Short Cuts: The Hazy Crazy Lost Memories of Youth!

JadeTotti Haziran 24, 2022

Martinex1: Consider today's column to be a type of "lost and found," a response to a cry for help, a recreation of shadowy memories, and a collaborative effort of detective work and stress relief. You see, there are things I only vaguely remember from my pre-teen adolescent youth and I am reaching out and hopeful that somebody can fill in the gaps.

In the Bronze Age we were exposed to so much pop culture and so many entertainment experiences, and occasionally in the glimmer of a distant memory I recall an image, a character, a situation, or a story - and despite my best effort I cannot complete the picture. It drives me crazy. When we started writing this blog, I realized I may have forgotten more than I remember. Almost every day as I read your participatory comments, you jog a memory for me through shared experiences.

I am hopeful that we can occasionally use this spot to discuss such things and smooth over the deep recesses of an aging mind. So here are three partial memories that have been bothering me and I am asking for clues and input:

COMIC BOOK: There is one Archie story that I loved when I was about six years old, but for the life of me I cannot recall what issue it was in and I would like to find it and read it again. Part of the problem is that I have no recollection of the cover image and even if I could remember that, most Archie Comics in general are very redundant in their cover depictions so it might be meaningless. I also cannot recall if it was in Archie, PEP, or any of the myriad Archie titles that existed in our youth, so that does not help. Here is what I do remember... Archie and the gang go to a "haunted" house and they look at a strange painting in the foyer. They are magically sucked into the painting and have to figure out a way to escape this mystical prison. That's it... that's all I can give you. I think the book had to be from 1973 or earlier as it was in a group of comics given to me from an older cousin when I was very young. Any help here?

This image is not from the story I am looking for, but it both piqued my curiosity and expressed my brain pain!

MOVIE: Around the same age, I was visiting family friends and as we kids played some game in the living room, the older teens had a horror movie playing on TV. I believe it was being presented on the original Svengoolie hosted show in the Chicago area. The plot was that a woman was secretly some type of alien sea creature and when she seduced sailors she turned into an octopus-like creature and killed them. I may actually have some of that wrong although I distinctly remember the tentacled arm wrapping around a sailor in bed. It scared the bejeepers out of me and I had to sleep with the light on. But to this day, I have no idea what the movie was and I bet it was ridiculously un-scary. Any thoughts?

TOY: Again around kindergarten age, so 1971 or 1972, I had a toy astronaut. He was Mego-like but I don't think he was a Mego. His head was slightly big for his body. I believe he was six to eight inches tall with molded hair. And he had various vehicles - moon rovers and the like. I believe the vehicles were molded plastic and colored orange and grey. For some reason, I have it in my head that this was a popular toy - I vaguely remember there may have been commercials for it during Saturday mornings. But despite numerous internet searches, I cannot find a clue. Help!

I would appreciate any input you can give me. And this is absolutely an open forum, so you are welcome to also pipe in with other memory mysteries you may have. Perhaps I can return a favor and answer your queries as well. Cheers!

Martinex1: UPDATE: A big thank you to Anonymous, vm, and Redartz for solving the three mysteries for me. Much obliged team! Here are some pictures that answer the questions that I posed. (And check out the comment section, as some of our other regulars are hoping to find answers to their queries as well). Thanks all. Cheers!