdom’s most nefarious and deadly villains would rate his own 100-page Special!

To me The Joker is quintessential comic book villain.  Forget Lex Luthor, Doctor Doom , Magneto, Sinestro, Thanos, Darkseid and all the others.

What makes The Joker such a great villain is his unpredictability.  He’s chaos personified and the perfect Ying to Batman’s Yang.  He is the flip side to Batman’s coin, his opposite and his dark side.

He knows Batman better than anyone.  It’s been speculated that he knows Batman’s secret identity and that he will never kill Batman.  To him that would take all the fun out of life.

Jim Lee provides the 1970s style cover illustration for DC Comics The Joker 80th Anniversary 100-Page Super Spectacular.

Inside a plethora of artists and writers explore the many facets of The Joker from the maniacal madman to the homicidal maniac to the  (surprisingly) compassionate and merciful trickster to the final confrontation with his old nemesis.

Also included is a gallery of the best of the best covers from the 1970s. It’s a worthy anniversary celebration for the Clown Prince of Crime.

Colossians 3:23 (KJV) “And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;’

Lucifer The Complete Fifth Season

While as a Christian I have to disagree with Lucifer being portrayed as the brother of Michael and a son of God as established in Lucifer The Complete Fifth Season DVD Collection from Warner Bros. I do agree that Lucifer is evil as portrayed in the show.

It’s important to note that Lucifer is a liar, cannot be trusted and hates anything that has to do with God and that includes his creation, especially human beings.  He’s also an extreme egoist and will do anything to get his way.

Still the Lucifer TV show does have some interesting stories, superb acting and some clever twists and turns.

In the Fifth Season Lucifer returns form Hell, Michael takes his place on earth, secrets are revealed and romances abound.

God makes his appearance and it’s not anything as expected.  sixteen episodes make up the Fifth Season and deleted scenes and a gag reel accompany the episodes on the DVD collection.

Proverbs 31:30 (NKJV) “Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, But a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.”

Upcoming!! Diamond Previews, June 2022

 

Deuteronomy 31:6 (NIV) “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”

The 'Other' FF? Danger Unlimited

Not long after John Byrne left Marvel Comics he began developing projects for Dark Horse Comics.

Disillusioned with his tumultuous run on Marvel’s The Uncanny X-Men John created his own versions of The X-Men with his Next Men title.

He butted heads at Marvel Comics on his Fantastic Four run and in response created a similar group called Danger Unlimited.

As an extra-added bonus he added an additional poke in the ribs of Marvel when he created a back-up feature in the mini-series taking jabs at Captain America called the Torch of Liberty.

John, John, John your curmudgeon ways often has you burning bridges.  Fortunately such face to face confrontations seems to spark your creativity resulting in some of the best work of your career-in my humble opinion.

After so many issues of Next Men John Byrne decided to do his own Fantastic Four book the way he wanted to do it, thus Danger Unlimited.

In the not too distant future a team of demolition experts guide their craft to the sealed former headquarters of Danger Unlimited.  The building has been off limits for the last 75 years.  It was decided to finally tear it down.

When the team draws closer the ship's sensors indicate a life form inside.

Sending in a research team they discover a chamber where the life energy is emanating from.

Attempting to torch it open they release the person inside: Thermal from Danger Unlimited.  There’s also another person or thing inside that suddenly builds up a massive amount of energy and detonates-destroying the complex.

Meanwhile a team of scientists investigates the transformation of one of their team members into a rocky monstrosity-supposedly caused by the exposure to the ‘gunk’ that created the original Danger Unlimited.

While the scientists investigate a sinister alien figure ponders its next plans.

In a back up story the Torch of Liberty frees some American prisoners of war from a Nazi camp.  After the may lay one of the surviving officers reports to his superior-the skull faced Golgotha.  Captain America and the red Skull anyone?

You can tell Byrne was having a fun time ‘sticking’ it to Marvel by creating two series reminiscent of his work at Marvel.

Psalm 103:1 (KJV) “Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.”

Mayhem In The Multiverse

 

Where do you go to get a team up of the Teen Titans Go! and the DC Super Hero Hero Girls?

Why Warner Bros. Mayhem In The Multiverse Blu-ray/DVD/ Digital Code Combo Pack of course!

Did I mention that Lex Luthor, the Legion Of Doom and The Phantom Zone and Super Friends are also in the Mayhem In The Multiverse?  Yep! They are!

The Teen Titans finds an old flat screen TV console and bring it back to their tower.

The TV cabinet is crooked so Beast Boy nabs a nearby purple gem and props one corner up.

When he does the TV activates and Control Freak appears on the screen.

He informs them they are about to take part in an epic crossover with the  DC Super Hero Girls.

As they watch the Super Heor Girls team up to stop Lex Luthor who has discovered a Kryptonian Phantom Zone Projector and plans to use it against the world’s heroes.

Unbeknownst to his criminal cohorts: The Legion Of Doom, Lex is in cahoots with Cythonna, an evil enchantress who is trapped in the control’s gem where she was  banished to the Phantom Zone by the Kryptonians.

Lex thinks he’s in control of Cythonna but Cythonna is in control of Lex and plans to escape her crystal prison and take over the earth.

All goes according to plan and earth’s heroes are sent to the Phantom Zone.

Meanwhile The Super Hero Girls devise a plan to travel to the Zone and free the heroes. Only their plan goes wrong and they wind up in an alternate universe populated by the Teen Titans.

Are you following me so far?  There’s more to the story, but why spoil the ending?

This wacky ‘crossover’ is cleverly written, funny and travels the Multitverse.  I wonder what other universes there are?

Included with the film are three classic cartoon episodes: two Teen Titans and one Super Hero Girls. There’s so much fun and action packed into the Combo Pack you’ll be out of breath after watching it.

Or it all a diabolical plot to boost the Super Hero Girls ratings by using the popularity of Teen Titans Go!?  You decide.

Isaiah 55:8 (NKJV) “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord.”

Ch-Ch-Changes! Future’s End #0

Batman Beyond?  Evil Cyborg DC Comic Books superheroes!?

The New 52 Future’s End #0 Special Edition-Free Comic Book Day features a striking cover of Batman Beyond against a background of DC superheroes transformed into killer cyborgs.

Inside the non-transformed Justice League along with a few super villains fight cyborg heroes and villains.

Frankenstein shows up and ‘faces’ them as Brother Eye continues to assimilate both heroes and villains.

Meanwhile both Batmen (Bruce Wayne and Terry Gillis) formulate a plan to send Terry back to the past to stop Brother Eye but not before Bruce Wayne is killed.

It’s an exciting prelude to the Futures End and series to be introduced that changed the DC Universe and introduced The New 52 era in DC Comics.

Proverbs 22:6 (NKJV) “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.”

Females Rule! Marvel: Powers Of A Girl

Girl Power!  You hear that term a lot nowadays and for good reason.

It used to be in superhero comic books women took a back seat to the superheroes.  Not anymore.

In fact, some of the most powerful and interesting characters in Marvel Comics are the woman-super powered or not.

For the first time powerful Marvel women are given their own unique tribute in the book Marvel: Powers Of A Girl beautifully illustrated by Alice X’ Zhang and written by Lorraine Cink by Marvel Press.  

The author uses her impressive knowledge of the Marvel Universe and her love of the characters to paint some pretty impressive literary portraits of many of its female heroes.

Filled with informative text and examinations of what it means to be a true heroine the book offers new insights into the female side of superheroes.

Complemented by the beautiful illustrations/paintings of the various characters the book is a ‘must-have’ for any Marvel Comics or comic book fans’ library.

Psalm 19:14 (NKJV) “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer.”

Special 30th Anniversary Edition Wolverine

There was a time when the now defunct Wizard magazine published specials about certain comic book characters and titles.

So it was only natural they it would spotlight everyone’s favorite Canadian superhero: Wolverine.

The ol’ Canadian Caknucklehead has been around since 1974.  His first cameo appearance was in The Incredible Hulk #180 with his first full appearance in issue #181-a much highly prized issue by fans.

After a brief appearance in issue #182 Wolverine disappeared until he resurfaced in Giant Size X-Men #1 when he became part of The New X-Men.  

From that point on his popularity blossomed to become the second most popular Marvel Comics character next to only Spider-man.

Not bad for a pint-sized, Adamantium claws and skeleton, fast-healing mutant.

Over the years whenever wolverine would appear in a comic book as a guest star that particular issue would jump in sales.

It was during the early Dave Cockrum and John Byrne issues that Wolverine’s character was developed.

For years it was a mystery as to his origin, his claws and his Adamantium skeleton.

Both artist artist/writer Barry Windsor Smith and the Origin mini-series revealed Wolvie’s checkered past.

Wolverine’s popularity grew even more as he became the pivotal character in the early X-Men movies along with his own trio of films.

There’s talk that he will appear in the Marvel Universe films from Disney in the near future.  The question is will Hugh Jackman reprise his role as Wolverine?

The 30th Anniversary Edition of Wolverine magazine provides a complete history of Wolverine up until the time of its publication in 2004.  It also includes an exclusive Wolverine comic book and tons more, bub!

Romans 12:2 (NKJV) “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”