THE RETURN OF THE VAOS GARAGE SALES

 

My first Vast Accumulation of Stuff garage sales of 2025 will be Friday and Saturday, May 2-3, from 9 am to noon or later at 840 Damon Drive in Medina, Ohio. The sales will be held nigh-weekly through the summer. Most days, if there are fans still shopping at noon, I’ll stay open a bit longer.

I’ve been working on these sales since late last year. With the help of my pal Rob Petersen, who runs my eBay store, I’ve gone through dozens and dozens of boxes looking for stuff to put into these garage sales. I’m determined to reduce the VAOS by more than in any previous years. I need to make room for house renovations I want to make and to give back more of our Tardis-like house to Saintly Wife Barb.

The highlight of the sales are going to be the hardcovers, trade paperbacks and oversized hardcovers and trades. At rough count, I have fifteen boxes of these. Plus dozens of Omnibus editions and oversized books outside those boxes. Plus a spinner rack of novels and other books. If you’ve been following my updates on Facebook, you should have some idea of the amazing items that will be on sale.

You’ll also find several boxes of vintage and more recent comic books, including especially choice comics on my magazine stand. I also have around five boxes of comic priced at a dollar and a table and a half of manga volumes also priced at a buck.

A word about dollar comics. They are not particularly profitable for me. They are a loss-leader. They bring bargain-hunting fans and make those fans happy. After each weekend’s sales, I plan to pull 10-15% of the unsold dollar comics for use in my beloved mystery boxes.

Now a word about the mystery boxes. There won’t be any available for sale this first weekend. They are also loss leaders and take a lot of time to put together. For this opening weekend, I would rather use the space to showcase more of those oversized volumes mentioned above. My mystery boxes will return the second weekend and most weekends thereafter.

Getting back to our first weekend, there will be an entire table dedicated to Godzilla and other beloved kaiju. There will be two bookcases filled with bargain-priced Funko figures. I’m making very deep cuts to my Funko collection, though you’ll have to pry my G.I. Robot figure from my cold dead hands after I slaughter a bunch of Nazis.

The sale will have two exclusive items. We have a gorgeous Tigra posted by the amazing Jay Fife. Originally selling for $30, it’s been reduced to $20 for my garage sales.

We’ll also have copies of that exclusive-to-me edition Marvel’s Greatest Creators: Tony Isabella #1, which reprints the first appearance of Misty Knight in the Iron Fist series. This signed, numbered edition is limited to 1500 copies and is priced to sell at just $10 per comic.

Some other important notes. If you bring Isabella-written items to my garage sales, I will sign them for free. Just understand that I might not be able to sign them immediately if I’m waiting on other customers or if you have a lot of comics to sign.

Weapons are strictly prohibited at my garage sales unless you’re an on duty police officer.

My garage sales are non-political. I won’t be wearing my liberal swag and you will definitely not be wearing your MAGA, Trump or right-wing gear. If you think I’m going to bend on the MAGA hats and such, you’re very wrong. You’ll be asked to leave that stuff in your cars and, if you refuse to do that, you’ll be asked to leave without getting a chance to buy any of the wonderful items at the garage sale.

Finally, a gray area. My preferred name is Jenny Blake Isabella (or Miss Jackson if you’re nasty) and my preferred pronouns are she/he. As I will be presented as Tony, I won’t make a big deal if you misgender me. But it does make me happy when comics fans get it right. I don’t consider this to be political. I consider it to be basic politeness.

I’m looking forward to opening my garage door and seeing all the smiling faces of my customers and friends, old and new. See you soon.

© 2025 Tony Isabella

WHAT DO YOU DO WITH A PROBLEM LIKE KA-ZAR?

                                                                            

I have stumbled into reading the adventures of the modern Ka-Zar from his solo story in Marvel Super-Heroes #19 [March, 1969] through his series in Astonishing Tales, various black-and-white magazines and guest appearances to the end of his truncated Doug Moench-written run in Ka-Zar #20 [February 1977]. Eight years of stories collected in four Marvel Masterworks volumes. With those volumes largely out-of-print, I read them on Kindle, which is far from my preferred medium. I don’t know why I fixated on Ka-Zar, but I did. It could have been the dinosaurs. It could have been Zabu, our hero’s saber-toothed companion. It could even have been the Savage Land setting of most stories.

There was excellent writing on many of these Ka-Zar stories. I liked Arnold Drake’s Marvel Super-Heroes tale, followed by Roy Thomas, Gerry Conway, Mike Friedrich, Steve Gerber and Moench. The art was swell, too, with efforts by Barry Windsor-Smith, Don Heck and Val Mayerik, just to name a few. 

The Masterworks books also featured Shanna the She-Devil in solo tales. The best of them were by Gerber, who took an interesting psychological approach to the troubled character.

As I sometimes do while reading a bunch of stories featuring a character. I started wondering how I would write said character. In considering Ka-Zar, I came up with some things I did not want to do. Because as good as many of those stories were, despite occasional forays into science fiction and civilization-based super-villainy, I kept running into a stodgy pulp fiction troupe that, increasingly, dismays me. It’s whole “white savior” thing seen in Tarzan, dozens of other jungle heroes and heroines and even Lee Falk’s The Phantom. For me, reading the stories in 2025, that just doesn’t hold up.

I’ll readily agree that many versions of Tarzan, especially Russ Manning’s comic book and strip takes on Edgar Rich Burroughs’ creation, treated Africans with respect. More than other comic-book jungle heroes. But there still remained an aspect of white superiority to Tarzan.

As much as I love Falk’s Phantom, the treatment of indigenous people was abysmal for decades. To Falk’s credit, he recognized this in his later years and largely, if not completely, stopped doing the more obvious stereotypes. Today’s Phantom exists in an Africa that includes great cities and countries led by the kind of leaders I wish we had more of in my country. When I was being considered to take over the writing of the newspaper strip, I knew I wanted to explore those elements.

So we circle back to Ka-Zar, Zabu, Shanna and the Savage Land as I ponder what I would do with those characters and that setting. Keep in mind that I’ve not reread Ka-Zar comics past 1979. I do intend to continue my reading, having recently picked up a copy of the Ka-Zar the Savage Omnibus, but the following thoughts are based on my reading to date. Maybe other writers have had the same or similar thoughts to me.

Ka-Zar. I’d get rid of the whole Kamandi’s big brother look and, most importantly, the speech that runs from broken English to imperious rex. Ka-Zar was a young man when he was brought to the Savage Land and his speech should reflect that. As for his garb, he’s a rich heir. I’d change his look to modern outfits made of materials that work in the temperature extremes of the Savage Land and civilization. His hair would be short. Not Ace Morgan crew cut short, but short. I’d be sparring with the meat show. Save it for when it works or even just to titillate readers in the occasional fab service.

Zabu? He’s a mutant. That’s why he didn’t gobble up Ka-Zar when they first met. He can communicate with humans on a level beyond speech. I might play around with some manner of “sign language” for him. Maybe even introduce a device that would let him speak until he realized human speech was overrated.

Shanna? I’d definitely explore her trauma more. Not to make her a victim but to show her overcoming the trauma. She should be a complex character that readers will emphasize with and also a sometimes disagreeable ally to Ka-Zar. They wouldn’t always be on the same page with regards to the future of the Savage Land.

The Savage Land should be a character concept that goes beyond “jungle with dinosaurs and many strange people.” In the Earth of the Marvel Universe, corporations and countries would all want a chunk of the area to “develop” to pump up their bottom lines. In our so-called real world, Trump would probably want to make it a state for national and global security reasons.

My Ka-Zar would be a nation-builder, uniting the various tribes of the Savage Land into a more perfect union that could protect the interests of the tribes and use the Savage Land resources to benefit them. I could see the Savage Land welcoming such allies as Wakanda, Atlantis and, probably not to our hero’s personal liking, Doctor Doom’s Latveria. As with any such alliances in the real world, there would be proposals by these allies that might not be in the Savage Land’s best interests. I would bring in a Trump parody who would place tariffs on the Savage Land and call its dinosaurs terrorists.

That’s what I have at this time. When I do some more reading, I might have more ideas.

Thanks for stopping by today. I’ll be back soon with more stuff.

© 2025 Tony Isabella

THINGS THAT MADE ME HAPPY IN MARCH

 

I’m happy. Almost as happy as I have ever been in life. It’s not like getting a job at Marvel Comics. It’s not marrying Barb and having our kids. It’s not the Black Lightning TV series. But it is almost up there. When I revealed this to an online friend of mine, her response was:

“Are you crazy, girl?”

I know I live in a country and a time when my trans community is under vile attack. I know there are people close to me who are not completely on board with my transition. There are more than a few obstacles in my path. On the other hand…

I look in the mirror every day and see I’m becoming the person I am and who I want to be. I’m getting tremendous support from my therapist and my doctors. I’m blessed with local allies like OutSupport Medina and friends. I’m especially thankful for the overwhelming love and respect I received from the comics and other online communities. I am lucky to have all of the above and much more.

I am writing things that inspire me and speak to my life and the world around me. I have the great privilege of being there for my online pals who ask great questions and who tell me about their lives and who just want to cry on my shoulders or get a virtual hug when they need it. That I can still be a positive in so many lives after all the years make my soul glad.

As do these things that made me happy last month.

March 1: Authentic Selves: Celebrating Trans and Non binary People and Their Families. Interviews by Peggy Gillespie. Inspirational personal stories. Powerful messages. A beacon to a better future.

                                                                       

March 2: Godzilla’s Monsterpiece Theatre by Tom Scioli. Literary heroes unite to battle the King of the Monsters. The Great Gatsby. Jules Verne. The Time Machinst and more. It’s insane fun with the trade coming out in July.

March 3: Pop Culture Jeopardy was a thoroughly enjoyable show. I thought the competition was exciting and fierce. Colin Jost was amazing at its host. I hope we get a second season.

March 4: Hornsby & Halo by Peter J. Tomasi and Peter Snejbjerg. Unwitting children of Heaven and Hell sent to live on Earth to preserve the peace. Intriguing characters and setting. It’s well worth checking out. The trade is due in October.

                                                                            

March 5: Justice League Unlimited #1 by Mark Waid and Dan Mora. Star Sapphire saving a dying man with the power of love brought a tear to my eye, The issue also has a very nice use of Black Lightning.

March 6: Justice League Unlimited #2 by Mark Waid and Dan Mora. Seeing the original Challengers of the Unknown back in action was a wonderful surprise. They were my favorite DC team of the 1960s and still are.  

                                                                                

March 7: Wife Gets Smart, Makes Husband Happy: Supermarket Comic Strip Ads of World War II. Nat Gertler covers comics history no one else covers in fun and informative collections. My pal Nat is a comics treasure.

March 8: Redcoat #7 by Geoff Johns and Bryan Hitch. An emotional, often heartrending done-in-one tale of the price that immortality takes from Simon Pure. This deserves an Eisner Awards nomination for best single issue.

March 9: Saturday Night Live. Lady Gaga and Bowen Yang. We need a queer rom-com starring these two. They had amazing chemistry in their SNL sketches. Hey, Hallmark, the ball is in your court. Time to expand your viewership.

March 10: Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man wasn’t the show I expected. Its ten-episode first season featured a whole lot of changes to the original canon. Even so, it definitely held my interest and I look forward to a second season.

March 11: Hyde Street by Geoff Johns and Ivan Reis. Most of the Ghost Machine titles are among my favorites. This unnerving book with continuing characters reveals the evil found in every city and how it meets its reckoning on this street.

                                                                           

March 12: Merry Little Batman. The most bizarre Batman animated feature ever. Young Daimien wants to be a Batman just like his protective dad. The movie is violent at times and runs a tad too long, but it remains a delightful film.  

                                                                                

March 13: Transphoria Vol. 1. From Lifeline Comics, this is a 90 page graphic anthology about Trans and Non Binary experiences of gender euphoria across a wide range of genres. It’s wonderfully affirming and entertaining. Highly recommended. 3-13-25.

March 14: RetroFan #37. Ed Catto follows the impossible to follow Michael Eury as editor and does a fine job. Great articles on the Jetsons, Saturday Morning Rockers, Glamorous Ladies of Wrestling and more. My favorite magazine.

March 15: Secrets of the Unknown...Alan Class by Nick Neocleous has a great interview with the man who brought American comics to the U.K. from 1959 to 1989. There are lots of cool covers and fun facts. A long overdue book.  

                                                                                   

March 16: Created and drawn by Rob Davis, The Spirit of Route 66 #1 is a great start to the series. A man inherits a ‘66 T-bird and journeys on the famous highway. There’s something unusual about the car and therein lies the fun. Recommended.

March 17: Reuben fried rice. This is a St. Patrick’s Day special at Medina’s House of Hunan, my favorite restaurant. I don’t know how long it will be available, but you should 100% rush to enjoy this delicious stuff.

March 18: From Adventures into the Unknown #126 (August 1961), “Heavenly Heavyweight” by Richard Hughes and Ogden Whitney is one of those genuinely heartwarming tales that often appeared in ACG titles. Hughes knew how to tug at my heartstrings.  

                                                                                      

 

March 19: Roxy. A classic British romance comics weekly now has a mostly new anthology featuring modern talents updating classic strips like The Getaway Girls, 80 pages of love and adventure. More please.

March 20: Captain America: Brave New World. It’s a terrific film that fit nicely into its just under two-hour run time. I love new characters Joaquin Torres and Ruth Bat-Seraph and hope to see more of them in the MCU. More to come.

March 21: Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #34 by Mark Waid and Fran Galan. I’ve enjoyed this title since it was launched, but this issue’s team-up of Batgirl, Jimmy Olsen and the Super-Pets just plain tickled me. What a fun story!

March 22: Lucky Loser: Adventures in Tennis & Comedy by Michael Kosta. A fascinating story of Kosta’s journey from tennis pro to comedian. My only quibble is that it ends his first appearance on The Tonight Show. Too soon. I need a second book.  

                                                                               

March 23: The Residence. Darkly humorous series about murder in the White House. Great performances by Uzo Aduba as world’s greatest detective Cordelia Cupp and Randall Park as an FBI agent. Two episodes in, Barb and I are hooked.

March 24: Mark Evanier’s always-wondrous News from Me blog has been providing daily links to compact fact checks on the lies and misinformation vomited out on the public by Trump, Musk and other Nazis. It’s indispensable reading.

                                                                            

March 25: Metamorpho the Element Man #1. Wow! It’s as if writer Al Ewing and artist Steve Leiber were channeling Bob Haney and Ramona Fradon for this thoroughly delightful issue. I’ll request the trade from my library in September.

March 26: Boston mayor Michelle Wu is exactly the kind of leader our country needs more of. Her life and her policies celebrate the diversity, kindness and progressive thinking that actually make America great.

March 27: Baseball! The Cleveland Guardians won their opening day game over the Kansas City Royals 7-4, scoring three runs in the 10^th inning. The Cleveland Cavaliers also won a nail biter of a basketball game over the San Antonio Spurs.  

                                                                               

March 28: Lost in Taiwan by Mark Crilley is a beautiful graphic novel about an aimless young man who finds new experiences, good friends and himself in an amazing country. Published in 2023, it belongs on every comics fan’s reading list.

March 29: The Pitt. Streaming on Max and starring Noah Wyle, this medical drama is 24 in the ER, but with a larger cast and more story opportunities. Barb and I watched the first episode and we’re hooked. Highly recommended.

March 30: Cleveland Sex & Intimacy Counseling. In 2023, when I was seeking answers to the fundamental question of me, a trans friend recommended CS&IC. My therapist guided me on my journey to Jenny. My life wouldn’t be as happy as it is today without that continuing guidance.

March 31: MetroHealth. I am blessed to have this system for my primary and gender-affirming care. Excellent doctors and staff. Great facilities. No other system in the area makes me feel more seen and more respected. It’s the best!

BEST COMIC BOOK/GRAPHIC NOVEL: Lost in Taiwan by Mark Crilley

BEST BOOK: Authentic Selves: Celebrating Trans and Non binary People and Their Families.

BEST MOVIE OR TV SHOW: The Pitt

BEST PERSON: Boston mayor Michelle Wu

BEST OTHER THING: Cleveland Sex & Intimacy Counseling

My Vast Accumulation of Stuff garage sales will launch on Friday and Saturday, May 2 and 3, 9 am to noon at 840 Damon Drive in Medina, Ohio. The summer’s nigh-weekly sales will be bigger and better than ever. Hundreds of hardcovers and trade paperbacks at 30% of cover prices or more. Boxes of comic books with some as low as a buck each. Godzilla stuff. Funko figures. Manga volumes at a dollar each. I’m posting daily previews on my Facebook page and will have more information for you here as we draw closer to the start of the sales.

Thanks for visiting. We’ll be back soon with more stuff.

© 2025 Tony Isabella