Spin Again magazine was a pop culture and vintage collectibles periodical published in the early 1990s, dedicated to celebrating retro toys, board games, merchandise, and childhood nostalgia. Created and published by Rick Polizzi under his imprint Pilucho Press in the US, the magazine was launched in Summer 1992 following the success of his 1991 coffee table book of the same name (Spin Again: Board Games from the Fifties and Sixties). The publication focused heavily on pre-Bicentennial memorabilia ranging from the late 1930s through the early 1970s, covering iconic TV shows, monster toys, comic book tie-ins, and novelty collectibles.

The magazine ran for a limited total of 6 issues, concluding its publication run around 1994. Though short-lived, Spin Again achieved notable recognition, earning coverage in mainstream and specialized outlets like Newsweek, The New York Times, The National Enquirer, Film Threat, and ABC’s The Home Show. Built around Polizzi’s humorous, self-deprecating editorial voice, the magazine featured behind-the-scenes interviews with artists, retrospectives on obscure pop culture, photos of rare prototypes, and a buy/sell market for serious collectors.

Spin Again edition number 4 was published in 1993 containing 40 black and white pages. This issue centers around a massive, multi-page feature titled “Cape and Cowl Comments”, which explores superhero toys and licensed merchandise spanning from the late 1930s through the early 1970s. The main content of this edition offers an alphabetical directory and thorough history of famous superhero characters and their vintage toy lines. This specific spread highlights major heroes including The Fantastic Four, Batman & Robin, Frankenstein Jr., Wonder Woman, Mighty Mouse, and Atom Ant. Each profile includes key debut dates, creators, powers, TV series details, alter egos, and images of rare collectibles like Aurora model kits, Mego action figures, View-Master reels, and board games.

The front and back covers can be seen below.

The Phantom is featured on the front cover of this edition, who can be seen near the bottom-left corner. The box art for “The Phantom: Ruler of the Jungle Game” is shown, with the Phantom seen sitting on a skull throne with his wolf Devil at his side.

The Phantom makes an appearance on page 24 in both a text descriptions and several distinct images on the lower half of the page. The large, bold headline “THE PHANTOM” anchors his section, which outlines his history, debut in 1936, creators Lee Falk and Ray Moore, and background as “The Ghost Who Walks”. A detailed description explains his origins tracing back to the 16th century, contrasting him with typical superheroes by noting that he relies on strength, cunning, luck, and the help of native villagers rather than superhuman powers.

Visually, the Phantom is depicted across a variety of vintage collectibles and promotional artwork. At the center of his section is a large image of the box art for “The Phantom Game”, which shows the hero seated menacingly on a skull throne with his wolf Devil, alongside small player game tokens. Framing the text and game box are circular portraits and promotional items featuring his cowl-masked face, as well as images of rare vintage premiums at the bottom, including a 1949 Post Toasties metal band that folds into a ring and a 1946 Kellogg’s Pep cereal button.

---