If anyone tries to tell you that this isn't the year of the comic book movie then, well, they haven't seen any movies lately. The next couple of months are filled with movies based on comicbook heroes.

First out of the gate is Iron Man, staring Robert Downey Jr. If you don't know who Iron Man is then where have you been. Tony Stark million inventory, businessman gets into a metal suit and fights evil.  In the last few years Iron Man has become a key hero in the Marvel Universe. He was behind the Hero registration act, which led to the death of his long-time friend Captain America. He also now the hed of S.H.I.E.L.D, but that is in the comics, in the movie version the head of  S.H.I.E.L.D is played by everyones favorite actor Samual L. Jackson. I sense there will be another movie starting Jackson as Nick Fury. It will be better then the first attempt staring David Hasselhoff (1998).

Back to Iron Man, I don't want to give up to much of the film but there is guarenteed to be lots of action and explosions and maybe even an apperance by War Machine (maybe another spin-off)

Next up Batman "The Dark Knight"

Here is the pitch of the blog, you all know we have to pay the bills. If you want any movie related memorabilia,  such as autographs, framed photos, or even better screen used items give us a ring or an e-mail and Empire is there for you.

Just as soon as we posted the Phillies jersey entry we received a nice e-mail from one of our faithful readers informing us that the Blue Jays have also worn an alternate jersey this season already.  April 4th the Jays went back in time and wore a 1979 throwback jersey as part of their Flashback Fridays.  You have to like these powder blue throwback jerseys. The jerseys will be worn at each home game on Fridays, throughout the regular season.

You want your version with Stieb or Griffin on the back contact Empire today. Or maybe you want the Danny Ainge version. He played 86 games with the Jays that season.

Thanks for the tip Scott B. Keep reading and giving us te information.

Is there anything better in sports then the smell of the freshly cut grass on a baseball field. Spring is here and baseball has started. WIth the new season apon us we have an entire 182 games to see alternate and throwback jerseys ( and uniforms). Much the same way we did with this past NFL season we will be profiling each of the jerseys in our blog.  Any of these jerseys can be purchased through Empire Memorabilia. Just contact us jersey@empirememorabilia.com or (718)494-3414. All throwback and alternate jerseys with any player name you want.

The first alternate jersey to appear this season was worn by the Philadelphia Phillies on April 3rd. This is the Phillies alternate jersey for 2008.  The jerseys are similar to those worn from 1946 through 1949, featuring no pinstripes and red lettering bordered with blue piping. o it is also a throwback jersey as well as an alternate jersey. Along with the new uniform the Phillies will wear an accompanying cap which is blue with a red bill and a red stylized "P."  The Phillies are on of the six Major Legaue teams not to wear a uniform displaying their city or state.

The Stanley Cups playoffs are here and it's time to grow a beard.  The staff (male staff only) of Empire Memorabilia will all be growing beards in support of our favorite hockey teams. The superstition of growing a beard during the playoffs is not limited to the players, fans are welcome to jion in as well.

The practice of not shaving your beard during the Stanley Cup playoffs dates back to the early 1980's when the New York Islanders players stop shaving as soon as the playoffs started.  The players do not shave until there team is eliminated, you can see many great signed Stanley Cup photos in Empires product catalog www.empirememorabilia.com/hockey.html

This beard has spread throughout sports, many minor league and college hockey teams also grow beards when the playoffs start.  As do many basketball teams. Ben Roethlisberger grew one during the Steelers Super Bowl XL run, that they ultimatly ended up winning.

So if your supporting an NHl team and have the time to grow one, throw those razors away and start growing that beard.  Hopefully your team will go far into the playoffs and you will have the longest beard on the block.

Okay sorry it took so long to get back to everyone who asked what the New York Islanders "Fisherman" jersey was.  In the last entry I mentioned that I recently went to a New York Rangers game and saw many different types of jerseys but luckly not  a Islanders Fisherman jersey. Well here is the Fisherman jersey and here is the story.

During the 1995-96 season the Islanders were in a time of change, a new Gmmade many changes to the team and also to the look of the Isle's. Part of that change will the unveiling of the new logo, the "Fisherman logo". The logo was a marketing disaster; the reaction among the fan base was so negative that management announced it would revert back to the original logo as soon as league rules allowed them to do so. Then and now, Rangers fans have mocked the Isles with chants of "we want fishsticks," a reference to the way the logo resembled the Gorton's fisherman.

It is rare that you actually see one of these jerseys around, they are by far the rarest of Islanders jersey.  If you are an Islander fan and would like to purchase one, Empire can provide it for you with any player you would like or blank.  We guarentee it will be a topic of converstation. Contact us today jerseys@empirememorabilia.com or (718)494-3414.