YO-YO

Curiosity is such is funny thing. I never know where it will lead me. I got a bit nostalgic recently about the blue Duncan Imperial Yo-Yo I had as a kid. I really enjoyed it, although I was never that into complex tricks. I just loved the motion of it, which I found kind of meditative. My local Toys R Us has a Yo-Yo section, so I went over one night about a month ago and picked up a new blue Imperial. I guess Yo-Yos are kind of like riding a bike, and it was a blast to rediscover. I even picked up a 1950s-style wood model on-line and a modern one that's great for some tricks. I then checked out current Yo-Yo competition videos on Youtube. Man, those people are really serious about it these days! In contrast, it's pretty charming to go back to this 1978 doc about the history and science of Yo-Yos. I've also included a video about the world's most incredible Yo-Yo collection- totally awesome! If you are interested in Yo-Yos, I suggest these websites: Yo-Yo tricks, Yo-Yo Play. Enjoy!

HEARTS FOR HARDWARE

I recently ran into an artist at a local convention who has found his muse- in vintage game hardware. Inspired by old systems, Randy Gallegos has created a cool portfolio of paintings that pay tribute to the designs of Atari, Nintendo, Macintosh, and others. You can see his work and order prints via HeartsForHardware. Gallegos also works as an artist/illustrator for commercial clients and publishing companies. Check out his website. Enjoy!

SPIDEY SUPER STORIES

I was a huge Spider-Man fan when I was a kid. I was the kind of boy who walked around humming the cartoon theme song and swung my Mego doll around on a thread until his arm fell off. I collected old Silver Age comics at tag sales and flea markets and regularly checked the local pharmacy magazine rack for current issues. Peter Parker's life as a nephew, photographer, and superhero had me in constant suspense. Collecting was super fun, but also something I took seriously. So when my hero appeared on the Electric Company TV show and in tie-in books, I dismissed it all as too "kiddie". After all, I was reading the "real" Spider-Man! But these vintage covers caught my eye recently. They hold a certain charm. The people in the scenes look like the people I knew back then. And the whole project now seems like a loving tribute to Spider-Man as a universal -and relatable- hero. I can finally embrace this iteration of Spidey for what it was: honest, inclusive, and fun! Here is a sampling of covers and ads for the Spidey Super Stories comic (1974-1982). Enjoy!

ULTRAMAN 50TH TOYS

Bandai and S.H. Figures celebrated the 50th anniversary of Japan's iconic hero, Ultraman, in a really cool set of detailed toys. Not only did they pay close attention to costuming and articulation, but they even added miniature buildings so fans could stage their own kaiju battles. Cue stop-motion enthusiasts! Here is a badass animation spotlighting the set. Enjoy! More toy info at Amazon.