Ectocontainment Spotlight: Mini Shooter

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minishooter

In 1988 with the larger first series ghost figures and larger Gooper Ghosts already on the market Kenner created and sold smaller Mini ghosts. Which are different, separate, and more affordable ghost figure sets. At $4.99 USD, (1980s dollars, nice) even your allowance money made these obtainable toys.

Boo-Zooka™ is a cocoon shaped wormy ghost who was sitting around one day with his smaller ghost buddies, known as Boo-Lets.™ The orange and blue Boo-Lets look up (literally and figuratively) to Boo-Zooka. They want to be like it and listen closely to what it has to say. Boo-Zooka had this idea to start a band. The orange Boo-Let was nervous to ask, but it asked Boo-Zooka, what will we call our band? Boo-Zooka proclaimed “Boo-Zooka with Boo-Lets” Both Boo-Lets were so glad to have their names in the band name, they didn’t question that none of them could play instruments or had any money. Boo-Zooka knows best.

Ectocontainment Spotlight: Mini Goopers

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minigoopers

In 1988 with the larger first series ghost figures and larger Gooper Ghosts already on the market Kenner created and sold smaller Mini ghosts. Which are different, separate, and more affordable ghost figure sets. At $4.99 USD, (1980s dollars, nice) even your allowance money made these obtainable toys.

Kenner’s Ecto-Plazm toys had already reached a crescendo when they created and sold their large Gooper Ghosts. Their’s only so many individual cans of Ecto-Plazm your parents are willing to put up with. In childhood I never had anywhere near as many cans of toy slime as I do in adult hood. I owned more cans of Play-Doh. You know, the less messy play time. They came up with three smaller ghost toys, The Mini Gooper Ghosts,™ Mini Shooter,™ and Mini Traps.™ They could have all come with Ecto-Plazm, but then Mini Goopers wouldn’t be as special.

Guess To The Future

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In Back To The Future II before Doc went back to 1985 to disrupt Marty’s Saturday with Jennifer, Doc had gone ahead to October 22, 2015 (and presumably beyond) to see what would be the fate of Marty and Jennifer’s (“Bring her along, this concerns her too.” – Doc) future kids.

Two years before that 2015 it’s safe to say Marty wasn’t sitting on his computer taking pictures slightly mimicking his 17 year old look. Which is what I’ve been doing this morning. I was really looking forward to yesterday because of the Guess jacket. Unfortunately something I ate or drank at lunch hurt my stomach. When the jacket didn’t quite fit, (“Size adjusting…”) I knew that was part of the reason. I still wanted to wear the shirts, jacket, vest, and mirrored sun glasses.

I also wanted to write at least a little about the jacket. I figured I’d be feeling better by today. I could try the jacket on today and get better self taking photos (thanks iMac web cam!) to write and share on iRichard Roy today. Besides feeling better the jacket fit slightly better. It’s still a slim fit and unless I move somewhat into the Guess universe I won’t always button it.

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Through The Looking Glass

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I received my Guess jacket this afternoon. I like it, it doesn’t quite ft :/ because I guess (no pun) in the model universe even guys who wear XXL have to be slim. The denim jacket was advertised as a standard fit. I knew this could happen and getting it at more then half off made the risk worth it. I’m pretty sure Michael J. Fox wore the jacket open the entire time. He was cool like that. :p I also think at some point the jacket will fit better.

I did pin the pins onto the jacket and took some test pictures with wearing the vest and not wearing it. The only one I liked enough is with the vest. My pictures (mostly dressed as a Ghostbuster) have been on the internet for more then 15 years. I still feel like I’m showing a little bravery with this test picture. *edit* Removed for better pictures on October 22, 2013. When the clothing costume is complete enough I want to get more BTTF-centric photos taken. I’ll probably take better pictures of the jacket and the pins. It won’t be until tomorrow at the earliest.

Take A Guess

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In the “in universe” that is Back To The Future, October 21 is important because after Doc Brown learns about older Marty and his family, he decides Marty (who was back in 1985) and him could prevent an event that will send Marty’s future kids to jail for years to come. If it wasn’t in part because Marty saved Doc from the Libyans and for the life future Marty seemed destined to have, Doc Brown probably would have let future history unfold. Doc, Marty, and Jennifer (who was originally around because she was in the scene in the original) travel to October 21, 2015.

Once in the future Hill Valley town square with Doc off in a flying DeLorean (to presumably just pick up Einstein from a suspended animation kennel) Marty decides to explore the future. The environmental friendly future won’t hurt the dynamics of time travel which Marty can’t yet fathom. Before continuing the “mission” into the Cafe ’80s Marty visits the kind of antique store most of us would visit. Called Blast From The Past the window displays obvious (yet raises more questions) items such as a JVC camcorder and Marty’s Guess? two toned denim jacket with Art In Revolution pin. There are also inside items such as a Jaws video game and a Who Framed Roger Rabbit plush.

I bought a light wash denim hooded (removable) Guess jacket I like from Guess’ outlet eBay store on Columbus Day evening. Even with being an outlet price, it was on sale, saving me $18. I chose USPS with free shipping and may have it before or on Monday, October 21. I’ll update iRichard Roy when I have the jacket.

Photo Source: Stick PNG

Ghoststoppers

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Note: Originally posted at my personal blog, iRich.

If you’re not familiar the Ghostbusters movie that became a worldwide phenomenon could have been called Ghoststoppers. Ghostbusters, not to be confused with The Ghost Busters is a ’70s TV show. As Ghostbusters was being shot in 1983, Columbia, today Sony Pictures hadn’t secured the rights for the title. While filming the “end of the world is upon us” sequence with the Ghostbusters and a lot of extras shouting “Ghostbusters!,” then Associate Producer Joe Medjuck called Columbia to (my words) give them that extra push to secure the film rights. After Ghostbusters became a juggernaut, The Ghost Busters cashed in. When Columbia was ready for a Ghostbusters cartoon series, they stuck it to Filmation by calling it The Real Ghostbusters. It took 11 first season episodes, Citizen Ghost is the back story that explains why the animated Ghostbusters are more realer then two guys and a gorilla.

Unlike the cleverness that is Back To The Near (Future), (iRich) I don’t want to call all my blog posts about my Ghostbusters flight suit, “Who Ya Gonna Call?” When I was sitting here with the cursor blinking “it just popped in there” and Ghoststoppers is it.

Last time I talked about Ghostbusters, I wrote about the “franchise” or group I’m apart of, Ghostbusters New Jersey. For putting together the new site, Bill was building me a Belt Gizmo and was helping me with my existing Ghostbusters prop replicas. I still didn’t know when I would order a new flight suit. I really wanted to, come October the demand can exceed supply. Other then ghostheads and certain professionals who actually need a flight suit that isn’t 100% military spec, who are all these people? The sites I knew about were out of stock or back ordered. Between known research and a thorough search, I found bdu.com. They had a Tru-Spec khaki flight suit in my size in stock! I would only have to wait until October 14.

While I was waiting Bill and I met up on Sunday to talk GBNJ biz, complete my new Belt Gizmo, do some upgrades to my 13 year old Proton Pack, make my Mattel/Matty Collector Ecto-Goggles more comfortable to wear, and take the stitches out from my good patches. The next day, at the end of the day UPS delivered my flight suit.

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Back To The Near Pinheads

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bcrichpin

Major pin updates this week! First, the BC Rich Warlock Blue Electric guitar pin arrived from Seismic Music. I’m not totally sure I’ve seen a real BC Rich Warlock in person. I’ve seen guitars shaped like one. So I can’t vouch for every detail. This pin seems pretty detailed, even includes a small R on the Head. Something I hadn’t noticed when I was looking at guitar pins on their site. I know the pic is slightly crooked, it’s a little hard to scan the plastic/cardboard packaging. With the angle of the guitar pin, I like it.

superpick

Also included in the shipment were my classic Fender Green guitar picks that remind me of Kryptonite. This was more of a “fun” thing to have. Yeah, Marty played guitar at his “Battle Of The Bands” with his garage band, The Pinheads. Before they could barely get into the power love song they wrote, they were forced to stop because they were “too darn loud.” In case you didn’t know Huey Lewis played the “square administrator” who was told the same thing. Besides having hit songs from BTTF and probably being very loud, he once sued Ray Parker Jr. Huey or his label alleged that the more arguably popular “Ghostbusters” sounds too much like “I Want A New Drug.” The case is sorta legendary in the music business.

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Back To The Near Short Sleeves No Sleeves

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I wanted to post this update earlier in the month, I wanted to wait a little until I had more I could talk about. Then when the waiting was over, I was helping a friend for about two weeks build/reestablish a web site (through WordPress) I’ve been apart of for the better part of a decade. I will talk more about that in a separate post.

Even with helping him, I’ve still been on enough of a BTTF kick to continue putting together my “Marty” clothing costume. Last Friday I ordered the two shirts I would need to hopefully complete my upper half. The first shirt is a black and blue checkered patten shirt that is the closest I’ve found to the Shah Safari. It’s an IZOD Check Woven shirt, (in Mazarine blue/white) from J.C Penney’s site. It was also part of there Summer clearance. That 15% card helped with the shipping cost. It’s been shipped through USPS, hasn’t arrived yet, and the tracking information has barely been updated this morning. Hopefully I’ll have it by Monday.

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Back To The Near Short Sleeve Shirt

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I originally wrote my Back To The Near Future Research blog on September 6, 2013. I’ve updated it twice since, for organization, add information, and provide personal insight. If you read the original post or even the first update, thanks. That should be the last update for the entire research post. I may write a complete post when I’ve completed my Marty clothing costume.

J.C Penney has been having a clearance sale on summer clothing. One of the shirts I like was marked down from $30 USD to $9.99 USD. With the price (before shipping) and limited quantities with the color or size I decided to take a chance and order a plaid woven shirt, made by IZOD. I haven’t owned many shirts from IZOD and none quite like this. I’m more of a t-shirts/jeans kind of guy. I hope it fits well. If it does and the sale continues I may order the other short sleeve shirt that is closer in style to Marty’s Shah Safari one.

Here is the shirt I ordered, kinda funny IZOD calls the color/style “Fairy Tale.”

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Back To The Near Research

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**Update** September 9, 2013

Intro & Shirts

This past week I continued reading up on Marty’s clothing. I found enough retailers on-line to buy many of the items I would need or may want for my idea of an accidental time traveller. One of the least expensive items on the list is a button down shirt. J.C Penney‘s (a department store I do like that is noticeable during key scenes) web site didn’t have my size (one of two things that usually happen when I actually want to buy clothes) for this one shirt I like. That is a similar style to the Shah Safari worn by Michael J. Fox. The website said it was in stock at my regional mall.

Something else I wanted to do had me going to the mall. Browsing  J.C Penney I couldn’t find the shirt. I found similar shirts, one was even long sleeved. I took a look in Old Navy thinking their may be an inexpensive alternative. I did find a similar shirt that could work. I haven’t bought a shirt for myself from Old Navy in years as my usual size has been form fitting. Later that day I did find a bigger size and even the maroon t-shirt from their web site. It’s good to know I added another retailer to my list.

In the last couple of days I was searching the internets for similar shirts and styles I like. Not surprising I found similarly styled shirts on J.C Penney’s site. They’re not in stock locally. As of this week they have my size and they’re on sale.

Jeans

Michael J. Fox probably wore a pair of light blue denim jeans from Guess. I usually wear Levis. I don’t normally like expensive jeans, for me all jeans will eventually need to be replaced. I may already have a pair of jeans that could work. If I need a new pair for the look that I like, that would be ok.

Sneakers

Michael J. Fox as Marty McFly wore white Nike Bruins with a red swoosh. Classic kicks that have been reinvented and updated in 2+ decades. Around 2007 Nike called them Cortez. More recently I’ve found on-line through sneaker retail chains the “new” Bruins. The price isn’t bad. If I’m going to buy new sneakers I would prefer to buy a pair that I would wear nearly everyday.

Denim Jacket

Most fans know Michael J. Fox wore a two toned Guess Marciano denim jacket with the sleeves rolled back to reveal the lining. The paisley (think it’s called that) lining was most likely added by the studio. Original jackets have a lining that has a Guess stencil logo. I’ve even seen jackets on-line that have a sports image (football?) inside. It isn’t a surprise the studio added a lining as the Guess tag on the front pocket and any label Marty wore was either removed or never shown. A denim jacket I’d want to buy will have a classic blue denim feel to it.

Pins

I don’t know if this was more of an ’80s trend, Marty wore three lapel/jacket pins. I sorta remember wearing pins on my jackets as a kid. I think just about everyone knows Marty wore a circular “Art In Revolution” pin. What does it really mean? Most don’t know. I could picture Marty buying that pin at the Twin Pine Mall. Marty (and Michael J. Fox) played guitar, Marty is an artist with a Pinhead band. They were probably anti-establishment. Even though their only hit in the making was Power Of Love. Outside of Hill Valley, you use to be able to buy these reproduction pins from bttf.com. I don’t currently know of any sites selling them. The paper prop file is available for free to make your own.

Marty’s second pin is a bass guitar pin. A black and gold precision bass to be exact. I have never learned to play a guitar, it was only as an adult I should have learned as a kid, instead of the beginnings of a saxophone. I don’t know what I was thinking. Long before adulthood drums is where it’s at. Well at least I never wanted to be a “one man band.” There are web sites that sell music pins. Last week I found one that sells the precision bass. As I’m going for my own style if I were to buy a guitar pin I could go with a different one.

Marty’s third pin is an odd one in the 21st Century. It is this boomerang shape pin that hasn’t been identified. I know other fans have made their own. My theory is, maybe its a type of guitar pick. Perhaps it isn’t music related at all. Either way I could follow up with my theory. If I get the other pins and want to have a third pin I could always add whatever I like. As long as it doesn’t look like I worked at a Fridays in the ’90s. :p

“Puffy” Vest

There has been a debate among fans if the vest Michael J. Fox wore was orange or red. It’s not a bright orange and it isn’t red. If I can explain this right, its more of a darker red/orange. The real vest was made by a California based outdoor company known as Class-V. Prior to a fan (taxman73) finding an exact vest at a vintage store it was thought the vest might have been from The North Face. Years ago I would have bought a darker red. Based on what can currently be purchased I like a vest from Land’s End that’s more of a copper/bronze color. I think it’ll work for my needs.

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Back To The Near

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As unbelievable as this seems to me in adulthood I somehow missed the entire phenomenon of Back To The Future in July 1985. When I was older I also missed out on seeing both sequels in theaters. At least I was part of the marketing experience. Pizza Hut “2015” neon sunglasses anybody? I’m not sure why, I even missed out on the 25th anniversary screenings. :/ Like with Ghostbusters today, Back To The Future is one of those classic ’80s movies that theaters do show periodically.

I was around 8 when I saw BTTF for the first time. I don’t remember if it had been on TV yet. I do remember ‘ol golden arches selling the movie on VHS for $5! That was a bargain considering I’m old enough to remember within a few years of that retailers were selling VHS movies for $100. I know I saw that at least once. Was the market unregulated?

Regardless of how I first saw Back To The Future I liked it immediately. Sure I didn’t understand everything about it or the deeper nuances of time travel. I liked (and appropriately disliked) the characters, Hill Valley, (which I wanted to visit) and of course the DeLorean, a car because it has stainless steel panels works well enough with the Flux Capacitor to allow people and a dog to travel through time.

Second to Ghostbusters I watched Back To The Future whenever I had a chance. If it was on TV, our own copy, and of course when a certain bird network aired it with a special when Back To The Future II was in theaters.

Back To The Future II

By the time (really no pun intended) Back To The Future II was out on VHS (and maybe laserdisc) I was into science fiction movies a little more. Some of which involved time travel. I always loved the idea of what the future would bring. I still remember in elementary school reading a Weekly Reader that talked about living on the moon in the year 2000. It was 1986.

I was excited to unexpectedly see Back To The Future II at a family friends house around 1990. Who wouldn’t want to visit Hill Valley in 2015? If Hill Valley were real, it wouldn’t be a big deal to see it now as we’re well into 2013. Hill Valley itself doesn’t technically exist. The Universal back lot, Whittier, City of Industry, Pasadena, CA for example are real places where the trilogy was filmed.

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