Uncanny X-Men Super Hero Portfolio #2 (1983)

Marvel Super Hero Portfolios
Uncanny X-Men Set Two (1983)
By Steve Fastner & Rich Larson
S.Q. Productions
Cover Price: $7.95

Hey everybody – just a quick share for today.

Yesterday we received the call that our pup’s ashes were ready to be picked up… which resulted in a very strange mix of emotions. I’m sure I’m not blowing any minds here, but – this is my first time having to deal with anything like this, so please bear with me.

This was the call I was looking forward to ever since losing him last week — I felt as though not having him at home was a weird “loose end”. I couldn’t bear the thought that he was in a drawer… or, wherever. Does that make sense? I dunno.

So, we got the call. And I really wasn’t quite as prepared for it as I thought I was. There was a measure of comfort and relief, don’t get me wrong. Knowing that we’d be getting him back really set my heart at ease — but then, that other shoe, as it often does, dropped — and the finality began to set in.

It’s not like I’d deluded myself into thinking that there’d be some sort of miraculous ending to this. Well, I guess maybe I might’ve deluded myself a little bit. I think that’s just human nature… or, whatever passes for it in my addled mind. But this call meant that… I dunno, it was over and done with — and it truly would be the final word.

Odd aside… the night our boy passed, shortly after he did pass – we brought him to the local emergency animal hospital to set up the handling and presentation of his remains. We were there for the better part of an hour trying to process the entire situation — while also attempting to make decisions about the next steps.

We ultimately chose a beautiful rosewood box for his remains. We paid, and left… without him.

On the car ride home, my wife’s phone rang. It was from a local number. Now, it was around 2am, so we wouldn’t normally be getting a call at this time. We immediately realized it had to be the emergency vet — and, bless us, in those scant few moments – we both convinced ourselves that they were going to tell us that he’d “woken up”… and everything was going to go back to normal.

Now, it was the vet calling… but, of course, no such miracle occurred. The simply wanted to know if we wanted them to hold on to the blanket we had wrapped him up in. But — for the two or so rings before my wife answered, we were filled with that odd and desperate hope.

And, well — I don’t think that hope, naïve and foolish as it may’ve been, ever went away… until getting that call yesterday.

I’d mentally prepared myself to receive his little box. I think I cognitively adapted so that, upon sight of it, I’d feel comfort… a feeling of “wholeness”, ya know? So, when I did see it – I was largely relieved. We had him back, and – while it was never going to be the same again — it was a level of “sameness”, if that makes any sense at all.

What I wasn’t prepared for was… the paw prints.

I knew they were part of the package… but, I don’t think I ever registered the fact that I’d actually see them. Like, I knew they were coming… but, never emotionally prepared to see his little footprints. That absolutely kicked my ass. I had to pull the car over for a few minutes in order to compose myself.

Now that he’s home again, however, the house once again feels “whole”. As “whole” as it can be, given the circumstances. It’s not ideal, it’s not perfect — but, it’s the best we’ve got.

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So, what in all hecks does this have to do with an X-Men Portfolio?

Nothing… I just really wanted to share. Plus, I happened across this bit of ephemera while aimlessly driving around during the aftermath. The wife suggested that I just get my mind off of things for a bit… rather than just clomping around the house like a weeping golem. So, I did.

I stopped at one of the more eclectic shops in the area… a place where I’m almost guaranteed to happen across an oddity or two — and yesterday was no different. Not only did I find some relatively ancient Comic Shop News’s’s’s… but, I also found this portfolio set — that I never even knew existed in the first place.

The prints are… well, there alright. I think of the four, the Jean Grey print is the only one I’d consider hanging up — but, that’s not to say that the other three are bad in any way. Just a bit, I dunno… weird? I’m still trying to figure out this WordPress thing… but, I think if you click on the pics, they’ll embiggen if you wanna get a better look.

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Really not a whole lot more to say… mostly using today’s post as a means to get out some pent up emotion, while also sharing some pretty unique X-Ephemera. I apologize if this one was a bit too heavy… and I appreciate you allowing me to indulge a bit.