SDCC Memories: Captain Action

As every comic fan knows, the San Diego Comic Con kicked off today, and while I think my days of attending that show are past me, I will admit there is some part of me that wants to get the gang back together ("the gang" being the group of Joe Kubert School vets that I went with back in 1998-2000) and try it one more time, just because it was a lot of fun--both in and outside the show itself.

So while that might not ever happen, I thought it'd be fun to relive some SDCC memories (the ones I can share publicly, at least). Like the time I hit the show floor looking for rare Aqua-stuff, and found this nifty little trinket:

I attended the San Diego ComiCon a few years back, and one my first priorities was scoping out all the dealer tables In Search of Aquaman Stuff (wasn't that hosted by Leonard Nimoy?).

Anyway, one year I came across a booth run by Danny Fuchs, who bills himself as "The World's Foremost Superman Collector." I recognized him from an article in Toyfare, and asked him if he had any Aquaman stuff, dubbing myself in the process "The World's Foremost Aquaman Collector." His response was "You probably don't have a lot of competition with that." Rim shot! Thank you, ladies and gentlemen! You've been great!

After searching through his piles of stuff for a moment, he produced this, the Captain Action/Aquaman flicker ring. I know it's hard to tell from the scan, but the ring toggles back in forth between a pic of Arthur and one of the good Captain. It was too small to fit my 20-something hand (dammit), but I didn't already have it, and the price was right. Sold Atlantean!

This piece originally ran on October 20, 2006.