Here's a rundown of the books I've purchased in the last three weeks.

Guardians of the Galaxy No. 15 — Funny thing is that I bought the first five issues of GotG, but haven't read them just yet. Still, I know enough about the title that when I saw Cosmo the super dog on the cover, it was an immediate must-buy for me. I love it when a little bit of one comic company theme (DC's super pets) sneaks  over into another (Marvel). Purchased at Comics Store West.

Power Girl No. 1 and No. 2 — When this came out, I wasn't itching to get it. Then I saw some reviews come in, and they were generally positive. I don't know if I'll like it since I've never counted myself among the Power Girl fans out there. The alternate cover to issue No. 2 is just wonderful though. Purchased at Comics Store West.

Marvel Pets — My favorite purchase thus far. Marvel does a whole guidebook on the pets and other animals that have appeared in their comics since the 1940s. Yep, Cosmo's one of them. There's also devilish dinosaurs, oodles of ants and many, many monsters. This is a lot of fun and a great bathroom read! Purchased at Comics Store West.

Hotwire Requiem for the Dead No. 1 — There aren't many artists that pull me in anymore. They are no longer the key to my comic-book enjoyment. Sure, it helps tremendously if I buy a book that's good and has a great artist. Still, every so often, an artist really wows me. In this case, that artist is Steven Pugh. I first found him on Shark Man, and have kept my eye out for him since. I don't know if Hotwire will be good, but it will be good to look at. Purchased at Comics Store West.

Astro City: The Dark Age No. 2 — This issue will be all I pick up until I've had a chance to weigh the qualities of issue No. 1 and this one. After that, I'll decide whether to march on with the rest of the series. Purchased at Comix Connection.

Supergirl No. 42 — I've been raving about this series since I latched on to the "Who is Superwoman" story arc. This is the aftermath issue. If it hooks me, I might stay a while. Wasn't much impressed with the cover though. Purchased at Comix Connection.

Lockjaw and the Pet Avengers No. 1 — This title looks like pure fun. It was sold out at my regular store, so I had to go across town to pick it up. Gotta love Marvel's diversity lately. Purchased at Comix Connection.

Scooby-Doo No. 145 — Boy, it has been a dog friendly run, hasn't it? This one was for my Little One. Still, you have to admire how current artists stretch the use of model sheets and adapt the old look for new times. Purchased at Comics Store West.

Livewires: Clockwork Thugs, Yo! — Since I placed the Livewires in Indiana in my Relocating the Marvel Universe series, I figured I owed it to this group of robots to read their book. I got it dirt cheap, so if I don't like it (and considering its got anime style art, I might not), then it's no big deal. Purchased at Comix Connection.

Even your favorite possum hockey players like to think about old times, even if they aren't such pleasant thoughts.
Just click on the team captain at left for your link to hockey hilarity!

Now originally, Comics I Bought Today was supposed to be a quick snapshot of comics I bought on the day I wrote the entry. But then I went and bought some back issues at the comic book store and then yard sale season hit, so I got way behind.
So, this entry is an attempt to catch up on all those trips plus a regular Wednesday... wish me luck!

Teen Titans No. 71 —The latest issue of the Teen Titans saga features Ravager, a character I'm not terribly interested in. I got it just to keep up the collection. Purchased at Comics Store West.

Amazing Spider-Man Family No. 6 —  This had Jackpot on the cover. I only read the first Brand New Day story, and I wanted to see what happened to her. From a brief scan, it looks like she died, but this explains a little more about her. Purchased at Comics Store West.

Astro City Dark Age Book Three No. 1 — It's been so long since an Astro City book came out, I have no idea where this takes place in the series. Are these any good? Purchased at Comics Store West.

The Magician's Wife — Bargain bin purchase. Originally published in 1987, it's the creepy story of a magician's hold over his assistant. It's creepy in the interpersonal way, not in a horror way. This was OK, but not as good as I expected. Although it was written by an American, it's a very "French"-style of a comic. Purchased at Comics Store West.

Roxanna & The Quest for the Time Bird 2: Temple of Oblivion — A while back, I picked up No. 1 in this graphic novel series, and I must not have remembered how bad it was because I picked this up as well. I've tried reading it several times now, and I just can't get into it. Illustration style is wonderful though. Purchased at Comics Store West.

Roxanna & The Quest for the Time Bird 4: The Egg of Darkness — I bought this when I bought No. 4. My mistake! Purchased at Comics Store West.

Walt Disney's Donald Duck No. 8: Carl Barks Library — Among comics' historians, Carl Barks is one of the greatest illustrators. This is my chance to find out. Purchased at Comics Store West.

The Mercenary: The Cult of the Sacred Fire & The Formula — Over the years, I've picked up a few of these and I always love the gritty machismo of these books. They're basically Conan stories with the serial numbers filed off. And, of course, painted comics instead of pencilled. Purchased at Comics Store West.

The Thief of Bagdad — When I read this was illustrated by P. Craig Russel, I picked it up without looking. Whoops! This is a novelization of the "Thief" story, with spot illustrations by Russell. Oh, well, should be good nonetheless. Purchased at Comics Store West.

True Story Swear to God — I've always heard good things about these. A bargain bin purchase was my opportunity to try it out. Purchased at Comics Store West.

The Art of Mitch Byrd Volume One — I always liked Mitch's art in his cool book Cat & Mouse. I was very impressed with his fantasy and sci-fi work here. If he produced a monthly comic with art this good, he'd be a big seller. Purchased at Comics Store West.

Robert Silverberg Nightwings — I've picked up a few Silverberg books here and there, and always liked them. This is the DC Comics adaptations of one his books. They did fantasy and sci-fi adaptations for a while in the early 1980s, and every one I've picked up has been quite nice. I wonder how many of these they did? Purchased at Comics Store West.

Transformers: End of the Road — Another Ollie's Bargain Outlet find. This is another reprint from Titan. I don't know if I'll like these, but at $2.99, it's hard to refuse. Purchased at Ollie's

Flash Gordon: The Ice Monster — I found this for 25-cents. It's a paperback version of Al Williamson's Flash Gordon comic strip. Great deal! Purchased at a yard sale.

The following books are invdividual issues that I mostly got at yard sales. Sorry, I'm not looking up a link for each one:

The Defenders No. 124 — I very likely alread own this, but this issue featured a wonderful cover showing two of my favorite Defenders: Valkyrie and Gargoyle. Too bad the stories in this era were so crummy. Purchased at Comics Store West.

The Mighty Thor No. 265 — Thor versus Destroyer. That's gotta be good, right?. Purchased at Comics Store West.

Nights into Dreams No. 1, 2, 3, 4 — Looks like some video game comic. It's from Archie comics. Any ideas?
Purchased at a yard sale. 

Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man Giant-Sized Annual No. 7 — I loved this with all my heart. It proves, once again, that the Puma is a very interesting foil to Spider-Man. And I think he'd do just fine without Spider-Man in the picture. Can we get a Puma miniseries or something? Purchased at a yard sale. 

Steve Rogers Captain America No. 2 — I probably have this, but I purchased it in big pile of other comics. Purchased at a yard sale. 

Captain America Sentinel of Liberty No. 6, 8, 9 — I very likely alread own these too, but I'm not so sure. A few of these feature the falcon in a reall bad uniform. Purchased at a yard sale. 

Aquaman No. 42, 43, 44, 45, 47, 49, 1000000 — Issues from the 1990s, which are probably my least favorite Aquamans. The beard and harpoon just didn't work for me. Purchased at a yard sale.

Thunderbolts Distant Rumblings No. 1 — Strange, here's a T-bolts series I never heard of. It appears to show some 1940s era activities of Zemo, Hydra and Namor. Purchased at a yard sale.

Thunderbolts No. 3 — Whoops, another accidental purchase. I definitely own this one. Thunderbolts was a damn good comic. Go out and buy them. Purchased at a yard sale. 

Superman Red, Superman Blue — I kind of thought these costumes were pretty neat. I've been meaning to buy some of the recently released action figures of them. Anyway, one thing I didn't like was the hype surrounding this change. What a bunch of baloney! Same with cutting Wonder Woman's hair and other silliness. Of course they're going to go back to the status quo. Purchased at a yard sale. 

Superman: Man of Tomorrow No. 9, 11, 12, 13 — I'm really hoping these prove to be interesting. I like Superman's enemies, friends and cast much more than I like Supes himself. Purchased at a yard sale. 

Adventures in the DC Universe No. 3, 4, 12, 19 — The animated style of DC Comics has always appealed to me. These should be quite cool since they're all "Done in One Comics" and are kid-friendly. That's my type of comic! Purchased at a yard sale

Daydreamers No. 1, 2, 3 — Wow, these look really neat. A rigellian, Howard the Duck, Artie, Leech and Franklin Richards. Should be fun. Purchased at a yard sale. 

Secret Files & Origins: Superman No. 2 — While I generally didn't like these, I've picked many of them up because they were the closest thing DC had to character guides. Unfortunately, each had a story or two and just a few pages of data. Purchased at a yard sale. 

Team Superman No. 1 — Three tales of Superman's pals. Cool. Purchased at a yard sale.

The Superman Madman Hullaballoo No. 1, 3 — Mike Aldred brings Madman to the DCU? Hmm, I'll try that! Boy, remember when company crossovers were the thing to do? You don't see that much anymore! Purchased at a yard sale.

Whew! I'm all caught up. Now, what will I buy on Wednesday?!?!

It's the center of it all, it's ...

INDIANA

Yes, at long last, Relocating the Marvel Universe has returned as I fix up all my original entries that first appeared in this thread at the awesomely amazing, frequently fantastic and inerringly incredible Captain Comics Web site!

INDIANAPOLIS (Squirrel Girl, Alpha Primitives, Inhuman guardians)

Settling down with her parents in Indianapolis, Squirrel Girl has used her vast abilities to keep the peace in her adopted hometown. From here, she makes frequent trips to Milawaukee to attend Great Lakes Avengers get-togethers. Aside from her duties with her team, Squirrel Girl makes regular patrols of the greater metro Indy area, often hitching a ride on commuter cars, jumping from one to another as she works her route.
Notes: It's well-known that Squirrel Girl is "secretly" one of the Marvel Universe's most powerful heroes. Putting her in the center of the continent means she can get anywhere she's needed in a flash! Still, most of her time is spent sticking around Indy as a student and all those regular patrols.

The Alpha Primitives are a relatively new arrival in Indianapolis. Originally created by the Inhumans as slaves, the genderless creatures were emancipated sometime later and permitted to live in a sub-section beneath the Moon city of Attilan. Believing the Primitives were content with their lives below the surface, the Inhumans left the creatures there for years, but a gnawing guilt led to 'missionary' work to the sub-city. Over time, many of the Alpha Primitives learned to express a desire for a different life, and the Inhumans eventually helped some of them relocate in and around Indianapolis. Why Indy? The Earth city was selected for its simple layout, and the fact that the Inhumans vowed to monitor the Primitives, train them for useful activities, and, of course, pay the city a hefty 'nuisance tax.' Now the Alpha Primitives are a common site in Indy, where they busy themselves with all manner of "fun pastimes" — which for the Primitives means hard labor and other menial tasks that ultimately benefit the city. Sometimes, Primitive work crews are "caught" fixing things that aren't broken, building random structures or breaking into homes and cleaning them. As part of their arrangement with the city, Inhuman agents work regular rotation to monitor Alpha Primitive activities. This, in turn, provides the city with additional protection from the likes of Gorgon, Triton, Karnak, Lockjaw, Crystal, Quicksilver and others. On rare ocassions, Black Bolt and Medusa also visit the city.
Notes: I don't know how I got this idea. It just came to me, I suppose, and when I think about it I just smile at the idea of the Alpha Primitives lumbering around Indianapolis doing random acts of subservience. The Inhumans, in turn, end up with the "white-man's burden" of trying to do good in the face of their well-known act of selfishness, i.e. creating a life form to be a slave.

EVANSVILLE (Thornn)

The mutant known as Thornn, sister to Feral, resides in Evansville, where she fled after her sister's death. Though initially a recluse when depowered on M-Day, Thornn, who had several immutable physical characteristics, has appeared more and more regularly in public where she often exacts brutal justice on wrong-doers. With her vicious form of justice, she is wanted by local authorities, though she continues to elude capture.
Notes: As I see it, a depowered Thornn is pretty much the same as a full-powered Thornn. All her mutant abilities are pretty much physical characteristics except her healing factor, sped up reflexes and enhanced strength. That leaves the interesting stuff, such as the tail, the fur and the claws.

FORT WAYNE (Livewires)

The secretive team known as the Livewires uses Fort Wayne as its base of operations in its effort to squash out black ops teams within the United States. Given its dangerous agenda, the team of androids keeps an equally low profile in the city, responding to only the most dire threats to the city and region. When not physically pursuing its goals, the team, which consists of Hollowpoint Ninja, Cornfed, Gothic Lolita, Stem Cell and Social Butterfly, plugs into the the world wide web and attempts to track down leads for future action. This effort has led the Livewires to a whole other purpose, monitoring communication between super criminals around the world, alerting nearby supers of emminent danger and even coordinating supers in the field.
Notes: I see this group as only occasionally leaving their secret base to fight bad guys. The rest of the time, they subtly contact other superheroes (and even a few middle-of-the-road villains) and feed them information on activity of concern. Some supers have figured out about this little group of 'oracles,' and happily accept their information. Others are concerned by the androids' ability to track them down, but appreciate the heads up. Still other supers have refused to work with the group, worried that they're being tricked.

SOUTH BEND (Skids, Wheels)

The two mutants known as Skids and Wiz Kid are current students at Notre Dame University in South Bend. The pair operate an "underground railroad" for mutants and de-powered mutants with physical abnormalities, helping them reach the Morlock city in New York undetected and unmolested. Beyond that, the two have essentially adopted the town as their home, and serve to protect it from any threats, many of which spill over from Chicago and Detroit.
Notes: Skids has always been among the most liberal of all "good" mutants, and it fits her to a "T" to actively work to help persecuted mutants. Best of all, she's the type that would do it without passing judgement and would seem just as likely to help Sabretooth as she would Cyclops.
Notes: Though de-powered, Wiz Kid is still a smart cookie, and he uses that intelligency and ingenuity to assist mutants with dehabilitating handicaps and to provide all mutants with the basics, such as obtaining new identities. Essentially, he uses his student status as a cover for his more substantial efforts in helping the mutant and de-powered mutant communities.

GARY (Smuggler)

Knowing he could never work alongside his brother, Atlas, Smuggler relocated to Gary, where he works the best he can to stem the city's overwhelming rate of crime. Using his Darkforce powers to their max, it's not uncommon for him to be tending to multiple incidents within minutes. Despite his efforts, little has changed in the city — except that a number of minor supervillains have adopted the city as their base of operations.
Notes: Wow, do I love this guy. I haven't read any comics with him in it, but I totally dig the power combination they set up for him — weird elongation powers and creepy teleportation via the Darkforce. Thanks to his goggles, he looks like Spider-Man, and I also see him as a hard-luck villain who's so pathetic at his job that he just opts to switch sides for the heck of it.


Have I tackled your state yet? Take a look at my Relocating the Marvel Universe index!
Need a good explanation of just what I'm doing? Then visit the first entry, which offers a look behind for my initial idea for this series.

I often spend my Saturdays on the great scavenger hunt that is yard-sale culture. Comics are often over-priced by people who believe they have some value just because they're 10 years old. Conventional wisdom would certainly imply that comics, being a collectible, have some value. Unfortunately in the modern comic-book collecting scene it's not true. Unless you're selling books published before 1980 or so, comics aren't likely to even hold their cover price.
Sure, you could store your comics for a long time. Even so, the value of a comic isn't going to rise too much. Why? Three reasons.
Firstly, since becoming a "collectible" most readers have actively sought to store and preserve their comics. The problem lies in that EVERYONE is saving their comics. That means that, for the most part, collectors have exactly what they want. Therefore, there's no scarcity. Further, this situation makes it almost impossible to sell your comics at "collector's guide  prices."
Secondly, there's a thriving reprinting trade within the comics scene. These reprints are bound together in big books, and far more convenient to store, access and use for the average comic reader.
Thirdly, even comics that are billed as special on the cover are often unlikely to be valuable. Remember, even comic-book companies try to trick you into buying books with advertising and gimmicks:

• Captain Falcon's new costume!
• Special 48-page story!
• The first appearance of Mr. Speed!
• Square-bound books.
• Die-cut covers!
• A "hot" artist or writer takes over the comic.
  
• Origin issue of Rhinoman!
• Gold-foil logo.
• Any cover that says "collectible" or "anniversary."
• ... and so on.
  

Yeah, it's all pretty meaningless and with some very rare exceptions, will generate no extra value to a seller.

With that in mind, my advice is to price your comics to sell. My advice:

• For comics from the 1990s and up, I'd suggest 3 for $1.
• For comics from 1980 to 1989, I'd suggest 2 for $1.
• For comics from 1979 and earlier, I'd hunt down a price guide, friendly collector or comic book store and see what they'd suggest. This era is the only one likely to generate some real money. Even still, many of these oldest comics are still hard to sell because only comics in top-notch condition are desirable to most collectors.
  
• On eBay and other auction sites, try to sell your comics in batches of 10 to 20. This will help you clear out duds along with highly-desired comics.
• Also for eBay, assemble 10-20 issue runs of a specific title and sell them as a bundle.
  

Last weekend's yard sales provided me with several treasures, including a batch of cheap comics, racquetball rackets and an interesting book.
As I browsed through one neighborhood sale, I came to an old bookseller who had set up in the yard of a friend. He had lots of neat old books, including a few old Westerns that seemed really intriguing. But then I turned to a new table and saw "Strange Creatures of the Snow and Other Great Mysteries."
Studying the book, I was sure it was a "brother" publication to one of my favorite books as a kid, "Mysteries, Monsters and Untold Secrets." That book was purchased by my brother or sister through a "Reading Is Fundamental" program. It wasn't long before its fascinating cover grabbed my eyes.




A U.F.O, the Loch Ness Monster, an Easter Island monolith and Bigfoot all on one cover! Talk about a thrilling concept for a pre-teen.
Inside, I learned about the strange world we live in — complete with sightings of all those guys as well as the mystery of Oak Island, ghost ships, modern pterodactyls and other phenomena. This book, and a daily dose of Scooby-Doo, fueled my imagination and drove me to further explore the world of the strange.
In fact, over the years, I have amassed quite a collection of books on "weird" phenomena. I haven't read many of them in years, but I like to keep them around — partly for nostalgia's sake and partly "just in case."
All those fond memories of an unknown world swarmed over me as I stared at "Strange Creatures" it looked as if its cover was illustrated by the same artist. It turns out that the two books aren't related, but boy, do they look good together. ("Mysteries" is by George Laycock, cover illo by Ted Hanke, Scholastic Book Services, 1978; "Strange" is by Edward F. Dolan Jr., "Great Mysteries of the Ice and Snow" was its original title, Weekly Reader Books, 1985.)
Years later, I'm still intrigued by all "the unknown," but I certainly look at it with a more level head. In that sense, the old Scooby-Doo mysteries helped me more than anything because in them, there was always a reasonable explanation in (if you'll pardon the "Ripley's Believe it or Not" swipe) strange, the bizarre and the unexpected.

Once again, we dive into my latest purchases. For the most part, these are explanations of why I bought what I bought, not an actual review.

The Amazon No. 3 — Just prior to New Comic Book Day, I finished reading issues No. 1 and 2. I greatly enjoyed their mystery and atmosphere, which was greatly enhanced by the unique narrative style. TIm Sale's art was stellar. Purchased at Comics Store West.

Supergirl No. 35 and No. 41 — Still having trouble finding issues 37 and 38, I bought these two issues instead. I did have a chance to read Supergirl No. 35, and I liked it quite a bit. For one thing, I was glad that Jamal Igle had found a series since leaving Firestorm. I was also pleasantly surprised by this book, which posited a theory for Supergirl's many personality types over the last 30 years or so. Good ideas from writer Sterling Gates. No. 35 also featured the debut (in the last two pages) of Superwoman. Purchased at Comics Store West.
Hulk No. 10 — This one is a straggler for me. I should have picked it up three months ago. It features Hulk and the rest of the original Defenders against a team of ... uhm ... Offenders. Ed McGuinness draws and is paired with inker Dexter VInes. This creates a whole new look for McGuiness' art. I could have picked up issues 11 and 12, but opted not to — just in case I don't find it too interesting. Purchased at Comics Store West.

Batman: The Brave and the Bold No. 4 — Aquaman joins the caped crusader in an effort against dinosaurs and Roman Centurions. Got this for the little one. Purchased at Comics Store West.

DC Universe Blue Beetle Action Figure — A friend picked this and the Booster Gold figure up for me (yes, I know I still owe you!). I have to say every time the Blue Beetle II is translated into an action figure I am really impressed. Something about the bug-leg logo and the goggles just turn out amazing. I'm glad this one came out, because my DC Direct version of this figure fell off the shelf and broke his arm at the elbow. He's never been the same!  Purchased at Wal-Mart.

DC Universe Booster Gold Action Figure — Another nice looking figure. My only complaint is how his robot pal Skeets plugs into him. Skeets' energy trail connects into a hole in Booster's back. The problem is that Skeets is just too close to Booster's face when plugged in to the figure. It just violates all personal bubble rules, if you know what I mean. Still, with his metallic sheen, this is a nice looking Booster Gold figure. I also have a DC Direct Booster Gold. I broke his version of Skeets. Geez, what rotten luck!  Purchased at Wal-Mart.

It's been a while since I offered a Church Sketches package, so here's a massive catchup. Initially, this series was my doodles in church, but it's also expanded to anytime I'm just sketching on scrap paper.
As usual, I've cleaned up the image as best as I can, but each may have a few stray letters from the paper's "original purpose" here and there.

In an effort to cover the comics I actually bought today, I'm going to skip past that big box that's lingering by my computer.
This entry will cover my trip to the shop today and my brief visit to a comic shop on Free Comic Book Day.

Chickenhare: The House of Klaus —  Rescued from the bargain bin, this cool looking black & white trade paperback focuses on the life of a bird-like rabbit. Or is that a rabbit-like bird? Hmmm. I'll let you know once I read it. This one is marketed as a funny, all ages book, and that's my favorite kind of indy book. Purchased at Comix Connection West Manchester Mall.

The Fog — In my previous visits to Comix Connection, I had thumbed through this, but didn't get it. It may  or may not have went down in price since then, but bargain-binned at $2, I finally decided to cough up the dough. This little graphic novel offers a neat hook: Sailors flee Shanghai from a deadly fog, but it follows them to the shores of America. Set around the Civil War era, it seems like a unique enough tale.  Purchased at Comix Connection West Manchester Mall.

Irredeemable No. 2 — Boom! Studios intrgued me enough with No. 1, though I wasn't completely blown away. I figured I'll stick with this for a few more issues. Purchased at Comix Connection West Manchester Mall.

Booster Gold No. 20 — Gosh, is this all I do is buy Booster Gold? I'm still several issues behind on this, and still wondering if it's worth it. Buying out of habit is a dangerous thing for the wallet, you know! Purchased at Comix Connection West Manchester Mall.

Supergirl No. 39 and No. 40 — I had always meant to start buying the "Who is Superwoman?" storyline from the beginning. Why? Because I really like Superwoman's costume. It's just really cool looking to me. I accidentally saw the answer to the storyline's title though. Doesn't make much of a difference to me since I'm not an avid Superman/Superman Family fan. I will have to go track down issues 37 and 28 before I read these though. Purchased at Comix Connection West Manchester Mall.

Teen Titans No. 70 — Hmmm. This issue lists Sean McKeever as the scripter here. Maybe rumors aren't exactly accurate about his forced extraction from the book. Anyway, it's good to see Miss Martian back in action. Purchased at Comix Connection West Manchester Mall.

Fin Fang 4 Return! — Another goofy title from Marvel. Yep, I enjoy their light-hearted fare a lot more than their serious stuff. I don't have any clue about the first appearance of the Fin Fang 4, but it looked kooky enough for me to try it sight unseen. Purchased at Comix Connection West Manchester Mall.


Okay, so that's what I bought TODAY, now let's take a quick look at my Free Comic Book Day purchases .

Coincidentally enough I was in New York City on Free Comic Book Day. It was my first time ever being there, and more than anything, I was just impressed by the "sea of buildings" that comprise the city and its greater metropolitan area. As any comic fan who first visits the Big Apple, I was finally beginning to understand some of the common cliches of NYC in superhero comics.

• Yes, I could see how a supervillain might find some out-of-the-way warehouse to set up a lab.
• Yes, I could see how easy it would be for someone to slip away, don a costume and come out fighting.
• Yes, I could imagine a battle across the rooftops.
• Yes, I could imagine villains and monsters lurking in the subways.
• Yes, I could see how all those heroes and villains would call it home (but don't worry, I'm still working on my Relocating the Marvel Universe series!)

Anyway, because of all the touristy stuff me and the family did, I didn't get to Midtown Comics until after 6 p.m. Also because of the number of people with me, I didn't want to linger too long, so I snapped up just two things:

Jack of Hearts by Bowen Designs -- Midtown Comics was selling all its statues at 35% off. Normally, I don't buy statues (including the Jack of Hearts statue, I now have just one statue), but I had seen a picture of this one, and really loved it. I'm a huge Jack of Hearts fan, and he'd be one of the first characters I would bring back from the dead if I were ever writing for Marvel. This statue puts him in his classic costume and really demonstrates just how interesting looking he is. Gaudy, yes, but also very interesting. The paint job is quite nice, with metallic reds, blacks and yellows. I wish the details on his "black out face" were more intricate, but other than that, I like it!

Free Comic Book Day Avengers — This was the only free title Midtown had left by that time of day on Free Comic Book Day. I read about half the book and then played a video game. Several days later, I'm not particularly compelled to return to it. Oh well.