i learned today that one of my favorite musicians died over the weekend. His name was Jason Molina and he was an alcoholic. He was just 39 years old. His organs seemed to have given out and he died of "natural" causes.
He wasnt a "famous rock star" to the masses, but he was to me.
i discovered his music about 10 years ago. After my fiance died in the summer of 2003, i spent the better part of 6 weeks not leaving the house. i returned to working at the record shop. it was there that a co-worker, after prodding him about wanting to listen to "something different", turned me on to Jason Molina's (and some other bands as well) music.
i fell immediately in love with the music. i was in a very dark place, and could relate totally to what Jason was singing. it was like he was speaking directly to me. it was that good.
i got to see the band play twice. i would have seen them more times, but they didnt get to New York City all that often. Each time, after the show (and once before one) i was able to have coversations with Jason (and Pete (the bassist)). it was just small chat, i told him how he helped me through the dark times after my fiance died, he was very humble and thankful that i was a fan of his. he came off as an everyday type of fellow that made music and was on the road for a living. the last time we spoke he had to cut it short because it was time for him to pack up the van and head to the next town.
for the better part of this year, ive been listening to his album "Didn't It Rain" as my music of choice to fall asleep to each night. if it wasnt Animals, it was Didnt It Rain. its been that way pretty much for the last six months or so.
i am absolutely shattered about this. maybe i shouldnt be, but i am.
Monday, March 18, 2013
Saturday, March 16, 2013
You can't always git what you waaaant
Thanks Mick!
but yea, you really have to sometimes step back and take a look at what you've already got. cant spend all your time looking ahead to what you do not have yet. it just isnt the right way to go about things.
Having a Tight Collecting Focus can lead to "dry times" when things you want just arent available.
it's during those times that you have to STAY FOCUSED and wait it out. the thing to keep in mind is that there is always SOMETHING to collect, but keeping that Focus helps you maintain a level head (i suppose lol)
i guess i am writing because i am trying to talk myself out of something. theres a recently available WD cgc that i would like to own, but i feel is a bit overpriced. now, ive semi-imposed a tighter WD CGC Focus, unless the pricing is just too good to pass on. this book is not crazy priced, and it's relatively new. the thing is, the "print run" on it is 2000. that may seem like a lot, but it is, and it isnt. its somewhere in the middle.
im trying to finish 1 - 99 with the Keys and Variants in CGC Slabs. ive made good headway, but am not quite there yet. You'll notice i did not include #100. that is intentional. as of now, there are a crazy amount of variants to chase down. i am going to play the waiting game with these. the naysayers are saying that the comic "bubble" is going to bust. the sooner the better for me! :) thats when i'll pick those up. sooner of course, if a deal is available.
As always, thanks for reading my crap :)
but yea, you really have to sometimes step back and take a look at what you've already got. cant spend all your time looking ahead to what you do not have yet. it just isnt the right way to go about things.
Having a Tight Collecting Focus can lead to "dry times" when things you want just arent available.
it's during those times that you have to STAY FOCUSED and wait it out. the thing to keep in mind is that there is always SOMETHING to collect, but keeping that Focus helps you maintain a level head (i suppose lol)
i guess i am writing because i am trying to talk myself out of something. theres a recently available WD cgc that i would like to own, but i feel is a bit overpriced. now, ive semi-imposed a tighter WD CGC Focus, unless the pricing is just too good to pass on. this book is not crazy priced, and it's relatively new. the thing is, the "print run" on it is 2000. that may seem like a lot, but it is, and it isnt. its somewhere in the middle.
im trying to finish 1 - 99 with the Keys and Variants in CGC Slabs. ive made good headway, but am not quite there yet. You'll notice i did not include #100. that is intentional. as of now, there are a crazy amount of variants to chase down. i am going to play the waiting game with these. the naysayers are saying that the comic "bubble" is going to bust. the sooner the better for me! :) thats when i'll pick those up. sooner of course, if a deal is available.
As always, thanks for reading my crap :)
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
2013 Topps Heritage Is Here, and i am sad :(
It is with a heavy heart that i am writing this.
i just opened a Target Blaster of 2013 Topps Heritage Baseball.
you know when you hate being "right", because being right means that it's not a good thing? well, that is what has happened.
While sorting 2012 Topps Heritage MiLB cards, i noticed that Topps had "changed" the card stock used for the base cards. They felt a little glossy, and had lost that "old time" feel that releases prior had felt.
Then there was the 2012 Topps Heritage High Number debacle. The Card stock was the same as the MiLB, making it difficult to enjoy the base cards
Now after those two releases i pleaded with Topps to not use the same paper stock for 2013. We were assured that the 2013 Paper Stock would be like the past years.
Didnt happen. Sadly, this years card stock is bad. not all that much different then 2012 HH#
My blaster did not contain any "hits" worth mentioning. That doesnt matter, in all of the thousands of packs ive opened, ive never pulled a card more then $50 anyway. That was never the point of me ripping Heritage.
i loved ripping heritage because it was the closest thing to "old" cards that were on the market. Todays players portrayed in classic old Topps designs.
In an age when people are all about the "shiny" and the "MOJO HITS", Topps Heritage Base Cards could be counted on for those of us that used to open packs when it was all about the gum, friends, and memories tied to the game we loved.
Sadly, now Topps Heritage has lost it's luster.
i know, i know. Topps "added more" to the packs as far as "hits" go, but some of us (and i freely admit that the number of us is VERY small) don't care about those things.
i just opened a Target Blaster of 2013 Topps Heritage Baseball.
you know when you hate being "right", because being right means that it's not a good thing? well, that is what has happened.
While sorting 2012 Topps Heritage MiLB cards, i noticed that Topps had "changed" the card stock used for the base cards. They felt a little glossy, and had lost that "old time" feel that releases prior had felt.
Then there was the 2012 Topps Heritage High Number debacle. The Card stock was the same as the MiLB, making it difficult to enjoy the base cards
Now after those two releases i pleaded with Topps to not use the same paper stock for 2013. We were assured that the 2013 Paper Stock would be like the past years.
Didnt happen. Sadly, this years card stock is bad. not all that much different then 2012 HH#
My blaster did not contain any "hits" worth mentioning. That doesnt matter, in all of the thousands of packs ive opened, ive never pulled a card more then $50 anyway. That was never the point of me ripping Heritage.
i loved ripping heritage because it was the closest thing to "old" cards that were on the market. Todays players portrayed in classic old Topps designs.
In an age when people are all about the "shiny" and the "MOJO HITS", Topps Heritage Base Cards could be counted on for those of us that used to open packs when it was all about the gum, friends, and memories tied to the game we loved.
Sadly, now Topps Heritage has lost it's luster.
i know, i know. Topps "added more" to the packs as far as "hits" go, but some of us (and i freely admit that the number of us is VERY small) don't care about those things.
Saturday, January 26, 2013
The Great Divide
As someone that has collected sports cards for a very long time, i like to think i know what im talking about when i do talk about them.
As someone that is fairly new to collecting comics, i know i have a lot to learn.
In the card world, there are pretty clear "lines in the sand" for those that collect, particularly on the hardcore collecting side. "Old vs New". Those that love old, love it hardcore and vice versa.
Same "thing" seems to be the case in the comic world. Maybe its just me, and my new learning ways, but there seems to be a LOT more "disregard" for "Modern" collectors by those that choose to collect the old stuff.
i see it time and time again..... Someone paid WHAT for (new book here)? Hell, i could by (number here) (time period here) "Keys" for that kind of money!"
who cares? grow the fuck up and let those that want to buy what THEY WANT TO, buy it! That just means that they (most likely) wont be competing against you for those things that YOU WANT TO BUY.
Sure these same situations occur in the card world, but the venom just doesnt seem to be as vile.
As someone that is fairly new to collecting comics, i know i have a lot to learn.
In the card world, there are pretty clear "lines in the sand" for those that collect, particularly on the hardcore collecting side. "Old vs New". Those that love old, love it hardcore and vice versa.
Same "thing" seems to be the case in the comic world. Maybe its just me, and my new learning ways, but there seems to be a LOT more "disregard" for "Modern" collectors by those that choose to collect the old stuff.
i see it time and time again..... Someone paid WHAT for (new book here)? Hell, i could by (number here) (time period here) "Keys" for that kind of money!"
who cares? grow the fuck up and let those that want to buy what THEY WANT TO, buy it! That just means that they (most likely) wont be competing against you for those things that YOU WANT TO BUY.
Sure these same situations occur in the card world, but the venom just doesnt seem to be as vile.
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
The three dollar piece of art.
Yea, i know, that sounds pretty weird, right?
If you think about it, Comic Books really are pieces of art. They look nice in a frame, hanging on your wall. Not ALL covers, duh. But surely the ones that appeal to you. Same goes for "traditional" art, ya know :) and GENERALLY, cover price for a comic is $3. yep, three bucks for a piece of art. i absolutely love it.
When it comes to a comic being collectable, they sure can be. No, not ALL of them, but some sure do appreciate in "value". But never confuse the two. This is no longer the 1990's (i know, sigh if you'd like) and owning PERFECT MINT AWESOME copies of the latest, greatest NUMBER ONE ISSUE(!) doesnt mean that you're grandkids are going to strike it rich. That's just not how it is. COLLECT long enough, and you'll know what im saying.
Coming from a card collecting background into the comic collecting world last year, i learned a lot of things. what i love about hobbies is that its an ongoing learning process, always learning, always appreciative to learn and hopefully help others in the same way.
One glaring difference (there are MANY) between collecting comics and cards is the way that they are distributed. Comics are generally sold through LCS' (Local Comic Shops) as well as online shops. Cards are distributed the same way really, but the big difference is that at pretty much any time i can open an "old" pack of cards and pull a rookie card of whomever i am trying to get. Sure its not the most "sane" way to go about it, but it IS possible. For comics, there is no such thing. Just not the way it works.
As of this typing, one of the hottest books in the market is SAGA. No shock there as anyone that knows me knows that ive stood on my soapbox and screamed that for the better part of the last 7 months or so. Anyway, Issue #1 is now in the $100 area. Cover price was, you guessed it, three bucks. The only way to get one now is to go to the secondary market and buy one (or more ;). there are no "packs" that were made that you can buy and pull a Saga #1. Will it maintain "value"? who the hell knows? that isnt the point.
Next time you're in an area where there is a comic shop, do yourself a favor, go in and have a look around. Sure the staff might fill every stereotype youve ever heard, but so what? MOST of them are nice people, shy perhaps, but willing to share what they know.
Hell, you might actually pick up a nice piece of art for yourself :)
If you think about it, Comic Books really are pieces of art. They look nice in a frame, hanging on your wall. Not ALL covers, duh. But surely the ones that appeal to you. Same goes for "traditional" art, ya know :) and GENERALLY, cover price for a comic is $3. yep, three bucks for a piece of art. i absolutely love it.
When it comes to a comic being collectable, they sure can be. No, not ALL of them, but some sure do appreciate in "value". But never confuse the two. This is no longer the 1990's (i know, sigh if you'd like) and owning PERFECT MINT AWESOME copies of the latest, greatest NUMBER ONE ISSUE(!) doesnt mean that you're grandkids are going to strike it rich. That's just not how it is. COLLECT long enough, and you'll know what im saying.
Coming from a card collecting background into the comic collecting world last year, i learned a lot of things. what i love about hobbies is that its an ongoing learning process, always learning, always appreciative to learn and hopefully help others in the same way.
One glaring difference (there are MANY) between collecting comics and cards is the way that they are distributed. Comics are generally sold through LCS' (Local Comic Shops) as well as online shops. Cards are distributed the same way really, but the big difference is that at pretty much any time i can open an "old" pack of cards and pull a rookie card of whomever i am trying to get. Sure its not the most "sane" way to go about it, but it IS possible. For comics, there is no such thing. Just not the way it works.
As of this typing, one of the hottest books in the market is SAGA. No shock there as anyone that knows me knows that ive stood on my soapbox and screamed that for the better part of the last 7 months or so. Anyway, Issue #1 is now in the $100 area. Cover price was, you guessed it, three bucks. The only way to get one now is to go to the secondary market and buy one (or more ;). there are no "packs" that were made that you can buy and pull a Saga #1. Will it maintain "value"? who the hell knows? that isnt the point.
Next time you're in an area where there is a comic shop, do yourself a favor, go in and have a look around. Sure the staff might fill every stereotype youve ever heard, but so what? MOST of them are nice people, shy perhaps, but willing to share what they know.
Hell, you might actually pick up a nice piece of art for yourself :)
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Comic Books, they ain't just "funny books" anymore.
Now that 2013 is in full swing, i think its about time that Marvel and DC wake up and realize what people in todays world are about.
i will freely admit that i do not support Marvel floppies in any way. i cannot see spending $4 for something that is printed on paper stock that feels like Scotts Toilet Tissue and on top of that, is littered with adverts IN THE MIDDLE of the story. WHo goes to the movies and expects to see adverts in the middle of the show?
anyway, Marvel needs to wake up and realize that todays comic book reader, regardless of age, sees and interacts with people that swear, are mean, are evil, kill people, are violent, etc. When is the last time Peter Parker told someone to "fuck off!"? now im not saying that it needs to be 23856 times an issue, but how about making the character a little more realistic?
While im at it, how about coming out with some titles that are NOT fucking super-heroes? would that be so bad? i enjoy reading books that are not all about superheroes, books that are somewhat about real, everyday life.
anyway, just wanted to get that out there.
Thanks for taking your time out to read my drek :)
-Eric
i will freely admit that i do not support Marvel floppies in any way. i cannot see spending $4 for something that is printed on paper stock that feels like Scotts Toilet Tissue and on top of that, is littered with adverts IN THE MIDDLE of the story. WHo goes to the movies and expects to see adverts in the middle of the show?
anyway, Marvel needs to wake up and realize that todays comic book reader, regardless of age, sees and interacts with people that swear, are mean, are evil, kill people, are violent, etc. When is the last time Peter Parker told someone to "fuck off!"? now im not saying that it needs to be 23856 times an issue, but how about making the character a little more realistic?
While im at it, how about coming out with some titles that are NOT fucking super-heroes? would that be so bad? i enjoy reading books that are not all about superheroes, books that are somewhat about real, everyday life.
anyway, just wanted to get that out there.
Thanks for taking your time out to read my drek :)
-Eric
Monday, January 14, 2013
Happy New Year Everybody!
Welcome to 2013. Hard to imagine, eh? i hear you.
i hope everyone had a safe holiday season. Baseball is just around the corner, Football is winding down, and The Walking Dead & SAGA! are on FIRE!
i hope more people start reading Image Comic releases, they are awesomeness!
meanwhile, Marvel and DC continue to put their comics out on the worst fucking possible paper stock they can find. Holding their books is like handling a 3-ply roll of toilet paper (and lets not even discuss what the content is like! LOL)
ok, enough rambling. Wanted to blog today, so here it is.
Maybe this year i'll blog more about TWD and SAGAH! yea, its SAGA, but its funny to just say SAGAH!
i have to address something ... My third favorite comic book ... Revival. Unfortunately my uber-excitement for this book is somewhat diminished by a certain fuckbag comic book snake oil-salesman slinger in the New England Area. His program is going to be re-releasing the FIRST TWELVE issues. mind you, issue #1 came out last JULY. his version will be out next week. fucking a. But Eric, you LOVE additional printings! yea, that's true, but i also like them because they are available for less then cover price. Sadly these wont be. oh well.
ok, thanks for reading my dreck :)
i hope everyone had a safe holiday season. Baseball is just around the corner, Football is winding down, and The Walking Dead & SAGA! are on FIRE!
i hope more people start reading Image Comic releases, they are awesomeness!
meanwhile, Marvel and DC continue to put their comics out on the worst fucking possible paper stock they can find. Holding their books is like handling a 3-ply roll of toilet paper (and lets not even discuss what the content is like! LOL)
ok, enough rambling. Wanted to blog today, so here it is.
Maybe this year i'll blog more about TWD and SAGAH! yea, its SAGA, but its funny to just say SAGAH!
i have to address something ... My third favorite comic book ... Revival. Unfortunately my uber-excitement for this book is somewhat diminished by a certain fuckbag comic book snake oil-salesman slinger in the New England Area. His program is going to be re-releasing the FIRST TWELVE issues. mind you, issue #1 came out last JULY. his version will be out next week. fucking a. But Eric, you LOVE additional printings! yea, that's true, but i also like them because they are available for less then cover price. Sadly these wont be. oh well.
ok, thanks for reading my dreck :)
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