“You can pick one.”

A story of self control and making connections 🙂 https://jimstoybox.com/2023/03/29/you-can-pick-one/ #MakeMineMego #walmartfinds #dccomics #greenlantern #aquaman #Shazam #TheFlash #Mego #jimbumgardner #jimstoybox

Collecting nostalgia in a nostalgic way (and it’s as tough now as it was then).

How does one choose a favorite friend? Today I figured it out.

Act 1 – The Challenge

If you were like me back in the golden age of going to the store with your Mom and Dad, I know you faced this challenge while standing in front of them with an armload of toys; “You have to pick one.” They delivered it in a way that made it sound so easy. Of course it wasn’t but you had to do what you had to do or be a brat about and loose the negotiation completely. Nobody wanted that.

It’s with that perspective and memory, I challenged myself as a parent now, to treat my collector habits like they did then. I could only pick one. Considering the choices it was just as tough now as it was then. Even though it was MY money! Still, it was a fun idea and would be a practice in self control. “What could warrant such a highly dramatic approach to buying a toy, Jim?” Four letters that followers of my online exploits know very well:

M E G O

Having went a little crazy on picking up the first series of 50th anniversary Worlds Greatest Superhero’s (Superman, Batman and Robin), the second series arrived at my local Walmart and I promised myself (and wife and daughter) that I would be a little more restrained in my impulses. But come on! There were now faithful reproductions of Aquaman and Shazam joined by new offerings (as if Mego made them back in the days of disco) of The Flash and Green Lantern to add to my block o’ nostalgia and collectors dream come true. It’s with that in mind that the challenge was born. And today was the day that I had to face the challenge.

Act 2 – What are the factors?

With the self imposed restrictions of my purchasing power agreed to, I walked into the Walmart here with a bunch of determining factors to consider:

So which one do I go with? What will the final decision be based on?

A. A faithful reproduction? Aquaman or Shazam

B. The new and exciting? The Flash or Green Lantern

C. The short packed? This was interesting too as it was a split between one of each classic vs new (2each Aquaman and The Flash’s and 4 each of Shazam and Green Lantern)

It was a serious dilemma I was facing but I was determined to make a logical (by my definition of logic that is) decision as to which one it was. One factor that was starting to come to the forefront of my selection process was to make it easier on myself by going chronologically. To go with which came first in the old days: Aquaman or Shazam. The newbies could wait. And as I was looking at them all and reverting back to my 6 year old self in 1979, something happened that was completely unprecedented in my neck of the woods:

John showed up.

Before I get to who John turned out to be, I must share the background and why his appearance had to be of some sort of dimensional enigma wrapped in a quagmire. You see dear reader, I am pretty much if not the only dyed in the wool, hardcore Mego fan in this neck of the world. I can prove this by point you back to earlier on this article of how I went a wee bit overboard with the series 1 assortment. I literally bought them all. Not at one time though. I spread the purchases out over several weeks as to not be one of “those guys” who hoards things. Sure it may look like it if you don’t know the story, but I don’t care. Those were fair shipping terms as far as I’m concerned. Plus, literally no one else was buying them here. Not one. To me that was a disrespectful shame and not an Afro t to the things I love to be allowed for too long. Hence my surprise when John walked up and politely asked me if I had grabbed the ones I wanted.

“What is happening here?” was the first question that popped into my head. “I’ve never seen this guy before. Is he a reseller? Is he looking to snatch away my precious plastic memories? What was this guys deal?!?” My rational journalistic mind snapped back into play and decided to just ask him. His answer was one for me that was of a serendipitous and maybe even divine intervention.

He was a fan.

Not only that but he was also a really good dude. I told him about my challenge and asked him if it was cool that I interview him for this most monumental encounter. He agreed and not at all awkward. You see, dear uninitiated to the collector world, we fanboys and fangirls share a kinship that knows no labels or limitations. It’s a wonderful thing.

Along with sharing his story of being from out of town but making it a point to pop into Walmarts along the way in search of these little prizes, he also shared so much about his connection to the toys and his hopes for kids to discover them as well. So many times his answers sounded like my own thoughts, words and deeds. I’m telling ya, gang, it was a fantastic exchange. That is until he posed the question back to me that I had started this journey off with; “So, which one are you going to pick?”

I had to pause due to this new x-factor which came in the form of John and the figures in his hands. I shared with him my points of consideration to which he completely understood. He also understood how the scale was now tipped with his selections. I’m not aging this was like a scene in a movie where the camera cuts into an extreme close up of the heroes eyes and we see the one bead of sweat appear and slide down his eyes… but it was close.

Scarcity. That would be my determining factor! But… it is MY money and this challenge is dumb and I might miss out on the one if I pick the other… damn it! So I grabbed them both. There was no shaming glance from John as it appeared my will power fell through and I put both Aquaman and The Flash into my handcart and we both headed toward the registers.

Before we made it all the way up though, I did need to touch base with my wife to see if there was anything else I did need to pick up before I left. Perhaps it was in this moment of responsibility, I made the internal judgement call to put one back. And I did.

*To note, John saw his three selections all the way to the end.

Act 3 The decision

So what did I do?

Who did I choose?

Why did I choose this one?

What is the moral of the story?

As I walked away from the collectibles section having returned The Flash to his spot amongst the remaining Shazam’s and Green Lantern’s, I looked down at the Aquaman in my hand basket and smiled. I had practiced self control and used (once again) my own form of collectors logic and justification in making this choice. I decided to proceed forward by staying chronological in my selection. Way back when, Aquaman was one of the original four including Superman, Batman and Robin so that made sense and also set the order of operations for my next pick ups in the coming days or weeks. I still want to give other fans a shot at them although, jumping ahead of the four Shazam’s to get to the now one lonely The Flash will be a chore I’m sure.

So the moral? Self control is still possible in an on demand, I want it now and not only that, it’s incredibly satisfying to know that in the most unexpected ways and at the most unexpected times, we all have opportunities to connect with like minded folks and share stories and moments so long as we’re willing to accept a challenge.

Now, Go Play!

Jim 03/28/2023

If you liked this article, I’d truly appreciate it if you would take the couple seconds to time to like, comment, subscribe and share it far and wide. It would also be swell if you are in the market for Mego toys to stop by your local Walmart and pick one up there. I can’t speak from a position of authority in this but I do believe the more that sell at retail the longer the line will go on. But of course, supporting your favorite online retailer is a great thing to do too as they are truly committed to helping folks bring the magic literally home via the various shipping services available. Yet if all that fails or those avenues are out of stock, I would ask you to consider buying a Mego their official store on Amazon where I do get a piece of as an Amazon affiliate. And if you want to learn more about all things Mego consider joining the official Mego Ambassador group on Facebook for the latest news and informs straight from the source.

“You can pick ONE!”

A story of self control and making connections 🙂 https://jimstoybox.com/2023/03/29/you-can-pick-one/ #MakeMineMego #walmartfinds #dccomics #greenlantern #aquaman #Shazam #TheFlash #Mego #jimbumgardner #jimstoybox

So what is all this “Jim’s Toy Box” about?

Happiness. Enlightenment. My perspective on it so maybe my journey can help you too. I share this as a life long broadcaster who took my pledge of responsibility in informing and entertaining the audience in a very mindful and meaningful way.

That’s it.

Now, Go Play;

Imagine It. Believe It. And Take Action.

Jim 02/18/2023

This is you… well, if you get serious about working out… but still 🙂

New Year… same inspiration.

Greetings dear readers! Hope 2023 is treating you well. It’s still new so I can’t say I totally trust it yet. 😉 That’s okay though, I’ve got my little doppelgängers to keep me safe and inspired.

And n all pseudo seriousness, me and mine are moving into the new calendar cycle feeling pretty good. Almost as good as Superman living his best life…

If only everyone could be so super chill.

The mad rush that begins Thanksgiving and concludes the day after the new year starts has once again been a whirlwind. Food with the fam, Black Friday at the day job, my birthday where I get spoiled by my girls every year. This one with more gingerbread…

Say what you will but they’re cute!

Then follow that up with my baby girl turning 13 and then of course Christmas where everybody gets some extra TLC (Tendered Loads of Capitalism) from Santa 😉 He stole the show this year with this one…

I must say, while it didn’t fit under the tree, the Christmas magic certainty gleaned from the screen.
And everyone was drawn to the retro pixels.

And no Christmas season would be complete without a final stop of the year to Silver Dollar city where the lights were certainly stunning…

A fun slice of Americana.

Still… not as stunning as my fun loving Mrs.

Yeah. She’s mine 🙂 #wishyouwereme.com

And now the dust is settling and I get to take this time to sorta relax and observe my gifts and what all they mean to me.

Zorro rounds out my new “A-Team” of Funko Pops. I pity the fool who crosses these law dogs.
So very much more to the story of this figure taking a place on my wall but we’ll save that for later. Much love to you my brotha!
This site here is still one I’m so surprised and grateful that they came to pass. Never have to settle for Horshack again. (Again another story for another time).

On the end of it all, 2022 was what it was and was and despite excuses we can all come up with and blame, in the end every year and more importantly every day is what we make of it. For me, moving forward that will never again be forgotten nor taken for granted.

This toy box isn’t a “business”. It’s a way of life full of opportunity and adventures just waiting to be had.

Now, Go Play!

Jim 01/02/2023

Happy Mego Day? A timeline adventure.

UPDATE!!!!! Want to let you all know that right now (11/20/2022) You can order the new 50th anniversary Mego Superheroes from Movie Posters Etc NOW! I know I stressed the “retail experience” and I do hope to do that BUT more importantly I want what I want and I also would MUCH RATHER see a small business benefit from your purchase. Check ’em out and Collect ‘Em All!

Jim’s note: This post will be updated throughout the day. Check back or refresh the page often.

Introduction: Why it all matters to me. They’re just dolls for God sake. But not really. They’re a life long source of inspiration, entertainment and joy for nearly 50 years. And now we’ve come to a bookend.

Preface/ prelude 11/05/2022: the discovery.

HAPPY MEGO DAY? 11/06/2022

5:50 am: up and at em! Fall back in full effect. Feel pretty good with the “extra” hour of sleep I got. Now for the morning chores with the cats and dogs. Then off to work.

7:11 am: popped into the home base Walmart. Nothing as expected but tried anyway. Now on to work… best word for today: Anticipation!

7:46 am: thinking about it all (which is always my thing anyway), how to make a game of it beyond the silliness of it all, my mind is pondering using these 50th anniversary figures as a reward system. Trade the treat for a bad or non existent habit I want to break or create. In essence treating myself like a kid who needs to finish his vegetables before desert . So silly. Time to do the day job… bet your bippity that my mind will be filled with ideas for the blogs and podcasts to come inspired by this new hunt.

8:35 am: in regards to last point… work tasks are getting done quicker. So much for the passage of time being manipulated by distraction. I

10:25 am: I truly enjoy and appreciate my day job… but man oh man would I like to be able to check those pegs right now! Not completely obsessed as much as I want to see this happen.

But regardless of the days final results… my heart will go on. Just like Celine sang 😉

Going for a better outcome then these two.

The trick is to just focus on the workday stuff. I swear, these posts come at times that are ethical. No slacking here from this fanboy.

1:34 pm: Lunch time but not enough time to run across town. AKA adult problems. “Just call or order online.” How about no. This about the retail experience and showing support at the register for the company. More on all of that later.

2:01 pm: Could it be any slower? As Johnny Cash so intensely sang; “Tome keeps dragging on.” Now, while I’m not stuck in a prison, the clock is certainly an annoying warden at the moment.

Like sands through the hourglass that doesn’t actually have a hole in the middle. Welcome to my Sunday.

3:33 pm: just found out I have dinner plans right after I get off sooooooo…. I broke and called the store. The young man was nice but had no clue even after looking. The tension builds like a Willie Wonka meme.

4:42 pm: So close to quitting time but the dinner plans have taken precedence. Grrrrrr…. But the biggest reveal so fat is how much I’m getting a kick out of these timeline updates. Something to this form of storytelling 🙂

5:07 pm: dinner party is still waiting for the table sooooo….. update shortly. 🙂

5:28 pm: Nevermind . Family first. 🙂

7 pm: Almost done with dinner. Anticipation slightly muted by post pasta grogginess. Honestly though, I’m not feeling that the final stop is going to turn out with a happy ending.

7:59 pm: It appears to be a bust. But I ain’t going without some digging…

Photo credit: Alicia. She totally gets me and I appreciate that more than you know.

8:18 pm: Learning new things. While the system shows that the figures will be here, when is actually an uncertainty.

“not in transit”

So in at the end of the day the anticipation was left unfulfilled, but most certainly not a waste of day or unbearable disappointment. Watch this space for more on this “Happy Mego Day” that wasn’t plus the podcast that will talk more about the true significance of all of this silliness.

Now, go play!

Jim 11/06/2022

P.S. Not a total bust at the CCP Superstore. Found this fun little star of the FNAF universe from Funko for Freddy’s biggest fan. We call her Kaitlynn. 🙂

Daily Update April 2, 2014

toy box copyHowdy gang! Sorry for the in and out for those that are following me everyday. I’ll be honest with you, it’s been some crazy rockin’ and rollin’ going on back stage and not always in the good way. But I won’t trouble you with that pity party because this is a fun place, and by golly I’m going to keep it that way.

standbyAs mentioned before I have decided to scrap the broadcast television show (for now) but I’m far from not throwing stuff out into the ether. What I’m doing is creating some 60 second mini featurettes that I will be posting here as well as broadcasting on TKO 8 television where you’ll find me doing the day job stuff. I really want to introduce more folks to the things you see here but I don’t want to kill myself doing it. Plus I enjoy the various mediums available these days and as such I want to play with them all. Multi media Jim in progress J

imagesOne thing that I do feel like sharing with you at the moment is my process. I’m a Henry Ford kind of guy when it comes to production. The efficiency I find in an assembly line structure really works for me. Feds my analytical side and I’ve found as I do the steps (photo’s / video. Writing, graphics etc…) in this way my creativity flows better. I mention this only because coming back to this realization has helped me tremendously in getting back into the groove again.

FIGKS860AAlgAnother thing I am extremely stoked about is the coming additions to the Toy Box: The Figures Toy Company 8 inch Alive series of KISS Mego style action figures. Recently my good buddy Tom got me plugged back into some of the fantastic branches of the KISS Army and I can’t thank him enough. I’ll go more into all of the “why’s” that makes this so important to me once I get to the review. In a nutshell though I’ll say that reconnecting with one’s earliest influences and inspirations does a mind, body and soul good.

Looking at the clock on the wall I gotta scoot to get back to work on some voice tracks for another fun project I’m working on. In the meantime thank you all again for stopping by and showing your support and love for me and the Toy Box. Below is a gallery of pics from some things to come very soon. It was the best picture day ever!

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Now, Go Play!

Jim 04/02/14

 

(Not So) Daily Update 03/25/14

miceThe best laid plans of mice and men, often go awry. I can relate. Well, at least with the Daily Updates. But with good reasons. I’ve been too busy planning, creating and executing!

As the countdown calendar shows, the first broadcast program is getting incredibly close and let me tell you sister there’s a whole lot of work that must be done. So please forgive me for my lack of consistency on this feature at the moment. I’ve got segments stacked up and running out my ears as I work out the final particulars of the broadcast version of the Toy Box. As such my curiosity is growing in regards to what the audience reaction will be.

I’m not terribly concerned with the love it or hate it aspect but just the reaction in general. As I’ve mentioned before dear reader my interests are pretty niche when it comes to the market that I live in. Not that either side is good or bad, just different. One things for sure, this show will most certainly be different than anything else that’s been done around here.

Anyway I just wanted to drop a quick line and say howdy to you all but now I must get back to work. Excuse me I must get back to play. The day any of this becomes “WORK” I’ll walk away and slap myself for taking the fun out of my happy spot. Believe that.

Now, Go Play!

Jim 03/25/14

Daily Update – 03/17/14

Good evening gang! I do hope your St. Patrick’s Day went well. Overall ours went smooth, no pinching, green beer or leprechauns to speak of but all in all a good day.

The days on the calender seem to be getting in a hurry as I get closer to the launch of the TV version of the Toy Box. No pressure though, it’s all about play and a variety of it so stress is most certainly not allowed. Plus I’m having a ton of fun!

The day job kept me busy as the chief was out of the tepee today and I was left to man the village. Not a bad thing really. It gives me the opportunity to go into super multi-tasker mode. Honestly I liked that. Wouldn’t want to do it every day but its a nice change up and keeps me sharp. The only real difference between today and any other day is that I plop my posterior back in the air chair to spit out the local headlines. which you can see here:

Playing “news guy” is fun but not something I would ever want to do for the rest of my life. Too depressing. Thankfully the chief will be back tomorrow and I can comfortably kick back at master control. Plus after watching the playback it’s simply too much “Jim” for a good broadcast. Between the rip and read with the news my pipes are heard on all of the commercials. One must know overkill when you spot it.  Ego be damned. Plus the uploaded version looks like all of the blacks in the video were hit with  bleach bomb. Terrible.

One thing that I did get to have a lot of fun with today was the article on a CD I picked up over the weekend. As I try to get the “Thrift Store Flipping” segment back on track the family and I made the rounds at the area thrift shops this past Saturday. Tomorrow I’ll talk about one of the unseen perils of this project, bit of a bummer really but I’d rather keep this one on a positive note.

edwards_0001 Pickin’s were very slim but I did score some cool books and a CD for personal consumption. More about the books later but the CD was a winner on so many levels. You can read all about it HERE. It also gave me the motivation to get another segment of the Toy Box in place; the Listening Room.

Well, the clock is ticking and the sandman is calling my name. So off to bed for your old buddy Jimbo. One last tip for you before I wrap this one up. As you have probably figured out I’m pretty easy to amuse and I love a good deal. The Mrs. introduced me to an experience that satisfied both of those needs; a shopping trip to Rue 21. Dude, if you have never been there, pop in.

lrg_logo_rue21We just recently had one come to town and I figured 1. it was a girl’s store and 2. I am way too old to be in there. I was wrong on both accounts.  Not only did I find a pair of high top sneakers that make me giggle a little (they’re black, shiny and faux snakeskin with white soles) but they were crazy cheap. $5 bucks later and I’ve got shiny shoes. Plus another Lincoln later I picked up a couple of belts, a hat and two watches. Do the math gang, that’s a buck a piece for brand new stuff! I dig it.

Again, thanks for stopping by, catching up or just being nosy. Now, Go Play!

Jim 03/17/14

Daily Update 031414

Good evening gang!

Good golly Ms. Molly it’s been another productive day. I didn’t get a chance to get to my review that I teased you with yesterday but I’ll share with you what the subject matter is:

SW Group 1These Star Wars Mission Series action figures are awesome. Again I’m working on a full review which I hope to have to you by Monday. But don’t wait on me. Go get your self a set or just the ones that catch your eye. They are totally worth the price.

The reason as to why I wasn’t able to get to the review is a very good one. Along with the Toy Box web content and TV show I’m also working on a pilot with a pal of mine Ted Bergman. He developed a fantastically funny idea called Dog’s and Cats Go Hollywood. Not only is fun and funny, it also has a heart of gold for the animals. Be sure to check it out. I’ll share more of my role in the project in the near future. I know, ever the tease but whatcha gonna do. It’s my thing.

At the end of the day my brain is totally mushy but completely worth it. Now, Go Play!

Jim 03/14/14

Daily Update 03/13/14

Boy has it been busy so please forgive me for my in and out lately. It’s been a really productive time though. Here’s a quick run down:

standbyDid a lot of tests for the internet broadcast show yesterday. Many thanks to Gar Ghoul for the tip on a video capture device. It was a huge help and most certainly the hub that everything is centered around. Also special thanks to Ben and Tom for bearing with me and being my eyes and ears as I pushed buttons and flipped switches. It’s coming together nicely and once I perfect my method I’ll share the process with all of you potential broadcasters out there.

S Type Winner ZachOn the S-Type body giveaway I am so tickled to have received pictures of our young winner and an example of his “Multi Color Man”. The future of the 8 inch format rests in his imagination. Thank you so much for playing and sharing Zach!

question-markThe review front finds a pair of fellows that most certainly took me back to my childhood. Being a slave to the tease aspect of things I won’t tell you who or what they are but I will say the Force is most certainly with them.

shat tzThe biggest thing on the toy front that really knocked my socks off occurred yesterday when it was officially announced the partnership between Bif Bang Pow and ZICA Toys. My two favorite toy makers have partnered up to bring us all into the Twilight Zone. Love these figures!
The Twilight Zone Invader 3 3/4-inch Action FigureThe Twilight Zone Henry Bemis 3 3/4-inch Action FigureThe Twilight Zone Gremlin 3 3/4-Inch Action FigureThe Twilight Zone Kanamit 3 3/4-inch Action FigureThe Twilight Zone Talky Tina 3 3/4-inch Action Figure
There is so much going on that I can’t wait to share with you but I must. Time has most certainly become a precious commodity for me these days but thankfully I have you and the Toy Box to help me slow down long enough to write this and play a little. I appreciate that gang. Now, Go Play!

Jim 03/13/2014

Daily update 03/11/2014

So, daylight savings time, we meet again. Let me cut straight to the chase. I don’t like you. Seriously. But you know what? I’m gonna whip you. Sure the past two days the victory’s have been yours. Enjoy them. They are your last.

Off to lick my wounds and regain my footing, gang. Imma go sleep but you? Fight on! Now, Go Play!

Jim 03/11/14

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