I Made My Own Fortune Cookies!

Not really, but I did stumble upon this hilarious vintage Fortune Factory cookie press for making fortune cookies by hand right in your own humble, honorable home. I've never really been a big fan of fortune cookies, tbh, so if I did have the initiative to actually do this, I would heavily modify the recipe to make the damn things taste better. And of course that's barely the point, as a fortune cookie is all about the fortune. Made by Phoenix Cooky Co., Chicago IL (note the two different, though possibly intentional spellings of "cookie" and "cooky" here), my favorite thing about this contraption is the toothy art on the outer lid of the metal press, as well as the illustrations inside the booklet. I had to look around online to find an image of the cut-able fortunes page, as this box didn't even have the sheet included. So thanks to the person out there who took the photo I'm borrowing to complete today's most excellent post, --may oil be discovered on your land. *bows

Poker... just a friendly game

I found this cute 60's gag cocktail napkin the other day, complete with jokey poker theme, and now regret wiping up a cat hairball with it. It's covered with hilariously great, cartoony artwork on all four visible sides (see the complete unfolded version at the end), and that single red color really gives it that extra poke of gorgeous kitsch graphic design. (PS: I didn't really wipe up a cat hairball with it.)

Mazinger Z Damage

For the 50th Anniversary of Go Nagi's most legendary giant robot of all, Hikari Toys released this mega cool Mazinger Z Damage sofubi (soft vinyl) variant. Burned, blasted, scarred, and a rocket arm completely missing-- Mazinger Z has definitely seen better days! I totally love these "damaged" versions of toys though, for example Star Wars has done it a few times with a battle scarred Darth Vader, as well as some Stormtroopers, but man, applying this concept to one of the mighty Shogun Warriors really tops 'em all! This was another great recent find, and though unbagged / loose, was still a steal at a fraction of the current online cost. I kind of get the feeling (much to my joy) that the seller didn't realize this toy was actually supposed to look like this, haha...

Carter the Great

Another recent, and rare find for me, this colorful, 10" x 7 1/2", 2 page double-sided newspaper insert advertisement featuring various posters for Carter the Great's unparalleled world tour from the early 1900's. One image each for the front and back cover, open it up and there are 4 more magnificent images spreading over both inner pages. All 6 posters depict many of his most legendary, stage illusions; The Elongated Maiden, materializing the dead, cheating the gallows, and more! Carter was the last of the great master magicians, and was also friend and rival of Houdini. Read more about him by CLICKING HERE!

Male Call

Be careful who's lookin' over your shoulder when the new issue of Plowboy arrives in the mail-- things might get a little wild! This is a funny bit of (70's?) cowboy comedy, attached and shellacked on a large slice o'log. The artistry looks might familiar too, but with no signature anywhere on it, (and nothing comin' up on a Google search), it could be one of a dozen different Mad Magazine style wannabes, --and doin' a durn tootin' decent job at it too, I reckon!

UPDATE: Artist identified in the comments as Bud McCaulley (1932 - 2014.) 

My Toes are Cold!

It's another chilly winter day in January, time to warm things up with a cute 60's pin-up matchbook that I unearthed recently, (along with a bunch more I'll be posting in the coming weeks.) So let's give her a little hand warmin' up those frigid toots, fella's... and then after you breakdown from an overheated engine, let Guaranteed Auto Parts help get your conked-out ride started back up, too.

Bats for Betsy

Oh, what the heck-- how about one more post to really help hammer that final coffin nail into 2024? It's a cake eatin', cat chasin', haunted house hollerin' good time from the Summer 1962 one-shot issue of Dazey's Diary, (published by Dell.) And while it is indeed beautiful 'n blonde, dynamite Dazey's comic book, we're gonna check-in with her best back-up pal Betsy instead, because just like me, not everyone has a big date lined up on a fancy night such as tonight! Also, if you didn't already know that Bill Woggon can draw lovely women (see also Katy Keene!), now you can fully experience and acknowledge how amazing he is at drawing a spooky old cartoon mansion on a hill! Happy New Year, everyone-- and we'll see you all ASAP in 2025 for lots more!