Archive for October, 2012



Epic Road Trip, Interrupted

I asked my wife if we could buy one of these Winnebago Chieftain things, quit our jobs, and drive around the country. She said no.

I said, “But there’s a stove and a bed right inside whatever you call this thing.”

She said, “They’re RVs… from the ’50s.”

I said, “Okay, so what if I could find one?”

She said, “It wouldn’t work. They’re giant pieces of shit.”

I said, “But what if it did work, and it had this sweet-ass green shag carpeting all over?”

She said, “You get claustrophobic in Target.”

I said, “Only if other people are there.”

She said, “Where would the baby sleep?”

I said, “There’s a door that leads to a bedroom.”

She said, “That door leads to a tiny, tiny bathroom.”

I said, “There’s a bathroom in this thing? Pack your bags, man. We are leaving.”

She said, “Hon, take out the trash.”

Condorman (1981) Trailer

Son of a bitch. Condorman! And of course the bastards at Disney made the DVD available exclusively to members of the Disney Movie Club.

Arcade Zen (1982)

April 28, 1982. (The Denver Post)

December, 1982. (Glen Martin/The Denver Post)

(Source: Lexibell Vintage Photos)

Atari Computer Camp Ads, 1983

Atari 1983

Atari 1983-2

Classic 1983 ads via Laura Moncur’s Flickr. Laura also found an article in Atari’s Antic magazine called “Computer Camp: Report from the Old West” that describes the camps in detail.

Campers paid $890 for a two-week session and $425 for each additional week, up to a total of 8 weeks. But if you stayed the whole 8 weeks you got a tuition break and paid the one time, low, low price of $2999. Don’t forget to bring your transportable cellular phone system, kids! You’ll need to call mom if you lose your Snoopy doll.

The daily schedule looked like this:

9:00-10:25 – Computer Instruction
10:30-11:10 – Drama
11:15-12:00 – Tennis
12:00-1:55 – Lunch (Rest Hour)
2:00-2:55 – Computer Workshop
3:00-3:35 – Free Swim
4:00-5:25 – Softball

7:00-8:30 – Free Time

I imagine 5:30-7:00 was dinner. “During free time… at least two of the three computer rooms are open for students either to play games or practice programming.”

My favorite part is a quote from the camp’s co-director, Marlene Applebaum:

We also had a whole group playing Dungeons and Dragons… Not on the computer, but the original game. One of the counselors really knows that game and played Dungeon-master. I think that goes along with the kind of child who comes here.

I think you’re right, Marlene.

D&D Cover Art: The Ghost Tower of Inverness (1980)

The front cover art is by Jim Roslof, who passed away last year. From his obituary at Wizards of the Coast,

As an illustrator in the late 1970s and early ’80s, Roslof had a major influence on the developing visual style of the Dungeons & Dragons game. His cover illustration for adventure B2, The Keep on the Borderlands, is one of the most iconic and widely-recognized D&D images from that period.

As art director, Roslof’s guiding hand was less apparent to players, but his influence was even more profound and far-reaching. It was Roslof who hired and shaped TSR’s famous “pit” of color illustrators: Jeff Easley, Larry Elmore, Jim Holloway, Keith Parkinson, Tim Truman, and Clyde Caldwell. Under Roslof’s direction, their paintings defined Dungeons & Dragons for a generation of players and DMs.

The back cover is by Jeff Dee, who did the front cover of the first Isle of Dread module, among other classics.

Grognardia reviews The Ghost Tower of Inverness (killer title, yes?) here. The module is currently available for download at dndclassics.com.

Kenner’s Star Wars Laser Pistol (1977)

Star Wars Pistol

Star Wars Pistol-2

My kingdom for a sound file. How many thousands of times did I squeeze this trigger?

Kid Wearing Star Wars Sweater, Circa 1978

I think we had that exact same painting in our living room.

Gen X rules.

(Image via Snaposaurus Vintage & Collectible Photography)

Metal-Man (Metal Men)

I had this dude. He was always a favorite because he was so fantastically heavy, well-jointed, and easy to plant—you could shoot missiles and Shogun Warrior fists at him and he was like, “That’s all you got? I’m still standing.” I had this sky sled, too.

Micronauts Sky Sled

Like the Micronauts, the Metal Men had no back story. They just appeared from outer space, ready to party in whatever world you made for them. Check out the ’78 Metal Men catalog at Plaid Stallions. There’s also a nice entry at BugEyedMonster.

All Denim, All the Time: Sean Astin Edition

I don’t want to hear it. If a Goonie wants to wear head to toe denim, then by One-Eyed Willie’s rich stuff that Goonie shall wear head to toe denim. Mock him for it at your peril.

God save the Goonies!

Radio Shack `Transportable Cellular Phone System’ Commercial (1989)

Friend J. strikes again. It’s just $799? Hell, I’ll take three, one for each of my DeLoreans.

The lifeguard is my favorite. First of all, how can he afford this absurdly impractical monstrosity? Second, how long is it going to last in the vicinity of all that sand and salt water? My second favorite is the Boy Scout. Dude, you cut your thumb. Do we really have to halt all the epic camping action so you can call your mommy?

J. reminds me that the price tag does not include minutes/monthly charges.

(Video source: Dell Fields)


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