Tuesday, July 31, 2007

Christopher Columbus became the first European to visit Trinidad on this day in 1498. He claimed it for Spain.



Pictured here is Port of Spain, Trinidad.

Monday, July 30, 2007

Jimmy Hoffa has been missing 32 years as of today.



Have you seen this man?

Sunday, July 29, 2007

We were in the mood for love for this week's Sunday Funnies, but we're not really sure what we found.

Mr. Anthony's Love Clinic, one of the many "romance" comics aimed at female readers in the 1950's, features "intimate revelations of love and romance" as told to the apparently very real "John J. Anthony," the director of the "Marital Relations Institute" and host of a weekly radio program.



What's disturbing about Mr. Anthony is that he appears to be posing as Dr. Anthony, and despite being some sort of popular marriage counselor, he seems to want to examine the woman seated on this cover as though he were an actual physician.˜

Saturday, July 28, 2007

Yesterday was the anniversary of Bugs Bunny's debut in 1940's A Wild Hare, so today's Cartoon Saturdays is dedicated to the wascally wabbit.



Here, Bugs is depicted on a Mattel Music Maker from the early 1960's.

Friday, July 27, 2007

The United States Department of State (originally known as the Department of Foreign Affairs) was established on this day in 1789.



The Secretary of State under Presidents Nixon and Ford, Henry Kissinger, appears here in his alter ego as "Super Kissinger" on a wristwatch.

Thursday, July 26, 2007

Fidel Castro began his six year struggle for control of Cuba on this day in 1953.



This photograph is from the opposite end of the struggle, upon his victory in 1959.

Wednesday, July 25, 2007

The United States invaded Puerto Rico on this date in 1898, as part of the Spanish-American war. On this date 54 years later, Puerto Rico became a Commonwealth with its own constitution (though still under U.S. control).



Pictured is a news photo of the Governor's palace in Puerto Rico in the early 1950's shortly before the establishment of the Commonwealth. It was the scene of many of the protests that led to the self-governance of the territory.

Tuesday, July 24, 2007

Today is television's Wonder Woman, actress Lynda Carter's birthday.



She could be standing near her invisible jet, we just can't tell.

Monday, July 23, 2007

[Fire up your delorian, hop in your police call box, fly around the planet really fast, throw yourself into a spinning tunnel... however you swing through time, we've got a missing week to relive...]

Today is former radio talk show host Don Imus' birthday. Might as well note it, since it could be the last time you know who he is.



Here is his record album from a happier time in his career.

Sunday, July 22, 2007

[Fire up your delorian, hop in your police call box, fly around the planet really fast, throw yourself into a spinning tunnel... however you swing through time, we've got a missing week to relive...]

Continuing our lunar weekend, today's Sunday Funnies dug up a Jack Kirby comic all about the space race. Though nobody shot at Buzz Aldrin with laser pistols, the flag claiming the moon for the U.S. was pretty much on the mark.



It's not clear why everyone is wearing the same uniform if they're racing each other to the moon, but then again, it is pretty cool to be the guy that gets to stick the flag in the crater...

Saturday, July 21, 2007

[Fire up your delorian, hop in your police call box, fly around the planet really fast, throw yourself into a spinning tunnel... however you swing through time, we've got a missing week to relive...]

Might as well celebrate the lunar landing this weekend on Saturday Cartoons.

Sailor Moon is one of the most popular anime franchises to have hit the United States, garnering fans of all ages and having lots of uniquely American tie-in products made. Though it has plenty of male fans, for various reasons, it was also very popular with young girls, and was one of the most successful programs feature female super-heroes ever.



This is a Sailor Moon star locket. We don't know what it is, but it appears to be very expensive.

Friday, July 20, 2007

[Fire up your delorian, hop in your police call box, fly around the planet really fast, throw yourself into a spinning tunnel... however you swing through time, we've got a missing week to relive...]

The Eagle landed on this day in 1969, as the Apollo 11's lunar landing module touched down on the surface of the moon.



Relive the true life adventures of the first men on the moon with this model kit.

Thursday, July 19, 2007

[Fire up your delorian, hop in your police call box, fly around the planet really fast, throw yourself into a spinning tunnel... however you swing through time, we've got a missing week to relive...]

Today is the birthday of gunmaker Samuel Colt.



Here's a Colt 38 cap gun.

Wednesday, July 18, 2007

[Fire up your delorian, hop in your police call box, fly around the planet really fast, throw yourself into a spinning tunnel... however you swing through time, we've got a missing week to relive...]

The Great Fire of Rome started on this day in the year 64.



You saw this coming. Go ahead and fiddle.

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

[Fire up your delorian, hop in your police call box, fly around the planet really fast, throw yourself into a spinning tunnel... however you swing through time, we've got a missing week to relive...]

The city of Anaheim, California changed forever on this day in 1955, as Disneyland opened to the public.



Upon its closing in 1996, the Main Street Electrical Parade was dismantled and the original light bulbs were sold. Pictured is one of them.

Monday, July 16, 2007

[Fire up your delorian, hop in your police call box, fly around the planet really fast, throw yourself into a spinning tunnel... however you swing through time, we've got a missing week to relive...]

Popcorn mogul Orville Redenbacher celebrates his birthday today.



After eating your popcorn, clean up after yourself with Orville Redenbacher napkins.

Sunday, July 15, 2007

[Fire up your delorian, hop in your police call box, fly around the planet really fast, throw yourself into a spinning tunnel... however you swing through time, we've got a missing week to relive...]

We were going to look at Blue Beetle, and maybe Booster Gold from the Giffen-DeMatties Justice League run. While looking we found an issue of the spin-off series starring Mister Miracle (and the missus, Big Barda) guest starring Booster and Beetle.

The Mister Miracle series was (at least as it started) a sitcom. Scott and Barda Free (and their pal Oberon) moved into a new home and tried to live a normal life, despite their ties to the United Nations-backed JLI, their closest friends being some wacky super-heroes and their essentially being fugitives from Darkseid's Apokolips.

Of course they probably could have made it work better if not for the involvement of Giffen and DeMatteis.

Later the book got less funny, less connected to JLI, and finally less published (also known as cancelled).



Here's the cover of Mister Miracle issue number 8, guest starring Booster and Beetle, wherein the Free family deals with their latest domestic difficulty.

Saturday, July 14, 2007

[Fire up your delorian, hop in your police call box, fly around the planet really fast, throw yourself into a spinning tunnel... however you swing through time, we've got a missing week to relive...]

Star Trek's opening credits always promised a five year mission, but despite the best efforts of its fans, the show lasted only three years, leaving that promise unfulfilled.

A few years later, Star Trek returned to the small screen in animated form, running for two seasons, giving the crew of the Enterprise their five years.



Here the animated Kirk and Spock pose for a photograph.

Friday, July 13, 2007

[Fire up your delorian, hop in your police call box, fly around the planet really fast, throw yourself into a spinning tunnel... however you swing through time, we've got a missing week to relive...]

Today is Friday the 13th. It might not be the best day to go to a hockey game.



Jason Voorhees, who made hockey masks fashionable, has now been reborn in a custom lego figure.

Thursday, July 12, 2007

[Fire up your delorian, hop in your police call box, fly around the planet really fast, throw yourself into a spinning tunnel... however you swing through time, we've got a missing week to relive...]

Twiddling your thumbs became an art form on this day in 1960, when the Etch-A-Sketch went on sale.



Despite frequent flirts with variations, the classic red and white look has endured the decades.

Wednesday, July 11, 2007

[Fire up your delorian, hop in your police call box, fly around the planet really fast, throw yourself into a spinning tunnel... however you swing through time, we've got a missing week to relive...]

Babe Ruth made his major league debut with the Boston Red Sox on this day in 1914.



This is a reproduction of the Babe's rookie card.

Tuesday, July 10, 2007

Wyoming attained statehood on this day in 1890.



Apparently in Wyoming the meaning of the term "highway" is slightly different than it is elsewhere.

Monday, July 9, 2007

Henry Tibbe received a patent on the modified and improved design of the corncob pipe on this day in 1878.



Frosty the Snowman did for corncob pipes what the Flintstones did for Winston cigarettes.

Sunday, July 8, 2007

We're still quasi-time traveling on this week's Sunday Funnies, but never fear, comics are a great place to travel the timestream.

If you're going to travel through time in a comic book, you probably shouldn't waste time with amateurs (or weirdoes like Waverider). Nope, you should stick with a master. A time master, like Rip Hunter.



Traveling through time, even with a master like Rip Hunter, isn't without it's risks, such as attacking birdmen from Babylon.

Saturday, July 7, 2007

On this cartoon Saturday we weren't really here.

That said, while time travel is not exactly possible, thanks to the magic of "Completed Items" and Blogger post-dating, we can come pretty close.

In honor of our foray into quasi-time travel, we decided to look for a watch.

The best one we found is a swell Popeye pocket watch, featuring most of the classic Popeye cast of characters, including Wimpy, Bluto and Swee' Pea.



It yis what it yis.

Friday, July 6, 2007

The first Major League Baseball All Star Game was played on this day in 1933. The game, played in Comiskey Park, Chicago was part of the 1933 Chicago World's Fair.



The concept for the All Star Game proved irresistible to board game creators.

Thursday, July 5, 2007

P.T. Barnum, master salesman and humbug artist, plus founder of the circus and sideshow industry, was born on this day in 1810.



Commemorative coins look like money but have no financial use at all. Still, they sometimes change hands for considerable amounts. Thus it's especially fitting that one was pressed of P.T. Barnum.

Wednesday, July 4, 2007

Today is the Fourth of July, also known as Independence Day in the United States of America.



Independence Day is most commonly celebrated by watching things blow up in pretty colors, as this respectable looking family is doing.

Tuesday, July 3, 2007

Today is the birthday of author Franz Kafka.



Pictured above is the cover for a 1940's edition of his excellent work The Castle.

Monday, July 2, 2007

Today is actress Lindsay Lohan's birthday. She turns 21, which for many Americans is an exciting milestone, as it means they can finally go and drink in public. Hopefully Ms. Lohan will find some way of making today exciting anyway.



Wish you could hang with the queen of the teen scene? Well, thanks to Scholastic, now's your chance.

Sunday, July 1, 2007

On today's Sunday Funnies, we've got a giveaway comic from Fort Ticonderoga. Dating from 1950, this comic was used to provide the back story visitors to the historic Revolutionary War site in upstate New York. The art (and apparently text) was done by Fred Ray, a staple of DC's Golden Age titles, penciling memorable covers for early issues of Superman and Batman among many others.



The cover of the Fort Ticonderoga comic.