TRN Archives Archives : Page 3 of 5 : The Retro Network

Caped Crusader Classics: Essential Batman Stories for All Readers

Batman, the Caped Crusader is one of my favorite superheroes of all time. He fluctuates between the number one and number two spot with Wolverine depending on my mood. If you told me I could

History of The Satanic Panic

Karen Flieger

Before I get into the chronology of what got us from the 1960’s counter culture to the book, toy, and music bans of the 1980’s and 1990’s. I wanted to put into context why I

5 Nostalgic Movies Ruined By Time

Adam Pope

If you’ve read my writing online over the past 15 years or listened to any of my many (some would say too many) podcast projects, you know that I love collecting VHS tapes. I have

10 Best Vintage Masters of the Universe Action Figures

Adam Pope

Vintage Masters of the Universe figures weren’t just toys. They were bold, colorful heroes that turned bedroom floors into battlefields and gave an entire generation its first taste of epic, imagination‑powered adventure.

Looking Back at Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure

Jeff Sheldon

Some of my earliest memories include Pee-Wee Herman. My brother took piano lessons when I was really little, and on Saturday mornings after his lesson, my mother would try to wear us out and keep

The Original Marvel Cinematic Universe

Adam Pope

For kids growing up over the last 20 years, Marvel superheroes have always been big screen icons, beloved by children and adults alike for their extravagant silver screen adventures. But those of us who grew

30 Years of the Sci-Fi Channel

Pitfall Gary

In September 1992 I was living in Denver with some friends of my family, Joan and Larry. They were an older couple who offered me their basement apartment. (By older I mean they were in

5 Best Comic Book Events of the 90’s

Adam Pope

It’s a known fact that comic books in the 1990’s were celebrated more for the artists drawing them, than any groundbreaking storytelling within. Though it was an era where a foil-embossed or hologram sticker cover

Hollywood’s Most Memorable Disaster Movies

The Retro Network

Oh the calamities…Disasters from the exhilarating highs of airborne disaster movies to the dramatic sea depths and everything in between. In those halcyon years of the 1970s, those masters – and mistresses – of disaster

Mall Stores of the ’80s (and ’90s) that You’ll Never Shop at Again

OldSchool80s

The Shopping Mall was once an essential destination especially for those of us who grew up from the late-70s through the ’90s. The shopping aspect has been more-or-less replaced by online retailers, but the social

Big Trak: The Programmable Tank That Drove Our Childhoods

Mickey Yarber

November of 1979 was the moment the future finally arrived in the American living room. When the holidays arrived a month later, many American children (mostly boys) were treated to the toy of their dreams,

The Fall of Hills Department Store

Kevin Decent

Or, Hills is where the toys were. Recently on the Retro Network podcast, Jason and Mickey talked about stores from their childhoods. Take a listen to Episode 10 if you haven’t already. I was

The History of Crystal Pepsi

Jeff Sheldon

“It could have been more than just a novelty.”-David Novak, creator of Crystal Pepsi During the 90s, we were introduced to many new and exciting products. Back then, large corporations were more willing to take

“Dinner & A Movie” on TBS

Jeff Sheldon

“Beans and Cornbread had a fight… Beans knocked Cornbread out of sight!” All Elite Wrestling (AEW), the main competitor to WWE and preferred wrestling brand of yours truly, announced on January 5th, 2022, the company

RollerJam: Pro Wrestling on Wheels

Jeff Sheldon

RollerJam brought pro‑wrestling theatrics to the banked track, reviving roller derby in the late ’90s with hard hits, big personalities, and storylines that made every episode feel like a collision of sports, spectacle, and pure adrenaline.

The Failed Coke MagiCan Promotion of 1990

Mickey Yarber

In the ’80s and ’90s, America had some of the best contests. We had Publisher’s Clearing House where you could win huge fake checks. We had McDonald’s Monopoly which took just as long and was

How Monopoly Helped Free POWs in World War II

Mickey Yarber

Park Place, Boardwalk, and a hidden map with a secret escape route? For Allied POWs during World War II, Monopoly games came equipped with real-life “get out of jail free” cards. During World War II,