Spookylicious Pop-Tarts are Back!

Finally, Target has begun rolling out their Halloween aisles and the spooky season is well underway in retail.  While searching the aisles for new and unique products, I was happy to find an old friend return in 2014.  After last year's unexplained absence, Kellogg's has brought back their Spookylicious Halloween Pop-Tarts!  In a time where we're always looking for the latest and greatest, it's nice to see traditional treats given the respect the deserve!

DC Comics: Monster Cereal Boxes

We interrupt TMNT Week on The Holidaze for this very big, very special, Halloween news!  As a staple of the season, the General Mills' Monster Cereal characters of Frankenberry, Boo Berry, Count Chocula, Frute Brute and Yummy Mummy are thread into the fabric of The Holidaze.  I love the cereals for what they represent, but I love the characters even more.  As I've grown older, I've come to appreciate them as amazing artwork brought to us by the great people over at General Mills.  Thankfully, I'm not the only one who views them as pop-culture icons more than simple cereal mascots.  Over the years, their popularity has increased more and more, resulting in various toys, shirts, and collectibles to go along with the iconic cereals we've all grown up on.  General Mills, being the marketers they are, capitalized on this boom in 2013 by bringing back Frute Brute and Yummy Mummy from their tombs and re-releasing the legendary retro box art for all of us to collect and enjoy.  It was definitely the highlight of last year's Halloween season and, this year, General Mills is back at it again!

I first became aware of these new boxes on Instagram as the social media app is proving to be more powerful than given credit for.  Somebody was lucky enough to already receive a brand new box of Frankenberry and posted the image for fans to salivate over.  Today, General Mills confirmed that the comic illustrated boxes are in fact a reality and will be debuting this September!  But not only are they designed to look like comic heroes (or villains) but they're designed by actual DC Comics illustrators!  Now that's pretty awesome!  Once working for the Brooklyn Nets, I was there when Marvel joined forces with the team to create Nets' mascot, The Brooklyknight.  However, that was an utter disaster and complete failure.  This?  Oh no.. There's no way this will suffer the same fate.  DC Comics and their artists have done an incredible job and fans are already clamoring for these boxes on their kitchen tables!

DC illustrator, Dave Johnson, designed the new Frankenberry box and I don't think I could love it any more than I do.  I was getting tired of the most recent modern design being released over and over again.  At first, the CGI-styled design was cool, but it got stale really quick.  Besides Frute Brute and Yummy Mummy making their modern debut last year, I was over the style and, apparently, General Mills was too.  This updated box, which is more than phenomenal, gives Frankenberry a new lease on life.  He's back and better than ever in 2014.  No, no design will ever top the originals.  The retro art will always be my favorite, but this is just too cool to pass up and I love the fact that General Mills went, once again, that extra mile to make fans happy and, of course, bring in that extra profit.

Designed by Terry and Rachel Dodson, Count Chocula has been given a more realistic, human appearance.  At first, I didn't know what to think about his new image.  Part of him looks like a Halloween elf, another part looks like he came from a Harry Potter novel, and the rest of him looks like Maleficent on crack.  But, given it further thought, I do appreciate the new direction.  If Count Chocula truly existed in our world, I'd assume he'd be human.  Unlike all previous incarnations, this box features him as a man, as a vampire, who happens to love chocolate more than anything else in this world.  I think parts of him could have been altered to better fit that image, but they also couldn't stray too far away from the original design.  He still needed to look like Count Chocula and I think the DC artists found the perfect medium.  In a matter of hours, Count Chocula has really grown on me,

 

Boo Berry has maintained his classic appearance more than the other two characters and I'm happy to see that.  I don't think there's much you can do to change his image without completely changing the character himself.  He's always had those big eyes with the saggy lids, his top hat and bow tie, along with that sly smirk.  You can't remove or alter any of that because by doing so with one of those characteristics, you're losing the nostalgia.  His body is different by being just a tad bit less ghostly on top, but the bottom portion remains true to what he is.  This isn't my favorite of the three, but it's far superior to what we've been getting over the last few years.

Regardless of which box you prefer or which is your favorite, none of us can deny just how awesome these new designs are.  Personally, I'm looking for Franky first, but the other two will be coming home with me as soon as I see them.  All three will be joining the collection of Monster Cereal boxes.

 In even better news, General Mills will, once again, be re-releasing retro boxes exclusively to Target.  Now, General Mills could have re-released 2103's art, but they're too smart for that.  At my Target, those boxes sold out completely before the Halloween season came to an end.  That means many of us bought the 2013 retro boxes and have no need for another set.  Personally, I have 3 of each character and don't regret a thing.  But knowing that, General Mills will be releasing a set of new retro boxes celebrating 1979 and 1980.  In addition, each box will come with a cut-out mask of your favorite Monster Cereal characters.  Take a minute and think about how cool that is!!  These boxes have not been on store shelves since the early 80s and, in 2014, they'll be back for us to collect!  From a marketing perspective, think about how smart this is.  Use me, for example.. I'll be buying 3 DC Comics boxes, 3 retro boxes, and 3 more retro boxes to cut out those masks!  In one trip, General Mills just sold me 9 boxes of cereal.  Absolutely genius!

Here comes the bad news... Yummy Mummy and Frute Brute will not be included in this year's festivities!  Major bummer!!  I would have loved to see what DC artists could do with the Yummy Mummy and Frute Brute characters and the retro boxes would have been must-haves.  My wallet is thanking General Mills for keeping me from buying 15 boxes of cereal, but I'm not.  I truly believed they'd return this season, but I guess the 2013 campaign wasn't as successful as we thought.  It's a shame because real fans wind up missing out on incredible Halloween goodies, but General Mills needs to do smart business and, in the end, they're surely doing their part to make up for the lack of two legendary characters.

Thankfully, I have enough retro boxes stocked up to keep me happy.  They're expired and it sucks that we may never get that flavor again, but having the collectible boxes in my possession makes 2013 a success.  If you never picked up a box of Yummy Mummy or Frute Brute, I suggest you do so soon.  Once scalpers catch wind of their value, you'll end up paying 10x what those boxes were worth.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Gummy Turtle Power Pizza

Ladies and Gentlemen, the 2014 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles film will be released three weeks from today!!  I don't know about you, but I couldn't be more excited!  I've been looking forward to this movie since it was first rumored on TheTechnodrome.com's forums.  I remember thinking, "who, a live-action CGI Turtles film?  That's going to be amazinggg."  Now, say what you will about the character designs because, for the most part, I'm right there with ya.  The Turtles that I know and love are obviously not the Turtles who will be gracing the silver screen on August 8th.  But that's okay.. This is a new generation and I'm embracing the new look and hoping for the absolute best.  My hopes are high, no matter how hard I try to keep them low.  I'm pumped and I'm not even attempting to hide it.  The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles mean a lot to me, my childhood and the nostalgia I now celebrate.  I'll get more into that as we get closer to the film's release, but any Holidaze fans already know how much I love those four teenage turtles.  

So how do you celebrate such an awesome time in our lives?  How do you celebrate this new film?  How do you celebrate the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles?  On The Holidaze, it's simple... dedicate as many posts to The Green Machine as you can between now and August 8th!  Thanks to the power of marketing and Nickelodeon, the Turtles are pretty much everywhere and we have a bunch to discuss!

We'll start off slowly and begin with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles candy featuring Nickelodeon's hit character designs.  While at work, during my lunch break, a group of manly men and I ventured to the local grocery store for a quick sandwich.  These guys don't have any interest in anything I talk about on The Holidaze, so the last thing they were looking for was Ninja Turtle candy.  But me?  I'm a giant man-child and my eyes were moving a mile a minute.  Candy, soda, chips, cereal.. you name it.  I'm always looking for something.  I didn't see much, but when I saw Gummy Turtle Power Candy Pizza, there was nooo way I was passing it up.  At the risk of being ridiculed by men twice my age and size, I grabbed a box and walked over to the cashier like I had just struck gold.  Nobody saw the 27-year-old man pay for his Turtle candy but, even if they did, there was no stopping me.  At that point, I could have easily been confused for Vanilla Ice.

When I got back to work, I did a quick Google search and learned that these aren't all that new, but they're new to me so I couldn't wait to get home and rip open the box.  The Gummy Pizza's don't look like the design pictured on the box, but I actually prefer their actual appearance much more.  There's something about them that reminds me of my childhood.  Do you remember Slime Slurps?  I vaguely remember the slimy, gummy creatures molded into TMNT heroes and villains.  They were strung out in Toys R Us and always drew me in.  Man, I'm having quite the flashback now as I write this.  I knew that these Gummy Pizza's wouldn't share the same texture, but the shape and color surely brings about nostalgia!  That's already a step in the right direction!

Out of the wrapper, you can see the slight detail they added to the Gummy Pizza's.  Again, it's a far cry from what's pictured on the box and looks more like faux vomit you'd find in an old magic shop. The chunky pepperoni pieces a bit less appetizing now that we've crossed that bridge, but I'm willing to accept and overlook that for the Ninja Turtles.  In reality, these don't look, smell, or feel much different than any gummy candies you'd find in your standard candy-by-the-pound stores.  You know, the ones where you fill a plastic bag with more candy that you'll ever eat in your life?  Yeah, well you can't have those without these and, by this point, I had pretty much figured these were Peach Rings without the hole or sugar coating.

I was pretty close.. They're more like those Gummy Strawberries that are red on top and pink on the bottom.  That's the texture, anyway.  But the flavor?  Very bland.  It's a dull battle between cherry and peach, but it's mostly flavorless.  These aren't something I'd eat regularly and they'll probably sit around in my kitchen until I sneak them into theaters on August 8th, but they're just okay..  I love them for being Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' candy, but maybe they're better off in the three-fingered hands of another.

Mikey!  He likes it!

New Years Eve

So, here we are on the eve of another New Year.  As I've gotten older, it amazes me just how fast 365 days fly by.  I don't realize it during the Spring or Summer, but by the time this day rolls around, I look back and think, wow, where the hell did all that time go?  When I was a kid, it felt like years dragged on forever.  As I woke up for school every morning, I couldn't wait to grow up.  Now that I'm grown up (to a degree), I want time to slow down and take a breather.  Sure, make work move faster and get me through the rough times more rapidly, but let the happy, fun, times last forever.  I'm all for new beginnings, but if there's one thing I hope for in 2014, it's for more time to appreciate the big and little things that life has to offer.

Now, that's looking ahead, but I always use this day to look back one more time before sealing 2013 forever.  For me, personally, it's been a roller coaster of a year.  I've gone through extreme ups, downs, and every loop in-between.  I celebrated 9 years with Eileen in January, went to Las Vegas for her birthday in February, celebrated my 26th in March, along with St. Patrick's Day and Lepre-Con, Enjoyed WrestleMania weekend in East Rutherford, NJ in April, finally worked a Brooklyn Nets playoff series after 5 years of losing seasons, had an amazing time enjoying the Jersey Shore and Summer fun in June, sadly lost my buddy Rocky, the worst moment of the year, in July before trying to bounce back in August when I landed a new job.  I started that in September, had to commute and stay in Upstate NY, was in a car accident that led to a new car, had an excellent Halloween season in October, celebrated both of my Parents' birthdays in November before a family-filled Thanksgiving, and rounded out the year with plenty of work and a beautiful Christmas.  Those are the low and highlights, but there was so much more that has either been forgotten or simply added to the experience.  It certainly hasn't been all sunshine and rainbows, but when is a year ever perfect?  There will always be those inconsistencies, for better or worse, that force us to roll with the punches and somehow view the glass as half full when the Universe wants us to see the opposite.  Easier said than done.

The fact that I can cram an entire year into one paragraph is the perfect indicator of just how fast a year goes by.  By the time we've reached this day, those little things are mostly forgotten and only the major events are carried into the New Year.  That's something I'd like to change this year and, to be honest, that's a big reason behind The Holidaze.  Before I started this blog, I would have never remembered the time we made a Haunted Gingerbread House or exactly what happened at Blood Manor in 2012.  Those are little things, a flash in the pan, that we'd normally only appreciate for a moment before letting it fade.  Before this site, I used to keep a daily journal which was obviously much more personal, but this was the outlet I needed at the time I began.  It's nothing big, but it's my small connection to the world and I thank you for being the largest part of it.

For as great as 2013 was for me at times, I'm ready for it to take its final bow.  While nothing really changes between today and tomorrow besides the month and year, it does feel like a new chapter and I always treat it like one.  It's a chance to start fresh, even if it's only in our mind.  We get to wipe the slate clean and write the next phase of our individual stories.  Sure, the unexpected will arrive and no matter how hard we try, we probably won't be ready.  That's the nature of every year and, let's be honest, lots can happen in 365 days.  But on the bright side, that's the beauty of it.  Think of how much greatness can occur in that time and try not to pay any attention to the other hand.  Take one day at a time and give it your all.  I know it's cliche, and we forget it at times, but let's live each day as it's our last and try to make something from it, no matter how small it may be.

As I look forward to 2014, I have high hopes.  I see bigger things for myself and I hope the same can be said for all of you.  If you're a fan of The Holidaze, you're probably a lot like me in the sense that you're a kid at heart and don't want to grow up.  Let's keep it that way because, really, we don't have to.  Maintaining that child-like innocence and ability to connect to our inner 5-year-old is what keeps us young at heart.  It's important to have fun and not always take life so seriously because life will do that enough for us on its own.  That's what I'd like to see continue on The Holidaze in 2014.  Of course, it's only possible with you.  The Holidaze received more hits than ever before in 2013 and I'm sure the next year will blow that away thanks to you!

Now, if I managed to keep your attention without the use of pictures and graphics, then have a very Happy New Year!  If you're going out, stay safe and make the most of the night.  Ring in 2014 the right way and enjoy the moment.  My Aunt always used to say "The way you start the year is the way you'll end it."  If that's true, enter 2014 with a positive mentality and a big ass smile on your face.  While you're at it, put some money in your pocket and hug your loved ones.  You can never have enough good luck!

Okay, I'm done writing my sermon on the Holidaze mount.  My preaching and words of inspiration will now conclude and the regularly scheduled programming of candy, food, cereal, and toys will now continue :)

Happy New Year!

PS. Feel free to share your New Year's Resolutions in the comments section & on Twitter @HolidazeBlog!