The one that started it all - Superman

Superman has always been my childhood hero. Before anyone or anything, Superman would always come on top and for me He will always be the best and my all-time favorite. I guess most of us if not everyone had their days of putting the towel as a cape or wearing their underwear upfront their pajamas, running, jumping and pretending to fly.


Somehow, as a child I was always fascinated with flight, the thought of soaring up high in the sky and feeling the breeze, seeing the world in different perspective.


I remember when I first bought my eldest son his Superman Costume, I was so happy fragment of my childhood memories would flash in front of me. It was like passing a mantle to my child. Afterwards we watched the Super Friends cartoons on DVD and played in character..... It was awesome!

It was a Superman Toy that I dreamed to own back then when I was a kid. Now that I started collecting Superman is one of my favorite lines. Among the personalities that played Superman, it was Christopher Reeves that stood out. I don't know if anyone would disagree but is you were into comics during the 80's Reeves was like sucked out of the comic pages and came to life.

Everyone might ask why i didn't include Tom Welling's photo playing Superman, its because he doesn't want to. I heard of news, especially during the final season of Smallvile that he doesn't want to wear the suit. For some reason, there is this Superman curse he's been avoiding. Smallville was a show before Clark became Superman, No cape, no flights, no tights....apparently Smallville had to end Clark becoming Superman. Hence, CG and Special effects were made to look ha had the suit. No biggie, for me, Smallville is a long process Superman had to undergo to be the Hero he needs to be.

Superman has always been special for me, the concept of a child from a doomed planet sent to earth to become its savior is synonymous to Christ sent by God to save us. I was quite fascinated with the story made by Mario Puzo in Superman I and II.... " The son becomes the father and the father becomes the son." It is so poetic it reminded me of the bible.


The 2 Superman Movies by Reeves really made an impact on me personally as a child, He was more than just my favorite superhero, He was a role model for me to look up to. It was the opposite of a common alien based movie wherein the aliens are a menace and would rule humanity, in Superman's case, He was here to be the greatest hero of all time.


This time, Lex Luthor who is from Earth is the menace not to mention 3 supervillains also from Krypton led by General Zod. It was a movie that captured my imagination and most of us during those time. It was the epitome of having blankets or towels as cape and imagining yourself to fly. It was a generation wherein the term action-figure was not yet known; toys are toys - that's it. Apparently, toys from Kenner before were a child's dream toy, aside from being poor, we also lived in the province and had a hard-time going to the city and see these wonderful toys back then.

It was a lifelong dream to own a Superman toy. I remember myself going through my Lola's "Chikadees" (local cheezecurls snack back in the days with free toys in it) in her store. I was choosing the parts of a build a figure toy inside a cheezecurls pack. It was a long and tedious wait, a lot of scolding and a lot of saving money to buy colored pen to replicate Superman's uniform. These were defining moments in my childhood that led me to be a toy lover - a collector. I guess I owe a big part of my values and passion for toys from Superman.


I started by small business at 2004, it was Family, Shop and Toy Collection as a motto. This is for my family, for a better tomorrow for my kids, for the shop to grow and be stable and to; start my Toy Collection. It's now 8 years from that start, Its not a perfect dream come true, but I could say that everything is falling into place. My collection is not only a marketing factor for my shop but also a bonding element for me and my kids.


It is also in the Superman movies and Smallville series that I learned how to be a father, A father to be respected and earn the respect of his kids and not imply respect. I learned that more that just kids, they should also be my friend. Yes, with boundaries but someone whom they could freely open-up and express themselves. I had a hardtime because I did not have a father figure to look up to, but I found my inspiration in Superman when I was a kid, I still found an inspiration to this day.

I know, Superman is not your perfect superhero as most of us idolizes a lot of other heroes or are fascinated with other characters from DC or Marvel or even Transformers and other Super Robots but I would like to ask, "Why do you collect?" Is it for passion? Is it for the thrill and the hunt? Is it powerplay a status quo on who gets the most awesome figure or the most expensive ones?


For me, Superman paved the way for this passion and values. The reason why I collect; he is my foundation. Not because I could, but because I love to. Yes, It will always be a part of my hobby and business to trade, buy and sell but to sum it all up; the Toys I have for keeps are the toys I loved and had influenced me over the years no amount of money can top.


My collection will be my legacy to my kids, a passion we all share, a bond we will always treasure. This is the reason "WHY SUPERMAN?" This is why I collect, this is me sharing my heart you!


Some pictures of Me and my Superman Collection:

I'm updating the pictures please bear with me. Thanks!

Copyright njvelasquez 2012

All characters mentioned and shown are owned by their respective company.

Superman and related character is copyrighted and owned by DC Comics and its subsidiaries.

No copyright infringement intended in the creation of this review.

The Avengers Movie Review (Spoiler Free)

HI there again.  It was an awesome start for my blog.  Thanks so much for all those who checked and left messages on FB regarding this!  Thank you and keep on supporting.

THE AVENGERS MOVIE REVIEW (SPOILER FREE)

(I hope I can keep it that way)

How can I start, since we got the Ironman Movies, Captain America, Hulk and Thor there is just this unexplained urge of anxiety for this movie to come.  I promised a spoiler free review, specially for our friends who will be seeing it on the 5th of May.

Well as a kid and said it before, I was astound of the imagination of the characters from DC and Marvel along with other Superhero and Super Robot stuffs.  It was from TV, Newspapers, Magazines to Comics.  Along that line, Marvel's Avengers is a promising concept from Marvel back then.  Comprising of multiple heroes banded together to save the world ---- Well is that's not promising enough, not to mention the organization known as SHIELD and their toys.  High Tech arsenal of weaponry, cool rides and the Helicarrier --- all of us kids then were in awe.

Now, to see them one by one re-created to adopt our modern era, re-imagined and done on a live-action movie was something --- gathering them together and forging one ultimate superhero movie --- RIVETING!

Lets rate the movie by stars.  5 Stars being the highest.

MOVIE EXPERIENCE *****

The movie experience was superb.  I love the long lines and watching people in anticipation for a movie.  While watching, I love the fact that the audience feel and are one with the film.  Laughing at the funny parts of the scenes, excited and screaming on the climax and exciting parts.  Also, the best part is that we bought food but could not even look at the food and fries would fall coz, we just couldn't take our eyes off the big screen.  It was a lot of fun, it was also a wonderful chance for me and my kids to share something in common, to bond and be closer as father and sons.

My sons were very happy and with us is a friend of my eldest, we rushed to nearest toys store afterwards and checked the Avengers line available.  My youngest was so into the movie, he was role playing and kept on saying..... Now I love the Hulk!

STORY *****

The story was greatly done and the movie was well executed.  All of the expected mishaps and bitz of both what was cultivated in our minds from the early story, ultimates, new avengers animation and the movie adaptation was well incorporated.

Loved the way it was a team but not a team, on how alliances were forged and how trust were earned by all of the characters involve.  It was non-stop fun.  I WAS RIVETED!  It's like my eyes were glued to the big screen.

I was wrong to have expected less when marvel was now owned by Disney.  I really thought it would be corny and go off what had been started.

SPECIAL EFFECTS *****

I got to say the effects were way better than I expected.  I really thought that Michael Bay and ILM did an awesome job with the Transformers Franchise, but comparing this with the recent DOTM movie..... DOTM 4 stars vs AVENGERS perfect 5!

I seen the Ironman Armors, the way he fights.  I seen how Thor was taken from the comics and made him real perfectly or Capt America or even The Hulk, but when the Helicarrier first took flight, I had goosebumps almost the same when I saw Optimus Prime first transformed.

The effects for me was flawless, specially the ending part.  I was expecting more from Fury in the action but was made up by Hawkeye, Black Widow and Maria Hill.

ACTORS/ACTRESS (CHARACTERS) **** 

One less star for changing again Banner for the Hulk.  Mark Ruffalo is no Edward Norton but well played.  I also think aside from the budget cuts to get most of the actors back and seeing Pepper Potts in it, Norton would have been awkward to see as a brilliant scientist, he was great in the Hulk movie as a fugitive Banner but Ruffalo well played the genius Banner.

Loved everyone in the cast, appreciated even Agent Coulson (Dunno if I got it right), I was looking for General Ross though.  No more Human Torch for Chris Evans - Perfect Captain America!

RECOMMENDATION:

A Must see movie, it all worth it! Perfect reason to bond with your family especially your kids.  I'm watching it again in 3D.  Hope everyone enjoys it the way we did.

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Well there you go, I will put on a full review maybe a few days after it will be shown on the States and other country. Post your comment and reactions and subscribe to my blog. Peace and God Bless to everyone.

Copyright njvelasquez 2012

All characters mentioned and shown are owned by their respective company.  Avengers is copyrighted owned by Marvel and its subsidiaries. No copyright infringement intended in the creation of this review.

Welcome to BBTA

Welcome to my Blog!

This is where collectors alike meet and share views.  I'm what you so call an 80's kid. Grew during the days of the Super Friends.  I'm a big Superman and Batman fan, DC characters alike.  I also dig the Marvel Characters specially those made by Stan Lee.  He is such an inspiration.

I'm the typical poor kid who doesn't have the liberty of owning toys when I was a kid.  Here in the Philippines, we kids that grew in the 80s and 90s are fond of tags, hide and seek, self-made toys from wood and bottle caps and different kinds of materials found around the house.

It was the era of Saturday Morning Cartoons. Spiderman and His Amazing Friends, The Invincible Ironman, Thundercats, Transformers and many more.  A time when we had to wait for the TV about 5 minutes before the black and white picture appears.

It was also an era of make believe and creative imagination, where we get our towels and blankets and put them around our backs as cape.  Put on our underwear upfront our pajamas and put our socks over it too.  It was creating a super hero in everyone where we get to jump and run around looking silly and no one would care because we were kids.

It was an awesome era for kids like me.  It was a time when there wasn't much violence in TV shows and kids would talk everything they watched on TV afterwards outside and re-enact everything choosing a character.  More of the jumping, running, hiding and creating dialogues and being that hero of a while.

Hopefully, this will inspire everyone of my generation as well as the younger and newer ones to share their thoughts of why they started collecting, why collect at all? Or better yet ask ourselves what do we get from all of this?  I wish everyone will be touched and join me in a journey as I share my passion to everyone.

God has been kind enough to bless me in getting a chance to start my own collection.  It is true that everything falls into place in the right place and time.

Support the Blog! Peace! God Bless!

Copyright njvelasquez 2012

All characters mentioned and shown are owned by their respective company.  Avengers, Captain America, Thor, Hulk and Ironman is copyrighted and owned by Marvel and its subsidiaries. Superman and related character is copyrighted and owned by DC Comics and its subsidiaries.  Transformers is copyrighted and owned by Hasbro and its subsidiaries. No copyright infringement intended in the creation of this review.