2009: Is It Me?

I know mine does so far, but does 2009 suck as monumentally as 2008 for everyone? I read that April comics sales were up, so it seems even they have been having problems. 2008 is going to go down as one of the worst years in recent memory - the worst year for many people, period, because that's about as far back as their memory goes! - and 2009 is halfway over... and it doesn't seem any better.

So is it just me or is 2009 continuing the saga of suck 2008 left behind?

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Spidey Gets Caught in a Dark Reign

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Miami to Demolish Burn Notice HQ?

The city of Miami must decide if they will delay the demolition of the decaying expo center which serves as the headquarters for the hit TV series, Burn Notice. Burn Notice has been filmed on the location for the last three years and producers said they would move the show if the expo center was torn down. City commissioners will decide what they are going to do, and may delay the demolition indefinitely to accommodate the producers of the TV show.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

D&D, Agenda, Apology, Etc.

Sorry about yesterday. This entire week has been one of those wait-and-see situations, weather-wise; every day this week started out overcast and storms which could be measured in seconds came and went at will. Needless to say, it played hell with my neck, and there were several days where I'd feel well for an hour or two, then awful for the same length, etc. It was physically and emotionally exhausting and I didn't get much done in any one area (though I did get further along with several things).

Night before last, the pain woke me up a few times. I took some medicine, smoked a cigarette, and went back to bed. When I got up yesterday, I went on and took my medicine as normal. I don't know exactly how much I took overnight, nor when, so I'm sure I either took too many too fast or just took them too close together; either way, I got really sick yesterday morning and it took all day to get over it. I bought Rolaids Softchews (I really need sponsorship for things like that; there's a free plug for them), Sprite (again with the name-dropping), crackers, ice water... nothing helped. I was finally able to eat something last night and got to feeling better, but I was so worn-out from being nauseas all day long that I just went to bed.

So I have several things to bring you, but I'm going to spread them out over the weekend. I have also been working on the site the past few days. As I was doing things for the D&D campaign, I was generally making pages, detailing what I was doing, how I did it - whatever. I also got the Chill cityscape started (Vincent) and got back to work on Champions. As soon as I get more of it together, I will go ahead and publish this stuff as-is so you don't have to wait, then eventually go through and tend to all the mechanical details (navigation and proper links, et.al.). I know the whole site is wonky, but it's really hard for one person to do all of this and still maintain IRL, so I'd rather you be able to access the stuff that's ready (even if it's a pain in the ass to find it) than just keep waiting.

We are gaming this weekend and I've had plenty of time this week to stat-up some of the features and ideas we're working with and catch-up on my reading. One of the main reasons I'm one of those "tons of prep before you play"-type people is because I hate "going back in" to correct things. For instance, these guys traveled through a heavy forest all last game... except that it now seems I read the black and white map incorrectly and those were actually mountains. OTOH, it doesn't change much - they had no terrain-specific encounters - but the players will always remember the forests and then have to mentally "correct" those memories. It's just a real impedance to play, as consistency is the most important element of any RPG campaign. I'm writing about this matter in more detail specifically because of this, in fact (as I said above). So, plenty of stuff on the way throughout the site.

So, without further ado...

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

In & Out

I can't help that it's been so slow this week... it's like all the celebrities suddenly found out they could afford not to drive. But I'm sick. I took my medicine too close together or the pizza I ate last night didn't set well with me, or my medicine, or whatever, and I am fighting bad nausea. Hopefully it will clear-up as the day goes on and I'll be back.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Marvel Launches Halo Rising Site with Free Webcomic

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Smallville Moves to Fridays

The CW is mixing things up, at least for some viewers. They will move Smallville from its timeslot to Friday, replacing it with the new Vampire Diaries, which will lead in to Supernatural. Some have expressed concern over the level of "competition" Supernatural now has on Thursdays, but Supernatural is the best show on TV. Buh-bye, Fringe, Mentalist, et.al.

The Smallville-Supernatural combo has worked well for the network since 2006, but it believes both shows are strong enough to support others. This will also be Smallville's last season. The new Vampire Diaries has met with disdain by critics, who charge it is nothing more than a pathetic attempt to cash-in on the True Blood/Twilight resurgence of vampire fanfare, and to be certain, the CW made sure to cast it with nothing but young hotties, so... it is what it is.

On the plus side, maybe some of the younger horror fans will stick around for Supernatural and see how it's really done.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Allred Ends Madman Atomic Comics, Drops New LP

19 February 2009 (Berkeley, CA) - MADMAN ATOMIC COMICS comes to an end this August as creator Mike Allred wraps up an entire series' worth of stories in a final blockbuster issue and his new album, THE GEAR: LEFT OF CENTER OF THE UNIVERSE, both featuring the return of characters from his highly praised hit RED ROCKET 7.

"MADMAN ATOMIC COMICS marks the end of an era, but definitely not the end of MADMAN at Image," Allred said. "MADMAN ATOMIC COMICS was a really fun time for me, Laura, Madman, and friends. Working at Image gave us an unprecedented freedom with the book, allowing us to experiment like never before! I hope fans have enjoyed the trip thus far and will be back with us on the next leg once we get to it!"

MADMAN ATOMIC COMICS #17 wraps a nearly two year run for the series, the longest for Allred and MADMAN in terms of consecutive issues, seeing his beloved superhero series finish off stories in the making since its inception as well as experiment in ways it never has before. Allred's run produced some of the most acclaimed issues of his career, including his tribute to the entire history of comics wherein each panel featured a different style of a famous creator. The final issue will also tie in his RED ROCKET 7 series in continuity for the very first time, leading in to his second, long-awaited album, THE GEAR: LEFT OF CENTER OF THE UNIVERSE.

THE GEAR: LEFT CENTER OF THE UNIVERSE amps-up the psychedelic space rock influences hinted at on the first album and features special guest musicians, including The Dandy Warhols' Courtney Taylor-Taylor. Furthermore, August's release is a limited edition, Direct Market exclusive, released well in advance of the mainstream edition and includes tracks not available anywhere else, including iTunes. MADMAN will return in a different form at Image Comics to be announced at a later date.

MADMAN ATOMIC COMICS #17, a 32-page, full-color comic book for $3.50, will be in stores August 19^th, 2009.
THE GEAR: LEFT OF CENTER OF THE UNIVERSE, a full-length audio CD for $12.99 with a signed edition available for $24.99, will be in stores August 12^th, 2009.
The RED ROCKET 7 collection (paperback -JUL082187, hardcover - JUL082188), a 209-page full-color paperback for $16.99 and hardcover for $49.99, is available now.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Buffy the Vampire Slayer Movie Reboot

The director of the original Buffy the Vampire Slayer movie held onto the rights to it after dropping that bomb on the world and is now considering going ahead with a movie franchise reboot, jettisoning Gellar, the entire supporting cast of the cult favorite Buffy the Vampire Slayer TV series, and creator, Joss Whedon!

Fran Kuzui (and here husband) announced plans to move forward with a new generational reboot, sans anything that's gone down in the Buffyverse, Whedonverse, or Comicdom; they say every generation has a Slayer and they wish to bring the current generation's to the screen. However, Kuzui has not ruled-out collaborating with the Buffy mastermind.

Joss Whedon has not responded, but Sarah Michelle Gellar did: she said the idea was doomed. The rumor mill has it that Gellar is pushing for the title role in a silver screen adaptation of the cult TV show, but that has not been cofirmed.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Captain America #600 - Alex Ross

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Marvel Comics On-Sale 05-27-09

Here it is guys, your weekly Rundown of Marvel Comics shipping this Wednesday, May 27^th, 2009:

Comics On-Sale:
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #595 (DR)
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 595 GRANOV VARIANT (DR)
AVENGERS/INVADERS #11
AVENGERS/INVADERS #11 ALBERTI VARIANT
AVENGERS: THE INITIATIVE #24 (DR)
DARK REIGN: ELEKTRA #3 (DR)
DARK REIGN: THE HOOD #1
ENDER'S SHADOW: BATTLE SCHOOL #5
GHOST RIDER #35
GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY #14 (WOK)
IMMORTAL IRON FIST #26
INCREDIBLE HERCULES #129
LORDS OF AVALON: KNIGHT OF DARKNESS #6
MARVEL ADVENTURES FANTASTIC FOUR #48
MARVEL APES: GRUNT LINE SPECIAL
MARVEL PREVIEWS #70
MOON KNIGHT #30
MS. MARVEL #39 (DR)
NEW AVENGERS #53 (DR)
NEW AVENGERS 53 BACHALO VARIANT (DR)
NOVA #25
RUNAWAYS #10
SECRET INVASION CHRONICLES #3
SPIDER-MAN MAGAZINE #6
SPIDER-MAN: THE SHORT HALLOWEEN ONE-SHOT
SQUADRON SUPREME #11
THE STAND: AMERICAN NIGHTMARES #3
THE STAND: AMERICAN NIGHTMARES #3 PERKINS VARIANT
THE STAND: AMERICAN NIGHTMARES #3 SKETCH VARIANT
THOR #601 2ND PRINTING VARIANT
ULTIMATE WOLVERINE VS. HULK #6
WAR MACHINE #6
WOLVERINE #72
WOLVERINE FIRST CLASS #15
WOLVERINE ORIGINS #36 (DR)
X-FORCE #14 2ND PRINTING VARIANT
X-FORCE #15 (MW)
X-FORCE #15 CRAIN VARIANT (MW)
X-MEN LEGACY #224
X-MEN: FUTURE HISTORY - THE MESSIAH WAR SOURCEBOOK

Collections On-Sale:
DAREDEVIL BY ED BRUBAKER & MICHAEL LARK OMNIBUS VOL. 1 HC
DEAD OF NIGHT: DEVIL-SLAYER TPB
ESSENTIAL X-MEN VOL. 9 TPB
GHOST RIDER: DANNY KETCH - ADDICT TPB
GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 2: WAR OF KINGS BOOK 1 PREMIERE HC
INCREDIBLE HERCULES: LOVE AND WAR TPB
MARVEL ADVENTURES THOR FEATURING CAPTAIN AMERICA, DR. STRANGE & ANT-MAN DIGEST
MARVEL MASTERWORKS: ATLAS ERA JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY VOL. 2 HC
MARVEL MASTERWORKS: ATLAS ERA JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY VOL. 2 HC (VARIANT)
MARVEL MASTERWORKS: THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN VOL. 2 TPB
MARVEL MASTERWORKS: THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN VOL. 2 TPB VARIANT (DM ONLY)
MARVEL MASTERWORKS: THE AVENGERS VOL. 9 HC
MARVEL MASTERWORKS: THE AVENGERS VOL. 9 HC (VARIANT)
OFFICIAL HANDBOOK OF THE MARVEL UNIVERSE A TO Z VOL. 8 PREMIERE HC
PUNISHER MAX VOL. 5 HC
SPIDER-MAN NOIR PREMIERE HC
X-FORCE VOL. 2: OLD GHOSTS PREMIERE HC
X-MEN: INFERNO HC
X-MEN: MAGNETO TESTAMENT PREMIERE HC
X-MEN: WORLDS APART HC

*DR = Dark Reign tie-in
*MW = Messiah War tie-in
*WOK = War of Kings tie-in

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Happy Memorial Day!

Happy Memorial Day to everyone - those in the armed services, as well as those who have or have lost family and friends in the armed services, and everyone else not mentioned. Because I'm feeling generous with my federal holiday cheer, and why not?

We didn't game yesterday, but it was as much my fault as anyone else's. No one really brought it up, but I just didn't feel that well yesterday; it was one of those rainy days where I never "got going." However, I did work on some new content for the site which I may have up as early as today.

I'm not really announcing all the new stuff anymore. It didn't really increase traffic and most of it is stuff I either had up before or should have already had up, so... I am bothering to spend time making it better, by the way - I just want to put that out there, in my defense. Having read so much gaming material the last week or so, my mind reverts to that style of writing, which is often superfluous. The overall effect is a good one, as it makes me hyperaware of such in my writing, and I work to excise it. This means the gaming content is strengthened - made more concise and informational - without (hopefully) getting too dense (stat blocks and so on), so it's still enjoyable to read.

Anyway, I'm not announcing when I add new stuff as often as I used to, which means you really should check the site frequently to find out if I've added content. I'm not adding it everyday (or even every week), but I am adding it regularly. If you are not a gaming fan, The Weirding covers several topics.

I don't know if anyone's open today, so I'll be around to bring you whatever I dig-up, but it may be tomorrow before anything really happens which warrants reporting.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Our D&D Worldwide Gaming Day

I told you this was not going to become my campaign journal and so on, and I'll stick to that (I don't like those things, anyway; never found one that interested me to any degree, whatsoever), but I would be remiss not to tell you how things went:

As some of you who have experience with such things might expect, the player who loves video game RPGs started out a little wobbly, but soon got into it with gusto. Unfortunately, the player who had played a few times as a kid just couldn't seem to put himself behind him; he was clearly uneasy, probably for all the reasons most neophyte players are (there is no board, no clear-cut objective, etc.), and thoroughly uncomfortable trying to play in-character. He kept cracking jokes as a defense mechanism and nothing the two of us did to reassure him he was "safe" had any effect. But he only played the last few hours; we played all day.

Again, things started off slowly, but I had him hooked in no time! We were both flailing a bit at first, as I simply had too much to read before we played and had been reading all week, so I eventually gave up on it and decided to just "wing it." That works, of course, but I couldn't bring myself to do it for everything I hadn't had time to bone-up on, so there was the requisite poring through books - what would a proper D&D game be without that, though? The eager player and myself developed a rockin' little backdrop throughout the day, replete with a few snide enemies in the court, a fun cast of characters, and even a possible love interest.

Then I screwed it all up: we spent the better part of the day establishing his day-to-day life in and around the stronghold in which he lives, and I more or less coerced him to leave it and strike-out across the countryside with his erstwhile (but equally low-level) noble companion. In my defense, I'd planned on the pair coming across a small encounter which they would invariably survive (with or without a few bruises) which would earn them a few XP, get us familiar with combat procedure, and generally move things forward a bit. That's when the disruptive player appeared, though...

Honestly, I could have handled him, had I not already been tired. It was well into the evening by that point and we did the Play, Stop, Play, Stop thing (all you can do with a disruptive player) for a few hours before I basically gave-up. I woke up ready to go though, so that says something. I just hope the eager player did as well.

Anyway, we can say we played on "Worldwide D&D Day."

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

At the Onset

Let me just give regular readers a heads-up, because we always did cover gaming, we just haven't much since we moved here (from the GeoCities site): we are still going to cover comic books and related stuff; this is not going to morph into my personal gaming journal, and I most certainly am not going to bore you with that cheap "in-game campaign diary" bullshit. However, The Weirding is largely dedicated to roleplaying games and gaming, in general, I just haven't been able to actually game these last few years, so there's been a dearth of that stuff.

That said, I wanted to mention that this is going to be one of the first truly "high-fantasy" campaigns I've ever run. Let me rephrase that, it will be a "high-powered," but not necessarily "high fantasy" game, as the Atlantis setting is no more fantastic (and probably a lot less so) than other campaign settings - it's actually quite "realistic," as far as that goes.

Years ago, in/around 1992-93 (when I'd just graduated highschool), two friends and I started a campaign. We were going to "play it right": start at 0-level and hit the obligatory dungeons to 2^nd-3^rd level, struggle through the mid-range by trekking across the countryside for one reason or another, then purchase and build the stronghold at 9^th-10^th level on land conquered and claimed, and attract all the henchmen, etc. Use all the Handbooks, Sourcebooks, and "Official" canon (plus some more detailed, optional stuff from the Dragon library, et.al.) - it was all "Official" AD&D stuff - we weren't even using any of the "Approved For Use With" stuff; we'd decided we wanted to really play the game as it had been written to test its mettle and judge it on its own merit.

That campaign lasted about a week, maybe two. Mind you, we played most days; even on days we didn't actually play, we got together and went over stuff (strengthened characters, moved items around, roleplayed through little discussions and barters, whatever). Both friends were seniors in highschool and had nothing better to do. I was unemployed, living off the money I'd gotten for graduation, and smoked insane amounts of weed.

It was a glorious time, the memories of which rush over me whenever I hear anything from the Beastie Boys' Check Your Head album (that's all we listened to for what I now believe was at least 7-8 months, though we were not gaming that entire time - we just listened to that album backward and forward for months on-end until something else came out, though I forget what, now - everybody was listening to Check Your Head, it was the soundtrack to at least a year or two of my life). But that campaign lasted no time at all because, in "learning" (re-learning) the Official AD&D rules, we had read all sorts of optional stuff, and between one of those friends and myself, we had basically everything for AD&D (at that precise moment; one of the biggest turn-offs for me in regards to gaming was the glut of books TSR put out for that edition).

And so it happened late one night that, between bowls, we decided they would go on and roll-up a Minotaur Barbarian and a Psionicist. Both classes I'd barred from the "Official" campaign for reasons obvious to fellow DMs. This was decided at probably 2-3am. We remarked on the dawn when it greeted us, but we continued to play. We played that game until every one of us was literally nodding-off.

It was so freeing! It was so much fun! These characters, who both started off at 1^st-level but were like 3^rd-level characters comparatively, came upon a small kobold keep and plowed right through the tribe to the back of the hillside! They took their licks, mind you, but they eventually triumphed; I did not pull (m)any punches (I'm the Storyteller-type DM, especially since it takes so damned long to make new characters) - they earned the win. They even showed mercy time and again, letting routed troops make a break past them, etc., so they enslaved two of the kobolds who would provide hours of comedic relief throughout the next several weeks of play and claimed the hillside lair as their own.

That was the game where we wound-up using all the Official stuff: I still have reams of notes from that campaign - everything from what is in which room to what the weather was like (and would have been like) for weeks on-end. Of course, Minotaurs and Psionicists are rarely PCs and enslavement of any sentient being is generally frowned upon and kobolds are perceived as being "weak" and so on in like fashion. No matter; that was the most fun I've ever had from a D&D game in my life, and remains so to this day.

That's why this time, when the 1^st-level Mage randomly rolled a Griffon as a flying mount (with accompanying Non-Weapon Proficiencies, tack, and barding), I said, "Take it." He also rolled "Well-to-Do" status (UMC - UA, p.82) with its bonus NWP (Etiquette) and 150% max starting money, as well as a Noble companion. And I let it all in. The Acolyte of War rolled UMC, along with several ranks of Riding: Land-Based (along with a mount, tack, barding, and Handling), as well as Religion at no cost, and ranks in several other skills. He can also Incite Berserker Rage and is Specialized in (WS:)Broadsword.

Technically, this makes both of them a bit (just a little bit) above the general 1^st-level character in almost any campaign - especially one using Tournament rules (which I do suggest, if you game regularly) - but it's perfect for us. I have no idea how long this will last, I have no idea what to expect; one of them has never played tabletop before, but is a big RPG video game junkie and seemed to really get into making his character, and the other hasn't played since he was a kid. And since I use the same character generation rules for all characters, anyone who joins in will be equally adept.

So I grabbed Check Your Head from the closet and set it on repeat, then grabbed Dark Races (Mayfair) and looked-up "kobold." Life's too fucking short to quibble over "Official" rules and whether or not a Halfling Guardian female is as strong as a male and shit.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Campaign Kick-Off

The much-vaunted AD&D campaign kicks-off today, which is fitting, as it is "Worldwide D&D Day" according to maker, Wizards of the Coast. To kick-off the release of Monster Manual 4e, they are giving participants a copy of their pregenerated character sheet and miniature, should they find a participating dealer (who gets to host the event in his store, run the module, and keep it). Well, good luck with that and all, but I'm sitting on literally 25 years' worth of D&D shit, so I feel certain I can cobble a system that works for me and doesn't require several hundred dollars to get started.

A lot of hardcore gamers deride AD&D with (some) good reason(s). After all, RoleMaster is a much better system... if you can figure it out (it really is easier once you get started, but getting to that point literally takes hours - just generating a character is a full session!). Warhammer FRP is a better system and setting - especially if you prefer realism and/or literary "realism" (it's based almost solely on Medieval history, legend, and fairy/folk tales). But the truth is that AD&D is so old, so venerable, and so well-known/-supported that you can either find rules for any style of play or crib them together yourself from any number of play-aids and magazines every erstwhile gamer has picked up over the years. At one point, almost every game on the market was based on the AD&D system or provided conversion rules for it, so no matter the "flavor," style, mood, tone, atmosphere, et.al., you are going for, AD&D can be bent to it... Again, the detractors do have a point, because no matter how much you dress it up, you know when you pick up that d20 that "it's D&D."

That said, I gave-in a couple days ago and decided to set the campaign in Atlantis. I picked up the Bard Games supplement years ago for Bill Sienkiewicz' art (and instantly became a fan of P.D. Breeding-Black's) and even got into it at some point (it's filled with notes in the margins, underlined passages, and maps, etc.), but never actually used it. I'm sure I got on one of my kicks and decided I was going to do something with it and it never panned-out, but the guys were over here all day yesterday, buying equipment and populating spellbooks, so the game's definitely a go this time.

So, as I've been saying, this game is based on a slew of third-party supplements I've had for years and never used - mostly because TSR/WotC covered every aspect of 2^nd-Ed. with Handbook after Handbook, Dragon articles, et.al., meaning your third-party supplements and handcrafted classes and errata were "unofficial." Further, I have most of the 2^nd-Ed. Handbooks (along with at least two milkcrates full of Dragon), so it's interesting, throwing together a bit from this and that and just going with it. Even better, the box with my Monster Manual and Greyhawk books is not here, so I have to use creatures as they are written in these sourcebooks or 1^st-Ed. MM; I probably would have just gone with Greyhawk and the 2^nd-Ed. Monster Manual, had they been here, so I'm glad they aren't.

I'm blogging the routine as it goes, largely because I've never read/seen anyone else cover it. There has to be at least a handful of DMs and players out there with some of this material, yet I have never read or heard anyone talk about using the old Role-Aids supplements or Bard Games' Atlantis setting (The Arcanum rules supporting it use a 3d6 system, but provide copious details on many subjects, including herbs, Alchemy, magic circles, et.al.). Again, most of this stuff was eventually covered within the AD&D system either by the company or Web creators, and I am making full use of those materials as well, but a lot of that stuff is pretty keyed to use in "Official" games and settings - you can use them independently, but they often refer to the Flanaess (Greyhawk) or "across the Realms" (Forgotten Realms), etc., so I'm going to use the stuff in these great supplements and see what we come up with.

More to come...

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Tim Gunn Dons Tony Stark's Suit

Fashion mogul, Tim Gunn (of TV's Project Runway), will don the Iron Man suit in an upcoming Marvel Comics mini-series featuring the TV host and fashion critic. The too-cleverly titled Models, Inc. begins during New York's Fashion Week and co-stars Mary Jane Watson/Parker (now billed sans last name) and Patsy Walker (the current, tough-as-nails-but-twice-as-hot "babe" of the MU, Hellcat), as well as Millicent Collins, aka Millie the Model - the latter of whom starred in her own comics series back in the 1940s.

I don't guess we'll be giving much away to tell you that Gunn dons the suit to save the day. Of course, this is one of those that could go either way: each and every one could be worth something 10-20 years from now for the same reason they could all be worth less than cover: it features Tim Gunn, a fashion dude who would not be known outside that rather secular world were it not for the advent of reality TV, which is almost certainly a fad of the 2000-2010 decade.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Mark Gruenwald's Legacy

Print, in particular, has a way of memorializing real people in such a way that they never seem to die. It makes heroes of criminals and legends of cowards, but most of all, it makes it damned hard to tell fact from fiction. In Mark Gruenwald's case, the whole thing is true:

Renowned for his mastery of Marvel lore, Gruenwald worked in most capacities throughout his career in Comicdom: writer, penciller, editor, et.al. But he found his real calling in, according to most, the 12-issue limited series, Squadron Supreme; he is otherwise best known for his decade-long run on Captain America.

When Gruenwald suffered an unexpected heart attack at the young age of 43, most colleagues and co-workers first thought the reports of his death "greatly exaggerated," as Mark (or "Grueny," as he was sometimes called) was almost as well-known for his practical jokes as for his expansive knowledge of all things Marvel. But it was no joke; Grueny had, in fact, died.

His last request was to have his ashes ground into the ink used to print the tradepaperback edition of Squadron Supreme. About 4,000 copies were printed.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Captain America #50

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

X-Men Forever Door Poster by Jim Lee

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

An Old Person's Guide to Acronyms

So I'm whizzing along in my little AD&D throwback when I keep seeing posts about "OD&D." Being 34 and having played RPGs, and AD&D in particular, since I was about 10 or so, I naturally assumed this meant Oriental Dungeons & Dragons. Because, you know, that's what it used to mean! Apparently, it now means "Original D&D." And not even that; it actually means Original Advanced Dungeons & Dragons.

For those of you what do not know, there is a huge difference in all of these. Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) is a very basic game - insofar as any roleplaying game can be considered "basic" - comparatively speaking, anyway (compared to Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, I should clarify). It deals with all of the same concepts and has a lot of the same material, but it is handled differently; while spells, monsters, items, et.al. may have the same names, they are not the same items and do not work the same way in both versions.

AD&D is exactly that: an advanced version of Dungeons & Dragons. It brings all sorts of extras, errata, and further details to the entire game and milieu. In D&D, you have a warhorse; in AD&D, you have a warhorse with barding and equipment that has its own characteristics, can be exhausted and/or fatigued, needs at least 3x more food and water than you each day, and so on. Basic D&D is very much a game, where AD&D is more concerned with roleplaying and character immersion - that is, getting so "into character" and the game itself that you develop the suspension of disbelief writers strive to create and maintain.

Oriental Dungeons & Dragons is also a misnomer since, once again, it is actually Oriental Advanced D&D, but for decades, you knew that when you saw the "O" in front of the D&D, it referred to Oriental. Now, thanks to the Interweb, OGL, SRDs, TSR's collapse and purchase by Hasbro, et.al., OD&D means "original AD&D," which refers to the 1^st-Ed ruleset.

When you used to have to call BBSes to network with others over the computer and you went into chatrooms - and this remained true well into the AOL days - "AFK" is what you typed whenever you would be Away From Keyboard, that is, you would be unable to respond for an extended period but you were coming back. "BRB" meant BathRoom Break, denoting that you would be AFK for just a few moments. Now, everyone just uses BRB to mean "Be Right Back" - whether that means [in a few moments] or [next week].

Get this one: "FTW" now means For The Win.

Now how many times do you think I've said "FTW" and someone else has thought, "FTW? WTF does he mean by that?"

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Spider-Man 3 Actress Found Dead

28-year old Lucy Gordon, who appeared in Spider-Man 3, was found dead in Paris. The British actress took her own life, but an autopsy will be performed. Lucy Gordon was only two days away from her 29^th birthday. Lucy Gordon portrayed reporter, Jennifer Dugan, in Spider-Man 3.

Gordon was discovered hanging from the ceiling in her Paris apartment. Some reports say authorities are not seeking anyone in connection with it; it was very clear that it was a suicide. Other reports do not go so far, stating it "appears" to have been a suicide.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Collision Repair

If you have ever been in a wreck, you know what a hassle the whole thing can be. Insurance agents calling, waiting for them to come out and give you an estimate, having to use a rental car in the meantime, or - worse yet - not having any means of transportation at all in the interim! Often, one of the biggest problems is finding a good mechanic or auto body shop to work on your vehicle.

There is a great auto body shop anaheim, California residents can use, and it is in the insurance approved network. If you are in the area, it is definitely worth it to check them out. Even better, use them to keep your auto in top condition before you need them! Many insurance companies will pay for this, or at least give you some break(s) for doing so on your own.

Find out more by following the link above and contacting your insurance company.

RIP - Wayne Allwine, Voice of Mickey Mouse

Wayne Allwine, the voice of Walt Disney's distinctly American icon, Mickey Mouse, since 1977 has died at age 62 of complications from diabetes. He passed away in the presence of his wife, who, fittingly, provided the voice of Minnie Mouse.

Allwine was the third person to voice the cartoon character, following Walt Disney himself, then Jimmy MacDonald. Wayne Allwine began voicing Mickey Mouse in 1977, though he had worked for the corporation since 1966, having started in the mailroom. He lent his talents to Mickey in both Mickey's Christmas Carol and Who Framed Roger Rabbit. He won an Emmy in 1986 for sound editing on Amazing Stories.

Allwine's voice can still be heard at the many Disney theme parks around the world.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Worldwide D&D Game Day

This Saturday, May 23^rd, is the second annual Worldwide Dungeons & Dragons Game Day. Follow this link to the Wizards of the Coast page detailing the event to download a list of participating retailers. If there is one near you, every player takes home the character sheet and a miniature of the pregenerated character they portrayed; DMs also get the adventure. You can get a sneak peek of the adventure at the link above.

This is all to promote the release of Monster Manual 2 for 4^th-Edition. Yes, there is now a 4^th-Edition; Gary Gygax is probably rolling over in his grave now, poor guy...

Interestingly, players currently running 3.5 are saying the same things we all did before the 2^nd-Edition came out. More or less, they're wondering why WotC is trying to "fix something that ain't broke," and why they think gamers who have already shelled-out hundreds of dollars on previous versions' books, adventures, settings, and supplements should have to do so again.

Some of them noted that WotC said the 4^th-Ed. was a "streamlining" of the copious rules for 3.5 and fewer books would be published for it. DON'T BELIEVE IT! They said the same thing of 2^nd-Ed. and it had far more books than 1^st; that's why I never bothered with any of the later versions. And, reading others' comments as to that, it seems there were far more rules and "clarifications" for those than for 2^nd; after all, why was there even a version 3.5?

Right now, I am simply trying to make sense of a few things between the first two editions. After all, WotC (then TSR) made sure to put anything that was in a single 1^st-Ed. book into five or seven Handbooks. Unearthed Arcana was basically the AD&D Companion book and it contains all sorts of stuff for campaigning in general; every piece of that book was handled in just under 10-12 different Handbooks. I've mentioned before how harangued I was when I spent hours, even days, porting my favorite races, classes, rules, et.al. from 1^st- to 2^nd-Ed., only to find out TSR had already covered it in a Handbook I didn't have; I'm not willing to go through that again.

Furthermore, WotC would get huge props from me if they were to provide conversion charts between systems/editions. By this point, far from hurting their sales, I think it would only help them! After all, it would be the perfect way to show just how streamlined the new edition is; prove to me that this new edition is worth shelling-out over $100 for - just for the very basic books needed - and I'll certainly consider it. So they take a small hit on the hundreds of supplementary books they have planned? They would damn sure sell more core books than they have before!

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Yesterday

Well, I fell asleep, but I stayed up far longer than it may have seemed. The truth is that yesterday was just plain slow. I mean, nothing was going on. Today started out just slightly better, mainly because of the reality show winners thing... which I don't really cover.

I can tell you this much: CBS picked up Medium after NBC canceled it. Medium is made by CBS productions, so there was talk that this might happen. People are wondering if another network will pick up My Name is Earl (also canceled by NBC). But I have to admit, like others, I had no idea Earl was even in trouble! And Patrick Swayze is alive and well. And the Olympics girl won Dancing With the Stars.

The AD&D campaign has yet to take off. A lot of it is my fault. While the guy I'm running it for has slacked-off and is avoiding finishing his character (he needs to buy equipment and choose - and roll for - his spells), I have also found it hard to get into for no good reason. Honestly, I am just not getting into it like I thought I would.

Part of the problem is the editions: it's been so long since I even looked at these books, I can't figure them out. The Cavalier and Barbarian Warrior Kits are so far removed from the classes in Unearthed Arcana that, frankly, I'm stumped! I want Barbarians to be able to hit monsters which can only be hit by magical items; I want Cantrips to be cantrips and not just some random, pointless glamours; etc.

Now, I have all the 1^st-Ed. resources to make this happen, but I'm using the 2^nd-Ed. rules, and I don't want to screw the whole campaign by ignoring game balance and so forth. The truth is that I just don't feel like doing all the conversion! I don't feel like sitting there for hours on-end, poring through the many books, parsing the tables, doing the math, and everything else. I mean, I haven't even mentioned the 3+ milkcrates of Dragon magazines, or the many 3^rd-party supplements...

I also have 3.5, but I've never read it and that's just more... just another headache. Most of the stuff I have is for one or both of the first two editions, both of which I know, so I'm sticking with that. If I can keep from succumbing to this medicine which keeps knocking me out at midday, maybe I can get some of it done; I actually do feel like fooling with it a little bit, now that I've discussed it.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

What Would You Do Without AC?

I still do not have air conditioning. I know my landlord has to provide one by law, but it's been getting down into the 40s overnight this week, so even though the days sometimes get into the 80s, it really isn't an issue yet. Goodness knows, I had to fight to get a refrigerator in here (they finally moved one in yesterday... that's a whole other story)!

I did not turn on the gas because it costs so much, not to mention the ongoing price of gas; I decided to use all electric. I am going to need an electric heater, if I stay here through the winter. And I still need a humidifier, because mine went bust.

If you follow that link I provided, you can get all of these things (and much more) right there at Aircon 24/7 - air conditioners, electric heaters, humidifiers, dehumidifiers, and much more! Check it out.

Brian Reed Podcast

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Bluewater Brings Us Biden, Bo, and Obama

President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, and First Dog Bo Obama will be the next subjects featured in comic books from Bluewater Productions.

President Obama and Vice President Biden will be the newest additions to the Political Power biographical series that showcases influential people in politics. Bo will star in his own comic book written for children.

Political Power: Barack Obama was painted by award-winning artist Azim Akberali and written by Chris Ward. The book will be available in August featuring two different covers. Barack Obama’s story inspired a nation, but you’ve never seen it told like this.

Political Power: Joe Biden was written by Wey-Yuih Loh and drawn by Jonathan Rector. The cover was drawn by Vinnie Tartamella. It will be released in September. Political Power: Joe Biden takes a close look at one of the toughest journeys in American politics, exploring his earlier years as a US senator and the emotional rollercoaster he faced in becoming America's youngest member of congress.

Also scheduled for release in September is Puppy Power: Bo Obama, written by Paul J. Salamoff and drawn by Emmy Award-winning Disney and Warner Brothers artist Keith Tucker. In his book, Bo gives children an insider’s look at the White House. Readers will discover who is the real "top dog" in Washington. There will also be two covers for the Puppy Power: Bo Obama comic by Female Force: Michelle Obama artist Joshua Labello and Keith Tucker.

Popular demand for the first two comic books in Bluewater’s Female Force series, featuring Hillary Clinton and Sarah Palin, sent both titles into a third printing. The latest installment, about Michelle Obama, is headed for a second printing.

Two more political biographies, featuring Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice, are in production and scheduled for release in the coming months.


© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Rare Coins

Obviously, we deal mainly with comic books, games, and other collectibles - however, the very first collecting hobby I got into was coins. I vividly remember my father and I poring over pennies in a great big jug, looking for specific dates, codes, and so forth. I had gotten a book from Woolworth's (yes, it was that long ago) which had the holes for each coin, titled by the date and mint code. We found quite a few of them, though the steel pennies from the War proved elusive.

Those who kept up with the hobby moved quickly into larger denominations and greater finds. But I doubt any of them were aware of Monaco - at least not until they developed a large collection. But Monaco is your source for rare silver coins and much more. They are members of all the big collectives - the Professional Numismatic Guild, the American Numismatic Association, The National Silver Dollar Round Table, and many more.

All collections are fun to hunt for and complete, though we comic book guys tend to think of our hobby as the best (after all, what can you do with coins and ballcards? - Nothing! Just nothing!)... then again, not everyone wants to read about superheroes in their underwear and such.

Marvel Comics Shipping 05-20-09

Here is your weekly Rundown of Marvel Comics hitting shelves this week, Wednesday, May 20^th, 2009. I know we missed a week (again) recently and I apologize, but the move pushed everything back. We promise to try harder not to let it happen again!

Comics On-Sale:
AGENTS OF ATLAS #5 (DR)
AGENTS OF ATLAS #5 MCGUINNESS VARIANT (DR)
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #594
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN FAMILY #6
CAPTAIN AMERICA #50
DARK REIGN: FANTASTIC FOUR #3 (DR)
FANTASTIC FORCE #2
FANTASTIC FOUR #566
HULK #12
HULK #12 MCGUINNESS VARIANT
HULK #12 ADAMS WRAPAROUND VARIANT
MARVEL ADVENTURES THE AVENGERS #36
MARVEL MYSTERY COMICS 70TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL
MARVEL MYSTERY COMICS 70TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL MARTIN VARIANT
MARVEL TRIPLE ACTION #2
PLANET SKAAR PROLOGUE ONE-SHOT
PUNISHER #5 (DR)
PUNISHER 5 MCKONE (DR)
SAVAGE SHE-HULK #1 2ND PRINTING VARIANT (DR)
SKRULL KILL KREW #2 (DR)
SKRULL KILL KREW #2 KIRKHAM VARIANT (DR)
SOLEIL: YTHAQ - NO ESCAPE #2
TERROR, INC. - APOCALYPSE SOON #2
THUNDERBOLTS #132 (DR)
TIMESTORM 2009/2099 #2
UNCANNY X-MEN #510
UNCANNY X-MEN #510 CAMPBELL VARIANT
WOLVERINE NOIR #2
WOLVERINE NOIR #2 CALERO VARIANT
WOLVERINE WEAPON X #2
WOLVERINE WEAPON X #2 DJURDJEVIC COVER
X-MEN FOREVER ALPHA #1
X-MEN FOREVER ALPHA #1 VARIANT COVER

Collections On-Sale:
MOON KNIGHT VOL. 4: DEATH OF MARC SPECTOR TPB
NYX: NO WAY HOME PREMIERE HC
PUNISHER WAR JOURNAL VOL. 5: SECRET INVASION TPB
PUNISHER WAR JOURNAL VOL. 5: SECRET INVASION TPB (DM ONLY)
THOR VISIONARIES: WALTER SIMONSON VOL. 2 TPB (NEW PRINTING)
ULTIMATE GALACTUS TRILOGY TPB
WAR OF KINGS: ROAD TO WAR OF KINGS TPB
YOUNG X-MEN VOL. 2: BOOK OF REVELATIONS TPB

*DR = Dark Reign tie-in
*MW = Messiah War tie-in
*WOK = War of Kings tie-in

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Early Day Yesterday

Sorry about that. I had to run and do some things early-on and expected to get right back to work, but my body had other ideas; I literally slept all day yesterday until this morning! I really didn't feel like getting up today, but I knew that was because I'd slept for so long.

The days have been pretty warm here, but the nights are still really cold and I have no heat. I have a little toaster oven that I turn on for a little heat - and that's all it is: a little heat. Still, I have several blankets, so it's not that bad.

What is bad is having no fridge. I stopped by and talked to the nasty landlady yesterday, who reminded me once again how her 90+ year-old husband had died two weeks ago. That's no excuse, seeing as how they knew I was moving in over a week before I did; it's just an excuse. I can't buy any food and can't fix any. I've living on box doughnuts, PB&J, and ramen noodles. Truly, it's enough to make you sick!

Anyway, I am also putting together an AD&D campaign. The neighbor seemed to lose interest once he realized how much math and so on was involved, but he also went home to play Final Fantasy X. If that's as much as it inspired him to do, then maybe it's all for the best; still, I'm going to put this thing together and let it gel. The longer I have before we play, the more detail I can inject in it, the better the game will be when we finally do play, and that may make all the difference in the world.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Wolverine #73 - Second-Printing

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

College in Your Underwear

This blog post is based on information provided by Blogitive. For more information, please visit Blogitive.com.

I am a little torn here, because American highschools do not teach kids what they need to know to survive in the Real World; they teach them what they need to know to pass tests. It is a controversial issue which deserves real action, not more discussion. Still, there are a lot of students who simply cannot afford to go to a traditional college, and I feel American highschools fail them.

Other people cannot afford the commute and/or come close to killing themselves working a job (or more than one job) to help pay their college costs. Traditional colleges can be cost-prohibitive, too time-consuming, too far away... there are all sorts of reasons a student otherwise well-qualified might not be able to attend a brick and mortar college.

However, these days, you can always get your degree online and Capella is one of the leaders, having been in the business for over a decade now. Jeanie McGuire, who got her Masters from Capella and founded Project Unity, just received the 2009 Sunny Andrews Award for her commitment to social work. Capella alumni work in many prestigious positions throughout the world - both online and off-.

So whatever your reason for not attending a brick and mortar college, Capella is always there.

Terminator on Your iPhone

MAY 14, MILWAUKIE, OR—In celebration of the 25^th anniversary of The Terminator, Big Head Games and Dark Horse Comics are proud to release this heart-pounding, shoot-everything homage to the movie that started it all. The Terminator for iPhone and iPod Touch is an explosive, top-down, all-action shooter game with an episodic Story Mode and endless Quick Play Mode.

Features:

• Bigger and badder weapons, from Gatling guns to bazookas.
• Two extreme game modes for a lasting game experience: In Quick Play Mode, rescue fallen soldiers. In Story Mode, play as Kyle Reese taking on challenging missions.
• T-800s and Hunter Killer Tanks from the original movie along with an array of new foes.
• Multiple control modes and auto-targeting options to match game play to every skill level.
• Pounding soundtrack and SFX—play this game with headphones for a film-like experience.
• Two parts: look out for an imminent update taking you below ground to take on the machines in their home ground.

"From the very beginning, Dark Horse has provided fans with top-notch entertainment experiences, whether in comics, on screen, or, most recently, on the iPhone. We feel our relationship with Big Head Games will do just that for fans of both The Terminator and mobile gaming."

Big Head’s business director, Dave Vout, states, "We are extremely excited to be bringing one of the world’s top movie and game franchises to the iPhone/iPod Touch. Combining Dark Horse Comics' extensive catalog of material and our game-development expertise has been a great experience and opportunity that we hope to continue long into the future."

The Terminator for iPhone and iPod Touch is currently in submission with Apple and on release will be at a sale price of $0.99 for 72 hours.

For even more explosive adventures in the Terminator universe, check out The Terminator: Death Valley, a comic for the iPhone. To celebrate the release of the new game, Dark Horse is making the first issue of Death Valley available for a free download for a limited time.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Chris Hemsworth IS George Kirk AS Thor

Chris Hemsworth, who appears in the new Star Trek as James T. Kirk's dad, George Kirk, has been cast as Thor in Marvel's upcoming movie. Apparently, he was first passed-over before his savvy manager convinced the Big Wigs to take a second look. Hemsworth's brother also read for the part.

Chris Hemsworth stands 6'3" - 5"2" without his face. Oddly, only ¹/₂" of that is forehead.

It's my personal opinion that Hemsowrth is too pretty to be Thor, but we will have to wait and see.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Lockjaw and the Pet Avengers - Second-Printing

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Chuck, Dollhouse, Fringe News

Believe it or not, all three have been renewed!

Chuck only got 13 episodes, but pulled the option for the back nine (let's hope we get them!), so that's a pretty strong showing. Fringe got the greenlight, but I don't know if it was for a full order or another 13-episodes. Dollhouse was also renewed - much to many people's surprise (mine included), as it has yet to hit its stride and was never a strong showing, ratings-wise.

Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles is over.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Radiators

I wish it happened less often, but I have owned several cars which needed radiators and known many people with the same problem. Radiators are an integral part of any car's internal workings and once they go bad, there is no "work-around." You have to replace them and they can be quite expensive on their own, not to mention the labor. Luckily, the Web makes it easier to find the radiator you need at a price you can afford.

A Chevrolet Truck Radiator could take weeks to find using traditional means - especially if you have an older model - but Radiators.com has everything you need and all you have to do is logon to find it! If you are willing to put it in yourself, you could potentially save several hundred dollars.

Check it out for yourself!

Gaming Tables

Gaming is all about the tables. Not just the tables in the books; the tables on which you play. At 34 years of age, I have played in more living rooms, bedrooms, and so forth than I could begin to count. In fact, about the only times I have played at a table were at conventions.

When we were young and actively gaming, we would take over a friend's kitchen and play at that table, but a round table is a little problematic - at least one person is going to be able to see around the GM screen. You need a rectangular table. And I just happen to have one.

So I am prepared!

Well, almost. I have an entire campaign world to develop on the fly, because we were supposed to play yesterday and didn't. My neighbor still needs to go shopping, but then he's done; I have the entire world to figure out, including where he's from, where he is, and more.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

ASCIIbin

Back in The Day, I tried my hand at a bunch of programming. That is actually something of a misnomer; you had to know some programming to do much of anything back before Windows became the proliferate juggernaut it is these days. Still, while everything may have moved away from the Batch file and .PIF, Java and JavaScript are becoming more and more common.

Online, there are several programming languages in use, including PHP, Ruby, Rails, Python, and many more. Whether you are a full-time webmaster or occasional blogger, you basically have to know at least something about one or two of them. Of course, few of us have the time to devote to learning the ins and outs of computer languages and everyone needs a little help once in a while. ASCIIbin is basically built for this.

Just paste your code along with your problem. Others will comes along and point-out your mistake or simply rewrite your code so it works. Code Collaboration is another way in which ASCIIbin can be employed, and to those ends, it has all sorts of powerful features, such as BBCode text formatting, support for over 100 different languages/formats, text before and after code blocks, individual RSS feeds and e-mail notifications, and more.

I know from experience how tight-lipped the software and computing geek community used to be. It simply isn't like that anymore (thank goodness); there are a lot of people out there who don't mind helping - in fact, a lot of people like to help because it makes them feel smart... or at least less stupider.

Seriously though, even if you are not a webmaster, sooner or later, you will probably need to know how to change something on your WP blog (which uses PHP). Most of the times, it is pretty easy, but there are a lot of configuration files in WP. If you find yourself stuck, ASCIIbin is th perfect place to look for answers. Check out the video tutorials to see it in action and browse through some of the comments already posted.

Brooke Shields Seeking to Prosecute Paparazzi for Impersonation

When actress/model, Brooke Shields, heard that a paparazzi had pretended to be a friend in order to check her mom out of her nursing home and grill her, she was furious. Teri Shields, Brooke's 75-year old mother, suffers from dementia and resides in an assisted-living nursing home under full-time care.

Police were called when the staff was unable to find the elder Ms. Shields. Police discovered her, unharmed, chatting with an unnamed reporter and photographer at a nearby New Jersey restaurant. Police questioned the pair and were told they work for The National Enquirer, though the article notes the journalist is freelance. The pair was released and no charges have been filed yet; the incident is still under investigation.

I intend to take every lawful action against all who were involved or who authorized this despicable act

- Brooke Shields

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Coffee & Cigarettes - An Update

I've had all day to get this stuff done and I have been working on it, but I have been doing a lot of other things, too. My neighbor gets off around 11:15-11:30 and, depending on how he feels, he's going to come by and finish his character. We will start the campaign either tonight or tomorrow (he's off all day).

It was interesting, watching him create his character. You could tell he was trying, but he didn't comprehend what he was reading. Once we got far enough along that it did make sense, he admitted feeling overwhelmed. I kept downplaying the reading involved, saying it would all make more sense once we started playing and not to worry about it before then, but by the time we got to selecting Proficiencies, he was more distant than I'd hoped. I think he had sort of given-up.

Still, he generated a great character! A straightforward Human Wizard. Things really came together during his background generation: his mom was an internationally-known courtesan, so even though he is the bastard offspring of a whore, he is upper-class material! In fact, he made three enemies in one fell swoop: he married and somehow drove his wife to suicide. Three of her friends wanted to kill him - that is, until he saved one's life. So he begins the game with a companion who just so happens to be Nobility!

I am poring through the Dragons to see if there's anything in them I want to employ (this is just too good an opportunity to pass-up!) but I'm pretty sure I'm just going to go with a Cavalier. Everything just fell into place randomly - the whole process got me instantly hooked! I'd said I was hoping and looking for something to rekindle that joy and that right there did it. I can run a Cavalier NPC with powerful ties right alongside him; no need for a bunch of convoluted nonsense whenever the little 4hp MU gets clobbered! I should be able to keep him out of harm's way long enough for him to get the hang of things (and hopefully earn enough XP for it to matter).

Like I said, he may be here tonight, so I need to go on and get back to it, but I wanted to drop-by and let you know what's going on. I still have no refrigerator but they did replace the water heater so I have running water. I have been on a pretty steady diet of coffee and cigarettes - the Olsen Twins Diet.

Sorry if this reads sloppily; I haven't slept well lately and obviously haven't been eating right.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Easy Property Management

I saw a piece on the national news the other night as to how programs about "flipping" houses and that sort of thing had gone out of style. They have been replaced by programs which show people how to get a return on property they own - and not by selling it. For example, the couple appearing in the report redesigned their basement to make a small apartment they plan to lease.

More and more of my posts will discuss the improvements I make on this rental property (in exchange for lower rent), but my landlord is an elderly woman who knows just how badly this place needs maintenance and repairs and she can't do them herself - nor can she afford to hire someone to do them for her. But mine is a special case scenario not at all common in the rental game. She has too many properties and is no longer to oversee any of them. What she really needs is a firm like Real Property Management.

RPM handles everything from tenant placement and accounting to evictions! If you have rental property - even just one - you should follow the link provided to learn more. Even if you are very active and involved in your property, RPM may be able to make you more money than you can on your own. You owe it to yourself to find out!

Dark Horse and G4's "Con-Test"

MILWAUKIE, OR, May 15 – Beginning today, G4 and Dark Horse Comics are kicking off a search for the ultimate Comic-Con fan who will receive the opportunity of a lifetime: the chance to appear in G4’s special coverage of the year’s most buzzed about convention.

One lucky winner will be selected as a "Special Correspondent" to G4 and join Attack of the Show hosts, Olivia Munn and Kevin Pereira, as well as Comic Book Expert, Blair Butler, on the show floor. Dark Horse, one of the largest comic book publishers, with titles like Hellboy, Star Wars, Umbrella Academy, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Alien, will also welcome the winner as their "official guest," granting access to their special event and more. To enter, fans are encouraged to create a video that demonstrates their pop-culture knowledge and on-camera abilities, and submit to g4tv.com/comiccon.

The "Con-Test" kicks off Friday, May 15^th, 2009, and closes at 11:59PM on June 22^nd, 2009.

Once again, G4 will present special coverage of Comic-Con 2009 direct from the show floor. Last year’s attendance broke all records, topping 160,000 people, and solidifying Comic-Con as one of the biggest pop-culture conventions in the world. G4 and Dark Horse Comics will bring one lucky fan into the heart of it all and put them in the spotlight at this massive event devoted to comic books, sci-fi, fantasy, horror, movies, video games, TV, and more. G4’s Kevin Pereira and Blair Butler will announce the winner live on Attack of the Show on June 29^th.

"Comic Con International has become the ultimate pop-culture gathering for fans of almost any medium,” said Dark Horse President, Mike Richardson. "What better way to reward our fans than with a chance to appear on the ultimate pop-culture television show with our creators and top talent? The winner of this contest is sure to have the time of [his/her] life!"

"G4 viewers are huge fans of Dark Horse Comics, and Comic-Con is the perfect opportunity for us to team up,” said Neal Tiles, President of G4. "Comic-con is a major event for our audience and we are excited to reward the hard and true comic book fans with a chance to experience the phenomenon in person."

Contest details:

• Fans must submit a video that demonstrates their knowledge, and love, of pop-culture.
• Submission dates: May 15^th, 2009 – June 22^nd, 2009.
• Winner will receive airfare and accommodations for themselves and 1 guest to Comic Con ‘09
• Winner will have an opportunity to act as "Special Correspondent" for G4 and appear on-air
• Winner and guest will each receive a Dark Horse grab bag valued at $600.
• Winner and guest will be given special access to all Dark Horse related events and signings.
• Contestants will be judged on overall knowledge of all things pop-culture, creativity, and on-screen charisma demonstrated in their videos. G4 and Dark Horse Comics want to find the ultimate pop-culture fanatic and stand-out personality who deserves this special Comic-Con opportunity.
• Videos must be at least 30 seconds in length and no longer than 10 minutes.
  

For official contest rules - and to submit videos - please visit g4tv.com/comiccon

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

George Lucas on Star Trek - and More!

I'm sure you know by now that J.J. Abram's Star Trek reboot triumphed at the box office its opening weekend. And more than a few critics have compared it to Star Wars - well, pointed-out the many similarities - and not necessarily disparagingly. So what do you figure Star Wars mastermind, George Lucas himself, would have to say about the new Star Trek? Well, wonder no more, as The Vulture caught-up with him and asked:

I liked Star Trek growing up and I've seen the new one. It's good. I liked it.

I dunno if that's a raving endorsement, but... you know, there it is.

As an official Star Trek blog, I really hate that I missed being here for opening weekend! When I finally got back online, my mailbox was overflowing with announcements. I cover the more computer-centric stuff over to The Cyberculturalist tomorrow, but I did want to mention the official site has all the clips and videos they offered us webmasters up for general perusal now. You know, by you peons dedicated fans.

George Lucas aside, the film has received almost all positive reviews. They did a lot to promote it too, which goes to show how much a part of the whole movie business PR really is. Aside from getting us webmasters and bloggers involved (I'm proud to say we were invited directly, as [I assume] were the others), almost the entire cast, as well as J.J. Abrams himself, appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live.

In fact, Kimmel asked Abrams directly about the William Shatner debacle. Abrams responded that Shatner was invited to cameo, but refused; he wanted a film based around him as Captain Kirk. Abrams said he wanted to maintain the continuity of the series and Kirk died in an earlier film, so how could he come back to life, etc.? Besides, Shatner's too damn old to be a young Capt. Kirk - and even he should know that!

I sincerely think Shatner's just plain lost his mind. It's that damn mad cow disease (Denny Crane.). And Jimmy Kimmel kept referring to fans as "Trekkers," instead of Trekkies. I mean, how disconnected from the last 40 years of pop-culture is this guy?

I will warn you: if you're on dial-up (like me), be prepared to wait!

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Tyrese Gibson and Image Comics Unleash Mayhem This August

14 May 2009 (Berkeley, CA) - Tyrese Gibson, the multi-platinum-selling R&B singer and mega-star behind Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, Death Race, and 2 Fast 2 Furious, comes full force to comics with ANGEL artist, Tone Rodriguez, and co-writers Mike Le & William Wilson in August's three-issue, action-packed thriller: MAYHEM!

"I am extremely excited to be working with Image Comics on... my debut comic book, MAYHEM," Gibson said. "Image has a long and rich history of great titles and I am honored to be a part of that history. Robert Kirkman's and Eric Stepheson's input throughout this creative process has been invaluable and I know we've produced a special comic book for all fans to enjoy."

Tyrese Gibson's MAYHEM begins on the streets of Los Angeles, where a brutal crime wave led by the mysterious Big X has the entire city in a state of perpetual fear. With even the police force unable to stop Big X, MAYHEM - a faceless vigilante with only his partner Malice and an unrelenting vengeance to back him up - strikes back against the criminal hordes. Within three issues of non-stop action, they will take on Big X, try to dismantle his organization, and restore peace to the City of Angels.

Image Comics Chief Operating Officer and WALKING DEAD writer, Robert Kirkman, added, "With the entertainment world at-large currently bowing at the feet of comics and its ideas, it's incredibly exciting to have a media mastermind like Tyrese Gibson turning his attention our way. MAYHEM is a unique, engaging comic-book experience that could only come from the mind of someone who's risen to the top of so many different fields - anxious to take another by storm. Ready or not, Tyrese Gibson is in the house - and it's going to be MAYHEM!"

MAYHEM #1, a 32-page full color comic book for $2.99, will be in stores August 5^th.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Dark Horse and Universal Have a Secret

MAY 13, MILWAUKIE, OR—Dark Horse Entertainment has announced the next picture to come out of its production pact with Universal Pictures: The Secret, an adaptation of 2007’s critically acclaimed graphic novel and comic series.

Scott Milam, who wrote the forthcoming remake of the horror classic, Mother’s Day, has been signed to write this adaptation. Milam’s other projects currently in development include Bedlam for RKO/Twisted Pictures, Ab Tak Chhappan for Paramount Vantage with Jinks/Cohen producing, and Karnival at Rogue with Michael Zoumas producing.

The Secret tells of a group of high-school seniors who play a silly prank, only to see it backfire when one of their friends vanishes without a trace.

Mike Richardson, president and founder of Dark Horse, and writer of the comic on which the film is based, will produce for Dark Horse Entertainment alongside Scott Stuber, who will produce for Stuber Productions. Pam Abdy and Jared Pfeifer will oversee the project for Stuber Productions with Keith Goldberg and Chris Tongue overseeing for Dark Horse Entertainment.

Universal’s Senior Vice President of Production, Scott Bernstein, and Creative Executive Dave Targan will oversee the project for the studio.

"Scott is a terrific writer and we're excited to be working with him on this project," said Richardson. "[The Secret] is full of scares and surprises and goes places no one will expect."

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Marvel Assistant Spectacular

Obviously, when this press release hit my inbox, I was sitting in the new place without running water or phone service (still waiting on the refrigerator, stove, and air conditioner...). I apologize for not getting this out to you in time for you to vote. However, I love that Marvel resurrected the Assistant Editors' Month (though Mr. Quesada said, "I can't afford to give them month, how about a project?"), so I wanted to call your attention to it.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009