Hopefully your Christmas was another one to remember.

Camera phones allow us to capture the moment and post it within seconds to any social platform for all to see.

Not so in the 1970s.

When I was growing up, moments were captured on film if they were captured at all. Which is probably why I have so few records of Christmas morning beyond the staged shots meant to ensure limited and sometimes expensive photographs captured just the right feel.

Same with video cameras.

Those magical moments I wish were recorded for posterity are only in memory. My memory. Mom is gone and Dad has dementia.

As I’ve mentioned, Christmas mornings were reserved for opening stockings, eating breakfast and tearing into the colorful mysteries under the tree.

Wish I could remember what Christmas it was. Maybe 1975? It was sometime around the peak of my Mego World’s Greatest Super Heroes mania. I already had a pretty full stable of the eight-inch likenesses as envisioned, manufactured and marketed by the Mego Corporation.

In 1972, Mego licensed characters from both National Periodicals (DC Comics) and Marvel Comics. By 1973 heroes were hitting the shelves.

Not sure which was my first. Probably Batman; the one with the removable mask.

Anyway, others followed. Aquaman. Human Torch. Mr. Fantastic. The Thing. Green Arrow. Joker. Penguin. Riddler. Shazam. Captain America. Falcon. Hulk. Iron Man. Lizard.

I still needed Spidey and Robin. Especially the other half of the Dynamic Duo. It was my mission to make sure those were under the tree that year.

Growing up we lived in northern Virginia, not far from Washington D.C. For Christmas we would drive up and watch the lighting of the National Tree. Then we would visit Tyson’s Corners and shop. For a kid it was the best.

I can still remember picking out Spider-Man and Superman after the festivities. I was allowed to have one or the other. I think I chose Spidey. Superman was to be a gift from my grandparents that Christmas, though my kind hearted Grandmother did offer it to me early. That act of kindness was vetoed by my parents.

That Christmas morning I was surprised (?) with Superman, but more importantly with Batman’s faithful chum, Robin, who I had been seeking for some time. In addition there was a much larger present waiting for me. To my surprise it was the Mego Mobile Bat Lab.

Mobile Batlab

For those unfamiliar with the vehicle I’ve included a photo.

There are no photos of me opening the Bat Lab nor are there any photos of me with the Bat Lab while it was in my possession. Can’t remember how long that was, but I’m sure it was much too short.

During that time, however, it was the only part of the Mego fleet of vehicles I owned. There was a Batmobile, Batcycle, Batcopter, Spidey Mobile, Joker van and more.

That didn’t matter. Slippers served as cars and were promptly chased down by the Bat Lab.

To add a little realism, I would sit down and cut out “money” from green construction paper. Even going so far as to print denominations on the bills. Yes, I was an only child and had way too much time on my hands as well as an obsessive personality.

As with all memories, I’m sure my Mego time was much shorter than I remember.  But, however long it was hours well spent. Good and bad guys clashed in epic battles. Most were made up, but a few were cobbled from comic book storylines.

The Bat Lab? It was gone long before the box. Mom and Dad used the box to house ornaments for the next 15 years.

Star Wars became part of an international phenomenon in 1977. It became my next obsession. Still is to a degree. Super heroes were substituted for space heroes. By 1980 I was too old to continue the toy habit and both were gone.

Comic books did continue and when my son, Dylan, was about the same age as I was when Mego hit the shelves, ToyBiz debuted the Spider-Man Classics line. For the next five or six years his birthdays and Christmases were filled with six-inch heroes and villains.
There current resurrection tickles a fancy for a time when Dylan was younger and we could play on the floor much the same way I played on the floor during my childhood. Only without the construction paper money.

Merry Christmas and keep the memories alive. They only grow sweeter.

Hopefully your Christmas was another one to remember.

Summer has about a month of life left on the calendar, so let’s celebrate with the Marvel heroes circa 1985.

Summer Fun with the Marvel Super Heroes (1985) courtesy of mycomicshop.com

This $.99 ready to colorize adventure was written by Suzanne Weyn with art by Steve Geiger and Phil Lord. Participants were invited to “read along” while adding life to the two-dimensional, monochrome 48-page tome. Spider-Man, Captain America, Iron Man and – surprisingly – Black Cat headline the book.

This is a tamer version of summer fun than the Marvel Illustrated Swimsuit editions published from 1991 to 1995 featuring the curvier heroes and villains frolicking in the sun and surf in swimsuits.

Marvel chose to “imitate” the Sports Illustrated swimsuit editions, even going so far on the first offering as to use font and other features. Future editions would become more independent of the format.

Marvel was not the first to offer a fanboy’s fantasy. Fantagraphics Books published the Amazing Heroes Swimsuit issue beginning in 1987.

The Marvel line offered a theme for each issue. The first outing showcased the MCU during the Super Olympics held in the Savage Land. Subsequent issues placed characters in Wakanda for T’Challa’s engagement party. Issue two took place on Monster Island courtesy of Pip the Troll and the Infinity gems. Swimsuit Special three commemorated the Water Festival of the Inhumans on the Moon and the final installment was designed as a tourism boost for Madripoor.

The books were met with mixed reviews, but remembered. Enough so the title was rumored to be resurrected in 2015 only to be halted in the sketchbook phase. The Marvel Summer Special, aka Marvel Swimsuit Special, was actually solicited only to be cancelled in 2019. Marvel failed to offer a reason for yanking the project.

Whatever your feelings on the books, mainline some more Vitamin D before the days shorten much more.

Marvel Illustrated (1991)

Marvel Swimsuit Special (1992)

Marvel Swim Suit Special (1993)

Marvel Swimsuit Special (1994)

Marvel Swimsuit Special (1995)

World Day for International Justice goes by different names, but they all recognize one thing; the celebration of how international justice tribunals and courts have brought justice for the victims of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Representing are the heirs to the original band of mystery men. The Justice League is the legacy of the Justice Society of America originated in the dark days of World War II.

The League first formed in 1960. Over the years much of the DCU has trooped through as members in one form or another. When DC Comics chose to revamp the universe with Crisis on Infinite Earths, the 1980s Detroit incarnation was disbanded.

Justice League International (1987) 7

A mini-series, Legends, set the stage for the first group after the crisis simply entitled Justice League. Membership included Batman, Black Canary, Captain Marvel, Doctor Fate, Doctor Light, Guy Gardner, Martian Manhunter, Mister Miracle and Oberon.

By book seven the title was changed to Justice League International to represent their global standing. This cost the group their autonomy, allowing the United Nations to regulate the heroes.

With their new status, Justice League International established embassies in various countries allowing for another ongoing title, Justice League Europe.

In reality what happened was comic book readers were given a rare gift from Keith Giffen and J.M. DeMatteis. Readers received a well-crafted title that only got better as it progressed.

Kevin Maguire’s initial pencils were the perfect compliment to Giffen and DeMatteis who turned DCU’s original super team on their collective heads. Issues focused on both the action and adventure desired in a comic book, but gave readers a behind-the-scenes look at these same adventurers and their lives beyond the tights.

While Justice League International was played for laughs, World Day for International Justice is not.

The Nuremberg trials were the first of such cooperative efforts among various countries as war criminals were hunted down and brought to justice. Another was the Tokyo War Crimes Tribunal that tried and convicted leaders of the Empire of Japan for joint conspiracy to start and wage war.

On July 17, 1998, 120 states adopted the treaty known as the Rome Statute. This established the International Criminal Court. The Assembly of State Parties chose to commemorate the establishment of the ICC in 2010 with World Day for International Justice.

While most of this isn’t gonna every apply to us, let’s celebrate Justice League International. It really does deserve its own day.

Doctor Doom does not appear this Holy Week as we lead up to Easter Sunday.

Well, just on the cover. What we’re interested in for this Spidey Super Stories issue nine is the back-up story, Spidey Fights the Funny Bunny!

Yes, complete with exclamation mark.

Actually, this book packs a punch for its 35-cent cover price. Readers receive 32 ad-free pages. Opening the book is …The Day of Doom! It closes with Guess What’s Coming to Dinner!

In between is our Easter tale.

Spidey, as seen on the Electric Company, learns of the evil Funny Bunny while reading the evening paper. Though Spidey is not privy to the corrupt cottontail’s origin, readers learn she was a “…nice, normal person…until a bully sat on her Easter Basket.”

Spidey Super Stories (1974) 9

So scarred was she that she, “…turned to a life of crime…stealing from kids’ Easter Baskets.”

Ol’ Web Head deduces her next move will be to ruin the annual Easter Egg Roll on the White House lawn. Spider-Man takes a train to Washington D.C. where he apprehends the heinous hare and all ends well.

Spidey Super Stories was a four-color spin off of the live-action shorts of the same name airing on the Electric Company. The television version ran from 1974 to 1977 with 29 episodes.

The companion comic book ran from 1974 to 1982 with 57 issues aimed at the six- to 10-year olds. Jean Thomas and Jim Salicrup authored the books with art by Win Mortimer. Each comic was reviewed by the staff at Marvel and Children’s Television Workshop.

Today’s offering comes the day before Maundy Thursday, remembering Jesus’s last supper. This coming Friday is known as Good Friday, the day of his crucifixion. Holy Saturday follows and is the period between the crucifixion and the resurrection.

Easter is celebrated in a variety of ways by both those of the Christian faith and those outside the church. The first will largely choose to participate in church services on Easter Sunday while the later may be more comfortable sitting the sermon out and coloring eggs.

However you choose to commemorate, here’s an interesting fact. The Easter Bunny hails from medieval Germany. The Osterhase, or Easter Hare, became known for spreading about his colorful eggs in nests prepared by children. The tradition traveled to America with those now known as the Pennsylvania Dutch.

Join us Easter Sunday for a less enthused celebration. I know, ‘cuz I wrote that one first and it just didn’t come easy.

Christmas may be over, but Winter isn’t. Here’s a tome that lives up to its name, Dell giant, with 96 pages of stories, puzzles and games.

Tom and Jerry are the headliners with an opening tale of holiday hijinks. Tom wants a tree. Tom has one dollar. Christmas trees cost five dollars. This dilemma is how to multiply his single into five ones.

Jerry and nephew are happy to help, but not appreciated. Each faction’s conniving only brings ruin to both sides. Neither are able to solve the math problem and find themselves at square one 12 pages later.

M.G.M’s stable of animated actors comprise the remainder of the book as they contend with the coldest season of the year.

With the bulk of winter still ahead, Jeff and I encourage readers to curl up with their phone, tablet or laptop and review Four Color Holidays. It’s a shameless plug, but who cares. After all, there’s still 58 days till the first day of Spring.

High power bills lead Homer to start a crusade to save the planet – and money – in Off the Grid.

The Simpsons Winter Wingding (2009) 4

But, the family does not adapt well to the new lifestyle. Lisa finally caves and the family returns to normal.

Itchy and Scratchy star in their own two-(funny) page spread. The spin? Scratchy has a happy ending.

More global awareness when Krusty’s over-seas plant is shut down for unsafe work practices and hazardous products.

Winter comes early and hard, leaving Springfield a wasteland of white. With no way to buy presents, the children find Christmas morning bare. They are delighted when an unexpected rain of toys gives them their morning booty.

Land of Forbidden Toys is a Chuck Dixon classic that doesn’t spare the government.

Readers take a lively journey as they learn what happened to Homer’s truck from the 1992 Mr. Plow episode in Oh, Plow, Where Art Thou?

Finally, Patric Verrone takes a stab at A Visit from St. Nicholas, aka ‘Twas the Eve Before Christmas.

Homer’s night of passion is doused as he scrambles for presents. Santa saves the day and Christmas morning dawns with joy for all.

The oft-told story is credited to Clement Clarke Moore, but is contested by the relatives of Major Henry Livingston Jr. To this day no definitive answer has been forthcoming.

No matter the author, hunker down and enjoy the winter. It’s here to stay – for now.

Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird offer a Christmas-oriented story, What Comes Around…Comes Around!, in this reprinted, colorized dichotomy of the season.

Leonardo Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle (2013)

The turtles share an evening with April O’Neil in her apartment preparing for the big day. As they wrap, cook and decorate, Leonardo fights his way across town.

Peace on Earth is shattered when Leo bursts through the window. Readers are left unfulfilled with a blurb at the bottom of the page promising the stories continuation in TMNT issue 10.

The Turtles became an overnight sensation when they finally hit the mainstream on the airwaves in 1987. Thanks to President Regan’s deregulation on children’s television, toy companies were able to air half-hour commercials promoting their product.

That’s what happened with Eastman and Laird’s creation.

While popular in the comic community, the independent title didn’t make waves until made kid friendly. The franchise would garner $175-million in merchandising for 1988. That figure increased to $6 billion by 1994.

Items included toys, books, paper products, video games and more. In addition, the Turtles have appeared in six major motion pictures beginning in 1990.

Three of the most dreaded words known to young ears are, “back to school.” To ease the stress of returning to the hallowed halls of learning, Four Color Holidays features the above-named Tick special.

The Tick and Arthur are tapped to return to school as undercover agents. The Tick as a student and Arthur a janitor. Both are as convincing in their roles as the cast of 21 Jump Street of the previous decade.

Of course, there’s no room for reality in a Tick comic book and both pass for their assigned roles. The trouble is, neither know what they’re looking for, thanks to the Tick’s bumbling.

Tick’s naivete does reveal the fiendish plot as devised by the son of one of the duo’s earliest and most diabolical villains.

If you wanna know who, read the book.

So, mothers, enjoy the next 180-educational days as your young charges broaden their horizons. Some of what they learn will come in useful later in life.

It’s January and cold. All the more reason to wear a hat. Coincidently enough, today is National Hat Day. And, what better way to celebrate than to recount Batman’s nemesis Jervis Tetch’s first appearance as the Mad Hatter.

Batman (1940) 49

Shunned as a child due to his appearance, Tetch buried himself in books and learning. Eventually he became a neuroscientist and turned to evil, developing mind-control technology.

In his first adventure, Tetch attempted to steal a trophy from the Gotham Yacht Club. Batman proved more than capable in halting any Tom foolery from the chapeaued criminal and Tetch soon found himself a guest of Arkham Asylum for the remainder of the Golden Age.

The Mad Hatter wouldn’t return until the Silver Age, even appearing in the 1966 Batman television series as portrayed by David Wayne.

Other multi-media appearances include voice acting by Roddy McDowall on Batman the Animated Series and Peter MacNicol in the Batman Arkham games. He was later played by Benedict Samuel in the Gotham series on Fox.