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Sunday, September 5th

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Bye Bye Blue (March 1st, 2005)
I can't believe NYPD BLUE is ending tonight after 12 years. I'll post something about my TV watching habits in a day or three but given that the show ends tonight, I thought it important to comment on it now. Given the number of shows which run way too long, NYPD Blue has managed to keep interesting and this final season is no exception. I won’t ruin it for anyone who may not have seen this season yet, but it’s as good as the previous ones.

I’ve been watching Dennis Franz since he first appeared on another Stephen Bochco series, HILL STREET BLUES, where he chewed up the small screen gloriously as scumbag detective, Norman Buntz for a few years and parlayed that into a few series afterwards including the short-lived spinoff, Beverly Hills Buntz. Hopefully after a short rest, Franz will again appear in another series as he is too good to sit idle for long. Franz is the heart of the show and one hell of an actor to boot!

So tonight, one more episode, and NYPD BLUE moves onto just a great memory of an excellent TV show.

Bye Bye Blue! You will be missed!

Back From The Dead (March 1st, 2005)
I don't know how folks who post blog entries every single day or even a few times a week do it. I've got the time, and the ideas of what to post, but I never seem to have the get-up-and go to get off my large behind and post. My sole New Year's resolution was to post on a regular basis if not daily and seeing as its March 1st, we know how well that turned out. Well I'll give it another try. Gonna post today and hopefully daily for a while unless I'm out of town which isn't too often. Wish me luck, I'll need it!!!

RIP: Will Eisner......A Man With Real Spirit! (January 4th, 2005)
I just opened my email a second ago and got several notes about Will Eisner passing away. Very sad and I may add to this post later on when I get my thoughts together. I got to spend time with him when he lived in NY state, had dinner at his home a couple times and even stayed over once. Very nice guy and one of the greatest comics creators who ever lived on this planet. I will miss him but his body of work and the memories he gave me will live on forever.

So long Will....................................

Larry Shell

Con Games with Secret Agent Man (November 26th, 2004)
I went to the National Comics Convention in New York City this past Sunday. I usually go earlier in the weekend but I had a meeting with my agent, yes I said agent. The graphic novel I’ve mentioned previously to some of my friends is now with a real live agent who I and my collaborators are very happy with and looks like he’ll be doing a lot more for the book than I managed to as far as finding a publisher and other media and merchandising opportunities. Details on that as they develop.

I was under whelmed with the show, more so than in previous years. The reviews have been mixed but I personally was not impressed. I ran into a few old acquaintances including Craig Yoe, Bill Tucci of SHI fame and Dave Elliot, one of the guys behind A1 and Atomeka Press who’s new Mr., Monster comic is a must-have item. I also came across a dealer who had a cool stack of original artwork by Alex Toth and Gilbert Shelton for the old CARtoons and DRAGtoons comic magazines. Priced out of my range but great to look at none-the-less.

I was at the show less than 4 hours total and that includes my business meeting and twice slowly around the dealer’s room and artist areas. This was the first National show in the promoter’s new location, The Penn Plaza Pavilion, which is across from Madison Square Garden. The hotel has had several name changes and owners over the past 30 years and been home to dozens of conventions. The first comic book convention I ever attended back in the early 1970s was one of the late Phil Seuling’s 4th of July Conventions on the 18th floor of the same hotel when it was called the Statler-Hilton. I was probably around 15 years old and to see all those comic books in one room blew my young mind to put it mildly. One of these days, I’ll start recalling my years of comics and conventions on this blog, but it won’t be today. I wish someone would come into town and put on a big comic convention like the Seuling cons and the first few years of Creation conventions. Now those were great shows!

It’s A Wonderful Life Sometimes . . . Not! (November 26th, 2004)
Oy! What a week, first I lost my internet connection on Tuesday night so I couldn’t put up my weekly eBay auctions which isn’t good as it’s been my sole means of support for the past few years. The lack of connection has been happening sporadically for a couple months but it usually went back online in a few minutes after I fiddled with things. I suspect it’s the modem and not the connection. The problem is severe enough that my provider is sending out a serviceman but not until Friday. This means no email, web surfing and checking eBay ad nauseum for cool original art, CDs and whatever for almost 3 whole days! I’m an internet junkie but a few days offline will hopefully do me some good and let me catch up with other things like actually posting to this blog of mine.

To add to the fun, I went outside this morning to leave for my weekly visit to the comic book store and there was an empty space on the enclosed back porch where the garbage can is kept. Someone stole my garbage can, weird but true! A month ago, I got a notice from the town that all trash must be put on the curb in closed containers so I got a metal can and all was well until now. I still can’t get over how someone would steal my can, man!!! I got a new one along with a length of chain, lock and an eyehook and attached it to a wall on the porch. Hopefully this will deter any potential trash can thieves in the future!

I live in a mostly urban area to put it mildly so these kinds of shenanigans no longer surprise me much not that they happen with any regularity. Some of my friends have been on my behind on and off to move out of here for my own safety and hopefully that will happen in 2005. The main reason I’m still here is money period. I own the house outright so no mortgage anymore or rent payments just the hefty property taxes. I’ve managed to consolidate most of my debt load into a low interest loan and don’t want to add any more to my monthly nut than I need to at this point. It’s taken me a couple years of work to lower my overall monthly payouts. Hopefully things will pick up this coming year and a new house is in my future with or without winning the lottery.

And if this isn’t enough, I had a freak accident with a chair on Wednesday night which literally crushed the top section of my left index finger. It was painful but thankfully feels better two days afterwards. Should be A-OK by next week and at least I can type using it without pain.

Bye Bye Bill Liebowitz (October 28th, 2004)
It has never my intention to just post obituaries on this blog but it sure looks that way, doesn’t it? I was very surprised this morning to read of the death of longtime comics retailer and music fan, Bill Liebowitz on the NEWSARAMA website.

Bill was the owner of the Golden Apple comic book stores in the Los Angeles area, He had been suffering from a severe case of the flu, and had been sick off and on all year. He died last night of cardiac arrest.

I met Bill several times; the first was during my first trip ever to Los Angeles back in the 1980s, the exact date I cannot recall. What I do remember is how nice and helpful he was to a stranger and suggested places to visit, shows to see and directions when I called lost in LA. He was just a great guy, no bones about it.

In addition to being one of the true ambassadors of comic retailers, Bill was a huge music fan and worked with some bands over the years and released at least one album that I know of, a collection of Doo Wop group, Dante & The Evergreens recordings.

Bill is survived by his wife and business partner Sharon, their children Damon, Ryan and his wife Kendra. He was 63.

Bill will be missed by the entire comic book community as well as anyone who ever met him.

Rest in peace, Bill………………

R.I.P: Greg Shaw (October 22nd, 2004)
Damn! Make that Double Damn! I just found out that Greg Shaw passed away and I didn’t even know that he’d been sick. Any collector or fan of 60s rock n’ roll worth their salt knows of Shaw’s BOMP! Magazine and the Bomp! Records label. The former stopped publishing years ago but I was a big fan of his mag at the time and I can say, without hesitation, that Shaw’s mag was a real inspiration to me and my own half-baked rock writings as well as turning myself onto many great performers like the Flamin’ Groovies among others.

Bomp’s PEBBLES albums were a close forerunner to the first NUGGETS Box Set and 60s revival that followed it.

Bomp’s output included Stiv Bators, Iggy & The Stooges, and so much more with new albums by new artists like The Konks and The Coffin Lids being released in 2004.

There’s a long informative interview with Greg conducted by Ken Shimamoto for the zine, Black to Comm, posted here on the Bomp Records website.

To put it simply, Greg was one cool guy who truly loved the music. He will be missed by all who knew him or knew of him.

Rest in Peace, Greg.

RIP: Cordell Jackson (October 16th, 2004)
Cordell Jackson , best known as the rockin' granny matching licks with Brian Setzer on the Budweiser commercial, passed away at age 81 after an illness of several months.

Best known in rockabilly circles as the head of MOON Records, who released the great Alan Page sides of 'Dateless Night,' written by Jackson, and 'She's the One That's Got It.' which in themselves give both Page and Jackson a place in rock and roll history in my book.

Cordell always sounded like one cool lady, wish I could have met her.................

So Long Rodney (October 6th, 2004)
Comedian Rodney Dangerfield passed yesterday, Tuesday, Oct. 5 at the ripe old age of 82.

I’m not a fan of stand-ups for the most part, but Rodney was different and struck a definite chord with me, perhaps it was his material, his attitude, his delivery or all of the above. I dug his occasional appearances on TV and radio shows, and his too few movies, with the possible exception of ”Ladybugs”, but I’m not alone on that one. :-)

So long funny man, you will be missed………………..

Lucky Day For A Change! (October 5th, 2004)
Due to the lack of decent radio stations, I spend a lot of time listening to the almost decent Classic rock station in NYC, Q104.3 FM. They have had a promotion for the past 2 years where you register online and are eligible to become part of the Q104 Workforce, wherein they announce your name on the radio and if you call in within 10 minutes, you become a Q104 Employee at $104 an hour. They do this X amount of hours a day and this morning I was listening at 11am and packing orders for eBay customers when suddenly I heard the DJ announce my name! I was stunned for a minute as I don't usually hear 'Lawrence Shell' coming out of my radio. I had 10 minutes to reach them!

First try, wrong #! Second try, phone just rang and rang no answer! Third try, bingo! Got a hold of the DJ and identified myself. She said another Lawrence Shell had just called and I told her I was the original, and to accept no substitutions as I was the real deal! She told me because it was Two-Fer Tuesday, the day they play 2 songs by the same artist in a row, that my pay was doubled to $208 an hour! I said that was fantastic! She said I was now eligible for the year-end prize of $104,000. I said that was really fantastic! Then she took some info to make sure I was me and we hung up. A few minutes later, they played most of the conversation on the radio and I sounded pretty damn good!

Even better, if the next person they picked did not call in time, I continue for another hour and guess what, the guy missed out so I'm getting $416 total!!!

Life is good sometimes and this is one of those times!

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