Concluding September With an Excellent ToyMan Show!

As September comes to a close, I attended the ToyMan Show today (in addition to stopping by the GAS Card Show as I blogged about earlier). It was, as always, a great time, and I found some cool things!

The show's first floor as it began.

I started the show off by saying hello to Tim Metzger and the fellow from Tatertot Comics and Collectibles (who have their own show coming up this October 18th). I also had a chance to chat with John from Bigfoot Comics about how he'd been doing. My good friend, Jack, of Fortress Comics was at the show and had a ton of great comics too! I picked up a cool, "Spectacular Spider-Man," issue featuring the first appearance of Tombstone, as can be seen right below:

During the show, I enjoyed browsing a bunch of Hot Wheels one vendor had brought in addition to the latest Pokémon release. I ran into my chum, Spike, and he had some awesome promotional pins from when, "Alien Vs Predator," came out back in 2004. I picked them up to add to my pins on my tote bag I often carry around at shows. Take a look:

As I continued exploring the show, I enjoyed seeing Brian Lan and discussing how I'll see him with other folks representing the Hero Initiative at the upcoming Galaxy Con St Louis. I enjoyed looking at Bruce Reynolds' comics as well and had the chance to say, "Hello," to Tom Milister, too! In the upstairs area, I caught up with author Debbie Manbe Kupfer about her latest book and enjoyed seeing Lindsay Hornsby and hearing about her latest art creations! I enjoyed seeing the latest creations of Cayd from Tri Fox Shoppe, as well! I had the pleasure of meeting Jeff Wise, AKA The Tentacle Monster artist. His creations were very cool! Lastly, I bought the latest book from my friend, Jessica Mathews, and she was kind enough to write a note for Clarkson and Gibson in it! Here it is:

Today's ToyMan Show was a delight, and I am happy to have been able to attend. There is always so much stuff to examine, dig through, and (potentially) purchase! I always say to people, if there is a collectible item you're looking for and you didn't find it at ToyMan, you must not have looked hard enough, as it is most likely there! I am excited for the next show on November 9th and encourage you to put it on your calendar to attend as well--I'll see you there!

I (Briefly) Swung By the ToyMan Show Today!

Sometimes when I visit the ToyMan show I am able to be there for a solid chunk of time. However, I was able to visit today but it was a bit abbreviated. I got there somewhat later in the day than usual as I had a morning activity with Clarkson, so he came with me to the show, too, and I enjoyed walking around and looking at everything! When we got to the show we made sure to say howdy to my friend Spike Forester of Lost In Space Toys and Collectibles. He was fun to talk with as always and then we saw my chum Tom of Alliance Comics, Toys, and Games. He was doing well too. I saw the awesome Marcus Mosley and we conversed about all the impressive comics he had brought to the show for sale. Some of the crew from Tatertot Comics was present as well and we talked about how I'm pumped for their upcoming show at the end of this month!

In the upstairs area, I had the chance to see my stellar author friends including Jessica Mathews, Linsday Hornsby, and Debbie Manber Kupfer. The three of them are all stellar creators of cool stuff! Besides all the folks I know at the ToyMan show there were plenty of vendors with everything you could need ranging from comics (my first love) to assorted toys, Funko Pops, video-games, Laserdisc (of all things), diecast cards, and any other exciting fandom you could think of--the ToyMan show is always jam-packed with awesome wares! Plus, the delightful Scott Innes (famous voiceover actor) was present at the show again due to how great it went the last time he attended. A bunch of fans were very excited to see him and he was chatting with many people and taking lots of pics. It was another superb Toyman show even if I was there a bit shorter than usual. I eagerly look forward to the Christmas season show this December 8th--that is sure to be a humdinger of good time!

Ending September 2024 With a Lovely ToyMan Show

There was another ToyMan show yesterday, an event I always look forward to attending! I got there earlier in the day and spent some time browsing the countless fantastic wares and chatting with the awesome vendors as I always enjoy doing. There was a cool special guest today, Warren Proulx. He's an actor who has been involved in a number of, "Star Wars," roles and was eager to chat with fans of the franchise. It is awesome when ToyMan has guests, but you know I'm always there looking for deals--and boy did I find some great ones today!

The view from the upper level before it got too busy!

I started the show off by saying hello to my friend John Chaffee of Bigfoot Comics and looking at all the neat stuff he brought. I saw my friend Tim Metzger too and he was doing well. Tom from Alliance, Comics, Toys, and Games was busy at the show and Bruce Reynolds was there making sales too! Brian Lan was there and we talked about other Superman comics I need to read— he is an encyclopedia of knowledge about Superman! I spoke with Spike from Lost in Space Toys and Collectibles, and I was impressed with a fun WALL-E toy he had. By putting in some batteries it can be controlled by a remote and I figured Clarkson and Gibson might find it fun. The price was good so I bought it and once I was home later in the day Gibson loved it as this picture illustrates:

Gibson and WALL-E

Rewinding back to my time at the show, I enjoyed going to the upstairs area when I saw author and my friend, Jessica Mathews. We chatted about how life had been and it was great to see her! I also saw my chum Lindsay Hornsby who was doing well and bought a fun card game from the always-lovely Debbie Manbe Kupfer themed for her book, "Adana the Earth Dragon." In addition, when I returned to the downstairs area I saw my friends Dustin and Tammy set up at their table. They had a bunch of shortboxes of comics for only $3 each so I scooped up some goodies, including a lower-grade (but still awesome) copy of, "Wolverine #8! Give it a look:

Thanks to Dustin and Tammy!

The ToyMan show today showed how you can always rely on the event to be jam-packed with everything from toys, to Funko, Legos, die-cast cars, video-games, DVDs, trading cards, old movie posters, and comic-books (in addition to more things I didn't think to name). I'm already excited for the next show on November 3rd, 2024. It'll be where it always is, the Machinist Hall at 12365 St. Charles Rock Road in Bridgeton, Missouri. 

Another ToyMan-associated show!

In the meantime, however, there is another show ToyMan is actually assisting with too! There is a ToyMan-associated show at the Moolah Shrine Center on Sunday, October 27th. That sounds like it will be really fun too so if you can, go to that then the next official ToyMan show a week later--you'll be busy but surely have a good time!

Kicking Off The First Weekend of May With a Toyman Show!

I always love going to the ToyMan show. The sheer amount of stuff on offer always amazes me. Vintage toys, new toys, comics, Legos, Funko Pops, Hot Wheels, bead creations, vinyl, VHS, creators with their books or original art, and the list just goes on! They cram more cool things into the Machinists Hall for ToyMan than you'd think is possible. For this first weekend of May, there was a ToyMan show and I was only able to be there for a bit due to some other obligations, but while I was there I had a ton of fun as I always do!

I started the show off by visiting with my good friend Jack Thomas of Fortress Comics. The incredibly old comics he always has on offer never fail to astound me. If you need something Golden Age in your collection the odds are good that Jack can find it. I then saw another awesome fellow, Spike Forester of Lost in Space Toys and Collectibles, and admired his assortment of toys and comics. I had a chance to talk with Tim Metzger about life lately as well, and admired some awesome wares that my chum Marcus Mosley had brought. Bruce Reynolds had some stellar newer and old books too, and the fellows from Tatertots Comic and Collectibles were showcasing some awesome wares! Vince/VK Toys had some cool comics and I managed to get a great vintage issue of, "G.I. Joe." Check it out:

As I continued exploring the show I chatted with my insightful buddy Brian Lan about Superman comics he would recommend I continue reading (having read some good ones recently). In the upstairs area, I saw the great people from Heroes for Kids as well as my awesome author friends, Jessica Mathews, Debbie Manbe Kupfer, and Lindsay Hornsby. They all were showcasing their superb works! I continued to browse all the awesome wares for sale until I had to get going. Every ToyMan Show has so much to browse you definitely need to try and get there early to get all your potential shopping done, however!

With another stellar ToyMan finished I am pleased to have attended and look forward to the next show on July 14th. I hope to see you, my dear reader, there as well if you'd be able to go to the next show. You're bound to find something in your realm of interests whenever you go to a ToyMan show!

November 2023's ToyMan Show Was Immense Fun!

Anytime I go to a ToyMan show I am bound to find cool stuff and have a great time--today was no exception! I had a lovely time seeing a variety of my vendor and creator friends, finding neat comics, and otherwise had a ball! Upon entering the show the first folks I ran into were the lovely John Chaffee of Bigfoot Comics and Collectibles and I had a chance to chat with Jack Thomas of Fortress Comics who was here for the show too! Not too far from those tables, I saw my good friend Spike of Lost in Space Toys and Collectibles and the friendly guys of Tatertots Comics and Collectibles. Everyone had a lot of great stuff I enjoyed browsing as I checked out other tables full of neat toys, collectibles, and the like. My friend Greg actually had a table with his buddy, Mat, and they were selling an assortment of neat toys and comics! They were kind enough to pose for a photo:

Mat on the left, Greg on the right.

In the upstairs area, I interacted with a bunch of my chums! Jessica Mathews had her lovely books for sale as did the fantastic Debbie Manbe Kupfer. We discussed how the approaching holidays had us all excited and nervous! Heroes for Kids was fundraising and do great work. Lindsay Hornsby was present too, and I bought an awesome coloring book for Clarkson! Here is a picture:

When I was back downstairs I had a chance to look around at even more comics, toys, Legos, and Funko Pops. There was such a variety of neat stuff and it further established why I love attending ToyMan shows. I would be remiss if I forgot to mention the superb Vince of VK Toys had a booth and I was lucky enough to buy a fun cartoon tie-in comic from him called, "Battle Beasts." Check it out:

Yes, this was another fabulous ToyMan and I can't wait for the next one on December 10th! If you live close enough to be able to attend, make sure and do so, it is always fun!

This September Had a Stellar ToyMan Show!

I try to attend any ToyMan show that I can because there is always so much awesome stuff to see and buy! Today's show was no exception, as it was loaded to the gills with awesome vendors, wonderful creators/crafters selling their wares, and was incredibly fun to attend. When I first walked in I saw my good friend Spike of Lost in Space Toys and Collectibles. He was chatting with another chum of mine, Tom of Alliance Comics, Toys, and Games. I proceeded on to see John Chaffee and we talked about how things had been going at Bigfoot Comics and Collectibles. I checked out all the cool toys and comic slabs Vince from VK Toys had and discussed how he'd been busy at various shows and auctions. Over at the Tatertot Comics booth, I was able to do some trading and acquired an awesome comic in a swell deal! I now own a copy of, "World's Finest," #153, which is famous for the meme it inspired of Batman slapping Robin. Give it a look:

I went upstairs where I saw a number of great folks. I was able to catch up with Jessica Mathews about her latest books and how buy life had been! I was overjoyed to see Debbie Manbe Kupfer too and talk about how her projects had been going. The delightful Lindsay Hornsby was present at the show as well and it was great to see her! The Heroes for Kids booth was raising funds as always and continues to be an organization worth supporting. Finally, I met author Kathy L. Brown and bought a copy of her book, "The Big Cinch," which she described as a noir mystery mixed with supernatural elements such as ghosts. I thought that sounded really neat! We also talked about how we both enjoy blogging online--you can check her site out at this link. Here is a picture of the book:

 Today's ToyMan Show continued to illustrate why I always look forward to attending the event: There is tons of awesome stuff to browse--a big selling point. Plus, there are many wonderful authors/artists/etc. to chat with and buy the works of to support. ToyMan is always a feast for the eyes to witness all the comics, toys, games, books, and so forth in booths. I always am astounded by all the wares for sale. The next ToyMan isn't until November 5th, so there is plenty of time to mark your calendars and start planning a fun time!

The ToyMan for August 2023 Was a Treat!

I wasn't sure if I'd make it to this ToyMan Show as we had Gibson right after the last one. However, it worked out for me to go so I was excited to get some great comics and see all the cool folks! It was an outrageously fun show as always and continues to be the #1 show I recommend if you're after stuff. By, "Stuff," I of course mean comics, toys, Lego, Funko, old posters, diecast toys, and anything else cool you can think up. I kicked off the show saying hello to my friend Tim Metzger and chatting with John Chaffee of Bigfoot Comics and Collectibles. I then caught up with Spike from Lost in Space Toys and Collectibles. Tom from Alliance Comics, Toys, and Games had a lot of cool stuff too and I saw the delightful Kristen and Andy of Grape's Games. I traded some of my comics and threw in some cash to buy a gorgeous copy of, "Uncanny X-Men," #130 from Vince of VK Toys. There are some crazy-sounding rumors about Taylor Swift possibly having a cameo as Dazzler in the upcoming, "Deadpool 3," but I'm not sure how much stock I put into that. I just like Dazzler regardless of any film adaptations! Take a look:

When I went upstairs I had the chance to see my usual awesome friends, Jessica Mathews, Lindsay Hornsby, and Debbie Manbe Kupfer. They all are fantastic authors and I enjoy having a number of their works on my bookshelf! I also saw Amanda Baker who's Bound in Art business makes cool custom resin creations. I chatted with author Christine E. Schulze too, who had a number of neat fantasy books for sale. It had been a bit since I'd run into J.E. Nelson but she was doing great as well! Heroes for Kids was upstairs too, discussing how their recent show had been fun (I was unable to attend as Gibson had just been born). I bought a very cute alphabet sing-a-long book from Jacqueline James and I'm sure Clarkson and Gibson will both enjoy it. Here is a picture:

Today's ToyMan was full of lovely people, and awesome things to buy. It continues to be one of my favorite shows to attend as any time I go I'm basically guaranteed to to find something cool (or multiple things) I want to have come home with me. The next show is on November 5th, so mark your calendars and make sure to attend if you're able!

Today's ToyMan Show Was an Incredibly Good Time!

I was able to be at the ToyMan show today for a smidgen in the morning and had a ball! I saw plenty of friends, found some cool stuff, and otherwise was impressed as always with the wide variety of good stuff for sale. 

I started the show by chatting with my good chum, Spike of Lost in Space Toys and Collectibles. I then talked with Tom from Alliance Comics, Toys, and Games about how he'd been doing. Kristen and Andy of Grapes Games were at the show with lots of neat stuff for sale as well! Vince of VK Toys had a ton of awesome comics and we did a big trade, I was pleased to see him. I had fun talking with Tim Metzger too, he's a cool guy with great stuff! Also, I ran into my friend Jack Thomas of Fortress Comics and acquired this awesome, "Daredevil," slabbed comic from him featuring the first cover appearance of Maya Lopez AKA Echo: 

In the upstairs area, I first ran into Jessica Mathews and we chatted about how her latest books were coming along. I also saw Lindsay Hornsby and admired a lot of cool buttons she's been making and selling now! Debbie Manbe Kupfer and her son Joey Kupfer were at the show and I bought a children's book of logic puzzles they collaborated on titled, "Paws4Thought." I'm bad at physical puzzles but enjoy using logic, so I thought it would be fun to grab. Here's a picture:

When I saw all my friends at today's ToyMan show I let them know I'd probably be missing the next one in late August as we're going to be busy very soon with our upcoming baby. Today's show was full of great finds and cool folks for sure. If you can visit the next ToyMan on August 27th I'd recommend you do so as clearly I had a stupendous time!

The First ToyMan of 2023 Was a Load of Fun!

Readers of my blog may recall I missed the last ToyMan Show due to being sick for more than half of December with various ailments (I dealt at various points with flu-type stuff, food poisoning, sinus stuff, and otherwise being miserable). Well, thankfully I am currently in good health and could attend the ToyMan show today. It was a great time and I'm so happy I went there!

This Toyman kicked off with me talking to my good friend Spike of Lost in Space Toys and Collectibles. He had his usual assortment of awesome toys for sale. I also saw Jack Thomas of Fortress Comics at this show, he said how he was excited to be at ToyMan! Jack had a ton of awesome stuff and I picked up a number of things from him as a bundle deal, including a, "Shanna the She-Devil," #1--a funny one to pick up as I have a friend with a similar name who loves the character too so they'll get a kick out of seeing I got a copy. Here's a picture:

I chatted with my chum Tim Metzger and enjoyed seeing John Chaffee of Bigfoot Comics and Collectibles too! Next, I admired some very cool comics that Tom of Alliance Comics, Toys, and Games had brought. Toys of our Youth was at the show and had tons of great items for sale. I also had a chance to chat with Larry of Bug's Comics and Games. He had the usual assortment of incredible vintage comics and more modern stuff available too (I always gasp at some of the Silver Age keys he has for sale).

Next, I saw my good friend Brian Lan who always is kind enough to, "Like" my Facebook posts sharing my blog articles. I then had a chance to chat with Vince from VK Toys. He had a bunch of stellar comics and I was able to acquire an issue of, "Avengers," featuring the first appearance of Count Nefaria. Here is a picture of that:

The upstairs area was where headed after catching up with everyone in the downstairs region. I saw my friend, author Jessica Mathews. She has a new book coming out soon featuring a Lepruchan that I can't wait to get for Clarkson! She also had her friend Jocelyn sitting by her at the neighboring table, who had written a book of poetry! Titled, "This is a Closed Book," it is about mental health and personal growth from trauma. 

I saw the always-awesome Lindsay Hornsby of Mega Giganto selling her superb prints, comics, stickers, and more. Author Debbie Manbe Kupfer was at ToyMan too and I had the pleasure of meeting her for the first time. She had a great assortment of books and I purchased, "Adana the Earth Dragon," for Clarkson to enjoy reading with us. Check out this picture of the book:

The first ToyMan show of 2023 was so much fun. I got some really cool stuff and enjoyed seeing all the awesome people who frequent the event! I would encourage you to attend the next show on March 12th, which you can find details about on the ToyMan website. If you love comics, toys, Funko, diecast cards, Legos, vintage video games, or basically anything folks like to collect, you'll probably find it at ToyMan!