Sunday, October 26, 2014

6 YEAR BLOGGIVERSARY!
-or-
The "BEST OF" vol 6: 2013-2014


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WELCOME to a VERY SPECIAL POST!


Those words were never more true - at least not on this blog.

This post, while seeming to be merely just the latest in a string of annual "best of" posts, is in truth the reaffirmation post to a blog which came precariously close to going the way of many a fine blog... shuttering.


With ever-less limited time (and ebbing interest in the way certain characters have been treated *cough*... *Doctor Strange*... *cough* in comics), my blogging waxed and waned for many months as I slowed my blogging - and then... came to a halt.


This space grew long dormant for NINE MONTHS.


The lack of posts, less the (oxymoron) by-product of the mixture of lack of time and interest and more the all-too-easy cessation of momentum (see: Galileo's "Concept of Inertia" and Neuton's "First Law of Motion", The "New Year's Resolution Effect" and/or Interweb's "First Law of Blog-Shuttering")... the very fact that I hadn't posted made it easier not to post again.

Still, I always knew that, like Oscar Madison's and Felix Unger's belief for their marriages... I WOULD return to "her"... my blog.

 I’ve somehow managed to make it to SIX YEARS of producing "content" (all of varying quality) for this blog!
(This, on top of the many years - since 1997 - of my being an omni-present commenter/ know-it-all loudmouth on others’ blogs, message boards and random street corners.)  

So, now, in the vein of anniversary episodes of various television shows (or did you think that "ODD COUPLE" reference a few lines back was just going to stick there on the wall like a plate of spaghetti... er... I mean, linguini [and YES, I know that's a scene from the MOVIE and not the TV show - but c'mon, give me a break... ok?]) or GIANT-SIZED ANNUALS of old, I would, once again, produce a “best of” post - thus revisiting a few of the "high-points" of this past year's blog-post entries.

Seeing as how I began my official blogging on one random October day in 2008, any semblance of a calendar-year can be tossed right out the window. So, we will focus on what I blogged from OCTOBER 11, 2013 to OCTOBER 11, 2014.

Feel free to use this opportunity to peruse some of these old posts - whether you have read them already or not, there is actually some really good stuff in here.


Disclaimer: I only posted 7 entries in the last 12 months, so... even if they're not the "best", each one will get a mention here (although, really... these were all pretty darn good).






Let's see:

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While this is (primarily) a DOCTOR STRANGE blog, I think it best to start off with a post that has NOTHING to do with him. Instead, this is a wondrous tale of kindness, destiny, original artwork, TV documentaries... and my personal history with JACK KIRBY!

- THE KING and I - [HERE]

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But, yes... this IS (primarily) a blog about DOCTOR STRANGE, so I guess I'll add a few of those here as well.

Here's one that showcases a cool DOCTOR STRANGE VIDEO PINBALL GAME (also featuring, Nightmare, Dormammu and SHUMA F#@%!ng GORATH!):

- PINBALL WIZARD
- [HERE]

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Although, as a blog that ALSO shows love to a few other heroes, my "Founding Fathers" (ROM; Spaceknight, MAN-THING and DR. STRANGE), this past year I revealed that the Pantheon also includes a Time-Lord from Gallifrey... DOCTOR WHO.

But some times... the two might not be mutually exclusive.

- SEPARATED at BIRTH - [HERE]

and

- DOCTORS WITHOUT (DIMENSIONAL) BORDERS
-or-
Doctors Across Space, Time & Dimensions        - [HERE]

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There were also other articles and entries to long-running series, as well as revisits to previous discussions.

Such as...

Interested in collectibles and comic swag? Sure! In fact, that was the main reason for my even starting this blog in the first place!
I managed to have at least one entry in the SWAG category, which was a New Year's revisiting to my long-running series:

- MARVEL CALENDARS "TIME WARP" SERIES (update) - [HERE]

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And speaking of “New Year’s Day”, while not quite as extensive (or always as serious) as my essays, there is also a history of HOLIDAY POSTS wherein I might display a little razzle-dazzle (or a facsimile thereof) for your general enjoyment.(Or, in this case, pose a few action figures around snap a photo and add what counts for "wit" around here):

- MERRY CHRISTMAS - (A "not-so" Nativity Scene)  - [HERE]
*Disclaimer: Not for celebrators of Christmas who may be easily offended.

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But I really want to wrap up this special post with two entries which form important posts of not only the past 12 months, but in the history of this blog:

First, the post that begun not only my revelation of my long love for Doctor Who, but how that character had a unique mirror history with Doctor Strange - and how the two characters greatly affected me - especially at the time of writing - when my interest in comics and this blog had taken a drastic blow, and helped to see me through the dark times into what I hoped would be a new time of personal resurgence:

- I AM the DOCTOR - [HERE]


And finally the latest post (just before this one)... wherein I announce my RETURN (and showcase the comic story wherein Doctor Strange also made a Return after he had first given up the ways of magic):

- THE RETURN - [HERE]



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I would be remiss if I didn't thank the many friends, fans, readers, followers, fellow-bloggers and wonderful souls out there who have helped, inspired, cajoled, cudgeled and commented over the years, but especially over the past 12 months. Thank You all!


And creators without whom this blog would be about my collection of rare molds, spores and fungus':
- 
- Steve Ditko -
- Jack Kirby -
- Stan Lee -
- Steve Englehart -
- Gene Colan -
- Marshall Rogers -
- J.M. DeMatteis -
- Steve Gerber -
- Dan Green -
- Michael Golden -
- Paul Smith -
- Mike Ploog -
- Dan Adkins -
- Steve Rude -
- Bill Everett - 
- John Byrne -
- Peter Gillis -
-Roger Stern -
- Frank Brunner -
- Kevin Nowlan -
- Chris Warner -
- P. Craig Russell -
- Gerry Conway - 
- Sandy Plunkett -
- Alan Davis –
- Jeff Parker -
- Mike Allred -
- Mark Buckingham -
- Howard Chaykin -
- Kurt Busiek -
- Mike Weiringo -
- Al Milgrom -
- Rudy Nebres -
- Tom Sutton -
- Steve Mellor -
- Ian Akin and Brian Garvey -
- Sal Buscema -
- Bill Mantlo -
and many, many, MANY more!

And that should do it.
Of course, there ARE an additional 5 years worth of blog entries.

Many are well-researched, and in-depth articles, while some are hit-and-run bits of nonsense.
Others are to showcase new products or comics that were to be released, and still others are tongue-in-cheek bits of whimsy, or tips of the hat to various holidays.

But if you like that sort of thing, open up the blog-history drop down lists and just jump around.

I'll catch you all in a few.  I DO have more planned for YEAR 7!
Join me, wont you?

Saturday, October 25, 2014

DIMENSIONAL PORTAL... aka - This post has moved (new link below).

Due to a slight posting error * from the original entry, I felt it best to RE-POST it afresh.

* (It's all about URLs and Obsessive/Compulsive Disorders - or maybe I'm just insane [not that the two are mutually exclusive]).

However, I'll leave THIS post here with a link to the new one (AND re-post the new link on the Twitter so as to not confuse anyone who didn't already see THIS f.u.b.a.r. mess....)

NEW LOCATION is [HERE]

Sorry for any confusion or inconvenience.

Saturday, October 11, 2014

LO! THERE SHALL COME... THE RETURN!

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(scan taken from Marvel 1980 Doctor Strange Calendar - of a panel taken from Marvel Feature # 1) *
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At long last… after many months away…
I AM RETURNED unto you!

After a gestation of 9 months… I am reborn!

Alright… I’ll stop the added melodramatics.
But seriously, I’ve been away from this blog for far too long, but I’m looking to make a return to producing posts wherein I discuss various subjects of nerdity; ie: Doctor Strange, Doctor Who, my “6-Dimensions” philosophy, comicbooks, pop culture, and showcasing my (admittedly awesome) collection.

Just as Doctor Strange has returned from (multiple) cancelations (although the last issue of his last true long-running series was in 1996, and we’re STILL waiting for the 1st issue of a new series), and even Doctor Who came back from his own cancelation (in 1989 – although, the revitalizing made-for-tv movie in 1996 led to nothing [except a series of excellent audio dramas] and it took until the 2005 revival to really “regenerate” the series), so do I return to this blog.

Interestingly (and potentially cosmically-coincidental) is that TODAY is SATURDAY, OCTOBER 11th - the very same day and date which I started this blog 6 years back (as seen [HERE]).
Thus it is a perfect time to return to my blog.


But that isn’t the ONLY return that I am announcing here.
I am ALSO returning to REAL, gainful employment, utilizing my artistic abilities, as an illustrator and 3D designer. 

Even MORE “return” oriented is that the place where I am to work is the OLD place of employment where I worked back when I started this blog. After being “downsized” due to the collapsing worldwide economy (aka; Armageddon), I was occasionally still being commissioned by that selfsame corporation as a independent contractor / freelancer to produce artworks for them whenever something truly difficult came their way or the shit hit the deadline fan and they needed a miracle save. Luckily, I departed them with an air of professionalism, I continued to maintain my professional level during the freelance projects, and so when it came to thinking of whom to hire for a new 3D design position, my name was top of the list.

It is into this atmosphere of hope that I find myself now and while I will be initially sporadic in my blogging (due to the rigors of the new position and the insane commute / living arrangements where I’ll find myself [I’m living in Pennsylvania and the job is in New York on Long Island]), I do hope to develop a rhythm to my new life where blogging can be fairly consistent.

So, while I ask you to please bear with me during the rough starts and stops, I am not leaving again any time soon.

But, to quote a famous Sorcerer Supreme:

"I have once again picked up the mantle of Doctor Strange... 
And I can never again -- put it down."

*fun fact: the panel scanned atop this blog post is taken from the DOCTOR STRANGE 1980 calendar (which you can view in its entirety in this old post [HERE]) wherein they added a witty, yet apropos caption to a panel from (the back-up story in) MARVEL FEATURE # 1 wherein Doctor Strange returns to the role of Sorcerer after forsaking the role (one year prior [thankfully, I didn't take THAT long to return here], back in INCREDIBLE HULK # 126)… the title of that Marvel Feature story? Why, “THE RETURN” of course.

And as a treat, I’ll post that story here for you now.
(click pages to embiggen)
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