22 April 2011

Sports Illustrated (SI) Swimsuit Issue

This has to be the most hum sub (translation: lecherous) post ever in this blog. I was alerted by my friend Dave to the fact that the 2011 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit features our sunny island of Singapore. All the more to add this latest issue to my collection.

I began subscribing to Sports Illustrated back in 1992, in an effort to follow my sports idol, Michael Jordan, on his march to championship rings and scoring records. I was surprised to find that come February-March the next year, there was a spanky swimsuit issue with hardly any of the incisive sports writing or profound game insights the magazine was known for. Apparently, it's a long tradition in the magazine history to have a special issue each year to keep the sports fan occupied through the slow sports news winter months. It was always followed by a regular issue of the magazine where every letter published would be condemning the swimsuit issue for objectifying women and reducing them to sex objects. Regardless, there's a spanking new swimsuit issue every year. Oh, I think I paid $300+ dollars each year for a swimsuit issue and got 52 issues of SI free. What a deal!

Eventually I discontinued my subscription to SI but continued collecting SI Swimsuit issues each year. Now I have a complete run from 1993 to 2011 (less 2 issues). Throughout the years, I was aided in amassing this collection by Comics Mart who imported this magazine for a period, various bookstores as well as eBay. I believe it was Meng himself who exclaimed that it's the only issue of SI that really sells in the store.

P.S. Anyone who is willing to spare a copy of the 1995 or 2003 issue which I'm currently missing, please get in touch with me.


2011 - cover







2011 - Singapore photoshoot


2011 - obligatory write-up promoting Singapore as a great place to visit...


1993


1994


1996


1997


1998 - a bit of an oddity as it seems thinner than usual. Also, the "Singapore licensed edition" on the cover makes me wonder if this was censored in any way.


1999


2000 - in 3-D!


2001


2002


2004


2005


2006


2007


2008


2009


2010

Lego 8803 - Minifigures Series 3

This set follows closely after the release of Minifigures Series 2 and as I had mentioned before, the narrow barcode strips that revealed the packet's contents are no longer present. Instead, this has been replaced by some tiny bumps or bubbles on the lower edge of the foil pack. These are really difficult to make out and the placement varies from shipments and also depends on whether the sets were meant for US or Europe. Fortunately, the good old Lego supplier, Toy Station, came through for me, by preparing a set of 16 to be made available. They had relied upon the bumps and also felt the contents of the packets in order to make out what it contained. No mistakes made this time round, so do pay them a visit if you just want a complete set for yourself like me.

There are some similarities between this and the first two series - 60 packs per box, S$3.90/pack and 16 different figures in each set. Each minifigure comes with its own unique pieces and accessories offering a multitude of combination options. However, starting with series 3, Lego seems to have stopped including the spare pieces for the tiny bits which usually came with a few of the minifigures. Unlike Series 1 and 2 where you were assured of completing 3 sets with one box, there are only 2 complete sets within each box of 60 packets for Series 3. The shortpacked figure is the fisherman. Nonetheless, it is good to see more female minifigures being released.



Box


Front and back of packets


Bumps on the lower edge that reveal the contents - each figure had its own configuration of bumps on its packet


Instruction sheet (front) which serves as a checklist


Instruction sheet (back)


The shortpacked Fisherman


Pilot


Tribal Chief


Samurai



Snowboarder


Space Villain


Sumo Wrestler


Mummy


Elf (my favourite figure in this series)


Tennis Player



Race Car Driver



Gorilla Suit Guy (what a sense of humour Lego has)


Space Alien


Hula Dancer



Rapper


Baseball Player



All 16 minifigures assembled


Stored away in my $2 Daiso display box