tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-620417008960069715.post2961933412674177822..comments2024-01-20T10:19:12.985-05:00Comments on Martin's View: Star Wars and MeMartin Maenzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08640466353011569116noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-620417008960069715.post-73218286772772063082015-12-18T05:00:02.102-05:002015-12-18T05:00:02.102-05:00Herc, I am not sure about the toy debut. It likel...Herc, I am not sure about the toy debut. It likely was Christmas before the first wave of figures hit the stores. I am sure I got into collecting them heavily in early 1978.<br /><br />I never had any Micronauts toys but I did read the comic book (my first issue was number 2 or 3).<br /><br />Like you, I owned the original trilogy on VHS tape, and then again with all six on DVD (yes, I am a completest). Bought them all again last year on Blu-Ray.<br /><br />Glad to hear the Muppets are returning for season 2. I am enjoying the new show.<br /><br />I have to say that so far, for me, Disney is batting .1000 when it comes to Marvel properties and the Muppets. The only thing that would make me happier would be if they would finally release the last few seasons of the Muppet Show on DVD.Martin Maenzahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08640466353011569116noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-620417008960069715.post-56984769508064122322015-12-17T16:18:42.955-05:002015-12-17T16:18:42.955-05:00Though I am a year younger than you, I saw Star Wa...Though I am a year younger than you, I saw Star Wars at the only theater we had in town, a two screener. Well, that's not true, there was a large one screen theater on base where I spent many Saturday mornings scarfing down Sweet Tarts and watching childish fare like Digby and Superbug. But off-base, in the small village of Rantoul, Illinois, there was Wings Theater, a small buliding just off the main street in town. Prety sure Dad took us as a family the second or third week it was playing. In addition to his Air Force duties during the week, he took a part time job managing Judy's, a Wendy's knock-off from the late Seventies and early Eighties on nights and weekends. Took us once as a family though he and I went back and saw it at least twice more during the film's incredible year long run at Wings. Other movies would come and go in theater 2 but theater 1 was all about Star Wars for more than a year as I remember it.<br /><br />The two characters I liked were Han and C3PO so while friends were busy trying to get every figure they could, I concentrated on those two and had them within a few months after Christmas. Is my memory failing me again or were there no Star Wars toys until Christmas 1977? I wanna say it was all about the Micronauts for us back then. Still have the first issue of their Marvel comic but no Micronauts themselves.<br /><br />I also bought the first dozen or so issues of Marvel's comic adaption, two giant sized treasury editions as well as all the issues of Pizzazz. Never really got much else into the Star Wars universe beyond the films.<br /><br />Like you, one of my favorite movies of all time is Empire Strikes Back. I have it on three different VHS tapes and now eight discs, includling both DVD and blu-ray. Have the other movies on a few different formats and versions but not nearly as much as Empire. My wife owns episodes 1-3 on disc. They do nothing for me.<br /><br />Now that Di$ney has co-opted three of my favorite things from growing up - The Muppets, Marvel and Star Wars - I am tempering my expectations. Somehow, someway, they will ruin my memories or at least tarnish them though I must say, The Muppets show on ABC is really, surpirsingly good and I was genuinely happy when it was recently renewed for a second season.<br /><br />Hope you love the new movie. As for me, I might see it this weekend - despite all the hype and hoopla, none of the more than twenty local screens showing the film in three different versions have sold out a single showing according to Fandango, I just checked. Or I might wait until after Christmas when the kids are back in school, it will still be there. Less that a year from now I could watch it in the comfort of my own home. Not like back in 1977.<br /> HERChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00361888365133381438noreply@blogger.com