Neilalien : Not Quite Gone - Never Forgotten

When someone has been a part of your life for a long time, and then, they are suddenly no longer there, it is inevitable that there be a period of mourning - whether they be deceased or having merely moved on.

Such is the case today, on the 1st year anniversary of the recusal of long-time comics blogger; NeilAlieN.

Seriously. He was the very first comics blogger, having detailed the published existence of Dr. Strange, his peripheral worlds (including the real-world connections, such as famed creator Steve Ditko), as well as the business of comic book publishing... for 11 continuous years.

Every comics blog owes a debt of thanks to the he who came before all others, as there was no such thing as a comic blog before he invented the format which all others emulate - in some capacity - to this day.

It should be known, he hasn't totally forsaken his blog, as he is still posting occasional links to news and items of interest... from his orbital HQ.

Still, it would be a poor thing if this day was not honored - at least for this, the first year, in commemoration of the day a trailblazing maverick decided to step back and admire what he hath wrought...

...from his orbital HQ.

On The Tickling of Amulets -or- Are we not drawn onward to new era?

After 11 awe-inspiring years as one of comic's preeminent blog-posters, the peerless, perennial and palindromatic, NeilAlieN is recusing himself from the responsibilities of near-daily link-blogging (as he recounts [HERE]).

Sure, I know he's not planning a total abandonment of his blog, stating that he still has the wish and urge to continue blogging - albeit at a less frequent, more personal capacity, but still... a huge era has just passed.

It was Neil's blog that - lo' those long-ago years - continuously reaffirmed my oft wondering if I could or should set foot in the blogging arena to showcase my mutual admiration for Doctor Strange.


Neil's blog that I found necessary to visit daily (for 11 years!).

Neil's words, example and advice that I keep in my mind when typing my own missives.


As I said, he isn't planning on leaving his pocket dimension totally... but he has left ours slightly emptier for the nonce.

At this time, I am unsure as to what capacity he will resume his activities;

• a few long-form reviews/essays per month?
• perhaps some occasional link-love to other, similar essays/thoughts around the web?
• mayhap, a head's-up to some juicy tidbit of Doctor Strange goodness and/or general comics info and/or presently unknown, unquantifiable abstract, esoteric subject matter?

The possibilities are up to him.

I'd love to be able to step forward and take up some of the slack, but, alas, I, like many in this day and age, am beleaguered by current events, life's weights, responsibilities and fiscal/occupational quagmires.
It is my hope to not have to step down as well... but I feel that a responsibility has been left to me, and I will try to help many of Neilalien's avid readers in what capacity I am able - at least when he is not blogging himself.

Neilalien will return. He is merely bathing himself in the rejuvenating waters of the pool of future endeavor.
I for one, look forward to his return and the "rising and advancing" of his blogger's spirit.

So, not goodbye, but "until we meet again" (and hopefully SOON), Neil.

May the Vishanti watch over thee.

And may your amulet never tickle.

ROM; Space-Toaster -or- Half-baked blog-post.

Over at the "BLOG FOR ROM FANS WHO AREN'T DICKS" (no, really... that's the name of the blog - check it out [HERE]), the proprietor posted a snippet for a proposed fan-based anthology to continue the ROM ; SPACEKNIGHT saga.
The specific post can be found at this link [HERE].

While the posted idea for their spin-off story strikes me as "needs more thought", since it would, in essence erase everything that came from issue # 43 to the end of the series in # 75 as little more than a dream-sequence, I thought the very idea of a fan-based anthology to be a fun idea.

Hell... there are FAR worse fanfic concepts buzzing about the intertubes (usually dealing with sexxy furries getting it on with Gambit and Nightcrawler, Rogue, a gay Batman, and Sailor Moon, but I digress).

I tossed out a stupid concept that just popped into my head while reading it and posted it as a comment.
I'd like to share that synaptic misfire with you all.
I mean why should I be the only one to suffer by my dementia.

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MY idea for ROM # 76 is for him to save untold worlds by using his "toaster-head" to make satisfying toaster-pastries to satiate Galactus' awesome hunger.

Every issue would see a new world and a new way for ROM to bake wholesome, nutritious goodness into life-saving morsels.

All the while, cosmic entities, like EGO the Living Planet and the SPHYNX try to steal Galactus' lunch.

Think of it as a series of "Hostess Fruit Pie" ads *, but with a lot of punching.

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The concept for this ill-conceived bit of stupidity basically arises from my days as a youth, reading ROM and a friend of mine (the one who got me INTO comics' collecting in the first place) referring to ROM as SpaceToaster, due to the shape of his head (ROM's, not my buddy's).



Then, oddly enough, in issue # 50, during the "wacky" issue published during "Assistant Editors Month" ** they ran THIS as a one-page back-up.

Story and pencils by BOB HARRIS. Inks by TERRY AUSTIN. Love by ALL FANS.

Thus, ROM; SpaceToaster made it to the printed page via collected thought-energies from the multitudes.

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But, still... the idea for a ROM anthology being made and somehow sold to raise money for the medical bills of creator BILL MANTLO, writer of every issue of ROM (who has been incapacitated since 1992, after a hit-and-run driver struck him, causing irreparable brain-damage) would be a grand idea!
Of course, you need not wait for such a possible dream project.

If you've EVER enjoyed an issue of ROM, or any of Bill's other comics (of which there is too long a list to recap here) feel free to make a donation.
Those wishing to make direct donations may send them to Bill's brother Michael who has long been caregiver of his brother.

Michael Mantlo
425 Riverside Dr #12-E
New York, NY 10025

Of course, if PayPal is more your speed, drop by this link to make a direct donation.
[HERE]
Make a private donation to the SPACENITE - BILL MANTLO FUND directly from your Paypal account. 100% of the funds go to Mike Mantlo.

Or, if money is tight, drop a letter to tell how much you love Mantlo's work.

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*
For those who don't know what a "Hostess Fruit Pie" ad was, they were all the rage and are beloved by comic readers of that 1970's-1980's period as a high-water-mark of the "good-old-days".
There are entire web-sites dedicated to them.
Just google "Hostess Fruit Pie comic" and enjoy.



**
Assistant Editors Month was basically the one month where the Senior Editors were off on some retreat or convention and their assistants were "in charge" of the publications for that month... thus causing wackiness and hilarity to ensue.
Obviously, it was all just a marketing ploy.
Nothing truly erroneous made it to print and it was all a lot of fun.
Heck, google "Marvel Assistant Editors Month" and see what you find.

Hurm...
I did just that, while forgetting to delete "Hostess Fruit Pie" from the navigation and was reminded that, oddly enough, that same "Assistant Editor's Month" the issue of MARVEL TEAM UP # 137 was an issue-long story of Aunt May (becoming herald of Galactus; Golden Oldie) and Franklin Richards quelling Galactus' great hunger with "Twinkles" snack cakes.


Damn... turns out my ROM idea isn't so "original" after all.
But it IS in good company.


Hmmm.... now I want some Pastry Cake goodness.

Giving Veneration to "THE ANCIENT ONE"

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Neilalien,
the undisputed "Aged Ghengis" of comics-blogging (and Doctor Strange fan of "Eternity"-levels) shares his incredible
10 YEAR BLOGGIVERSARY
on the interwebs!

( His OWN 10-Year Post - [HERE] )

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One of the very first comic blogs that I ever discovered (both because it WAS one of the FIRST comic blogs - as well as - how could I NOT discover a blog about Doctor Strange?!?) Neilalien has shown time and again how it is done.

When I was first stumbling my way through the net, nascent and incomprehensive to its workings, while spouting opinions on message boards, I was all the while dreaming of having the ability to do more than that.
That is because I would visit Neilaien's blog daily.
(Some times, multiple visits on the same day.)

But no matter how many times I would hit his site in a week, I was always grateful that it was there.
"Why can't I do this?"; I would think.
Knowing that I had the knowledge of my favorite characters and enough awesome swag to showcase, I knew that one day I would follow in Neilalien's path.

However, in those early years I had relocated several times, changed jobs even more so, and was in my early years of married life, so I was a man without time.
Aside from that, I was also a man with almost no understanding of the workings of the net.
"One day"... "One day, I'll be able to get to it. But there's no rush. Neilalien is all any Doc fan really needs."

So, I contented myself to being a frequent commenter on others' sites (and boards) giving lengthy diatribes on all-things Strange, but never to the extent of having it be on my turf.
Never to the degree of excellence of Neilalien.

Eventually, after being a few years at a job that allowed for more "stable" time-frames, and a new home where I could display my collection, I was convinced to just "Do it" and start blogging.

I did so knowing all the while that I was but a recent traveler to a far distant world where Neilalien had long ago set up his domain.

I'm no longer in possession of the job that allowed such levels of "stable" free time (the collapse of the world economy kneecapped me - along with far too many others on the planet).
My collection has never fully been set up to my liking (SO very close to being finalized, but too many events in the "real" world blocking that from happening).
And as these things are wont to happen, my blogging has been curtailed considerably.

However, I was given a piece of advice from the wise Neilaien in my early months, when I was burning the blogger bandwidth with near daily epic posts...
he wisely told me that I could just blog when I had the time.

There was no need for me to publish daily.
And no need to publish a novel each time.

So, while I am not a burning brazier of blogging presently, instead of flaming out entirely, I am merely a flickering candle for the time being.
But as the Ancient One taught Dr. Strange - the way to effectively and safely navigate travelling through time, a flickering candle is all that is required to anchor you and be your guide.

It does bother me a little that I can not, as of this time, blog to the degree that I have the urge, but because of Neilalien's steady pace and wise philosophies, I understand that what I do manage is OK.
In the meanwhile, I still visit Neilelien's blog daily (or near daily) - and so should you (as if my constant hyperlinks to Neilalien's site weren't enough of a clue)!

Many thanks to Neil for his blog, his dedication, his encouragement and his fine example.

He reminds me daily, that I have so much to learn.
As a true "Ancient One" would.

Happy 10 Years, Neilalien!

A visit to the Dimension of Dreams - or - I may need to seek counseling for this.

If "blogging about blogging is a sin" then "blogging about other bloggers is circle-of-hell worthy".
Factor in that the event which I am about to relate occurred in a dream, and we're on our way to a scenario of Virgil-guided proportions.

Yes. That's right. I've been thinking of the blog so much lately that I'm not only dreaming of my content, but also the other bloggers with whom I may share some common interest.

Trust me. I'm just as disturbed by that as you are.

I'll throw the basics of the dream here for amusement's sake, and perhaps to save on therapist fees.

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I was supposedly meeting with Mike Sterling for some sort of comic's related reason.
Probably just a gathering to shoot the shit about comics (discussions of a more physical variety than the two virtual "conversations" I had posted here quite recently - seen [HERE] and [HERE]) .

It seems that we were meeting on Sterling's west coast turf, as it was more rural-suburbia than my old New York City (or Long Island) environs and less rural-"out-in-the-woods" of my own more recent PA habitat; the view out his dreamscape house's back door - beyond the neighbor's expansive yard, with their tan and gold long-haired setter pacing by the chain-link fence - showed mountainous regions on the horizon.

Mikester was expecting an additional party member to show up as well, someone we'd both never met, so while he was otherwise occupied getting refreshments (or something) he thought it would be funny if I answered the door, pretending to be him.

However, since neither of us had met the expected individual, not only would he not know that I wasn't Mike Sterling, but I wouldn't know if he was the guest Mike was expecting!

So, when I answered to the door and saw someone standing there, and I'm trying to figure out who he is... my own charade was being exposed as well.

However, it was (supposedly) Neilalien at the door, and he (- as would anyone who has read Mike Sterling's Progressive Ruin long enough, and as such has seen a photo of his face-) knew that it wasn't Mikester answering the door, but somehow, instinctively - with eyes narrowed and a sidelong glance cast my way, as he took to the few steps on the front porch to enter the house - surmised my identity.

Now, as for Neilalien, I have yet to have the pleasure of meeting personally, and have no idea what he looks like, and so my mind gave him the appearance of a late 20-something to early 30's white guy, standing about 5 foot 9 inches tall, approximately 140 lbs with sandy brown hair, cut short and sorta spikey (but not too much so, nor styled as such via gel or any such "product". Just not long enough to lie down upon itself).
(I know... where the hell did my mind pull ANY of that from?!?
For all I know he's grey with giant eyes and spindly arms with a penchant for probes, but my mind gave him those aforementioned features. Just roll with it.)

What I hadn't known was, there were to be many others in attendance that day; I can only gather who were all fellow bloggers, commenters and comic's aficionados alike.

By that point, my sleeping mind just assigned random faceless features to the others.
Sometimes they'd have features and faces, other times not.
I had the feeling that they were supposed to be the many bloggers whose works I read on a consistent basis (see the blogroll on my sidebar for many of them), but no names were readily given.

All I know is by this point in the "party" I had sat back and took the position of "observer" and just watched the happenings. I'm not as "bona fide" a blogger as many of they may be, and I know that I felt as if I should stand back and defer to the experienced voices in the room - perhaps to learn a thing or two.
Someone had produced forth a portfolio collection of published comic pages, someone else a stack of comics from a backpack, and still another, hands waving furiously, described his treatise on the various subjects of his interest.

By the time that I was being addressed and asked to step forth, the sense of unreality had set in.
I'm well attuned with my subconscious enough to know that when an anomaly presents itself in the "reality" of the dream that my sleeping self recognizes it as such, and then, knowing full well that I am dreaming, does one of three things:

• Ignores it and just rolls with it (a rarity for me - I'd have to be REALLY tired to do so - which I was. I was utterly wiped out last night - or else the whole Neilalien thing would have been enough to raise the mental alarm right then and there).

• Changes and replays the events in numerous ways to seek the most satisfying course of events. (My very own "choose-your-own-adventures" book, so to speak.)
  

• Signals me to wake up.

This time around, I awoke - fully knowing what I had dremt, but slowly losing some of the specifics (except what I related here) as my dream self dissipated after it departed the dream dimension.

So, what's the point of all this?
I have NO idea.

It was just an interesting thing to share with you all.

I've been fully aware that I've strayed away from what I should be blogging about lately, my content as of late has been of a more personal nature (recollections of past histories, as well as some future content I'm gathering; based on comic artwork that I drew, long ago in the dim past of my pre-to-early teenage years, as well as some stuff from the past decade or so - ALL Dr. Strange-related imagery, of course) and as such my mind connected the blog, the content (if you note, all the things that were being discussed and shown in the dream-party are things that I'm working on for the blog) and the "audience" all in one.

I need to take a deep breath and continue writing my multi-part treatise on "the Search for, Nature and History of the Sorcerer Supreme". However, I know that it's exactly because I haven't finished that series that my mind has been plagued by thoughts of the blog - reaching even into my slumber.

This must have been the interweb equivalent of dreaming of standing naked in front of your class if you hadn't finished writing that report on world history, or something.

However, I promise - I will not share any naked dreams here.
I mean, I wouldn't want to give anyone else nightmares.



By the way, Mike Sterling and Neilalien both produce excellent blogs that I visit daily - as should you!

Could DR. STRANGE extending Credit Card privileges have led to the "Progressive Ruin" of the economy?

It's a rainy, miserable day today, and I can't quite think straight, so I was going to take the day "off" from the blog.

That was before I saw that Mike Sterling, over at "Progressive Ruin" ran an entry today dealing with THIS item:

Marvel Comics retailer promo "sign" (1992)

As a collector of ALL-THINGS DOCTOR STRANGE, I, of course, have this curiosity.
(I yoinked the image from Mikester. I mean... they're identical, so honestly, why take a pic of mine?)

I obtained mine while working at an antiquarian book store / comic shoppe back then.
My shoppe never used it as it was intended, and the managers (my friends) knew of my propensity towards Dr. Strange. So... like the "Tower of Power" ... it became mine.

It's not quite a "poster", since it's printed on a medium weight card stock and measures only about 9 inches wide by 12 inches high.
It's more of a "sign" than a "poster", and it's function falls squarely within "sign" territory anyway, since it's purpose (aside from being a ghastly eyesore - as I'll describe later) was to inform comic shoppe clientele that said establishment accepted credit cards.

However, (and I'll paraphrase what I wrote in the comments section of Mike's blog entry):
Whenever I look at this sign, it always makes me wonder;
"What the hell is UP with this thing?"

From top to bottom it's a train-wreck.

- First off; as much as I lurve DOC, I can't imagine ANYONE in a comic shoppe thinking that HE would be the BEST, most recognized figure to hawk their credit card policy.
(Unless it's that he's an upright, elder gentleman, as opposed to Marvel's corporate trademark, who is just some punk kid with a full face-mask who may or may not be a "Threat or Menace".)

- Another problem (well... it's all part of this problem really) is the DESIGN... GAH!!!
Is it SUPPOSED to be hard to determine that the "spell" Doc is casting is in the shape of the U.S. Dollar "$" sign? But then, his right hand should be pointing "the horns" downward, in order to more accurately make that work.

It's also impossible to know what the hell that red pointy thing is behind him (unless you KNOW who Doc is and what his costume looks like and that it is the collar of his Cloak of Levitation).
To the average customer, it's just a distraction.

- The art and coloring are ATROCIOUS and actually cause the consumer to look away, recoiling in horror at it's badness (and not "bad" as in "good", either).

RED lettering on a pale BLUE background?
Besides being illegible (with a crappy font) it causes the text to appear as if it's vibrating (because the two opposing colors are vying for your eyes' attention) and will seriously cause epileptic fits.
Speaking of the font itself; a "scary" font? Really? Why would you make a sign that looks all "scary", if for all intents and purposes, it's supposed to soothe you into using your credit card (ostensibly to make larger purchases)?

And shouldn't it state: "Dr. Strange SAYS..."?

This thing is just a train-wreck of signage, at cross-purposes with itself.

However, as a collector of ALL-THINGS DOCTOR STRANGE... I have it.

I loathe myself sometimes.



My apologies to Mr. Sterling.
I have no desire to "steal" his content.
It's just that, y'know... I've got a Dr. Strange centric blog that focuses on the items in my collection.
C'mon!

It's bad enough, that I'm presenting this "out of order" (as readers of this blog may have realized that) since I'm presenting items in their respective category/ subjects in a chronological manner.
When I get around to posters, prints and signs... I'll have to link BACK to this entry when this item comes around in rotation.

Let's see...
Geek? Check.
Became a comic reader/ collector? Check.
Obsessive-compulsive about it? Check.
Getting worse as the years go on? Check.
So much so that I now have a blog about it all? Check.
Obsessive-compulsive about that too? Check.

That darned Mike Sterling is right... it is a "Progressive Ruin".


Read Mike Sterling's PROGRESSIVE RUIN every day.
I do. And YOU should too.
(...and this blog. You should read my blog every day as well.)

A Look Inside - A Look Behind : - A MEME Post

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Click to Open Wide the Door
(and see the "personalization")

Originally titled "The Showdown" - from Marvel Fanfare # 6
before I tweaked it for my own selfish ends

Ol' Groove, from "Diversions of the Groovy Kind" has knocked on the door of the Sanctum - with a meme, asking for me; ~P~ (sometimes known as PTOR); Master of the Sanctum Sanctorum to participate (his entry HERE).

Initially, I was going to pass on the honor, because I am currently in the middle of a monstrous series of entries detailing
The Search for, Nature and History of...the Sorcerer Supreme .
However, my initial reluctance to answer the call reminded me of the many times that other heroes would go calling to the Sanctum Sanctorum of Dr. Stephen Strange ; Master of the Mystic Arts, only to find that he wasn't at home - or worse, would just not answer their entreaties.

And so, it is because of that sense of feeling how I always hated when that would happen in the comics, that I thought that this once, I'd throw wide the door for a brief glimpse into the Inner Sanctum of Sanctum Sanctorum Comix.


The Rules
1) Link to the person who tagged you.
2) Post the rules on your blog.
3) Write six random things about yourself.
4) Tag six people at the end of your post and link to them.
5) Let each person know they’ve been tagged and leave a comment on their blog.
6) Let the tagger know when your entry is up.

Simple enough, and so... let's begin:

1) PTOR is a knickname given to me by one of my most treasured friends (and co-workers).
She adopts a voice similar to famed old-time actor Frank Nelson - when she mimicks me - even though I sound nothing like that. It is hilarious.

2) I'm a bit of an oddity in my immediate family as I'm the only left-handed, hazel-green-eyed, 6 foot tall person in a family of righty, brown-eyed, mid-height folks. (as an added bonus tidbit; my eyes change color depending on what I'm wearing, my mood or the atmosphere outside.)

3) While it is not my name, whenever I meet someone new, they almost ALWAYS assume my name is "Stephen". Often calling out that name expecting me to respond to it. After all these years - I finally do. COINCIDENCE?

4) I tend to dress like a super-villain. Meaning, that my entire wardrobe is almost entirely comprised of "villain-colored" items:
Black, and various shades and hues of grey, green and purple (no purple pants however).
Perhaps 2 or three red items.
(I almost never wear blue, even though I look good in it [and it makes my eyes change to a shade of blue that the ladies adore] - as I dislike the color - primarily because everyone else loves it.)

5) When I was a kid, I had several occupations that I thought I would attain:
- Missionary (although, I almost became a monk - long story.)
- Stuntman (jumping my bicycle over anything put in front of me.)
- comic book artist (and I did become a comic writer/artist for a few years in the booming 1990's.)
- Therapist (people have always come to me with their problems - I've an understanding ear)
- Actor / musician (was semi-professional in both of those until I determined that I preferred to be behind the scenes as a writer / artist)
- Writer / Artist (which is what I have become - having been a paid, published professional artist since 10th grade)

6) While attending art school, I lived at 160 Bleecker Street, directly across the street from the supposed address of Doctor Strange's Sanctum Sanctorum (177A Bleeker Street) in Greenwich Village.


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I am passing the torch on to the following bloggers (sorry friends... feel free to participate if you wish to, and no harm, no foul if you don't):

- Howard "Wrong Dimension Boy" (at his wrongdimension LiveJournal blog)
- Monique (at Comixtravaganza)
- Michael (also at Comixtravaganza - hey, it's not cheating. There are two people there with two distinctive voices!)
- Scotty C (of Scotty C's Mind)
- Plok (one of my all-time fave bloggers at his Trout in the Milk blog)
- Googum (whose action figure fumetti theatre makes my day - at Random-Happenstance)

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Now I have GOT to get back to my regularly featured content.

Be This Not... DOOMSDAY !

URGENT! *
FANS OF DOCTOR STRANGE... TAKE HEED!

While I wish I had posted this earlier today ** , I still want to make it known that ANYONE and EVERYONE who visits this blog should go QUICKLY to "Comics Should Be Good @ Comic Book Resources" and vote for DR. STRANGE who is in "March Madness"-type of battles.

He has already defeated Wolverine, but now is losing against DR. DOOM!

The battle rages HERE !

However, the voting ENDS at 2 PM E.S.T. tomorrow
(Friday, March 27th).
***CORRECTION***
Their web-site's clock is incorrectly set to P.S.T. not E.S.T., so you probably have until 5 PM EST to vote.


If you have more than one computer - vote on each one!

And then, keep on the lookout for Strange's next opponent.
If we all vote, we can turn this thing on it's head.

***UPDATE***
Vote finals show that DOOM defeated STRANGE : 453-334.
Doom got 58% of the vote
View vote results HERE.

I'm sure that if I had posted this earlier, we may have had a chance to rally.
Oh well... next time.
***END UPDATE***

*
(OK. So it's just a silly online contest... but that doesn't mean that Strange has to lose, right?)

Also in combat are Batman vs Darkseid.
Feel free to vote however you wish in that battle.


**
Work and life have taken their toll on me today.
I'm exhausted.
The review of New Avengers # 51 and my discussion on the nature of being the Sorcerer Supreme will continue anon.

Thank you for your kind understanding.

HAPPY 9TH BLOGIVERSARY, NEILALIEN!

As one of the staunchest friends and supporters of Doctor Strange; the enigmatic, omnipresent and wizened NEILALIEN marks the NINE YEAR mark as Blogger-Supreme of the Earth Dimension!

He's been blogging since almost before the internet was even invented!

I'm taking the day off in honor of the event.

May you travel the web's astral plane for many more, oh Hoary, Ancient One!

Welcome to all who appear at the door of the Sanctum Sanctorum

Just a quick "Thank you" and "Welcome to the Sanctum" to those who are being directed here from other sites.
Several new digital signposts have been erected that seem to be in response to the recently completed *Marvel Calendars* "TIME WARP" series!

Part I - The "Classic" Marvel Calendars -
Part II - The "Modern" Marvel Calendars -
Part III - The 1980 Occult World of Doctor Strange calendar -

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The Official George Perez website has showcased the series (and the Perez-drawn image from the 1980 calendar) - HERE.

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The wonderful Pop Culture Safari has once again honored my efforts with a shout-out. HERE

Many thanks to the proprietor for the exposure.

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The Official Mike Allred board has taken a shine to his entry for the 1997 calendar.
Their appreciation can be found HERE.

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And, lastly (but certainly NOT least) the mighty Neilalien casts his Eye of Agamotto to the series as well - HERE.

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So, once again. A wholehearted "welcome" to new all visitors of this blog.
And a sincere "Thank you" for the referrals and appreciation.

Glad you could make it.
Come back again soon.

They're Agamottoliscious!

SO awesome...I wish this was a crossover!

Now I want THIS as my new desktop wallpaper.
-at the END of the post-
(via BULLY the Little Stuffed Bull)

*don't forget to check the alt-text for extra yummi-goodness!

An Evil deed in tribute of an Evil entity

OK.
I'm not sure what the rules are for proper web-etiquette, but I'm sure misappropriating someone else's blog-content for your own blog might be the # 1 "sin".

Still, I don't wish to be a content thief, but this is too awesome not to steal er... share, and have as a permanent addition to the blog.

As stolen... oh, heck... yeah... stolen from Neilalien, a YouTube tribute to MY favorite Doctor Strange baddie... heck, probably my favorite villain - PERIOD:

SHUMA GORATH!!!



Set speaker volume to "Bleedin' from the Ears!"

It. Is. Too. Freakin'. Cool.

Anyway, I can always say I was mind-controlled or something.

Sorry Neilalien. 'twont happen again.

Although, maybe I can use this as a good forum for a question I have:
While checking out the original vid on YouTube, I saw someone's comment where they inquire about the image that is shown at 2:15 ... he wanted to know WHERE that image came from and I am at a loss.
As a HUGE Shuma Gorath fan, I also have (so I thought) all of his appearances, and can name each and every other image's origin (except for the original pencil drawings,) but that one image doesn't ring any bells.
Can anyone help place that pic?

Perhaps if someone might be able to answer, some GOOD might come of this EVIL deed.

Regular original content will resume later tonight.

By the Warp and Woof of the Woven World

If you read last night's quick post, (as seen here,) you were here as I bartered a night free of brain-searing eye pain for a future SERIES of posts on the lives of the many disciples / apprentices of Doctor Strange.

(Did someone conjure Mephisto or something? I mean... what the hell was I thinking?!?)

Anyway, all that evolved from a post that I had 75% ready to go about the life (and death) of Rintrah; the 2nd (official) apprentice of Dr. Strange.

However, since that is now going to be folded into the upcoming series, I figure I should just let you have the nugget that started that whole ball of wax rolling... the theory of Rintrah's supposed avoision ("I don't say 'evasion', I say 'avoision'!") of a true, lasting death, and what "facts" I had/have to "back it up".

This started as a continuation on the post from a few days ago about whom might be tapped as the NEXT Sorcerer Supreme (found here).

In that previous summation, I originally listed Rintrah's current status as:
"In a magically induced coma-state (quasi-dead) and awaiting a time to be brought back."

Wise beyond his years (although, he could be just as old as he is wise for all we know), internet guru and Dr. Strange savant; Neilalien, took umbrage at my assessment, and in a post of his own (HERE) explained that as far as the comicbook-record is concerned,
Rintrah is DECEASED.

I, completely understanding, and agreeing with his reasoning, later changed my previous entry to accommodate that.
Simply because, while I DO have my reasons and rationale for giving the "quasi-dead" (more like in the Princess Bride, he's "mostly dead") status as I originally stated, it has only the slimmest of evidence and, (as neilalien acknowledged - albeit as an "*" asterisk,) only a brief mention of
"cow-terpiller in cow-coon, he come back all pretty soon",
as related by some love-struck fairies, within the pages of 02007's THE MARVEL TAROT, as seen here:

(ALL images can be clicked to be made BULLISH.)

Rintrah's entry in the MARVEL TAROT
(written / designed by Devid Sexton - and some fairies)

-------------

However, my reasoning, while taking that one bit of "15-years later" possible retconning into account, also hinges upon two or three other factors.

Before we get to those, here is the "death scene" in question
(from Doctor Strange; Sorcerer Supreme # 51):

Rintrah becomes Roast Beef (well done) in Doctor Strange ; Sorcerer Supreme # 51

(Geof Isherwood writer/artist)

-------------

As for the support of my pet-theory, I have these scenes from the comic record
(in chronological order):

1) Doctor Strange ; Sorcerer Supreme # 52

(Len Kaminski - Plot / Roy Thomas - Script / Geof Insherwood - art & plot)

- Doc places the "remains" in a separate astral plane for "temporary safekeeping" until he can properly deal with them... and that, IMPLIES (as anyone whose read more than one or two comic book "deaths") that he wasn't meant to be "dead, dead".
Or at least, not PERMANENTLY dead.
Perhaps dead as a doorknob NOW, but with all intent of having an open-ended chance to "come back".

In my mind, (and I could very well be 100% wrong, but) if he was meant to be dead and removed completely as a character, his remains would have been buried or incinerated or sent to the "Mystical Taxidermist" or something.
(Enitharmon the Weaver would have woven him a burial blanket or something.)

-------------

2) A scene from Doc Sorcerer Supreme # 56.

(Roy Thomas - writer/co-plotter ---- Geof Isherwood artist/co-plotter)

- In this little scene, Doc has taken over Wong's body to deal with Victor Strange (Stephen's younger - deceased-and-turned-into-a-vampire brother; AKA; "Baron Blood"). "Doctor Wong" goes to get the old blue/purple cloak and has this little thought balloon:

"Poor Rintrah! I gave these to HIM, as my apprentice--"
"-- but where he's gone, HE won't be needing them for a while." (emphasis mine).

"...for a while."
That sounds fairly open-ended to me.

Never once does Doc ever say, to anyone, that Rintrah is dead. Of course, that may be because the events of the issues immediately after Strange's powering-down and the death of Rintrah were a whirlwind of cross-overs and crap, and then a clearing of the board for the new creative team.

-------------

3) Doctor Strange ; Sorcerer Supreme # 57

(Geof Isherwood - story & art)

- This only other bit, was a scene where Doc is talking to KILLIAN (who is introduced as an apprentice only a month or so after Rintrah's demise in ANNUAL # 3). Doc is trying to instruct Killian to work a spell and tells him that Rintrah had an easier time at it, due to his increased aptitude. It gave the impression (to me anyway) that a "Goofus / Gallant" scenario was being set up, and that in time, Rintrah would return to confront the renegade Killian, as a reflection on the Mordo / Strange dynamic.

This last scenario is purely my own conjecture and "reading between the lines".
I highly doubt that it was ever truly intended, but it does seem like it might have been a possibility, doesn't it?

-------------

Out of curiosity, I wrote to Geof Isherwood, who was drawing the book at that time, and also writing the title just after Rintrah's death, and he graciously replied.
Sadly, I had completely neglected to ask him if it was OK to QUOTE him, so I will only paraphrase his reply (since I am sure that he'd be alright with it, but still, proper protocol and respect state that I should wait for him to give the official "OK").

Basically, as far as he can recall, Rintrah was taken off the table, but placed in a "Ted Williams" state "just in case". So, no mention was ever made of Rintrah being DEAD. Only allusions to his being out of commission in case a future team wanted to bring him back. He personally had no intent to use him, instead introducing Killian as Strange's new protege'.

Thus, one of the WRITERS of the issue(s) in question states that while Rintrah was effectively removed from play and "killed", it was never a permanent death, instead very much a comic-book "death" wherein he was given many angles for being brought back.

Still... while that was the intent of the creator, it was never overtly stated, and as such, is merely the realm of "what-iffery", and is not in any way, "fact".


Remember, that Roy Thomas & Len Kaminski ALSO wrote issues in this sequence, and as such, I am trying to get thru to them (via Brian Conin's excellent "Comic Book 'Urban' Legends" series at CBR) for verification.

If I get any further information on this, I'll be sure to update this entry and make it known in it's own new post as well.

As for other information on Rintrah, Killian (and other disciples) as well as more parts of information garnered from my "interview" with Geof Isherwood (I should have an "official" consent by then), be on the lookout for the upcoming SERIES on the many acolytes of Doctor Strange.


I'm going to change things up a bit here on the blog the next few days, so that series is planned for around the New Year.

-------------

I just wanted to once again give proper respect and acknowledgment that what little influence my little blog may have, I still have a responsibility to report facts as facts and anything else as my own opinion. (no matter how right I might think I am.)

Thank you, Neilalien, for reminding me of that.

Just a Mindless One

I swear these guys are doing "ollies" in my head right now.

Sorry about the lack of any updates.
Low-content mode went to NO-content mode pretty damned quick.

Sadly, my brain has been crammed full of rocks and red-hot lasers.
A strange mixture of energized ennui.
A LOT of things I wanted to post, but I just couldn't concentrate enough to do it.

A Mindless One.

Anyway, there are some things that I wanted to write about in depth... but didn't.
Instead, I'll just give you the basic info and links here now instead.
Lazy-blogging. Sorry.

-------------

- NAMOR's physical appearance in
"SECRET INVASION : DARK REIGN # 1"
(as well as the writing on the whole book)
...WTF?!?!

I was going to go into a whole "rant" on it here and title the post;
"NAMOR The SUB-PAR-iner" - (as you can see I hadn't worked out all the kinks to it yet), but then I found out that the guys over at "Comics Should Be Good" did so HERE.
As you will see, I started the dogpile with post # 1 .
(The comments go south pretty darn fast after that.)

-------------

Another item that I saw the other day was THIS.
Rose McGowan has been selected for the role of "CLEA" in the upcoming
DOCTOR STRANGE feature film (scheduled for a 2012 release).
I actually had some stuff to say about it (and HAD a few things typed up ages ago about the possible casting of Christian Bale as "Stephen Strange"), but I didn't post that either.
I may still combine my thoughts on the both of them for a future post.

-------------

And, I was planning on posting a huge info-dump on all the recent Doctor Strange appearances lately, but Neilalien got one in the can while I was still working on mine.
So... check out his wise words on that subject HERE.

-------------

Alright.
That's it for now.
I'll try to have something awesome up here this weekend.

Dusting off the Welcome mat.

The Sanctum Sanctorum Comix blog is proud to have been mentioned on the truly awesome Pop Culture Safari blog - here - at the end of the post.

The MARVEL WORLD post - featured here several days ago - was the one that grabbed their attention. That post is down the page a few entries (or here).

Their's is a site that should be visited daily for all your pop-culture needs.

The Sanctum's "welcome mat" is always ready to receive good publicity (and to anyone just in for a visit).

The RETURN...? (Out of Limbo)

So... could it BE?
At long last, after YEARS of wrangling legal rights out of a quagmire of inactivity and confusion...?

The RETURN of...

It seems that HASBRO, the holder of the rights to ROM, and manufacturer of Marvel Legends action figures, has recently filed new trademarks for "ROM" and "ROM the SPACEKNIGHT".
Not sure what that means at this time, but since next year is the 30th Anniversary of his appearance (toy and comic), it stands to reason SOMETHING is going on.

Beginning in 1979, ROM started life as a cult-favorite toy "action figure" from Parker Bros., and a simultaneous Marvel comics series written by Bill Mantlo and illustrated by Sal Buscema (and later Steve Ditko).

The comic series was about a man from the planet Galador who, upon seeing his peaceful world attacked by foul, evil invaders, was fused with living armor to become the first, and greatest of the "spaceknights", in order to battle the shape-shifting, evil alien menace. That menace was the DIRE WRAITHS, a race of aliens who sought to take over worlds and rule the galaxy via evil science and dark sorcery. An evolutionary offshoot of the Skrulls, the Wraiths were so reviled by all that even the Skrulls despised them. The Wraiths came to Earth many years earlier and had been infiltrating the world's populace by taking the forms of people from all levels of society; the farmers and the politicians alike. (30 years before Secret Invasion.)

ROM came to Earth to rid it of Wraith infestation. Wielding various weapons and tools, he was able to pierce the wraith's disguises and banish them to an otherworldly Limbo. This was seen, by human eyes, as his murdering innocent humans (since the wraiths human-shells would turn to dust while their spirits fell into the other dimension - unseen), and he was seen as a menacing alien robot by a frightened and confused populace. Soon, however, he earned their respect and trust and not too long thereafter gathered the aid of nearly ALL of the world's super-powered heroes to win the war on Earth.
He would then continue his fight to the stars.

An epic tale of humanity (and alien ass-kicking) and one that is just as good when read today as it was then.

While the toy quickly vanished from shelves, due to a lack of anything else in the toy-line, the series lasted over 7 years (a 75 issue run and 4 annuals, a few guest starring spots and a storyline that TOTALLY affected the landscape of the Marvel Universe). Eventually, his story reached an "end" and it remains a much beloved hallmark in the lives of comic fans to this very day.

There have been many attempts to revive ROM over the past few years, at least one by his creator; Bing McCoy. However, all attempts have ended in... well... LIMBO (except for a horrid one-off mini-series by Marvel - about the Next Generation of Spaceknights - that was received with disdain by all).

However, that is all in the past.
Perhaps now ROM will return from LIMBO!

(the fantastic cover to ROM # 19, by Michael Golden)
image from the GCD

But in what capacity? Only the Gods of Galador know for sure.

Info garnered from the ROM, Spaceknight Revisited site, who garnered info from the Allspark Forum.

Somewhere, Chris Sims is weeping tears of joy.
Me too... me too.

***UPDATE***
(03-21-09)
Check out THIS entry for MORE recent info about a possible RETURN of
ROM!
***END UPDATE***

---------

****2nd UPDATE***
(07-03-09)
Check out THIS entry for MORE recent info on the possible PROBLEMS with a return of
ROM!
***END 2nd UPDATE***

---------

****3rd UPDATE***

(07-01-06)

ROM is BACK!

But it he is being published by IDW, who managed to secure the rights (and not Marvel).

This means that ANY aspect that we loved from the Marvel run can not and will not be in this run.

So, NO Galador, No Hybrid, not much of ANY kind of history really.

It's a clean slate with a whole new take.

I'll buy it and see how it goes.

***END 3rd UPDATE***

---------

****4th UPDATE***

(07-06-07)

ROM is GONE - sorta!

After a little more than a year, ROM's IDW series is "cancelled" (sort of ).

He'll be folded into a new title that he'll share with the MICRONAUTS 

(also being published at IDW).

To be honest, I've bought every issue of the IDW ROM series, but the artwork seemed so... lacking on the first few issues that I never continued reading past #2.

I figured I'd catch up, but just haven't yet.

I'm up in the air if I'll buy the team-up title, as I've opted out of the other crossovers that IDW constantly published (with GI JOE and Micronauts and other properties) and sadly, none of their books LOOK appealing to me (art too amateurish for me, personally, and coloring too garish).

Sadly, if this were old-school Bill Mantlo penning a ROM / MICRONAUTS book I'd be ALL over it.

The past is done, and so, for now (sorta), is ROM

***END 4th UPDATE***

Knowledge is Power that can (not) be denied?

Just a "quick" hit&run post here since I'm wrapping up the awesome mega-post for later tonight. (It'll be posted, probably fairly late tonight - so as to give reader's time to wade through this dissertation.)

This is in part a commentary that I held back from my critique of the upcoming "What If? House of M" one-shot which I listed in my last entry (check it just under this post, or if you're surfing around - here). However, it is mostly a reply to a comment that was left on that post (no, not by the spam-bot- thanks for validating my initial hesitancy to allow "anonymous" comments, internet). The comment being discussed is by fantastic blogger, word-smith and thinker extraordinaire: PLOK, of "A Trout in The Milk" blog. His comment here.

In it, he questions WHY, if in the plot in question, because Scarlet Witch utters "No more POWERS" would Doctor Strange be powerless? Surely, EVERYONE by now should know that DOCTOR STRANGE HAS NO POWERS! He has only knowledge. A wisdom of the forces of the universe/ multiverse / omniverse and the nigh-eternal entities that possess such power and energies with which Strange can TAP INTO or ENTREAT.

Much like "the FORCE" from Star Wars (PRIOR to that whole midichlorians bullshit. That was just ass). These energies swirl around us all, and Strange, due to his years of study, has learned how to manipulate and control them. His studies and journeys to other realms and dimensions has also taught him the proper methods and protocols of REQUESTING usage of these energies from the higher powers, if the energies required be such as might exist beyond natural ebb and flow, but instead as personal power of any number of these extra-dimensional entities.

I must state for the record, that I WAS going to toss a heavy coat of lambaste over the writers on that point. Especially, as since they state that the only powers that WILL work in the new "What if?" story would be tech-based (obviously, it's another IRON-MAN heavy vehicle), which are also primarily "knowledge-based".

Plok, I assure you, I was ALL OVER that.

But then, I took a step back and reflected upon something that I have long pondered in my years on this Earth; watching horrific war after war, gun-violence in the streets, children blowing their head's off at gun shows (please, I can't get started on that piece of recent news)...
WHY wouldn't God * just say that the laws of nature that would otherwise make gunpowder combustible... simply WOULD NOT WORK that way? Sure, every other similar law of physics or nature would work just fine, but bullets would NOT work. I'm not smart enough to work out which possible "beneficial" applications of gunpowder would still function, if any, and I'm sure man would invent some work-around to it all... but as "God", I would make sure that THOSE wouldn't work either. Simply put; "No more EXPLODO to kill"! **

IF the very laws of physics and nature COULD be overridden by a "magic word" spoken from an omnipotent personage, then why WOULDN'T the "normal" procedures that would allow for a spoken spell or series of gesticulations (even the peerless prestidigitation of a Sorcerer Supreme) just simply NOT work?

As a bat-shit crazy, "mommy-go-bye-bye", all-powerful mutant-gone-mental with the ability to alter even the slightest "probabilities", then perhaps Wanda's re-working of the fundamental nature of how the universe (or at least the universal "laws" work on Earth) take that into consideration and put the "hex-whammy" on it. That would effectively negate the possibility for ANY powers, even ones based upon the calling of aid from other-dimensional principalities or cosmic energies.

It wouldn't remove the KNOWLEDGE of how he should be able to do so, just that the knowledge would no longer lead to a functioning application.
Cause, but no effect.

It would render the Marvel Earth the same as OURS in that regard.
Besides some fantastic (and heretofore unexplainable) abilities and/or phenomenon, mere mortals can not perform high-end sorcery.
We can do the dance and jig, wave our hands around *** and draw runes in the dirt, all the while shaking chicken-bones to our heart's content. But aside from some cool moves and a stunned and awestruck crowd (if done with proper flair), there'd be no mystical-moombahs popping out of the cauldron. That is what Strange and the others mystics of the M.U. would be reduced to due to Scarlet Witch's revised utterance.

Now, again, perhaps off-world, it would work fine. If Strange COULD get to another dimension, then he should be able to toss mystic zaps. Perhaps through the Nexus of All Realities or maybe (closer to home) the Negative Zone portal, since science still works in that story (if dimensional apertures won't open in our atmosphere).

However, due to the ramifications of negating all technology on the planet, all Hospitals, airplanes, nuclear power plants, etc... would just go belly up - basically a mutant-driven "Millennium-bug", Wanda could not cut off tech-based abilities.
That would be devastating to the world. However, not cutting off those "powers" also provides for "the out" - storywise (enter Iron-Man).

So, that was why I didn't tear into that plot point.
I had to allow for a "godlike" power to state that a "normal" process, like magic, simply would no longer work. Be it a cut-off from tapping the energies flow, a deadening-effect on mystic whojams or simply that A is no longer A where magic is concerned... the new status quo is without hocus-pocus. ****

Now, as to the whole COSMIC CUBE thing... hey... one writer's disaster at a time.

----------------------

* Please refrain from the whole "God is a figment" replies... I'm up on the debates, and also posit my own questions to the Universe, but for the sake of this, since the story in question deals with someone with "god-like" powers, we're all accepting that in our universe, God exists. OK? ThanX.

** I've long thought that guns are the cowards' easy way to kill.
You want to kill someone? Really?? You shouldn't be allowed to (sit back, sometimes many yards away and) just twitch your finger to do so. It's too detached from the process of taking a life. It makes it too effortless, since you can do it from an easy chair. No. You want to kill someone (or something for those hunters out there)? You shouldn't get to do it unless you FIGHT that other life. Give it the same chance to kill you. Not that I'm condoning killing of ANY kind. Just that I've long thought that negating the laws of physics where weapons are concerned should have been top priority for the Almighty. But that's just one of the things that I'd do, given the power of "God". That, and the whole Famine, and Disease thing. Where the hell is that Infinity Gauntlet? I've got some work to do.

*** Good thing, too, because all of those "American Sign Language" users expressing "love" to anyone would turn their loved ones into newts.

**** Which would now beg the question... what is ALCHEMY? A science (like chemistry?)... or magic? I guess Diablo can whip up some bicarbonate of soda, but not elementals.

The method to the madness -or- the 6-Dimensions of Doctor Strange

Even though I touched upon it in my inaugural post, I didn't really explain my "collector's philosophy" (aka; lunacy) that has inexorably taken over my life and that of my habit / hobby (and one of the largest rooms in the house - which my wife, graciously allowed for my use as my "Sanctum Sanctorum Comix collection").

What I have termed "6-dimensions of Doctor Strange" is (and will eventually be readily evident as I progress in my blogging) wherein I have slowly expanded my collecting of items & comics that not only deal directly with Doctor Strange, but of anything that tangentially interconnects with him and his world as well.

So, if Doctor Strange was a part of the 01990's MIDNIGHT SONS "team" (actually he was the "behind the scenes" FOUNDER of said group), then I bought ALL the titles and any interconnecting tidbit that referenced it.
(yes. weep for me, for I KNOW that I was foolish. Although, because of that interconnectivity, I still read GHOST RIDER and that title is stronger NOW than it has been in a long time. So, sometimes this mania pays off some kind of dividend.)

Marvel's website has a weird interconnectivity "3-D" chart that shows links from one character to the many others whose "lives" or adventures cross.
My collection is the real-world (nerd-scape) of that.

Sometimes, it's a fortuitous coincidence. Something that I have interest in (or already read / collect) intersects with Strange's world, and ... BAM! New "dimension".

The NEW AVENGERS is one such instance.
I have always been an AVENGERS reader (Scarlet Witch & Black Knight being the reasons mostly, and THEY, in turn fall within the 6-dimensions purview), but once Doc was the benefactor (albeit a bad fit) of that team, I was glad to have the title in my collection (and then had to add one extra copy to be purchased - for the "Doc-Box"... my chronological appearance boxes, started after the demise of his last series in 01996).

This 6-dimensions way of collecting had helped assuage the ire of having Doctor Strange in limbo for so long (and subsequent misuse) and took the edge off my collection-monkey's jonesing, but soon became all-encompassing and not a little expensive.

Books and statues and minibusts (I recently had to call it quits on those - sadly just as the Nighthawk, Hellcat & Valkyrie busts were announced), action figures, (I have all the DEFENDERS - in multiple forms, NEW AVENGERS & ILLUMINATI members -in Marvel Legends- and many, many others whose stories, for one time or other, became integral to Stephen Strange's) and ... stuff... all somehow linked via whatever logical (usually "canonical" storyline) to the world of Dr. Strange.

Before all of this spiraled out of hand (and I have recently curbed this dangerous aspect of my collecting quite a bit as of late) I had always had a few Doc-centric offshoots to my comic reading / buying / collecting anyway.

I have ALWAYS been a MAN-THING collector.
In fact, it was via the Man-Thing that I first really had a good, up-close read of Doctor Strange's world. Before that, it was just a passing appearance here or there.

I have always had a kick for Scarlet Witch, and thought that she would have been a good choice for disciple / apprentice (and have a few comics where that indeed was bandied about by the characters - sadly, never to be).

The Black Knight, also has held an interest, and so I buy all his appearances.
(thankfully, too, as Captain Britain & MI-13 is AWESOME! Although, that falls within the "mystical" aspect of the 6-dimensions, so I'd be getting it anyway).

Brother Voodoo, too. Pretty much ALL the mystic stuff is in the wheelhouse of my interests.

There are some comics that need not have anything to do with Doctor Strange for me to have loved.

ROM : Spaceknight is one title that even if Doc hadn't guest-starred in it SEVERAL times, I would still have read, bought, collected and LOVED!
(I also have 2 actual ROM "dolls". One in box and one that I do take out and crank up on occasion.)

Howard the Duck, as well. Good thing he "became" a DEFENDER, just so it fit better (although his affiliation with Man-Thing - not to mention the wondrous Steve Gerber - would always ensure a place in my heart and) in my collection.

It doesn't even have to be MARVEL stuff, either.
I have several comics / titles / runs from other publishers if the concepts touched upon, spun out of, or homaged Strange.
Starting off with DC's ARION; of Atlantis (a definite Dr Strange-like comic that I started reading with # 1 when it first came out in 1982) to things like MYSTIC at CrossGen, to a run on SPECTRE at DC and KID ETERNITY as well, when it became readily evident that Marvel ripped off K.I.'s whole look for Doc's 1990's long-haired, young, hippie looking version of Doc (that my co-workers, at the time, back when I was a comic store employee, called "Kid Strange").

Heck, it doesn't even have to be comics!
You'll see all sorts of stuff (stupid shit) here.


There are many others, and I'll touch upon all of it here eventually.

I need to get a pace or rhythm to my postings, however...
Toss up some rare stuff, then basic items, then switch gears to other characters, like Man-Thing or ROM or something completely out of left field, then a review or comment and maybe some mp3's.
Switch it up. Show some home-made stuff too.
I've got a ton of crap that fits firmly within the "6-dimensions" framework.

I wasn't always this way, however.
Being a comic reader since the late 1970's, I used to be a reader of a much wider array of comics and such, from multiple publishers, mainstream, indie and underground alike.
However, as I got older and my available time (and storage space) got sparser (and my finances cried "uncle") I had to focus as best as I could.

So, I had to cull many loved titles and interests for this one.
I just ensured that this "one" would be as wide and divergent as possible while still keeping within the parameters of Doctor Strange.

My wife knows that if something is shipped to me, more likely than not, it's something Doc-related (and she even has a pretty good grip on the characters; names, powers and such).

In fact, it was SHE who dubbed the term "6-degrees of Dr. Strange" in jovial reference to my buying ways.
I just made it more Dr. Strange appropriate with the slight adjustment to dimensions.

As long as there isn't some really BIG ticket items that cross over with the realms of Doc (like a real-world, full-sized DEFENDERS van, like from those "Twisted Toyfare Theatre" fumetti strips, OR, worse-yet, having the house remodeled to look like the actual Sanctum Sanctorum - as cool as that would be), I should be able to continue with this hobby without finding myself banished to some DARK Dimension.

I have ARRIVED!

We interrupt the regularly scheduled posting programming for this Very Special Announcement:

*click to make "Giant-Size"*

Thanks, Neil!
That means a lot.

As promised, the "Next Issue" will be about the "TOWER OF POWER".

LO! THERE SHALL COME... A BEGINNING!

So.
Finally.

My first post on my own blog!
(and... be wary. It's going to be a LONG ONE.
No way around it, really.
They won't all be, however. I promise.)
For those of you who may have followed my assorted postings (ramblings) in the comment sections of other (better) blogs and message boards, you may very well be thinking one of three* things;

- "Crap. Now he's going to be running his long-winded 'typey-fingers' even MORE than before."

- "Maybe if he's spending his time here in his own little corner of the web, he'll leave the rest of us the heck ALONE."

- "Awesome!** This guy roxx! He always makes GREAT comments and I subscribe wholeheartedly to the though-processes that he pontificates - Now who is passing around the Kool-Aid?"


It'll take me a little while to refine my blogging-style.
I'm used to making very hastily-typed, energetic comment-posts on other blogs, so my writing here might reflect that, until I get myself to a less frenetic rhythm.
Please bear with me.

--------------

I should try to give an overview of the "mission statement" for this blog.
At first, I was a little torn between having it be a place wherein I blog about ALL my comic reading, likes, reviews, thoughts, nerd.alt.obsessiveness, or not. However, I feel it's best to possibly do all that on a separate blog and JUST focus this one on my personal collection. I'll make the separate blog known as soon as I get it going.

I need to design a logo for it, perhaps.

(note: that, for a guy who didn't think he had time for ONE blog, now suddenly may have multiple. I guess that's just the way it works, somehow. And I'll probably be able to manage them since, at best, I'll aim for WEEKLY postings on each. More if possible, but weekly is all I can hope to maintain with any regularity.)

THIS BLOG will be the repository for pics, descriptions, stories, reviews and thoughts of my extensive personal "keeper" collection.

My main focus in comic collecting has always been the "misfits" of comics, usually within the mystical/ horror genre, but I'll admit to being an X-Men fan in the early to mid 1980's.
Over the years, however, as you may very well know from ANY post I have ever typed out on any other site... my inner geek is reserved for the very few:

- DOCTOR STRANGE -
&
- MAN-THING -

I do have other 'inner geek' stuff, but as my wife has readily surmised, it ALL pretty much has SOMETHING to do with Doctor Strange. Even some of my non-Marvel, non-comics stuff.
Taking a page from the "6-degrees of Separation" theory (usually attributed in pop-culture to Kevin Bacon), she applied it to my collection of all things remotely tangential to DOC***.

"6-degrees of Doctor Strange" she called it.

So, then I re-dubbed it (more appropriately):
"6-Dimensions of Doctor Strange"****.

Those 6-dimensions will lead us to many varied and unsuspecting planes of reality (and the escapism from reality). I will try to be entertaining, 'educational', thorough, and, if possible, humble, while showcasing all the swell swag that approximately 30 years of hyper-active comic-character collecting has brought down upon my head.

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I now want to take a few lines to thank those who have inspired, pushed, or cursed me to this end.

- John D.: My old friend from high-school who first introduced me to the concept of COLLECTING comics. Damn it, John. You have NO idea of the fate to which you have condemned me. Once bitten, I was hooked. I have no doubt that he'd be ashamed and saddened by my present state. But this was a guy who could, off the top of his head, tell you what villain appeared in ANY issue of Amazing Spider-Man, if all you did was give him the issue number. I'm sure he left comics behind him after college.

- My parents - who actually loathed the idea of my buying, reading and/or collecting comics. So much so that I had to smuggle them into the house. Which probably made this forbidden fruit all the sweeter. However, since I didn't have any disposable parental-cash, like my other comic-collecting friends, but just what I could earn from my paper-route, I was restricted to the 25cent bins. It was there where I discovered the 1970's MAN-THING series and then Doctor Strange, as well as other, non-Marvel supernatural goodness. So, for me it was a WIN.

- NeilAlieN : who was the first Doc-centric web-site I found.
Heck, he's the grandpa of blogging, so he could be one of the FIRST blogs out there... period.
THE source for Doctor Strange related NEWS items (as well as DITKO updates and comics in general). We have since become "internet friends" and I look forward to one day meeting him in the intergalactic, pan-dimensional flesh.

- wrong dimension boy : A great "internet-friend", whom I also look forward to meeting. Before I encountered Howard, I was CERTAIN that I was the preeminent Doctor Strange collector in the world.
(I mean, seriously. How many could there BE?! And with my collection, I was SURE of it.)
Well... it turns out, that he may very well be the MOST dedicated Doc-collector-fan in the history of ever. He buys original artwork, which is a line I won't cross. Dude's a phenomenon.
I'm most likely # 2. A very CLOSE # 2, but still, not the top slot.

- Erik Elzenaar. HIS is a FABULOUS site and one that I would love to come CLOSE to, but sadly, may fall short of reaching. He lists many, if not all, Doc-related goodness, complete with pics and has some great info on the stuff, but it's more of a "catalogue" web-site. Fabulous for reference! I hope to add a somewhat more personal touch to my site since I actually OWN all the stuff. He's a great guy, and true "internet-friend" (until I can get to the Netherlands and meet him in person. Hmmm... maybe a mind-expanding trip to Amsterdam?).

- the Defenders Message Board - the place where I first cut my chops, and spent more than half a decade answering every weird question about the 40+ year history of Doctor Strange that my all encompassing collection, and memory for stupid minutia allowed me to tackle.

- Dave Campbell (of the defunct Dave's Long Box blog). He showed how it's done and entertained me with the idea that any semi-evolved chimp can do this.

- Mike Sterling. (at the aptly named Progressive Ruin) Seriously. Aside from Neil's site, it's the one blog that I HAVE TO read every day. No matter what. But, more importantly, he shows the WORK that goes into a daily blog. His only failing is that he prefers SWAMP-THING to the far superior MAN-THING, but hey... no one am perfect. Otherwise, he's FanTASTic.

- Pillok. The thinking-man of blogging.
Whenever I get too full of myself, I read his stuff and realize that I know nothing.
Deep. Insightful. And, oh yeah. FUN. Dive in.
He encouraged me to step up my commenting to a level that was near-blog worthy. I may have to steal - er - borrow some of my comments from his site for my OTHER comic blog. When and if I get around to it.

- Darren (of the Man-Thing's Swamp blog) - I send him all manner of Man-Thing related sightings, and anyone who would take up the banner of Manny can't be bad. He can expect Man-Thing goodness here as well.

- Googum (of Random Happenstance), for no other reason, than that he was the first blogger that I know of to state that I "really, really should" have a blog.
(he did so here. So... anyway, maybe a discerning nature isn't his thing.)
Really. That's why he's on the list.
OK, he is ALSO an entertaining blogger whose blog features fumetti-style action figure comic strips, and insights and reviews of toys, comic books and the stuff we all dig.


- Scotty C. My very good friend, and the guy who, quite literally, continually said to me; "Dude. You should blog". His last email to me was pretty much; "Just do it." So. I am.

- My Wife. People... she knew I had a ton of this stuff when we met. That was over 20 years ago. I've only added to it all since then.
I wasn't AS nutty with the all-encompassing collector mentality then, but even when my mania grew, she didn't tell me to stop. Sure, I'm quite sure she wishes she had put a stop to it when it was possible. But she's been awesome about it - for the most part.
She let me have one of the largest rooms in the house for my collectibles to turn into my own "Sanctum Sanctorum". How is that not crazy-cool?!

So. To all those people, and the many more that I would love to mention, but really, need to draw this to a close, I give thanks.

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And so I feel that I should end this Inaugural blog post.
Really. Stan Lee, as verbose as he was/is could have told the origins of the Inhumans, Silver Surfer, Watcher and Galactus in less time.

Please feel free to stop by and follow along as I dig into my very own, collection. Which I call my:

SANCTUM SANCTORUM !

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* NEXT ISSUE : The TOWER of POWER! *
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*(Aside from the obvious fourth thing which would be; "Yeah. So what. Who cares?)

** (NO ONE is saying this.)

***And you have to trust me... it's not all Marvel stuff, and it's not all COMIC stuff either.
Just as a 'fer-instance; I have a LINENS-n-THINGS catalog because one of the photo-spreads showcases some comics on a nightstand, next to a cool lamp that they're hawking, and the comic on top of the pile is an old Marvel Team-Up guest-starring... yup. Doctor Strange.
So, expect some stupid shit here.

**** (coincidentally, there is a BOOK... fine, it's a "choose your own adventure" style book, but a BOOK nonetheless - about Doc with almost that exact title. Rest assured, it will be one of the multitudes of items that I nerdgasm about here.)