Slugging it out through the days

For those of you who check out the blog on a regular basis, you may have noticed that I'm not posting quite as often as I used to. Right now, it's simply a matter of making time for everything. I've got a couple of substantial projects going on right now, and I've been getting some extra writing done. I've written up reviews on The Chronicles of Riddick for the Xbox and Tapwave's Zodiac2 hardware console for Gamexilla.

Beyond that, things seem to be progressing further with Play Magazine. If you're already a regular reader of the magazine, expect some really cool things coming up in the near future. And if you're NOT a regular reader ... go out and pick up a copy today!!

I've had a few people ask me about how the filming for Electric Playground went while I was in San Diego. It was a lot of work, but it was a lot of fun too. Since they say that a picture is worth a thousand words, here's a few thousand for ya. And yeah, if you haven't seen me before, that's me with Stan Lee in the last picture.

Signing for fans


Tommy realizes what his priorities are


Interviewing a legend


Excelsior!!

Showcasing some artistic talent

So, here's a little project I set up that I thought you guys might have fun taking a look at. For the upcoming issue of Play, I had Randy Green draw up a cover based off of the upcoming BloodRayne 2 video game. The cover was pencilled and inked by Randy, and the colors were provided by Val Staples from MVCreations. Here's an opportunity to see how the cover piece developed from beginning to end. It's actually a little hard to see in these smaller images, but there were some minor coloring issues fixed between the first colored piece and the final artwork. All that's left is to incorporate the magazine's title and cover graphics into the final piece and then go to press. Let me know what you guys think of the images.

Initial Sketch


Inked Art


Initial Colors


Final Image

This was also a good opportunity to toy around with the Picasa image hosting. It works pretty good, so expect to see more images in the blog now (kind of like the Audioblog). Beyond that, nothing major going on today. I'll keep you posted as soon as anything develops.

Post Con recovery

Okay, so I've been slacking a bit updating the blog. It's not intentional, but the show took a lot of my time ... and getting settled after the show took even longer. I got back into town late on Monday, and used the better part of Tuesday to recouperate. After that, I started work on my con report for Play Magazine, as well as some general writing for a few other places. Also, I've begun preliminary work on some major new projects. I'd love to actually open the floodgates and let you guys know everything that's going on, but I have to keep my lips sealed on it. (Shane, YOU know what it is ... heh). Don't worry though, as soon as I can say something, I will post it here.

More news to use

This has been a productive day to say the least.  Met w/ Dave @ Play today and disceussed my future.  It looks like Play wants to hire me on staff in order to cover games AND comics, since they're adding a new section for comics.  Another nice aspect is that I'm not required to give up my freelance gigs if I take the job at Play.  Also, Vic has decided to bump up my title now.  This means that instead of being listed as a production assistant for the show, things have been bumped up for me so I'll be listed as the "Comic editor"

More big news to come, but right now I'm too beat.  Will talk later.

Con news on the run .. literally

Let the circus begin

Okay, so I made it to San Diego in one piece.  I spent the day dead on my feet though.  I wrapped up GameSpy's 10 Worst Comic Game list at 3:00a, then got about an hour and a half worth of sleep before getting up to get to the airport.

Preview Night for Comic-Con has come and gone now.  I spent the time running around confirming interviews for Electric Playground's Comic of the Week segments.  I also found some new projects to do interviews on.  I'll be running the list by Vic tomorrow to see what he thinks.  I'm even trying to work in a few surprise celebrity interviews if things come together well.

Like last year, I beat everyone I'm working with into town by a day.  Starting tomorrow, I've got to meet with the usual suspects (EP, GameSpy, and Play), as well as set up some meetings w/ a few other media outlets.  I'll be splitting my time up a lot, while still making sure to leave a little time for myself to have some fun.

Look for updates here as I get news, and expect to see some Audioblog entries over the next few days. 

Bound for Comic-Con

Well, things are going to be hectic for the next few days.  Tomorrow I'm flying out to San Diego for Comic-Con International for a whole pile of projects.  I've got filming with Electric Playground, articles and panels with GameSpy, con coverage for Play Magazine, and host of meetings and interviews to handle.  I'll be updating the blog regularly while I'm there, both via email and via Audioblog entries.  I'll also post some pictures of the show after I get back into town.

Keep checking in to see what's happening.

Another day another .. well, you get the picture

Still a busy time in preparation for Comic-Con.  I've got most of EP's Comic of the Week interviews nailed down.  I've also got some meetings before the show w/ GameSpy and Play Magazine to discuss coverage of the con.  I'm also talking with the guys at GameXilla about doing some work with them.  If you haven't checked out their site, go do it ... you won't be disappointed.  Also, I've just found out about a new game "magazine" on the market called Konsole Kingz.  The magazine is sent out in DVD format and it's set up with a Hip Hop flair.  Their website is over at http://www.konsolekingz.com
 
Moving right along, the last of the 10 Best Comic Games went up on GameSpy's site today.  You can check out the complete list over here.  I'll get more updated to the blog soon.  Keep checking in, okay?

Trial by fire

This is going to be a very busy and very ... interesting ... week. Right now, it's full swing on the writing career. I've wrapped up half of the "best of" list I've been working on for GameSpy. Also, I've got most of the interviews squared up for Electric Playground's Comic of the Week segments.

Tomorrow, I've got a lot of phone calls to make and take. I'll be trying to set up a meeting with the editor of Folio Weekly about setting up a weekly column for the paper. Also, I should be hearing from the editor of Play Magazine about some new opportunities coming up. Besides all of that, there's the usual grind for EP, GameSpy, and anyone else that comes along.

So, guys and gals, keep your fingers crossed and hope I don't burn myself out soon. Heh

Later.

"But I don't want to go among mad people," Alice remarked.

"Oh, you can't help that," said the Cat, "we're all mad here. I'm mad. You're mad."
"How do you know I'm mad?" said Alice.
"You must be," said the Cat, "or you wouldn't have come here."

It's just one of those times when that particular passage comes to mind. The world is a mad house, and we're all in the straitjackets. Things are going to be crazy around here for the next few weeks. Want a rundown?

First off, I'm going to be up to my eyeballs in comic games for the remainder of the week. Today alone I need to write up summaries of at least four games from the 10 Best list. I'm also going to go ahead and wrap up my preview of Monster Hunter by week's end. And during all of that, I need to make sure I remember to fill out the paperwork required to make sure I get PAID for all the work.

I also need to make a number of phone calls finalizing plans for San Diego and working the show. I have to come up with some ideas for an interview with the VP of Konami (discussing Yu-Gi-Oh!). I need to talk to the guys at EP to get the latest batch of articles up on their site. I've got to work on some ideas for a gaming column for a local publication. Etc. Etc. Simply put, I'll be buried in writing related work for the foreseeable future.

There's a lot more madness going on too, but as things progress it'll be posted up here. In the meantime though, I need to dive back into the paperwork. So until next time ....

Another busy weekend

Well, there's no rest for the wicked once again. The guys at GameSpy are currently looking over information for my upcoming series of articles. Since things are already underway, I can say that I'm working on a series for GameSpy discussing the 10 best and 10 worst comic book based video games of all time. It should make for an interesting read ... especially with the extra surprises I have in store.

Besides that, I'm working on wrapping up a few more game reviews for Electric Playground, and I'm going to go ahead and get the first "Comic of the Week" segment written up for the EP site. The first review will cover DC's Identity Crisis. Speaking of the "Comic of the Week", I'm putting together the final list of "CotW" segments to be filmed in San Diego. Oh, let's not forget that I'm doing the initial design work on my personal site. And if all of that wasn't enough, I also have a large number of emails to send out ... dealing with everything from interview requests and confirmations, to inquiries about writing for other outlets. All in all, it adds up to a hell of a lot of writing over the next few days.

Anyway, it's been a hell of a week ... with a lot more fun to come.

"... does whatever a spider can"

Sorry guys and gals ... not too much done today due to getting hit head on by train disguised as a migraine. I DID however manage to get a review done for Chronicles of Riddick and Showdown: Legends of Wrestling for EP. With luck, they'll be up before week's end, along with a couple of other reviews and the first "Comic of the Week" web segment.

Speaking of comics, I've got two cool recommendations for all of you ... with only one title to remember: Spider-Man 2. First off, the movie is amazing ... it's spectacular ... it's sensational (okay, for all of you comic fans out there who DON'T get where I'm going with this ... SHAME ON YOU!!) Seriously, it's simply a damned good movie. I enjoyed this one even more than the first. It will definitely leave you anxious for Spider-Man 3. And if that's not enough to cure your arachnid addiction, the Spider-Man 2 video game was released today on the Xbox, PS2, and GameCube. I've got my copy of the Xbox version and have been having a blast with it. It's got an open-ended gameplay and lots of web-slinging fun. To be perfectly honest, I really can't remember the last time I had this much fun with a video game. And hey, it's narrated by none other than Bruce Campbell ... so you KNOW it scores high marks on the coolness factor. I'm working on a review for the EP site, and I'll get into much more detail there.

Just as a side note, I've started up preliminary work on my personal website. The plan is for it to focus on my writing career, along with other tidbits of info I find of particular interest. I've got a ways to go before anything gets posted, but once it gets set up, I'll be sure to let all of you know.

Anyway, it's well past time for me to bail. With luck, some sleep will help knock this migraine out of my system. In the meantime though, check back here for the latest and greatest in what's happening with my writing.

I see Carpal Tunnel in my future

The GameSpy review of IndyCar Series 2005 is live now. Feel free to go check it out. I also finished up my list of the 10 worst comic-based video games. I've got most of the list for the 10 best also. Right now I'm waiting for the GameSpy editors to check over my choices and chime in with a few of their own. If all goes as planned, I should be working on the articles by week's end.

Moving on to the EP front, I'm going to be pretty busy tomorrow (today?) with a lot of writing for Electric Playground. I'm hoping to get three reviews taken care of: Chronicles of Riddick (Xbox), Full Spectrum Warrior (Xbox), and Far Cry (PC). Another piece I'll be writing up is something that people have asked about for a while. I'm going to incorporate EP's "Comic of the Week" segment into the web site. What this means is that once a week I'll be writing up a comic review to add to the site, along with my two to four video game reviews. Between that and the work for GameSpy, I can pretty much so guarantee that I'll be having a few more late nights and early mornings.

Beyond that, there's not much going on ... but isn't that enough? Seriously though, I should be busy for a while, but I'll certainly keep things up-to-date here. Keep checking in and let me know what you think.

Idle hands and all that

I've been keeping myself busy quite a bit lately. I wrapped up a review of IndyCar Series 2005 (Xbox) for GameSpy. With luck, it will get posted sometime tomorrow. I'm also working on a preview of Monster Hunter (PS2). There's an online press embargo on that one, so don't expect it to see the light of day until either the end of July or early August. I'm also playing around with the new game Showdown: Legends of Wrestling (Xbox), in order to write up a review for Electric Playground.

I pulled together some more info for the GameSpy and EP features I've been working on. The GameSpy piece is going to be a 10 Best / 10 Worst list of comic-based video games. I've been working on the list over the weekend. Just about finished with the list. It should be a pretty cool series, as I do have a few fun twists in store. As for the Electric Playground piece, I'll be keeping with the comic theme and doing a run down of some upcoming comic-based video games. The Punisher, 100 Bullets, etc. There's a lot coming down the pipe, and I'm going to cover as much as I can.

While I'm at it, I'm going to check with Vic at EP to see about possibly adding the Comic of the Week segment to the website as well. I should be able to format a comic review similar to the game reviews. Let me know what you think about the idea.

Recess time at the Electric Playground

Well ... I FINALLY did it. I figured out what the glitch was on the scripting of the Electric Playground site. After a few hours of tinkering around, I've got all of my reviews up and running. Plus, I'll be adding more reviews and features to their site on a regular basis. But for now, you can head on over to Electric Playground and see what my thoughts are on Transformers (PS2), City of Heroes (PC), Red Dead Revolver (Xbox), and Mario vs. Donkey Kong (GBA).

While you do that, I'm going to get some sleep.

Better late than never

No ... I didn't miss a deadline. The reviews for Spyro Orange and Crash Purple went live today. I was hoping they would both get posted before today, so they could be included in the latest GameSpy invoice. Ah well, instead they'll just be the first articles included in the next invoice.

Speaking of GameSpy, I pitched an idea over to Raymond (GameSpy's senior console editor). For obvious reasons, I can't really say much about it until someone picks it up, but trust me when I say it will turn out pretty cool when everything comes together. I've got a few other ideas I'm working on for both GameSpy and Electric Playground.

Tomorrow I'll be fleshing out some pitches, and checking on some new possibilities for getting my work out on the market. As always, the best way to find out what I'm working on will be right here.

What is this "down time" of which you speak?

Been running myself ragged this weekend ... well, limping myself ragged. Pulled a muscle in my knee earlier this week, so I'm moving around at just above a turtle's pace. It's getting better though, so I'll be back to speed shortly. In the meantime, I managed to get the Crash Purple and Spyro Orange reviews done and turned in even earlier than expected. I was hoping that the reviews would get posted before the weekend, but it looks like it'll be next week before they hit the site. Ah well.

Right now I don't have any pressing deadlines. I've got a couple of pieces I may go ahead and write up for Play to help fill the Ink section next month. I'm also working on some pitches for GameSpy. My main goal for the weekend is to go ahead and get things organized somewhat around here. Basically I want to make it easier to keep track of everything, such as invoices, business expenses, file copies of articles, etc. I'm also putting together something to help me keep track of each individual assignment, and respective status. No biggie ... just a bit of the usual mind-numbing background work.

And hey, maybe I'll even take a break this weekend.

Life's a glitch ...

Anyone who knows me knows how big of a tech geek I am. That being said, there are times that even I get pissed with technology. Imagine my surprise yesterday when I got an email from one of my editors asking me how a review was coming along ... especially when I never received the assignment to begin with. It looks like something happened between him sending it to me and my receiving it (or rather NOT receiving it). No worries though. It takes too much time and energy to worry, and it doesn't solve anything.

I got in touch with the editor and explained the situation. I told him I'd take care of everything and get it to him ASAP. So, I picked up the games I need to review last night (Crash Purple and Spyro Orange for the GBA). Stayed up most of the night and into the morning playing the games. I'll toy around with them some more today, and I should have both reviews wrapped up no later than tomorrow.

In the meantime, it's going to be another long night.

Be afraid ... be very afraid

The review of McFarlane's Evil Prophecy went live today. I warned you guys it was bad. How bad? Read my thoughts for yourself over here. Hell, I feel cheated ... and I got the game for free.

I'm still working on a few pitches for GameSpy. I've got some interesting ideas, but nothing concrete yet. I'm also working on setting up the next round of "Comic of the Week" interview segments for Electric Playground. Greedy Productions will be doing filming for both EP and Judgment Day at Comic-Con International in San Diego, and a few days before that in the LA and San Diego areas. I'll be with Greedy for most of the show, but I've also got a few other meetings scheduled as well while I'm there. If anyone else is heading out to Comic-Con, keep an eye out for me and be sure to say hello.

And with that, it's time to crash for the day. Definately need to catch up on some sleep.