Don't Call It A Comeback! - Backing the Comeback

Many of my customers and friends from the comic shop, know that I'm a very social person. I love to talk. I get it from my father. If some get the gift of gab from the Blarney Stone, then I must have had a heavy make-out session in the back seat of the car! Pop and I could be dropped in the middle of a foreign country, not knowing the language, and still get what we need and make friends. 

I can also be a loner. Long before I met my late wife, I told my mother that if I were the last person on Earth, I could still be happy. Think Henry Bemis, played by Burgess Meredith, in the Twilight Zone episode, Time Enough At Last. Just that I have hundreds of pairs of glasses. Seriously.

Then along comes Covid-19. Shutting down businesses and making folks stay home. Diamond shuts down distribution and Marvel and DC (sort of) quit publishing. At first I was fine. I could get books and comics online. But that's just not doing it. I'm one of those folks who craves browsing a shelf, talking with others who like comics like me and just the smell and feel of a physical book.

Well, there's a light at the end of the tunnel and Steve Geppi has started a movement to help the stores that were closed and build momentum for a great #NewComicBookDay this Wednesday May 20, 2020.

As per the website Back The Comeback

We need you to help spread the word about #BackTheComeBack and support the retailers of the comic book, gaming, and pop-culture industries jumpstart their re-opening efforts. Post a shout out to your favorite comic or game store, share a video of you picking up the comics or games you just bought, share pics of the comics and games you're loving right now or can’t wait to get your hands on, tag your favorite store, artist or publisher - get creative! Challenge your friends to join as well so we keep the love going.
Be sure to tag us @backthecomeback and use #BackTheComeBack.

In addition to visiting your #FLCS, you can share their posts, tell others about them and if you can't make it to them, order online or buy a gift card for later. 

If you don't have a #FLCS or are near one and want to help, their are t-shirts to buy, auctions to participate in and organizations that you can support. Proceeds will directly benefit local comic and game stores in need.

Be sure to check out the website Back The Comeback for more information. 

Giving DC Universe Another Try

I tried DC Universe when it first came out by jumping on the deeply discounted membership. I wasn't too impressed with the streaming quality and comic reading experience, so I didn't re-up when my sub was over. I recently got back in under a 7 day free trial and decided to try again. The streaming quality has improved and so I watched this.
I'm not sure how I missed this when I was a kid, but I think I might have an idea. Ten minutes in I had had enough of Bat Mite. And it's sad too because Adam West and Burt Ward did the voices. I'll probably keep watching, I mean, it's only one season, but man! is Bat Mite annoying!
The New Adventures of Batman - DC Universe Question(s)! Do you subscribe? If not, what turned you off?

What's on my to-do list?

How are you passing time at home these days? Binging Netflix? Comics and novels?

Me? I'm reading some Clive Cussler (who just recently passed) Dragon. I've always been a big fan and have read many of his novels, but the man was almost as bad as James Patterson when it come to putting out a book (or more) a month. Great action adventure! He's had two of his books turned into movies. One was the appalling Raise The Titanic in the early 70's which he had some choice words about at a signing at Park Lane Barnes & Noble. The second was Saharra with Matthew Mcconaughey. He didn't entirely like the movie but he says that he did like the casting of Matthew as Dirk Pitt, the main character.

I'm also binging Altered Carbon Season 1 on Netflix. I didn't know that it was based on a book series, so I'll probably pick that up here pretty soon. Season 2 is already out with New Orleans native Anthony Mackie (The Falcon) as the lead character.

I'm also reading the Witcher series before I get into the show. I was tempted to watch first, but changed my mind, since I'm already watching something. It's easier for me to read more than one book at at time, but not TV shows. Do you multitask when it comes to consuming?

And last but not least, I'm playing Pathfinder: Kingmaker on the PC. The game engine and some of the characters are based on (intentionally or not) the Baldur's Gate series from Bioware. I still love that one.

Share what's floating your boat right now!

Altered Carbon (Takeshi Kovacs) by Richard K. Morgan

The Witcher: Blood of Elves by Andrzej Sapkowski

Join me on Steam

Altered Carbon Season Two -

Clive Cussler - Dragon image By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6933291

Disclosure: Bear in mind that some of the links in this post are affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase I will earn a commission. Keep in mind that I link these companies and their products because of their quality and not because of the commission I receive from your purchases. The decision is yours, and whether or not you decide to buy something is completely up to you.

The Importance of Reading

No one will openly proclaim that reading isn't beneficial but we tend to not exercise our ability to read enough. I come from a long line of readers and have gotten my kid into the habit of reading, but I've also fallen into the realm of using the electronic devices as a baby-sitting tool to my chagrin.

At first, I used the excuse that it was to help her get over her mother's death, by providing her with a tablet that had photos, videos and other reminders of her mother. As she got older, she played games and I was pretty good about making sure that they were educational.

Now, I've reaped what I have sown and she watches endless Youtube videos of mind-numbing claptrap. I've taken to using Google Family Link to limit her time on the apps and devices in general. I've also set up reading times every afternoon to keep her brain active. Hopefully, I can get her to a point where she will start to manage her time by herself and not need me to do it for her.

What have you done to wean your child from their devices or did you ever have this problem? What apps or tips would you suggest to help those of us in the midst of trying to get the kids away from their electronics?

Post idea: CNN Health - This is your child's brain on books.

Post Idea: Scholastic On Our Minds - Why reading is the best workout for your brain

Back to Blogger

It was this day one year ago that we announced the closing of A Galaxy Called Dallas Comics. I swore that it was "see you later" and not "good-bye" and I still feel that way. In the last year, I've struggled with deciding how I wanted to organize my post-shop online life and have hit a few bumps and am ready to adjust again.

I thought I'd try something new by going to Wordpress.com but it just doesn't feel comfortable when I'm creating content and so now I'm moving back to Blogger (Google). It's where A Galaxy Called Dallas started as a hobby blog 11 years ago and it's where I feel comfortable. As I transition over, you'll see some posts from the past year being reposted on the Blogger account and maybe they'll look better this time.

I'm still Galactic Daddy and as such, you'll see posts that pertain to the Dallas-Fort Worth area and beyond, as well as post that pertain to me personally and my Geek roots.

As always, if you have any suggestions or thoughts of things you'd like to see on the page do not hesitate to contact me. I'm always listening.