The FORGOTTEN BIRTHDAY CARD...

Regular readers may remember me mentioning living down in Southsea in Portsmouth for 3-4 months back in 1981.  I was there in response to the invitation from a friend to visit him for an indefinite stay, but when I got there he stayed well-clear, and apart from me seeing him for around 10 minutes at his naval base (HMS Vernon) the day after my arrival, and again for maybe 15-20 minutes in a canteen at Haslar Hospital in Gosport the week before I returned home, the only other time our paths crossed was when I spotted him by chance on his Moped one day and waved him down for a few minutes of chat.

His birthday was on February 17th so I'd bought him a card, but held on to it assuming I'd see him before his 'big day' and give it to him in person - alas, 'twas not to be.  (I'd arrived in Southsea towards the end of January and purchased the card at the start of February.)  Like I said, things didn't pan out that way, but it's just as well I didn't post it because he wouldn't have received it anyway as he was no longer living in navy married quarters (as I learned when I last saw him), but either on the base in Gosport or HMS Vernon.  I never spoke to him again and only learned in September of 2023 that he died in January of 2013.

As for the birthday card, it came home with me and lay forgotten in a box for 44 years, but I recently thought of a way whereby it could finally fulfil its purpose (sort of) by placing it on my mantlepiece in February of this year.  Sure, its intended recipient never got to see it, but I felt kind of sorry for it and wanted it to have its moment of 'glory' by being the object of attention in my living-room on the date it would've celebrated back in 1981.  This way, things have come full circle (again, sort of) and the forgotten card at long last has done what it was purchased for so many decades ago.  That's a happy ending (sort of), isn't it?

THE GREATEST RACE OF ALL TIME! (Except for when me and wee Jimmy Jones raced to see who'd reach the bathroom first before wetting ourselves.)

Copyright DC COMICS

I don't know why I do it, but I do!  I've already got the original version of this new Facsimile Edition of Superman Vs. The Flash, but simply had to have this one when I saw it was available.  Enjoy the few images on display here, then run out and buy one for yourself.  You can hug it, and love it, and call it George - or any other name you like, though personally, I'll continue to call it Superman Vs. The Flash, 'cos I'm not a weirdo.  Did you have this issue back in the day?  Feel free to share your thoughts and memories of it in our ever-lovin' comments section.  (Incidentally, it also contains some pages of Neal Adams artwork, but you'll have to buy your very own copy to see them.)  Did you hear what I said, McS?  NEAL ADAMS!

WE ARE ABOUT TO LAUNCH - STINGRAY...

Copyright relevant owner

Those of a certain age (as in decrepit old farts like me) may well remember the above ad (drawn by Ron Embleton) for the Stingray inflatable which appeared in TV Century 21 - and maybe even other comics as well, back in the '60s.  I always assumed it was a buoyancy aid to help keep kids afloat in the swimming pool or the sea, but there's actually no mention of that in the ad, so perhaps it was simply intended as a 'toy' so that kids could play at being Stingray.  Will we ever know?  Do we even care?

Anyway, subconsciously, I guess I fancied this piece of merchandise in my youth, so when the chance to obtain one recently presented itself, I took the plunge (figuratively speaking - no jumping off diving boards for me) and bought it.  I haven't inflated it and may never do, but there it is below laid out on my carpet for your perusal, followed by some of the seller's pics of the item in its inflated state.

Completely useless to me of course as I'd never fit in it, and it'll probably live in a box somewhere for the rest of it days.  However, considering I never owned one way back when, it's strangely still nice to have after all this time.  Anything you ever wanted (or wouldn't have minded) but never had when you were much younger, Crivvies, that you'd love to own today?  The comments section awaits your valued contributions so kindly get typing!

DAREDEVIL #1 FACSIMILE EDITION...

Copyright MARVEL COMICS

Another nice new Facsimile Edition that every true Marvel fan should have, so buy yours while they're available and before they shoot up in price on eBay.  Would've been better with the barcode box on the back cover (same as DC) and as you can see below, the indicia is in the wrong place as it would've been under the ad on the inside cover when originally published back in the '60s (hence the space under the ad next to the splash page)*.  That aside, it's still worth having, but I can't help but wish they'd print it on a high quality newsprint paper (again, like DC) as opposed to the slightly glossy paper they use.  At least they've included the 'Continued After Next Page...' lines, which help capture the feel of the period.  Can't wait 'til they do Journey Into Mystery #83.

(*Incidentally, Marvel eventually moved the indicia to under the splash page in their mags, but at this time it was still placed under the interior cover ad.) 

And look below - my original copy of issue #1, and below that, both issues side-by-side.