It was my nephew's birthday and I was called into duty for the pool party. The theme was sharks and my mind was blank...then suddenly it hit me....Jabberjaw. OH YEAH.
I LOVED the Hanna-Barbara Cartoon Olympics when I was a kid and I loved Jabberjaw.
Of course no one demanded Jabberjaw and none of the kids knew who Jabberjaw was....heck, most adults didn't even know either (let alone care)....but my life is one shining moment after another and in this moment I wanted to shine my light on a late 70's - early 80's cartoon LEGEND.
Enjoy, shark lovers.
Note caption at bottom: "No actual sharks at party!"
As we age we tend to look back on our youth with rose-tinted glasses. We long for a "simpler time" when things like blogs didn't exist and an elderly stupid television star was president (Wait - nevermind).
Even if the past is "objectively" worse in many ways (and wow, it was). The past represents a siren call of a past that never was. For example, I HATED the fact that if I missed a Muppets show or a Saturday morning cartoon there was a good chance I would NEVER see it again. And yet I find myself longing for those days. Everything seemed to matter more. There was no "undo" button on typewriters after all.
Dungeons & Dragons was the "Moby Dick" of my Saturday mornings. I loved the show but there were two problems. One issue was that it came on late in the morning (10:30-11:00) when my Mom started to pry me away from the TV (I was usually parked in front of the TV by 6:30 AM on Saturdays). The second problem was my Mom hated this show, I am sure she thought it was evil. So, it was with a little excitement and pride that I watched this show with my kids the last few years (usually when my wife was not home as she thinks it's a little evil too).
I've blogged about the past A LOT and I recently (kinda) wrote about how a technologically backwards time could be kinda cool (in my ode to mix-tapes). But the truth of it all is that it could be a real bummer being a comic-book-collecting kid in the 1980's.
Just an excuse to post this photo from Unbreakable. I haven't seen the movie in years and although it is slow, I think it has to be my favorite movie about comics. Wait, are there other movies about actual comic books anyway??
It was hard collecting comics when I had an inconsistent cash flow coming in. I was a lazy kid and frequently went months at time without earning an allowance. Even if I did earn my allowance, I often blew through my money on toys or baseball cards. I see this all the time with my kids, they will happily spend their money on the wasteful, Dollar-Store happiness....over actually waiting for something or saving just a little more money to get what they've been dreaming about.
Secondly, I couldn't always control when I went to the store. This meant when I bought a comic book that ended on a cliff-hanger, I was going to cross my fingers and hope I would see it on the newsstand the next month. But I also had to hope that no one else would buy that particular issue either because the drug store and my grocery store usually had no more than 2-3 copies of the most popular titles. Then, if I did see the next issue in the wild, I would pray I had the money or I had to beg my mom to buy it for me.
There was no internet, so if I missed an issue, I would never know what happened.
So, because no one asked me...here are my top five cliff-hanger comics that I read as a kid.
Disclaimer: I am not stating these particular comics are objectively the best cliff hangers. They're not. These are just a few of my favorite comics that I bought as a child and I was unable to track down the next month's comic. In many cases, I would re-read these comics for years and I had no idea what happened.
This is a great comic book. It has everything that I love about comics; a nice mix of character, action and mystery. It also dabbles a little in alternate universe/time travel stuff, which I have always loved.
The main gist of the plot is the team steps into a "world" (it's a long story) that worships the Fantastic Four (as when they first appeared in the early 1960's). The population has even been genetically modified to mimic the powers of the team. The team is seen as "heretics" and they are attacked by the entire city's population.
The comic ends with the apparent death of the team (the leader of the city zaps the team with a Ray-Gun and they turn to skeletons...so cool). I think I bought this issue in one of those comic "three packs". The customer could see two of the issues but the third issue was behind one of the others. My used bookstore frequently has mid-to-late 80's FF and I kept waiting to see #295 but after several years of waiting, I finally ended up buying issue #295 on Amazon a few years ago and I finally found out the rest of the story.
SPOILER: They didn't really die but it's a satisfying conclusion to this story.
I loved going to the mall as a kid. My favorite stores at the mall was the video game store (EB?) and Walden's Books. I can still remember the smell of a good ol' Walden Books. Once inside a Walden's I would head straight for the magazine section and the comic rack. In 1986 (there's that year again) I saw something I had never seen on a comic rack, Disney comics. I was nine, so I was definitely intrigued. I loved cartoons but because we didn't have the Disney channel, I couldn't get enough of Disney cartoons or Disney characters. I could tell they were reprints of older comics and this piqued my interest as well. I already loved old stuff.
It turns out this was the first month's collection of of the Gladstone company. Apparently, it had been several years since Disney comics had been available. I remember not being sure if I should buy this particular comic or a Spider-Man comic and that says a lot about how impressed I was with this comic. At nine-years-old I was a little embarrassed that I would buy a "Micky Mouse" comic because it might be considered for "younger readers". However, I got over it and got the issue.
This is "part one" of Gottfredson's "The Seven Ghosts" (originally the storyline ran in the Sunday comics in the 1930's). Gottfredson had been given a peek at the early production of the cartoon "Lonesome Ghosts" and he loosely based "The Seven Ghosts" on what he saw.
"Lonesome Ghosts" is quite delightful but the only thing they really have in common is that Micky, Donald and Goofy are running a detective agency and there are ghosts involved. That said, it's basically completely different from what Gottfredson created. Here it is if you're into old cartoons (and really, who isn't?):
Incidentally, I had "Lonesome Ghosts" on my Fisher-Price Movie Viewer, which is basically a hand-powered film projector. I used to watch "Lonesome Ghosts" in slow motion, backwards and forwards, etc. over and over (and over) again. Of course there was no audio, but it was still pretty cool. Alas, we only had the "Lonesome Ghosts" and "Cinderella" cartridges. I still have this and my kids enjoy it from time to time as well.
Anyway, this is getting off subject.....
"The Seven Ghosts" comic starts with Mickey creating a detective agency with Donald and Goofy. Their first case surrounds a rich "man's" house that is seemingly haunted. It has humor, action and of course, mystery. Mickey is street-smart and plays the cynic to the supernatural occurrences. Goofy plays the believer and whole heartily believes the ghosts to be his friend. Finally, Donald puts on a brave face but is frightened at the slightest noise. The cliffhanger of this particular issue ends on Goofy seemingly proving that the ghosts are in fact, real.
It was a great cliffhanger and I never was able to find the next issue. I was finally able to read the end of story 15-16 years later in graduate school. I ended up winning a bid on eBay of a giant collection of Gottfredson's Mickey comics (printed in the late 70's). Gottfredson and Barks (Donald Duck, Uncle Scrooge) really were the masters. If you like a old comics that tell a mystery, check out the storyline (there are multiple re-prints available).
I think I was obsessed with this issue, I would just remember staring at this cover forever.
This is just classic 80's Marvel. Spider-Man has his black suit on (my favorite Spider-Man costume), Silver Sable's in it and it's full of great action. Sure, it's basically a trope (super-villains team up on the super-hero or a duo and the hero(s) fight back against all odds), but it works.
The plot line has Spider-Man helping Silver Sable track down the Jack O' Lantern for cash (Peter Parker is in need of cash to help Flash Thompson's legal defense). Instead of tracking down Jack O' Lantern (or maybe because they are set-up) they end up being trapped at Coney Island fighting for their lives against the new "Sinister Syndicate". The issue ends with Spidey and the Silver Sable injured and surrounded by the evil squad of villains.
Let me be frank, it's a pretty basic comic but the cliffhanger made me obsess over it. See, that's the cool thing about cliffhangers...while I was waiting I imagined what would happen next. Sure, it was a given Spider-Man would come out on top, that's not the point. It was fun to try to figure out just how he would do it. I never was able to track down #281 but maybe someday on one of comic-book runs (usually at used book stores around town). I know it's available digitally but somehow, I think it will feel a lot better if I find it in the wild.
#2 Marvel Team-Up # 59 - ”Some Say Spidey Will Die By Fire...Some Say By Ice!"
I think I picked this issue up in "Free Comic" promotion somewhere down the line. It was first published in 1974 and for a long time, this was the oldest comic that I owned. Heck, it's likely still in my top 10 or 15 oldest comics I own. It's one of the Chris Claremont issues (before he went on to X-Men fame) and the art is top-notch as well. For a Marvel Team-Up, its downright abnormally good (usually MTU are pretty generic and lame).
This was the first issue I had seen or heard about Yellow Jacket and I thought he just looked so darn cool. Anyway, the bad guy known as Equinox appears and is ready to kill Spider-Man.
As I kid I found this villain a little scary. Something about his eyes and crazy violent dialogue.
Spidey ,Wasp and Yellow Jacket take on Equinox and in the last few pages, Equinox blows up a tanker that was behind the Yellow Jacket. The last page reveals that Yellow Jacket has been seemingly killed.
Keep in mind I was probably 10 (or under) when I read this and I had never seen or heard of the Yellow Jacket before. I was unaware that comic book characters literally CANNOT STAY DEAD (there's a law or something)...and being I had never heard or seen him in the 80s' I thought this was his actual death. I was blown away and I wanted to know what happened the next issue. I still had no idea. Also, there was this really seductive scene with Yellow Jacket and the Wasp in the first few pages that I remember being really fascinated with at the time.
# 1 Transformers #79 - "The Last Autobot"
I loved Transformers. I loved the cartoon, I loved the toys, so of course I loved the comics. By the time I started collecting (1984-1985) the comic has been out out for a few months. I somehow traded my way into one of my favorite comic cross-overs (and cover) of all-time in Transformers #3
The size proportions are terrible but you can't NOT be pumped when you see this cover. It was a dream come true for my 9 year-old self. Also, check out Gears in the corner box. Gears actually had a major role in this issue (and at least in the Marvel line, never again).
Bob Budniksy wrote the first 55 issues of Transformers. The first 35 are mixed with a third of the issues being duds, another third being decent and another third being quite well done. Some of my personal faves are when the Dinobots take on Megatron (#8), the Blaster - Cybertron Saga (#17-#18 - shoulda been longer), the Scraplets Epic with Blaster and Goldbug (#29-#30).
Somewhere in the mid-30's the series started to get pretty lame and stayed bad for the next twenty issues or so. The art got much worse and it seemed Hasbro pushed for more story lines introducing an endless amount of characters that no one cared about. So somewhere after #35 or so I dropped out of keeping up with the Transformers (I remember thinking the Headmasters were really stupid). I checked back in at the comics rack and I even bought the issue when a "Powermaster" Optimus Prime was back, but even I though it was pretty disappointing.
So, while I was stepped away from my Transformers fandom, something pretty amazing happened. Budniksy brought in the UK writer Simon Furman and Furman helped right the ship. I didn't catch on until issue# 67 (which despite the art, was a terrific alternate future story that tied back in to the main storyline).
If Budniksy is the father of Transformers (he actually created most of the toy names and personalities), then Furman is the soul of Transformers. Furman created more than just a backstory, but a mythos that was much deeper than just a simple toy line. Characters were more flawed, more conflicted...basically more human.
Here's the cover of #70. I saw this at a gas station and it got my attention. I was instantly back to being hooked on the Transformers comic.
From this point on, Furman was working with some great artists like Wildman and Senior (who's work I had obviously missed in the strong "Matrix Quest" storyline). Furman's work in the last two years of the Transformers' comic is simply outstanding (especially the storyline from #67-#75). If you are a fan at ALL of Transformers and great storytelling, start with Furman's run at #55 and finish up with #80.
Anyway, most of action peaks with issue #75 (Unicron!!) however, Furman was still weaving quite a web when Transformers got the axe. You see while #79 is a pretty typical comic, I knew #80 would be the last issue of Transformers. At this point in time, the toys were off the shelves and I assumed this was the last I would ever read of the Transformers.
No one knew that there would be re-boot after re-boot and re-boots of reboots from all the crap from the 80's and 90's.
So, #79, while an okay comic was only a "real" cliffhanger because I could NEVER find #80. There is an actual cliffhanger, but it's complicated to explain....the larger point is that it was a cliffhanger for me. I always wondered how the comic storyline would end.
I went looking almost everywhere a kid without a car could look but I never did find #80. In the early 2000's I started picking up used comics again and I could always find Transformer comics here and there. I managed to pick up about a third of the total series. I think I have about 50-60 of the total comics. However, after the movie series came out, I have never seen one Generation 1 Marvel comics in the wild again (at used bookstores, etc.). I ended up reading a scan of #80 in the early 2000's and it was okay...but it could have never lived up to all the hype and mystery. Still, all that interest led me to check out reprints of the UK story lines (which feature Furman and Senior). Those are also highly recommended.
So, I have finally finished my blog post here and I've just read this massive blog post of crap. I have no idea why it happened but it was kinda fun and I hope it finds someone, somewhere a little joy out there as well. Go read a comic and forget your problems for the day.
I've been a Spurs fan most of my life. Here are the fragments of my earliest Spurs memories.
If you're a fan, suffer through the self-indulgence, it will be worth it when you find out about my personal experience with Coach Pop.
My fandom probably started when I was 9 years old. In December of 1986, my Dad brought home front-row tickets because a co-worker couldn't attend. Up until this point in my life, I have memories of my father and I watching some of those classic Lakers-Celtics battles (my dad rooting for the Celtics, and I was rooting for the Lakers) at one point in life I remember being completely surprised San Antonio even had a team as the Spurs were never on TV and no one I knew talked about them at all.
Here's my ticket stub. $30.00 bucks for a front row seat! That's still only a little over $64 in 2014!
I remember a few distinct things about the game, one was a souvenir basketball rolled down from the somewhere above us right to my seat. I looked up but have no idea where it came from. I was able to keep it and take it home. The other was Tom Chambers came barreling towards us chasing after a loose ball. He landed right below my legs and the ball popped up right into my hands. I looked down at Chambers, looked up and saw the ref looking at me. I threw the ball at the ref and I felt pretty cool. Back in those days, few Spurs games were on TV - no highlights exist but I found a full game on youtube from a few months later in the season.
From then on, I remember checking the newspaper and checking out the sports section for information on the Spurs. It was hit or miss as I had other important things in my life like candy, baseball cards and comic books. Plus, the Spurs stunk at the time (a 2 year anomaly for the most successful small market pro sports team ever).
Other early memories included me staying home sick when the local news broke in to announce David Robinson had signed with the Spurs. I wasn't aware at the time how important this was (see the details in the video below about his options) but it was the turning point in Spurs history. It is very likely, the franchise would have stunk for another 3-5 years and been moved. Here's a TBS report about that day.
With the start of adolescence, my interest in sports grew. In the summer before 6th grade (1988) I got this t-shirt to show my friends what a big Spurs fan I was - even though David wasn't going to play until the following year.
One of my most treasured childhood memories also happened in the summer of 1988. It's strange to think about but the NBA and especially the Spurs were small potatoes compared to 2014. The organization really had to sell the idea of going to the games of a crappy team - so this meant getting the players and coaches out into the local community.
There were several H-E-B promotional events planned around the city and one of our local H-E-B's was chosen as a location. Johnny Dawkins, the Coyote and a then, brand new, little-known assistance coach named Gregg Popovich would be there. They would have autographs, ticket giveaways and have some games for the kiddo's.
My dad took me down to the H-E-B and we first got in line for an autograph from Dawkins (that is now lost in the mists of time). I hung out shooting hoops with a bunch of kids for awhile and then, the contest began. I am not sure if I knew what the prize would be, but it was a 12 game pack (for two) that as on the line. The whole package was only $176.00!!
The contest was a version of "Knockout" - where the kids were lined up and shot free-throws. If you made your free-throw, you were "safe" and continued on, if you missed and the kid behind you made their attempt, you were "out" of the game. The game started with a bunch of kids, my memory is a bit hazy but at least 15-20, possibly more. I can't say for sure but I believe Coach Pop was hosting the game, grabbing rebounds and passing the balls back to the kids to shoot. Although I don't have a memory of him doing so, I have a very good reason to think this, as you will see below.
What was strange about this game of "Knock Out" was that the Spurs Coyote was playing with the kids. Even more strange, he was actually knocking kids out of the contest (maybe he was ready to go home??). I was shooting well and was knocking kids out left and right. Slowly but surely the contest dwindled down to three of us - me, a girl about my age and the Coyote. I think the girl knocked out the Coyote and we traded buckets a few times. Then, I missed. I was sure that I was going to suffer the indignity of losing to a girl but then, she missed and I made my next attempt, winning the game!
Which brings me back to Coach Pop.
I had no memory about Popvich being there. After all, he was part of the newly hired staff of Larry Brown (himself, new to SA) and practically an unknown. Even by basketball standards, he was a no-body.
My memories about this great victory of mine centered on winning the contest and meeting Johnny Dawkins. Then, I was digging through some of my dad's old documents when I came across a copy of an old letter that my dad had written back to the Spurs:
For those that didn't bother (or who can't read my dad's handwriting) it complements Coach Popovich for the way he treated all the kids, stating he was "considerate" about the kids feelings during the contest and how, "The Spurs have a quality individual in Coach Popovich".
I was shocked. It turns out I had most likely taken shots passed from one of the NBA's all-time best head coaches! Popovich is known for his gruff demeanor and it's true he will not suffer a fool, but if you dig long enough, you find out he has a heart of gold. The guy's the real deal- smart, no-nonsense, tough and caring head coach. Also, he's a liberal so that makes me like him even more.
Our tickets were center-court, on the lowest level of the upper deck. Actually pretty good seats for as high as they were, plus, there were free! Here's my Spurs ID card from the 1988-1989 season. I have no idea what this card was for, but I am sure I had in my wallet to show my friends. Typically, they spelled my name wrong.
Our package included the opening night against the defending champs, the LA Lakers. I chose this 12 game pack because it had the Lakers and Celtics, and other option only had the Bulls. The Spurs actually won that game on opening night in a major upset. The crowd at the old Hemisphere Arena was rocking and rolling with excitement and it was a ton of fun.
As it turned out, that game was the zenith of the experience. The Spurs lost the next 11 games we went to. Even when the Celtics came to town, Larry Bird was out with health issues and we still lost. As an 11-year-old fan, it was frustrating but I always got stay up late and I learned a lot about basketball that year.
The following year was the most anticipated season in Spurs history (before or since) with David Robinson finally arriving after that 2 year delay. Although we didn't get a season ticket package, my dad did manage to score opening night tickets against, once again, the LA Lakers. It was David Robinson's first regular season NBA game and he did not disappoint. He had 23 points and 17 rebounds in a victory. Again, it was an amazing game to be at, and it felt like we finally had one of the "greats" playing for "our" Spurs!
A minor miracle I still had this ticket, I think I found it in one of my old baseball/basketball card boxes in college. Also, note it was $11.00 bucks to watch NBA history (even if it was "upper balcony").
So, the 80's ended quite well for the Spurs, they were on the up-swing and I was a very happy 12-year-old. Eventually, I will write a part II but until then, Happy New Year, to no one in particular!
