oldmilwaukee6er

Whew! What a week for this blessed nation; Nothing like a thousand protestors and honking cars in my neighborhood to remind me of the smallness of life. 

For a few moments it was that initial fear like REAL wilderness... that feeling of being out of one's element and suddenly lower on the food chain. 

As for comics... seller's market for many of my collectibles right now (e.g. Dr Aphra, Spawn, Freak Brothers to name three). The urge is to make want lists for picking smaller more obscure stuff. 

That moment a collector gets priced out of a collectible- it's happening to me right now on many fronts. 

Made $400 free and clear on a Make An Offer Heritage sale. It was a mistake drunken thrill bid in late 2018 and the second highest I had ever paid, so a nice moment. The process of the sale itself took over a month (less fun). 

Backed this cool ash Jim Rugg Octobriana blacklight comic on Kickstarter. This is the NEW NORMAL... $30 comics off Kickstarter  

More on Octobriana, the deep-state, counterintelligence Russian underground created by the CIA(??): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vRqIYbg18sY

Part of Rugg's project is to now do FOIA requests on the public domain character. 

Disc golf!  I've played a few rounds, including 27 on Saturday... the more I play, the less I draw. Next paycheck I am going to print a few copies of my comic book for friends and family via Print on Demand. 

Finally, I've lost all the recent shoe Draws and Drops, including the Ben n Jerry's Chunky Dunky and the latest Travis Scott collaboration. That's OK... there's ALWAYS another shoe around the corner. 

New sneakers!

Journo music

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIR1XIzbr80

Bought some more sneaks… the first pair I’ve paid resale for and my first purchase off StockX (which I will talk more about soon):

BaNG BaNG   

Giannis Antetokounmpo signature sneakers

Silhouette: Zoom Freak 1

Colorway: All Bros 4 NBA 2k20 Gamer Exclusive

To buy this shoe one had to:

1)      Own and play NBA 2k20 proficiently enough to…

2)      Win a MyPLAYER Nation game between April 11th and April 16th

3)      Link your 2K and Nike accounts

4)      Unlock access to a real-life pair of the Zoom Freak 1 'All Bros 4' GE.

Like real basketball, I could not accomplish any of those things and thus went to the secondary market (the lady is the gamer in the fam and she doesn’t play sportgames).

I really like this silhouette, as you will read, and this latest All Bros colorway is going in the personal collection.

Also, the dam broke on disc golf and yesterday I threw Tendick Nature Park (18+2 holes) and Lime Kiln Park (9 holes).

Next up- Stock X and quick shots of the personal collection (PC)

Big two weeks for shoes that I am following... Lots of people watching / talking about the Last Dance documentary on ESPN. I have not seen it yet, probably not until it hits Netflix. 

I like the look of both shoes, but I did not try for either. The thing about sneaker collecting is that there is always another drop, another pair coming, with drops week after week. 

Jordan 5 Fire Red retros (general release but sold quickly and hotly). 

Jordan 1 Royal toe retros (Over 3500 pairs purchased at resale on StockX)

As you can see, lots of movement on these shoes but people are buying them to wear and for their collections, so the margins are thin. 

Thin margins are a theme I am noticing in sneaker spec as the industry tries to control arbitrage. 

Pete Davidson goes sneaker shopping... 

"They think we're stupid and 'oh look' we're gonna making them wear Dad shoes" 

The lady finds him creepy, I think he's moderately funny.

I think he’s 100% - hundy P- on Dad shoes… I decide to strategically avoid Yeezys, chunky New Balance, Air Max reboots.

What are your favorite shoes?

What shoes do you remember getting as a kid?

These are the VERY next shoes that I will be sporting. 

Adidas jumped back into hoops the last two years in a big way and a recent APRIL codeword sale brought these down to $30. 

These are cheapie everyday kicks- first for walking, once broken in for disc golf. The chunky sole is good for toe-dragging on drives and synthetic upper should take a beating.

I love Adidas Sambas and their soccer shoes (Copa Mundial, Classico, & Predator) were always the envy of my eye growing up. I had a pair of green Samba Super-suedes when I met my wife. She used to call me "Justin with the green shoes" vs another roommate Justin. 

But I haven't allowed myself a nice soccer shoe in forever, as basketball shoes seem to be more collectible / popular. 

Some Youtube videos that I watch…

First and foremost is a great comic book / cartooning channel called Cartoonist Kayfabe.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCU0v4IGzj2wK-PmjASkK2Rg/featured

I listen to this while grading, drawing, etc. Cannot recommend it enough- I like the outlaw comics angle, that they touch on underground comix occasionally (and like a lot of the same artists I like), and their genuine love of the comics medium, which for me comes through all the time.

Sneakers

Seth Fowler

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgtHJiyE6ZwaJO65tdudDfw

Good technical reviews that will teach one the lingo of sneakerhead and mainstream taste. His channel has really blown up and he shills for lots of small products. A good study in modern day influencer culture. He even is in a Poshmark commercial I see from time to time.

BULL1TRC (Bullet RC)

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCw6Ou-fRcPa23GvYq-VHEbA

For me a real authentic sneakerhead who has his own taste profile and offers reviews across a spectrum of budgets. I like his music, chunky production style and he has a few videos where he drinks and trashes on crappy expensive shoes.

Foamer Simpson

https://www.youtube.com/user/mrFOAMERSIMPSON

Exaggerated hand gestures, nice production value, shills StockX app, and a real authentic love of kicks. His younger brother, Buckets or Young Buckets, works the camera. They are a great team with over 500k subscribers, a real mark of achievement for an influencer.

@Get Marwood & I - Hey, I thought about your question and reviewed the timeline... It was basically a combination of extra online courses, vacation (Toronto) & then leaving my job. Since, I've been refocused on selling a little on eBay, living spartan, disc golf & otherwise spending time with lady & fam. It's easy to be poor during Milwaukee's summer. 

I still collect Spawn (still need #150), but I've been trying to pick up all the variants off the shelf and it's been frustrating as the hype and competition have risen. I now order them online through Things From Another World. Also glad that Usagi Yojimbo is back but fighting the FOMO of 25 exclusive and incentive covers. That's about it! 

Day 45- Nov. 1, 2018-  Spawn #117 (10^th Anniversary Issue)

Writer: Brian Holguin, Todd McFarlane

Artist: Angel Medina

Cover: Todd McFarlane, Greg Capullo

Published: May 1, 2002

Arising out of young Eddie's search for revenge on the Hellspawn, the Redeemer finds Spawn in the desert and intends to finally settle the score. As the battle between the two is taking place, the mysterious stranger visits Eddie's bedside in the hospital and reveals the truth to an unconscious Eddie that has always been impossible for him to admit: His father was an abusive, drunken brute. While the truth could kill Eddie, it has the Redeemer examining his own motives. After receiving a final crushing blow from the Redeemer, Spawn lays on the desert floor while two patiently waiting scorpions do what they have been sent to do: drag the Hellspawn down into the bowels of Hell (Image Comics, 2018).

Day 44- Oct. 31, 2018-  Spawn #88 (Halloween Cover)

Writer: Brian Holguin, Todd McFarlane

Artist: Greg Capullo

Cover: Todd McFarlane, Greg Capullo

Published: October 1, 1999

A frightened child named Mary tells the story of her life with her mean, abusive stepfather. When Sam and Twitch investigate his untimely death, they rule it an accident even though it seems like they know their red-cloaked informant was meting out his type of justice. Meanwhile, Cogliostro meets with representatives from both Heaven and Hell to discuss the precarious balance of earth matters that has been disturbed with the resignation of their missing pawn. Mr. Hell leaves the meeting with a final threat to Cog that he needs to deliver Spawn to him quickly or else, while Ms. Heaven concedes that perhaps the will of God isn't quite what it used to be (Image Comics, 2018).

Day 42- Oct. 29, 2018-  Spawn #102 & 113-  Bats Double Feature!

Writer: Brian Holguin, Steve Niles, Todd McFarlane

Artist: Angel Medina, Greg Capullo

Cover: Todd McFarlane, Greg Capullo

Published: December 31, 2000

At the end of her mental and emotional rope, Thea has a gift that can also be a curse: She can see when people are about to die. Spawn appears to Thea, but she's convinced he's there to harm her. Hell's opportunistic lords are quick to take advantage of humans in Thea's condition, and a smooth-talking, expensively dressed demon approaches her and reenforces her belief that Spawn is out to get her. The demon convinces Thea to give up her soul to him and then reveals, after it's too late, that Spawn was actually there to help (Image Comics, 2018).

Writer: Brian Holguin, Todd McFarlane

Artist: Angel Medina

Cover: Todd McFarlane, Greg Capullo

Published: November 1, 2001

After apparently losing his son, Twitch Williams is on the verge of suicide, but Spawn will intervene before Twitch pulls the trigger. Out in Central Park, the Children of the Kingdom are gathering but have not taken into account Spawn¹s allies. Nor have they considered the versatile Ab and Zab who, with the help of a magic marker, turn the Citadel into a pillar of death and a gateway to Hell for all the vampires. In the end, Max is saved, but is no longer a part of this world. And though it appears that Spawn has vanquished the Kingdom¹s cult, he fails to realize, as a familiar face reminds us, that a gateway to Hell can also let things out (Image Comics, 2018).

Day 1- October 27, 2018-  Pickle Rick! YESsssssssssss

I took a couple of days off the Journal in favor of our annual Halloween party- for friends, family, coworkers, etc.- it's one time of the year we open our house to all comers. 

The party consumed a lot of time for preparation- especially enjoyed spending a couple of nights stitching, cobbling, tacking my Pickle Rick costume: 

The costume would have been even a little better had my Attack on Titan zentai suit arrived from China on time (ordered Oct. 12). 

Day 38- Oct. 25, 2018-  Spawn #87

Writer: Brian Holguin, Todd McFarlane

Artist: Greg Capullo

Cover: Greg Capullo, Danny Miki

Published: September 1, 1999

Ethan Crone, accused by his editor of being obsessed with Spawn, interviews people from all walks of life around the city who may have witnessed Spawn and his mysterious ways. When he actually tries to spend the night in the Rat City alleys, Cog tells him that there is no Spawn and there never was: he was simply a ghost story told around the bonfires in the alleys (Image Comics, 2018).

Day 37- Oct. 24, 2018-  Spawn #91--  Hunter’s Moon!

Writer: Brian Holguin, Todd McFarlane

Artist: Greg Capullo

Cover: Todd McFarlane, Greg Capullo

Published: January 1, 2000

Reneé, a young runaway, has her bravery and pain tolerance tested in exchange for a place to stay in an abandoned house. Later, Mark, the master of the house, drugs her and begins a sacrificial ceremony when Spawn intervenes. And even though Mark demonstrates a hypnotic power over others he comes in contact with, he wants Spawn's powers. Mark makes Spawn an offer to exchange powers and lives (Image Comics, 2018).

Day 36- Oct. 23, 2018-  Spawn #85

Writer: Brian Holguin, Todd McFarlane

Artist: Greg Capullo

Cover: Greg Capullo, Danny Miki

Published: July 1, 1999

Sam and Twitch warn the Fitzgerald family to leave the city for their own safety until they can deal with Billy Kincaid's wrath. Knowing that Billy Kincaid occupies Police Officer Rafferty's body, Spawn, with the help of the alley inhabitants, surround and attempt an exorcism. In the heat of the battle, Twitch shoots Officer Rafferty to his great remorse at shooting an innocent family man (Image Comics, 2018).

Day 36- Oct. 22, 2018-  Spawn #58

Writer: Todd McFarlane

Artist: Greg Capullo

Cover: Todd McFarlane, Greg Capullo

Published: February 1, 1997

Eddie and Andy, the abused children who killed their father, escape their detention and find their way to New York City in search of their hero, Spawn. There, they are befriended by Snake who offers to employ Eddie to courier illegal packages for him. Snake forces Eddie to lead him to Spawn where a confrontation ensues. Snake is killed and Andy is wounded. After medical treatment, the boys return to the detention center, forever stripped of their innocence (Image Comics, 2018).

Day 35- Oct. 21, 2018-  Spawn #48

Writer: Todd McFarlane

Artist: Tony Daniel

Cover: Tony Daniel, Kevin Conrad

Published: May 1, 1996

In his office, Wynn plots against Sam and Twitch, setting up a secret meeting where they are to be eliminated. Meanwhile, Terry has finally linked Wynn to illegal activities, but blacks out due to a mysterious illness. In Rat City, Spawn builds a hideout. Cog wonders who is building it - Spawn or his costume (Image Comics, 2018).

Day 34- Oct. 20, 2018-  Spawn #46

Writer: Todd McFarlane

Artist: Tony Daniel

Cover: Tony Daniel, Kevin Conrad

Published: April 1, 1996

Tremor, thirsting for revenge against the man who ruined his life and killed his family, picks off Twistelli's hit men. Twistelli saves his own life by telling Tremor that his brother still lives. Tremor seeks Spawn's help. Spawn at first refuses, but changes his mind when Tremor brings back one of Twistelli's hit men who's willing to talk. Meanwhile, Terry's illness is getting worse (Image Comics, 2018).

Bats, bats and more bats! That is my theme for the next couple of days. Today is a grand day for collecting. The Lady purchased me two new Dr. Aphra 3.75" Star Wars Vintage figures on Amazon and they arrived. I hit the LCS yesterday and found two Usagi Yojimbo books on my want list (Vol. 2 #2 upgrade and #13), I finished my grading and have the weekend free, and we have Twenty One Pilots tonight at the newly minted Fiserv Forum. The rest of the time will be spent prepping for our big Halloween party, working on my Pickle Rick costume (The lady is going as iZombie's Liv), and trying to scan more Spawn books. And Liverpool won. 

Day 33- Oct. 19, 2018-  Spawn #43

Writer: Todd McFarlane

Artist: Greg Capullo

Cover: Todd McFarlane, Greg Capullo

Published: February 15, 1996

When Chief Banks dismisses Sam and Twitch, the duo heads to the press with evidence linking the chief to child killer Billy Kincaid. Wynn, alerted to the story, eliminates all trace of his involvement and lets Banks take the fall. Cornered, Banks takes his own life. Spawn slowly rejuvenates himself after surviving the Curse's torture. Getting stronger, he gradually makes his way back to New York (Image Comics, 2018).

Day 32- Oct. 18, 2018-  Spawn #18

Writer: Grant Morrison

Artist / Cover: Greg Capullo

Published: February 1, 1994

The homeless distract the Redeemer while Spawn recovers. As he fights, Spawn gradually realizes that his foes powers are being depleted. With a final blast, he downs the Redeemer, who is transported back to his heavenly creators. Afterward, Spawn returns to Simmonsville and destroys this reminder of a happier time. He accepts that sorrow and loneliness have become his fate (Image Comics).

Day 31- Oct. 17, 2018-  Spawn #289 (Rogues as Allies)

Writer: Todd McFarlane

Artist / Variant Cover: Jason Shawn Alexander

Cover: Francesco Mattina

Published: September 5, 2018

The countdown to the giant-sized 300th issue begins here! Spawn catches his first victim as he continues to search for the men responsible for his wife's death (Image Comics, 2018).

After laying out the Rogues Gallery, now is a good time to jump briefly to the present. Spawn #289, released last month, teases the direction of the series heading into issue #300. At the end of #289, classic villains Overt-Kill, Cy-Gor, The Curse, and The Freak make their return—not as villains, but as allies. The reveal punctuates a long-running storyline in which Spawn infiltrates a prison holding the remains of his dismembered foes. And Spawn is recruiting for his own war (Stone, 2018).

Stone, S. (2018). The Spawn #289 bombshell: The return of Overt-Kill, Cy-Gor, The Curse, and The Freak. Image Comics. Retrieved from https://imagecomics.com/features/the-spawn-289-bombshell-the-return-of-overt-kill-cy-gor-the-curse-and-the-f

BONUS SCAN! Spawn #289B- Alexander cover

Day 30- Oct. 16, 2018-  Spawn #37-  Rogues Gallery (The Freak)

Writer: Alan Moore, Todd McFarlane

Artist: Greg Capullo

Cover: Todd McFarlane, Greg Capullo

Published: November 1, 1995

Spawn saves the Freak, a strange new alley creature, from a gang of thugs. The Freak tells him how his family was killed and his mind altered by a Dr. Delirium, a crazed scientist. Now revenge is his sole purpose for living. With Spawn's help. Freak invades Delirium's lair and kills him -- but is this freakish figure everything he claims (Image Comics, 2018a)?

The Freak first appeared in Spawn #33 as a background character where he saves Violator from drowning and then ran off (ComicVine, 2018). He reappears later while attacked by a gang of thugs when Spawn comes and saves him. The Freak tricks Spawn into killing his therapist with an elaborate story. Later, the Freak enlists a gang of the homeless to lure Spawn to the Dead Zone, where Simmons is rendered completely powerless. While in the Dead Zone, Spawn’s former neighbors succeed in beheading and crucifying him (Image Comics, 2018b).

The Freak’s powers include claws, his feral nature in unarmed combat, immortality, intellect, leadership, super speed and strength , and teleportation.

BONUS SCANS! Spawn #37 newstand copy

Spawn #33 1st appearance of the Freak (villain cover)

Day 29- Oct. 15, 2018-  Spawn #151-  The Rogues Gallery

Writer: David Hine

Artist / Cover: Philip Tan

Published: December 1, 2005

Spawn was created to lead the armies of Hell in the war of Armageddon. The only catch is Spawn wants nothing to do with Hell - or Heaven for that matter. Disfigured, homeless and alone, this warrior wanders the shadowy alleys of the world in search of his place in the scheme of things (Image Comics, 2018).

One of the things that struck me in reviewing the first 125+ issues is that Spawn is featured on 95% of the covers and no cover of the villain Mammon. Besides the villain covers already posted, there are only another 2-3 covers that feature a villain. However, Spawn #151 features a wraparound cover by Philip Tan with ALL of them!

Day 28- Oct. 14, 2018-  Spawn #73-  Rogues Gallery (The Heap)

Writer: Brian Holguin, Todd McFarlane

Artist: Greg Capullo

Cover: Greg Capullo, Danny Miki

Published: June 1, 1998

Sam & Twitch encounter Cog in their office. Cog leaves them a dossier to help Spawn. Eddie Beckett, who found the bag of necroplasm left by the Freak, is stabbed in an alley. With the aid of the necroplasm, he morphs into the Heap, a ghoulish creature consisting of the rubbish mankind has discarded. As the heat in Manhattan climbs to 130 degrees, the angel Bootsy asks Cog to help Spawn. Meanwhile, Spawn encounters the Heap and is absorbed into the Heap's refuse body (Image Comics, 2018).

Eddie Beckett, AKA The Heap, was a regular street bum in New York City. One day he walked through the alleys morning his wife's death from cancer. He found a bag of Necroplasm that had been left behind by The Freak. The bag of Necroplasm is knocked out his hand when he is stabbed and Eddie bled out on the verge of dying. The Necroplasm creeped towards his wound and invaded his body transforming him into the Heap. Soon, a sudden heatwave struck New York City. Meteorologists and geologists were unable to explain the phenomena as temperatures reach as high as 130 and many citizens flee the city. The Spawn headed to the Dead Zone to find Boots were he suddenly sensed a danger. The Heap absorbed Spawn into his body. Spawn battled Heap attempting to break free of his hold. After continually smashing through him, and Heap rebuilding himself with trash growing larger and larger, Spawn began to despair as he was consumed inside the growing mess of Heap.

The Heap’s powers includes claws, superhuman stamina and strength, regeneration (The Heap is able to rebuild himself out of trash when injured), and hand-to-hand combat.

BIG ASIDE—The Heap is the name of several fictional comic book muck-monsters, the original of which first appeared in Hillman's Air Fighters Comics #3 (cover-dated Dec. 1942; he had a backup feature in Airboy Comics vol. 3, #9 to vol. 10, #4 (1946-1953). In 1986, Eclipse Comics, having acquired rights to some Hillman characters, began publishing a new Airboy comic with the Heap as a supporting character (when Eclipse Comics went bankrupt Image Comics purchased the Eclipse assets). A similar character called The Heap, who did not share the original character's origin or identity, appeared in the publisher Skywald's black-and-white horror-comics magazine Psycho #2-13 (1971-1973; The Heap Comics, n.d.).

Photo taken from eBay completed auctions. 

Day 27- Oct. 13, 2018-  Spawn #47-  Rogues Gallery (Tremor)

Writer: Todd McFarlane

Artist: Greg Capullo

Cover: Todd McFarlane, Greg Capullo

Published: April 15, 1996

In his mansion, Twistelli waits for Tremor to show up, planning to capture him and send him to Sicily to replace the missing Overtkill. When Tremor arrives, he finds his brother acting as Twistelli's bodyguard. Spawn appears and warns Twistelli to stay away from Wanda. Meanwhile, Clown enlists the help of Wynn to bring down Spawn. And Cog wonders if Spawn's costume has overpowered its master (Image Comics, 2018).

Tremor, formerly Richard Massullo, was first introduced in Spawn #25 (Spawn Wikia, n.d.). Massullo was a mobster who wished to put his life of crime and violence behind him and raise his family. Unfortunately, His employer Tony Twist had other plans. Masullo was forced to become a candidate for the mob-run super-soldier program that spawned Overt-Kill. When Richard escaped, Twistelli had his wife and baby murdered. Having nothing to live for but revenge he tried to blackmail Spawn into helping him. Spawn sympathized for him and tried to help him, but ended up breaking Tremor’s brother David’s arms and legs to send a message to Twistelli. Tremor then tells Spawn he will kill him for his treachery (Tremor (comics), n.d.).

Tremor has been conspicuously absent from the book for a very long time. This is most likely because of the legal issues surrounding the Tony Twist character, since Tremor's role in the book is to seek revenge on Twist. McFarlane has also stated in the past that he feels the character is very "cartoony" and thus not suited for current storylines (Tremor (comics), n.d.).

Tremor’s powers and abilities include cybernetic enhancement, superhuman strength and reflexes, regenerative powers, healing abilities, incredible stamina, enhanced durability, fangs and claws. ASIDE- More recently, Tremor joined a new version of The Brigade (c. 2010).

BONUS SCAN! Spawn Toy Comic (Tremor, c. 1994). 

Day 26- Oct. 12, 2018-  Spawn #38-  Rogues Gallery (Cy-Gor)

Writer: Julia Simmons, Todd McFarlane

Artist: Tony Daniel

Cover: Tony Daniel, Kevin Conrad

Published: December 1, 1995

While Cog explains how Spawn's former government masters tricked him, more trouble brews elsewhere. The late scientist Frederick Wilheim worked on two secret projects: fusing bionics with an ape for the government and re-animating his dead wife. Wilheim died before he could help his wife, but not before creating Cy-Gor - a hulking mass of cyber-simian fury (Image Comics, 2018).

Cy-Gor was created by Todd McFarland as a character for his toy then introduced in Spawn #38 (Spawn Wikia, n.d.). Michael Konieczni was Al Simmons' friend and squad mate. When he discovered the truth about Al's murder, he attempted to blow the whistle on Jason Wynn. However, he was stopped and subjected to project Sim, the Simian experiments of neurologist Frederick Willheim meant to create an ape/super-human soldier. Michael was transformed into the beast known as Cy-Gor, short of Cybernetic Gorilla (Image Comics Wikia, n.d.).

Cy-Gor wants to kill his creator, who he believes to be Al Simmons. He tracked Simmons to New York City based on his aura. Upon finding Spawn, he was bested by the creatures of the darkness and was suffocated and knocked out. Cy-Gor is eventually experimented on by another scientist, Werner Zevon, before escaping, taking over a death cult, and eventually leaving for Serbia (Image Comics Wikia, n.d.).

Cy-Gor’s powers include cybernetic enhancement and gadgetry, superhuman agility, senses, sight, and speed, mechanokinesis, accelerated healing (he can repair his injuries and run self-diagnostics) and demolitions.