The October issue of Diecast Collector is out in the UK and our frequent contributor Paul Adams from NZ has an article in there about the Mattel Dream Car. Well done Paul!
Here's the October cover, Hot Wheels and all.
https://pocketmags.com/diecast-collector-magazine#thumb
Having browsed Ebay UK for anything vintage dark Shadows, as a test of what's out there in Britain, I can say there's not much. There's lots of modern stuff but little old material. Obviously there's tons in the US.
What there was on Ebay UK were two old View Master reels. So the TV show made it to a View Master level of fame? Wow!
If you like View Masters you can the Dark Shadows in all their glory in 2D on the Viewmaster3d blog http://viewmaster3d.blogspot.com/2010/04/dark-shadows-1968.html
As a follow-up to my last post here's a further bite of Barnabas and co. being such a mammoth TV series, I had a hunch dark Shadows would have a massive fanzine presence and I was right.
Going way back to the late 1970's the number of 'zines is quite staggering and add to that conventions its a true TV phenomenon like the X-Files or dare I say Dr.Who and Thunderbirds!
Anyways for those with darkening shadows here's a list I found online of the many Dark Shadows fanzines from way back when to the present day. There's a neat cover gallery too. Has anyone got any of these?
I was reading a book in my toilet library called TV Horror [thanks Wotan] and was amazed by something I read.
The 1960's American monsters soap opera series called Dark Shadows ran to over 1200 - that's Twelve Hundred plus - episodes! That's just incredible!
If I watched one a day it would take me several years to get through them all! I'd have dark shadows round my eyes!
I've been aware of dark Shadows collectables, toys and games for years. I used to collect the old paperback novels.
But I'd no idea it was such a TV behemoth. Dr. Who has only aired 862 episodes [so far]!
Apparently the 1960's American audience was primarily middle-aged women at home and young schoolkids, who rushed home to watch it's late afternoon slot.
Despite knowing about its merchandise I've certainly never seen this huge TV series. Have you readers?
Our school days are meant to be the happiest times of our lives.
But I'm not so sure. They were and still are simply public institutions where kids have to go, sit still, be quiet and learn by rote.
I often think the adage that school is the happiest of times is really about childhood in general, those tender years up to age 18 when our life was spent in the warmth of the family nest, when summers were endless and toys, books, TV, music and our beautiful obsessions filled our carefree days. School was just happened to be a part of it.
Looking back I can find little evidence in my own memories that school made me happy. I have a feeling I was quite stressed with the whole thing, especially secondary school. I enjoyed meeting girls and dating them but I feel that was more to do with age rather than school.
No, my own happiness in childhood began when I got home from school and again I probably mean Secondary. I just can't recall enough about my Primary days to comment. My 'world' was at home and largely in my bedroom, where all my stuff was: toys and books and later on albums and posters and friends. I adored my childhood world of space and monsters and I think it made me the person I became rather than anything I did at school.
What do feel readers? Did you enjoy school? Were you happy there?
