ZZ Top: The Comic

Previously:

Nolan Ryan: The Comic Book  - -  Tom Landry: The Comic Book

"Rock 'N Roll Comics" was a comic book series in the late 80s/early 90s that retold band origins in comic book format.  They were biographies of groups like Guns & Ross, KISS, Iron Maiden and other hard rock groups from that era. 

For their 25th issue they decided to tell the story of legendary Texas rock/blues band ZZ Top, tracing each member's story from a young age to rock & roll stardom. 

The comic starts out by showing how the thee 'Tops" began their love of music and how they got started.  As is typical in these types of stories, there are many failed attempts to get started and a lot of bands being formed, re-formed, losing members, gaining members and breaking up.  There's an effort to show which other musicians influenced the boys and some of their early collaborations and successes.

Several more versions of the band come and go until Billy gets legendary manager Bill Ham involved.  There's then a few more comings and goings but finally we get to what will eventually become the ZZ Top we all know and love. 

More clubs dates lead to bigger venues and higher profile gigs which lands them a record deal.  After recording their first album, they end up playing with bands like Deep Purple and the Doors.  After their second, they tour with the Rolling Stones.  They extra success means they need to keep touring and keep recording...which leads to the need to do a little "research:" for a particular song:

More albums were recorded and bigger venues played.  With this success, it was time to develop ZZ Top's unique style.  By embracing their roots and pushing the boundaries of showmanship, they began turning their concerts into something a little more unique...almost a stage show:

The road to fame is long and windy.  After a grueling touring and recording schedule, the boys take some much needed down time to recharge their batteries and have a little fun.  During this vacation, shaving didn't seem to be a top priority so when the group got back together, their signature look was born:

More albums, more touring, more success...the boys were a genuine hit!  But there were still worlds to conquer.  The 1980s brought about MTV and the rise of the music video.  With their cool swagger and penchant for casting attractive women, ZZ Top became known for their music videos.

After a few divorces, a gunshot wound, custom cars and a run for president, the band kept on keepin' on.  More albums, more tours and more fame allowed the boys to call the shots and be the group they wanted to be.  The comic ends around the early 90s but as we know there was still plenty of story left to tell about that Little Ol' Band From Texas.  Rock & Roll Comics may be gone but rock & roll music will never die!

Cape Fair

Previously:

Golden Anniversary  - -  Tile Samples  - -  Cowboy (Back) Up

State Fair (1962) at the State Fair!  - -  X-Men Visit the Fair

 I take a lot of pictures and shoot a lot of video, both for work and for personal reasons.  One of the challenges involved in such an activity is cataloging and organizing all the media I come home with.  So occasionally I lose track of a pic or two.    

Fortunately, I tend to do frequent hard drive clean outs so nothing stays lost forever.   New discoveries of old pics \can even lead to a blog entry or two.  So let me take you back in time all the way back to the 2013 State Fair of Texas.  With a belly full of Fletcher's, I turned a corner at the Auto Show and was surprised to find enough Superman suits to fill a Fortress of Solitude:

Apparently the Superman 75th Anniversary Costume Tour made a stop at the fair.  Highlights include Christopher Reeve's costume from Superman III:

Dean Cain's costume from Lois & Clark:

Brandon Routh's costume from Superman Returns:

And a few costumes from the recent Man of Steel movie including Superman:

Jor-El:

And Faora:

I don't know if the exhibit is still traveling but the costumes fit right in at the great State Fair.  Maybe they'll fly to your town soon!

Sandwich Tour of Dallas Part 1

I typically eat sandwiches on a regular basis. I also post stuff on this blog on a regular basis. I'm also in Dallas often. You can probably see where I'm going with this...


Welcome to a Sandwich Tour of Dallas" Part 1! I plan to explore this town via sandwiches so feel free to tag along. Let's start with P.D. Johnson's Dog Day Deli:


Located on McKinney avenue in the uptown area, this place fancies itself the "Kick Ass" deli and plays up the tired "Johnson" angle (spoiler: it means "penis"). Despite the unoriginal marketing they serve up a darn fine sandwich. Behold the "Hot Johnson" (I know, I know...sigh):


It comes with roast beef, turkey, bacon, cheddar, mayo, bbq, "horseymayo", lettuce, tomato, onions, green peppers, pepperoncinis. (I ordered mine sans onions & peppers).

Now sandwich enthusiasts like you and me might be wary of so many ingredients on one dish but this one surprises with an almost harmonious symphony of tastes and textures. Of particular note is the mixture of BBQ sauce and whatever horseymayo is. I may not know what it is but I know it plays well with the other ingredients.

If I have a complaint it is that the roast beef seems to take a back seat to the other ingredients and let's face it, roast beef should always be the star (yeah, that's right bacon, you are a supporting character! How do you like that!)

Next up on our tour is the Great American Hero:


This place has whatever every sandwich place should have: a drive through window! Because, let's face it, sometimes I'm driving around and I want a sandwich but I just don't want to get out of my car. Brilliant! Located on Lemmon Ave., not too far from 75, this place is also "Dallas' First Pennyless Store", meaning they round the prices up or down to the nearest nickel.

But enough non-sandwich content...on to the sandwich content!


Say hello to "The Italian" a.k.a. the #1. It comes with Genoa Salami, Cappicola, Baked Ham & Provolone Cheese and all their sandwiches come with Fresh Shredded Lettuce, Onions, Tomatoes, Blend of Canola & Olive Oil, Red Wine Vinegar, Spices & Oregano. The one pictured is, of course, sans onion.

It's a great old school cold sub and the bread (there are several bread choices, this one is sourdough) is very light and tender...flavorful but not attention-seeking. It's a mellow compliment to the sandwich, which is what all great sandwich bread should be. I like to go with their oil, vinegar & spices in lieu of any condiments like mayo or mustard. It adds just the right balances to the spicy cured meats.

Moving on, instead of a sandwich, what if you are in the mood for a "sammich"? Uncle Uber's has you covered:

Located on Commerce St. in Deep Ellum this place specializes strictly in sandwiches, er sammiches. Burgers, salads and desserts are also on the menu but never mind that stuff, this place is a cathedral in the church of sandwich worship. Old favorites like roast beef, grilled cheese and the Cuban abound but they're not afraid to experiment with the genre.

Check out what I got:

Your eyes are currently beholding the Bacon & Goat Cheese Sammich. I'm always reluctant when bacon is the main player in a sandwich (see above) but their crisp, flavorful pig strips are more of a character actor leading a quirky ensemble cast of characters (think Steve Buscemi in Boardwalk Empire).

The goat cheese is a bit restrained (in a good way) but has a great creamy texture and just a touch of sourness that is a great counter balance to the avocado, which is always welcome on my sandwich. And surprise, surprise, the big guest star here is the cucumbers, giving some crunchy texture to the meal. It's a great surprise and a great change of pace.

Hungry for more? Don't worry, I'm in the prime of my sandwich eating days. More Dallas sandwich shops (and other towns and other foods) are coming soon!

Flashback: Vanishing Texas River Cruise 1986

It was 1986 and the entire state was gripped with Sesquicentennial fever.  But even though there were plenty of special events throughout the year, there were also plenty of non-anniversary adventures throughout the Lone Star State.

One of them was a road trip that my grandparents and great-aunt & uncle took down to Burnet, TX to take the Vanishing Texas River Cruise.  The cruise is still in business today but luckily the gang picked up some post cards and pamphlets that now qualify as vintage (yeah, stuff from the 80's is "vintage" now...feel old yet?)  Here's a look at some of the ephemera you could have grabbed if you had visited in '86, starting with a couple of postcards:

If you're curious about the absolute minutia of what it was like taking the tour a few decades ago then you're in luck!  The grandparents were also able to grab this flyer with details on pricing and meal options:

I'm fairly certain the prices have gone up through the years and possibly the menu has expanded.  According to their website, there are many different themed cruises currently available.  But if it's outdated information that you're looking for then, good news, I've got one more piece for you:

So the next time you're in the area and have a few hours to kill, it might be worth a stop to take a couple of hours and enjoy the river tour and check out the local scenery.  These guys sure seem to be satisfied customers:

Matchbook Memories: Texas Sesquicentennial Wagon Train

Previously:

Matchbook Memories: Buckhorn Saloon

Matchbook Memories: Pig Stand

If you're not old enough to remember the Texas Sesquicentennial, you missed a lot!  It was a year long celebration of Texas' 150th anniversary and it was everywhere.  Parties, parades and prestige filled the Lone Star State in tons of different ways.

One of the more ambitious projects was the six month, 3,000 mile trip around the state made by more covered wagons than you can shake an armadillo at.  You can consider it a half year long homecoming parade...Texas style!

While they had several stops along the route, it wasn't uncommon for folks to line up along the road to wave and cheer the wagons on.  There's a good chance that the wagon train even came by your neighborhood.  Here's the path they took:

 
Along the way (probably near the toward the end of the journey) my grandparents went out to see the big brouhaha.  With their camera in tow and their Texas pride at an all time high, they took their gander.  Say "Howdy" to Paw Paw:

Some wagons were owned by wagon enthusiasts, some were made specifically for the fun of the event and some were sponsored.  Here's a look at some of the ones that stood out including...

A Winchester Rifle Wagon:

A Billy Bob's Texas Wagon:

A Port-O-Pottie "Wagon":

 

And even a Grandy's Wagon:

With only a mere nineteen years left before the Texas Bicentennial, it's time to get started on the next generation of wagons.   Personally, I'm hoping for a Whataburger Wagon!