I bought this copy of Superkernel, Volume 4 #12 on Ebay, hoping there would be more skateboarding inside this obscure title. Sadly, the original seller had since passed away. His wife was unable to locate this and many other items he had listed for sale. As I was about to post this, I found another one for sale. Superkernel was a comic book made by Guy and Brad Gilchrist. published by Weekly Reader Books. I first became aware of this comic over at Time Passages Nostalgia. I was bout to let them know that they had incorrectly given the date of the skateboard cover as 1978, because my copy says 1982, but when I looked closer I found out they used the same cover twice. Up top is Superkernel Volume 4, Number 12 from 1982. There are no additional skateboard illustrations in that issue, but maybe there are in the first issue, Volume 2 #11 from 1978.

Another shot of vintage skateboard equipment from one of my favorite sources, old department store catalogs. These offerings from JC Penney were available in 1977. There’s a generic board, a Free Former brand, and two that I can’t quite make out with the name Class in it, possibly ODO Class or DDO class. (Update: Pro Class. Thanks Daymond! Pics added.) At the top the page is the venerable Roller Derby brand roller skates, a company that also made skateboards at the same time.

The Hollywood Theater is showing to 16mm skateboarding films on Monday, February 16 at 7:00 pm in Portland, Oregon. Tickets are only $5 so that’s a no brainer if you’re on the fence. You’ve probably seen Skater Dater before, but you’ve not likely seen the Australian film Ultimate Flex Machine. These prints are owned by Stephen Slappe, and they are only shown every couple of years in order to prevent wear and tear. Both of these films had theatrical releases, Skater Dater in 1965 and Ultimate Flex machine in 1975. Slappe’s print of Ultimate Flex Machine is in especially good condition, and he’s got a newer print of Skater Dater than he had previously shown. Slappe has a couple of short mystery reels that will also be included in the show. You can check out larger versions of the posters for Ultimate Flex Machine as well as some stills after the jump. See you at the Hollywood on Monday!

It started out as a quick and simple operation; Buy a page out of a magazine with a rabbit riding a skateboard, wait for it to arrive in the mail, then scan it and post it. Then, have a discussion with the wife about the basement full of nominally skateboard related materials slowly expanding to fill the available volume. What will become of it after I shuffle off this mortal coil? How will my loved ones know what belongs in landfill as opposed to what might be sold for a modest fee to chip away at a lifetime’s debt? Whatever you do, don’t decide to do any last minute research before you write it up… Nesquik Bunny, or (Quik Bunny, depending on the year) has a character glass, web and video games, print ads and computer themes, but no PVC character. This is most likely, the definitive Nesquik “Quicky” the bunny on a skateboard post. The Nesquik bunny is also an advocate for DIY concrete as well! UPDATE: Found an Italian animated commercial with the Nesquik rabbit riding a skateboard.

I post a lot of crappy skateboards here, so it’s nice to have something really… pretty? I can’t say for sure if this was up to snuff when it came out, but it probably was, at least in some circles. The 70’s had a wide range in acceptable design and performance characteristics. This Whip True Glide model is a beautiful skateboard. The colors and the design really pops, though the flexible fiberglass deck likely doesn’t. It’s beautiful, but not $500 beautiful like the seller originally wanted. I like the top graphic, color combination that includes coordinated bushings, and the speckling visible on the bottom. Very sharp, very 70’s.

Kickers looks like it was the 70’s equivalent of Sketchers, only slightly more hip. May not be anthropologically qualified to make that statement, so I depend on UK readers to chip in here. Although that is Rod Stewart in heyday, who was much cooler than Kim Kardashian, Tori Spelling, Britney Spears and even Wayne Gretzky. It’s unclear whether the Kickers shoe brand ever had an actual skateboard team considering the lack of functionality in those high heeled shoes that look more at home on Slade or Rod Stewart than they do on anyone riding a skateboard. They did have a sticker though.

An assortment of drinking glasses with skateboard imagery, two from restaurants and one from a food product. From Australia to the USA, from 1977 to 2002.

The best thing about these vintage 70’s era open bearing wheels from Trickray is the Ed Roth inspired package illustration featuring a guy that is some sort of greasy salesman or evil landlord riding a skateboard. With that striped suit, he’s either escaped from a 1920’s prison or a silent movie. I’m not sure why these “official” Trickray skateboard accessories carry the U2 moniker, but they do. Evidently these urethane wheels were meant for spy missions.

In modern times the skateboard transfer conjures images of going bowl to bowl, or spines on a miniramp. In the 70’s the skateboard transfer was all about t-shirts. This guy either has a gigantic stock of these or he’s completely unable to sell them, because I see these same couple of t-shirt transfers for sale all the time. Hot Dog on the dates to 1977 and Asphalt Animal is from 1978. I like how the seller backlights them so you can see what they look like on a shirt, minus all the parts where it doesn’t adhere or gets wrinkled. As you can tell, I never had good luck with t-shirt transfers as a kid.

I will continue to post photos of NOS skateboard products in blister backs with technical style drawings on the back as long as I continue to find them. I am a sucker for vintage skateboard packaging. This set of trucks sold for $45. Nothing says 70’s like action bolts and open bearings.