DEAR SUN SPOTS: You’ve helped us in the past. I have two questions:

First, I have 30 Marvel comic books, one still in plastic, the other 29 seem in excellent condition. Do you know of anyone who collects them or wants to purchase these books?

Second, why do the weather reports give seven-day forecasts and change it the next day? Some channels give the inland temperatures. How far is inland?

I know in the western mountains, where I live, they’re never right. 

You can tell I don’t have a computer, so I can’t look things up. Thanks again. — Pulp Man, Peru

ANSWER: Sun Spots called Zimmie’s Comics (197 Main St., Lewiston, 207-783-4450), where the owner, Daniel, said he would be glad to take a look at your comics. He said the older comics, pre-1980s or so, are the most valuable.

He said he only buys a few but would be glad to take a look at what you have and offer his opinion as to their value.

Of course, you could sell them on eBay. Since you don’t have a computer, you might want to use one of the consignment sellers in Sun Spots’ Rolodex:

* Nola, Goin’ Postal, 9 North River Road, Auburn, 784-9900

* Laurie Whitmore, Oxford Depot eBay store, Oxford, 539-4884, ebay@oxford-depot.com

* Dan Beaudoin, Humble-Bobbs Secondhand LLC, 2178 Lisbon St., Lewiston, dandee84@roadrunner.com, 577-6746

* Brad Johnson, 207-393-7645, partsguy89@yahoo.com

As for the weather, Sun Spots thinks meteorologists do a pretty good job, but conditions change. If a front moves just a few miles one way or another, the whole picture changes.

Unfortunately, anyone who lives in a rural area is not going to get the same kind of in-depth report that those in major metropolitan areas receive. That’s one advantage of the Internet. The interactive weather maps let you be your own weatherman. You can watch the fronts move right across your town.

Sun Spots could not find an exact mileage definition of inland online. Definitions all just say “away from the coast.”

She has heard meteorologists refer to weather changing from what side of the Maine Turnpike/I-95, an effect Sun Spots has also noticed.  

DEAR SUN SPOTS: As a longtime subscriber to your paper, I wonder if other readers find as annoying as I do to find a “stick-on” advertisement across the headlines. Why isn’t that advertiser required to post in the paper, along with many others?

Who makes the decision or establishes the criteria for that placement? Maybe it’s done by the carrier. In either case I’m tired of peeling them off to read the headlines. — Robert Tiner, shannonguide@fairpoint.net

ANSWER: Sun Spots posed your query to Mike Theriault, who is in charge of the Sun Journal’s circulation department. He noted that “it is critical for any publication to have advertising support, as subscriptions only provide a portion of the revenue needed in total.

“We thank this customer for his feedback and will keep that in mind as we analyze our advertising programs in the future.

Vice President of Advertising Steve Costello, who is ultimately in charge of these decisions along with the rest of the executive committee, pointed out that “the front-page notes are attached to the paper with a special glue (similar to Post-It notes) so that they can be easily peeled away revealing the information below.”

Readers may have noticed that the Sun Journal has a wide circulation area — from New Hampshire to Central Maine and nearly to the coast. One advantage of the stickers is that they don’t need to go in every paper, but instead can be directed toward readers most likely to be interested in the product or service.

The carriers have nothing to do with advertising.

DEAR SUN SPOTS: In response to the recent inquiry about pickeball, the Auburn Recreation Department is looking to introduce it this coming fall.

Pickleball is one of the fastest growing sports in the United States. It is a cross between tennis, badminton and pingpong.

If you are interested in joining us or would like more information, please contact Joe Crocker at jcrocker@auburnmaine.gov or me. Days and time to be determined. — Paul Amnott, pvamnott@gmail.com

This column is for you, our readers. It is for your questions and comments. There are only two rules: You must write to the column and sign your name (we won’t use it if you ask us not to). Please include your phone number. Letters will not be returned or answered by mail, and telephone calls will not be accepted. Your letters will appear as quickly as space allows. Address them to Sun Spots, P.O. Box 4400, Lewiston, ME 04243-4400. Inquiries can also be emailed to sunspots@sunjournal.com.

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