So I guess I have to start being nice to him now.
And then there was the time former employee Timmy came back from the San Diego Comic Con to bring me the Mattel SDCC Exclusive Swamp Thing action figure:
Hooray! Timmy just moved above Employee Aaron in my will.
Also, I was not prepared for the arrival of this generous gift, so I didn’t have my regular digital camera and had to make do with my cell phone camera. Yes, I had to “make do” with a dumb ol’ piece of advanced technology. Oh, the problems of the 21st century human, am I right?
Here’s the box the whole magilla came in:
You can just barely see Swampy’s red eyes peering through the slashes in the side of the box. It also reads “ADULT COLLECTOR” along the bottom there, so I’m surprised the people at the con’s Mattel table let Timmy buy it.
Behold, the frightening visage inside:
And when you open that up, there is an even more horrible thing waiting within:
(Hand and watch not included.)
You take Swampy’s red innards out, and you discover:
…an even smaller Swamp Thing! It’s not quite a Swamp Thing babushka doll, but it’s close.
Also included: the little guys that make this an exclusive SDCC figure, since I guess they’re not included with the wide release:
…Arcane’s Un-Men Cranius and Ophidian! (Again, only had the cell phone…sorry about the crummy photo.)
There’s also a “replica” of Alec Holland’s journal, clearly discovered after the fire:
…which is just a folded cardstock thingie with some of Holland’s notes, like a reminder that he should talk to Matt Cable about those dudes Ferret and Bruno who stopped by. Also, there is mention of Ferret’s alias being “Len Bernard,” a reference of course to Swamp Thing’s creators Len Wein and Bernie Wrightson. It’s a nice additional little doodad to throw in with the figure.
Sincerely, this was a very nice thing Timmy did, so thank you very much, my little British buddy.
Also wanted to thank reader Paul, and his son Alex, for dropping by the shop to say hello to me on Thursday. Always nice to meet the folks who somehow manage to tolerate my daily blatherings.
Are you wearing that Swamp Thing face right now?
If not: why not?
Cranius deserves to be made into a life-size figure. Maybe even a plushie.
Woah! Although I don’t want the figure, I’d love to see a scan of those notes! :::bats eyelashes:::
To garner such a gift from a *former* employee one must ask; Mike, do you endear your “pals” to you via DEVOTION or enthrall your minions through FEAR?
Or is it some cocktail of both (with a twist of lime)?
~P~
Mike Sterling’s will. That is likely the only legal document I would enjoy reading in detail. I know this is wrong, but I picture all sorts of spiteful legalese:
“I, Michael Sterling, revoke all prior wills and codicils. Whereas, being of sound mind and body, I do hereby bequeath the entirety of my Swamp Thing collection to Former Employee Timmy and NOT to Employee Aaron. I do, however, bequeath the remainder of my entire pog collection to Employee Aaron. Should he refuse this bequest, Employee Aaron shall work every Free Comic Book Day by himself for the years 2012 through 2032 per the binding contract he signed immediately following his bachelor party.”
You get the picture.
But what do you find when you cut open the mini-Swamp Thing?