Stacking the Deck

Say what you mean and mean what you say ...

2011-12-30T18:07:00.001-05:00

Let me start off this post by saying that I don't ever expect everyone out there who reads my stuff to agree with everything I have to say. I know, I know ... big shock, right? Seriously though, I'll be the first person to tell you that when it comes to editorial or review articles, they're simply one person's opinion of a given subject at a given time. In my time as a writer, I've had people criticize my reviews because they thought I gave something too low OR to high of a score. And hey, I'm okay with that. A lot of times, I'll even try to engage people and let them know that what I try to do is to express my thoughts on the subject, explain my praise and/or criticism, and that I try to look at things through the eyes of the audience ... though it's going to be filtered through my own experiences.

All that being said, I stand by what I say and I value my reputation as a writer. What's been pissing me off lately, though, is what seems to be a trend of writers willing to compromise their integrity for the sake of simply ruffling a few feathers and cashing in on the almighty traffic of hits. Let me explain ...

If you've followed me at all, you know that I've written for a number of different outlets over the year. Once upon a time, while contributing to one of these outlets, a conversation took place that still sticks with me. One of the other writers (and before anyone asks, no ... I'm going to name the outlet OR the writer) thought it would be a great idea to trash a game that was, at the time, receiving universal praise. This review wasn't going to be written as a joke or a parody, but presented as a real review of the game and carrying the support of the outlet.

Now, if the writer in question had genuinely believed in what they were writing, I might have disagreed with the piece, but I'd have stood by the person's right to present their honest opinion. The problem is, this writer specifically said that the article was being written for the sole purpose of driving more traffic to the site. The idea behind it was that as word spread about the review, it would spark a fire with fans who would, in turn, fan those flames with the obligatory "Look at this crap X had to say about Y!!" with a conveniently attached link to said article. And I'll be damned if that's not exactly what happened. The writer was center stage in the spotlight, the outlet was getting a huge spike in traffic, and all it cost was integrity. Of course, since this was all behind the scenes, no one else had to be the wiser.

Flash forward a bit now. Time had passed and everyone had since moved on to other projects. This particular day, I'd stumbled across some recent online posts from that writer. In these posts, the writer was relishing in the fact that a new review was about to be posted and that the flaming was about to begin. Once again, this writer had found a game that was well-received and decided to knock it down a more than a few pegs. True to form, people flocked to the article, expressed their contempt (and sometimes rage) at the piece, and spread the link around like wildfire. Once again, the writer ended up in the spotlight and the outlet got a huge spike in traffic. This time around, the writer was even bragging about of all the different names they were being called. Now, there were a couple of posts from people supporting the writer's review and the praising their critical scoring. Unfortunately, I'd had a front row seat to this drama once before, and I didn't really care for this remake either. Y'know, maybe I'm wrong. Maybe this writer really DIDN'T care for the game this time around. Maybe the review WAS an honest and forthright opinion. And maybe it just so happened NOT to correlate with the rest of the writer's peers. I just can't buy it, though. It's too much of a coincidence. It's like they say, "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me."

That experience admittedly left me a little more jaded about my chosen profession as well. I'm not saying that everyone in the industry needs be some sort of hive mind and speak in a uniform voice. Hell, I can run through a long list of games, movies, music, etc. that I've liked or disliked which doesn't necessarily conform to the majority opinion. However, when I see an article that goes SO far off the mark from the majority while simultaneously baiting its audience for a reaction, I can't help but be suspicious of the real motivation behind it. Are these writers truly expressing a unique opinion? Or are they just trolling for traffic? If it's the former, then more power to them. I'm all for putting their thoughts and opinions out there, especially if they're willing to stick by their guns. But if it's the latter, then these people are nothing more than "master baiters" getting their jollies by toying with their audience, stroking their own ego, and beating whatever shred of integrity they might have.

As upset as I am with those people who are quick to trade in their integrity for a little boost in ratings, it's NOT the norm. Over the years, I've been lucky enough to work with some plenty of great and talented writers and editors whose opinions I genuinely respect. These guys and gals bust their asses every day to make sure that their audience is both entertained and informed. This is definitely a case of a few bad apples. Unfortunately, every time some yahoo pulls a stunt like this, it tarnishes the reputation of the industry as a whole and makes it harder on the rest of the professionals to maintain the trust of the people.

Like I said at the start of this piece, I don't expect everyone out there to always agree with everything I've ever said or ever will say. I'm sure there are plenty of times I've colored outside the lines, so to speak, and raised the ire of some people. I'm know I'm not the most well-known writer out there, and I'll be the first person to say I'm not the most talented writer out there either. But I've always stuck by my words, and I've damn sure never created a controversy just to drive traffic ... and I never will. At the end of the day, it's pretty hard for me to shave if I can't stand to look at myself in the mirror. And my integrity is worth a hell of lot more to me than a few extra hits on a site.

When did we stop just having fun?

2011-11-27T22:29:00.001-05:00

About a week ago, I posted a quick little monologue on Facebook asking when we stopped just having fun and being entertained. At the time, I was frustrated at a lot of different reviews I was seeing online of everything from games to books to movies. I was reading article after article in which this thing or that was being nitpicked to death, only to never actually answer the big question ... "Is it any fun?"

I'll be honest, at the time, my post was just meant to be me venting a little bit of steam. Well, I was surprised at the response that quick post got, so I've decided to expand on the thought a little bit here.

For those of you that might have missed it, here's what I had to say on Facebook that got this ball rolling:

I want to know when we seemed to stop just having fun and enjoying ourselves? Why are "guilty pleasures" considered guilty? Y'know, I've seen plenty of near perfect projects from a technical standpoint that were no fun whatsoever ... but more importantly, I've seen plenty of games that were buggy as hell, but I've had a blast playing. People seem to forget that the key component in "entertainment" is to ENTERTAIN!! And so goes my rant o' the day ...

Whenever I read a review that picks everything apart from a strictly technical standpoint, it bugs the hell out of me. It's frustrating to me personally because, as you should know by now, one of the many hats I wear as a writer is that of an entertainment "critic". See, my problem is that when you're talking about entertainment, at the end of the day what people want to know is whether or not they're going to enjoy themselves. When a critic spends too much time focused on the technical aspect of things and forgets about the actual entertainment value, he's not doing his audience any real service. I'm not too full of myself to say I haven't been guilty of this in some reviews I've written. I'm sure I've fallen into that same pit from time to time. But on the whole, I genuinely try to put myself into the mindset of the audience and to decide if they would ultimately leave the experience feeling entertained.

Y'know, for the past couple of weeks, the two video games I've played the most are Uncharted 3 on the PS3 and Kinect: Disneyland Adventures for the 360. Yeah, I said it ... I've been having a blast playing "Dude Raider" and running around a virtual theme park. In one game, I'm traipsing around the globe, hunting treasure and dodging bullets in an action-packed cinematic adventure that could hold its own stacked against any summer blockbuster Hollywood has to offer. In the other game, I'm a little kid running around Disneyland, shaking hands with Mickey Mouse, dancing with Cinderella, and flying with Peter Pan. These two games are completely different, but their common thread is that they're both a HELL of a lot of fun to play.

Would either of these be considered "perfect" games from a technical standpoint? Absolutely not. In Kinect: Disneyland Adventures, the controls can sometimes be ... umm, let's just call it "less than precise". And once, my character's arm actually seemed to snap in half at the elbow. Meanwhile over in Uncharted 3, poor Drake has been running into a few problems of his own. There have been a couple of times I got stuck in the environment or couldn't get my AI cohorts to get out of my way. Also, I love the multiplayer in Uncharted 3, but until very recently, I spent almost as much time trying to connect with the servers and sync data as I did actually playing.

So yes, both of these games have their "flaws", but to be perfectly honest, none of them were ever bad enough to take away from the overall entertainment value of the games. Would I recommend these to others? Without a doubt. In fact, Uncharted 3 is one of my personal top Game of the Year candidates. You can pick away at it all you want, find a little bug here or a tiny nuisance there, but the fact remains that the game is an epic story and a great experience from start to finish. And just so Kinect: Disneyland Adventures doesn't feel left out, keep in mind that even with its problems, I'm a guy in his thirties running around like I'm eight years old again, posing for pictures with Goofy and riding a bobsled down the Matterhorn. If a game can bring out your inner kid like this, regardless of your actual age, well that truly is a special kind of magic.

I may have used these two specific games as examples of the point I was trying to make, but I'm sure you've got your own examples. Maybe it's that copy of Spaceballs you watched over and over so often that you've got the script memorized. Maybe you secretly think of yourself as a true Pokemon master because, yes, you really DID catch 'em all. Or maybe on your way to work, you're rockin' out to the new LMFAO CD and letting the world know that you ARE sexy and you DO know it. My point is, while Spaceballs would never be considered Oscar caliber cinema, Pokemon hunting will never appear on the Outdoor Channel, and LMFAO still makes people think of dancing gerbils ... all of these things are still fun. And there's no reason for these "guilty pleasures" to actually make you feel guilty.

I think it's well past time that some entertainment critics got their heads out of their collective asses, loosened up, and learned to have a little fun again. Instead, they get so wrapped up in finding every little thing wrong and trying to outdo each other, they forget about their audience ... and what their audience wants. People aren't always looking for the next Citizen Kane ... sometimes, Killer Klowns from Outer Space is just what the doctor ordered.

So ... what keeps YOU entertained?

Just paint a target on my back ...

2011-10-14T15:45:00.002-04:00

Earlier this week, I finally started spending some time in the early access multiplayer for Naughty Dog's latest globetrotting and relic hunting adventure, Uncharted 3. Now, I could go on and on about how much I'm looking forward to the next chapter in Nathan Drake's story, and about how the game looks and plays so far ... which is something I'll probably do in a later post. But this particular post isn't so much about Uncharted 3, as much as it's about the realization that I generally suck at competitive multiplayer ... and how I've finally decided that I'm okay with it.

Let me start off by saying I've never been a stranger to competitive multiplayer games. I still remember long nights at the nearby internet cafe playing marathon sessions of Quake and WarCraft II with the owner and some friends until the wee hours of the morning. Maybe it's just me looking through the veiled fog of fifteen years' worth of history, but I'd swear that back then I was more than capable of holding my own against any and all comers. I won't say I was the best by a long shot, but I still think I was pretty damned good. Now, a decade and a half later, I tend to get my ass handed to me, gift wrapped with a nice pretty bow attached, within seconds of logging into most multiplayer games. Whereas I used to be in the top ranks when playing games, I'm now happy if I manage to fight my way into the middle of the pack.

What the hell happened?!? Am I missing a step or getting rusty? Have casual games robbed me of my competitive edge? Worse yet ... *GASP* am I too OLD to be competitive anymore? Actually, I've decided that while there might little bit to all of that ... there's a hell of a lot more to none of it. Confused? Allow me to elaborate.

There's a classic saying that goes something along the lines of "Old age and cunning will overcome youth and enthusiasm every time." Unfortunately, in video games, that's not always the case. See, over the years, I've come to realize that my play style has evolved into a more methodical style versus the more reflexive twitch-based style that seems to be the norm in most multiplayer shooters these days. I was reminded of this when playing Uncharted 3 after finding a spot and just watching people through the scope of my Dragon Sniper rifle for a few rounds. If the few moments I had before someone inevitably found me an emptied a clip or five into me, I saw a lot of the same ol' "tactics" I've seen time and time again. Things like players running around each other in a close quarters do-si-do of death or players doing their best impersonation of a troop of kangaroos on pogo sticks. That's when I started to realize that I'm just a little too grounded in my thinking ... no pun intended.

That's not to say there aren't games where being a little more sneaky isn't an advantage. The first that comes to mind is Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood. That's a game where stealth and strategy is rewarded more than an itchy trigger ... and it's a game I still kick ass at too. See, I play a game like Uncharted 3 or Halo or, hell, just about any other multiplayer shooter on the market, and I try to use too much in the way of real world thinking and cunning versus over the top tricks. That being said, it doesn't mean I don't have a hell of a lot of fun with these games. Hey, I may come in near the bottom of the pack, but there's something I find oddly rewarding about my score. Because of how I'm wired to play, I feel like I really worked to earn my points ... and I don't let it get to me anymore when I'm taken out.

Maybe I do run around with a target on my back, and maybe I'll never get that big sponsorship deal with a major gaming league, but hell ... I have fun doing what I do and playing how I play. As long as you're not there griefing and being a prick, you're more than welcome to shoot me as often as possible in a game. It's all about having fun.

@Gamer Issue #13

2011-10-03T01:49:00.002-04:00

The start of another month means yet another issue of Best Buy's awesome @Gamer Magazine. Of course, another issue of @Gamer means that another chance to check out a little bit of video game coverage from a certain video game journalist we all know and love. Plus, this marks the debut of an extra little goodie in the magazine that we'll hopefully see more of in upcoming issues. More on that later.

For now, though, let's take a quick peek through the pages of this month's issue of @Gamer and see what sorts of cool and interesting stuff you'll find inside. Afterwards, if you haven't already done so, make plans to head out an pick up a copy from your nearest Best Buy ASAP. Or better yet, head on over to the @Gamer website and get yourself signed up for a one-year subscription so you don't miss a beat.

Let's start with the obvious. Right up front on the cover, you can see there's coverage of the latest chapter in the life (and past bloodlines) of assassin Desmond Miles, courtesy of Ubisoft's upcoming release, Assassin's Creed Revelations. Executive Editor (and damned good game journalist), Andy Eddy, hops into the Animus and gives fans a peek at new toys (Ezio's hookblade), new settings (Constantinople), and new multiplayer components. Other previews in this issue include Metro: Last Light, Hitman: Absolution, and a meaty preview of Blizzard's upcoming juggernaut, Diablo III. The @Gamer crew isn't just about the games we play, though. They're also all about the hardware you'll be using to play. In that vein, Steve Klett and the rest of @Gamer crew bring a new round of Gear reviews to the October issue. This time, they're taking a look at the ASUS VG236 23" LCD 3D display, Razer's Naga line of mice, Power A's Batarang 360 controller, and all sorts of other fun hardware.

Still need more reasons to pick up the magazine? Well, how about some good ol' fashioned cash in your pockets? Every issue of @Gamer so far has come packed with more than $100 in coupons ... and this issue is no exception. Say you want a (Human) Revolution? You can get the new Deus Ex: Human Revolution game for fifteen bucks off. Want to game in style with some Gunnar Optiks eyewear? Pick up a pair of Phantom or PPK at Best Buy for $20 less than regular price. Looking forward to getting in some zombie bashing with Frank West in Dead Rising 2: Off the Record? @Gamer's got you covered with a $10 off coupon this issue. And that's just a few of the deals in this issue of @Gamer.

Don't worry. I haven't forgotten about the actual game reviews this month. In fact, take a look at this shifty looking guy, whose cartoon likeness finally makes his first appearance in the Review Crew intro of @Gamer:

Yup ... that's me, or rather @Gamer's stylized version of yours truly. Although I've been writing for @Gamer for some time, there's something fun about seeing this little guy finally pop up in the mag. This month, I tried out SEGA's Rise of Nightmares survival horror game for the Xbox 360, as well as Atlus' Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor Overclocked for the 3DS. Of course some of the guys handled a few of the other titles this issue, such as Star Fox 64 3D, FIFA Soccer 12, Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine, and a little title you might have heard of called Gears of War 3.

I'm only scratching the surface of the stuff packed into @Gamer this month. Is this some blatant self-promotion on my part? Umm ... yeah. But the truth of the matter is, I'd be bragging about the magazine even if I WASN'T writing for it. Of course, it naturally makes things better by having my charm and wit tossed into the mix. (Yes folks, that's just a wee bit of teasing on my part and no, I'm NOT actually that full of myself). The fact is that Future US and Best Buy have put together a great magazine for video game fans, and I'm genuinely honored to be working with all the amazing talent there every month.

So what are you waiting for? Go out now (or soon, depending on what time it is that you're reading this) and hit up your closest Best Buy for the latest issue of @Gamer. It's more than worth the $4.99 investment.

PCP Game Review: Marvel Super Hero Squad Online (PC)

2011-10-02T23:38:00.001-04:00

In case you're just tuning in here, there's something you guys should know about me. I am a self-professed and unapologetic comic book fanboy. Marvel, DC, IDW, Dark Horse ... it doesn't matter. I love the art, the writing, the characters, and pretty much everything about the medium. Heck, before I got into this whole writing shtick, I even managed a couple of comic book shops.

Because of this "fanboy" mentality, whenever I see a new movie, TV show, or video game coming out based on a comic book, I kinda feel obligated to at least check it out and see if it's any good. So when Gazillion Entertainment and The Amazing Society released the kid-friendly, free-to-play MMO based on Marvel Comics' Super Hero Squad ... well, who was I to pass up a chance to "Hero up!" and save the day?

If you haven't heard of Marvel's Super Hero Squad before now, it's basically a kid-oriented, tongue-in-cheek, super-deformed version of the Marvel universe. All your favorite heroes and villains are here in "Super Hero City", but without all the doom and gloom you might find in the pages of the Marvel Universe proper. Instead, everything here is bright, colorful, and (best of all of kids) fun. Even older comic fans can get a kick out of the series, as the characters parody their more grown-up counterparts in all kinds of goofy ways. Apparently, it's a formula for success too, as the Super Hero Squad franchise has been developed into a hit toy line, television series, comic books, and a handful of console games to boot.

Although Marvel Super Hero Squad Online is being touted as an MMO game, it doesn't really fit into the traditional mold of an MMO. You're never going to pull together all the forces of the Marvel Universe in epic 50-man raids, or call in your guild mates for a multi-hour instance. Instead, MSHSO is more like a casual sort of getaway to have fun in shorter bursts. In a lot of ways, it reminds me of Sony Online Entertainment's free-to-play game, Free Realms. Both titles are essentially set up as large hubs to interact with other players while competing in a variety of small missions or minigames. While Free Realms currently has more meat on its bones in terms of content, it's also had a two year head start on MSHSO ... and it doesn't have the Marvel Comics stable of characters at its disposal either.

After signing up for a free account, newcomers to MSHSO will work their way through the obligatory tutorial sections, which teach the basics of the game's mechanics and how to navigate the menus. After going through the motions, the player is give an initial squad of four characters: Cyclops, Ms. Marvel, Falcon, and The Thing. Players can switch out on the fly, earning experience, coins, and tickets for completing Missions and winning Card Games against different opponents. There are also a few Arcade games that players can compete in to earn some more loot. XP will help level up whichever active character you're currently using, coins (gold and silver) are used to purchase new goodies from the shop, and tickets are used for a large prize wheel to earn more cards, items, or (most likely) coins.

The bulk of your time in MSHSO will likely take place outside of the main hub in either Missions or Card Games. Missions are action-based beat 'em up battles which pit heroes against a slew of bad guys trying to pull off whatever happens to be the scheme du jour. Players click on whatever henchmen they come across, picking up the occasional power-up along the way, while avoiding incoming enemy attacks. Missions are usually broken up into three stages, with the final stage culminating in a boss fight against one of the mainstay supervillains of the Marvel Universe (such as Sabretooth, Mystique, or Doctor Octopus). Players earn medals based on their performance in each mission, with higher medals earning more XP, coins, and tickets. Missions can be played solo or, if you feel like doing a comic-style team-up, with up to three additional heroes.

As fun as the Missions may be, my personal favorite part of MSHSO is the Card Game. Maybe it's got something to do with all that time I spent in comic shops playing collectible card games, but there's something about spending time tweaking out a deck of cards and going mano a mano with another player to see who's built around the better strategy. The game here is pretty simple to learn, with the ultimate goal being to whittle away the other player's cards, knocking him out of action. There are card game missions which can tweak the initial setup of matches, with some opponents starting with larger or smaller decks or with certain cards already in play. It's fun to see the animations whenever a card is put into play, as you get to see the characters on the card in play execute their attack against your opponent. And whenever you get tired of playing against the computer, you can always pit your deck building skills against other players logged into MSHSO.

Where the Marvel Super Hero Squad starts to falter is in its relatively light amount of actual free-to-play content. I understand the desire to generate revenue for the game, and the desire to leave gamers wanting more ... but this is barely even an appetizer. For example, you'd better like the four initial characters available, because it's going to me a long time before you earn enough coins to buy anyone new. This is compounded by the fact that most of the game's extras (including extra Missions, cards, and characters) have to be purchased with the extremely hard to get gold coins vs. more easily obtained silver coins. Plus, certain characters are only accessible to players who maintain a "Jr. Shield Agent" subscription. You might buy a character as an Agent during a trial period, investing a lot of time and effort into building up his XP, only to have that same character vanish from your lineup if you let your subscription lapse. I've never been a big fan of this business model, as you have already paid for a specific item (in this case, a Marvel character) once ... but then keep paying for the right to keep using it in the game. Hopefully, in time, Gazillion and The Amazing Society will see fit to bulk up on the amount of free-to-play content, and not penalize players who have tried out the subscription features.

All that being said, Marvel Super Hero Squad Online is still a fun experience for young comic book fans (and those that are just young at heart). It's a simple but addictive experience that's definitely worth checking out at least once. Just be ready to shell out a little extra dough if you expect to get the most out of the game.

FINAL SCORE: B

Game Info:
Publisher: Gazillion Entertainment
Developer: The Amazing Society
Genre: Survival Horror
Platform: Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC
Multiplayer: MMO

Extra Content ...

2011-10-02T23:38:00.000-04:00

Just a quick little post here to let everyone know that I've started up a second blog, PopCult POV. PopCult POV is a collaborative blog I've set up to cover all manner of pop culture goodies. Comics, games, movies, TV, books, food ... it's a wild mix of interesting and fun topics. Because of this, I might not be posting here QUITE as much as I had been before. To make up for it, I'll occasionally do a little cross posting here of articles I write over there, and adding an extra tag/label to point it out.

Be sure to let me know your thoughts ...

A "GD" boycott on Grant Morrison and Action Comics?

2011-09-09T16:09:00.000-04:00

Every once in a while, I stumble across a story that, due to the sheer ridiculously absurd nature of it, starts to give me a migraine. This morning, it was a piece at Comic Book Resources reporting that a North Carolina comic retailer was launching a boycott of DC's new Action Comics series and its writer, Grant Morrison. So what sort of pernicious plot could have possibly been perpetrated in the pages of this periodical to provoke such a passionate proposition? (Ahh ... alliteration. Gotta love it.) It's all because of a single panel that, according to Jeff Lamb, owner of aptly named Asheboro, NC comic shop, The Comic Conspiracy, shows DC's newest version of the Man of Steel in a blasphemous light.

Is Morrison's Superman flying around Metropolis spewing out bile and hate in the "New 52"? Not quite. In fact, not even close. Instead, the panel in question doesn't even have Supes uttering a single complete word. Instead, it's just two little letters that have riled Lamb up as "a slap in the face to Superman, Christians and Superman creators Siegel and Shuster!!"

It's safe to say that the DC Universe has been turned upside down with in the post-Flashpoint continuity. Characters have been de-aged, marriages have ended, the dead have returned to the land of the living, and some characters have been blinked out of existence. Despite these changes, the DC heroes are still heroic and the Last Son of Krypton is still one of the good guys. Unfortunately, Superman's latest weakness had nothing to do with a little green radioactive rock ... it's a seemingly innocent literary device called "onomatopoeia".

In Action Comics #1, Superman is put through his paces as only he can. Hey, the book does have "Action" right there in the title. During one particularly action packed scene, Supes gets shot by no less than an artillery shell fired from a tank. While something like that might've left smoldering bits and pieces of the Average Joe strewn all about the landscape, Superman takes the blast full on, knocking him for a loop with a grunted "GD" popped into a word balloon for effect. Lamb claims to believe that the "GD" word balloon was an abbreviated way to have Superman say "God Damn", or something to that effect.

To that, I say, "Huh?" (Which, by the way, would technically be yet another example of onomatopoeia ... depicting a confused bit of exasperation by me)

On the Facebook page for his store, Lamb wrote:

"I deal with books like Crossed and The Boys. I accepted gay characters being introduced into a children specific book like Archie Comics. I however am getting very tired of having comic writer's liberal agendas force fed to me. Mr. Morrison has stepped over my line. If I have to stand alone on this... I will."

He went on to post that, "The boycott stands. All orders for Action Comics #2, as well as any other books written by Grant Morrison will be cancelled as soon as Diamond Comics opens it's offices today. I ask my customers to understand as best they can. I understand that it's only a comic and it's not the real world, but I feel that as a Christian I have to draw the line somewhere."

Lamb's opinion is that Superman was created to be "the 'perfect' superhero. Unblemished." He then went on to say, "It grieves me to see a liberal Scottish schmuck like Grant Morrison take these liberties. I'm sorry, Superman would NEVER take God's name in vain."

Wow ... all of that from a simple "GD"? To me, it read simply as a grunt uttered from the force of getting HIT BY A FRIKKIN' TANK SHELL!! It's not any different than when I write "UGH" to represent an exasperated frustration. It was a sound effect ... nothing more. No sinister motive or political agenda being pushed in any way. And I'm not alone in this thinking. Aside from the vast majority of people who've commented on the issue already in other outlets, you know who ELSE thinks it was just a sound effect? Umm, how about the guy who wrote it ... Grant Morrison.

Earlier today on the official DC Universe blog, The Source, the "controversy" was addressed directly, with Morrison stating via email:

“It should go without saying that the offending panel and caption, a mere ‘GD’, is a sound effect grunt – to suggest Superman’s breath being forced through gritted teeth – much like ‘DHH’, ‘GNUHH’ or the many others used throughout this book and in general in the comics business. It’s not in any way representative of God or a curse.”

It pains me that it seems people just want to read WAY to much into things sometimes. It reminds me of a quote attributed to Freud. "Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar." And in this case, sometimes a grunt is just a grunt.

I'll be perfectly honest ... I have some questions about whether or not this whole thing was just a publicity stunt dreamt up by Lamb. Despite all the holier than thou rhetoric earlier in the day and all the buzz the story got from the comic newswire, in light of Morrison's response, Lamb now says that "The boycott is lifted. Once again my apologies to Grant for the unwarranted name calling." I can't help but wonder if Lamb ever actually got around to making that call to Diamond early this morning to cancel those standing orders on Action Comics, as he claimed he would "as soon as Diamond Comics opens".

There's an old saying that claims there's no such thing as bad publicity ... but sometimes, it still can leave a bad taste in your mouth.

Under the Radar: Firearm

2011-08-27T01:40:00.000-04:00

When it comes to comic books, I'm often asked what my favorite series/character/etc. is. Hmm ... well, I like a LOT of comic books and characters. Iron Man, Green Lantern, Ghost Rider (both Johnny Blaze and Dan Ketch), Witchblade, Daredevil, Hellblazer ... I could go on and on. I've got a lot of fond memories growing up with various superheroes and supervillains, and I still love making weekly trips to the comic shops to see all the new stuff. I'm also lucky enough to work in a field where I get to follow all sorts of cool comic books projects.

What can I say? I'll forever be a comic book fanboy. But when it comes to my personal FAVORITE series? Well, it's probably one you'd never expect and may not have even heard of ... which naturally makes it the perfect choice for this Under the Radar piece.

It's Firearm, a relatively short-lived series from the now defunct Malibu Comics' Ultraverse line. And this is why you should try to find it in the back issue bins of your closest comic shop.

First, I think you need a little background on the whole "Ultraverse" thing. Back in the early 90s, the comic industry was booming and everyone wanted to get a piece of the action. In that time, fans saw the birth of Image Comics (Spawn, WildC.A.T.S., Youngblood) and Valiant (X-O Manowar, Magnus: Robot Fighter, Turok). Well, Malibu Comics wasn't about to be left behind ... and so the Ultraverse was born. The characters of the Ultraverse were all unique in their own right, from the Superman archetype who was actually a 13-year old boy to the actor-turned-superhero icon Hardcase. And right smack in the middle of it all was Alec Swan, a.k.a. Firearm.

In a world filled with superpowers, Alec Swan was just a private eye trying to get by. Okay, so maybe he was a little more than just a regular guy. While Swan didn't have superpowers, he had a hell of a lot of training, first as a soldier in the British Special Boat Service and then as an agent for a covert government agency known simply as "The Lodge". After one particular mission with The Lodge goes south, Swan quit the agency and relocated to the States to start a new life as a private investigator. While Swan thought he could finally settle down a bit, fate (and some excellent writing by James Robinson) had other things in mind. Whether he was fighting for his life against a group of cannibalistic Ultras, breaking into a government facility to rescue a missing teenager who just so happened to be one of the most powerful characters in the Ultraverse, or facing off against a demonically possessed Ultra trying to release a dark god, Swan always happened to find himself in the wrong place at just the right time.

Eventually, Swan found himself in a cat and mouse game with a serial killer known as Rafferty. Like Swan, Rafferty was well-trained in combat and had a disdain for those with supernatural powers. However, Rafferty found joy in killing off these "Ultras", and in taunting Swan, challenging Swan to stop his murderous machinations. The Rafferty Saga crossed over into a number of Ultraverse titles, with Rafferty hunting down Ultras and Swan hot on his heels. It made for a great read and culminated in an epic battle between the two.

Firearm lasted for a total nineteen issues (#1 through #18, plus a limited edition issue #0 that came packed with a live-action 30-minute "film" telling the first half of the story). What made the book so great for me was the superb scripting by James Robinson. I grew up reading classic pulp detective stories from the likes of Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett, and for me, Robinson was right up there with them. I could actually picture Alec Swan, Philip Marlowe, and Sam Spade all sharing a round of drinks and comparing stories. Of course, in comics, it's not just the words that matter, but the pictures as well. And regular artist Cully Hamner did an amazing job telling Swan's stories.

Sadly, after Marvel bought Malibu in 1994, the end of the Ultraverse wasn't far behind. Adding insult to injury, due to the way that the original contracts were written, it's not likely that the Ultraverse will ever make a return under the Marvel banner. On the upside, Robinson was able to wrap things up nicely in the end ... giving the book a proper "Swan" song, but in a way that still left things open for an eventual return, should the stars ever align correctly. In the meantime, though, you can't go wrong tracking down the back issues of this cool modern take on the classic pulp stories.

Under the Radar: Cartoon Network: Punch Time Explosion (3DS)

2011-08-25T16:40:00.000-04:00

So I've decided to work on a new semi-regular segment for ye ol' blog here, titled (as you can see) "Under the Radar". One of the things about my job is that I see a deluge of different properties coming out all the time. Video games. Comic books. Movies. DVDs. The truth of the matter is that there's simply SO much stuff out there, that inevitably things are going to slip by unnoticed and under appreciated. Sometimes you might stumble onto a quick blurb about one of these hidden gems early on, only to remember about it far too late, after it's already been exiled to the realm of the bargain bin, or worse, faded into obscurity and out of existence completely. Well that's where these "Under the Radar" segments will come in.

First up in "Under the Radar"? Crave Games' recent 3DS brawler, Cartoon Network: Punch Time Explosion.

I'll admit something to you guys that you might not already know. I'm still a big kid at heart. Big surprise, right? Even though no one in their right mind would ever mistake me for a kid anymore, I still have fun during my free time flipping channels and watching cartoons. Hey, I grew up on everything from mainstays like G.I. Joe and Transformers to more obscure oddities like Turbo Teen and Centurions. Tiny Toons. Bonkers. I watched 'em all. And so it's only natural that I still get a kick out of watching Cartoon Network and shows like The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy, Samurai Jack, and Dexter's Laboratory. So when I first heard about a 3DS game akin to Super Smash Bros., starring the eclectic cast of characters from a range of Cartoon Network hits ... I was sold.

Well, I WOULD have been sold ... if I hadn't already been preoccupied with other games and such at the time. Plus, I'll be honest, the game's $40 price point (which seems to be the de facto MSRP for new 3DS releases) cooled my enthusiasm a little bit. I still can't really understand why there's a $10 price difference between the MSRP of DS and 3DS titles. Eventually, I kinda forgot about Punch Time Explosion ... until a sale at Best Buy this week reminded me of it. In case you missed it, Best Buy marked a handful of its 3DS titles down to $19.99 from the usual $39.99 this week. And yep, Punch Time Explosion is one of the games on sale. So a quick trip to Best Buy and $20 later, I was firing up my 3DS and taking Punch Time Explosion out for a whirl. And you know what? I'm glad I did.

Like I said earlier, Punch Time Explosion is essentially a Super Smash Bros. style brawler which takes its material (fighters, stages, powers, etc.) from the stars of various Cartoon Network shows. There are basically two main gameplay modes: Story and Battle. The Story Mode plays like your basic platform experience, with players making their way through the Cartoon Network Universe in a quest to uncover the source of a breakdown between the dimensional barriers that usually separate their respective worlds. It's paper thin as far as plotlines go, but it's an excuse to get all these character together. Plus, the narration from the mysterious Announcer (hysterically voiced by Space Ghost himself, George Lowe) is well worth sitting through the bridges between levels. Story Mode is your basic platform experience, broken up by the occasional first person shooter or survival wave segment. This part of the game starts off really slow ... but just when I was ready to throw in the title, things picked up and before long I was hooked.

After making my way through the Story Mode for a while, I jumped into Battle Mode for a few rounds. This is your classic brawler mode, where you can pick your favorite character and take on one to three opponents in fast and furious fisticuffs. Punch Time Explosion supports download play, so you can still play your friends even if they don't have a copy of the game themselves. And if you don't have any friends immediately available, you can still play Battle Mode against up to three CPU opponents. One this that bugged me a little bit is that the characters I had unlocked in Story Mode were nowhere to be seen in Battle Mode. Apparently, those are unlocked separately by winning a set number of Battle Mode matches. Just keep in mind, you'll have to win about 75 matches in order to unlock everyone in Battle Mode. So don't expect to beat up your buddies as C****** P***** anytime soon.

With no Super Smash Bros. coming to the 3DS anytime soon (it was announced, but development had not started on it at the time), if you're jonesing for a button mashing throwdown, Cartoon Network: Punch Time Explosion is a fun way to get your fix. I'm a little disappointed that the game doesn't have any other 3DS features like Street Pass or Spot Pass and it doesn't have any online gameplay, but it's still a blast to play. I'll admit that I'd probably still have a hard time recommending the initial $40 retail price for the game, but as I found out this week, you can easily find it for $30 less. And at that price, it's definitely worth checking out.

IT'S ALIVE!! ... and in 3D!!

2011-07-29T16:07:00.000-04:00

So the big bit of video game news going around this week has to be Nintendo's surprise announcement that, less than six months after the retail debut of the 3DS, the portable system will be getting a hefty price cut come August 12th. For gamers in the US, the 3DS price will drop from $249.99 to $169.99, a whopping savings of $80. To put that in a little more perspective, if you were to rush out right now and pick yourself up a DSi XL from Best Buy, you'd be paying the same amount as you would if you wait just a couple more weeks for some glasses-free 3D action.

That's kind of a big deal, but that's not all ...

So what about those of us "early adopters" who decided to pick up the 3DS at launch? Is Nintendo giving us a great big middle finger ... in 3D? Actually, no. If you have picked up a 3DS prior to midnight on August 12th (that's 11:59p on Aug. 11th, for those checking their clocks) and logged into the system's eShop at least once, you're automatically going to be registered into Nintendo's "Ambassador" program.

What exactly does that mean? Well, here's the explanation straight from Nintendo:

1. Starting Sept. 1, Nintendo 3DS Ambassadors will be able to download 10 NES™ Virtual Console™ games at no charge and before they are available in the Nintendo eShop to the general public. These games, including Super Mario Bros.™, Donkey Kong Jr.™, Balloon Fight™, Ice Climber™ and The Legend of Zelda™, are slated to become paid downloadable games, but Ambassadors get them early for free. Once the paid versions of the games are posted to the Nintendo eShop later in the year, the updated versions will be available to Ambassadors for download at no cost.

2. By the end of 2011, Nintendo will provide Ambassadors with 10 Game Boy Advance Virtual Console games. These include games like Yoshi's Island™: Super Mario™ Advance 3, Mario Kart™: Super Circuit, Metroid™ Fusion, WarioWare™, Inc.: Mega Microgame$ and Mario vs. Donkey Kong™. These games will be available exclusively to Ambassadors, and Nintendo currently has no plans to make these 10 games available to the general public on the Nintendo 3DS in the future.

So basically, if you've already picked up a 3DS (or plan to before the price drop), Nintendo plans to load you up with no less than 20 free classic games. Seems like a pretty good deal to me, actually. You want to know why? Because, to be perfectly honest, I still think I've gotten my money's worth out of the system after having paid the original price.

Okay, let me start off by saying that the whole "glasses-free 3D" is a pretty nifty (yeah, I said "nifty") little gimmick. I do like the way it can add some depth to the portable experience. BUT, much like a deep fried Twinkie, I don't want it all the time. In fact, there are some times when the overall experience is actually better WITHOUT the 3D on at all. Don't believe me? Go check out Dead or Alive: Dimensions sometime (it's probably still running in the demo unit at your nearest retailer). Sure, the game is fun with the 3D on, punching, kicking, and throwing in a nice, 3D 30 frames per second. But turn off the 3D and that puppy runs at a smooth 60fps, looking every bit as good as DoA4 on the Xbox 360.

See, while the 3D is fun, it's not the main reason I like my 3DS. What people don;t seem to realize is that the 3DS is more than just ... well ... a DS with 3D. Things like the StreetPass and SpotPass features give me a reason to carry the system around with me. I'll admit it ... for a while, I was tweaking out my team of figures in Super Street Fighter IV 3D and heading to stores just looking to swap data with people. It's goofy, sure, but it's fun. And in Dead or Alive: Dimensions, it's always cool to fire up the game and see what new costumes or Showdown matches have downloaded since the last time I played. Even the Play Coins, earned by just carrying the system with you when you walk, have earned me some fun little goodies in games like LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars and Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D.

Right now, though, one of my favorite features has got to be the ability to watch Netflix through my 3DS. Yeah, I know a lot of laptops, phones, tablets, etc. also offer a portable way to watch Netflix, but I don't necessarily feel like dragging my laptop or even a tablet everywhere I go. And as far as my phone? Umm, yeah. I'm a journalist/writer so I'm usually using my phone to actually ... well ... communicate. Nothing's worse than trying to watch a movie than to have to go back and forth with texts, emails, or phone calls interrupting every five minutes. With the 3DS, I can just pop the system into my pocket and, in my downtime, hook up to a wifi signal and watch a quick show or two. And let's not forget that there's still the very real likelihood of Netflix offering streaming of 3D movies. With the number of Netflix enabled 3D televisions out there, it's a matter of "sooner" rather than "later".

Even with all of this, I've glossed over other features like the (admittedly lower resolution) 3D camera, the music player, the eShop for downloadable games, backwards compatibility with the DS, the new Nintendo Video, and the Nintendo Zone stuff. The fact is, the 3DS is a pretty strong piece of hardware and well worth its price ... especially after the price drop takes effect in a couple of weeks.

Now, as much as I'm gushing over the 3DS, I'm not blind. The system has its share of flaws. Aside from things like a wobbly hinge and low res camera, there's simply a matter of support for the platform. I mean, where are the games? Sure, there are some gems out there. Super Street Fighter IV 3D. Dead or Alive: Dimensions. Ghost Recon: Shadow Wars. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D. But where are the other big breakouts? I'm hoping (and I'm betting Nintendo is hoping as well) that with the price cut getting the 3DS into more gamers' hands, support for the console will ramp up accordingly from third party developers.

Who knows what the future has in store for the 3DS? Will it overcome these growing pains and push forward as a strong, viable handheld gaming experience? Or will it quietly fade into the sunset? I don;t have the answer, but I sincerely hope it's the former. The 3DS is a lot more than just a gimmick. It's a solid piece of hardware that simply needs the opportunity to shine. Here's hoping the upcoming price cut will do just that.

Batman: Arkham City gets a little "Ghul"-ish

2011-07-22T19:02:00.000-04:00

Earlier today, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and DC Entertainment released a new trailer for Batman: Arkham City, showcasing the in-game appearance of Oswald Cobblepot, a.k.a. The Penguin. The trailer also showed a surprise appearance of Solomon Grundy.

Well, just when you think that they couldn't cram any more into the Arkham City experience, it was confirmed today at Comic-Con that Talia al Ghul will be making an appearance in the game as well.

For those of you out there asking who the heck Talia al Ghul is, here's the quick lowdown. Talia is the daughter of Ra's al Ghul, one of Batman's oldest and most dangerous foes. Under the guidance of her father, Talia has become a strong warrior in her own right, even leading the legendary League of Assassins in Ra's al Ghul's absence. Although she's fiercely loyal to her father, she's also fallen in love with Batman ... a feeling the Dark Knight has reciprocated many times despite their circumstances. In fact, in the current DC Comics continuity, Batman even fathered a child with Talia: the current Robin, Damian Wayne.

So what role will Taila al Ghul play in Arkham City? And does this mean that her father (or even her son) are far behind? Who knows? But considering that Talia is still rumored to pop up in Christopher Nolan's upcoming Bat flick, The Dark Knight Rises, it's a safe bet that she'll do just fine under the light of the Bat-Signal all by herself.

Giving a voice to Talia al Ghul in Batman: Arkham City is Stana Katic, best known as Detective Kate Beckett in ABC’s popular series (and a personal favorite show of mine) Castle. Katic's no stranger to dealing with superheroes either, having played as the superpowered spy Hana Gitelman in NBC's Heroes.

“Talia is such a complex character and it was great to voice her in Batman: Arkham City,” said Katic regarding her role in the game. “I was amazed at all the detail put into the project and it’s great to see how excited the fans are about the game.”

Batman: Arkham City will be available in North America beginning Oct.18, 2011, for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Windows PC.

And I'll form the head!!

2011-07-21T23:41:00.000-04:00

Assuming you didn't giggle like a little schoolgirl at the title of this post, you can probably guess that this one's all about the coolest cat(s) to ever defend the universe ... none other than the Voltron Force. Just in time for Comic-Con, word has come out that the studio behind Scott Pilgrim vs. the World and the upcoming Cowboys & Aliens flicks has optioned the feature film rights for Voltron from World Event Productions, with plans to develop the property into a new live-action project headed for the big screen.

According to today's announcement from Relativity Media’s President of Worldwide Production, Tucker Tooley, the live-action film will be produced by Atlas Entertainment’s Roven (The Dark Knight) and Richard Suckle (The International), along with Kickstart Entertainment’s Jason Netter (Wanted). World Events Productions’ Ted Koplar (Voltron Force) will executive produce, with a script penned by Thomas Dean Donnelly (Conan the Barbarian) and Joshua Oppenheimer (Sahara).

“For nearly three decades, Voltron has captured the minds of a nostalgically loyal and rabid fan base and has long been considered a hotly-pursued project. We are beyond excited World Event Productions and Atlas Entertainment have placed their trust and faith in Relativity to bring this coveted property to the big screen, and usher in a new generation of devoted fans.” - Tucker Tooley, President of Worldwide Production at Relativity Media

“It’s incredibly gratifying to officially announce the development of the live-action Voltron movie this week, given its recent resurgence and the start of Comic-Con." - Roven, Co-Founder, Atlas Entertainment

"I know there's been a lot of rumors and speculation about this movie, so it's great to finally confirm to all the Voltron fans everywhere that we're coming for them." - Richard Suckle, Producer at Atlas Entertainment

So, now that we know a Voltron live-action flick is FINALLY officially in the works, let's hear who YOU think the studio should like at in terms of casting? Anyone you think would be perfect at Keith, Allura, Lance, Zarkon, Lotar, or Haggar? Sound off and toss out your Voltron suggestions.

Beware my power ...

2011-07-21T22:56:00.000-04:00

If you know me (or you've been following this blog much), you probably already know that I'm a BIG fan of DC Universe Online from Sony Online Entertainment. Hell, I've got both the PC and PS3 versions of the game, and I play both on a regular basis. The game is simply a blast to play, and you can't help but actually feel like your hero (or villain) is an active part of the DC Universe. Well, at Comic-Con this week, SOE is showing off the game's first DLC expansion back, "Fight for the Light". As a longtime fan of Green Lantern, I was already stoked about this before the show. Now? I'm just itchin' to join the Corps.

If you think I'm just blowing smoke and you happen to be at Comic-Con, head on over to Booth #4436 and check in out for yourself. For everyone else, read on to learn what you'll be getting when "Fight for the Light" goes on sale later this Summer.

"Wait a minute, David. Did you just say 'goes on sale'? Hasn't the DCUO content been free so far?"

Well yeah. If you've been playing DC Universe Online before now, you've probably taken part in some of the game's regular content updates ... things like taking on the dual personalities of Two Face or putting a halt to Catwoman's thieving ways (for a little while, at least). But "Fight for the Light" is a lot more than just a standard content update. This is a true expansion, adding a whole new power set for players to save the day (or rule the night) with. Plus, there's a lot of other new content available to those who decide to shell out the $9.99 for the expansion.

Just take a peek at these new additions:

First up is the new S.T.A.R. Labs area. A cornerstone of all things science-related in the DC Universe, S.T.A.R. Labs has long been a target for some of the more hi-tech villains. Well, you can't get much more hi-tech in DCUO than the big baddie of the game, Brainiac. And now, with the arrival of the different Lantern Corps, Brainiac believes that S.T.A.R. Labs, and the experimental equipment stored inside, is the key to harnessing the power behind the Lanterns' rings. In order to prevent this from happening, players on both sides must call a tenuous truce, as the Green and Yellow Lantern Corps are forced to team up and throw a hard light monkey wrench into Brainiac's plans by bringing those devices back under S.T.A.R. Labs' control.

Next, players will travel on to Coast City, the home of Earth's first (and arguably best) Green Lantern, Hal Jordan. Here, players have to fight their way to Ferris Aircraft and take on the seething rage of Atrocitus and his Red Lantern Corps. This isn't just a battle to save Ferris Aircraft, though. The stakes are much higher, with all of Coast City and even the whole of the universe at risk.

From there, players will leave Earth behind and take a trip to the planet Oa, the home of the Guardians and the main base of operations for the entirety of the Green Lantern Corps. Deep within the walls of the Sciencells, the Corps watches over the most dangerous criminals in the universe. It's here that heroes will join with Guy Gardner to stop a prison break that threatens to release the most feared prisoners the Green Lantern Corps has ever faces. Of course, on the other side of the equation, players with a more villainous streak will fight alongside Sinestro as he attempts to break out the Corps' greatest foes to recover the evil Lyssa Drak and her knowledge of the Book of Parallax.

As cool as all that is, it still pales in comparison to the expansion's biggest new addition, the ability to wield the power of the Lantern Corps. "Fight for the Light" add a seventh power set for players to use: Light. Players will have a whole new toolbox to play with as they create new heroes and villains with the ability to channel hard light constructs, or transfer these new abilities to their existing characters.

Whether you have the willpower to overcome, you have great rage in your heart, or you have the ability to instill great fear, there's a reserve Lantern Corps ring waiting with your name on it when you pick up the "Fight for the Light" expansion to DC Universe Online on the PC or PS3 later this Summer for $9.99.

Will Spock get a flight ring?

2011-07-21T18:15:00.000-04:00

More interesting news out of Comic-Con today, as we learn that the Starship Enterprise is taking a bit of a detour from its original five year mission in order to warp straight into a brand new voyage ... this time straight into the heart of the DC Universe and an encounter with a certain group of 30th century Legionnaires. That's right. Earlier today, IDW Publishing announced its first-ever crossover with DC Comics, courtesy of the upcoming six-issue miniseries, Star Trek/Legion of Super-Heroes, beginning this October.

Don't worry, continuity buffs, no one is trying to shoehorn the entirety of the Star Trek mythos into the DC Universe proper (or vice versa). As we all know, both groups have done more than their fair share of dimension hopping over the course of their respective histories, and this will be no exception.

So, what's in store for both groups of space faring adventurers?

According to IDW, Star Trek/Legion of Super-Heroes begins with the crew of the original NC-1701 USS Enterprise beaming down to a planet's surface, only to discover that it's not the place they intended to be ... or even the right universe. Meanwhile back at the Hall of Justice (sorry, just always wanted to say that) ... a group of Legionnaires from the era of the classic "Great Darkness Saga" story arc are unceremoniously dumped from a time sphere into this same unfamiliar version of the 23rd century. Things are familiar, but decidedly different here. Instead of the United Planets or the Federation, there's now the "Imperial Planets of Terra, an empire focused on war and conquest. Other threats include classic LOSH and Star Trek foes like Khunds, Klingons, Borg ... all of which are also not quite as they should be.

Star Trek/Legion of Super-Heroes will be written by Eisner nominated writer Chris Roberson (iZombie, Superman), with art provided by Jeffrey and Philip Moy, both of whom have tackled the Legion and Star Trek in other forms. Phil Jimenez will provide the standard covers over the course of the entire series, while variant covers for each issue will be offered from classic Legion of Superheroes artists such as Keith Giffen, Steve Lightle, and Mike Grell, as well as IDW mainstay and Best Artist Eisner-nominee Gabriel Rodriguez (Locke & Key) and others.

Seriously though ... can you imagine Spock with a Legion flight ring? I mean, it's only logical ... right?

Where does he get those wonderful toys?

2011-07-21T16:47:00.000-04:00

With Comic-Con in full effect, it's no surprise that everyone is talking about how the comic book industry is making its mark in other media. And when it comes to video games, especially those based on popular comic book franchises, well let's just say that you'd better damn well have your act together otherwise these fans will rip you apart. One game on everyone's mind at Comic-Con this year is Batman: Arkham City, from Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and Rocksteady Studios. It's pretty much a given that Arkham City is going to be big ... but what about that OTHER Batman game currently in development? You know, the one from Monolith? The guys behind F.E.A.R., Tron 2.0, and both Condemned games? The one that's a first person shooter starring a bunch of Batman and Joker wannabes?

You mean you haven't heard of Gotham City Impostors yet?

There's an old saying that goes, "When the cat's away, the mice will play." Well, apparently the same thing happens when the Bat is away as well. Only instead of mice, you get some batsh-t crazy loons (pun intended) who decide to use Gotham City as their personal battlefield of good versus evil. Loosely based on the Batman: Impostors story arc in Detective Comics #867-870 (written by David Hine, with art by Scott McDaniel and Andy Owens), the game pits teams of Batman and Joker wannabes (dubbed "Guardian Bats" and "Jokerz" in the comics) in 4-on-4 battles. This isn't the usual Bat Family or Rogues' Gallery though. Instead of hi-tech, well trained superheroes (or supervillains) like Nightwing or Bane, you've got guys like this:

It's like cosplay gone seven shades of wrong ... and armed to the teeth. Players can customize their characters' costumes, weapons loadout, etc. for a unique presence in the game. Sure, you'll look like someone who's outgrown their Underoos, but it's that same over-the-top feels that somehow makes the idea of a Batman shooter just seem to work. It's like some sort of warped love child between the Dark Knight and Team Fortress 2. And if you need any more convincing, just take a peek at the game's official trailer, which went live just as Comic-Con started:

I'll be posting more about the game as it becomes available, but this is shaping up to be one of those offbeat titles that you'll kick yourself for missing out on. Make sure it doesn't slip under your radar when it comes out for Xbox 360, PS3, and Windows PC next year.

A long time ago on a 360 far far away ...

2011-07-21T14:58:00.000-04:00

There's no shortage of interesting news coming out of Comic-Con this year. And I'll be honest, there's WAY too much for me to cover it all. I'll be doing what I can here and there in between assignments too, so I can update this blog with those little personal bits that I come across which seem pretty cool.

This particular tidbit falls squarely into that "I Think It's Cool!!" category. What is it? Why, it's a Star Wars Xbox 360!!

While hyping the upcoming release of Kinect Star Wars, Microsoft and LucasArts announced that they'll be releasing a special, limited edition Star Wars themed Xbox 360 console. The new console, promoting the new motion controlled Star Wars game, is geekdom at its finest for Star Wars fans.

The console will set you back about $450, but you'll get your money's worth out of the package. For starters, you get this cool R2-D2 inspired Xbox 360 console, complete with a 320GB hard drive for storage, that looks like you could have just picked it up off the back of a Jawa's Sandcrawler:

Much like the Halo themed Xbox 360 before it, this R2-D2 console will include custom sound effects when powering the system on and off.

And of course, where everyone's favorite astromech droid is, it's a safe bet that a certain protocol droid isn't too far behind. Sure enough, the bundle also includes this golden C-3PO inspired controller for all your gaming action:

Rounding out the package, the bundle will include a Kinect sensor (in a matching white instead of the stock black color), a wired headset, a copy of Kinect Star Wars AND the obligatory Kinect Adventures games, and some sort of exclusive downloadable content.

So far, I haven't heard of an "official" release date for the console, but with the game due out this November, I'd expect to see this released before the end of the year, and most likely in time for those last minute Christmas shoppers.

"Saving" the day?

2011-06-29T12:50:00.000-04:00

Considering it's been a couple of weeks since I've posted anything new to the blog (sorry guys), I was getting myself all geared up to write some deep, thought provoking, insightful post into the my world. THEN I just got ticked at a silly little issue and decided to rant instead. The issue? Why the hell is everyone up in arms over Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D inability to reset a player's saved data? I've seen gamers declaring their utter disgust at Capcom over this matter that you'd almost think the company had become a new member of the "Axis of Evil". I mean, seriously, people. Is this really enough of an issue to get up in arms about?

Okay, in case you missed what all the hubbub is about, here's a quick rundown ...

Since before the release of the 3DS, Capcom has been hyped up bringing the Resident Evil series to the 3DS, starting with Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D. If you've played either RE 4 or RE 5, you're probably already familiar with the concept behind The Mercenaries, as it's already been included as an unlockable minigame in both in both of those titles. Basically, it's a quick run-and-gun race against the clock to kill as many zombies as possible before a timer runs out. Bringing that experience to the 3DS handheld, Capcom added more characters, more customization, more maps, local and online play, and oh yeah ... a demo of Resident Evil: Revelations. Still, people seem to be hung up on the fact that in the instruction manual for the game, it says "Saved data on this software cannot be reset" ... meaning that if you buy the game used, you're stuck with whatever progress the previous owner had completed before trading the game in. To which I respond, "And the problem with this IS ... ?"

Here's why I don't understand what's got a few vocal gamers so pissed off. If this had bee some sort of deep, moving RPG and you couldn't restart the game from the beginning to relive the experience, I might be upset. If there was some key element that might have been missed and the game left you with no way to go back and rectify the issue, I might be upset. But the thing is, Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D is NOT a role-playing game. It doesn't even have a story. Here's the game in a nutshell:

Pick a character
Pick a few skills and weapons
Pick a mission (yes, folks, every mission IS replayable)
Kill as many zombies as you can before time runs out
Beat your high score and MAYBE unlock more goodies
Wash. Rinse. Repeat.

Now, I'm not saying the game isn't any fun. Hell, I've had a blast with it, personally. And the Duo (co-op) play is fun too. Sure, it's not perfect, but it's high on my 3DS list right now. But having said that, at its core, Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D is basically an arcade experience in the palm of your hand. And all this bitching and moaning about being stuck with your (or if you buy it used, someone else's) save data seems pretty ridiculous. After all, WHAT exactly, are you missing out on? The WORST case scenario for someone who picks the game up used is that, horror of horrors, you get a copy with stuff already unlocked and a handful of high scores for you to try and beat.

That's it? That's what people are yelling about? Hell, I know people who will go out of their WAY to find a used game that already has content unlocked ... *cough* Pokemon *cough*. I liken it to the days of yore (Read: the '80s) when I used to spend my free time camped out in the local arcade, feeding the electronic beasts a steady diet of quarters cashed in from my weekly allowance. If someone beat my high score, I kept playing until I earned my way back up to the leaderboard. I damn sure didn't complain to the owner and expect him to let me unplug the machines and reset everything just to soothe my bruised ego.

When all is said and done, does it really matter that you can't reset the saved data in Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D? Does it actually change the experience in any way, shape, or form? If so, I don't see how. Sure, if you buy the game used, you might not get that fleeting moment of accomplishment from earning a medal or unlockable that someone who owned the game before you might have. But if that's something important to you, then just buy the damn thing new and do it all yourself.

Old and busted. New hotness.

2011-06-15T19:59:00.000-04:00

So, another E3 has come and gone. While everyone in attendance had something to show off, one of the biggest impacts of the show had to be Nintendo's unveiling of the "Wii U". No folks, that's not some sort of new college funded by Nintendo and dedicated to the development of new motion controlled games for the Wii library. No, it's the name Nintendo decided to go with for it's newest upcoming game console. While it's good to see Nintendo getting a jump on the competition and to see all the cool new games in development, there were a couple of major details conveniently left out of the presentation ... like a price or release date. In fact, Nintendo was quick to point out that even the hardware being shown was still considered "prototype". So, with all focus on the Wii U and the build up for its eventual release, I can't help but wonder if Nintendo's Wii U (the "new hotness") has essentially put a bullet through the head of the original Wii console ("old and busted").

What got this train of thought rolling down the track was a recent trip I took to one of the local GameStop stores. For some time now, I've needed to replace my Wii in the "office". I finally took the time to head out and pick one up this weekend [NOTE: If you need my new Wii friend code or my replacement 3DS friend code from before, make sure you hit me up for it]. When I told the person at the register that I was there to replace my Wii, he asked why I don't just wait for the release of the Wii U. His reasoning behind this was that the Wii U will play original Wii games, supposedly there's not a lot of "big releases" scheduled for the Wii now, and he thinks that GameStop is just going to unload everything Wii related that it can leading up to the Wii U launch (which he believed would be a Holiday 2012 timeframe). All of this led up to him ultimately calling the Wii "a dead console" ... after which I told him I still needed it, paid for the system, and headed back home.

So, as I was in the office hooking up the Wii, in and amongst all of the other consoles and accessories, I couldn't help but think about whether or not the Wii really COULD be considered a dead man (or rather, console) walking. After all, the Wii did just get a hefty discount and is certainly priced to move right now. Plus, if you look at the release schedule for the Wii, there's a bit of a drought of solid titles in the system's immediate future. Putting two and two together, it does seem to add up that the Wii could be on its last legs. Of course, I think there are a few too many missing numbers in that equation to draw a concrete answer. Let me explain.

Okay, first off I've got to say that Nintendo really screwed the pooch by announcing the Wii U, but not any estimated price point or release date. Because of that, all anyone sees in the news is talk about the successor to the Wii, all of these newer and better titles, and how the Wii U will revolutionize gaming ... which is all great marketing hype for the Wii U, but also has the unfortunate side effect of making the current Wii seem lacking and obsolete. Worse yet, without any other information to go on, most laymen will likely think that the Wii U's release is just around the corner and that its price will probably be comparable to the Wii. I think it's a pretty safe bet that both of those assumptions is likely to be far from true.

Industry folks seem to expect the Wii U to hit stores in time for the holiday season in 2012 ... though I've gone on record saying that I think the EARLIEST we'll see it hit is Summer 2012. If I'm wrong, then we're looking at a roughly a year and a half before the the general public is playing the Wii U, and even if I'm right, that's still puts the release a full year away. That's a full year which would normally give Nintendo plenty of time for the original Wii to keep the cash flow coming in ... if the company hadn't spent all its time hyping up what's to come and neglecting what's already here.

Oh, and as for the relatively weak lineup of new Wii titles? Well, that's somewhat understandable too. Every third party publisher under the sun is currently working on a host of new games for the Wii U's debut. Unfortunately, that means resources have to pulled from other projects, and in the case of the Wii U games, the logical place to pull from would be the other Nintendo-related projects. After all, it doesn't make a whole lot of sense to cut from the 360 or PS3 development too much when those systems are still going strong. And since the publishers know that Nintendo's focus is going to be the Wii U, they're simply following suit to take advantage of the hype.

While we're on the topic of resources, let's talk money for a second. Once again, this is another subject that Nintendo has yet to broach regarding the Wii U. How much will it cost? Nobody really know (yet). If I had to take an educated guess, I'd expect the system to run at either a $449 or $499 price point, considering the showcased hardware and the touch screen controller. Even if it somehow manages to come in under that mark, you're still looking at spending two to three times the cost of a Wii if you want to get a Wii U at launch. While a lot of hardcore Nintendo fans, technophiles, and other early adopter types might line up for the Wii U regardless of its price, for most people that's probably going to be a hefty chunk to drop on yet another game system. And consider that, for the most part, the bulk of the Wii's core audience has been made up of the casual set and newcomers to gaming. Most soccer moms, grandparents, and other family game night attendees really aren't likely to rush out for Nintendo's "next big thing". They're still happy with the current Wii model and probably aren't feeling the rush to replace it.

So all of this brings me back around to my initial question: Is the Wii a "dead" console? Well, I guess it's all going to depend on who you ask. I'm sure if you asked a Nintendo rep if the Wii is dead, you'd get a whole lot of PR spin about how the Wii is still a viable entertainment console ... despite the company's focus on the Wii U. And you know what? Even without a stable of new retail releases on the horizon, Nintendo would be right. Hell, the classic games available on the Virtual Console and unique WiiWare gems like Cave Story, World of Goo, and the Bit.Trip series help support the argument that the Wii is still capable of a lot of entertainment. However, if Nintendo continues to toss the baby out with the bath water by neglecting current (and possibly future) Wii owners, it's going to be hard to fault any big developers as they drop the Wii like a bad habit. The smart thing for Nintendo to have done is to recognize it's current audience and to launch the Wii U without the "Wii" name ... keeping the two consoles distinct. By focusing some Wii marketing to the casual slice of the gaming market while pushing the Wii U to the gadget gurus and the hardcore gamers, Nintendo could extend the life of the Wii and still get a nice sized second bite at the market with the Wii U.

So, what are YOUR thoughts on the fate of the Wii? Can the system survive the Wii U hype, or would it be more merciful to go ahead and pull the plug?

A little How-To PSA on on Sony's "Welcome Back" deal

2011-06-05T12:27:00.000-04:00

It's been a while longer than I'd like since I updated the blog, but I've been a busy little bee as of late. Still, I decided to chime in here with my own little PSA to help out those of you out there having issues getting your freebies from Sony's recently launched "Welcome Back" deal for PS3 and PSP owners affected by the recent PlayStation Network hack. It's a really good deal (up to four free games and one month of PlayStation Plus) offered to gamers as Sony's way of apologizing for the PSN outage. But the problem is, it really only helps if gamers can access the content in the offer. I've been reading a lot of comments from people and even talked to some friends that have had issues. Hell, even I had some issues getting it to work right. Before you go tossing your system into the drink and cursing the name "Sony", rein in your rage a bit and see if this helps.

Okay, so here's a breakdown of the problem that people seem to be having (and which I, myself, also had). After signing into your PS3 and going to the PlayStation Store, there's a great big notice pointing people to the Welcome Back deal. After going into that section and trying to download the "Welcome Back Free PS3 Game 1" (or Game 2 or either of the PSP free games, if applicable), you get one of the pesky "An error has occurred" messages. So you back out of it, go back into the Welcome Back section, and suddenly you see that your freebie offer you were just trying to get has gone the way of the dodo. WTF?!? So you try again with the second game, get another error code, and then THAT game offer is gone. Before long, you've burned through the offers and (seemingly) have nothing to show for it. That's like pouring salt on an open wound to PS3/PSP owners still stinging from the network outage. A (relatively) quick call to Sony straightened things out for me, though, so I'll pass along the solution to all of you.

Let's start from the beginning:

Start up your PS3 and sign in under your PSN account. Yeah, I know for some of you that's a no-brainer step, but you're reading a guy who once had to tell someone that the reason their console wasn't working was because he never plugged the power cord into it.
Moving right along, after you've signed in, go to the "PlayStation Network" menu on the XMB and select "Account Management".
From there, move down a couple of slots to "Transaction Management". Some of you might be trying to get ahead of me here, jumping to the "Download List" and getting pissed off all over again that nothing is there. Well, that's what you get for not following along. What you're looking for ISN'T under the "Download List" ... it's one slot lower under "Services List".
Go into the "Services List" section and you should see an item on the list called "SCEA Promotion".
After clicking on the "SCEA Promotion", you should see listings for the different "Welcome Back: Free PS3/PSP Game 1/2" blah blah, etc. If you don't see that, then you probably still have the listing available to you via the regular PlayStation Store.
Pick one of those and you should see a button available that says "Select Content". Click on it and it'll take you to the PlayStation Store where, 'lo and behold, you can choose your freebie games!!

Now, here's a fair bit of warning for all of you impatient types. Right now, the odds are pretty good that at any one of these steps, you still might get the "An error has occurred" message. If that happens, just back out and try it again. The reason for the error is simply that the PlayStation Network is trying to cope with a MASSIVE spike in traffic, as everyone is logging in at once to try and take advantage of the offer.

It might be a little frustrating to go through these extra steps to make sure you can take advantage of Sony's mea culpa offerings. But in the end, this should hopefully help out those of you who thought a glitch meant you'd miss out. This is the best I can offer to help out, and I can attest to the fact that it worked wonderfully in my case. I've got my copies of inFAMOUS and Dead Nation loaded up on the PS3, and earlier I was playing Killzone Liberation and ModNation Racers on my PSP.

Just in case this didn't help you out, though, you can do like I did and give PlayStation Support a call at 800-345-SONY (Monday - Saturday: 6:00 AM - 8:00 PM PST, Sunday 7:00 AM - 6:30 PM PST), and I'm sure they'll try to help you out. Once again, though, there's a whole lot of traffic hitting the servers AND a whole lot of people calling in. I actually got disconnected twice from the phone before getting dropped into the queue for help. From start to finish, it took me about 45 minutes to get a hold of someone, but only about 5 minutes to get the answer I needed.

Superhero ringtones?

2011-05-20T02:26:00.002-04:00

Last week, I was spending some time at one of my local comic book stores when I came across a copy of Power Girl #23, guest starring one of my personal favorite DC characters: Zatanna. No, I'm not going to spoil any major plotlines or anything, and I'm not even going to review the issue as a whole (though it was a fun read). Instead, I'm zeroing in on one particular scene in the comic that got the ol' gears in my brain working. Without giving too much away, let's just say that we, as readers, learned that Zatanna apparently has her ringtone set to "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic" by The Police. After I finished my little chucklefest at that revelation, I started to wonder something. What would some of the OTHER heroes and villains of the DCU (or any comic universe for that matter) have as their ringtones?

Which brings us to this post. That's right, here's a list of what *I* think would be great ringtones for some of comic's greatest (and not-so greatest). Check 'em out and while you're at it, get creative and add a few of your own in the comments section, trend #ComicBookRingtones on Twitter, or over on my Facebook page.

DC:

Bizzaro - "Superman (I'm No Superman)", Lazlo Bane
Lex Luthor - "Smooth Criminal", Michael Jackson
The Joker - "Tears of a Clown", Smokey Robinson and The Miracles
Power Girl - "Brick House", The Commodores
Zsasz - "Scars", Papa Roach
Superman - "Kryptonite", 3 Doors Down
Red Tornado - "Mr. Roboto", Styx
Catwoman - "S&M", Rhianna
Captain Cold - "Ice Ice Baby", Vanilla Ice
Oracle - "(Do You Wanna Date My) Avatar", Felicia Day & The Guild
Harley Quinn - "Crazy Bitch", Buckcherry
Two-Face - "On The Flip of a Coin", The Streets
The Flash - "Supersonic", Bad Religion

Marvel:

Uatu - "Somebody's Watching Me", Rockwell
Nick Fury - "Secret Agent Man", Johnny Rivers
Thor - "Here Comes the Hammer", M.C. Hammer
Bullseye - "Hey Man, Nice Shot", Filter
Ghost Rider - "Highway to Hell", AC/DC
Captain America - "I Am a Real American", Rick Derringer
The Punisher - "Happiness Is a Warm Gun", The Beatles
The Hulk - "Monster", Skillet
Spider-Man - "Spiderwebs", No Doubt

I DID actually find a song for Deadpool's ringtone too, but Google let me down and I couldn't find the title or artist. I found this clip of the song though, if any of you can help me figure it the rest.

AND on that note, yes I left out some big names and a lot of smaller names too. Why? Because, dammit, that's where YOU come in. Add to the list!! Have some fun!! Hell, if you can find something better than what I posted, then say something!! Try to be creative, though, and avoid certain obvious references ... like the Wonder Woman theme, or the old Captain America theme. Just avoid themes altogether. And try to include the credits so those of us who might not know the song can look it up.

Supporting the comic book industry

2011-05-06T14:55:00.001-04:00

In case you didn't know it, or simply forgot with all the insane events of recent weeks, tomorrow (Saturday, May 7th) is Free Comic Book Day. FCBD is a day in which everyone around the world can walk into a local comic book shop, check out the latest and greatest in the world of the graphic novel, and oh yeah ... pick up some free comics along the way. It's kind of a big deal, folks. If you're already a comic book fan, it's a way to show your support for the industry you love, and also a way to introduce some friends to the world of the four color media (that's a printing term, for those of you playing at home). And if you AREN'T a comic book fan, well FCBD is the perfect chance for you to pop into a shop and check out what you're missing out on. Think about it as a "risk-free trial offer". It's definitely worth checking out, and hey, it's not like you've got anything to lose except a few minutes of time.

Of course, there's a whole lot more to the comic book industry than Free Comic Book Day ...

Last night, while taking a break from my writing duties, I was looking over ye ol' Facebook page, when I noticed a post from a friend of mine, Mel Caylo, marketing manager over at Archaia Comics. In it, he said:

"Just got off the phone with a comics retailer who was very worried about his business. I really feel for him. He loves what he does, he said, but the store is killing him. Obviously, it is not just comics fans who are going to see these comic book-based movies. Instead of trailers in front of these movies, we should be running commercials for comic book stores!"

This got me thinking about the time I spent in the retail side of the comic business. A few of you may remember that a long time ago in a galaxy (not so) far away, I used to work in a handful of comic book shops. Final Frontier Comics. Heroes Aren't Hard to Find. Borderlands Comics and Games. Hell, it's safe to say that, all told, nearly a third of my life was spent working in a comic shop. And let me tell you, nothing gets the chicks quite like being able to say, "Hey ... I work in a comic shop." All kidding aside, I was flying on could nine that first day I got hired at Final Frontier ... but I wasn't just a register jockey at these shops all the time. At a couple of the shops, starting with Final Frontier, I busted my ass and worked my way up to managerial status.

So, based on the sum total my experiences, from my time as a doe-eyed comic fan to managing a shop to working with comic publishers and professionals to covering comics as a pop culture journalist, it's safe to say that in my time I've learned a thing or two about the comic book industry. I'm not so full of myself as to think I have all the answers, but I do have a few ideas for what we can all do to help strengthen the business all the way around.

For Retailers:

Don't run your shop like it's your own private collection. Hey, I understand that if you've gone into the business of running (or even just working at) a comic shop, you've probably got the blood of a fanboy coursing through your veins. The problem is, too many shop owners blur the line between running a business for their customers and simply using their shop as an extension of their own fandom. You've got to remember that everyone has different tastes. Regardless of what you might think about a particular title, character, publisher, etc., you've got to remember that your job is to cater to your customers' tastes and not your own. Your role is to help them get the most out of what THEY enjoy and to help them enhance THEIR collections. Sure, you can have fun talking with regulars about the past, present, and future of comics and which characters you think are better than which. You can suggest new titles or some interesting back issues, but it's all about the helping the customers fulfill their wants ... not yours.
Comics don't just sell themselves, ya know. Look guys, this isn't Field of Dreams. Just because you built it doesn't mean they're actually going to come. Just like any other business, you've got to market your business. Don't just market it, though ... target the right market. For example, Marvel Studios is releasing the Thor flick today. Why aren't you doing something with the local theater to promote the film, the theater, AND your shop? And hey, later this year you can do it again with Captain America: The First Avenger. Here's another thought. Why not work with the local public library to help promote reading for kids? You could even just put together your own little event to draw in fans. Running with the film theme, here's an idea. Get some food, some drinks, etc., and host an afterparty for one of those big comic film midnight releases. The biggest thing is to get people talking about your shop and to give them a reason to check you out ... PARTICULARLY if they've got the potential to be long term customers.
Don't swallow your own tail. This is something a LOT of store tend to forget. To paraphrase Doc Brown from the end of Back to the Future, "It's your kids, Marty! Something's gotta be done about your kids!" We're all used to seeing the same faces and in many cases, seeing how we grow with those around us. In business, and particularly a genre business, it's easy to forget that you need to bring in new customers and not just rely on the ol' tried and true group of regulars. I mean, you might be stocking the occasional "kids" comic out of some sense of obligation, but do you actually promote them? Also, how much are you doing to bring in new faces? Don't get complacent with just the group of usual suspects coming into the store. Because sooner or later, circumstances will likely cause some of those people to leave, eventually whittling your strong foundation of regulars into the few occasional visitors.

For Publishers:

Support your retailers. You could have the Citizen Kane of the comic book world, and it won't mean a damned thing if it's not getting into the hands of the readers. You've got to do your part to help those struggling stores to market to their audience. If a store IS going to put on one of those after parties I mentioned earlier, you need to help out by providing some incentives for the stores AND for the potential customers the event brings in. Keep in mind that a lot of stores might be working on a very tight budget, so work with them to make these events something really special without breaking the bank.
Be accessible. Okay, this one is a little tricky, but it needs to be said. Now, I love my lore as much as the next fan, but sometimes it's a bit overwhelming. Lost was a HUGE TV hit, right? And no one will deny the show's success. But you know what? I didn't care for the show initially. Don't get me wrong, it was well put together, it had a lot of interesting things happening, and it was entertaining ... but good luck trying to catch up if you missed an episode or two. The same thing happens a lot in comics. Sometimes you forget that someone might be picking up a book for the first time. Lost aside, most television series actually have one major arc per season, and yet still find the room to fit in some good, solid, standalone episodes. This helps to give the new viewers a taste of what the show has to offer, while also giving regular viewers a reason to keep tuning in. And at the end of one season, things are generally wrapped up neatly with a few extra threads to help prime things for the next season. Don't force your audience to dig through volumes of work just to understand what's going on.
Don't abandon your fans. This is why #2 gets tricky. While you need to make sure that your titles are easily accessible to new readers, you need to make sure that you reward your regulars for paying attention and following your book. Having a new "jumping on point" ever couple of issues can make regular readers get that "been there, done that" feeling. I know, I know ... these two things seem diametrically opposed, keeping things accessible and yet respecting your established continuity. I'll grant you it's a difficult balancing act, but it CAN be done. The best way to do this is to break new ground, but still leave a trail that's easy to follow.

For Media:

These aren't "funny books". I had a conversation with my dad earlier this week and he asked me, "Is a 'graphic novel' the same thing as a 'comic book'?" I told him that there are some minor differences, but generally yeah, they're the same. He was asking because he'd seen some news stories referencing comics, but not calling them that. That's when I realized what had happened. Some of these mainstream media outlets were writing serious stories, and someone somewhere thought the term "graphic novel" sounded more grown up than "comic books". There's no stigma attached to the term "comic book" and just because these are comic books, it doesn't mean that it's a kiddie industry. Just like any other form of entertainment, there's something for everyone. There are books for kids and for adults, and there's an audience for all of it.
It's all "entertainment". Believe it or not, fellow members of the press, the comic industry deserves a LOT of respect. You're starting to catch on to the fact that maybe there's something to it, thanks to Hollywood's current love affair with the genre. The thing is, this isn't some sort of new medium. Comics have been around for some time, and they've been telling some amazing and wonderful stories. Quit acting like they're the bastard child of more "respectable" facets of the entertainment industry. A comic book writer or artist deserves the same sort of respect you'd give any other author, actor, or filmmaker. They all have the same goal: to tell an entertaining story.

Look, I can keep going on and on and on about things, and I might chime in at a later date with some other thoughts and ideas on how we can work together to improve the industry. There's also a particular group I haven't mentioned yet (comic fans ... I'm looking at you), but that's a story for another day. For now, make the most of Free Comic Book Day, and if you're a part of the industry in any way, shape, or form, take a look at yourself and what you're doing to see if maybe there's something you could be doing to take an active role in the success of the genre.

Why "Utopia" ain't all it's cracked up to be.

2011-04-28T14:07:00.000-04:00

Earlier today, I saw that Gail Simone (the accomplished and talented writer on comics such as Birds of Prey, Wonder Woman, and Secret Six) had started up a conversation on the concept of Utopia ... specifically writing about a Utopian society. Admittedly, that got the gears in my head turning a bit, thinking about human nature, the concept of Utopia, and the fact that it might be a nice place to visit, but I'll be damned if I'd ever want to live there.

Here's the problem I have with a Utopian society. Simply put, it's just "too perfect" ...

You see, if there's one thing I've learned about myself, it's that I can thrive under pressure. Hell, I work under constant deadlines. Some of my best work seems to be when I've got the Sword of Damocles perched precariously over my head, held aloft by that single strand of horse hair. Sometimes when you know things can come crashing down around you at any moment, that's the motivation to make you work your hardest to make sure it doesn't.

Supposedly, in a Utopian world, everything is all "peace, love, and Twinkies". But here's my question. How can a person possibly strive to accomplish anything if he wants for nothing? Some of the greatest ideas ever imagined come from the desire to make the world a little better. They say that necessity is the mother of all invention. Well, if we don't need anything, would we orphan our ability to innovate? Personally, I wake up each morning with the hope to make today better than the day before, and for tomorrow to be better than today. It doesn't always work out that way, but I try. I want to accomplish something, to overcome some obstacle, to do my part to make my piece of the world just a little bit better.

So what about conflict, eh? A world without conflict must be good, right? Wrong. Conflict helps to breed creativity. Think about all the greatest (and even those not so great) stories ever told. Without some sort of conflict ... be it external or internal, global or personal ... there's not really much of a story. As Raymond Chandler once wrote, "In everything that can be called art there is a quality of redemption." That being said, in a truly Utopian society, where is there room for a sense of redemption? And forgoing that, where does that leave "art"?

Finally, one thing that genuinely frightens me about a Utopian society is this notion of "perfection". As a whole, we are all inherently flawed ... but it's those flaws that makes each of us unique as an individual. Think about the world of gemstones. Sure, there's something to be said for a "flawless" gem, but some of the most valuable gemstone are, technically, flawed. Look at the Star of Bombay ... a 182-carat sapphire from Sri Lanka. The gem's most fascinating feature is its distinct six-armed star shape embedded in its surface. From a purely technical standpoint, the star shaped pattern is, by strict definition, a flaw. However, without that particular flaw, the gemstone would lose much of its allure. Its flaws are as much as part of its pedigree as anything else. And that's the way it should be with people as well. I'll be the first to admit that I'm a flawed individual ... but I don't just "own up" to those flaws, in many cases I actually "own" them ... making them work for me instead of against me. It's my flaws that make me unique. In a true Utopia, I would lose that sense of individuality.

I think that the notion of a Utopia is interesting, and I understand why so many people find it something to hope for ... however it's nothing that we should ever actually achieve. You can't get something for nothing ... and, in the case of Utopia, it's hard to see where it could ever be worth the ultimate cost. Yes, we struggle from time to time, and things are far from perfect ... but it's that struggle which makes us better.

"Adobe Story"telling

2011-04-24T17:15:00.000-04:00

So when it comes to my writing, a lot of you out there are only familiar with my journalism work or my blogs. I mean, I post links to everything on Twitter and Facebook, and I also post extended rants and the like over here. If you've been paying close attention, though, you'll notice that I occasionally mention that I've been spending time developing a few IPs ("intellectual properties" for those of you playing at home). Usually, right about now, I'd be brainstorming or such, possibly posting my train of thought and such. Instead, I want to take a minute to recommend something for any other armchair writers looking to try their hands at putting together the next great screenplay. If you've got a story to tell, then you should definitely check out Adobe Story.

If you've never heard of Adobe Story before now, let me break it down for you. Yes, that's same Adobe that gave us everything from Flash to Photoshop. The company is no stranger when it comes to developing entertainment. InDesign. After Effects. Director. Story is Adobe's stab at a scriptwriting program. After all, before you can develop your story, you need to write it. Story can bring all of your script elements together in one nice, neat package. It's capable of linking together your character bios, references, locations, notes, production elements, and just about everything else. And as a part of Adobe's recent CS Live online services, Story also benefits from pretty strong cloud storage and collaboration features. Oh yeah ... just one more little thing. It's free until at least April 2012 ... along with the rest of Adobe's CS Live services. And when you're working on a shoestring budget, "free" is a pretty damned good price.

Years ago, when I first started thinking about getting into film, I picked up a copy of Final Draft ... version 4, if memory serves me correctly ... from Comic-Con. It was a great program, don't get me wrong, and I know tons of people who still swear by Final Draft. And hey, sooner or later I plan on picking up the latest version again to dig my teeth into and chew on for a while. In the meantime, though, Adobe Story works beautifully for everything I need.

A couple of my own personal bullet points are the way everything is laid out in front of you. At any given time, all my character bios, synopsis notes, plot devices, etc. are right in front of me ... without having to keep track of fifty different notebooks of random material. Plus, thanks to Adobe's use of cloud storage, it's never too far away from me. Even if I don't have my own laptop in front of me, or worse yet, if I suffer a catastrophic system failure, I can hop onto the nearest available internet connected computer, sign into CS Live, and pick right up where I left off. And before you ask, no you don't HAVE to be online to use the program either. You can download a desktop version that can be used offline OR online. And while MY IPs are currently solo projects, with Story's collaborative tools, if you've got something that takes more of a "group effort", you can direct who can contribute what to the evolution of your brainchild.

Long and short of it, folks, is that if you're looking to at least get your feet wet and learn the scriptwriting process, you'd be doing yourself a disservice by not at least trying out Adobe Story. The program is free for at least the next year and has more than enough features to compete with other scriptwriting software on the market. Even if you already use Final Draft, I'd still say to give Story a whirl. It might fit more into the groove of what you're trying to accomplish, and even if it doesn't, it's not like you're losing anything by trying it out. Right?

Flash in the Pan Syndrome

2011-04-21T21:11:00.000-04:00

Over the weekend, I spent a little time listening to the latest podcast from the women over at Sarcastic Gamer's SG Pink show. While the ladies were talking about the games they were playing, Jax (a longtime friend o' mine) mentioned how she's been spending a lot of time playing Rift over World of Warcraft. That's not what really caught my attention, though. Instead, it was when they mentioned how she'd been playing DC Universe Online prior to Rift, and how the game had just kinda drifted off the radar. It's not that the game suddenly stopped being fun or anything, but rather that after the initial hype wore off, it just seemed like people moved on to the next thing ... or as Harley said, it was like everyone just went "SHINY!!! ... Okay, SQUIRREL!!", and then moved on to whatever was the next big thing.

That's when the wheels in my head started turning. What causes so many properties to build up a lot of momentum prior to (and usually just after) release, only to fizzle out immediately thereafter? Who's to blame? They say it's always darkest before the dawn ... so why is it that when it comes to entertainment, things are always brightest just before they go pitch black?

You know how it goes. You hear about a project coming out, be it a game, a comic book, a movie, or any other entertainment property. Leading up to its release, you're blasted by wave after wave of hype. Advertisements. Previews. Interviews. Eventually, something about it strikes a chord with you and then you can't wait to experience it for yourself. Finally, the big day comes, you're one of the first in line, and you finally get to see if things live up to your expectations. Now, here's where things get interesting. Sure, we all get let down from time to time, and certain projects fail to live up to our expectations ... but let's say this ISN'T one of those times. Let's say everything lived up to or even succeeded your expectations. Then what? What's the shelf life for enjoyment?

It happens to all of us, and hey, I'll admit that I'm no exception. I'll pick up a game or a comic I've been itching to get my hands on. Then, after I've played it a while or read it from cover to cover, I burn out on it. It's like giving a kid all the ice cream he can eat. He might stuff his face with Rocky Road for a couple of hours, but then he's gets sick to his stomach and needs to take a break for the night. Yes, I speak of this from personal experience ... remind me one day to tell you about the time I was curled up in the fetal position in the back of the family van, moaning and groaning after getting free reign on an ice cream buffet. The problem is that, unlike the love affair I still have with chocolate ice cream, when the "new and shiny" wears off on a game, book, or movie, I'm already looking for some new "flavor of the month" to take its place.

It's not just those of us at the consumer level, though, who are guilty of looking over what we've got in favor of the next big thing. It's every link in the food chain. Usually, by the time a studio or publisher has actually released its latest project out into the wild, it's already been finished with it for some time and moved on to something else. Hell, these days, due to the time needed for development, a lot of movies, games, TV series, and yes even comics have already had their fates decided (to sequel or not to sequel ... THAT is the question) before the end user has ever dropped a dime into their coffers. I've seen movies get multi-picture deals before their first screenings, and I've seen comic books get cancelled before issue #1 even gets shipped. In a world of dollars and cents, sometimes those "cents" take precedence over "sense".

And then there's the PR. These are the folks responsible for fueling the hype machine. Every press release, every demo, every event ... it's all a coordinated effort to drum up and maintain interest. It's these guys and gals that have the sometimes thankless task of convincing you that the upcoming release IS, in fact, the best thing since sliced bread. These are the ones responsible for making sure you know that you want what's in store for you. So where do they fit in after the deed is done and the animal has been set loose? Well, they're kinda in the same boat as the publishers and studios. They tend to stick around a little bit longer, but generally speaking, it's only by a little bit. They also have already started work on the next big thing. After all, it's called "the NEXT big thing" not "the CURRENT big thing". That same rational applies to the press as well (something else I'm intimately familiar with). See, once the news is out, it's out. The impulse of most journalists, editors, and outlets is that it's not news if it's not "new".

So at the end of the day, once a project is out, it suddenly becomes the Flying Dutchman, doomed to drift forever ... alone, abandoned, and never reaching port. So how do we fix this problem? How do we ensure that those projects we love get the attention they deserve and enjoy a lifespan longer than a Mayfly? It's easier than you might think. You start from the end of the cycle and work your way back. As the end user, if you like something, then dammit let people know. Speak your piece and let your voice be heard. TELL people how much fun you had and how much you were entertained. Don't let the flame flicker out, but feed it more fuel. Brag about what you read in that new comic book. Spread the word about how much fun that new game is, and how you know you're going to keep going back to it, or getting together to play with your crew on a regularly scheduled game night. Go see that new movie again, and take a friend ... then let everyone know you can't wait for the DVD. Make enough noise and then the next link in the chain will take notice. Before long, you'll start seeing the press and PR hanging around a lot more. After all, if people are still talking about something, well then there's GOTTA be something about it worth talking about. Make enough noise, fan those flames hot enough and bright enough, and even the higher ups in charge will take notice. Simply put, if a property you love is in danger of becoming another lost ghost ship in the sea of pop culture, it's up to you to be the one to build the lighthouse and guide that ship to port.

3DS and a little "depth perception"

2011-04-16T16:14:00.000-04:00

It's been a couple of weeks since I picked up my Nintendo 3DS. I've been putting Nintendo's latest handheld through its paces since then, and I've been letting my thoughts come together into something concrete. So, is it just a passing fad or is it the best thing since sliced bread? Well, truth be told, it's neither. I've spent enough time with the system and played enough games that I can put together a nice little breakdown on my thoughts.

Okay, let me start off by saying that I can understand why people seem to be concerned about the 3D on the 3DS. The first time you see it in action, it's a little surprising. For starters, the 3D doesn't pop out at you like you might expect it to when you hear "3D". Instead, when the 3DS has the 3D on, images seem to fall back into the top screen. It's almost like the you could reach into the top screen to grab some of the elements. It's a nifty little trick, but the eyes don't particularly like being fooled at first. After the initial shock to eyes wears off though, the disorientation wears off quickly and you're left in awe of what the handheld is capable of.

Y'know, as I typed that last sentence, the words "what the handheld is capable of" are echoing in my head. Before I go back about all the great things in the 3DS, I've got to go off on one of my biggest gripes with the 3DS ... it's just not living up to its capabilities. I don't mean that in the usual "the developers need to learn how to unlock its secrets" capabilities. I mean the "WHY THE HELL ISN'T THIS WORKING OUT OF THE BOX?!?" capabilities. Sure, I can understand that things like the announced Netflix compatibility might not have been ready at launch, and I'm okay with that. But when you've got an icon to surf the web on the 3DS menu and it's not functional, when you promise more chat capabilities and fail to deliver, or you tell people about your proprietary 3DSWare store and IT ISN'T functional either? Well, you can't help feeling that maybe the 3DS was released a little too early. Hey, don't get me wrong ... I do love playing on the 3DS so far, but waiting until major update (currently scheduled for late May) to activate a handful of out of the box features isn't something that should be easily forgiven.

The features aren't the only thing I'm hoping the update takes care of. My time with the 3DS hasn't been exactly "error free". A couple of times, while playing Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Shadow Wars, I got the dreaded "An error has occurred." Black Screen of Death. It also happened once while I was playing LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars. All three times, I just restarted the 3DS and everything was fine for the rest of the day, but considering the reports of the BSoD by other 3DS owners, it's something that seems to be more than just a fluke occurrence.

Now, don't get me wrong. I might be critical about the 3DS in some ways right now, but it's mainly stuff that will (hopefully) get fixed after the May update. Right now it's the early adopters that will be feeling the initial pain. Aside from these early issues, I'm absolutely loving the 3DS experience. First off, someone at Nintendo seemed to finally be listening when it came to its not-so user friendly Friend Code system. Previously, DS games required friends to swap codes for each and every game they played. With the 3DS, though, your friend code is tied directly to your system. Once you and a friend swap codes, that's it. Plus, you can access your friend list from the menu to see who is online and what they're playing. Of course you can't actually chat with them (yet), but it's still progress over the earlier DS systems' way of handling friends.

Although I spent some time earlier venting about the features that weren't included on the 3DS out of the box, I've got to give a lot of credit to what Nintendo did include. For example, the AR Games and Face Raiders are both a blast to play. Face Raiders is a fun, goofy excuse to take pictures of your friends and abuse them, but it's also a way to get your friends interested in picking up a 3DS for themselves. And as for the AR Games, it's fascinating to play around and see how the the game interacts with the world around you. One bit of warning, though, and I can NOT emphasize this enough ... BE CAREFUL WHEN YOU PLAY THE FISHING GAME. Let me say that again:

BE CAREFUL WHEN YOU PLAY THE FISHING GAME!!!

Why all the emphasis on one part of a preloaded game? Because after you lower the lure and get a bite, you're supposed to jerk the 3DS system up to hook the fish. Without fail, ever single person I've seen (myself included) has yanked the system up and put a huge amount of stress on the 3DS hinge holding the top and bottom screens together. Luckily, I haven't heard of anyone snapping their 3DS in half yet, but I'm sure it's only a matter of time before I do. It's a little awkward, but just make sure to get a grip on both screens if you decide to go for a relaxing little fishing trip with your 3DS. Otherwise all the king's horses and all the king's men won't be able to put Humpty Dumpty together again (but maybe Nintendo support will).

So at the end of the day, do I think you should pick up a 3DS or not? If you've got a DS or DSi already, I think you could probably wait it out a few months to give Nintendo a chance to work a few of the minor kinks out. However, if you're in the market for a handheld or if you're like me and just want to play with the latest and greatest toys, you can't go wrong with a 3DS. It's a phenomenal piece of technology and well worth the price of admission.

Hey, if you're on the fence and have any questions about my personal experience with the 3DS, or if you already picked one up and just want some of my thoughts on what's worth picking up, just let me know. I'll do my best to help how and where I can.

Later ...

Wormwood: Gentleman Corpse

2011-04-04T13:12:00.000-04:00

Y'know, it seems like there's just no such thing as originality in comic books these days.

Take Wormwood: Gentleman Corpse by 30 Days of Night artist and co-creator, Ben Templesmith. I mean, if you've read one comic series about a wormlike demigod who wears dead bodies likes new suits, spending most of his time sharing drinks with an undersexed automaton sidekick and female bodyguard in an bar run by his ex-girlfriend who just happens to be guarding a pan-dimensional gateway in the basement, all while saving the world from the occasional apocalyptic supernatural threat … well, you've read 'em all, right?

One of the things so interesting about the Wormwood: Gentleman Corpse series is that it relishes its absurdity. From the first short serial printed in Lo-Fi Magazine through the more recent releases from IDW Publishing, the series' one expectation from the reader is to sit back and enjoy the show. The book doesn't bore the reader with pesky little details like "backstory" or "origins". Nope. Instead, we open up with Wormwood hiring his new bodyguard out from under his ex at The Dark Alley Strip Club. Explaining his need for protection and help in dealing with monsters, Wormwood sums up the entirety of the series perfectly by responding, "Only a moron would actually go looking for the bloody things. I just tend to, uh, attract a certain type of people."

True to form, it's only ever a matter of time before Wormwood finds himself up to his undead neck in trouble. The first arc finds Wormwood stumbling across a plan involving some poor blokes' erectile dysfunction pills laced with dark, demonic juju in order to bring forth an elder god to devour the planet. In another arc, Wormwood and his crew have to take a "Wizard of Oz"-esque journey to the Land of the Leprechauns to bring back their Queen, the only creature that can cure Wormwood from a rabid Leprechaun bite he picked up during a particularly rousing round of Leprechaun cage fighting. It's all just another day at the bar … er … office.

If you've ever seen Templesmith's artwork before, particularly in 30 Days of Night, you'll know that his vision is a perfect fit for this sort of material. With all of the over-the-top, quirky characters in Wormwood: Gentleman Corpse, Templesmith's unique style just sort of clicks here. And as for the monsters? Whether it’s a drunken leprechaun, or Cthulu-like face sucking priest, or any one of Wormwood's stylish meat suits, no one does freakishly creepy monsters quite like Ben does 'em.

Wormwood: Gentleman Corpse isn't like anything you've ever seen before in comics. And I'm not just talking about Templesmith's distinct brand of artwork. The guy's got some pretty good chops as a writers as well. Granted, you'll see some obvious influences from books like Hellboy or Hellblazer or just about any other book with "Hell" prominently featured somewhere in the title. Even so, it's the book's witty dialogue and sharp scripting make Wormwood stand out on the shelf. If you're looking for an off-beat action/comedy with a healthy dose of gory horror, you can't go wrong with Wormwood: Gentleman's Corpse.

New content ...

2011-04-04T12:41:00.000-04:00

Well guys and gals, I figure it's time to give all of you a little something new. Usually, you all come in here and check out my latest rantings and ravings on various subjects, pick up the occasional link to my work with some commentary, or just get a quick glimpse into my life. That's just not enough for me though. I've decided that I'm going to start adding some original content here. Reviews and recommendations, feature pieces, etc. Just some more stuff for me to write, akin to what I do for all those other outlets.

Overall, the plan remains the same for this blog as I don't know how often these types of pieces will pop up in the regular stream of consciousness that is this blog. These articles will just an added bonus of sorts. Sometimes I might be in the mood to write a little something extra. There's any number of reasons I might get that burr in my butt to do something extra. And if you guys like it, I'll do it more frequently. Right now, though, I'm just in the mood to expand the content here.

All of that being said ... here we go.

PopCap heats up the console market with PlayWave (AFD #7)

2011-04-01T12:52:00.000-04:00

With a host of hit games under its belt, including Peggle and Bejeweled, it should come as no surprise that PopCap Games is looking to expand its market. Even so, today's announcement that the company was getting into the console biz was a shocker nonetheless. More surprising was the news that PopCap's new console, dubbed the "PlayWave", would not only be a gaming platform, but also a fully functional microwave oven as well.

While the idea might seem preposterous, it's definitely got some practical [Ed. Note: I think you mean "practical joke"] applications. Besides, if the company can find success combining things like "plants" and "zombies", then who's to say that combining a microwave and a game console won't be just as big a hit?

Read on to learn more about the PlayWave ...

PopCap's official press release claims that the 19 liter, 1,000 watt PlayWave is currently on tap for a Christmas 2011 release in the UK and Ireland (no word yet on any proposed US launch). The PlayWave will feature a fully functional touchscreen on the door, come with a standard 167MB storage capacity, and be capable of connecting to the internet via wireless. The PlayWave will come with PopCap's hit puzzle game, Bejeweled, preloaded on all systems. In addition to the standard ‘Full Power’ and ‘Defrost’ settings, the PlayWave will also have a unique ‘Playtime’ setting, which will cook the food according to the player’s performance in the game.

According to PopCap Games co-founder and Chief Creative Officer, Jason Kapalka, “It has always been our ambition at PopCap to create game experiences that people can enjoy anytime, everywhere. Our fans tell us they love to pass the time playing a few levels of their favorite games anywhere and everywhere, and everyone loves a good meal so we thought why not combine the two?”

The decision to begin development on the PlayWave apparently came after PopCap had done extensive research into the gaming habits of its standard consumer. As a result of that research, PopCap decided to press forward with the PlayWave, as well as another toilet-based gaming console, dubbed the "Play-n-Poop". Originally, PopCap had planned to launch both consoles simultaneously as a kitchen and bathroom suite, but due to "complications arising from the curvature of the toilet touchscreen", the company's flushed its plans for the Play-n-Poop's scheduled launch., stating that it did not expect to have a prototype of Play-n-Poop until sometime in early 2012.

Blizzard announces a slew of new releases (AFD #3, #4, #5, #6)

2011-04-01T12:01:00.001-04:00

Holy cow, it's been a busy time over at Blizzard Entertainment this week, as the company decided to unleash a slew of new announcements to gamers, just in time for the weekend. I mean, if you're a fan of ANY Blizzard game, it's like Christmas in April for you. Just take a look at what's coming from the studio.

Trust me when I say I'm excited by the news. I mean, I couldn't make any of this stuff up!! [Ed. Note: But that doesn't mean someone else didn't]

First up ...

It's been a long LONG time in coming, but Blizzard is finally making its triumphant return to the world of console gaming ... and it's starting with with a custom port of its hit StarCraft franchise, with the upcoming release of StarCraft: Motion Overdrive for the Xbox 360. Utilizing the 360's Kinect controller, Motion Overdrive makes the StarCraft experience even more immersive, by giving players the ultimate control over their forces.

Just check out this announcement video posted today:

I don't know about you, but I can't wait to wield the power of the Protoss.

Moving right along, because there's a lot of ground to cover here, Blizzard hasn't forgotten about you World of Warcraft players out there. I mean, there's still one or two of you around these days, right? Well, to you few dedicated players, Blizzard is offering up, not one, but TWO major new additions.

The first of these additions is Crabby, a new fully featured "dungeon helper" meant to help newbies and veterans alike through any particularly rough times they may encounter in Azeroth.

Unlike any standard "pet" currently available, Crabby is there to help you, the user, by providing helpful hints and tips to guide you through your World of Warcraft experience. According to Blizzard:

"Crabby uses a complex and extensive set of context-sensitive situational heuristics to analyze your current status in real-time; that's tech talk for "Crabby always knows what's up." He watches your every move with his all-seeing eyes. Nothing escapes his unwavering gaze; not even the slightest nuance of your play style goes unnoticed. Before long, Crabby will know what you're going to do before you even do it. And he will use this knowledge to help.

Crabby is able to tell you exactly what's going on and what you should do. His many useful tips will appear in the bottom right corner of your screen, where he hangs out, ever patiently, waiting for you to need his help. Of course, whether you follow his advice or not is entirely up to you; Crabby may possess an advanced level of artificial intelligence, but we're reasonably sure he doesn't have any feelings you could hurt. Reasonably sure. But just in case, the ability to remove Crabby has been disabled for now."

But wait! There's more ...

Blizzard knows that WoW players are all about unique dungeon crawling experiences. So, utilizing its new "Deep Dark®" technology, the company has created a new dungeon the likes of which players have never seen ... and will never see again. The "Tomb of Immortal Darkness" is a new five-player normal and heroic dungeon that will be introduced in patch 4.1.11.

Found beneath the graves of Duskwood's Raven Hill Cemetery, the Tomb of Immortal Darkness will challenge players like no other instance before. Just make sure that your current system is up to the task of handling the impressive new graphics like this:

Featuring new daily quests, updated monster models, brand new achievements, and all-new unique loot, you could quite possibly be blinded by the brilliance of everything this dungeon has to offer.

Finally, for all you Diablo fans out there still waiting patiently for the release of Diablo III, well Blizzard has some good news for you too. No, the game's still not due out just yet ... but over the course of the development cycle, the studio has managed to actually incorporate the properties of one of Diablo II's most important artifacts into a real world application.

Introducing the Horadric Cube App for the iPhone and iPad ...

Tired of buying useless apps to add to the collection of other useless apps cluttering up your iOS? Well why not make the most of 'em and combine them into something new and original? Much like the Horadric Cube from Diablo II, this new app from Blizzard allows owners to drop their unwanted apps into a virtual cube and then click the "Transmute" button to create a totally new app from the materials. Finally, there's something useful that you can get from all those freebies sucking up your iPhone or iPad's storage space.

Plus, as an added bonus, Blizzard is promising to add the "Translocation" feature to the app in a future update, which will allow owners' Cube to "spawn portals to the deepest depths of the Burning Hells and throw open the gates to a realm beyond your darkest nightmares." Just the thing to help in those times when you just want to get away.

So ... with all that news from Blizzard today, which are YOU most looking forward to?

Guild Wars 2 Goes Commando! (AFD #2)

2011-04-01T10:20:00.002-04:00

Y'know, every time I'm playing a fantasy-based MMO, I find myself saying to myself, "Self, you know what would make this game even better?" To wit the voice in my head says "Dude, you're talking to yourself again." and I respond, "No, that's not it. What this game needs is more military grade artillery!!"

Well, apparently the guys and gals over at ArenaNet and NCsoft have been reading my mind through the tinfoil hat I made and answered my request, as they've announced today that their hotly anticipated MMO, Guild Wars 2, has bolstered its ranks with the inclusion of a brand new profession ... the Commando!!

Read on and check out the highly classified (and totally true) intel for yourself, along with the announcement trailer of the new profession:

Reporting from the front lines of Tyria, NCsoft and ArenaNet are cleared to release top-secret intel on the latest Guild Wars 2 profession. Trained to be a hardened soldier that is no stranger to the fog of war, the Commando is the first and last line of defense both on and off the battlefield. With a gung-ho attitude tempered by nerves of steel, the Commando is certainly a delta force to be reckoned with. As war in Tyria evolves, its professions evolve along with it as the Commando brings a vast technological advantage to the battle.

The Commando has a full spectrum of elite skills to rely on:

Grenades — Sometimes you need to kill a whole lot of tangos—fast. Grenades enable the commando to perform area-of-effect attacks with a variety of devastating results. From flashbangs that blind enemies to shrapnel bombs that apply bleeding, the commando has a grenade for every occasion.
Vehicles — Vehicle skills act as the commando’s utility skills. A commando can opt for an armored personnel carrier (APC), a tank, jeep or motorcycle for land travel, a helicopter for air travel, or a submarine for undersea travel. Each vehicle gives the commando three utility skills, ranging from depth charges on the submarine to flamethrowers on the APC.
Force Multipliers — Commandos are one-man armies, but they don’t have to fight alone. Force multiplier skills let the commando call in helicopter gunships to take out a boss, rain death from above with Predator air strikes, or even request a danger close offshore naval bombardment.

The Commando leaves no man behind, as the APC, tank, jeep and helicopter can also carry allied passengers. Not only will this increase the team’s firepower, but passengers will acquire new skills based on their profession and position in the vehicle.

More so than any profession, the Commando has a mastery of weapons to go along with a wide range of lethal skills. Whether up close and personal or sniping tangos from afar, the Commando lives by one motto, “If it bleeds, I can kill it.”

So ... what's a good announcement without some equally good announcement videos? Here's just a couple of 'em, courtesy of the Guild Wars 2 Commando page.

First up? The Flashbang skill:

Next? Call in an Aerial Strike.:

[Ed. Note - Y'know something? Now I really DO want more military action in my fantasy games.]

Twisted Pixel announces exclusive partnership with Home Depot (AFD #1)

2011-04-01T09:46:00.001-04:00

And so it begins ...

Those fine (and funny) folks at Twisted Pixel, announced via email early this morning that they had entered into a new partnership agreement with none other than ... Home Depot. That's right. Instead of doing some exclusive deal with somewhere like GameStop or Best Buy, Twisted Pixel is looking to cash in on the heretofore untapped crossover potential of video games and home improvements with its upcoming game, The Gunstringer.

I COULD go into a recap of announcement, but why not let genius like this simply speak for itself? Oh, and please keep in mind exactly what day it is today too.

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

TWISTED PIXEL AND HOME DEPOT ANNOUNCE MARIONETTE CONTROLLER

Unprecedented partnership breaks down barriers between gamers, puppeteers, and home renovation enthusiasts.

Austin, TX - April 1st, 2011 - Twisted Pixel Games announced today, in partnership with Home Depot, a new marionette controller for the upcoming Kinect title The Gunstringer coming 2011 for the Xbox 360 and Kinect.

The new controller, previously codenamed “Project 144in. x 1-1/4in. Pine Round Dowel”, brings the feel and texture of professional marionetting into your living room. Made of professional grade pine, The Gunstringer Marionette Handle Controller is built to withstand the hardest stresses that virtual marionetting can provide.

“This groundbreaking partnership with Home Depot truly ushers in a new era of controller-free controller gaming” said Mike Wilford, CEO of Twisted Pixel Games and member of Home Depot’s Home Improver Club. “When Barry from Home Depot’s lumber section told me about the ‘rustic flair’ and ‘attractive wood grain’, I knew instantly that we had to get these rods into the hands of marionette aficionados everywhere”.

While only announced mere paragraphs ago, The Gunstringer Marionette Handle Controller has already taken the Kinect controller market by storm. Official Marionette Monthly says “With The Gunstringer Marionette Handle Controller, I can finally experience the feeling of hard wood clenched in my hands without having to visit a seedy downtown performance venue”.

The Gunstringer Marionette Handle Controller is available today from all 2,244 Home Depot stores for $2.17 MSRP. Only authorized Gunstringer Marionette Handle Controllers work with The Gunstringer. Accept no substitutes. Some assembly and sawing required. Click here to order now!

About Twisted Pixel Games, LLC
Founded in 2006 by industry veterans, Twisted Pixel is the independent game
development studio behind the award-winning titles The Maw, Splosion Man, and Comic Jumper.

The company aims to create inspiring, character-driven original IP for premiere console titles. Learn more about us at www.TwistedPixelGames.com.

About The Home Depot
The Home Depot is the world's largest home improvement specialty retailer, with 2,244 retail stores in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, 10 Canadian provinces, Mexico and China. In fiscal 2010, The Home Depot had sales of $68.0 billion and earnings from continuing operations of $3.3 billion. The Company employs more than 300,000 associates. The Home Depot's stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: HD) and is included in the Dow Jones industrial average and Standard & Poor's 500 index.

Putting the "con" in "convention" ...

2011-03-29T01:48:00.000-04:00

So ... due to circumstances outside of my control, I sadly didn't make it down to MegaCon this past weekend, but I'll be damned if I didn't feel the ripples from Orlando all over the comic scene. What on Earth could possibly have made that big of an impact? Was it some epic cross-publisher event? Was it some hot new property signed to a major development deal? Was it a polar shift in the business of comics as we know it? No ... it was none of these things. So what is it that could possibly sound the clarion call for comic book fans and professionals alike to stand up, rally together, and shout with a singular voice?

Well ... it all started with a guy named "Rob".

Before I delve any deeper into the subject of this post, I feel the need to put forth a little bit of a disclaimer here. There are probably a lot of you reading this who know me, but there are also probably at least as many that don't. I've been covering pop culture for more than a decade now. I started off working in and then managing more than one comic store here in FL, before I ended up stumbling into the writing I do to this day. In those years, I've met a lot of people in the comic book industry. There are a lot that I'm proud to call some of my closest friends. There are some that might have heard my name once or twice, or might kind of remember meeting me if they saw me again, and there's a vastly larger number of pros would couldn't pick me out of a line-up if their lives depended on it. Still, if there's one thing I'm proud of, it's that I've busted my ass in my chosen field and I've always done everything I can to respect the industry, to earn the respect of my audience, and to maintain my integrity.

It's too bad no one ever taught that lesson to "a guy named 'Rob'".

In case you've missed the the story up 'til now, here's the CliffsNotes version. Right before the start of MegaCon this weekend, comic book blogsite Bleeding Cool published an article that asked a seemingly simple question: "Who On Earth Is Rob Granito?" I'll be perfectly honest with you. I've been to a lot of shows over the years, and I've probably seen the guy or possibly even bumped into him before, but just like I said about myself earlier, I couldn't have picked this guy out of a line-up if my life depended on it. That surprised the hell out of me too since, according to his website [Ed. Note - No, dammit, I will NOT post the link, because this guy doesn't deserve any extra traffic to his site], he's worked on everything from BOTH Iron Man movies to Batman: Shadow of the Bat to Disney's Gargoyles TV show to both the Batman AND Superman Animated series. I mean, this guy's even worked on "mainstream" comic strips like Calvin & Hobbes and Garfield, while being commissioned by actor James Earl Jones and even the White House. Looking over his portfolio is impressive too, as Granito has put together some fairly impressive bits of art with a wide range of styles, reminiscent of Bruce Timm, George Perez, and many other comic legends.

There's just one problem ... it's not real.

The Bleeding Cool article was the beginning of the end for Granito, whose house of cards came tumbling down in grand fashion this weekend. Apparently, that impressive resume listed on his site? Many of the credit are bold faced lies. No one has been able to verify many of his credits, and many professionals have, in fact, put their foot down to deny his claims. Remember that Shadow of the Bat work I mentioned? Granito claims to have been the cover artist for issues 12-25 ... a job that was actually done by Brian Stelfreeze. Confronted with this information, Granito began to claim to anyone who asked that a lot of his work was done as an uncredited "ghost artist" ... a claim vehemently denied by many Granito has claimed to work with.

I could go on and on, recapping the fall from grace [Ed. Note - Can a person actually "fall" from a place they were never actually at?] that "legitomite" (look it up) artist Rob Granito suffered this weekend, but there are plenty of better places to handle that. In fact, there's even a Facebook page dedicated to it which has already built up an impressive 2600+ number of fans just over the weekend. No, the background I've given is just to give you guys who might not have heard the story yet a little taste of what's been going on. What I'm itching to vent about is that this guy has the brass balls to blatantly steal from his "peers" and then make a living by cashing in on it. I mean, there are stories going around that Granito has even paid for a sketch from an artist, copied it, added a few extra lines here and there, and sold prints for at least twice the price.

Now, I know that there are plenty of professionals out there who have found different ways to make their jobs a little bit easier. One friend of mine has a folder of generic poses he uses in combination with a lightbox to create hundreds of requested sketches. The catch here is that the work he's doing is still HIS OWN WORK!! It's simply easier and faster for him to draw the character(s) around the base sculpture, similar to dressing a doll in different costumes. Another friend of mine does everything short of his initial pencil work directly in Photoshop. His finishes, inks, and colors are all digital. The guy has even work on creating some custom filters for the program to help him along. But again ... it all begins and ends as HIS OWN WORK. Hell, even I am guilty of occasionally borrowing a line or two for an article ... from myself. I've always said that I write the way I talk, so it figures that it you read enough of my stuff, you'll probably run into a phrase or two that I subconsciously repeat. But once again (and you can sing along at home, kiddies), it's MY OWN WORK!!

Whether you love my writing, hate my writing, or have never even heard of my writing, the fact remains that I've put a lot of hard work into what I do and I'm pretty damned proud of it. I remember once, years back, when a screw up at an editorial level led to some other writer getting a byline on a piece I had actually written for the magazine. I wasn't worried about getting paid for the piece when I saw the error, but rather was infuriated at the editor and demanding it get fixed. You see, whether you're a writer, a penciller, a painter, or any other kind of artist, you want to be acknowledge for you work. It's not just artists either. No matter what your job is, you work as hard as you can not simply for the pay, but you also want a little bit of recognition and/or respect for the work you put into it. Well, when someone like Granito comes around and not only steals your work, but then turns around and tried to claim it as his own ... it's hard NOT to get hot under the collar. But then, to add insult to injury, this schmuck somehow manages to ride this con long enough and hard enough that he actually manages to convince people that he's some sort of internationally acclaimed celebrity and deserving of preferential treatment at the shows and events he has so graciously chosen to attend.

In the comic industry, there are a lot of highly skilled, talented people who bust their asses every day just to get noticed. There's a lot of good work that slips under the radar, meanwhile a shlub like this manages to weasel his way into the limelight and bilk unsuspecting fans out of their hard earned cash? And what about the bad taste a scam like this is sure to leave in the mouths of those fans who discover that they were cheated? Do you really think that those fans, particularly if they're newer to the scene, won't be coming back with a "once bitten, twice shy" mentality ... assuming they come back at all? By his actions, this guy hasn't only tarnished his own reputation, but he's caused damage to the reputation of the industry as a whole. Worst of all, even facing the insurmountable evidence of his own wrongdoing and the damage he's cause, I seriously doubt that Granito has truly learned any lesson from all of this.

So, what IS the lesson to be learned?

"Respect" and "Integrity". Those are two simple words that , more than anything else, any professional should strive to achieve. They're two of the most difficult things to earn, and two of the easiest to lose. And once they're gone ... well, they're damned near impossible to get back.

So what's happening now?

2011-03-21T13:29:00.000-04:00

In my last post, I talked at length about my mom's suicide, the loss of loved ones, and how I've managed to cope with everything on an emotional level. It's still a work in progress, but hey ... so's every day you roll out of bed. Still, you've got to move forward with your life and try to make it through the rough times. I was no different when everything happened to me. It's been almost a full year since my world was seemingly shaken apart at the seams. So what have I done in the meantime? It took some time, it took some effort, but I saddled up and jumped right back onto that horse that threw me. I stopped letting everything eat away at me, and I took my life back.

For those of you that have been wondering how I've been managing since the last birthday, here's the obligatory update:

Some things, like getting back to this blog and making it worthwhile, might not seem like much, but it's something important to me. See, I used to envision this as a place where I could interact with everyone and give them a peek inside my head to see how I tick, while at the same time, I might learn a little more about all of you. This was also a place for me to exercise my mind with my writing, without operating under the confines of doing it "for" anyone else but myself ... well, and for you guys, of course. So when the time came that I decided to talk about everything that happened, I thought this would be the best outlet to work with ... and I've tried to keep it going since. I hope you guys have all gotten something out of it, but more importantly, it's something that I'm genuinely proud of now.

And speaking of my writing, the events of the past year have also pushed me into working on another project. For years, I've had a couple of ideas for stories, original properties that I kept telling myself I'd try to flesh out one day. Unfortunately, it always ended up being one of those things I'd promise myself I'd get to "eventually". Well, "eventually" is now, and the reason is twofold. First, with so much lost so quickly last year, I couldn't help from slipping into the almost clichéd feeling of wondering what if something were to happen to me right now. Luckily, I've managed to find a balance ... trying to make the most of the time I've got, but not obsessing over the "What ifs". Still, it was enough to give me a little bit of the kick in the pants I needed to finally start actually putting pen to paper and developing those ideas into more than just the occasional thoughts. I've been working in Adobe Story to build a script and I've been writing an initial story draft in Word. Plus, I've got a handful of different notebooks with character notes, plot outlines, etc., all itching to find their place in the IPs I'm developing. Hey, I know that it's entirely possible these properties may never see the light of day for any number of reasons. I might not finish what I've started, there may be a lack of interest from The Powers That Be ... who knows? But that brings me to the second reason for doing it ... it's for me. Doing this bit of creative writing is giving me an outlet to step away from everything that's happened and to build something new. Not only that, but some of what I've gone through in life has given way to me adding more depth to the story. It's an outlet where I can release some pressure and also relax at the same time. It's been a bit of a catharsis.

On a professional level, things have been all over the place. When everything happened, I buried myself in my work. Hell, I was even writing articles for USA on my birthday, in-between the awkward phone calls and trips out of the house to get away. I missed covering Comic-Con for the first time in roughly eight years, though. That might seem like a little thing, but for me it was a major disappointment. For me, the yearly trek to San Diego has always been a working vacation, of sorts. An opportunity to not only build on my network of contacts, strengthen my portfolio of work, and cover exciting new news ... but it was also an opportunity to get together with a lot of my closest friends whom I might not get the chance to see under normal circumstances. And last year in particular, I could have really used the break away and the camaraderie. Unfortunately, it was just too much of a financial strain with everything else happening at the time that needed to be taken care of. Hopefully I'll make it out there this year and start fresh, but it's still possible that SDCC might not make an appearance on ye ol' agenda until 2012. This will just kind of have to fall into place this year, but we'll have to wait and see.

On the upside of the professional life, I've added yet another outlet to my portfolio these days. I've been covering video games at @Gamer, Best Buy's official video game magazine. I'm still writing regularly for USA Network as well, writing for the channel's Character Arcade. There are other random outlets here and there, and I'm always pushing myself to find more. Believe it or not, I've actually come close to stepping away from some of the pop culture journalism for a while. No, not because I lost interest, but because I'd been pursuing some other opportunities. Don't get me wrong, I'd have still been writing as much as I could and wherever I could, but I might have needed to avoid a conflict. Either way, it didn't quite come to pass, so the point is moot ... and regardless, I'd still always be doing my thing here.

I still have a goal to do more with my friends. Over the years, I lost touch with a lot of people and, to be honest, I pulled away from a lot more immediately after the loss of my mother. It was just hard to deal with everything at once. Still, I've been working on doing better, reconnecting with old friends, making new ones, and keeping myself from shutting myself off to everyone. It's really true what they say ... you can never have too many friends. And I've been lucky enough to have some friends in particular who have been my extended family at a time when I needed them the most.

So, that about wraps the update for me since last year.

One year later ...

2011-03-21T13:16:00.000-04:00

So, this is a couple of weeks early, but it's something I'm thinking about a lot anyway. April 1st is fast approaching and if you know me, you also know that's my birthday. If you know me well enough, though, or if you happen to read through this blog enough, you know that it also the day my mom passed away last year. It took me a while to really be able to talk about everything here, but eventually I did so in two separate blog posts ("It's been a long time ..." and "Moving forward ..."). If you haven't read those before now, do me a favor and read them now, because I not only want you to understand what's gone on in my mind, but I also hope that my experience might be able to help some of you (or those you know) out during some particularly rough times.

Go ahead and take the time to read (or re-read) those two posts, and then come back here and I'll let you know what's on my mind now ...

Back? Good.

So here we are ... nearly a full year since the night that everything around me felt like it fell apart. The past twelve months have proven to be ... "unpredictable". If you read those posts, you know that by the end of last year, I had lost my mother, a father figure, and a best friend all around the same time. Going through something like that forces a person to stop and look at their own lives, and I haven't been any different. I've spent a lot of time re-evaluating my life and, I'll be honest, I can't say I've figured it all out yet. But I've made an active and conscious effort to try.

I'm not going lie to any of you. I'm still a storm of emotions when it comes to everything that happened last year. Luckily for me what was once an epic maelstrom has diminished to more of a partly cloudy with occasional thunderstorms. There are days I still catch myself wanting to pick up the phone and call Mom to let her know the latest that's going on with me. There are still times I miss hearing her, even on her bad days, and when the realization that she's never going to be around reopens some of those old wounds. There are days where I almost can't see straight because I'm still so utter pissed at her for copping out the way she did. And then there are the days that I feel guilty because a part of me wonders if I should be feeling something completely different than what I do.

The thing I keep reminding myself, and that I want to remind any of you out there that might be dealing with something similar is that it really is natural to go through this. I'm not going to get up on some high horse and say that "This is how you should feel" when tragedy strikes, because ultimately the only one who can define that is you. What I WILL say, though, is that you need to make absolutely sure that you take the time when you feel something to really look at it and to try and understand how it's affecting you.

Right after mom died, all I heard from people is that they thought I was handling the situation well, and how they would have broken down. What they didn't realize is that I was holding myself together because I was going through so much. It wasn't just the feelings I had about what had happened, but I'd actually started to question myself as a person for feeling (or in some cases NOT feeling) the way I did about everything. I was angry, hurt, frustrated, scared, and at times, believe it or not, relieved when I thought about mom's death. And all of those feelings weren't just directed at her, but at myself as well. There were times I couldn't stand my mom for doing what she did ... and then not long after, I couldn't stand myself for feeling that way about her.

In the older posts, I talked to all of you about the issues my mom had. All those late night drunken phone calls I had to take from her. So many times I had to drop everything to be there for her as she had a breakdown. All the times I had to sit through an alcohol fueled tirade on how big of a disappointment I was, or hear how I didn't give a damn about her or anyone else in the family. I'll be honest, after she passed, there was a lot of emotional weight and baggage lifted off of my shoulders. I felt guilty admitting that. After all, I couldn't help but wonder sometimes if it made me some sort of terrible person to feel a sense of relief after my mother passed. In time, though, I accepted the fact that there was some measure of relief ... and that it was okay to feel that way. The drug and alcohol problems she had affected not only her, but me as well. She refused to accept that anything was ever wrong with her, and refused to get any sort of help. There's the old saying that you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink. My mother refused to even be led to the water, and so at some point I had to let go, or else I would have been pulled down with her.

That's not to say I didn't love my mom. I loved her then and I love her now. The best way I can put it into words is to say that I loved my mother because she was my mother ... but I didn't like the person she'd become. Still, there were times that my mother ... my real "mom" who I loved dearly ... would manage to shine through. It was the mom who would still call me when I was sick to see how I was feeling. Or the mom who would listen to the latest happenings in my life or career. It was THAT mom, the one I saw in some rarer moments of clarity, that I miss being in my life. It's that mom I wish was still around and that I still, even as I write this, tear up because I've lost her.

Having said that, though, I'm in a much better place emotionally. They say that "time heals all wounds", but the key is in knowing how to help those wounds heal. If you don't give a wound proper care, then all that time will do is lead to a serious infection. You've got to clean it, dress it, and pay attention to it. Sometimes, you can't do it alone either. Personally, I wish I had reached out more to my friends than I did (or more than I still do), but I still was smart enough to occasionally grab hold of the hand offering support. I also took stock in myself and my own capabilities. I made sure to remember that at the end of the day, my feeling were my own. There was never really a "right" or a "wrong" way to feel. You've just got to own your feelings and not let them end up owning you.

And hey, if you ever want to talk ... you know where to find me.

"Writer" vs. "Journalist"

2011-03-19T12:54:00.001-04:00

Previously on Stacking the Deck ...

David went of on yet another rant, this time arguing the point that a journalist should be defined as such based on the merits and value of his work, and not the subject of the writing. In short, he said that an entertainment journalist is, in fact, still a journalist. Addressing critics who prefer that the term "writer" be used instead of "journalist", David claimed that that the two terms were related, but distinct ... and that he planned a future blog post to elaborate.

And now, that time has come ... (cue opening title sequence)

Alright, so I know it's actually only been a few days since I wrote that last blog post talking about the work I do in my role as a journalist, and why I use that term instead of calling myself a "pop culture writer". I touched on the fact that I consider myself both a writer AND a journalist. What I wanted to point out is that the two are not actually the same thing. I thought about waiting a bit, posting some extra pieces here, and then eventually coming back to the subject to illustrate my point. But after writing that last entry, I just couldn't shake that desire to go back to the subject and get it off my chest.

When it comes to the work that I do, I always picture myself playing two roles, one as a writer and the other as a journalist. When I'm working in my role as a journalist, I'm a lot more business oriented ... more of a left brained activity. Sure, I try to enjoy my work and keep it interesting, but at the end of the day it's still business. Even covering the industry that I do, I'm digging in and looking at details, asking questions, and doing the best I can to inform my audience. Whether it's a review of the latest summer blockbuster or an interview with a comic creator or a report on some new video game study, I try to put myself in the readers' shoes and find out what they want to know. In this role, I'm not "creating", but "informing".

Which leads me to my role as a writer. If I'm more left brained when I'm a journalist, I'm more right brained as a writer. It's where my creative side kicks into overdrive. When I'm writing, developing my ideas and giving them shape, I'm answering to myself first. I've been saying for a while how I'm developing some original IPs on my own and writing screenplay and book drafts, etc. to build the world I see in my mind. From a creative standpoint, I'm trying to make sure that I'm putting together something that's original and ultimately entertaining. Now, if I'm working on another person's creation, the rule still applies ... I'm building something and giving thoughts some sort of form, adding my own little take on how characters think and feel, and how the world around them reacts, all to keep things feeling fresh, alive, and most importantly, engaging.

See, the way I've viewed things, my journalism work is meant to get a hold of your attention, show you something interesting, and hopefully leave you walking away from it a little more informed than you were before you first came across my byline. My writing work, on the other hand, is meant to engage you on a different level, designed specifically to create a suspension of belief. It's a break away from the "real world". Being a journalist means I'm writing something with a clear, concise point and with some sort of hard and almost tangible purpose. Being a writer means I'm delivering more of a feeling, working with something more intangible, and not always with a particular "goal" in mind other than to keep your interest.

Now that I've spent all this time and space trying to argue how being a "writer" and a "journalist" differ in my eyes, it's time to really skew it all up and talk about how they can play off of each other. See, just because I'm covering the facts for an article doesn't mean I can't use my talent at a writer to help make things more interesting. I can keep the facts concise and report on the information, but I can put the pieces provided to me together in such a way that you don't have to feel like everything is shoved down your throat. I can use my creativity to help in the delivery of the news so that you're still informed, but also interested and even, on occasion, entertained. On the flip side of the equation, the same attention to detail and research skills I use on a regular basis as a journalist can be applied to my work as a writer so that, despite its sometimes fantastic nature, the world I'm creating is still grounded enough to make you believe you could be right there in the thick of it. All the questions I try to ask for the audience in my journalistic capacity can be asked just as easily in my writing. Just as I work to find out how and why the gears turn the way they do in the real world, and how things led up to specific point, I can use the same techniques to help the audience (and myself) to understand how these other worlds operate as well.

So there you have it. "Writer" vs. "Journalist". "Style" vs. "Substance". They're different, distinct, but also related subjects which can play well together, but also deserving their own identities. Best of all, in the right hands, these can all come together in a way that can make the end product more than the sum of its parts for the author and the audience.

Defining Journalism

2011-03-16T17:38:00.002-04:00

One of the biggest criticisms I get these days tends to have nothing at all to do with my writing. Instead, it's my title:

"Pop Culture Journalist"

That's right. Instead of answering questions about actual work, things like my style of writing, the facts I present, or things of that nature, I get questioned about why I call myself a "journalist". Really?

Okay, okay. Let me start off by saying that, when it comes to my journalism work, I have no delusions of grandeur about what I do. In fact, giving credit (or blame) where credit (or blame) is due, it was my friend Mel Caylo, the PR and Marketing Manager for Archaia Entertainment who first called me a "Pop Culture Journalist Extraordinaire", and the title just stuck ... sans the "Extraordinaire" part. It's not like I'm still sitting here expecting a Pulitzer based on my scathing review of NARC from back in the day. I am neither Woodward nor Bernstein, and I'm fairly certain that I'm not going to be the one to expose some Earth shattering conspiracy in which the leaders in the world's comic book industry are secretly planting subliminal messages within their pages to make readers more pliable to the machinations of the Illuminati. That being said, the work I do when I wear my journalist hat still qualifies as real journalism. In fact, let me defer to the Merriem-Webster dictionary definition of "journalism":

jour·nal·ism noun \ˈjər-nə-ˌli-zəm\

- the collection and editing of news for presentation through the media
- the public press
- an academic study concerned with the collection and editing of news or the management of a news medium
- writing designed for publication in a newspaper or magazine
- writing characterized by a direct presentation of facts or description of events without an attempt at interpretation
- writing designed to appeal to current popular taste or public interest

I'm a particular fan of that whole "writing designed to appeal to current popular taste or public interest" popped in at the end there. If it seems like I'm being a bit of a smart ass here, maybe I am. It's not necessarily intentional, but it helps to drive a point home.

You see, I'm often asked what kinds of classes should be taken to do the type of work I do, and invariably people always say "besides journalism, of course". Now, I absolutely recommend journalism courses to learn techniques and such, but keep in mind that what I do is a particularly specialized facet of the field ... entertainment journalism. It's kind of a beast of a different nature. Take a look at any of my articles and you'll see that I rarely (if ever) follow any sort of "AP-style" format to my work. In fact, I truly believe that to do my job, a person should take creative writing as well as journalism, and focus on the style and technique for conveying a story in the creative writing course, with the journalism course taking the focus of research techniques.

I know a lot of journalism students (and teachers) might want to take me out to the woodshed right about now for that sort of blasphemy. After all, who the hell am I to seemingly discount tried and true news writing standards? The fact is, AP-style writing is great ... for traditional news stories and outlets. But when it comes to being an entertainment journalist, the truth of the matter is, you HAVE to be able to entertain and engage the reader. The pop culture scene is always moving and full of life. You've got to be able to tap into that same energy when presenting your stories. This isn't your standard investigative or informative narrative on politics, world events, or the like. This is entertainment. And in entertainment, the minute your audience gets bored, you've lost 'em. So in order to keep them around, you've got to deliver your content in a fresh way. For me, that usually means talking to the reader like I'm carrying on a conversation with them one-on-one. Kinda like I'm doing with all of you right now. Does it make the information I pass along any less relevant because I'm delivering it in a manner that's not from the traditional AP cookie cutter? Do I lose credibility just because I'm making it interesting and, dare I say, FUN to read?

There are a lot of people out there, including some of my peers in this field, who question the right to call what I do "journalism". Instead, they'd prefer that I use the broader term "writer". I'm not arguing that I'm a writer too. To me, though, they're two distinctly different, but related, titles. Keep in mind that I'm someone who is not only a "journalist" covering pop culture news for different outlets, but I'm also a "writer" who is crafting his original IPs and penning his first screenplays and/or books. In fact, I've already planned a future post that'll outline my view on the differences between my work as a "journalist" and my work as a "writer". In both jobs, though, I take that work very seriously, and I'm proud of the effort I put into it. Whether I'm working interviewing a politician over some proposed gaming legislation, writing a feature on the financial state of a publisher, or even just writing a review of the latest popcorn flick, I'm doing my research, collecting my facts, and presenting it all to my audience in a concise and informative manner. I just try to make it tasty AND be good for you too.

It bugs the piss out of me when other people take it upon themselves to depreciate the work I do based not on the quality of that work, but rather on what their limited perception is of what my job description "should" be. To all of you out there who question what my role is, I'll leave the last word to none other than Spider Jerusalem from Warren Ellis' Transmetropolitan:

A Casual Affair

2011-03-12T16:21:00.002-05:00

If you follow me on either Twitter or Facebook, you've probably already heard me talk about picking up my new phone, a Samsung Galaxy S 4G. Yes, I love my new phone ... but that's not what this post is about. It's more about one of the first things I did with the phone when I got it. After playing with the pre-installed goodies and re-installing the apps from my myTouch 3G, I immediately hit the Android Marketplace and downloaded Angry Birds. Then, after deftly using my slingshot to pummel some piggies into pork chops, I put down the phone, signed into Facebook, and checked out the latest update to Pocket God. All the while, my PS3 and Xbox 360 just sat on the shelf, staring at me accusingly, asking me, "How could you do something like this to us?" "How could you just throw away everything we built together?" At first I tried to deny it, but suddenly I realized that they we right ... I was having an affair with casual gaming!!

Okay, okay ... so maybe that was an overly dramatic reenactment of my epiphany, but it illustrates my point. Here I am, a (somewhat) well-respected entertainment journalist who spends a lot of his work and free time with marquee video games like Assassin's Creed and Dead Space, as well as off-the-wall games like Gods Eater Burst and 3D Dot Game Heroes ... and I'm playing these casual games? Does that mean I'm losing my "street cred" in the video game industry? I mean, sheesh, how can I look myself in the mirror and call myself a "real gamer" when I'm giddily enjoying launching birds, tormenting pygmies, and yes even twirling around multi-colored jewels? Actually, the answer is simpler than you might think.

Obviously there's a major market for casual gaming. If there wasn't, you wouldn't see things like Conan O'Brian playing a life-sized version of Angry Birds or Tetris-based furniture. But why is the market there? What is it about these games that makes them so damed popular? There are a few reasons:

There's a wide variety of games to choose from

Take a look at any of your favorite casual game marketplaces (Android Market, iTunes, Facebook, Pogo, etc.) and you'll find something for just about anybody. Feel like exercising your brain a bit? Check out Wordfeud or MonkWerks. Want to micromanage some minions? Try Dungeon Overlord or Plants vs. Zombies. The list goes on. The point being that if you're looking for something, the odds are good you'll find something in the casual field suited to your tastes.

They're cheap

Some people might get their panties in a wad over me using the term "cheap", so I'll say that most casual games are "more affordable" than their hardcore counterparts. Apps will usually run a buck or two (or sometimes even free thanks to in-game advertising), and even the bigger PC games rarely run over the $20 mark ... still a steal when compared to the $50-60 price tag attached to most mainstream games. And since the casual games tend to be simpler in format, their development costs are usually just a fraction of what the bigger releases have to content with. What this means is that even at a minuscule price point, the developers can still turn a profit. Case in point: Earlier this week, Angry Birds developer Rovio announced that the hit game originally cost just $140k to create ... but has raked in more than $70 million. That's a return on investment of 500 PERCENT!!

They're just plain fun

Be honest ... whether you're saving the galaxy from an epic alien invasion or just playing a quick round of Solitaire, isn't the goal the same? You're playing to just take a break from the reality of the world around you. A game is a game ... be it hardcore or casual. They're meant to entertain you. Sometimes you might want to spend hours upon hours battling the Horde (or Alliance, I'm not taking sides here, WoW fans) in massive battlegrounds. But sometimes, you might just need a quick five or ten minute gaming fix. Either way, you get to enjoy yourself.

At the end of the day, there's absolutely no reason to be ashamed of being casual in your gaming, whether you're new to gaming on the whole or just enjoying a quick distraction before your next deatchmatch. Hell, Blizzard and PopCap even worked together to allow World of Warcraft players instant access to Bejeweled and Peggle while they're waiting for raids. Gaming is always going to be what you make of it. And unlike those real-life "casual affairs", this is one time where everybody wins when you fool around.

The perks and pitfalls of PR

2011-03-01T23:42:00.000-05:00

Every once in a while when I'm going through the grind of my daily routine, I stumble across something that makes me stop and say "What the hell?" Last night, I happened across one of those things. I saw an article over at TechCrunch which, on the surface, looked like it was calling out a PR rep for some sort of unprofessional behavior. The problem is, once you get past the headline, you realize that the article was dripping with overly sarcastic venom spewing forth about something that, to be perfectly frank, seemed to me like just a PR rep doing his job. Instead of calling out some PR rep for being unprofessional, the folks over at TechCrunch ended up coming across as the ones lacking in tact and professionalism.

Which brings me to the subject of this post ...

Ask anyone who knows me and they'll tell you that I can be an expert at the proper use of sarcasm when the need arises, but usually I prefer to rely on my natural charm and witty repartee because, hey, that's just how I roll. Seriously, though, in my years in the business, I've had all kinds of experiences with PR ... good AND bad. You've just got to understand how to work with PR. Notice that I specifically said "work with", not "deal with" or "work for". I chose those words carefully. You see, in this branch of journalism in particular (and yes, damn it, I said "journalism" ... but that's something I'll get into in a future post), you've got to look at the relationship with PR as a mutually beneficial and symbiotic relationship.

Let me start off by saying that, by and large, I love my PR contacts. They tend to help make my job run a lot smoother. Sure, every morning I get a slew of press releases and pitches from everyone trying to convince me that the project they're pushing is the next big thing. Yes, PR correspondence tends to be overly enthusiastic sometimes, but that's just Marketing 101. If you get excited about a product, it tends to rub off on others. The key is in knowing how to filter the hype. Dig in a little, and there's usually a lot of useful information. PR is a tool that can be used to better serve the audience. I can't tell you how many times a video game or comic book has been brought to my attention that might have otherwise slipped under my radar. And if it slips under my radar, it slips under my audience's radar ... meaning that I'm doing them a disservice. Preview and review copies of games, books, films, etc. give me an opportunity to spend more time with a project while still making a deadline to report on it in a timely matter. And my friendly PR reps make getting a hold of devs, creators, and other talent for interviews a much less painful process.

Now, there IS a flip side to the PR coin. This is where the difference between working "with" PR and working "for" PR comes into play. Yes, I've had some rough patches in dealing with PR. I've had to deal with a PR rep putting pressure on an editor to kill a story because he didn't like what I had to say. Usually things don't get quite that bad. Occasionally I might have a talk with a rep about an article and they may try to convince me to see the err of my ways, but those are normally civil. And those big promotional events thrown for the media? Hey, I love a night out as much as the next guy, and I genuinely appreciate that I get to unwind with my peers, but here's the deal. If I'm not buying into what you're selling, no matter how pretty of a presentation you try to dazzle me with, I'm still going to call it like I see it. At the end of the day, my responsibility lies with my audience ... not with you.

Which leads me all the way back to the TechCrunch article that irked me so much. There was simply no call for it. How in the hell did that article serve the audience in any way, shape, or form? It was little more than penny ante, schoolyard bluster trying hard to make something out of nothing. It was TechCrunch stepping into one of those generic teen movies as the stereotypical jock picking on the one kid just trying to do his schoolwork, shoving him into a locker in some sort of failed attempt to prove how cool he is to his friends and the pretty girl (which, in the case of this rambling metaphor, would be the audience). And who usually ends up with the pretty girl in those movies by the time the credits roll? And who ends up going to the class reunion still clutching onto his letterman jacket and football like it's some sort of security blanket defining everything about who he was, is, or ever hopes to be?

Exactly.

The Dead Island controversy

2011-02-24T17:46:00.000-05:00

The vacation goes downhill fast from here.

First off, let me warn you that if you haven't seen the trailer for the upcoming game, Dead Island, it's not for the faint of heart. It's gory, it's haunting, and yes, something very bad happens to a little girl. It's actually heart wrenching. And apparently it's also stirred up a whole heaping helping of controversy. While I can understand the emotional response the "trailer" has drummed up, I think it's becoming a lightning rod for knee-jerk reactions. If you think you can handle it, go check out the trailer, take a second, then come back and I'll explain my thoughts on the brouhaha.

Okay, now that you've got the trailer fresh in your mind, you've probably already started to fall on one side of the fence or the other. On the one hand, you've got people who seem to be genuinely impressed by the quality of the trailer and the story it managed to tell in all of three minutes. On the other hand, you've got people who are upset by the focus on the child in the short, some bordering on outrage at what they see as exploiting violence against a child. I can see both sides of the argument, to an extent, but I think there are some things that might have been sorely overlooked.

Earlier today, Omar L. Gallaga, a contributor to NPR's All Tech Considered, wrote an article for CNN in which he outlined the issues he had with the Dead Island trailer. In a nutshell, Gallaga seems to think it's a part of some sort of trend where children are essentially being used as cannon fodder in video games. Gallaga mentions games like Dead Space 2, BioShock, and Heavy Rain as other games that are part of this trend. To his credit, Gallaga does mention that he has played and enjoyed these games, but then the article takes a sudden turn, and he seems to argue that video games have singled out this "taboo". At one point in the article, Gallaga states:

"When such depictions are presented in an artful, entertaining way, video game advocates are put in a position of defending content that might be less palatable in other mediums. Would the 'Dead Island' trailer work as a live-action preview of a movie or would it have provoked outrage?"

Huh?

Now, as someone who's followed pop culture interests for the better part of a decade, I've got to point out the fact that what Deep Silver did with the Dead Island trailer isn't too far removed from anything that's been done in numerous other horror films and yes, the marketing that has gone along with them. How many of you out there remember seeing the 2004 remake of George Romero's Dawn of the Dead? The first zombie we see is that of a little girl from the neighborhood attacking our heroine's hapless hubby. And bits from that scene were all over the trailer for it. That's just one example, and an exceptionally appropriate one based on the zombie motif of both Dead Island and Dawn of the Dead. The Omen, Children of the Damned, The Ring, Case 39, Let Me In. These are just a few movies that have used children to scare the living bejeezus out of us. Hell, I still have nightmares that I'm being stalked by D.A.R.Y.L. (look it up, fellow 80's geeks). But seriously, lets take it a step further ... how many times have you seen TV spots for your favorite drama or action series that show scenes of a child who's just been kidnapped, held hostage, or put in some other danger, leaving the viewer to wonder if the heroes will save the day or, in some cases, get some measure of payback to the criminals responsible?

I think what people tend to lose sight of is that images like this are MEANT to strike a chord with their intended audience. While I've got no problems showing the Dead Island trailer to a buddy, I'll be damned if I'd show to his kids. Along the same lines, a date might be up for cringing in the dark to Linda Blair's foul mouthed, vomit spewing, demon possessed Regan MacNeil in The Exorcist, but when there's a family night with the kids, Mom and Dad are likely to be checking out the latest Dreamworks animated flick. That's because, simply put, they're two completely different audiences. A well-adjusted adult can ride the emotional roller coaster of terror, shock, sadness, and even loss during a film/game/TV show/book/etc. and we can walk away from the experience relatively unscathed.

Even with all of that said, why use images of children to invoke a sense of fear? Why make something that should be "innocent" as a source of horror? Well, that kind of answers its own question, doesn't it? It's something we don't expect. When we think of children, we think of the innocence they represent. When something happens to a child, you can't help but have your heart break because of the suffering of that innocence. It strikes a nerve because, as adults, we feel like we should be protecting our children. You can't help but feel that they're helpless against what their put up against. They've got no way to defend themselves. So that's half the equation ... when evil happens to a child. But what about when evil wears the face of a child? Like say, when they become a flesh eating zombie? When evil takes the form of a child, we're not only angry about the evil, but also at the fact that what we feel to be something innocent has been corrupted and manipulated.

In all genres of entertainment, which includes horror, you try to tell a story in a way that the audience believes something COULD happen. It's called the "suspension of disbelief". Sure, there's not likely to ever actually be a zombie outbreak, but what if there was? Do you really think children would be immune? Let's be honest What makes the Dead Island trailer so emotional is that there's a part of you that can imagine events unfolding like the do on the screen. You can feel the panic a child would feel trying to escape and make it to the only place they think they'll be safe. You can feel how a father would go through hell to try and save his little girl. You can feel to horror of a mother who has seen her little girl turned into a monster. And finally, you can feel the crushing weight of loss of hopelessness as, in the end, you're hit with the realization that the "good guys", sadly, don't always win.

In "survival horror", the horror is mandatory ... it's the survival that's optional.

Now, I'm not saying I think that the Dead Island trailer is an action-packed festival of fun and joy. Bluntly put, there IS no "Happily Ever After" ... but no one said there should be. This is a trailer for what will be an ESRB "M"/PEGI 18 rated game. If everyone escaped and it was all unicorns and rainbows, there would be no tension. If you went into the experience knowing everything was going to be okay, there would be no horror. Say what you will, the Dead Island trailer managed to convey a sense of what the game will be about, the overwhelming odds you'll be up against, and you connected in some way to the story. Just the fact that you can get emotional over it proves that it told an effective story.

Effective storytelling in video games

2011-02-21T18:23:00.003-05:00

Let me get one thing straight right off the bat. I have the utmost respect and admiration for Will Wright. Without his hard work, the video game industry wouldn't be where it is today. He is a creative genius and a talented mind. Having said that, I've got to say I also think he's sorely mistaken. Let me explain ...

Last Friday, CNN.com ran an article with the headline "'Sims' creator: 'Games are not the right medium to tell stories'". The article, which was promoting Wright's show, Bar Karma, quoted Wright as saying, "Games are not the right medium to tell stories ... Video games are more about story possibilities." Now, it's possible that the article may not be putting Wright's statements in the correct context. Hey, it happens to the best of us sometimes. But take a minute to read the article for yourself, and then come back here with it fresh in your mind.

Don't worry ... I'll wait.

Back? Good. So, the way the CNN article presents Wright, it sounds like he's essentially saying that the video game experience should always be open-ended, and can't effectively tell a complete story. If that's the case, I have to call "Bullshit". That's right, I'm not mincing words. It's that line of thinking that hurts the credibility of the game industry as whole. The fact is, there are plenty of video games on the market that do a phenomenal job of presenting a complete story woven within the fabric of the interactive nature of the game.

Need an example of what I'm talking about? Just take a look at EA's hit Dead Space franchise. With Dead Space, EA and Visceral Games have built an amazing universe, complete with compelling characters, a rich background, all kinds of mystery, and more than enough horror to keep you up at night. Take the first game as a prime example of good video game storytelling. From the opening shots as the credits roll aboard the USG Kellion answering the distress call of the USG Ishimura Planet Cracker to the race for survival against the Necromorphs to the final, chilling shot with Isaac drifting "alone" in the shuttle, Dead Space kept players glues to the screen wondering what was going to happen next, and it told a thorough and entertaining story. So how did Dead Space manage to successfully combine the interactive nature of gaming with usually static storytelling normally required to deliver a total and complete plot? It accomplished the goal by never confining itself to having to be either just a game or just a story.

There's an old adage that says, "Getting there is half the fun." and that's never been more true a statement than it is with a good video game. Generally speaking, whenever you've got a story to tell, it's got a definitive beginning, middle, and end. A leads to B, which leads to C, and so forth and so on. What a good video game storyteller realizes is that there's a whole lot ground that you can cover in that space between A and B. Games like Dead Space succeed by letting the player cover that ground in their own way. If you think about it, in traditional storytelling, you're trying to tap into that part of your audience's brain that can make them suspend their disbelief and feel like they're actually watching the events unfold in front of them. In video games, when you allow the player to become the driving force responsible for moving the plot forward, they feel more invested in the story. Games like Dead Space allow the player some flexibility to progress through the story, but still manage to keep them moving along the necessary path. The result ends up being a well crafted experience that you as the audience don't simply watch, but you actively participate in and become a part of, as you move along that path to resolution.

That covers games of a linear nature, but what about those games like the Mass Effect series? Games where changes in the players' decisions have a direct and lasting impact on the progress of the story? These are cases where A can not only lead to B, but can lead to M, N, O, or any other part of the alphabet. So how can games like this succeed as storytellers? Simply put, they succeed by following the same formula, but they tell multiple stories at once. Instead of guiding the audience along a single predetermined path, these games branch off into different plots at key moments and carry those choices forward throughout the story. Sometimes choices might take a different path to reach the same conclusions and other times it may lead to a totally different outcome, but it's still put forth as a cohesive narrative.

Before you think presenting multiple plot paths can't be done effectively (which you should know better if you HAVE played any of the Mass Effect games), keep in mind that it's already been done ... and in a "traditional" form of storytelling. How many of you remember reading the Choose Your Own Adventure series of books when you were younger? Obviously the books struck a chord with readers, as the original line of books ran for nearly two full decades, starting with Edward Packard's The Cave of Time back in 1979. Hell, that book alone sported 40 different possible endings (it says so right there on that cover)!! Okay, so most of them involved Not-So-Happily-Ever-After endings that had you quickly flipping back to the previous page to make a different choice, but the idea remains the same. You, as the audience, were given a choice as to which path the story would take, accepting the responsibility and consequences of how events would unfold. Of course, you were still guided along a certain path. You couldn't just tell the book what you'd do in a given situation. You had to choose from a predetermined list, with each choice leading to a new branch from the main plot. Still, the choices you made created an adventure that felt uniquely yours. Well, if The Cave of Time could do this over thirty years ago in a book that only had 150 pages, why is it so hard to believe that a video game like Mass Effect can craft a unique story over the course of 20-30 hours of gameplay?

Now, I understand that Will Wright is not known for creating video game experiences like Dead Space or Mass Effect. Games like The Sims and Spore, both of which are Wright's brainchildren, aren't exactly known for their deep plots, nor do they need to be. Wright's games tend to give players an outlet to just let their imaginations run free. That's all well and good, and it makes for an entertaining experience, but there's a vast difference between story"building" and story"telling". It's akin to the difference between watching a Disney movie in the theatre and giving someone a flipbook and a pencil and telling them to make their own. While there's nothing really wrong with that, I just find it disappointing to hear someone who works so hard to give people the tools to create their own adventures apparently dismiss out of hand the fact that his peers in his chosen field are more than capable of crafting a quality story in that same medium.

Sorry, but this is one time that "Wright" is most definitely wrong.

Busy weekend

2011-02-20T19:54:00.000-05:00

Whew ... it's been a long weekend, and there's still more to do.

Long and short of it is that I've had a lot of writing to work on (which is one reason I'm only now updating this blog). I've already put together a couple of reviews for USA Network's Character Arcade and three reviews for an upcoming issue of Best Buy's @Gamer Magazine. I've also had to put together an assignment that was part of a writing assessment for a potential gig elsewhere. Now that I've got all that done and can take a minute to breathe, I'm popping in over here for a quick bit to say "Hello. Hi. Howdy." and then dive back into the writing.

Oh, and let's not forget the fact that I'm trying to simultaneously write a book and a screenplay for an original IP. Unfortunately, that's got to take a lower rung on the priority ladder for now, as it's the one thing that's really not on any actual deadline. Well, other than the fact that I'd really like to get this IP developed enough to shop around sooner rather than later.

Aside from that, I'll be back working my skills as a professional wordsmith as soon as I wrap up this blog post. I'm going to get ahead with some extra writing for a couple of outlets. Meanwhile, I'll still be pushing forward to find some new opportunities, either writing for new outlets or helping to develop some strong online communities. Of course, I'll also be evaluating any other opportunities that may cross my path, contributing my skills and experience where I can to do the most good.

So, that's the quick update for the weekend. I'm sure I'll be back here shortly with an update, but at least I managed to squeeze in the time to poke my head back in here.

More to come ...

The comic book appeal

2011-02-15T17:05:00.000-05:00

Comic books.

Y'know, I still remember back in the day when I was young and I'd be riding in the car with my dad, on my way to spend a holiday or summer vacation with him, when we'd inevitably have to stop for gas. After filling the tank, we'd go inside, we'd load up on snacks and drinks and he would always ask, "Is there anything else you want to get?" He already knew the answer, but he made sure to ask anyway. Sure enough, before the last words had left his mouth, I was running over the to wire spin rack and grabbing the newest issue of Ghost Rider, Daredevil, Green Lantern, and just about any other comic book that I could. Dad always knew that those comics would keep me engrossed no matter how long the trip was ... with the happy exception of telling him how cool it was that Johnny Blaze turned into Ghost Rider JUST in time to save the day, or how Hal just HAD to recharge his ring, because his 24 hours was almost up. It was back then that my love was born for the four color medium and all the action packed in those tiny panels.

As the years have passed and I've grown older, I've never left my love of comic books behind. I'm still fascinated by the worlds of wonder crafted by all of these talented artists and writers, covering all sorts of genres. I mean, who in their life has never tied a towel around their neck as a kid and pretended to fly "up, up, and away"? The heroes and villains in these books are our modern day myths. And though it may seem strange to some to compare the likes of DC's Blackest Night to Dante Alighieri's Divine Comedy or Marvel's Civil War to Homer's Odyssey, all of these stories with characters like the Spirit of Vengeance, the Dark Knight, the Last Son of Krypton, the Man Without Fear have inspired generations to reach new heights and overcome all kinds of obstacles. These aren't all "funny books" anymore, but rather real pieces of literature waiting to tap into our innermost emotions. A good comic book is escapism at its best.

Sure, as a kid all you could think of is "How frikkin' awesome was THAT!??", but as we grew up, so did the comics we loved. Superman died (he got better). Batman died (he got better too). Spider-Man got married (he got ... better?). The Fantastic Four saw Johnny Storm's torch get snuffed out. We've seen characters we've grown up with go through more hardships and loss than we could even imagine, and yet still persevere. There's no shortage of tragedy or triumph in the comic book world, and that's why we keep coming back. These are our heroes, and though they may be flawed, that simply makes us believe in them more. We see parts of ourselves in these characters, and we also see parts of who we want to be.

Now, let me stop for a second and point out that I've obviously been talking about the comic book heroes that fill the "classics" role. I'm talking about the big heroes and villains we knew in our youth and have followed throughout our lives. Captain America, Wonder Woman, Iron Man, the Flash ... these are all alumni from that same school of thought. However, I don't want anyone to think for a moment that I'm ignoring the stories that fall more into the fringe area of the spotlight. Books like Joe Hill's Locke & Key, Mike Mignola's Hellboy, or Steve Niles' 30 Days of Night. While they may strike a different chord than the mainstream books I've been talking about, these books contribute just as much music to the literary symphony as any other titles.

Having said that, I want to go back to my original point. The notion that comics are "just for kids" is ridiculous. Even back in the earlier days of comics, Tales From the Crypt, House of Suspense, and Army at War are just a few examples of early books aimed at an older audience. Comic books, whether they be new releases or Silver Age classics are more than deserving of a spot on anyone's "must read" lists. As a professional writer, I believe that comics have just as much to offer as any other "traditional" works. Their unique combination of art and story are unparalleled in the literary field. As just a regular person, though, there will always be that part of me deep inside, that little kid who still dreams of tying that towel around my neck and fly off to save the world.

Failure is ALWAYS an option.

2011-02-10T13:49:00.000-05:00

If you've ever watched an episode of MythBusters, odds are pretty good that you've heard the guys say that "Failure is always an option." When it comes to scientific study, that's a hard and fast rule. After all, the "Scientific Method" we all learned in school breaks down as:

Observation
Question
Hypothesis
Experiment
Conclusion

Since the conclusion is all about discovering if the hypothesis was correct or not, "failure" constitutes a result and therefore IS an option. And sometimes, it's the best option to learn from. So, if failure is a great learning tool in science, why shouldn't it also be one in life? The simple answer is that it is.

I'm going to clue all of you in on something you probably already know but never want to admit. We're ALL human ... well, all of us except that one guy who keeps telling me "Na-nu, na-nu" and tries to shake hands with the Spock sign. Obviously HE isn't from around here. Where was I? Oh yeah, we're all human. That means we're all bound to make mistakes. Hell, many of the world's rarest and most valuable gems are inherently flawed. It's part of what makes them unique. It's the same way with people. We're flawed, but it's those flaws that help to define us ... not just in the mistakes we make, but in the ways we deal with them.

Once upon a time, in a galaxy far, far away (alright, it was actually in Jacksonville, FL and about more than six years ago) I was a manager at a local comic book shop. I did everything I could to keep up with everything going on in the industry, with what books people would want, with the special orders from customers, and with everything else that would keep people coming back. But no matter how hard I tried not to, I'd screw up. The store would occasionally sell out of a book too soon, or miss a customer's order, or make some other random boneheaded mistake. But you know what? I'm glad I did. See, one thing I've always prided myself on is when i screwed up, I did two important things. First, I owned up to it. If I missed a customer's order, I'd immediately call them up or talk to them in the store, and offer up a mea culpa (or as the kiddies these days say, "My bad"). Along with an explanation on how I screwed up, I followed quickly by step two explaining how I was going to try and fix it. By admitting fault, working to rectify it, and also keeping the customer in the loop, most of the time they stayed happy. The customers knew they were important. It also built a strong level of trust. They knew that if I screwed something up, I'd be the first to admit it and I'd already be working to make it right. On the other hand, when those random events came up that were completely out of my control, the customers believed me when I said so. They trusted me enough to know that I wasn't trying to make an excuse. And it's all because I would always own up to my mistakes.

You see, the best thing about making mistakes is what you take away from them. Sometimes, things will happen that are outside of your control. In those instances, you learn about ways you could shore up some of your weaknesses to be better prepared for the next time something unexpected pops up. More often, though, you'll screw up through no fault of anyone but yourself. Maybe you tried to take on more than you you were capable of. Maybe you didn't prioritize your work well enough. Maybe something slipped by you that you should have paid more attention to. Regardless of what it is, once it's done, it's done. The trick is to fix what you can, to accept it, to learn, and to ultimately move forward. The key here is owning the mistake instead of letting it own you.

DC Universe Online

2011-02-08T19:16:00.001-05:00

If you've been under a rock lately and missed out out on any of the hundreds of television or print ads making up part of its massive marketing campaign, you might not know that Sony Online Entertainment recently gave gamers the opportunity to slip into some spandex and live out all their comic book fantasies with the release of its latest MMO experience, DC Universe Online. I recently wrote a review of the game over at USA Network's Character Arcade, but figured I could use ye ol' blog here to geek out over it a little more.

Right about now, I should post a little bit of a disclaimer ... I'm a comic book fanboy. I've got my Green Lantern shirt (and a full set of rings), I've got my Spider-Man hat, and I've got all manner of original artwork and posters around the office. DC, Marvel, Dark Horse, IDW ... I read 'em all. Heck, every Wednesday is like Christmas all over again for me as the new books hit the stands. And long before I ever wrote my first video game review, I was working in the comic industry. I started off working in a local comic book shop, and eventually started getting more involved in the field by helping out publishers at shows, moderating forums, and even helping to connect talent I'd met with studios in need. Needless to say, my passion for comics runs deep. Of course, that can be a double edged sword as well.

Sure, when a comic-related project comes out, I want it to do well, but more importantly, I want to be done right. So when I first got clued in to SOE's development of DC Universe Online a few years back, I was excited, but generally just hoping they didn't screw it all up. After all, Marvel's original MMO plans already fell apart worse than Wilson Fisk's spokesperson gig at Jenny Craig. Due to a falling out between Marvel and Microsoft (who was signed to publish the game), Cryptic Studio's development on Marvel Universe Online was officially killed in Feb. 2008. A later, ten-year deal signed with Gazillion Entertainment has put Marvel back in the MMO hunt, but featuring the more casual, kid-oriented Marvel Super Hero Squad license. Gazillion still lists ongoing development of a more mainstream Marvel MMO, but hasn't exactly been forthcoming with recent updates.

Meanwhile, on the other end of the spectrum, you've got those superhero MMOs that have seen the light of day, games like NCsoft's City of Heroes and Cryptic Studios' Champions Online. I've played of these and both did a pretty good job of bringing that comic book flavor to the standard MMO formula. Unfortunately, neither had the foundation of an established franchise to back them up. Sure, City of Heroes eventually had a short lived comic series from Blue King Productions, and later with Top Cow, but it never really took off. Also, Champions Online (which coincidentally was built off the backbone of the failed Marvel project) was based on an established pen-and-paper role playing system, it also felt like it was missing that instant familiarity a lot of comic fans were looking for.

All of which brings us back to DC Universe Online. As a gamer AND a comic fan, I REALLY wanted this game to be good, but to be perfectly honest, I wasn't exactly holding my breath. After all, this game was going to try to do justice to the Justice League for crying out loud. Taking on the DC stable of characters and its rabid fanbase was a daunting task. Still, SOE has done a good job with many of its previous MMO offerings, so I was still holding out hope. Then, when the word came out that DCUO had the creative backing of icons like Jim Lee, Geoff Johns, and Marv Wolfman, my inner geek squealed like a little girl. Now, after a hiccup in development last year forced a delay in the game's final release until just last month, it was time for the game to put up or shut up/ Thankfully for fans like me, it fell squarely into the "Put up" category.

Before I completely geek out on what I love about the game, I'll actually start with some of the snags in Superman's cape. For starters, I'm not a fan of the fact that PS3 and PC gamers can't play together. That's right, before you decide which version to get, you're going to want to find out what most of your buddies plan to get it on. And if you think you'll just bite the bullet and pick up both versions (as I have), keep in mind that you'll end up paying for two separate subscriptions ... which is a fair chunk o' change at $14.99/month each. I know that as far as it applies to me, I can SAY I'll probably end up swapping around which account is active, but since I have plenty of friends playing on both systems, odds are greater that SOE is going to manage to hook me for both accounts on a regular basis.

Another thing to keep in mind if you pick up the game is that you'll need to have at least a little patience. Whether it's waiting 2 1/2 hours for the PS3 version to fully install the nearly 16GB of data required onto your hard drive, or roaming the streets of Gotham for 30 minutes to an hour (at least) while waiting in virtual line for a Legends PVP or Alert mission to queue up. And of course, there are the occasional disconnects, lags, and other minor glitches that every MMO goes through immediately after launch. To its credit, SOE has been regularly updating the client as fast as possible to iron out those unexpected wrinkles, plus support has been extremely helpful anytime a particularly nasty bug might have popped up for players. That still does nothing for the massive install size on the PS3, but oh well ... nothing's perfect.

Now that we've got that out of the way, let's get to the good stuff. DCUO is a fast paced, action packed, full blown comic book experience. In short, it's frikkin' awesome. Initially designed from the ground up as a console experience, the game forgoes a lot of the slow and methodical pacing of most MMO games. Right from the get go, you FEEL like you're a superhero (or supervillain, depending on which way your moral compass points). From the beginning, the mission seem epic in scope. And by having the player take on the role of a new hero instead of one of the mainstays of the DCU, you feel like you're a real part of the bigger world. For me, it's a lot more fun to fight with Zatanna or the Teen Titans by my side than it would ever be trying live up to wearing Batman's utility belt. Let yourself get into the experience, and you can almost imagine your character popping up in the pages of Action Comics next week.

Of course, for those of you that DO want to fulfill your dream of being Batman, Robin, the Joker, or any of the other DCU stable, there are 2v2 and 4v4 Legends PvP arena missions, where players jump into the shoes of their favorites and battle in all their comic book glory. While it might seem like the game is short on content (player characters max out at level 30), that couldn't be further from the truth. Besides going back and creating new characters with new mentors, you can always take your capped hero/villain into any of DCUO's huge host of high end content. See, most MMOs I've played, once you cap, there's not a lot to do. With DCUO, though, getting to level 30 is just the beginning. Plus, there's a commitment from SOE and DC to add fresh new content every month, beginning with new Catwoman themed level 30 missions due out this month. And don't worry, rookies. SOE and DC are tossing new content in for you as well.

As far as presentation goes, DC Universe Online is fantastic. Backdrops and characters look like they've been pulled right from the panels of their monthly books. I'll admit, the voice acting could be better in spots, but it's pretty damned good in others. And with the huge host of costume options available throughout the game, you'll spend half your time fine tuning the look of your character and relishing in your unique presence in the game. Controls are ... well ... controls are what you make of them. I played with a keyboard and mouse on the PC initially and felt pretty much at home. It was tricky to get a few of the combos down, but otherwise worked great. Once I plugged in a controller, though, I was spoiled for life. Yeah, you can tell
right away that the game was designed with a controller in mind.

I could go on and on and on about what I love in DC Universe Online and I probably will in the coming weeks. Right now, though, the best I can tell you is that if you're a comic book fan, you owe it to yourself to check out this game. And even if you don't know your green kryptonite from your red kryptonite, you'll still have a blast jumping into the DC Universe.

Now, if you guys don't mind, I'm off to Gotham ... the Batsignal is shining and the Dark Knight could use my help.

Ch-ch-changes

2011-02-06T12:19:00.000-05:00

If you're reading this and, well, if you've ever been here before this post, you've probably already realized the design changes the blog has gone through. I decided it was long overdue to spend some time tinkering around with everything to make it a bit more manageable for everyone. The archives are all working smoothly now, the Digsby chat box is still up (for now) so people can hit me up through the blog, and there are other features I'm planning to toy with over the coming weeks.

Why all the changes? Simple, actually. I want to do more with this blog and get back into the swing of things, updating all of you with what's going on, with random news and thoughts, and to genuinely build more on the idea of being active with everyone. I'll post items here and you're welcome to dish out feedback. Got a question? Let me know and I'll do my best to answer. Want to hear about a particular subject? I'll do my best to get on it. The focus here is be interactive ... to be able to talk to all of you out there and also to be able to listen.

I don't think this will be the final design, but it's a huge jump forward. I'll probably tweak things a bit here and there until it feels just right to me (which means I'll probably never be done tweaking it). So, let me know your thoughts and also tell me what you'd like to hear.

Connecting with the audience (or "Where marketing gets it wrong.")

2011-01-31T14:47:00.001-05:00

Take a look around and one thing is easy to see ... everyone's got something to sell. Companies everywhere are all vying for a piece of that consumer pie, but they're all so focused on what they think is the finish line, they lose sight of fact that real commercial success is a marathon, not a sprint.

In my role as a pop culture writer, I've seen companies come and go. I've seen great projects fly so far under the radar, they may as well have been tunneling underground. I've also seen projects backed with a huge media blitz collapse under the weight of their own hype. So how can projects fail so spectacularly but in two totally different ways? Believe it or not, they've got one thing in common ... they've forgotten all about the human element.

Too often, companies seem to have a "fire and forget" mentality when it comes to the consumer. In their eyes, once the initial push is out of the way, they never look back. Sure, this might work in the short term, but it's a formula for failure over the long haul. You see, in order to have a long term success with any project, you've got to build a rapport with the people and make them feel that they've got a vested interest in its success or failure. You've got to make them feel like they're part of the team because, and here's the important part, they ARE. Without the support of your customers, you're doomed to fail. Some places call this nothing more than brand loyalty, but it's a lot more than that. It's building an honest to goodness community around what you do.

Take a look at the video game industry in particular, and you'll see a lot of talk about community. Why is community such a big deal in gaming? Think about it. Most development studios spend years working on a project with hopes that it will succeed and quite possibly set up a solid foundation for building a franchise (either through the release of sequels/prequels, DLC, or expansions). And since a lot of time developers have already started work on the next addition to these franchises even before the first title is released to the public, they've got a lot riding on striking a chord with the audience. It's important enough that most studios have community managers in place whose sole purpose is to be the linchpin that connects the corporate side of a project with the general audience. It's these specialists that are responsible for bringing the marketing, the PR, the development team, and just about every other facet of the company together in a way to say to the audience "Hey, this is what we're doing! What do you think?" while also playing on the other side of the fence and relaying to all those departments "This is what they think. And this is what they want instead."

When it's done right, a community can be a phenomenal tool for a company. It gives a level of transparency to the company and earns the trust and respect of the consumer. It also provides a valuable source of feedback that can better help the company reach its target market with a higher degree of success. Even more importantly, though, when it's done right, a community makes its audience feel like they're part of the family. It makes them feel like they have a real voice and a say in how things are being handled. The audience feels more like a person and less like a statistic. They end up wanting to see the company succeed and, in many cases, will even go out of their way to help promote and support the company's projects long after the initial shelf life. Build a strong and loyal community, and you've never got to worry about handling the heavy lifting of marketing alone.

Most people with even a cursory knowledge of marketing know how important it is to get people talking about your product. So why can't these same people realize that you can't get people talking, if you never give them a voice? That's where a good, solid community comes into play. So if this is such a big deal, why don't we see more of it elsewhere? Sadly, the truth of it is, most places simply don't think past the initial push. It's like I said at the start of this post, they see the success of a project based on the immediate returns on investments (a sprint) instead of the beneficial dividends of long-term support (a marathon). Ultimately, this leads to a lot of overly or underly hyped projects that no one ever really cares about.

So, do I have all the answers on what it takes to build a community the right way? Nope. I never claimed to either. I've got a lot of ideas, though, based on direct and indirect experiences throughout my career. That, plus a little common sense. Depending on the feedback I get from this, I might share some thoughts on what it takes to connect with people. For now, though, I just felt the urge to pull the old soapbox out of the closet, dust it off, and step up to discuss what I think is missing in the market, whose voice needs to be heard ... and how under-appreciated the people trying to bridge that gap between corporate and consumer really are.

Opportunities, expanding horizons, and the hell of tech support.

2011-01-27T11:22:00.001-05:00

This has been a crazy bit of time on ye ol' calendar for me. If it's not one thing, it's another. Now, I don't necessarily mean it's been bad, just a LOT of juggling and the like. Good stress, bad stress, crazy stress ... sooner or later I think I may take a couple of days and just "decompress" ... but that's later, and this is now.

So I've been thinking a lot about the work I've done and what's to come. Y'know, I love what I do and I'm passionate about it. But honestly there are days I'd love to trade in the "freelance" tag for something just a wee bit more stable. It'd just be nice to have a place to, as I've put it, hang my hat. Like just about anything in life, there are perks and pitfalls to working solo and to being part of the team. I've played on one side of the fence for a while, and boy that grass on the other side is looking pretty damned green right about now.

Having said that, I've added yet another little task to my ever growing checklist of things to do. Alongside things like keeping up with my freelance writing and developing my original IP/script, I'm also actively looking for something new. To that end, I had a couple of interviews with Sony Online to end last year, and I've got another interview (actually a second one, on-site) with an applied research lab dedicated to social media this week. Don't worry guys ... even if I start doing something new, it doesn't mean I'm dropping my writing in any way. That's right, you're still going to see me and my witty repartee all over the place. I'll still be working on the IP and I'll still be writing about comic books, video games, and all that good stuff.

On a different note, my poor, dependable computer has finally started to give up the ghost. Last week, the video chip in my laptop apparently fried. Sure, I managed to bypass it by disabling it, but it's a lot like putting a Band-Aid on a sucking chest wound. And, in a stroke of genius, the exceedingly knowledgeable and helpful gentleman I spoke with at HP support decided I just wasn't really worth his time to deal with. I was first directed to a website focusing on a replacement settlement nVidia had reached with consumers concerning its 8600m graphics processor. Oddly, while my laptop DOES have the bad chip and it failed in the exact way the settlement outlined, my laptop model was NOT covered in the deal. The second knowledgeable and helpful gentleman at HP support then told me that for $400 + shipping and repair costs, they'd replace the motherboard with one that still had the same 8600m chip ... then proceeded to tell me that if I didn't want that I could "always just go out and buy a new one". Really? Thanks for that advice because that had NEVER occurred to me. All sarcasm and kidding aside, I've got to say that my experience with HP support this week easily ranks high on, if not tops, my list of worst customer service experiences. Ah well ... I guess someone else was having a bad day too.

And on that note, it's time to wrap this up for another day. Lots to do and little time to get it done.

It's a whole new year ...

2011-01-10T00:36:00.001-05:00

Well folks, 2010 has come and gone ... and as far as I'm concerned, good riddance. It was a hell of a year for me, as you probably know if you've been keeping up with ye ol' blog here. And while 2011's engine has had a little trouble turning over, I've made it a mission to get it moving forward with all the horsepower I can muster. I'm thinking it'll at least make for an interesting adventure.

Now, as everyone knows, with a new year comes those pesky "resolutions" we all tend to promise ourselves, but have a hard time keeping. I'll admit, I was going to skip it this year as a way of trying to jump into it with a clean slate and no expectations. Notice, though, that I used the past tense in that. I was GOING to skip the resolutions this year, until I heard one from my buddy Andrew and decided it was a damned good idea ... and one I was going to co-opt (with his okay, of course). It's actually a simple idea that's going to take a lot of follow through. Basically, the resolution is simply to make sure that every day I make a point of working towards a goal. It doesn't have to be a specific goal and the goal doesn't have to be completed ... but the point is to make sure that I don't waste the time I have.

So, what's the plan for 2011? Well, I've got a few goals in mind. Some I may reach, some I may not, and some ... well, some I haven't come up with yet. You see, if I've learned one thing in my life it's that you never know what's going to happen tomorrow, and you need to make sure to leave yourself open to the changes life throws your way. Still, here are just a few of the plans I have for myself. Some are serious, some are more in the "pipe dream" category, but in some way, they're all on my "list" right now.

Putting Pen to Paper

Okay, so this one goes without saying. I mean, after all, I AM a writer. The thing is, I'm not just talking about the journalism work. For those of you out of the loop, I've had a couple of properties bouncing around in my head for years. A couple of them in particular I'd actually started to flesh out in a script format. Now, I'm not saying anything will come of either one, but it's a good way for me to write more and NOT have it all be just about work. It's also a great outlet to let off some steam, focus my thoughts, and to build something brand new. And as Spider Robinson once wrote, "Writing is a simple trick: all you have to do is sit and star as a blank piece of paper, until beads of blood form on your forehead ..."
There Be a Brainstorm Brewin'

Sue me, I couldn't think of anything better to call this yet. Once again, I've decided to co-opt an idea I've seen a buddy of mine take advantage of. Of course, he took the idea from various comic conventions. Anyway, my good friend and an amazing comic book artist, Randy Green, has been organizing Dine and Draw nights at or around his place on a semi-regular basis. If you've never heard of these before, it's basically a bunch of artists getting together to shoot the breeze, grab some grub, and to share their talents with each other. A lot of times, there will be themes to these, and everyone there spends time drawing their take on the theme. Now, maybe I can slap some digital color on a piece of art from time to time, and I might know how to draw a straight line, but that about covers it. So I'm thinking of taking the idea and expanding it to include some writing. The artists can draw whatever the idea for the night is, while the writers can put together a short little story or outline to go along with it as well. It's like a creative workshop, and hell, some people might come together to make the next great comic team ... or not. Still, it'll be fun.
Workin' Hard for the Money

Okay, most of you know that I write at a lot of different outlets. Here's the thing ... sometimes, freelancing isn't all it's cracked up to be (shocking, right?). So I've not only been keeping up with the freelance gigs, but I've also been burning the candle at both ends by going out for a few possible options and keeping my eyes open for others. Either way, you should expect some changes this year.
(Pod)Casting Call

This is something that's been brewing between Andrew and myself for some time. Sure, I've been a guest on more than a few podcasts, but I've never actually moved forward with my own. Andrew and I have talked about it from time to time, but admittedly, there's such a flood of podcasts out there, I've had a hard time convincing myself that one more podcast with a few people BS-ing about movies, comics, and games wouldn't get lost in the shuffle. This year, though, the more I think about it, the more I realize that it's not just about standing out. Much like the Dine and Draw events or my scripts, it's more about having a creative outlet. If we get the ball rolling on this, I can guarantee you that the podcast will evolve over time, but in the end it'll be as much for me as for you guys ... if not more so.

There are plenty of other ideas bouncing around in my head, and they'll either gain some solidity or vanish into the ether. Who knows? Hell, I still hold on to the goal of eventually getting myself a stand-up arcade machine (a real one, not a home built MAME machine ... and NOT Golden Tee, damnit), but I don't really have that on "The List". (It will be mine one day, though ... oh yes, it WILL be mine). The point is, this is going to be a year of goals and pushing towards them. Last year was, without a doubt, one of the most difficult times I've ever had in my life. I ended up being left with two choices: Give up or pick myself up and crawl my way back. If you know me, though, I was only ever left with one choice. After all, I'm a stubborn son of a bitch, and I'll be damned if I'm ever going to just give up.

TRON: Evolution and the Dissenting Opinion

2010-12-29T23:48:00.002-05:00

With Christmas having come and gone for another year, it was time to crack into the goodies that Santa left me. Believe it or not, despite the nature of my work, I actually only got ONE video game for Christmas this year. That game was TRON: Evolution for the PS3.

Okay folks, here's a little full disclosure for you. In case you haven't figured this out by now, I'm a bit of a geek. Alright, alright ... I'm a BIG geek. In fact, it's been said that my "Geek Badge" shines with a brilliance that can be viewed from space. If there's something I like, I can find myself akin to a kid in a candy store when exposed to it. And yes ... I love me some TRON. Of course, like any self-respecting geek, I can be a little over-protective when it comes to the things I love. So, as excited as I've been waiting for the release of TRON: Legacy, I've been cautious with my optimism. Having said that, I saw the movie in 3D IMAX and, yes, I loved it. Sure, it's no Ben-Hur or Citizen Kane, but it was a hell of a lot of fun. And now, after playing TRON: Evolution for a few days and I've gotta say that the same thing applies to the game. It may not even be Game of the Year, but it's a hell of a lot of fun.

Right about now, if you've read the bulk of the online reviews for the game, you might be thinking that I've lost my mind ... or that I'm simply an over-enthusiastic fanboy looking at it through a custom set of digitized lenses. After all, most of the mainstream reviews of the game have been mediocre at best. In fact, if you read them all together, you'd almost swear that they were all written off the same script. Complaints about the story, the controls, the acting, etc. Basically, it's like the game was written off before it was ever released. That's a shame too, because it's a lot better than it's being given credit for.

In case you HAVEN'T seen anything on TRON: Evolution yet, the game takes place during the period of time between TRON and TRON: Legacy. You take on the role of a new security monitor program written by Kevin Flynn to help keep the peace inside the Grid between the original BASICs and the newly arrived and mysterious ISOs. Your arrival couldn't have come at a better time either, as the residents of the Grid suddenly find themselves under attack by Abraxas, a viral program infecting everything he comes in contact with. The threat Abraxas poses, though, pales in comparison to the larger threat looming just over the horizon. For those of you that haven't seen the movie yet, I'm not going to spoil anything for you ... but suffice to say the SHIFT hits fan.

Now is a good time to point out my first issue with a lot of the reviews on TRON: Evolution. In order to get the most out of the story, you should really see TRON: Legacy first. All those reviewers that complained about the game's plot aren't getting the whole story. I mean, these reviews started hitting newsstands (and websites) well before the movie's opening weekend. Sure, I can already hear you saying that it's not fair to expect people to see the movie before playing the game, but TRON has a fairly deep mythology. And hey, after watching the movie and then playing the game, a LOT of things made a lot more sense in both. The whole really is better than the sum of its parts.

Next up is the gameplay. There have been complaints that the controls require too much precision for the game's parkour style. One magazine even lamented the fact that the game doesn't automatically ease the player where he needs to go. Maybe it's just me, but I don't always want a game to hold my hand the whole way through. I'm far from a pro gamer, but I've been playing the game on Hard and so far I haven't had any major issues. One thing I WILL agree with some of the reviews about is that things can get a little repetitive. Run, jump, fight ... run, jump, fight ... wash, rinse, repeat. I don't mind the running and jumping part, but the fights can sometimes feel a little drawn out. The enemies can take some time to beat, and you're usually outnumbered by four or more in any given encounter. You basically have to toss your disc or hit a combo a couple of times, then make a mad dash for the nearest health or energy recharge before starting the cycle again. While it looks cool hopping around and throwing your disc around like some sort of extreme frisbee pro strung out on a 24 pack of Red Bull, but after a while the thrill wears down just a bit. And who's brilliant idea was it to face off against a frikkin' TANK with nothing more than a glorified pie plate? Those fight definitely fall into the "one-sided" category. Even so, as hard as the game feels sometimes, it's never so bad that you don't feel like you're making forward progress. Sure you might die ... er ... "de-rez" a lot, but the checkpoints are pretty close together and you always learn a little something via trial and error.

As far as the game's visuals are concerned, TRON: Evolution is, at least in my opinion, a pretty solid looking game. No, it's not brimming with textures and lush environments, but you've got to remember ... this isn't some lush jungle or such. This is the Grid. This is the world of TRON ... an electronic wonderland. Admittedly, some of the characters in the cutscenes could've used a little extra polish, but seeing characters like Bruce Boxleitner's Tron is a real blast of nostalgia. Again, I'll be the first to admit that the game's not the best looking piece of software on the market, but it's still pretty good and does a damn fine job of recreating the look of the movie.

And here's a little something else that seems to have been glossed over by a lot of the reviews ... TRON: Evolution's got a fun little multiplayer component. I love the fact that I can jump into a multiplayer match from the single-player game (or just play online from the get go). And if there's not enough players to make the game fun, it fills the available slots with AI bots ... which seems oddly appropriate in the world of TRON. Plus, I love the fact that the XP you earn in single or multiplayer builds simultaneously. That can occasionally lead to some balance issues in MP, but it's nothing that affects the gameplay too badly.

Overall, if I had to give the game a grade, I'd probably give it a solid B. It's not the best, but it's good and it's fun. And in the end, if it's a fun game and you've got your money's worth out of it, isn't that the most important thing? Well, if you're a TRON fan, you'll definitely get your money's worth out of TRON: Evolution.

And I raaaan ... I ran so far awaaaayyyy.

2010-12-10T11:08:00.001-05:00

Yep, of all the things to stick in my head, it's Flock of Seagulls. Of course, it's appropriate when you consider the day yesterday. For those that miss my quick and (not so) dirty Twitter or Facebook updates, I flew out to Tucson, AZ the on Wednesday for a meeting on Thursday morning. As far as the trip itself, I was surprised by how much I liked the area. That's not to say I went in thinking I'd hate it, but it was a lot different than I expected ... and I was pleasantly surprised. I'll have more on trip wheres, whys, and howfortos of the trip later, but I digress.

So the trip itself wasn't bad, but the flights? They were a little on the interesting side. For starters, flying out TO Tucson from Jacksonville gave me an unusual experience at the security checkpoint. No, I was not subjected to one of those "aggressive" TSA pat downs that apparently leave you feeling that you should have at least gotten dinner and a movie first. Instead, there was a short message on the security radio channel ... and everything immediately stopped. Even I've got to admit, there's something almost spooky about things when a place bustling with activity just stops cold and you can suddenly hear a pin drop. And yes, it really got THAT quiet. Eventually, and handful of security and police led away an attractive 20-ish something young woman behind the frosted glass detention w/ all her stuff in tow. She didn't seem to be all that upset, though. Hey, maybe SHE was about to get one of those friendly pat downs, had heard some stories, and was looking forward to the experience. Or maybe she was a drug mule on the run from a Miami-based cartel hoping to get away just long enough for Will Smith and Martin Lawrence to rescue her for Bad Boys 3. OR maybe she just accidentally packed a full sized shampoo in her carry-on. I guess we'll never know now.

So that was the trip out, what about the trip back? That was another fiasco. Everything was actually smooth sailing up until I boarded the plane. I was there in plenty of time, the plane wasn't packed, and things were looking good. But I couldn't help thinking something was wrong when, ten minute after everyone boarded, we still hadn't left the gate. Apparently there was some oil around one of the engines and they decided to check it out "just to make sure we don't have an oil line break loose in flight". Yeah, Captain Obvious, I'd say that's probably a good plan. Unfortunately, it's ALSO a good plan that put us forty minutes late getting airborne. And who's got two thumbs and a layover of exactly forty minutes in Dallas? THIS GUY!!

So, I ultimately reach DFW and get off the plane with eleven minutes 'til my connecting flight takes of. Laptop and carry-on in-hand, I haul ass from one end of Terminal A to the other end of Terminal C. I'm guessing somewhere along the way there was a sonic boom or such because I somehow reached escape velocity and pulled away from the icy grip of Dallas/Fort Worth by reaching my flight as the LAST person to board. Better still, it was the last light to Jacksonville, meaning I'd have been stuck overnight if I'd missed it. Still, I made it out, made it home, and got to sleep in MY bed last night.

"Yay" for small victories!!

Unwinding with an Assassin

2010-11-19T10:41:00.002-05:00

I decided to try and decompress a little bit this week with all the craziness that's been going on, so I ended up picking up a copy of Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood for the 360. Y'know, I realize that it's been a while since I bought a game solely for me to have fun with. No work, no reviews ... just plain ol' pop in the game and unwind.

Let me start off by saying I love the Assassin's Creed franchise. I still remember my sneak peek of the first game back at E3 years ago, where I thought that THIS was something I had to get my hands on. I just loved the concept. Maybe it says something about me, but I love playing the stealth type roles in games. Whether it's a sniper rifle in Halo or a rogue in World of Warcraft, I love to sneak around and take people out without them ever knowing what hit 'em. So, a whole game centered around the concept of that mindset? PLUS the cool blend of historic time periods and a little sci-fi element tossed in for good measure? Sign me up.

As much as I loved the first Assassin's Creed, it was Assassin's Creed II that cemented my love of the franchise. After all, as interesting as Altair was, Ezio was a much more developed character. Oh, and it didn't hurt that it was set during the Renaissance. And adding cool new gadgets from the mind of Leonardo Da Vinci was just icing on an already tasty cake. I couldn't get enough of Ezio's adventures ... and apparently I wasn't the only one. Instead of jumping right into a new set of daggers with Assassin's Creed III, Ubisoft decided to expand more on Ezio's tale with Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood ... or as I like to call it, Assassin's Creed 2 1/2.

So here I am a couple of days later and I've barely scratched the surface of what Brotherhood has to offer. I'm using whatever spare time I can muster to jump back into the Animus and hone my ass-kicking skills. If all goes well, I hope to have a little time for some multiplayer fun this weekend too. Right now, though, I'm having a great time with it, and Brotherhood is easily on my short list for Game of the Year.

Sorry do disappoint you guy who might have been looking here for a full-on review of the game. Maybe later when I have more time I'll actually do a write up here on everything I love (and even things I don't) about Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood. But the point of this post was just to say that it's been a great way for me to relax and get some stress out of my system, and that the game is something I'd definitely recommend to just about anyone who even thinks they might be interested in it.

One other bit that's COMPLETELY off topic. While I was at Best Buy earlier this week, I was a copy of The Chronicles of Riddick for the 360 on clearance for $7.50. I snapped it up in a heartbeat. If you've never played it and you like shooters or even just like the films, the game's worth grabbing. I'd have picked it up even if it WASN'T on sale. It's got a complete remake of the original Xbox's Escape From Butcher's Bay, as well as the new game, plus multiplayer games that put a few new twists on the classic run and gun formula. It's a shame that the game took a pounding in retail, because it was a hell of a lot of fun and was seriously underrated by gamers. Give it a shot if you get a chance and you won't be disappointed.

Oh ... and I also picked up Bionic Commando for the PS3 at Best Buy too. It was only $5. Is it a great game? Nope. Is it worth $5? Yep. Hell, for less than the price of lunch or even a rental, it's worth it.

One down ... more to come?

2010-11-19T10:14:00.001-05:00

Well ... I came, I saw, but I didn't quite conquer.

I got the word on Monday that I just missed the mark on the job I flew out for last week. Did I "blow it" like I thought I did? Hard to say, but it was a really close race. And if you ask any professional athlete, they'll tell you from experience that in a close race, even the slightest mistake can cost you the game. Here's the thing, though ... we're all human and we all are prone to making mistakes. The trick is to learn from them and push forward.

So what's next? Well, the good news is that the opportunity in Denver is just one gig I was vying for. Plus, I'm still focusing on my writing. Got a couple of articles I'm working on this weekend for USA Network and as soon as my plane touched down last Friday, I had a review assignment for @Gamer waiting for me. I also had another "test" piece to write up. What it all adds up to is another long week of writing, but still remembering to come up for air.

Aaannnddd .... we're back

2010-11-13T20:31:00.001-05:00

In the last post I mentioned that I was flying out of town for a job interview. The interview was up and out in Denver, CO and it was a beautiful place to visit. But as much as I might have wanted to take in the sights, or even try my hand at a little skiing for the first time in my life, I was there with a purpose. There were people waiting to see me, waiting to grill me over an open fire like a Cornish hen, and waiting to see if I had the "right stuff" to fill the position they needed. So, how do I think the interview went?

In my mind, I blew it ...

Yep, right out of the gate with one of the first questions I was asked, I "technically" got the answer both wrong and right. "But David," you ask, "how could you possibly get a question both wrong AND right at the same time?" Well, the short, short version is that a game I used to be intimately familiar with had added a twist a couple of expansions back ... and I missed it. So my answer, while technically correct, was just a touch outdated. That little screw-up was all on me, and I was killing myself over it during the course of the rest of the interview. Still, I kept moving forward, put of my "game face" and jumped right back into the thick of it. So did I recover from my early blunder enough to prove myself worthy enough to this firing squad to get a stay of execution?

I have no idea ... yet.

The trip's done, the interview is over, and I personally refuse to take a guess at how I did. One way or another, I'll find out soon enough. If I get the job then great!! I'll be running around like the proverbial chicken with its head cut off trying to put things in order ASAP. And if I DON'T get the job, well then no harm, no fowl (see what I did there?).

All kidding aside, it's all out of my hands now. So here I am back in town, putting my nose back to the grindstone and taking on some writing assignments while also digging around and poking at other potential job prospects with a sharp stick. No matter which way this goes, it's helped me to build up my momentum again and I've been enjoying my work a lot more lately. I even did a little guest hosting gig for the ladies of the Sarcastic Gamer Pink podcast (follow the link and tell me how you think I did). And I'm even getting back into the groove here, posting a hell of a lot more and fulfilling my promise to you guys for a peek in the life of someone like me in this crazy little industry.

I've still got a ways to go before I really get back into a groove, but it feels like I'm moving along the right track. Here's hoping the rest of you have fun coming along for the ride. Cheers!!

Moving forward ...

2010-11-08T19:24:00.002-05:00

In the last post, I told you about the situation with my mom, how it affected me, and an initial bit of advice for those of you that might feel a overwhelmed and out of options. Well, it's time for me to continue with my update for the past few months ... but keep reading through the rough spots, there's another pearl of wisdom at the end of things.

Obviously, after my mom passed, things were a mess. Between coping with the loss, telling everyone what happened, dealing with family members I rarely saw at the wake, and the stress of the procedural stuff, I could barely tell up from down. I decided I didn't want anything that might potentially be available from what would be considered mom's estate, and I tried to go back to some sense of normalcy. My dad ended up leaving my place to move in with my sister and help her and my two nephews through things. Just in case you're wondering, my dad and my mom divorced when I was a kid and stayed a good distance from each other. Dad saw what his kids were going through, and made a point to do what he could to be there.

One odd twist to things involved my dog, WonderMutt. Again, if you've known me for any length of time, you've probably heard me talk about WonderMutt. WonderMutt was a basenji/chow I got as a puppy through a pet adoption more than twelve years ago. During a period which saw me moving around a few years back, my mom offered to watch WonderMutt for me until I got settled into the new place. She ended up becoming more attached to WonderMutt, and with WonderMutt getting a little further on in years and mom needing someone there for her, I decided to let her keep WonderMutt (but with me making frequent visits, of course). When mom passed away, her husband at the time said he couldn't/wouldn't keep WonderMutt, and so she moved over to my sister's about the same time my dad did (right after the wake). The day after dad got settled in, WonderMutt crawled under the kitchen table, laid down, and never woke up. WonderMutt passed away and it felt like my heart broke all over again. I'd been through more with WonderMutt than anyone else and she was always my little girl. It hurt a lot, but something seemed to click. You see, WonderMutt was always there for me when I needed her for ten years. Then she was there for my mom when my mom needed help. It wasn't until my dad moved into my sister's and things settled down that she passed. I genuinely believe that as great as WonderMutt was, she stuck it out as long as possible and finally decided that everything was okay ... and that she'd fulfilled her purpose. It's strange that I can talk about mom's passing and keep myself composed, but without fail, every time I think about WonderMutt and her selfless loyalty, I still tear up. Right now, I have Caboose, my now three year old corgi/terrier mix and he's been a great help through everything ... but I'll always miss WonderMutt.

So, I'm not going to lie or pretend that I'm some granite pillar of inner strength. Within a couple of weeks, I'd lost my mom and my canine compatriot. It hurt, but at least the worst was over, right? Unfortunately, no. My dad stopped by for a visit in early August and while we were sitting outside, he got a phone call from his brother. His mother, my grandmother, passed away. When my mom passed, dad did the best he could even though he had no clue what to say or how to act. Now the roles were strangely reversed. I didn't know how to help dad through it. Sure, the two were vastly different circumstances, but the emotions were the same. I still felt guilt over whether or not I could have done anything differently and convinced mom to stay ... while dad was feeling guilt because he had been planning to visit but wasn't able to see his mom before she passed. Once again, it was a hard time. And naturally, seeing dad hurting opened up the still fresh wounds of me losing mom. It was another difficult time to fight through.

The final kicker came a little more than a month ago. One of my mom's ex-husbands was a huge help in raising me through most of my childhood. Even after he and my mom split, we stayed close. He had three daughters of his own, but he told me many times that in his eyes, I was always his son. He helped me through rough patches, supported me in my varying adventures, and was always there when I needed him. When mom committed suicide, I was the one who had to call to tell him. He used to live in the same town and we'd visit often for lunch and just to catch up and talk about what was going on in each other's lives. His health started to fail, so he moved out of town to be closer to his daughter and grandkids. We usually talked on the phone ever week or so after he'd moved out of town and still tried to stay close. One week when I called, the phone just went to the voicemail, and I left him a message like normal and left it at that. A little more than a week later, I called again and the phone just rang and rang. The same thing happened a few days later. Finally, I tried calling and learned the number was disconnected. Tried calling his cell and found the same thing. I couldn't shake that weird feeling of dread, so on a whim I looked online for the newspaper in the town he'd moved to. Unfortunately, I found out my feeling was justified. He was listed in the obituaries as having passed away a month before in the hospital ... just a couple of days after I'd last talked to him on the phone. Once again ... a major blow.

Having said all of this, it should come as no surprise that I've had a difficult time pulling myself back together. I don't think anyone could fault me for all of that. Hell, this was even the first year in eight years that I missed Comic-Con. That sounds like a joke or even a small thing, but with everything I do, missing out was a big deal. But remember that pearl of wisdom from the last post about tomorrow always having a chance that things will get better? It's been extremely hard, but I've really tried to practice what I preach. See, when you feel like everything is falling apart around you, you've got to hold onto faith in yourself and your ability to see things through to another day. I've been keeping steady with my writing, covering games and such over at USA Network's Character Arcade and most recently over at Best Buy's @Gamer magazine. Believe it or not, I've even broken down and started writing not one but TWO screenplays based on ideas I've had rummaging around in my brain for years. Will anything come of it? Eh, who knows ... but the important thing is that I'm writing and I'm enjoying my work again.

This week, I'm flying out of town for a job interview in a different area of the gaming industry. If I get the job, I'll be moving out of town and across the country. Between you, me, and the fencepost, I know I'm more than capable and qualified to do the job without any problems ... just got to convince the "firing squad" of interviewers that I can do it. And with everything that's happened so far this year, it would be great to be able to put 2010 behind me and go into 2011 and beyond with a fresh start. I'm cautiously optimistic about the interview, I've decided that even if I don't get the job, everything is going to come together again. It's been a long, hard road, but there's always a light at the end of the tunnel ... and despite what some may say, it's not always an oncoming train.

I guess what I'm trying to let all of you know (and I'm sorry if I sound like an after school special), but it's true what they say. Things really do get better. No matter how bad things seem or how deep the hole feels, you can always climb your way out of it. It helps to have some good friends to lend a hand, but no matter what, there IS always a chance that things will get better tomorrow. It's okay to feel down or to want to collapse sometimes, but you can never give up or lose faith in yourself. Cope with things as best as you can, find an outlet, and don't be afraid to take a step back and catch your breath. We're all only human ... and we can't always bounce right back. It's honestly taken me months to pull myself together enough to write all of this. Too often I'd start to write about what's happened and walked away. But maybe I can help be an example to show that you really can get through anything life throws at you. Hey, my life is FAR from perfect, but I'm still here. Things are looking up ... and hell, if this week's opportunity slips by, there will be more to come. See, there IS a light at the end of the tunnel ... you just might need to dig your way up to it sometimes.

Okay, that's all for now. I promised a long time ago that this blog would be a little insight into my life ... I hope this helps some of you out through your darker days, and feel free to spread to word to others if you think it'll help them.

It's been a long time ...

2010-11-08T09:46:00.014-05:00

Hey guys and gals. Yeah, I know I've said time and time again that I'd be posting here more often, and I definitely have meant to. Unfortunately, it's been a hell of a year and with so much stuff going on, the blog kinda took a back seat to life. And believe it or not, at different times over the past eight months, I've actually been at the very point I am now ... staring at the "New Post" screen and trying to figure out the best way to talk to everyone about what's been going on, but never coming up with the "right words" in my mind. Today, though, I'm just writing the words as I see fit. Trust me, there's a lot to catch you up on. And while I don't know how many of you out there still read this, I do want to say this is probably this most heartfelt and (to me) important things I may ever write.

Let me start off by telling you guys a story. My birthday is April 1st. That's right ... it's April Fool's Day. You've got no idea how many times people have tried to prank me on my birthday or rub it in. This year, in the waning minutes just before my birthday, I was sitting in front of my laptop wrapping up an article. Sure enough, not long after the clock struck midnight, my cell phone rang. It was my sister. After a long night of writing, I really wasn't in the mood for a goofy "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! I called you first!" sort of phone call ... so I sent it to voicemail. A few minute later my dad, who had been staying with me at the time, knocked on the door to my room. Again, I thought he was planning to poke his head in and say, "Happy birthday." What I heard instead floored me:

"Christy just called me. Your mom shot herself in the head."

...
...

I thought for a second that maybe it was some sick sort of joke, but honestly as soon as I heard the words, I knew it was true. It took a minute to absorb what I'd just heard though. I mean, I'd just seen Mom the day before and picked up a bunch of cookbooks from her. We'd talked for some time and she let me know about some things she was irritated with, but by the time I left, things seemed good. And yet here I was, hearing that she had just put a gun to her head and pulled the trigger. She was on the way to the hospital, where she was hooked up to a ventilator, but for all intents and purposes, she was already gone. My sister and I talked for a bit on the phone, and although we were all in the same city, she specifically told me to stay away from the hospital. This might seem bad in print, but in reality it was one of the most caring things my sister could have ever done for me. She knew about the issues I have with hospitals (it's almost a phobia of mine) and she knew there was absolutely nothing I could do. She asked me to call and let some family know what had happened, but to try and get out and do something on my birthday so that I didn't have a lingering memory of sitting in a sterile hospital and having to see my mother's lifeless body.

That day was filled with all sorts of phone calls I'd have rather not had to take. It's hard to gauge which calls were worse, the ones from people offering their sympathies over my loss or the ones from people who didn't know and were calling to wish me a happy birthday. I actually posted on Facebook that my mom had passed and that it wasn't a joke, just to help stem the tide of birthday messages. After all, while I certainly appreciated hearing from everyone, I knew many people would feel like crap if they were upbeat and happy, and heard later what happened. I tried to make the most of the day, and even spent a few hours at the zoo (thank you, Michele), but there wasn't a lot that could be done for me at that time.

Right about now I need to make a statement that some of you may not understand ... but others in a similar situation may understand all too well. I loved my mother because, well, she was my mom. The problem is, as a person, I really didn't like her. I know, I know ... "De mortuis nil nisi bonum" ... "Speak no ill of the dead." It's just that my mom had serious issues. She was an alcoholic and had issues with drugs. She was self-destructive and had some serious emotional problems as, but never accepted help. She wanted to pretend that nothing was wrong, or blame others for her actions. Eventually, I had a difficult decision to make. I had to walk away from things or be dragged down by circumstances and situations beyond my control. And so, I chose to put a buffer between myself an my mom. Sure, I was there to listen to her and I never abandoned her, but I wasn't going to try and save her either. I knew I couldn't do it. And once I realized that I had to accept the statement I said earlier. I would always love my mother because she was my mother. But at the same time, I didn't have to like the person she had become.

None of that made it any easier to hear that my mother had committed suicide. I was a maelstrom of emotions. I was hurt, naturally, by the thought of what had happened. I was also angry because it was a selfish move on her part. There's a theory that says a person who attempts suicide is usually crying out for attention. In my mother's case, she wanted the attention, but she didn't care if she was around to actually get it. My mom always thought there was more beyond this life, and she talked about how she would see everything going on after she ultimately passed. And with the combination of my birthday and Easter that following weekend, it was a time that would make the biggest impact on the most people and leave a sort of flashbulb memory that would force all of us to remember her. It felt like a giant "Fuck you" to everyone, and I was righteously pissed off about it. Then there was the guilt. After all, I had just talked to mom the day before. Did I miss something? If I had said X instead of Y, or if I have changed just one thing or made one different phone call, would she still be alive today? I'll be honest ... that's the hardest pill for me to swallow. On a rational level, I know that there was nothing I could do to change things and that it was her decision to do what she did for the reasons she did. But on an emotional level, I still wake up some nights wondering if I could have done anything.

I could go on and on about how my mother's suicide has affected me this year. I can talk about the hurting, the anger, the guilt, the days I pick up the phone and remember that I can't just call her anymore to see how she's doing. I could talk about all the missed opportunities and how despite her issues, I miss having her around. I could even tell all of you that the one bit of solace I have is that, no matter what, at least she's not forced to deal with her demons every day anymore. I could talk about all of that, and I probably will as time goes on. But right now, all I can say is that a piece of me broke that day ... and it's been taking a long time to heal. I do have a message for everyone out there, though. If you've ever considered suicide as an option, don't. Talk to someone, ANYONE, and try to get some help to work through things. Suicide is a selfish and permanent solution to what is usually a temporary issue. Some of the best advice I've ever gotten actually came from a comic book (Malibu Comics' Firearm #5, written by James Robinson, if you want to be precise). In it, the main character tells another person who had been contemplating suicide, "Don't give up on the chance that tomorrow things could be better. 'Cause as often as they don't ... sometimes they do." It's a simple line from a comic book, but it's a statement you can genuinely live by. You see, the longest any problem can possibly last is 24 hours. After that, it's a new day and a new problem. You need to take life one day at a time and never give up on what tomorrow might hold for you.

Okay, so there's more to tell, but right now I need some food. And honestly, I need some air. This is a heavy load I'm putting out there for you guys. I thought about posting all what's happened in one long post, but I think this subject in particular needed to stand alone. I'll continue with more "catching up" later today.

A hard day's night ...

2010-02-03T01:51:00.003-05:00

And I've been working like a dog ...

Yup. It's been one of those days. Very little sleep last night due to a pulled muscle in my shoulder. But on the upside, I've been wide awake with a freight train of thoughts chugging along in my head.

Okay, so I can't say too much about too much (yeah yeah, I know I said I'd stop with that stuff, but this time I really CAN'T say much) but it looks like I'll be doing some more regular writing at yet another outlet shortly. Even more interesting, I'll be reflecting around in all facets of the entertainment diamond. Comics? Check. Video games? Check. Movies? Check. Of course, all of this wrapping up at about 2:00a now during a phone meeting, after cruising through the day on three hours worth of sleep since Monday morning is pretty exhausting. But when I'm "in the groove", I can keep on keepin' on ... with nobody the wiser until I zonk out after the meeting. Heh.

Before I pass out at the keyboard, though, I've got to say that if you own a 360 or PC, you owe it to yourself to pick up Mass Effect 2. The game is frikkin' amazing. Even moreso if you've played through the first game. I don't remember the last time a game has sucked me into the experience so much. It's almost mind blowing. Sure, there are a couple of very minor rough spots here and there, but the game is so much damned fun, you just don't ever care about the little bump in the road. I'll dish out a more extensive bit about the game later, but for the time being, I'll just say that (for me at least) the Mass Effect series is the video game equivalent of the Star Wars trilogy. The REAL trilogy too ... not the "pod racing/mitochlorian counting/whiny little Anakin" flicks. I mean the "Death Star 'sploding (twice)/Leia in a metal bikini/Han Shot first" trilogy.

End of line ...

2010 ... the redeux

2010-01-30T11:39:00.003-05:00

Okay folks ... yes, it's me. Yes, I'm posting here again (dusting off cobwebs and everything). I've constantly popped in here and said "I'm back" and "More to come" ... and then disappeared for months at a time again. Honestly, I can sit here and make all sorts of excuses, and all have some validity. Issues, both professional and personal, kept creeping up and chipping away at my time. There's been a lot of chaos, as I try to get a couple of projects of my own going forward while juggling other work, and still balance having some semblance of a "normal" life. Then, thanks to quick and easy use of Twitter (which you can find me on here), I started doing updates there and just let this slide away. Eventually, Stacking the Deck just faded for me. After all, I didn't even know if anyone was still out there paying attention to this.

But today, something hit me. When I started this blog, I did it under the pretext of giving people a peek inside my life. I originally wanted it to be a place where you could come in, like a virtual zoo, and see a "pop culture journalist" in its semi-natural environment. But the truth of the matter is, this was also a place for me to toss out those random thoughts, ideas, streams of consciousness, etc., that I might not find (or want) another outlet for. Sometimes, that means venting some steam. Sometimes, showing off a little work I've done. And sometimes it's just rambling on. But no matter what, it's been a way for me to put myself out there and also polish my own quirky style of writing. In other words, it's as much for me as it is for anyone reading this. So ... why did I really stop? I don't have the answer. But it's been far too long since I've been here.

So, what's to come from 2010? Hard to say. Right now I'm back to freelancing regularly for a couple of places. Also looking to get the big relocation project under way after a number of unexpected setbacks. As far as other stuff? I'm might be helping a couple of people with some PR work in the entertainment industry. "Might" is the operative word here, and the project is something that could be big, especially for comic book fans. But too often I've been in the "might" position and seen things fade out before getting rolling.

One thing I still plan to work on myself is the creation of a podcast. Yes, I know there are endless numbers of podcasts out there of varying degrees of quality. And I'm not going to lie and say I think the one I'm working to put together will be the greatest out there, or revolutionizing the genre. Instead, I plan for it to be the same thing I planned for the blog here ... an outlet as much for me as it is for anyone listening. Look, if there's one thing I learned from all my time writing reviews, it's that we all have an opinion. You can love or hate whatever I think (or just not care), but I want to at least have fun doing what I do. The plan is for the podcast to center on a few people just talking up (or down) the things we find interesting in the pop culture industry. Comic books, video games, gadgets, movies, etc. Occasionally we'll toss in some surprises and such, but the point is just to have fun with it. And hopefully, you guys will have fun listening to it as well.

This post illustrates one of the big reasons I've decided to come back to Stacking the Deck and trying to MAKE the time for it. Sure, Twitter is quick and easy, but sometimes I've got more to say than what will fit in 140 characters or less. And yeah, I've got a lot of those Facebook friends I keep up with, but it's not exactly home to a lot of thoughts. I'm not going to say this post is an example of what to expect from this blog. Like me, it's constantly changing and evolving. But I will try to keep my word from before and let any of you interested pop in here and get a little insight into the life of at least one "pop culture journalist". Or better yet, just to get a little more insight into just me. And maybe, just maybe, somewhere along the way, I'll learn a little something too.

And now, those three words I haven't said in a long long time ...

"End of line ..."

Okay, so where was I?

2009-04-08T07:39:00.005-04:00

Despite being just a wee bit older now (and having had a few unusually chaotic evenings), I seem to remember telling you guys that next up on the blog would be some tips on writing. I've thought long and hard about this every time I get asked. Over time, I started to realize, I've usually answered with the same few things every time. Once I even went in depth and wrote it all down. I happened to be digging around in some files the other day, when lo and behold, I happened upon the old notes (which I'd already used once years back in response to Dan Hsu's blog over at 1-Up).

So, once again for your viewing pleasure, here are a few tips on how to do my job:

There's a popular misconception that all I do is get paid to play video games, read comics, and spout out a few words ... something anybody can do. If you're one of these people, please step away from your keyboard. At the very least, do a little more research into what it takes to do this job, because there's a lot more than you'd expect. Sure, there's the game playing, but there's a WHOLE lot more:

Writing - Okay, so this may seem self-explanatory, but it's not as easy as you think ... especially when you're freelancing. To start with, you've got to make sure that your article is designed around who you're writing for. I know Dan touched on this in the blog entry about submissions, but freelancers deal with this all the time. For example, a standard review for GameSpy will run anywhere from 600-800 words. At EGM though, since it's a print magazine with more space restrictions, a full page may only run around 400 words. And beyond having to expand and contract the actual length of the content, there's also the matter of incorporating the "feel" of the outlet you're writing for into the piece, while still maintaining a little bit of your individual personality.
Rewrites - Oh come on ... just because you wrote it once, you don't think you're done yet do you? First you need to proofread everything. And DO NOT rely on spell check for everything.

I remember looking over someone's work once and saw where he made mention of a book's "exiting artist". When I pointed out that the guy was actually staying on the project, I found out he was trying to say "exciting artist" (note the missing 'c' the first time around). What made it so funny is that the guy then got ticked because his spell check missed it. Last time I whipped out the old dictionary, "exiting" WAS still a word ... just not the one he had intended.

And after you've checked and rechecked everything, there's still a good chance that you'll end up having to take care of some more edits. Either by going into deeper detail on particular features, or by trimming down some words to fit space constraints. While the editors will try to handle some of this, it's our job as writers to make their jobs as editors as easy as possible.
Communications - Again, this seems like a no-brainer, but again it's something that needs to be addressed ... ESPECIALLY for freelancers. When you're working for a few different places, it's easy for communications to break down.

It's hard enough to keep track of communications between editors, PR reps, developers, and everyone else involved in a game. Now take that confusion and multiply it by the number of places you write for. It gets even more confusing when things start to cross over, such as talking to one PR rep about two games for two different outlets.

And when communications break down (which trust me, sooner or later at some point in your career ... they will), you've got to be able to keep a level head and roll with the punches, salvaging as much as you can.

Which is a great segue into the next key point ...
Adaptation - No matter how well you plan or how precise you are, at some point things will start to unravel. Nothing will ever always go according to plan. Whether it's your fault, the fault of others, or simply an act of nature ... the fact remains that at some point you will hit a snag. When this happens, you need to have the ability to quickly change gears and adapt accordingly. Sometimes this can even work to your advantage. A rush job for one place may fall apart, but give you the opportunity to refine it into something better for somewhere else. Be like a reed in a blowing storm. Bend but don't break. (Words of wisdom straight from a fortune cookie)
Networking - No, I'm not talking routers, modems, and CAT5 cable here. I mean SOCIAL networking. They say "It's not what you know, but who you know." Well, that's not necessarily true. It's what you know AND who you know.

When I first got into the video game industry, I basically jumped in head first. Eventually, I developed a relationship with Victor Lucas and Tommy Tallarico over at Greedy Productions. Ironically, both were big comic books fans, and I had been working in the comic industry for over seven years. After helping them out initially with some comic-related work, Vic decided to have me do some writing for Electric Playground, and eventually help produce some segments for the show. Then, one day, Vic was producing a piece for G4 and one of the guests was Raymond Padilla, who at the time was GameSpy's Senior Console Editor. Vic brought my name up into conversation, and before I knew it, Ray was dropping me a line asking if I'd like to freelance for GameSpy.

And when it comes to networking, leave no stone unturned. You'd be surprised how things tend to work out. For example, I've already mentioned my years of work in the comic book industry. During that time I made a lot of contacts in the industry. Once I "jumped ship" from comics to games, do you think I was the only person to do so? I've run into my old running mates from the comic world all over the place. From Square to Activision to THQ and more. In fact, some of them have even gone on to start up major IP development studios. Recently, when a last minute scheduling change came up at E3, I was able to get into where I was needed based NOT on the fact that I was a writer covering the event for GameSpy, but rather because of the years I spent in comics with the person in charge of the event.

Networking is easily one of, if not THE most important aspects of your career. Always keep your contact info up to date too. You never know when Person A has moved on to Company B unless you constantly keep things updated. If you're serious about networking, the best advice I can give you is to head out to your local book store and pick up a copy of "Dig Your Well Before You're Thirsty" from Harvey Mackay. It's one of the best guides to building and maintaining a solid professional and person network of contacts.
Budgeting - Easily the bane of the freelancer's life. Remember, as a freelancer, it's all feast or famine. Some months you may pull in a ridiculous amount of work, while others will be bone dry. You need to plan accordingly. Also, since you're not a staff worker, guess who's responsible for paying Uncle Sam his share of your pay.

Maintaining good records and holding on to receipts is vitally important. Not just for tax purposes, but also because some companies will reimburse you for some of your business related expenses.
Be Persistent, Not a Pest - There's a FINE line between being persistent and simply being a pain. If you're trying to get work at a particular outlet, and you don't hear anything back from an editor, usually a short inquiry is acceptable after a bit of time has passed. Keep in mind just how much communication the standard editor has to put up with just in his normal routine. Plus, he may be out of town covering a particular event or even just away on vacation. Give him some time to get back to you, and if you still don't hear anything back, drop a quick line to check in on the status of your last communication ... and then leave it at that for a while and move on to the next outlet. You can always come back sometime down the road and repeat the cycle.

These are just a few of the things I deal with on a regular basis. It's a lot more than just "Play a game and write up something". Make no mistake that if you're jumping into this career, there's good and bad in it just like there is in ANY job. You may even need to get another job to help keep the bills paid. The key is to go into it as a job, and not a fantasy. Be realistic, be persistent, and be willing to work hard at it, and you've got just as much chance as the next guy of "making it". However, if you're just looking at it as a "dream job", don't be surprised when reality forces you to wake up in a cold sweat.

So there you go ... that's the main list of tips I have, sans one major bit of advice I've come up with since initially writing that list a few years ago. What could I have neglected to mention? It's something that, truthfully, seems to go unnoticed and taken for granted. Two words: "Talk" and "Listen". Seems simple, right? Well, you might be surprised ... especially when used in practice and trying to keep the two in balance. You see, you've got to learn to really listen to people. Pick up on the little things and try to remember them, even if it doesn't seem to be related to the work you're doing. You'll never know just how many doors have been opened for me because I remembered something from a random conversation I heard or was involved with some time before. The thing is, you need to actually open your mouth and talk sometimes too. You need to be a part of the conversation and to speak your mind too. Besides, talking can actually help your writing.

Now, I'm not going to claim to be an expert on writing, and you'll probably never see my stuff on the front page of the New York Times ... but that's because I'm an entertainment journalist. Am I a "real" journalist? Hell yes I am, damnit. It pisses me off when I hear someone say otherwise, particularly after I've busted my ass researching a piece, conducting an interview, etc. The catch is, in my particular field, people need to enjoy what they read too. Instead of the clinical "just the facts" attitude of classic news writing, I've got to walk that tightrope of a line between informing readers and entertaining them in some fashion.

Raymond Chandler once wrote of his characters that, "If there were enough like him, the world would be a very safe place to live in, without becoming too dull to be worth living in." I try to make sure that my every bit of my writing is a very informed piece to read, without becoming too dull to be worth actually reading. For me, that means writing the way I talk. Read enough of my articles and the odds are pretty good that you'll recognize me in a crowded room, even if you've got no clue what I look like. Why? Because I carry a conversation the same way I write. Talk to people in print, to me, is no different than talking to them face to face. The reason I'm comfortable writing is because I'm comfortable talking, and vice versa.

If you read back a piece you've written out loud and it doesn't seem to flow from your tongue, odds are fair to good that readers will feel the same. If you need practice, use a recorder (I started to say "tape recorder", but it's all digital now), speak your mind about a piece, then copy it verbatim. Edit it a bit here and there, then read it back and see if it doesn't come across better. That's what works for me sometimes ... it might help you out too.

Okay folks, I'm spent now. That's about it for this session of class. I'll be writing more here, though, letting you know what's happening, what's coming up, and possibly even an exclusive little bit here and there to keep things interesting. I may vent one minute about the various bullshit of the day, and them I may follow up with a quick review of the latest book/game/flick/etc. This blog will probably be going all over the place. Why? Read the intro at the top of the page, people. It says, "Well, like all the best zoo exhibits, this is your chance to see one up close and personal in a pseudo-natural environment." And as for me? I'm the trained monkey ...

Later ...

"So how the hell did YOU get into this?"

2009-03-31T07:58:00.003-04:00

That's a question I get asked all the time. How did someone like me into this industry, writing about things like comic books and video games? Truthfully? Well, a lot of it had to do with luck. But you see, luck is a funny thing. Luck will have a habit of presenting you with opportunities in life. But what you DO with those opportunities? That's all on you.

As for me, to really get to the where I am now, you've gotta go way back to the beginning. I was still in high school, and I was as big a geek as I am now. I played video games all the time, and I was at the comic shop almost every day after school. It got to the point that everyone at the shop knew me by name and we all became friends. Eventually, the owner of the shop decided that since I was there enough, I may as well get paid for it. So, he brought me on staff there, where eventually I ended up managing the store. Eventually, the store got sold a couple of times, and I kept getting brought back on board ... three out of the four incarnations of the comic shop, I worked at. This not only kept me more informed as to what was happening in the industry, but it gave me a lot of opportunities to meet other people in comics while at shows and the like ... plus, I became friends with some of the people more behind the scenes, such as sales reps, PR folks, and the like.

From that point, I started to get more involved in the comic industry itself ... outside of the retail area. I began taking an active role in the comic community, making more friends and acquaintances. For a while I even was a moderator at the Top Cow message boards. I made a point of saying hey to everyone I'd met when I saw them at other shows, strike up conversations, and also just listen to the buzz going on in the periphery. After a while, the comic industry just sort of felt like home. So eventually, I decided "What the hell? If it works for comics, why not try it for games?"

It wasn't long before I started spending a little more time in the video game community, and found my way to the forums over at G4. For those of you with a short memory, once upon a time, G4 used to ACTUALLY be a channel focusing on video games. I ended up talking to Victor Lucas and Tommy Tallarico, the hosts of "Judgement Day" and "Electric Playground". Through the course of watching the show and talking to the guys, I learned they were (and still are) HUGE comic book fans. For the record, if you've never heard of Tommy's comic collection, you should look online for talk about it. I've been involved in the comic industry for more than 15 years, and I've never seen a more impressive Spider-Man collection. And Vic? Hell, just mention Batman to him and his ears will perk up. The thing is, as busy as they were, they didn't have the time to look for things as much as they used to. If only they knew someone who a) had a retail comic book connection and b) knew his way around both comics and games. Oh wait, they did ... me. I ended up filling some of the few holes in Tommy's Spider-Man collection, and made sure both of the guys were kept up to speed on the happenings in the comic world.

All of this comic stuff ended up inspiring Vic to add a "Comic of the Week" segment to Electric Playground. I helped out with that, initially point out some books for the spotlight, then eventually even moving to segment production for the show, using the contacts I had in the comic industry to set up filming for a season's worth of "Comic of the Week" segments at Comic-Con in San Diego. I'm guessing that both Vic and Tommy liked the work I was doing, as Tommy put in a good word for me over at Play Magazine with Dave Halverson, and Vic suggested me as a potential freelancer to then GameSpy editor Raymond Padilla while filming a special pre-show for G4's G-Phoria awards.

What followed was a whirlwind of writing everywhere I could. I covered Microsoft's Zero Hour launch for the 360 for Play, working as a contributing newswriter for a while, and over at GameSpy I pulled together as many reviews as I could muster, making sure that I busted my ass doing the best jobs I could, with a fast turn around (a must when working under the gun of a deadline). Keeping in constant contact with people led to me writing for other places, including TeamXbox, Game Almighty, Crispy Gamer, and more. And while luck had opened a few doors, it was hard work that kicked the damned things wide open.

Now, THAT should answer the direct question as to how I got my start as a "pop culture" journalist. Everyone is going to have their own story. That one is mine. As for the next most asked question, "Any tips to help ME break into the business?" Well, that one's going to have to wait until a little later. Don't worry, it won't be THAT long. I'm working on the answer now. But first, I've got a birthday to get through tomorrow. Still, I'm there for you. And while I'll never claim to be an "expert" on how things should be done, I'll be more than happy to pass along what's worked for me.

Until then, though, take it easy and remember to ALWAYS take advantage of the opportunities life presets to you, but NEVER take advantage of the people you meet.

End of line ...

Dusting off ye ol' blog

2009-03-30T09:22:00.005-04:00

Okay okay ... yes, I've neglected this blog. It's been, what, six or seven months since the last time I came around here? I'm not going to toss out any bullshit excuses either. The truth is, I got wrapped up in my work at the time, and the longer I went without updating the blog, the less I thought about it. Hell, I'd almost forgotten about the blog (I said "ALMOST"). Anyway, I'm back, and I figured it's time to run a quick update by you guys and catch you up to speed on what's going on these days before, hopefully, getting back into the swing of things here.

Okay, so one of the first things to happen towards the end of last year involved my dad. I'd recently helped him move to GA for a new job and he was making a pretty good salary. Then, out of nowhere, he called me up and said that he'd lost his job. Just when you think the economic problems aren't affecting you, they hit close to home. It threw both of us for a loop ... he went from making over $75k/year to drawing $250/wk in unemployment. Making matters worse, he's been a specialist in his field for years, and while he's one of the top color matchers in the country dealing in plastics and textiles ... there's just not a major call for it outside of his specific industry, and right now everyone in the industry is getting hit hard. Places want to hire him, but they genuinely just can't afford it right now as they're laying off staff. So, with that happening, he decided to move down here and he's staying with me temporarily in the house here while looking for a new job. On the upside, he's at least closer to family than he has been.

So, in the midst of that initial turmoil, I was still cranking along writing daily news stories over at Crispy Gamer, pushing news hard and spending good chunks of time every day making sure that the news was both up to date and still a good read. I was also doing the work at a low rate to help out as much as possible, which meant I also had to grab a second "normal" job for a while too to make up the difference. Then, just a little more than a week ago, I'm at the other job when I get an email from news editor with the subject "Bad news". Now, I'll admit it ... my first thought was that someone had an issue with a story. Just the day before, I'd posted a story about a television news report warning parents against Animal Crossing, after having gotten a hold of the station's news director. The response the KMIZ news director gave me ended up being the "company line" about the piece sent elsewhere too, though with some convenient edits on the KMIZ news director's part. My guess is that the TV station had a bit of a black eye after the piece aired and was trying to rush into some damage control. Anyway, I thought that might be what the email was about ... after all, the piece was getting a lot of traffic, more than a lot of the Crispy news stories. Well, I was wrong. The email wasn't about the story ... I was being let go.

I'll admit that I was more than a little stunned. Just a couple of weeks earlier, I had been talking with the news editor and made the joke that after the situation with my dad, I wake up every day thinking it'll be my last. We both laughed and he assured me that as long as he was around, I was safe. After all, he didn't want to tackle the news alone. Then, out of nowhere, in an editorial meeting, he was told that the news needed to be handled solely in house ... meaning he'd have to tackle it alone anyway. Meanwhile, I'd be "officially" gone from the news at Crispy on April 1st ... ironically enough, my birthday.

So there I was ... seeing a situation eerily parallel to what had just happened to my dad. Luckily for me, though, I do have the "normal" job ... plus I'd just started writing again for Play Magazine's website (check out my interview with Jimmy Palmiotti here.) I've also got a few more possible options in the works. Plus, I've got a little more time now to work on a few of my own projects, including doing an overhaul of the blog here and also trying to get back into the swing of doing regular updates.

Of course, for the CliffNotes version of things, you can always follow me on Twitter.

Well, I've gotta run for the time being, but I WILL be back. Hasta la bye bye.

Oh yeah ... "End of line."

Words of Wisdom from Raymond Chandler

2008-09-08T17:20:00.003-04:00

From a letter Chandler wrote to the editor of The Atlantic Monthly about a proofreader who changed his text:

"By the way, would you convey my compliments to the purist who reads your proofs and tell him or her that I write in a sort of broken-down patois which is something like the way a Swiss-waiter talks, and that when I split an infinitive, God damn it, I split it so it will remain split, and when I interrupt the velvety smoothness of my more or less literate syntax with a few sudden words of barroom vernacular, this is done with the eyes wide open and the mind relaxed and attentive. The method may not be perfect, but it is all I have."

A couple of new pieces

2008-08-22T21:58:00.003-04:00

Hey guys, just a quick update tonight. Two pieces over at Crispy Gamer:

Take a look and let me know what you think.

EP Daily debuts this week

2008-08-20T19:14:00.000-04:00

Yep, that's right. Electric Playground is back with the debut this week of EP Daily. Reformatted into a sort of Access Hollywood for geeks, the show is available now for viewing at the newly redesigned Electric Playground website: http://www.elecplay.com.

Make sure you go over there, check out the new show, and let me know what you think ... especially since I've been working with Vic and the guys this season.

Later,
David

We can rebuild him ...

2008-08-11T14:21:00.002-04:00

Yeah yeah ... I know I said I'd be more active on here leading up to Comic-Con and for the foreseeable future thereafter. Then, I disappeared for a bit. Well, here's the deal. During Comic-Con, I was running myself ragged working on the filming for Electric Playground (check it out when it goes daily next week) and still juggling some meetings I had to attend in-between shootings. As soon as I got back into town, I had to deal with TSA screwing up the bag I had with all of the goodies I picked up at Comic-Con. Then I found out my car's electric system had died on me somehow while I was gone. And finally, I came down with some sort of nasty virus and was part of the living dead for a few days. Now? Now it's time to play catch up.

So, if you're old enough (or geek enough) to pick up the reference of my headline here, then you've probably guessed some changes are in the works. For lack of a better term, it looks like it may be time for a little upgrade to yours truly ... a sort of WldCard v2.0, so to speak.

"Gentlemen, we can rebuild him. We have the technology. We have the capability to build the world's first bionic man. Steve Austin will be that man. Better than he was before. Better, stronger, faster."

While I won't be quite "bionic" and the price tag will run well under the Six Million mark, but by the time the year ends, I will certainly be running "Better, faster, stronger" ... and also a bit smarter as well.

"I hate the bands you like!!"

2008-08-07T08:22:00.002-04:00

It's strange how the guys at Red vs. Blue can so eloquently point out how ridiculous some people can be. I'll admit, there are a lot of little things that drive me nuts in my industry, but one of the most irritating is what I'm deeming "rampant fanboyism".

We've all seen it at least once, particularly in this Age of the Internet. Usually, someone somewhere makes a critical comment about something ... be it a game, a band, a TV show, a movie ... whatever. Most of the time, it's not even a terrible criticism, but rather a valid point just saying that Product X isn't necessarily perfect. That's when the fanboys start foaming at the mouth, break out the torches and pitchforks, and take to the streets like they're hunting down Frankenstein's monster.

While I'm all for fans supporting their "teams", there's a right way and a wrong way to go about it. Personally, I'm sick to death of seeing zealots proclaim their way as the only way. Here's a few newflashes, folks:

Final Fantasy XII coming to the 360 in North America and Europe is NOT a "betrayal" by Square Enix targeting PlayStation fans ... it's smart business.
If a Nintendo game has the words "Legend" and "Zelda" in its title, that doesn't automatically justify a 9-10 score.
Namco isn't playing favorites by giving PS3/360 owners Vader/Yoda in Soul Calibur IV. Yoda = Xbox 360 = Green. Vader = PS3 = Black. And do you REALLY think there won't be downloadable content that'll ultimately bring balance to the Force on BOTH systems?
While good games, neither Halo nor Gears reinvented the wheel in the FPS genre.
The Wii is a fun system, but not really "next-gen".
The PS3 hardware is a powerful system, but it's a royal bitch to program for.
The Xbox 360 is easy to program for, but the hardware should have been built better.
Consoles aren't killing the PC gaming market ... a lack of solid titles is killing it.
Just because a game works on the PC doesn't mean it'll work on a console.
Just because you slap a number and/or a subtitle on a game doesn't mean I feel like replaying the same old experience.
Just because I don't agree with your viewpoint, it doesn't mean I shouldn't be doing my job. It's an opinion, people ... everyone's got one and they aren't always the same.

Okay ... I'm cutting this short, because I have a lot of work to get done, but there's going to be more about this subject soon.

Comic-Con overview

2008-07-27T10:13:00.003-04:00

As you can tell from the lack of detailed entries, I haven't exactly had a lot of free time at the show. Between meetings, filming, more meetings, and more filming, I've barely stopped to breathe. Today, though, it all comes to an end for another year. Interesting stuff this time around, as I got to say hello again to Thomas Jane, met Simon Pegg, and today will be meeting with both Grant Morrison and Deepak Chopra. By the way folks, definitely check out the interview we did with Simon Pegg, Edgar Wright, and Jessica Hynes for Spaced. I fed a great little joke to Vic in there for Simon referencing both Star Trek and Hot Fuzz. If you know me, you've probably heard it already, but the reaction was absolutely priceless.

As I've already alluded to (isn't that just a great word? Alluded?), aside from filming, most of my time has been taken up in meetings at the show. Found out a metric ass ton of information on future projects, in video games, comics, and in film. I'll be spending most of the week following up with people and hope to be able to tease some of you with more details soon.

Anyway, I'll try to write some more about the show later today or over the week. Right now, I'm getting all packed up, as I check out of the hotel this morning before hitting the show. Then it's a red-eye from San Diego back to Jax, so I can start the work week off bright and early tomorrow. I can already tell, the first order of business will be a fresh pot o' coffee.

Before I go, though, here are a few quick bullet points:

Heroes Season Three looks to be awesome
Activision's Ghostbusters game is a LOT of fun once you get the hang of it.
Konami's Rock Revolution? Not so revolutionary.
Be sure to check out NECA's toy line soon. Fans will be absolutely "Rabbid" for what's in store.
DC's line-up may look strongest right now, but Marvel may still have a few tricks up its sleeve next year.
Hollywood has MORE than its share of geeks ... Kevin Spacey, Milo Ventimiglia, Dennis Miller, Sam Raimi ... that's right folks, screw the Skrulls, we're the REAL "Secret Invasion"

Anyway ... I need to wrap this up. Gotta finish packing and get ready to leave. As always, more to come.

Show pics

2008-07-26T01:10:00.003-04:00

Comic-Con Preview Night

2008-07-24T01:58:00.003-04:00

Here's just a taste of the pics from the Preview Night of Comic-Con. If my connection was more reliable, I'd have 'em all up ... but they will be up soon.

Meanwhile, I got a few things I wanted, since it'll be hectic during filming. And it only took two hours of waiting in a ridiculous press line.

The new phone ...

2008-07-20T20:28:00.003-04:00

As many of you know, I'm a gadget whore. I LOVE me some gadgetry. Well, recently I decided I was due to replace my phone. Ye ol' Dash just wasn't cutting it much anymore. So, out I went on a quest for a good phone and damned if I didn't find one that got me all geeked out again ... the Nokia N95-3.

This little guy is fully packed with all sorts of goodies.

3G Support
5 megapixel camera
Video recording at 640x480 @ 30fps
FM Radio
Built-in GPS
Music player (MP3, WMA, RealAudio, SP-MIDI, AAC+, eAAC+, MIDI, AMR, and M4A)
Video support (via built-in RealPlayer)
TV out
Built-in Wi-Fi
Accelerometer
MicroSD support for up to 4G

... and a whole lot of other fun stuff I'm learning everyday (video calls? really?)

Now, this thing was a royal bitch to get set up the way I wanted it. Emails, text messages, web support, and everything took a while to get tweaked, but I'm almost there. I also loaded fring for the first time on a phone. For those of you familiar with Trillian, it's a lot like Trillian, but for mobile phones. My AIM, ICQ, MSN, Skype, Yahoo, Google Talk, etc. are all together in one convenient package now. And look ... off to the right of this very page. It's a fring widget so you guys can see if I'm online and drop me a quick message if I am. Ooo ... ahhh

I'd love to go into more detail about this thing, as I'm like a kid in a candy store right now ... but I'm under the gun getting a metric ass ton of prep work done for Comic-Con (see previous blog entry). But I'll be playing with this and using as many features as I can.

More to come ...

Comic-Con '08 coming up

2008-07-20T20:09:00.003-04:00

Woo hoo!! Another year, another Comic-Con. Actually, it's going to be a busy year this year. I'll be at Comic-Con again, producing a host of segments for Electric Playground. Comics. Video games. Movies. You name it ... I'll be covering it.

I've been setting up interviews for weeks now, and there's still a lot that I'll be doing on the fly. Also, thanks to the new phone (more on that later), I'll be adding all sorts of pictures and videos from the show. I'll be organizing a lot of the coverage that EP (and Greedy Productions as a whole), and if all goes as planned, I'll be running around w/ my own camera. You won't actually see me in front of the camera on the segments, but I'll be one of the guys with the mic. Also, it looks like I'll be doing some extra coverage for some of the other outlets. I'll keep you posted here.

End of line ...

New column is up ...

2008-06-15T20:24:00.001-04:00

Another week, another Crispy Gamer column. The latest "News in Review" is up ... here's a link to it:

The News in Review

Just like last week, things aren't going quite like they're supposed to. For starters, the column is once again in the News section, as opposed to the actual Features/Columns section. What this means is as soon as the new news stories pop up this evening/tomorrow, the column will get buried under the deluge of news bites. Second, they still haven't found a way to fix the character limit for the news stories. While this really doesn't affect actual news bites, it DOES affect the feature length column. So, the column was apparently split into two news stories ... a solution akin to putting a Band-Aid on a sucking chest wound. But hey, at least it works and it's up.

Oh ... for the record, the last line isn't a typo. After losing a third of the column last week to technical issues, I couldn't resist the play on words. If you get the joke ... great. If not, ah well ...

Now comes the time for me to ask a favor of you guys. Go check out the column and make sure to let me know what you think. Let Crispy know what you think too. If you feel so inclined, sign up for an account on Crispy (if you haven't already), and join up with the Crispy Gamer Development Group to tell them you want to see more. It's also a great place to throw in your own suggestions on how to make the site better.Right now, I could definitely use a little extra support. If the column stays buried in the News section and doesn't get too many hits, it may not be around much longer. Right now we're in the "testing the waters" phase, and I need Crispy to know you guys wanna take a dip in that pool.

Okay, that's enough for now. Feel free to let me know what you think of the news recaps, as well as any suggestions for what you'd like to see from me in the future at Crispy (or anywhere else).

End of line ...

So ... who's been keeping track of things?

2008-05-29T14:55:00.002-04:00

First and foremost, since a lot of you have been wondering where all my updates have been, here's the latest. Most of you probably already know that I've been writing regularly for TeamXbox. What games have I been reviewing? Well, here's a handful of links from April:

Okay, so there's the start ... I'll post links to May's stuff later. I've also done a couple of podcasts for Crispy Gamer, as well as working the news beat for the site. Now, the all of the pieces fall into place, I'll also be starting up a weekly column there, reviewing the week's news and offering up my ... umm ... "unique" take on the stories. Expect a healthy does of wit, sarcasm, and just about everything else.

I'll have more news soon, and I'll be working harder to keep this blog updated.

It brings a tear to the eye ...

2008-05-20T23:53:00.001-04:00

For all you video game fans out there who missed the news, Judge Dava Tunis has released her preliminary report on the Florida Bar's case against Miami-based lawyer Jack Thompson. In the report, Judge Tunis recommends Thompson be found guilty on 27 of the 31 charges levied against him.

You can read the GamePolitics article here.

For those who missed it the first time around, I've had more than my own share of dealings with Thompson. Check out the piece from my time at Game Almighty, Dealing With a "Jack" Ass.

Now, if you guys know me, you know I'm not petty ... I usually take the higher ground. Of course the key word there is "usually". In this case, I still have to ask one thing:

Who's the piss ant now, Jack?

Ahh ... that felt good.

End of line.