WARNING: This is a post about toys. My next post will be a movie review. You can look forward to that if you don't want to read this one.

I was going to give Jennie crap about how she hasn't written on her blog in a week, not really because it bothered me but because I like to give Jennie crap, when I realized that I haven't written on my blog in longer than that, so I thought I would go ahead and write sometime. I'm taking a well-deserved break from writing many many math problems. At some point I will get back to that later on this evening, and then I will be going to help Jennie and Heidi (new character! Jennie's roommate) move from one apartment to another, better one. Awesome.

So recently I've been spending my money on toys, which is not a shock to anyone, but the interesting thing is what I've been buying. Ever since I was very young I've been enamored of a series of toys from the '80s called The Super Powers Collection. Considered by many geeks to be the best toyline ever (seriously, ever), this was the first truly comprehensive series of toys dedicated solely to the DC Universe characters. Over the course of three years collectors not only saw figures of Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman, but also of Green Lantern, Dr. Fate, and obscure characters like Mr. Miracle, Plastic Man, and Samurai. Each figure was a unique sculpt, and very, very detailed. There are a couple of websites devoted to the series - ToyOtter's archive is my favorite, and Mike Mensinger's site has great stuff on it, too.

I've had a collection of these figures loose for years, but a few months ago I decided I wanted to collect them on their cards, too. I love the art on the packages, and pretty much all of the art associated with the series. It's a really clean style, and it reminds me of the art in comics that I read when I was really young and first getting into comics. The whole thing is a nostalgia project for me, but I'm having a great time. Anyway, this morning I took some pictures of my collection, and I thought maybe I'd share them. I don't know if anyone reading this really cares, but I'm pretty proud of it.


Here's my loose collection of all 34 figures in the series, along with one of the figures in his package. On the top shelf is the Hall of Justice, the headquarters of the Superfriends (naturally!), and a carrying case that went with the series of figures. I really like the art on the cover of the carrying case.


Here are the figures still in their packages that I've picked up so far. I've got a few more coming, but I really like how these guys look. On the shelf below those is a board game that came out in the '80s that tied in with the series of figures, as well as the Batmobile, which is the first toy from this series that I actually remember receiving as a child. The main thing I remember about it, aside from the fact that it was a birthday gift, was the box. It was so vibrant and it displayed the features of the toy so perfectly. The Batmobile is my single favorite toy from this series.


I've also been collecting items that were related to the series and that showcased the art of the toy line. On the wall is a mail-away poster that was offered with proofs of purchase from the figures. On the top shelf below the poster is a related comic, a mail-away record, and the materials for the Super Powers Fan Club, which are really scarce nowadays, considering that they were offered to kids in the '80s and most kids probably destroyed them. In front of all of that is a series of drinking glasses that came out featuring art from the series. On the far right, next to the Flash glass, is a box that I made that displays the mini-comics that came with each figure from the first two years of the line. Some of my first comics were those mini-comics.


Here's the weird stuff. There was a promotion at Burger King in the '80s that tied in to the toy line. There were four different kid's meal boxes, and four different toys, which were just cups with Superman, Batman, Darkseid (big bad villain), and Wonder Woman for handles. So those are all there. Then there are four VHS tapes bearing the Super Powers label, three of four 'Choose Your Own Adventure' books that also bore the brand (those books are AWESOME, by the way), and three book-and-record sets that were also Super Powers branded. I like the weird stuff because it showcases the art of the series and because, well, it's just weird. I mean, book-and-record sets? How awesome are those!

Sometimes when I'm talking about toys Jennie just gives me a sideways look, like I'm from another planet or she has no idea what I'm talking about, and that's totally cool. I know not everyone understands stuff like this. The best explanation I can give is that collecting toys reminds me of my childhood. I have extremely fond memories attached to everything on these shelves, and it makes me happy. I don't know why other people do it, but that's why I do it, anyway. Also, it's just a lot of fun. And it's cheaper than being addicted to drugs or alcohol.

Thus ends the geekiest post yet on my blog. More to come? Who knows.