Spread the Joy: Advent 2025: Day 12

I selected another more local charity today that even if you are not from North Carolina, you can still donate to. Or, maybe this charity would inspire you to pursue options more local to your state or county.

See, my wife's brother, my brother-in-law, was adopted. With that in mind, and the fact that I don't like to the number 12, here's my bride to talk about her family's experience and how you can get involved.

Take it away Jan...

Potlatch: Comics to Benefit the SPA

I bought this book years ago. Like way before the pandemic years ago. It has to have been sometime between 2015 and 2019 when my wife and I were visiting Asheville NC annually because I remember the store where I got this book. It was an independent art store that sold work by local artists. Obviously, somebody who worked on this project was from the mountains of North Carolina.

Potlatch, which derives it's name from a Native American feast where gifts and large amounts of food are shared amongst different tribes, is an anthology title. The term is also where we get the word 'potluck', which more accurately describes this book as you have no idea what you're gonna get. Past volumes have benefited comic book publishing charities such as the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund. Sales for this edition from 2004 provides proceeds to be Small Press Association.

As with just about any anthology, it's really hard to rate it on quality as the skill levels of the talent ranges from 'why isn't this guy working for Marvel?' to 'when did this guy realize that becoming a professional comic book artist just wasn't in the cards?' A lot of what I read was forgettable. There were a few photocopied mini comics included in my copy. The one about a pair of villains who go on a talk show to explain how hard it is to be the baddie was the most memorable thing in the book. There was also Drake Maxwell, Private Eye. It was about a gumshoe who had to solve an alien abduction. Only the item missing is the alien's spaceship that has been stolen during a recent jaunt to the third rock from the Sun! I also received a couple of stickers of Japanese looking creatures that I think might make a fun prize for a friend of mine, that looked really nice. 

If I paid more than $5 dollars, I was probably gypped. Though it was for charity. So maybe I can be okay with having paid $10. But that's about it. Despite owning it for nearly a decade, this one is going to the used book store, hopefully for some trade credit. My luck, they won't take it because of how independent and unknown it is. But if they'll just take it off my hands, I'd be willing to take as little as 25 cents in trade to get this stinker off my hands.

Not Worth Consuming!

Rating: 3 out of 10 stars.

A Hard Candy Christmas: Advent 2023, DAY 19

Today's candy returns to the realm of hard candy; although it's actually really crunchy and can easily melt in your mouth. I'm talking about the Peppermint Puffs from Red Bird.

The candy is made right here in my backyard. Crafted by the Piedmont Candy Company of Lexington, NC for over 130 years. About the size of 2 peppermint starlights placed atop each other, the consistency of a puff is meringue-like. Think of those pastel mini mints you used to be able to get for free from a bowl placed near the restaurant cash register before COVID changed all that.

The recipe is simple: 100% cane sugar in liquid form, pure peppermint oil and a touch of red food color for the stripes on the peppermint. Handcrafted. Uniquely formed. It's a product where the quality shines throughout each and every piece.

Red Bird has in the past made a varietal of the puffs called a peppermint stick. It's about 3-4 inches in length and has about the same consistency. The only difference is that the diameter of the sticks is about a third of that of the puffs. When I went to Red Bird's website to research for today's post, I got a little scared because I couldn't find the sticks anywhere. Then I remembered that the Candy Factory in Lexington carries the entire line of Red Bird products, because the Reid family that owns Piedmont Candy Company, used to own the shop located in the downtown district. A quick search there and I breathed a sigh of relief. Whew! They still make them and along with several other flavors that I didn't even knew existed! (There's even an Easter mix!!!)

Red Birds are a candy I remember from the days of visiting Middlesex with my Grandmama. Only I didn't have to budget for peppermint puffs because my Grandmama always stocked up on peppermint puffs for the whole family to enjoy. Even today, I will become a tiny bit greedy and grab a couple extra for myself when presented with them. They're a classic candy that's still as freaking amazing today as they were 30 years ago and they bring back such great memories of family members that I miss so much.

A Hard Candy Christmas: Advent 2023, DAY 17

 Today's post brings back some fond memories of a small town Christmas. My Grandmama was born in a town in Eastern North Carolina called Middlesex. It was such a small, out of the way place that in the 1980s and 90s, it seemed like the rest of the world had passed it by. 

Middlesex's only grocery store was an IGA that still used the original signage and displays from when it opened in the 1950s. The local pharmacy carried generic comic books from publishers I had never heard of as well as wrestling mags promoting superstars I'd never seen on TV before. The video store carried Betamax videos in a world that had gone VHS. As for the general store, it had a wooden plank floor that could have doubled as dirt with all the dried red clay carried in from the boots of generations of farmers. 

Side view of that old General Store with a modern mural added.

The owners of these small businesses might not have had a lot. Yet their efforts to decorate for the holidays were more impactful to me than any CEO's mansion on Madison Avenue. Anemic gold garland and unraveling red satin balls hung from the ceiling of each small store. Dime store decorations of plastic reindeer with ballerina-like legs lined the service counters. The bank had faux wrapped presents underneath an even less realistic artificial tree lined with a strand of the tiniest colored lights ever crafted. Only 5 of the lights ever blinked. And then there was my favorite store in Middlesex: the general store.

Just like every other shop in Middlesex, the general store was owned by a distant relative of my grandmama's. I think he was a cousin of her's. Only the windows of the general store were decorated for Christmas. Fake snow edged each corner. The latest sleds, a teddy bear or two and a plastic Santa Claus head were the only indications that December 25th was soon approaching. But it was the display case that drew my attention for our annual pre-Christmas visit to Middlesex. After visiting her mother at her childhood home and then her sister who worked at the bank, my Grandmama took me over to the general store for there amazing assortment of penny candy.

Dozens of old fashioned candies filled the glass display case next to the register. I've already talked about the ribbon candy I would foolish buy, thinking it tasted a whole lot better than it looked (in case you missed that post, it didn't.) A couple other things I like to buy will appear in future postings. Of those candies, one of my all-time favs were the Chocolate Covered Peanuts. And these peanuts weren't just covered with a thin layer of confection, these things were double-dipped! Each peanut was lightly dusted with salt. That saline tang was the perfect contrast with that rich milk chocolate. 

Despite being called penny candy, everything behind the candy counter at the Middlesex General Store was 99 cents a pound. Each year, I was allowed to buy a dollar's worth of candy. I usually got a quarter pound the ribbon candy, a quarter pound of other hard candy and 4 bits worth of chocolate covered peanuts. All filled in a single brown paper bag. Being family, the owner of the store always gave me a little bit extra with the chocolate covered peanuts. 

Going from Middlesex back to Raleigh, NC seemed to take forever. Especially back then when a lot of those time-saving highways had yet to be paved. I would make a huge dent in my inventory of chocolate covered peanuts. Oddly enough, I always had enough ribbon candy to choke a horse. I see that question about if you could tell yourself as a kid one thing, I think my advice would be to 'Skip the ribbon candy. Stock up on chocolate covered peanuts!'

Cover Not Final: Crime Funnies

My local library had a display of works by local authors. That's where I found this digest sized work. There was the mischievous looking criminal standing in front of a car wreck touting 'Crime Funnies' on the cover. I thought it looked fun in a wicked sort of way and gave it a read. 

I could not have been more wrong. 

The book starts off with a song that doesn't rhyme. Though I did learn something from this ballad. It seems that all of the segments of this book take place in a world where music is outlawed and where putting a piece of artwork in front of someone's door is a threat worse than death. The little imp from the cover appears in a few stories. He's known as 'Career Criminal', though his crimes aren't all that dastardly. A couple of other places and background characters pop up in the other stories making for a Pulp Fiction type work. But that's about the only things that are cohesive in the book.

Max Huffman's work is psychedelic. Very experimental to the point of being beyond an underground comix. The colors are extremely vibrant. But I just didn't really know what the hell was going on here.

The fact that I am giving this work any stars is due to the fact that each story has an engrossing start. Yet all of these stories have an abrupt end with nothing ever completed. Heck, a couple of tales felt like nothing was ever even attempted. The opening story about a hardened 70's style private detective who discovers that his uncle is missing ends with the guy losing his train of thought... THE END. I felt so cheated and I only checked this book out. Thank God, I didn't pay  for this book which retails to almost $10!

If there was a formula to this book, I clearly missed it. 

Not Worth Consuming!

Rating: 2 out of 10 stars. 

1977: A Madman Turns 40: 2017- Day 208

  

  How many of you are familiar with the restaurant Bojangles? If you do live in the on the Central East Coast of the US, you probably haven't. Bojangles is a regional chain that specializes in Cajun style chicken and biscuits. It's also turning the big 4-0!

    Just the other day, my wife asked for Bojangles. It's reasonably easy to get to from our house. Prices are really fair. Plus, They've got great iced tea and really good fries. The trick is to dip them in their Cajun sausage gravy!

   Anyways, on my way driving home, I took a sip of tea (the temp was almost 100, folks) and I noticed on the cup that Bojangles got their start the same year I did- 1977! So, of course, I felt it was appropriate to do a write-up about them for the A Madman Turns 40 project.

The founders at the original location, 1977

   Bojangles was started in 1977 by Jack Fulk and Richard Thomas. Their idea to serve chicken, and biscuits, and breakfast all-day with a Cajun flare was a unique idea to my home state of North Carolina. That's right, Bojangles was started in Charlotte, NC! 

  Within a year, Bojangles opened it's first franchise location. By the time I was 4 or 5, I remember going to the Bojangles on Falls of the Neuse Road every Sunday after church with my mom and dad. That locale was the first in Raleigh and the 28th location opened in the franchise overall. I don't remember my regular order but I was in love with the dirty rice- a spicy blend of rice, sausage, peppers, and God knows what else. But man is it good stuff!

The first Bojangles Franchise locale, 1978.

There's now over 600 Bojangles opened as far north as Pennsylvania and south in Florida. The company is even a publicly traded company, opening on the NASDAQ in 2015. The future continues to look bright for Bojangles. You poor souls without a Bojangles, who knows, maybe they'll head to your neck of the woods sometime soon!

Man, don't this look good!

So that's my look at 1977 for today. 2017 seems to be a big year for Bojangles and a certain Madman with a Book. Now if I could only get the owners to give me their 4-piece Supreme Dinner for only $.77 for the rest of the year...

1977: A Madman Turns 40: 2017- Day 93

The iconic Lucky Strike smoke stack
and Lucky Strike tower, Summer 1977.

   

  Today I start teaching for the Sprint Quarter at the Art Institute of Raleigh-Durham. It's where I went to culinary and I just love teaching. This branch is located at the American Tobacco Campus in Durham, NC.

   Folks if I have to pick a favorite place in the world- it's the ATC. I have such fond memories from my time working for the Durham Bulls and going to Ai. Now I continue to make those memories as I work there.

Ads such as this 1977 Benson & Hedges one
were crafted at the American Tobacco Campus.

   

 So I thought for today's post I would take a brief look at American Tobacco circa the year of my birth- good ole 1977. I know it's fudging the rules a little bit. But hey, it's my journey as I turn 40...

Until tomorrow...

1977: A Madman Turns 40: 2017- Day 30

Old Rex, circa 1940.

 I decided to take a small look at the hospital in which I was born. Rex Hospital in Raleigh, North Carolina or Old Rex as folks call it today. Well, as far as I can remember, even my parents called it Old Rex.

      It's also the place where my parents meet. 
     

Original Rex Building.

  
   The hospital was founded in the late 1800s upon an endowment by John Rex, a Raleigh tanner. But litigation over the estate dragged on for half a decade before a court ruled the final request by Rex to be valid. The first Rex hospital was established in 1894. A new version of Rex was finished during the Great Depression and by 1975-76 when my parents meet, it's days were numbered. The building where I was born was finished in 1935 and it moved to it's current locale in 1980. I don't remember ever seeing a doctor in the old facility though I am sure I was taken there for visits up until I was 3. 

Old Rex from a 2016 photo. Used now by the State as
employment offices.

   Today, the hospital building where I was born still stands. It's partially abandoned, though the North Carolina Division of Employment Security occupies some of the grounds. However, that agencies days seem to be numbered as well. The state is looking to sell the buildings along with it's 16-acres to a development firm. As of December of last year, a slew of developers were clamoring to turn the site into a mix of offices and residential units. More than likely, Old Rex will not be renovated but demolished instead.

Entrance to the new Rex ER.
My pediatrician's office would be to the left (not pictured.)

 The NEW Rex still stands today as well and the facility continues to operate serving hundreds if not thousands of patients daily. After being purchased by the UNC Healthcare system sometime around the turn of the 21st century, Rex has opened additional branches in cities far and wide throughout North Carolina. Of note, this current hospital campus is where I had my adenoids removed and tubes in my ears, I've visited the ER for numerous breathing treatments for my asthma and one broken arm and wrist, and it's the last place I ever saw my grand-mama or my mother before both passed away in 1990 and 2003.  

From the 1974 Rex Nursing School yearbook, the Nightingale.
My mom is the person on the bottom right.

      I'm not sure what possessed me to write about Rex. Maybe I miss my parents. Maybe I just couldn't think of anything else to write about. Or maybe it was just time to write about this place. My wife is getting ready to have a major procedure today and maybe the place of my birth has been on my mind because of it.

    No matter what the real reason behind my examination of Old Rex, it remains as the place where this Madman began his journey into turning 40...

Durham Comics Fest 2016: How a Local Library is Using Comics to Create the Next Generation of Readers

   Earlier today, I attended my first ever comic book swap. Sponsored by the Shannon Road Branch of the Durham County (NC) Public Library, the event was just a part of a week long event called Durham Comics Fest 2016. The Shannon Road Library has been putting on comic book themed events with local bookstores and comics shops in hopes of turning fans of superheroes into readers. Every month, the library puts on comics themed events as well as host a graphic novel club. Thanks to the success of those activities, the library began an annual festival open to anyone, even those without a library card! This is the 3rd or 4th straight year of the Durham Comics Fest and my only regret is that I didn't find o

Simple Rules For Fun!

ut about this sooner.
     Events earlier in the week included art workshops, meet and greets, and a collaborative off-site event sponsored by the Durham Comics Project. But today's festivities were the meat and potatoes of the event. Throughout the day local artists including award winning creator of Th(ink) Keith Knight and Olympians series creator George O'Connor would be leading workshops and lectures for aspiring comic artists and writers of all ages. Plus, there were giveaways, cool stuff for sale, and (my favorite) free comic books. 
     I had a couple hundred comics that were either doubles or things I didn't want. Being such a fan of comic book grab bags, you'd be surprised how much extra accumulates. So I was gung-ho to join up with the Comics Fest's first activity of the day- the Comics Swap.

CHC is a great family centered LCS!

    The rules of the swap were simple. 1) Have Fun and 2) No Pressure. You didn't have to donate books to the swap but it helped. The freebies were assembled throughout the room and readers of all-ages got to collect some new reads for absolutely free! For a veteran collector like myself, I was able to unload some titles taking up much needed space while racking up on some things on my wish list for no money! Oh, how awesome is the bartering system!
    The Durham Comics Fest wraps up tomorrow with a screening of Dear Mr. Watterson, a documentary on the impact of Bill Watterson's epic strip Calvin and Hobbes has had on the comics industry. The event will begin at 3:00pm.

Cartoonist Keith Knight's Wares For Sale

     For more info about the screening and to find out about further comic themed events Check out the Shannon Rd. Branches website. Maybe you can even get some ideas from the great gang at this location for putting on a comic book swap and fest at the library in your community!
   Happy Reading...

   

Heroes of Sinclair

 

This collection of indy comics is perhaps the most obscure piece in my collection. I came across this book at one of my favorite places to stop when I visit Asheville, NC- Zapow Gallery. At Zapow, up and coming artists that specialize in pop culture, comics, and sequential art are given a chance to shine. It's like an art gallery for geeks and nerds! I love that place and I love this book!

    Heroes of Sinclair is written and illustrated by North Carolina native Gregory Dickens. A self-proclaimed lifelong scribbler, Dickens has currentl released 6 comics under the indy imprint Robot Wonderboy. But these aren't comics you can buy just anywhere. You either have to go to Asheville's epic comic shop Comic Envy, my beloved Zapow, or catch Gregory in person at cons in Western North Carolina or South Carolina. (You can also check out his online shop at his website!)

   So just what is Heroes of Sinclair? 

     Well, Sinclair is a fictional American town that isn't quite as big as your LA or New York City, but still has a need for superhero protection. Enter Spire, a sort of 911 operated by heroes. Their newest recruits are Focus, a hero with super strength and the ability to go intangible and Emma, an android Mixed Martial Arts champ who sees each foe as a challenge for her title belt. Then there's the non-super powered hero Sue Tonium, a former employee of Spire who becomes a roller derby star and a legend in her own right. Also assisting Spire are the members of the Jr. Spire program such as Armory, a young lad with a magical prosthetic arm and Parkour, a lad with boundless energy.

   It took a couple of chapters for this book to really connect with me. But once it did, things certainly got rolling. The art is a little rough and in black and white. But it's the Dickens' creativity that makes this such a fun read. Along with the unique swath of heroes and characters, Dickens wrote some compelling stuff. His origins of both Emma and Sue are worth the cover price alone. 

   This book carries a publication date of 2014. To my chagrin, it doesn't appear that any new Sinclair books have been issued unless I missed something on Dickens' webpage. This book ends with a tagline of 'To Be Continued' and that normally would tick me off. But the story that boasts this promise has a satisfying ending- only I didn't want this book to end! 

    Hopefully, Gregory Dickens has some new works coming out soon. But I'm not holding my breath on that hope! I understand that self-publishing isn't cheap. But maybe my word-of-mouth will inspire you, my dear readers, to give this book a shot! And then some new Sinclair stories will see the light of day...

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Scenes from the Raleigh Comics Show.

After having a broken foot and nursed my wife back to health with two knee surgeries, I had a much needed day to myself in my element. I went to the Raleigh Comic Book Show at the Crabtree Mariott in Raleigh, NC today. It's the first show/ con I've been to almost a year. I got to see some good friends, have some laughs, and, of course, get some good deals on comics. I also meet artist Richard Case and got my 3-issues Flash run of Legends of the DC Universe signed today! He was a really nice guy.  Below is a few pics from the show today. I'll be back tomorrow with a new review.

By the way: and would like to attend the next show, here's a link to their Facebook page.

If you live in the Raleigh, NC area,

Cow Boy Hallow’s (2012 Halloween ComicFest Exclusive (Family Comic Friday)

I give this 2012 ComicFest offering an E for Effort. The cover is a cool Halloween themed pic of our hero, Cow Boy. I think this story appeals to those who remember dressing up as a cowboy for Halloween or those today who still do dress the part. This story takes place in a small town in the Old West during Halloween but aside from some establishing shots of towns folk in costume for trick-or-treating, that’s about it for All Hallow’s Eve in this comic.

The story itself in set in a saloon where a friend of Billy the Kid is loudly claiming that nobody can out best his friend the Kid. The noisy rumblings wake up Cow Boy, a child bounty hunter, from his slumber upstairs. Now its dead shot vs. outlaw but does ether party really want to end the witching hour with a gunfight?

Cow Boy was a cute story about a child bounty hunter trying to make amends for his family’s robbing ways. I know that my library has the graphic novel that this story is inspired from. While I wasn’t terribly enthralled by the comic, it does garner enough interest that I wouldn’t mind checking it out. The dialogue was very clever with unique voices for all of the characters. The art is very cartoony but it works since this is a kids comic book.

This leads to my plug for Halloween ComicFest 2014. It’s tomorrow. Comic Book stores nationwide will be giving out free comics for the event. Kids will even get a chance to dress up early for Halloween as many stores will be hosting costume contests. You can even go to the ComicFest website and submit pics for a chance to win a gift card. Stores usually offer up some mighty fine sales and there is usually other chances for people to win prizes at the store for coloring contests, trivia, and lots of other cool activities.

Another thing to consider is buying a mini pack or two, or three of comics to hand out for trick-or-treating instead of candy. Like the packages say, comics last longer than candy and they can make meaningful strides in getting kids excited about comics and reading. (Homeroom parents- imagine how happy your child’s teacher will be when you hand out comic book instead of sugary treats for this year’s Halloween party!) The sets are $4.99 for a pack of 20. There are at least 12 different titles available for this year. Some stores will be selling the packs tomorrow. If you live in Durham, NC, check out my friends at Atomic Empire tomorrow. It’s where I picked up my packs!

Also, as a special treat, Family Comic Friday will be invading the whole week as I review a handful of the titles available for trick-or-treating. Check with me starting Sunday for this 5 day event.

Worth Consuming

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.