Humanoid

I had a much different post planned today for New Years Eve 2020, (a sexy fun vintage stage show brochure), unfortunately, I misplaced it before I got around to scanning it so it'll have to wait for another time. Instead, --and actually this is even a bit more appropriate now, I see, as I'm typing this up-- for AEET's final post of a rather disastrous, lousy year full of sadness, sickness, and countless tragedy, I present a shining light example of something good that happened here in the final weeks of 2020: with a complete stranger performing a surprising act of extreme kindness and very generous giving. Okay first, let's travel back a few months to October, when once again I'm out on one of my many usual antique mall rounds, and I discover a halloween costume from Collegeville's 1978 "Science Fiction" line. Cosmically cool box art full of spectacular space graphics and alien starships, and folded neatly inside is a silvery, shiny costume frock featuring something most colorfully alien, and labeled simply as "Humanoid." Seemingly half, scaly android, and possibly even part human -- I mean, that is a rather gory, half exposed brain protruding out of the top of the head, isn't it? "So what is this crazy looking thing from another world?" I asked myself. And then I immediately howl out in disappointment after realizing that OH GOD NO the mask is missing. "Sold as is" said the tag. Wah. I decide to buy it anyway, and immediately set out googling and ebaying my life away to find the mask that fits. No luck. A couple of weeks later I take a few "please help" pix and post them in some vintage toy / halloween / horror facebook groups, and low and behold, almost magically, someone replies back that they indeed have a mask that matches! This news becomes even more exciting when inquiring if they would be interested in selling or possibly trading for it, with the person eventually replying back that they would just give it to me-- all I needed to do was give them my address! What! Seriously?! And a week or so later it arrives (holiday gift wrapped even!) and I am now finally able to put mask - frock- and box together to complete my weird ass HUMANOID, with a very special thanks to the super HUMAN that made it possible. A rather nice way to end 2020, don't you think? So Happy New Year, everyone! We will see you in January with lots, lots more to give, so please stay with us...

This Week in Chicago (1945)

If you're still looking for something to do on New Years Eve this Thursday, allow me to dig out another one of my old "current interests" newsmagazines and fill ya in! Of course you'll have to travel back over half a century to 1945, way back to when the 'ol Windy City was quite a different place altogether! But as I'm sure many of you are aware, some things never change, or get old, or go out of style-- and that's the need to watch pretty ladies do their eye-poppin' thang on (and possibly off) stage. So have yourself a tantalizing "laffiesta" as you scan over these ads of sizzlin' starlets and burlesque beauty queens, and afterwards maybe have a cocktail or two-- or even something a little more "intimate" back stage!

***POST UPDATE WITH ANOTHER FINE COLORIZATION BY MR. CAVIN!***

The Third Ghost

 Atlas ace, Larry Woromay, could ape Davis (and Nostrand) with incredible, impeccable accuracy. He also delivered the gloomy xmas goods in the macabre March 1953 issue of Marvel Tales #112, with an oddly refreshing twist on the Dickens classic. Have a safe and very happy holiday everyone-- we'll definitely see a few more posts here at AEET before the year is out too...

Johnson Smith & Co. Catalogue '37

It's always fun to see vintage xmas catalog posts around the web this time of year. Heck, I used to do posts just like 'em in the early years of this blog as well --just check the AEET archives. So, instead of going back only a half century to the 50's - 70's like I used'ta, let's go way way waaaay back to 1937 and dig into my 575 page, Johnson Smith and Company catalogue of "Surprising Novelties, Puzzles, Tricks, Joke Goods, Useful Artifacts, Etc..." with an emphasis on fan dancers, cartoon characters, the occult, and basically just all things in general that makes Mr. Karswell happy. Some of you may even remember that I actually found a few of these things below, or things very similar, just last summer. Yep, today's assorted sampling really is just the tip of an amazing iceberg avalanche of ancient goodness from this catalog, and I'll be posting much more from it all throughout 2021 as well! Now who among you will take a time machine back to the 30's (with just a mere pocketful of loose change to boot!) and buy the rest of these things for me? Only two more days until xmas-- better get time machining!

Tip Top Ink Bottle

Take a look at this neat old Tip Top Ink bottle I found this weekend. A beautiful, and very thick, square glass container with a jet black screw top lid, plus a near perfect label featuring super graphics as well as the revelation that this "washable blue" ink "for fountain pens and general use" was made right here in STL MO by Levison & Blythe MGF Co. I'm not sure of the exact year, but after performing a quick web search about Levison & Blythe, I discovered a very interesting article about John Hinkel, an ink bottle collector / fellow Missourian who, coincidentally enough, actually lives in a town about 15 minutes away from me. The article goes into great detail about many of the centuries old ink makers from MO, --including the makers of my ink bottle! Levison & Blythe was established in 1854 and operated in several locations in downtown STL before eventually closing shop in the 1950's. So whatever the actual date is of my bottle, it's OLD-- yay! CLICK HERE to read more about the company, as well as the many others, and to see some great photos from John's incredible collection.  

Behind the Green / Red Door

 Green and red are the colors of christmas, but today at AEET they take on a whole different meaning, as we find an Archies-esque 70's comic book teen from the mean streets of Mo City trying to sneak into an R-rated movie called "The Red Door", starring Marilyn Calmers. Yep. The Red Door. Marilyn Calmers. Have you figured it out yet? In December of 1972, Behind the Green Door starring Marilyn Chambers was released to theaters and quickly became one of the most popular feature length X-rated adult films of all time, helping usher in what many consider to be the "Golden Age of Porn." It was apparently still in the minds of another area of the entertainment industry four years later as we find the December 1976 issue of Fast Willie Jackson #2 loosely referencing it in a four page story entitled, "Double Feature for Willie." A rather odd choice of title, as well as subject matter for Fitzgerald Publications, a company whose goal was to deliver inspiring and educational comics for African Americans, and to help develop greater pride and self-esteem in black youngsters and adults.

 

Creepy Creatures: Witch Costume

Just because it's December doesn't mean that I'm no longer in October mode. And heck, this thing is shaped like a xmas tree anyway, and-- oops, I guess I'm getting ahead of myself here. Okay yes, I found another vintage Halloween costume. And unlike my post title above, it's actually called Creepy Creatures Witch Costume and MASK, unfortunately the mask is missing. Still, I couldn't pass it up for the unique factor as I've never seen one of these in person before, not to mention the vinyl costume part is in great shape too for 1981 (box is a little rough around the edges but still colorful and displays nicely.) I even had my son put it on as he definitely falls into the "fits all 7 - teen" range, but alas it's a bit too small on him and he absolutely refused to let me photograph him wearing it (less about him being in a kiddie costume and more about not wanting to look like a flame retardant KKK goon from the Negative-verse.) Fun packaging, love the tree hole window, and super cute photography and artwork on all sides of the box. I also adore the small gush of dripping blood (is your throat slit?) that pours all over the top silly skull button. I'm not sure this is the kind of costume I would have ever picked out as a kid, but it's all freakily fun none the less. And now comes the part of the post where I ask some nice, giving person out there who possibly has the mask to kindly give it to me. Please. Help me complete this kooky thing. I'll trade books and comics or whatever for it. Please. Help. Begging.