Wednesday, July 1, 2015

Batman V Superman Dawn of Justice Movie Masters Figures Announced for SDCC 2015

Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman are going to loom large at Comic-Con this year — and in toy boxes.
The superheroes of the upcoming movie Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (in theaters March 25, 2016) are bound to be a central component of the Warner Bros. movie panel at the San Diego Convention Center's cavernous Hall H on July 11. Their action figures will also be on display and available for fans to take home as Comic-Con exclusives during the convention that begins next Wednesday.

Mattel is selling a movie-inspired BvS two-pack ($30) with the likeness of Henry Cavill's Superman and Ben Affleck's Batman. Each of the 6-inch-tall figures comes with fabric capes, display bases that combine to form the film's iconic logo, and lights-and-sounds packaging teasing one of the big moments from the upcoming movie.




Fans of the Batfleck's new Batmobile can also pick up a Hot Wheels edition ($25) of the superhero ride, featuring a die-cast chassis and body, rubber tires and neato machine guns and missile launchers — all encased in limited-edition packaging.


Mattel has a new Barbie line coming in the spring, and at their booth the company is showcasing a doll based on actress Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman from Dawn of Justice. Standing 12 inches tall and featuring a sword, shield, tiara, bulletproof bracelets and her signature lasso of truth, Wonder Woman is part of the Barbie movie collection along with Superman and Batman.


And the Mattel booth is slated to display a life-sized Hot Wheels build of a Batman v Superman Twin Mill car designed to celebrate the film. Graphics on the car are inspired from the film suits of both heroes, and a die-cast toy version of the vehicle will be on sale in the spring as part of a movie-inspired Hot Wheels line.

Source USA TODAY

Thursday, May 28, 2015

GeekSummit's ULTIMATE Sonic Screwdriver Prop Toy

Well, its been a little over a year since I thought I had perfected the Flickable Sonic Screwdriver. As time went on Character Options (Underground Toys) continued to release change after change to the design but still never finished giving us the ULTIMATE version of this prop replica toy. With ugly battery compartments and other goofy options that didn't really add anything to the toy, I was left hurting for the final revision before this Doctor adopts some new model all together. I love this model for its weird steampunk sensibility and refined look, but to keep giving us the same toy over and over again with no real advancement has been a disappointment.

I have done a small run of these Gallifrey Industries models for cosplayers and collectors alike and I think you'll like what you see.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgwM7yll2mM


 http://www.ebay.com/sch/geeksummit/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_ipg=&_from= 

http://www.ebay.com/sch/geeksummit/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_ipg=&_from=
  
http://www.ebay.com/sch/geeksummit/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_ipg=&_from=

http://www.ebay.com/sch/geeksummit/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_ipg=&_from=

http://www.ebay.com/sch/geeksummit/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_ipg=&_from=


As listed above this model features several upgrades that REALLY bring this toy up to near prop replica status while still maintaining lights & sounds.

• Rubberized Control Panel allows central operation of light & sounds in opened and closed positions
• Hidden activator allows operation of light & sound in closed position
• Tactile switch gives a touch of authenticity while also operating light & sound in opened position
• "Marbelized" emitter tip mutes the LED light to a nice bright glow
• Magnetic retractors release claws when flicked for authentic action
• Magnetic retractors pull sonic tightly closed for a nice tight presentation.
• Optional weathered finish gives the piece a nice touch of "History"




Wednesday, July 23, 2014

NECA: Nintendo Style Batman 7" figure


NEWSFLASH!!!

NECA Takes DC License into the 7" Arena


We all wondered who would do it.. and well. I was right, with Mattel's DC Universe crumbling into the plastic ocean NECA has down scaled their DC License to bring their awesome sculpts to a 7" collectible figure line. For those who own the 18" version of this figure, there is very little I can tel you that do don't already love. This can only mean a true color variant down the road... and oh my god...a Joker? Count on it!!!

This Nintendo version of the caped crusader comes in a purple and blue paint scheme as the Nintendo figures have come classically to reflect their retro console counterparts. No doubt Batman wil come with all the same tricks that the 18" version saw, minus the faux leather cape. He also includes grappel gun and batarang.



Demand for this figure in this scale of this quality has been high ever since Mattel's Movie Masters line hit the scene. It's high time we saw this happen and I'm glad to tell you that we will.

Hopefully SDCC will have more reveals for us in this area of awesomeness?

I know I've had a couple things on my wishlist for YEARS. Can NECA make it happen?

Tuesday, July 22, 2014

Mezco 1:12 Collective Dark Knight Returns Batman 6" figure

 Mezco Reveals The One:12 Collective  New York- (July 22nd, 2014)- Mezco Toyz today announced The One:12 Collective, a new line of high end 6″ scale collectable figures.  Redesigning the 6″ scale figure category by combining posable action figures with real cloth outfitting, in a similar fashion to the 1/6th scale and larger collectables. Mezco’s One:12 Collective line will present a multitude of different characters from numerous brands.  Combining superior sculpting with an abundance of articulation, the One:12 Collective figures feature over 32 points of articulation, capable of over 40,000 possible poses: combining form and function to create a remarkably realistic aesthetic. Digitally sculpted by the industry’s finest artists and painstakingly engineered by Mezco’s production team is a state of the art collectable that holds up to real play. The costuming is meticulously tailored and uses specially selected materials to create the highest standard of outfitting and drapery at the 6″ scale. Fabrication, color, drapery, comparative scale and mobility are all closely considered to bring the finest attire achievable.  Every One:12 Collective figure will include a display base as well as a multitude of accessories. These accessories are designed to have a “real world” look to further make the figure seem like it has truly come to life. These accessories, also precisely crafted, range from changeable parts to character specific weapons, equipment and props.  Currently planned for the One:12 Collective are characters from The DC Universe, Judge Dredd, Classic Universal Monsters, and some other surprises to be announced in the future.  Mezco President, Mez Markowitz declared “We are all very excited with the One:12 Collective line. I think we are offering a fantastic product that both satisfies the customers desire for articulation as well as the ability to hide it all in a extremely realistic way. Another great aspect to the line is that we are striving to present high quality product that is in line with 1/6th scale (12″ figure) collectables while taking up far less display space and at a much more reasonable price point. Our Dark Knight Returns Batman figure is really a fantastic piece and we cannot wait to show what is up next. Mezco plans on releasing several items a year from this line and it is a long term initiative for our team, really a dream come true for all of us here.”  The One:12 Collective “The Dark Knight Returns” Batman figure is set to be publicly revealed at San Diego Comic Con at Mezco booth # 3445 and shipping to customers in Fall 2014.


Mezco has announced that they have bought into a DC License to bring new 6" figures into the arena. They will be known as the One:12 Collective. and will combine over 32 points of articulation with real cloth outfits and meant to echo the style and details of 1/6 scale figures, but at a more reasonable size. The figures will include display bases and accessories.

Clearly picking up where Mattel has let us down so many times, we will no doubt be seeing some VERY impressive licenses join the ranks in this format. Looks like its time to clear off another shelf in the old Manchild Museum at GeekSummit Headquarters.

I very much look forward to Mezco helming the gap left by Mattel's bowing out of the 6" game while NECA does knockout work with their 18" licenses.

"These are good days to love cool stuff" 
                                                   -Albert Einstein

 Mezco Reveals The One:12 Collective  New York- (July 22nd, 2014)- Mezco Toyz today announced The One:12 Collective, a new line of high end 6″ scale collectable figures.  Redesigning the 6″ scale figure category by combining posable action figures with real cloth outfitting, in a similar fashion to the 1/6th scale and larger collectables. Mezco’s One:12 Collective line will present a multitude of different characters from numerous brands.  Combining superior sculpting with an abundance of articulation, the One:12 Collective figures feature over 32 points of articulation, capable of over 40,000 possible poses: combining form and function to create a remarkably realistic aesthetic. Digitally sculpted by the industry’s finest artists and painstakingly engineered by Mezco’s production team is a state of the art collectable that holds up to real play. The costuming is meticulously tailored and uses specially selected materials to create the highest standard of outfitting and drapery at the 6″ scale. Fabrication, color, drapery, comparative scale and mobility are all closely considered to bring the finest attire achievable.  Every One:12 Collective figure will include a display base as well as a multitude of accessories. These accessories are designed to have a “real world” look to further make the figure seem like it has truly come to life. These accessories, also precisely crafted, range from changeable parts to character specific weapons, equipment and props.  Currently planned for the One:12 Collective are characters from The DC Universe, Judge Dredd, Classic Universal Monsters, and some other surprises to be announced in the future.  Mezco President, Mez Markowitz declared “We are all very excited with the One:12 Collective line. I think we are offering a fantastic product that both satisfies the customers desire for articulation as well as the ability to hide it all in a extremely realistic way. Another great aspect to the line is that we are striving to present high quality product that is in line with 1/6th scale (12″ figure) collectables while taking up far less display space and at a much more reasonable price point. Our Dark Knight Returns Batman figure is really a fantastic piece and we cannot wait to show what is up next. Mezco plans on releasing several items a year from this line and it is a long term initiative for our team, really a dream come true for all of us here.”  The One:12 Collective “The Dark Knight Returns” Batman figure is set to be publicly revealed at San Diego Comic Con at Mezco booth # 3445 and shipping to customers in Fall 2014.


 Mezco Reveals The One:12 Collective  New York- (July 22nd, 2014)- Mezco Toyz today announced The One:12 Collective, a new line of high end 6″ scale collectable figures.  Redesigning the 6″ scale figure category by combining posable action figures with real cloth outfitting, in a similar fashion to the 1/6th scale and larger collectables. Mezco’s One:12 Collective line will present a multitude of different characters from numerous brands.  Combining superior sculpting with an abundance of articulation, the One:12 Collective figures feature over 32 points of articulation, capable of over 40,000 possible poses: combining form and function to create a remarkably realistic aesthetic. Digitally sculpted by the industry’s finest artists and painstakingly engineered by Mezco’s production team is a state of the art collectable that holds up to real play. The costuming is meticulously tailored and uses specially selected materials to create the highest standard of outfitting and drapery at the 6″ scale. Fabrication, color, drapery, comparative scale and mobility are all closely considered to bring the finest attire achievable.  Every One:12 Collective figure will include a display base as well as a multitude of accessories. These accessories are designed to have a “real world” look to further make the figure seem like it has truly come to life. These accessories, also precisely crafted, range from changeable parts to character specific weapons, equipment and props.  Currently planned for the One:12 Collective are characters from The DC Universe, Judge Dredd, Classic Universal Monsters, and some other surprises to be announced in the future.  Mezco President, Mez Markowitz declared “We are all very excited with the One:12 Collective line. I think we are offering a fantastic product that both satisfies the customers desire for articulation as well as the ability to hide it all in a extremely realistic way. Another great aspect to the line is that we are striving to present high quality product that is in line with 1/6th scale (12″ figure) collectables while taking up far less display space and at a much more reasonable price point. Our Dark Knight Returns Batman figure is really a fantastic piece and we cannot wait to show what is up next. Mezco plans on releasing several items a year from this line and it is a long term initiative for our team, really a dream come true for all of us here.”  The One:12 Collective “The Dark Knight Returns” Batman figure is set to be publicly revealed at San Diego Comic Con at Mezco booth # 3445 and shipping to customers in Fall 2014.    Mezco Reveals The One:12 Collective  New York- (July 22nd, 2014)- Mezco Toyz today announced The One:12 Collective, a new line of high end 6″ scale collectable figures.  Redesigning the 6″ scale figure category by combining posable action figures with real cloth outfitting, in a similar fashion to the 1/6th scale and larger collectables. Mezco’s One:12 Collective line will present a multitude of different characters from numerous brands.  Combining superior sculpting with an abundance of articulation, the One:12 Collective figures feature over 32 points of articulation, capable of over 40,000 possible poses: combining form and function to create a remarkably realistic aesthetic. Digitally sculpted by the industry’s finest artists and painstakingly engineered by Mezco’s production team is a state of the art collectable that holds up to real play. The costuming is meticulously tailored and uses specially selected materials to create the highest standard of outfitting and drapery at the 6″ scale. Fabrication, color, drapery, comparative scale and mobility are all closely considered to bring the finest attire achievable.  Every One:12 Collective figure will include a display base as well as a multitude of accessories. These accessories are designed to have a “real world” look to further make the figure seem like it has truly come to life. These accessories, also precisely crafted, range from changeable parts to character specific weapons, equipment and props.  Currently planned for the One:12 Collective are characters from The DC Universe, Judge Dredd, Classic Universal Monsters, and some other surprises to be announced in the future.  Mezco President, Mez Markowitz declared “We are all very excited with the One:12 Collective line. I think we are offering a fantastic product that both satisfies the customers desire for articulation as well as the ability to hide it all in a extremely realistic way. Another great aspect to the line is that we are striving to present high quality product that is in line with 1/6th scale (12″ figure) collectables while taking up far less display space and at a much more reasonable price point. Our Dark Knight Returns Batman figure is really a fantastic piece and we cannot wait to show what is up next. Mezco plans on releasing several items a year from this line and it is a long term initiative for our team, really a dream come true for all of us here.”  The One:12 Collective “The Dark Knight Returns” Batman figure is set to be publicly revealed at San Diego Comic Con at Mezco booth # 3445 and shipping to customers in Fall 2014.

 Mezco Reveals The One:12 Collective
New York- (July 22nd, 2014)- Mezco Toyz today announced The One:12 Collective, a new line of high end 6″ scale collectable figures.
Redesigning the 6″ scale figure category by combining posable action figures with real cloth outfitting, in a similar fashion to the 1/6th scale and larger collectables. Mezco’s One:12 Collective line will present a multitude of different characters from numerous brands.
Combining superior sculpting with an abundance of articulation, the One:12 Collective figures feature over 32 points of articulation, capable of over 40,000 possible poses: combining form and function to create a remarkably realistic aesthetic. Digitally sculpted by the industry’s finest artists and painstakingly engineered by Mezco’s production team is a state of the art collectable that holds up to real play.
The costuming is meticulously tailored and uses specially selected materials to create the highest standard of outfitting and drapery at the 6″ scale. Fabrication, color, drapery, comparative scale and mobility are all closely considered to bring the finest attire achievable.
Every One:12 Collective figure will include a display base as well as a multitude of accessories. These accessories are designed to have a “real world” look to further make the figure seem like it has truly come to life. These accessories, also precisely crafted, range from changeable parts to character specific weapons, equipment and props.
Currently planned for the One:12 Collective are characters from The DC Universe, Judge Dredd, Classic Universal Monsters, and some other surprises to be announced in the future.
Mezco President, Mez Markowitz declared “We are all very excited with the One:12 Collective line. I think we are offering a fantastic product that both satisfies the customers desire for articulation as well as the ability to hide it all in a extremely realistic way. Another great aspect to the line is that we are striving to present high quality product that is in line with 1/6th scale (12″ figure) collectables while taking up far less display space and at a much more reasonable price point. Our Dark Knight Returns Batman figure is really a fantastic piece and we cannot wait to show what is up next. Mezco plans on releasing several items a year from this line and it is a long term initiative for our team, really a dream come true for all of us here.”
The One:12 Collective “The Dark Knight Returns” Batman figure is set to be publicly revealed at San Diego Comic Con at Mezco booth # 3445 and shipping to customers in Fall 2014.

Source: ToyArk.com

Tuesday, July 15, 2014

CHRISTMAS IN JULY!!!!

Merry Christmas!!!

We're blowing out tons of Action Figures and Customs!!!

BRING A BUCKET!!!

Click the image below to go to the auction gallery!!!

http://www.ebay.com/sch/geeksummit/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_ipg=&_from=

Star Wars, Super Powers, DC Universe, Marvel Legends, Walking Dead, Dr Who, Play Arts...
We've got a a little bit of everything. With 150+ items currently listed, we're looking to take the tally to 400+ items this week or until our fingers fall off!!!

Thursday, July 3, 2014

Henry Cavill as Superman First Look:

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice

Who's better, Superman or Batman? Zack Snyder doesn't have to choose a favorite since he's getting to put both on the big screen at the same time.  The director of last year's Man of Steel doubles down on A-list superheroes in his follow-up Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (in theaters May 6, 2016), teaming a returning Henry Cavill as the big guy in the cape and "S" on his chest with Ben Affleck as the latest cinematic incarnation of the Dark Knight.  By bringing in more DC Comics do-gooders such as Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) and Cyborg (Ray Fisher), the new movie is thicker, denser and more epic than Man of Steel, according to Snyder. And it's also the next step toward building a strong movie universe that ultimately leads to Snyder's Justice League, the supergroup answer to Marvel's The Avengers, tentatively scheduled for a 2018 release.  Now filming in Detroit, Dawn of Justice is pretty much a thrill every day for the admitted comic fan. "It's not an un-fun job, I will say that," Snyder says.  Man of Steel was all about Superman finding his place in the world as both a hero and as a man, ultimately saving the city of Metropolis from certain doom. Dawn of Justice continues to immerse him on Earth by working at the Daily Planet as Clark Kent along with Lois Lane (Amy Adams) and Perry White (Laurence Fishburne). But it also takes him to new environments such as Gotham City and introduces larger threats, including Lex Luthor (Jesse Eisenberg).  Really digging in and evolving the character — both as Clark and as Superman — is a challenge, Snyder says, but there's also "the fun of trying to figure out what to put in front of him that's difficult."  Cavill is definitely more comfortable in the role the second time around, says the director.  "We've both created this guy and we can push him around a little bit," he says. "The more time I spend with Henry, the more he's Superman to me."  The debuting heroes Superman meets will affect his perspective on Earth and on the ones he loves, and Snyder feels his convictions will be drawn into question as well.  When developing Man of Steel, Snyder didn't harbor dreams of one day putting Batman on screen, too — he figured he'd one day tackle an adaptation of Frank Miller's seminal 1980s masterpiece The Dark Knight Returns, which pits a retired Batman against government agent Superman.  It ultimately made sense with Dawn of Justice to add Bruce Wayne and his cowled alter ego to the mix. Because of Christopher Nolan's recent Dark Knight trilogy, "I was in no rush to put Batman in the movie," Snyder says, "but on the other hand it seemed organic the way our story was unfolding to start to feather him in."  Instead of using several movies to define Affleck's Batman, Snyder felt the character's 75-year mythology is so deep in culture now that they can just jump to an older, road-weary take on the Dark Knight. Plus, he says, "it's cooler to see a crusty old Batman beating the snot out of guys."  The director can't say exactly how the relationship between the two superheroes evolves, "but suffice it to say there is a 'v' in between their names" in the movie title, Snyder says. He explains that having the "v" instead of "vs." is a way "to keep it from being a straight 'versus' movie, even in the most subtle way."  Snyder's only done a few scenes so far with Cavill and Affleck together, but the historical significance isn't lost on him, he says. "It's never really been done and it's kinda cool."  Similarly, Snyder also knows that putting the iconic superheroine Wonder Woman on a movie screen is a big deal, too. He says he hasn't filmed any scenes with Gadot as the Amazonian princess yet, but "she's working out and getting buff and ripped."  While Snyder is surprised in a way that fans are already so pumped for Dawn of Justice, he also understands the anticipation.  "You can talk all you want about other superhero movies, but it's Batman and Superman, let's just be honest," Snyder says. "I don't know how you get bigger than that."  Source: USA Today - Brian Truitt


Who's better, Superman or Batman? Zack Snyder doesn't have to choose a favorite since he's getting to put both on the big screen at the same time.
The director of last year's Man of Steel doubles down on A-list superheroes in his follow-up Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (in theaters May 6, 2016), teaming a returning Henry Cavill as the big guy in the cape and "S" on his chest with Ben Affleck as the latest cinematic incarnation of the Dark Knight.
By bringing in more DC Comics do-gooders such as Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) and Cyborg (Ray Fisher), the new movie is thicker, denser and more epic than Man of Steel, according to Snyder. And it's also the next step toward building a strong movie universe that ultimately leads to Snyder's Justice League, the supergroup answer to Marvel's The Avengers, tentatively scheduled for a 2018 release.
Now filming in Detroit, Dawn of Justice is pretty much a thrill every day for the admitted comic fan. "It's not an un-fun job, I will say that," Snyder says.
Man of Steel was all about Superman finding his place in the world as both a hero and as a man, ultimately saving the city of Metropolis from certain doom. Dawn of Justice continues to immerse him on Earth by working at the Daily Planet as Clark Kent along with Lois Lane (Amy Adams) and Perry White (Laurence Fishburne). But it also takes him to new environments such as Gotham City and introduces larger threats, including Lex Luthor (Jesse Eisenberg).
Really digging in and evolving the character — both as Clark and as Superman — is a challenge, Snyder says, but there's also "the fun of trying to figure out what to put in front of him that's difficult."
Cavill is definitely more comfortable in the role the second time around, says the director.
"We've both created this guy and we can push him around a little bit," he says. "The more time I spend with Henry, the more he's Superman to me."
The debuting heroes Superman meets will affect his perspective on Earth and on the ones he loves, and Snyder feels his convictions will be drawn into question as well.
When developing Man of Steel, Snyder didn't harbor dreams of one day putting Batman on screen, too — he figured he'd one day tackle an adaptation of Frank Miller's seminal 1980s masterpiece The Dark Knight Returns, which pits a retired Batman against government agent Superman.
It ultimately made sense with Dawn of Justice to add Bruce Wayne and his cowled alter ego to the mix. Because of Christopher Nolan's recent Dark Knight trilogy, "I was in no rush to put Batman in the movie," Snyder says, "but on the other hand it seemed organic the way our story was unfolding to start to feather him in."
Instead of using several movies to define Affleck's Batman, Snyder felt the character's 75-year mythology is so deep in culture now that they can just jump to an older, road-weary take on the Dark Knight. Plus, he says, "it's cooler to see a crusty old Batman beating the snot out of guys."
The director can't say exactly how the relationship between the two superheroes evolves, "but suffice it to say there is a 'v' in between their names" in the movie title, Snyder says. He explains that having the "v" instead of "vs." is a way "to keep it from being a straight 'versus' movie, even in the most subtle way."
Snyder's only done a few scenes so far with Cavill and Affleck together, but the historical significance isn't lost on him, he says. "It's never really been done and it's kinda cool."
Similarly, Snyder also knows that putting the iconic superheroine Wonder Woman on a movie screen is a big deal, too. He says he hasn't filmed any scenes with Gadot as the Amazonian princess yet, but "she's working out and getting buff and ripped."
While Snyder is surprised in a way that fans are already so pumped for Dawn of Justice, he also understands the anticipation.
"You can talk all you want about other superhero movies, but it's Batman and Superman, let's just be honest," Snyder says. "I don't know how you get bigger than that."

Source: USA Today - Brian Truitt 

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice Superman Character Poster by GeekSummit

Wednesday, July 2, 2014

Superman Celebration 2014

Ah Summertime...
3 months of Sunburns, Speeding Tickets, and Family

Per usual it was time for my annual trek 179 miles north to Metropolis, Il. Ever since Father's Day of 2009 it has been a tradition for my daughter and I to head North to the little river town known as "The Home of Superman" in Southern Illinois. Every year we prepare our Griswaldian family t-shirts and wait patiently for the second full weekend of June to come around. In the present economic climate, full weeks of vacation can be harder to come by and the short roadtrip always offers a solid weekend of quality Daddy/Daughter time. This was a special year for sure. My son was just born on May 1st, and of course was too little to attend with any benefit to himself this year, but we stayed strong to keep the trip alive for traditions sake. Someday, LittleBigMan... someday...


We headed up HWY 51 to Paducah, Ky where we stay every year at Drury Inns & Suites, as we always do. The staff has remained consistent for years as well as courteous and helpful and damned good at their job... Being called by your name as you pass through for breakfast adds a touch of royalty on our modest roadtrip. Its right on the edge of Paducah and only leaves a 10 minute drive in for every visit. It keeps us in the middle of some retail/entertainment action for downtime between visits into Metropoils since there is no real dense commercial center to town besides the town center itself, but that does not slow us down from dropping some major cash love on the little town of Metropolis. Truth be told, My daughter loves staying at the Drury for their indoor pool and breakfast every morning... gotta love a kid who loves tradition and her Daddy. *

*If you look closely, there are tiny tear stains in my waffle

This was the 36th Annual Superman Celebration, and as off years go, it was a lower turnout than last year which saw the Man of Steel's 75th Anniversary as well as the release of Man of Steel in theaters the next weekend, but always a great time. Vendor areas seemed to be thriving, the food was great, and everybody who made it seemed to be having a good time. The event is largely supported by the locals and people from the surrounding areas

A special treat was seeing the Americana Hollywood Museum was back in operation from an extended closure due to flood damage in 2012. I was told that it is not open EVERY weekend, but is now back in some capacity, especially during the Celebration weekend and throughout the summer. (forgive me, pretty lady if I misunderstood any part of that).

The first thing you will notice as you arrive on the grounds is the cinephile's playground that is the courtyard full of planes, trains... and a Bat-Boat. I make a special point of taking my daughter's picture with the Superman standup near the entrance as a growth chart of sorts. As she became tall enough to put her head in the cut out, she has since started to stoop into position, so this will now stand as a growth chart of her head only...


I love going into this place. It's a special mix of exactly what you'd expect. Jim Brickman, owner of the SuperMuseum in the town square, also operates the Americana Hollywood and it is stuffed with unique finds he has collected and amassed over the years representing decades and decades of Elvis, Marilyn, and James Dean, the Rat Pack, years of Sci-Fi, Horror, Tomb Raider for diverse measure and of course the AWESOME backroom which is essentially an extension of the SuperMuseum as it is nearly completely DC Character related collectibles representing nearly every generation of licensed action figures and toys from the 70's to current releases. Not without its more peculiar displays, there were the only 2 (3) items I chose to document as I soaked in the rest... I suppose there's not much sexier than a pair of abnormally large brains... Such impressive organs...


There was also quite the surprise in the gift shop at the Americana Hollywood. It was unavoidable that the gift shop had been shifted from its previously Superman heavy presence to a very VERY Star Wars heavy offering. I was overcome by the contrast between my cash on hand and the bevy of stuff I was looking at. From larger ships to modern 3.75" figures @ $4 a pop bagged with accessories for the most part, I had to cut out a special part of our last few hours in town to dig through the multi tiered trough of loose figures to be thorough... I left plenty behind and I encourage any enthusiasts to drop by the museum some convenient weekend. You can always contact the SuperMuseum to see when they'd be open for you to dig through. It's a troop builder's dream; as a compulsive troop builder I can attest.

Child not for sale and present for scale reference only.

Another nice surprise was the addition of Daily Star Comics to the circuit of things to see in Metropolis. I had tried to locate this place in 2013 but it proved difficult since it was a relatively new listing so we didn't check it out. It's a little tucked away off the main drag but still just a couple hearts beats away from all the action. I will say it was mostly empty excluding what seemed like a few rented vendor spots within their extended retail space but still a cool place to run into. Of course while it takes its name from Clark Kent's original employer from his comic debut, the store is actually a Doctor Who-centric retail spot, complete with a Tennant/Smith era TARDIS in the parking lot which obviously makes for a good photo op.


No trip is complete without a visit to the SuperMuseum itself. Right in the heart of the action Right next to the 15 ft statue is Jim Hambrick's archival opus, the SuperMuseum, home to what has to be damn near every licensed & unlicensed Superman product known to man. The place is wall to wall Superman from action figures, movie props, costumes, production prototypes, handmade statues and action figures... (ahem)...

 
The Museum doesn't change much over the years but it is such a rich collection of Superman memorabilia and artifacts that it is always a treat to drop in and pay $5 to wander the short but dense  maze to examine all the pieces contained within. Jim Hambrick has been a lifelong collector and even manager and friend to Kirk Alyn (the silver screen's original Superman) and has been a central figure himself in Metropolis bringing crowds to this town with a recorded population of 6500, which leaps in a single bound to nearly quadruple it size for the celebration weekends on a good year.


As always it was a good year. We came we saw, we goofed off, we spent our money, and we left broke, and we can't wait to come back. Next year we'll be +1.  



The trip itself was over, and we didn't stick around for the Costume Contest or the closing festivities, but trips like these don't just stop when you leave Metropolis for the long road home, there's always something waiting around the corner. Literally around the corner from the Market Street square we came across the closed Massac Theater, Metropolis' only theater to speak of outside of the Baymont Auditorium. The theater had been owned by Larry Ward in the recent past (could possibly still be) who was manager to Noel Neil, TV's Lois Lane from the George Reeves era Adventures of Superman. Efforts have been underway to rehab the facility for public use once again, but it had seemed that things had come to halt since last year when we saw a new roof had been put in place. We took a look through the windows into the generously sized theater space. It will definitley take a lot of work to bring the building back to its full glory, but I'm sure that one day it will become a welcome addition to the festivites as a potential space for screenings of the Fan Film Festivals and general purpose stage use. Every year there is a series of breakfasts in the early morning hours to support the "Save the Maassac" campaign, but as I saw on the fundraising marker out front, it looks like maybe support has waned in recent years. Hopefully they have seen an uptick that wasn't represented here.

 
 I've been inspired in the past to extend my modest services to an effort to bring more attention to the effort, but I find it easy to get in over my head on passion projects. But this space definitely seems to have some life left in it, barring some much needed work as far as the insides which had fallen to ruin in the past years of having a collapsed roof which wreaked havoc on the interior. I would still care to rebuild it in a digital setting that could show the potential for the space as it pertains to the celebration specifically, but I know if this space were to be back up and running according to the necessary updated standards it could be a great facility for general purposes in the town. There may be more on this before the summer is out... but don't quote me on that, artists are funny people, easily distracted...

 








Oh... and I found Jesus, unfortunately it was at 10:31 and he was no longer serving breakfast, so I bought a Coke and a bag of Cheetos anyway, since it would have been weird to just turn around and leave. It's ok... maybe next time Sir.

I also found Elvis, but this was much closer to Memphis. We had stopped at a Love's Truck Stop Hardee's outside of Jackson, Tn on our way back down and all of the sudden a presence made itself known. Out of the corner of my eye was the mis-shapen hairdo of the savior of popular music himself. I turned and there he was, checking the air pressure on his moderately priced compact SUV. I warned my daughter that it was not polite to stare as I fumbled with my iPhone for no less than a full minute one handed trying to get it to focus... Much like Sasquatch, Elvis too had bested me as he managed to elude my skills of depth of field and composition.


That's the trip folks, thanks for reading, I had a great time.