Marvel Comics Shipping 07-01-09

Here it is, guys - your weekly Rundown of Marvel Comics hitting shelves tomorrow, Wednesday, July 1^st, 2009:

Comics On-Sale:
AGENTS OF ATLAS #7 (DR)
AGENTS OF ATLAS #7 70S DECADE VARIANT (DR)
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN FAMILY #8
ASTONISHING TALES #6
CABLE #16
CAPTAIN AMERICA POSTER BOOK
CAPTAIN AMERICA: REBORN #1 HITCH COVER
CAPTAIN AMERICA: REBORN #1 ROSS COVER
CAPTAIN AMERICA: REBORN #1 CASSADAY VARIANT
CAPTAIN AMERICA: REBORN #1 CASSADAY SKETCH VARIANT
DAREDEVIL NOIR #4
DAREDEVIL NOIR #4 CALERO VARIANT
DEADPOOL: MERC WITH A MOUTH #1
DEADPOOL: MERC WITH A MOUTH #1 MCGUINNESS VARIANT
DESTROYER #4
EXILES #4
FANTASTIC FOUR #568
INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #15 (DR)
MARVEL DIVAS #1
MARVEL DIVAS #1 70S DECADE VARIANT
MARVEL: YOUR UNIVERSE #6
NEW AVENGERS #54 BACHALO VARIANT (DR)
OFFICIAL INDEX TO THE MARVEL UNIVERSE #7
PLANET SKAAR PROLOGUE ONE-SHOT 2ND PRINTING VARIANT
SOLEIL: SCOURGE OF THE GODS - THE FALL #1
SOLEIL: SCOURGE OF THE GODS - THE FALL #1 VARIANT
TROJAN WAR #3
UNCANNY X-MEN #513 (DAX)
UNCANNY X-MEN #513 BIANCHI VARIANT (DAX)
USA COMICS 70TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL
USA COMICS 70TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL MARTIN VARIANT
WAR OF KINGS #5 (WOK)
WAR OF KINGS #5 GRANOV VARIANT (WOK)
WOLVERINE #72 2ND PRINTING VARIANT

Collections On-Sale:
CAPTAIN AMERICA: FIGHTING CHANCE - ACCEPTANCE TPB
DAREDEVIL: FATHER TPB
RUNAWAYS: ROCK ZOMBIES PREMIERE HC
RUNAWAYS: ROCK ZOMBIES PREMIERE HC (DM ONLY)
SPIDER-MAN: ELECTION DAY PREMIERE HC
SPIDER-MAN: ELECTION DAY PREMIERE HC (DM ONLY)

*DAX = Dark Avengers/Uncanny X-Men: Utopia tie-in
*DR = Dark Reign tie-in
*MW = Messiah War tie-in
*WOK = War of Kings tie-in

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Amazing Spider-Man #600 - John Romita, Sr.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

I Have Never Played D&D

That is, I have never played Dungeons & Dragons the way it was meant to be played.

Many, many moons ago - long before I became aware of the game - co-creator, Gary Gygax, wrote an article in Dragon Magazine in which he basically told players to ignore any product or ruling which was not "official." To true purists, if it wasn't covered by existing rules, then it could not exist.

Gygax meant well. As someone who has designed several gaming systems, sometimes a line must be drawn. Dungeons & Dragons has a unique flavor, even divorced from a setting. Beholders, alignments, the Continual Light spell, and more all lend D&D an unmistakable feel. Once you open it up to literally any interpretation, it loses much of its inherent charm. This is precisely why newer versions are often overlooked by older players; if you can just "do whatever you want" with a game, it's either completely unstable or so perfectly stable that nothing can upset it. If any game has achieved the latter, it has yet to come to light.

I can't begin to tell you the silly, even downright stupid, things I've heard from 3.x players. One had a character who was basically half-everything; his mother had been a half-werewolf, half-vampire, and his father was a demi-god, which made him half-angel, half-demon - and so on in like fashion. I don't remember much else about the whole thing, except him rambling out about 10 different, extremely powerful, races and concepts no sensible DM would ever allow in any campaign.

This guy - and the troupe to which he belonged - was precisely the type of player for which Gygax had written the aforementioned article! I mean, this game was the guy's magnum opus, so it's understandable he would be upset to see players literally spitting in the face of the rules. Except that few were. The articles presented in Dragon prove that. And later in his life, Gygax saluted such enterprising efforts when he wrote the foreword to the Netbook, Unearthed Arcania.

When I first got the game, we didn't bother to read the books; we launched right into our campaign. No maps, no miniatures - nothing more than the PHB and DMG (these were 1^st-Ed., of course; I was all of maybe 10)... neither of which had we actually taken the time to read. Like most, once I did read the material, I over-corrected, swinging the game in the completely "Official" direction. Eventually, through a lot of (thoroughly enjoyable) trial-and-error, we found a way to enjoy the game. But little of what we did was "official."

Further, I have never played an extended campaign. Ever. Never run one, never played a character in one. Yes, we used to game every weekend, but due to all sorts of things, we rarely played the same game, with the same characters, twice. I think the most protracted campaign I ever handled ran about 4-5 weeks. I had two Champions campaigns which lasted longer and a Cyberpunk campaign (featured on the site) which ran about as long.

Now that I think about it, I take it all back: I did play an extended D&D campaign. It lasted a couple months or so and the characters progressed to mid-level (4-5^th or so). But it was Oriental D&D, and that really doesn't count in this discussion.

My new group of neophyte players are moving and I may be moving, too. So, yet again, I got a Dungeons & Dragons game underway only to have it fall apart on me before it ever really got going. This time though, I'm hedging my bets: I'm going to make their characters NPCs and continue developing the world around them. That way, the next time I get the chance to start a D&D game, I'll knock their socks off!

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Bluewater to Publish Tribute to Michael Jackson, King of Pop

To millions he was the King of Pop, one of the world’s most cherished entertainers and a celebrated international icon. With his untimely passing, Michael Jackson left an extraordinary and tragic legacy. Bluewater Productions is paying tribute to his memory and legacy with a special collectors-edition biography comic coming in October.

The newest addition to the publisher's critically acclaimed biography library will trace Jackson's rise as a musical prodigy with the Jackson 5 through last Thursday's sad end. The book will feature highlights from his storied career, and cover his enigmatic private life.

"Michael Jackson's music served as the soundtrack to countless lives... including mine," said Bluewater president, Darren G. Davis. "His influence on our culture has been profound."

TRIBUTE: Michael Jackson, King of Pop features a wraparound cover and foreword by The Official Michael Jackson Fan Club's Giuseppe Mazzola, Jackson's personal friend. The issue is being written by Wey-Yuih Loh, (Political Power: Colin Powell and Political Power: Joe Biden) and illustrated by Giovanni Timpano (Vincent Price Presents). Noted cover artist Vinnie Tartamella will also provide an alternate wraparound cover.

"This is a celebration of his life and what he meant to a legion of fans," Davis said. "Although the book won’t shy away from some of his personal troubles, we try to tell a balanced story that shows Jackson as a musical genius, an unparalleled superstar, and as a complex person."

Davis noted that he initially waffled at producing a tribute comic, but after receiving dozens of emails and phone calls he knew it was the proper way to show respect and give fans a lasting remembrance.

In recent months, Bluewater has become one of the leading producers of biography comics. TRIBUTE: Michael Jackson, King of Pop follows the tradition of excellence set by the Female Force biography series.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Grosses $201 million

According to some reports, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen will have taken in nearly $400 million by Monday. Transformers 2 grossed $201 at the North American box office, alone; China took in right at $30 million; and Britain took about $27 million. Other markets, including Australia ($13 million) and Japan (unknown), helped bring the global total to about $387 million its opening week.

The Dark Knight retains its titles for opening-day, three-day, four-day, and five-day grosses. But Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is the second-largest opening weekend (behind the aforementioned Dark Knight). It also set a few records of its own, including biggest five-day return for an IMAX movie (beating the recent Star Trek.

Sources say director, Michael Bay, spent $200 million on the sequel, and industry experts had predicted Transformers: RotF to make about $130-150 its opening weekend.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Uncanny X-Men #510 - Second-Printing

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Coolio Pleads Guilty, Heads to Rehab

Rapper Coolio plead guilty to drug charges stemming from an airport stop in March. Authorities found cocaine and paraphernalia in Coolio's bag and say the rapper and reality TV celebrity grabbed one of the screener's arms to stop him from searching a bag. He faced several charges, including misdemeanor possession and battery, as well as a felony drug charge. If Coolio completes an 18-month rehab program successfully, he may not face any jail time. He is due back in court this September.

I doubt anyone here is all that interested in Coolio, but I wanted to bring you this to point-out the disparity in those other celebrities' rehab stints. You cannot successfully treat an addiction in 30 or even 60 days! Maybe 90, depending on the drug and the length of the person's habit. I am no doctor, but everyone knows these party girls' 30-day stints in posh "rehab" resorts are nothing more than ploys to avoid jail time. Coolio may get in-treatment somewhere for 30-90 days and then be released, but he will be drug-tested for at least the next 18-months.

We wish him well.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Agenda

I spent most of the other day writing about the passing of both Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson. On one level, I wasn't too affected; on another, I truly was. It just doesn't seem possible that Michael Jackson's conquering of the world - and that's exactly what it was - was freaking 25 years ago!

Farrah Fawcett's death was different. In one sense, she really belonged to the generation a few years before mine; I vividly remember Farrah Fawcett-Majors' fame and being attracted to her, I was just too young to know what that meant or act on it in any way, where kids a few years older bought her poster for one good reason. And it wasn't because every other guy on the block had it... I was only two in 1976, after all. But I do remember her, and the hairstyle she single-handedly gave to womankind.

Still, Farrah Fawcett's death, while tragic, was not unexpected. It was imminently expected, in fact. Just knowing she didn't have much time left softened the blow. Michael Jackson's death caught us all off-guard. Even worse, it eclipsed Fawcett's passing; Michael Jackson was simply a bigger star. Still, while his light may have shone brighter, Michael Jackson's fame was as fleeting as Fawcett's and just as timely; these days, I don't know that either would have reached the heights of popularity that they achieved in simpler times.

They both now seem as much a product of their time as anything else. And I don't say that lightly; both were incredible talents, but we don't really celebrate talent these days. Ironically, they both also became fodder for the tabloid press (then in its infancy, nothing like what it is today), leading me to wonder: if either had come to the fore in the past decade, which aspect would have been more celebrated - their talent ot their tabloid-worthiness?

Obviously, there is a lot of ground to cover and the piece is still... "gelling." I mean, the passing of these two icons on the same day... it's a pretty big deal to everyone my age and older. On the one hand, I'm nostalgic; on the other, it's a good reminder of just how short life is and how we need to make the most of it.

And so I'm taking today off. Most likely. Hopefully no one else will die or anything - I think we've got enough "tragedy" to last a while.

Sadly, it appears our D&D campaign is also set to end - which is par-for-the-course where D&D is concerned - as the players are moving. If I can get them both together today, we'll do a little send-off; otherwise, the last time we played was probably exactly that. Of course, I'm going ahead as planned and compiling the information, so that will be published eventually. I have a little, but there's a whole lot more to go on the designing end, so it's yet another large project ahead of me with no publishing ETA.

Jacko's death gave me pause, so I am working harder and longer these days. I don't know how long it will last, so enjoy it while it's here!

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Ultimatum: Spider-Man Requiem #1 - Second-Printing

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Jeff Parker, Steve Lieber, and Image Go Underground

25 June 2009 (Berkeley, CA) - As Warner Brothers gears up to release WHITEOUT, its Eisner-winning artist, Steve Lieber, returns to the adventure genre with a new thriller from Image Comics, pairing with acclaimed AGENTS OF ATLAS and EXILES writer, Jeff Parker, on the September-shipping UNDERGROUND!

“UNDERGROUND is a fast, tough story about people who have been pushed into tight corners — both ethical and literal,” Parker said. “None of them knew they were about to be caught-up in a life or death struggle. It’s a situation that has spiraled out of control. I’ve known Steve Lieber for years and he’s the best at this. No one can put the real world on the comics page the way he does. He draws real people and puts them in real danger.”

In UNDERGROUND, Park Ranger and avid caver Wesley Fischer is on a one-woman mission to stop Stillwater Cave from being turned into a tourist trap, but public opinion is not on her side. When locals begin blasting in the cave, Wes and a fellow ranger investigate – and a confrontation spirals into a deadly chase deep below the Kentucky mountains!

Lieber added, “We knew Image was the right publisher for UNDERGROUND, as we like how they’ve expanded the comics audience with titles like THE WALKING DEAD and now VIKING. We want to continue pushing the reading public with UNDERGROUND.”

UNDERGROUND #1 (JUL090341), a 32-page, full-color comic book for $3.50, will be in stores September 23^rd, 2009

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

RIP: Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson suffered cardiac arrest about one hour ago and has been pronounced dead of a heart attack at age 50.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

RIP: Farrah Fawcett

For months now, the stories concerning former Charlie's Angels starlet, Farrah Fawcett's, health have confused fans. As soon as one article reported her at death's door, another assured us she was doing well - even getting better! However, a TV documentary shown on NBC, Farrah's Story, showed the world what the pin-up girl was going through. Farrah Fawcett lost her battle with anal cancer early this morning, at 62.

Fawcett moved to Hollywood in the 1960s and immediately started getting work, though no major roles. All that changed when she landed the role of PI, Jill Munroe, on the soon-to-be iconic, Charlie's Angels. Shortly afterward, a poster for which Fawcett has posed hit stores - and became the best-selling poster of all time. It was even launched into space! Between the show and the poster, Farrah Fawcett was a bonafide star whose hairdo was mimicked across the world.

She left Charlie's Angels after only one season (though she returned for several episodes) to pursue a movie career. Unfortunately, that career never took-off. Fawcett garnered rave reviews and even an Emmy nomination for her work in the made-for-TV movie, The Burning Bed, in 1984. She received accolades for her work in other made-for-TV movies throughout the decade, but never won an award.

The 1990s saw the end of the made-for-TV movie and Farrah Fawcett unsuccessfully tried her hand at sit-coms. Following an infamously bad interview on David Letterman, Fawcett retreated from public life. She returned in 2005 with a short-lived reality show.

At the height of her fame, she was known as Farrah Fawcett-Majors. Her nine-year marriage to Lee Majors ended in 1983 and she began an on-again/off-again relationship with actor, Ryan O'Neal. The two had one son, Redmond.

Ryan O'Neal and longtime friend, Alana Stewart, were present when she died.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Invincible Iron Man #14 - Second-Printing

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

TekWar Chronicles in Stores Now!

The TekWar Chronicles, a new comic book series based on the best selling TekWar novels by television and movie icon William Shatner, arrived in stores June 24^th.

It is the first title to be released under the creative partnership between Shatner and independent comic book publisher, Bluewater Productions, which was announced last September. William Shatner has appeared on the Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien and Live with Regis and Kelly in support of this title.

“What an exciting event: The TekWar Chronicles – full of intrigue, mystery and sex... my favorite subjects. I hope you like it as much as I do,” said Shatner.

The first volume of the ongoing monthly title, penned by Shatner and Bluewater writing veteran, Scott Davis, is loosely-based on the original 1989 novel. It follows the story of a disgraced 22^nd-Century police officer who is mysteriously released from prison for a crime he is certain he did not commit. Finding himself lost in a world changed since his incarceration, the no-holds-barred hero, Jake Cardigan, tries to put his life back together only to be lured back into the dark world of a digital drug called Tek.

"The book is not only for people who enjoyed the TekWar novels and TV series said Davis, "I think we’ve created an intriguing new mythology based on the books that any fan of science-fiction or detective noir will enjoy."

According to Davis, the new series is grittier than any previous incarnation of the franchise. "Whether you call it an adaptation, a reboot, or a re-imagination, readers will find enough of the source material to make it recognizable, but plenty of fresh new turns and twists to keep everyone guessing."

To capture the darker mood and ambience of the book, Bluewater turned to Nashville-based artist, Erich Owen, to provide the pencils and inks, while Michelle Davies added the colors. Shatner, along with producer Craig Nevius, maintained creative control over the book’s production and embraced the new direction.

Although it will tell a serialized story, each volume (four issues) of the TekWar Chronicles contains a complete story arc. Fans will recognize the familiar themes Shatner infused in the original novels: loss, faith, redemption, injustice, frailty hidden by a facade of strength.

“What we have is a recipe for great drama and strong storytelling. It certainly comes across on the pages," said Bluewater Productions president, Darren Davis.

Prior to the series release, an original 12-page prequel story introducing fans to the updated Tek universe was distributed for Free Comic Book Day this May. Over 20,000 copies were given away. Shatner signed more than 500 copies during one event in Los Angeles.

TekWar is the first of four separate properties Shatner and Bluewater are scheduled to produce. Other Shatner novel franchises, including Man o’ War and Quest for Tomorrow, will also be adapted by Bluewater as limited series releases. Shatner is also currently developing an original story titled Chimera that Bluewater will publish.

Davis has written several titles for Bluewater Productions, including Ray Harryhausen Presents: Wrath of the Titans, 20 Million Miles More, War of the Elementals, and Orion the Hunter. He is also a contributor to the Vincent Price Presents anthology series and the author of the upcoming Al Gore biography comic for Bluewater’s Political Power series.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Two New Children's Books from Silverline

22 June 2009 (Berkeley, CA) – This August, Silverline Books, the children’s graphic novel imprint from Image Comics, debuts two all-new titles showcasing the human side of two very fantastic situations: THE LAVA IS A FLOOR, by writer Justin Shady with artist Jeremy R. Scott, and TIMOTHY & THE TRANSGALACTIC TOWEL, by writer Michael Bullock with artist Michael Metcalf!

"I was immediately impressed with the way THE LAVA IS A FLOOR and TIMOTHY & THE TRANSGALACTIC TOWEL both appeal to a child’s sense of humor, while the vivid imagery captures the imaginations of new and reluctant readers alike," Silverline Publisher, Jim Valentino, said. "Both books give unique twists on the everyday experiences of children, making them enjoyable for both kids and their parents."

Silverline Books continues its tradition of bridging the gap between comics and children’s story books for a new generation of fans with THE LAVA IS A FLOOR and TIMOTHY AND THE TRANSGALACTIC TOWEL. THE LAVA IS A FLOOR is the story of a brother and sister troubled by a typical childhood dilemma: they’re bored. Although this is not your typical sibling duo - they’re monsters living in the crater of a volcano! Using their imaginations, they pretend to be the strangest creatures they can think of: humans! In TIMOTHY AND THE TRANSGALACTIC TOWEL, a young boy named Timothy soon finds out that with a seemingly normal beach towel, he can transport himself to other worlds and times, including into the midst of an inter-galactic war!

THE LAVA IS A FLOOR (JUN090325), a 32-page, full-color hardcover book for $12.99, will be in stores August 5, 2009. TIMOTHY AND THE TRANSGALACTIC TOWEL (JUN090327), a 112-page, full-color book $16.99, will be in stores August 26, 2009.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Brian Austin Green Moves to Smallville

TV and movie veteran (not to mention romantic rival), Brian Austin Green, is giving up his 90210 address and moving to Smallville. But he can't seem to shake that Terminator; Green will portray cyborg criminal, Metallo. Though reported to be a recurring role, Green won't be long for the CW flagship, as this is Smallville's final season.

A latecomer to the series, I have been watching Smallville faithfully for the last 3-4 seasons and absolutely love it! I managed to catch about the first half of the debut season in reruns on the ABC/Disney Family Channel (back when I could afford a TV) and was shocked by the breadth of the vision from the very beginning of the show. However, producers Millar and Gough painted themselves into a corner with a lot of "nevers" and pointless, hipster "updates" to Superman's history.

While some viewers insist Smallville is a show about Clark Kent and should remain that way, Millar and Gough's exit allowed the writers to explore the Superman character. They also did away with some supporting cast members, tying-up storylines that have been dragging for years. The result was one of the best seasons the show has ever had!

Here's to hoping Smallville ends with a bang and not a whimper. (And seeing a certain farmboy take to the sky in blue underwear would be kinda awesome. Just sayin'.)

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

The End

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

X-perience the X-Factor

For whatever reason, X-Factor never performed as well as the other X titles. X-Factor showcased a lot of talent in its day and even had the distinction of being the only (to my knowledge) title on which husband and wife, Louise and Walt Simonson, worked as a team.

Part of the problem back then is that X-Factor was comprised of the original X-Men and Uncanny X-Men was the hottest title on the planet (regardless of the universe in which it resided). Claremont did not write X-Factor and I'm sure everything X-related had to go through him (well, his editors). Similar to the whole late-night talk shows guest list situation, it was something of a power struggle; Uncanny was sure to get the better storylines, villains, and so on. I don't know that this happened that way, but that is how it's done, so I figure it's a safe assumption. Whether or not this was to blame, X-Factor never came into its own. It came close under the Simonsons' reign, but still fell just short - but not for lack of trying.

A major part of the Mutant Massacre mega-crossover, they "killed" Angel and turned him into Arcangel to stay in-step with the dark vigilantism of all the other comics superheroes of the late 1980s and 1990s. They collected some mutant "members" (the mutants they "rescued") who dressed like Indiesin models and had their own misadventures (am I the only one who remembers Boom Boom?). Nothing really worked.

The entire premise of X-Factor was stale to start with: The original X-Men working as a sort of private investigation and police force, hunting down mutants and teaching them how to use their powers. Obviously, they were doing what Professor X had done for them... before they died. Yes, pretty much all of the members of X-Factor, all of whom were the original X-Men, were either (at that point in continuity, in one of the universes) dead or assumed dead and no one knew they weren't. Except that X-Factor was all over the news, plastered on the sides of city buses, rounding the talk show circuit... I mean, if you had eyes or ears in the late 1980's Marvel Universe, you had heard about X-Factor.

Yet no one figured it out. Hell, no one even questioned it!

Like Clark Kent's magical glasses, a bunch of dead people with powers similar to the original X-Men were on the news, discussing the threat mutantkind posed to humanity, and how you needed to call them so they could hunt the mutants down and put them somewhere they could do no harm. And though everyone was against the Mutant Registration Act and all the people who supported it, yaddayadda, none of them bothered to investigate X-Factor. I mean, here's a team of mutants, talking about hunting down other mutants and imprisoning them (as far as anyone else knew), and none of the teams who actively campaign against such even brought-up their name!

Finally, in Uncanny X-Men 215, Wolvie picked-up Jean Grey's scent. Mind you, X-Factor was all over the Morlocks' tunnels during the Mutant Massacre and all over the news, condemning the actions of the killers, etc. - you know, like 20' to either side of them, but the X-Men never even thought to wonder about them...

Worst of all, when the X-Men finally did learn who X-Factor was, it was like, "Feh." I mean, the X-Men basically shrugged collectively and that was the end of it! Marvel was keeping them all separate so they could run more of those mega-mutant crossover events (every summer for 4-5 years) without having to deal with niggling details like continuity or previous history.

Now Peter David's writing the title - easily one of the better writers in Comicdom - and the same problems seem to be hounding it. The truth is that the characters are just plain, old-fashioned boring. The whole thing is too familiar, to boot; X-Factor is interchangeable with at least 2340297894 other comic book teams and they have never established themselves as anything different.

Marvel says #45 is the jumping-on issue. As a recovered X-fanboy, I'd like to see the title do well - heck, I'd love for it to do well, so I'd have something decent to read! - but I'm just not sure X-Factor will ever take off.

X-Factor #45 is on stands today.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Female Force: Barbara Walters

Bluewater Productions added two titles to their popular biography comic series. Female Force Caroline Kennedy comes out this week (June 24) and an issue featuring television news pioneer, Barbara Walters, was given an October release date.

“I think these two women epitomize what we try to achieve with Female Force,” said Bluewater president Darren Davis. “It's not necessarily about wielding political power, but rather through the sum of their influence they shape the debate. Kennedy and Walters, each in their own way, have done that.”

Kennedy, whose biography comic hits shelves this Wednesday, tells the story of a daughter living in the shadow of a powerful political dynasty, only to emerge as a tireless philanthropist and activist. The book includes her recent attempt to fill the senate seat vacated by Hillary Clinton.

The Walters story follows her rise as a researcher for the Today Show to her ascension as the first female anchor on a national evening news broadcast. Her struggle for acceptance and respect serves as the focus of the book, but also includes her more recent accolades as a celebrity interviewer and the “force” behind the popular syndicated program, The View.

The Kennedy title was written by Female Force veteran writer, Neal Bailey (Hillary Clinton, Sarah Palin, and Michelle Obama). Bailey’s unique point of view narration style has been lauded in various reviews. His issue featuring Sarah Palin was recently listed as one of the 10 Hottest Comics by Wizard Magazine. Robert Schnakenberg (author of Distory: A Treasury of Historical Insults and Secret Lives of the Supreme Court) handles the Walters book.

Ryan Howe provides the art for both titles and Vinnie Tartamella, who illustrated the covers for all the other issues in the series, will again supply both covers.

Female Force offers a broad examination of influential women from a variety of backgrounds and viewpoints. Past issues include Hillary Clinton, Michelle Obama, Sarah Palin, Oprah Winfrey, Condoleeza Rice, and Princess Diana.

Also in stores on Wednesday are the new covers for the 3^rd-printings of Female Force: Sarah Palin and Hillary Clinton, and 2^nd-printing Michelle Obama, called "Night at the White House."

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Eerie Von's Misery Obscura

JUNE 22, MILWAUKIE, OR – From the deepest depths of punk rock’s primordial, 1970s wastelands through the stygian, goth swamps of the 1980s, and into the bloodstained arenas of 1990s heavy metal, Eerie Von witnessed it all.

Beginning as the unofficial photographer for punk legends, the Misfits, and later taking charge of the bass guitar as a founding member of underground pioneers, Samhain, and metal gods, Danzig, the evil eye of Eerie’s camera captured the dark heart of rock’s most vital and bleeding-edge period - a time when rock and roll was not only dangerous, but downright menacing. Eerie Von’s Misery Obscura offers firsthand insight into everything from the Misfits’ humble beginnings in Lodi, New Jersey, to the heights of Danzig’s stadium-rock glory alongside metal superstars, Metallica.

“I’ve been planning this book for 20 years,” Eerie Von stated. “The fans have been begging for it almost as long. It's been a great ride, and I’m glad to be able to share some of it with those who were there, and those who wish they were.”

Misery Obscura is not just an essential visual document of music history; Eerie’s scrapbook-style stories of triumph and damnation bring to life an era the likes of which will never again be seen. Featuring layout and design by Tom Bejgrowicz, who conceived and executed the release of the infamous Misfits' Coffin Box, Eerie Von’s Misery Obscura: The Photography of Eerie Von (1981-2009) arrives on shelves this October - just in time for Halloween!

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

RIP: Ed McMahon 1923-2009

Born in Detroit in 1923, Ed McMahon's publicist confirmed that the world's most famous "sidekick" died early this morning at age 86 at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center. Ed McMahon was survived by his wife, Pam, and their five children - all of whom were with him at the time of his death.

McMahon faced several health issues, and had been in and out of the hospital several times in the last few years. A fall in 2007 left him with a broken neck and McMahon's inability to work led to a very public foreclosure battle over his Beverly Hills home, as well as a civil suit against LA's Cedars-Sinai Medical Center (McMahon claimed the hospital botched operations and was negligent in caring for him) which was settled out of court earlier this year. In February, he co-starred alongside famous financial fumbler, MC Hammer, in a Cash4Gold ad which aired during the Superbowl. In March, he was hospitalized in intensive care and treated for pneumonia and other, unspecified, health problems. This fired speculation that McMahon was suffering from bone cancer. His publicist made no response concerning McMahon's health issues.

McMahon's big break came in 1958, when he served as announcer on a daytime game show called Who Do You Trust? There, he worked with a man by the name of Johnny Carson. In 1962, the pair moved to late night TV when that Carson guy replaced host, Jack Paar, on The Tonight Show. McMahon played second-fiddle to Carson for 30 years, until the latter retired in 1992. Carson died of Emphysema in 2005 at age 79. McMahon said he was "quite happy being the second banana" and later wrote, "For 46 years, Johnny and I were as close as two non-married people can be."

The gig landed McMahon several jobs in a storied career. He was the host of the 1980's pre-reality TV talent show, Star Search, which featured such (then) unknowns as Justin Timberlake, Adam Sandler, and Rosie O'Donnell. He also co-hosted the popular TV's Bloopers and Practical Jokes with Dick Clark, and Jerry Lewis' Labor Day MDA Telethon. When he wasn't busy with all that, you could find his smiling face in your mailbox, as he served as the Publishers' Clearing House spokesman for years.

McMahon studied electrical engineering in college and served as a Marine Corps fighter pilot in both WWII and the Korean War, though he mainly worked as an instructor. After college, McMahon went on to become a TV producer in Philadelphia and worked onscreen as a TV clown, as well as in movies such as the original Fun with Dick and Jane. Having worked as a bingo caller and carnival hawker, McMahon's skills culminated in his trademarked Tonight Show opening, He-ee-ere's Johnny!" Ed McMahon also wrote several books, including two autobiographies.

His publicist said funeral arrangements had yet to be made.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Bay Mad @ Transformers PR Campaign... or Not

According to an in-house communique Michael Bay sent Paramount Pictures last month, the director called the PR campaign for Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen an "abject failure." He specifically mentioned the fact that the first one received a full half-hour at the MTV Movie Awards; Revenge of the Fallen's only coverage there was an award presentation by the stars (Megan Fox and Shia LaBeouf). He also specifically mentioned the (lack of a) print campaign, calling it "really weak."

Michael Bay said he was waiting for the promotional campaign to hit full-swing, but it never happened. "Right now, we are not an event, we are just a sequel, which is very different. There is no anticipation," he wrote in the e-mail leaked to TMZ.

However, a more recent message was also released to the celebrity gossip site, in which Michael Bay praises Paramount for "busting [their] butts and bringing [their] 'A Game.'" A spokesperson for the company assured TMZ the more recent message, "clearly speaks to a differing stance than the former." (Now there's a guy with a career in politics just waiting on him.) Seriously, that was Paramount's statement. They added, "Transformers are robots."

Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen opens this week.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Marvel Comics Shipping 06-24-09

Here we go, you nerds - your weekly Rundown of Marvel Comics hitting shelves tomorrow, Wednesday, June 24^th, 2009:

Comics On-Sale:
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #598 (DR)
ASTONISHING X-MEN #30
AVENGERS/INVADERS #12
AVENGERS/INVADERS #12 EAGLESHAM VARIANT
AVENGERS: THE INITIATIVE #25 (DR)
DAREDEVIL #119
DARK AVENGERS #6
DARK AVENGERS #6 YOUNG GUN VARIANT
DARK AVENGERS/UNCANNY X-MEN: UTOPIA (DAX)
DARK AVENGERS/UNCANNY X-MEN: UTOPIA BIANCHI VARIANT (DAX)
DARK AVENGERS/UNCANNY X-MEN: UTOPIA LEE VARIANT (DAX)
DARK REIGN: ELEKTRA #4 (DR)
DARK REIGN: LETHAL LEGION #1
DARK REIGN: THE HOOD #2
DARK REIGN: THE SINISTER SPIDER-MAN #1
DARK REIGN: THE SINISTER SPIDER-MAN #1 DEODATO VARIANT
DARK REIGN: ZODIAC #1
DARK WOLVERINE #75
DARK WOLVERINE #75 YOUNG GUN VARIANT
FANTASTIC FOUR GIANT-SIZE ADVENTURES #1
GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY #15
IMMORTAL IRON FIST #27
IMMORTAL IRON FIST #27 DJURDJEVIC 70TH ANNIVERSARY VARIANT
INCREDIBLE HERCULES #130
MARVEL ADVENTURES SPIDER-MAN #52
MARVEL PREVIEWS #71
MARVEL SPOTLIGHT: CAPTAIN AMERICA
MS. MARVEL #40 (DR)
NEW AVENGERS #54 (DR)
NOVA #26
NOVA #26 80S DECADE VARIANT
RIFTWAR #1
RUNAWAYS #11
SECRET INVASION CHRONICLES #4
SECRET WARRIORS #5 (DR)
SKAAR: SON OF HULK #12
SKAAR: SON OF HULK #12 MCGUINNESS COVER
SKAAR: SON OF HULK #12 MCGUINNESS WRAPAROUND VARIANT SOLEIL: SKAAR: SON OF HULK #12 MCGUINNESS B&W WRAPAROUND VARIANT YTHAQ - NO ESCAPE #3
SQUADRON SUPREME #12
TERROR, INC. - APOCALYPSE SOON #3
THOR #602
THUNDERBOLTS #133 (DR)
TIMESTORM 2009/2099: X-MEN ONE-SHOT
UNCANNY X-MEN #512
UNCANNY X-MEN #512 80S DECADE VARIANT
WOLVERINE FIRST CLASS #16
WOLVERINE MAGAZINE #2
WOLVERINE NOIR #3
WOLVERINE NOIR #3 CALERO VARIANT
WOLVERINE WEAPON X #3
WOLVERINE WEAPON X #3 LARROCA COVER
X-FACTOR #45
X-FORCE #16 (MW)
X-FORCE #16 CRAIN COVER (MW)
X-MEN FOREVER #2

Collections On-Sale:
DARK REIGN: ACCEPT CHANGE TPB
ESSENTIAL DOCTOR STRANGE VOL. 4 TPB
FALLEN SON: THE DEATH OF CAPTAIN AMERICA HC
IMMORTAL IRON FIST VOL. 4: THE MORTAL IRON FIST TPB
MARVEL MASTERWORKS: THE FANTASTIC FOUR VOL. 2 TPB
MARVEL MASTERWORKS: THE FANTASTIC FOUR VOL. 2 TPB VARIANT (DM ONLY)
NYX: WANNABE PREMIERE HC
NYX: WANNABE PREMIERE HC (DM ONLY)
PATSY WALKER: HELLCAT TPB (DM ONLY)
VENOM: DARK ORIGIN TPB
X-MEN/SPIDER-MAN HC

Posters On-Sale:
HULK 600 POSTER
*DAX = Dark Avengers/Uncanny X-Men:Utopia tie-in
*DR = Dark Reign tie-in
*MW = Messiah War tie-in
*WOK = War of Kings tie-in

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Too Hot to Blog

Sorry for missing today. It was quite literally too hot to blog. I finally got an AC unit, but it's a tiny, one-room job. The holes it left in the wall changed the temperature in here more than the damned unit did! And I have two, rotating fans on top of the AC!

At the height of the heat today, the downtown bank read 96º; I do not know for certain, but I lay odds that it reached 95º inside my house today. The AC and fans lower the temperature by more than a single degree (usually, anyway), but if you figure-in the heat index before you calculate the temperature, I'd think 95º to be a conservative estimate. I also walked to the store this morning, so my body temperature was well over 80-85º up to about an hour ago. That was when I called it a day, turned both fans on high and trained them on me, and took a little nap.

Last week, the breaker in the front of the house blew; I am running every electric appliance in my home (that I can) from three outlets in the kitchen! And I obviously can't run everything I normally use at the same time, as I don't want it to kill this breaker and leave me in the sweltering heat without computer, fans, or TV...

Speaking of TV, I haven't watched it since everything went digital, which was only a handful of days before I lost electricity, so either way, I wasn't going to be seeing much TV the past couple weeks. I still haven't gotten my bills caught-up to the point that I can get my satellite or broadband turned back on, but I could at least rewatch the same movies I've seen umpteen-thousand times if they would fix the damned breaker like they were supposed to have - last week...

Pray that Blogger's scheduling function is working now so I can get tomorrow posted-up for you.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Best of Time

I am a big BBB (Better Business Bureau) proponent. Far too people know how little power the BBB actually has - of those who even know the BBB exists! And that is part of the problem: if the BBB had more power, more people would know that they can take their grievances there in hopes of getting some satisfaction when they have bad dealings with the way a company or individual handles their business. I think so few people know about the BBB specifically because it wields so little power.

But, like me, most reputable businesses respect the Better Business Bureau and that for which it stands. For these businesses, the possibility of losing their BBB accreditation is a very serious matter, and not one with which they would willingly open themselves up to. That is why, should you have issues that the two of you are unable to resolve through normal means, mentioning filing a complaint with the BBB may get you more immediate, and direct, attention. Of course, you should not abuse this tack; while filing a complaint with the Better Business Bureau is always an option, it should also always be a last resort - once all other avenues have failed, and hollow threats will be treated as such.

Alex Jewelry, aka Best of Time (www.bestoftime.com), offers the lowest prices available on new and previously-owned Rolex watches. Because they are an independent retailer, they can avoid the manufacturer's pricing controls to bring you the best prices on Rolexes that you are going to find anywhere. Their Rolexes are 100% certified authentic and carry a three-year warranty. Best of Time also offers 100% free FedEx shipping on all purchases!

But better than all of this, Best of Time is a staunch supporter of the Better Business Bureau and everything it stands for. In fact, Best of Time is rated A+ - the organization's highest, possible grade. You can rest assured you are in good hands whenever you shop with Alex Jewelry (aka, Best of Time) and that you are not only getting the best price available anywhere online but that they will go out of their way to ensure you have the best retail experience possible.

Don't hope for the best with another; follow the link above for the best prices and best service - guaranteed!

Amazing Spider-Man: American Son #597 - Second-Printing

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

BSG Star Worthy of Heroes

Former Battlestar Galactica actor, Rick Worthy, may be moving to Heroes. Worthy is set to take on the recurring role as policeman, Matt Parkman's, experienced partner. Worthy's character is described as a capable L.A. cop on whom Parkman can lean in times of need. It does not say if Worthy's character is a Hero or not, but knowing the show, he is. Or soon will be, at any rate.

An accomplished and storied actor, Rick Worthy played humanoid Cylon Simon on Battlestar Galactica and is a veteran of sci-fi fare, including Dark Angel, Enterprise, Odyssey 5, Stargate SG-1, and more.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Captain America #600 - Second-Printing

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Agenda

I am literally still awake from last night (it's right at 8am)! One of our players had to go out of town and didn't know it until he got off work last night and he doesn't know when he expects to return, so it doesn't look like we'll get to play today. The other player and I sat-up all night while I taught him HTML - as much as I could, that is. And he did learn something, though I'm not sure how much.

If everything works-out right, he tentatively agreed to a kind of internship. He's going to use his newfound HTML skills helping me with the site, and I am going to show him how to run a website. I'm no teacher and I'm still learning, myself, but I know HTML well and know at least enough about webmastering and design to get him started. Because it is so early in the D&D campaign, I plan to assign him those pages and we'll work from there. A lot of the information is little more than lists at this point and I can incorporate his work into larger page designs, so it's a win-win situation.

Now, don't tell him, but my goal is to get him to finish the Cyberpunk Glossary. The original source code was first done in Dreamweaver, then ported into another GUI when I quit using DW, and it's a real mess! Honestly, the project is too tedious for an experienced webmaster to spend all his time on, and it's the perfect opportunity for a new HTML coder to learn from, so again, it's a win-win situation.

Whomever gets stuck with the unenviable task is going to have to sift through tons of code and make corrections, and we're talking complete overhaul-type stuff! It's a fantastic chance for a n00b to really dig-in and gain some of that hands-on experience and it will free-up my time to focus on other areas. All he is going to do is format the text in HTML; I may see if it can be done in RTF, but if that's the case, I'll take care of that and set him to work on some other HTML-heavy project.

Anyway, I'm literally nodding-off here and he's long since gone home and (I assume) to bed, so I'm just telling you this because I'm about to test the scheduled posting. If it's still not working, you aren't likely to see anything today - if you do, it will probably start late, late this afternoon or even tonight.

But the really cool news is that we may have finally brought someone into The Weirding fold! This means I'll have more time to work on everything else. And I plan to make The Weirding one of the coolest places in both worlds (virtual and non-). Having another HTMLer on-hand means more new content sooner, as well as vast improvements to existing pages. There's only so much one man can do, and I'm fricking pooped!

Testes. One, two... three!?

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

It's a BluFrog World

Over the last several years, the energy drink market has just exploded. I know there are some 5-10 different varieties at my local convenience store, and I live in the middle of Nowhere! It is some 30+ minutes from the nearest "city" (if, by "city," you mean somewhere with a handful of fast-food outlets and a Wal-Mart), yet this little convenience store miles from anywhere has an impressive selection of energy drinks - proving their popularity across the boards.

Now, I am no fan of energy drinks, generally speaking. I have always found them too sweet, too strong tasting, and not as powerful a pick-me-up as a good, old-fashioned cup of coffee. They also have a tendency to upset my stomach. So I really didn't care to try BluFrog at first. I got a sample right around St. Patty's Day, but I didn't want to waste my adult mixer only to find out it tasted like all the rest, so I set it aside. But the vessel's design was so cool, it lured me in after a few days.

Now, BluFrog is strong, but in that good way: it has ¹/₂ the sugar - and ¹/₂ the calories - but all the caffeine. But the most interesting thing is that it has no artificial colors or flavors! That's right: BluFrog (and it is blue) has no artificial coloring or flavors. Already, it's healthier than almost all the other sports drinks, but it also has 100% the recommended daily allowance of thiamin, niacin, riboflavin, and other healthy ingredients - and 300% the recommended daily allowance of vitamins B6 and B12. On top of all this, BluFrog also contains Quercetin, a potent flavonoid antioxidant.

Even when I decided to try it, I drank my BluFrog slowly, ever mindful of that heavy stomach and coated throat the other energy drinks give me. But BluFrog really is smooth, and pretty tasty. I can't say I'd drink it every time I wanted a beverage, but if I needed the energy, BluFrog really would be my first choice. The cool can, low sugar, and healthy ingredients also make it a great drink for kids. You obviously don't want them "bouncing off the walls," but BluFrog has less sugar than chocolate milk or most prepared iced teas - it even has less sugar than a glass of Kool-Aid! - so you really don't have much to worry about.

Finally, BluFrog doesn't just give you a burst of energy; the carbohydrates help maintain it. Liquid carbohydrates do not need to be digested, and so deliver fuel quicker. These carbohydrates aren't likely to upset your stomach either, and the low level of sugar helps in this regard, as well, meaning you get solid energy from this energy drink - not the shaky, stomach-roiling nervousness other drinks pass-off as "energy." BluFrog really is worth a shot, even if you have to pretend you're just buying it "for the kids."

Go check out their website and enter their contest while you're there. You could win video gaming accessories or vacations to places like New York and Chicago! Also tell your local grocer(s) about the site if they don't already carry it!

A Broken Blogger

Sorry, guys. Blogger's scheduled posting function was screwing-up yesterday (it's happened a few times before, as regular readers know), so I had to babysit it all day long (and still got posts out late!). It appeared to be "fixed" at some point, because I wrote the second part of the D&D discussion yesterday afternoon, scheduled it to post today, and it worked just fine. However, I tried scheduling other posts after that, to give you a full day's worth of reading, and kept getting error messages.

I tried to manually post at least the entry set to precede this one, but my (insurance-provided) ride got here a full four hours before my appointment! I had literally just stepped out of the shower when the guy knocked on my door - and I'd gotten up early specifically so I'd have time to shower and do my whole morning routine! He had to sit out there for another 15-20 minutes while I got ready, yet I still didn't manage to get to it before I left.

I'll get the posts scheduled for today out to you over the weekend, but I plan on sleeping-in all weekend, so if the function is still not working, they won't start hitting until tomorrow afternoon. The scheduled posting routine continues to elude the crackheads team Google has assembled to shepherd Blogger/BlogSpot into new realms of mundanity... But I got a lot done, despite it; actually, the Blogger gaffe propelled me to handle a lot of stuff that had been let go for too long, so I really can't gripe too much.

I'm going to be working on the D&D campaign all weekend - it's my top priority through Monday - and will likely post more discussion on it as I do. There is a lot of new content on the way across the rest of the site - some of which isn't ready to go live, but the search engines have already started picking it up - but I'm not issuing any ETAs or anything right now.

Of course, I'll let you know as soon as new material is available, but I implore you to trek across The Weirding unattended! Because of navigational issues (and, in some cases, design flaws), there is a whole lot of "hidden" content - stuff you can only get to from one page or another for various reasons - so you never know what you'll find! And that's not some half-assed sales pitch; I'm surprised by content I forgot I'd finished and published!

Anyway, more D&D-based babbling headed your way this weekend, the regular comic bookiness, and who knows what else? Maybe a well-staged "wardrobe malfunction" will bring us a flash of some celebrity's talents? So hang-out with us this weekend and let's see where we end up!

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

The D&D Game - Preparation and a New Approach, Pt. 2

Yesterday, I started detailing some of the new D&D campaign my friends and I are currently playing. I opened by explaining their blank stares when left to their own devices (as in that old D&D gem, "Okay, so what do you want to do?"), then I seemingly digressed into roleplaying styles, my enjoyment of the game, non-gamers, and so on. But these were no mere ramblings; these concepts are pertinent to the discussion. Anyway, this post will, ostensibly, get to the point.

Playing Style

To say my current players have a gaming "style" at all is incorrect. They're both neophytes to the hobby and neither has even the slightest idea as to gaming "styles" or anything else. I could classify their approach to the game by comparing it to existing playing styles, but it still wouldn't be accurate, nor fair.

So, understand that this discussion does not assume my players are anything other than gamers - the players controlling the main characters (PCs) in an extended (Advanced) Dungeons & Dragons game called a campaign. I'm not talking-down to you; that sentence can be read and re-read throughout the entirety of this discussion, as it flawlessly defines my current playing group (myself excluded). That sentence defines every term at-play here.

As I said in the first part of this discussion, I am a Roleplayer. My (greatest) roleplaying pleasure is completely immersing myself in the game and gaming world. Though rusty, at the height of my gaming passion, I was so good at doing this that I didn't even realize non-gamers with That Face (were any present), the eyerolls of fellow gamers who preferred we "just roll the dice and get on with it," or even the fact that I was completely naked.

Wait - not... not the naked thing. That was a hot day and I was on a lot of medication, first-off. Secondly, that guy does not tell that story right.

The real point here is that I'm aiming to get my small collection of neophyte gamers to the place where we can all lose ourselves completely in the game and gaming world. However, they have no fucking idea what to do, how to play, or anything else!

The Problem with D&D

The problem with D&D is the same as ever:

First of all, it is "weird." Funny-looking dice and no board aside, you assume the role of a person who is quantified almost solely by numbers on a page. But more than anything else, there's Required Reading. A whole, whole lot, in fact (if you really want to play D&D). Frankly, that shit is off-putting.

When I first said, "So, what do you want to do?" it was as if I were hearing it from far away. I could have chucked it all at that point, as the fact that I had uttered the Words o' Doom right out the gates did not bode well, but I sighed and strapped myself in. After all, it's been at least 15 years since I played D&D - I deserved to go a little easier on myself.

Still, the blank stare on their faces should have been trademarked; every experienced gamer who has introduced the game to anyone knows that Blank Stare. I could trademark the entire posture, setting, et.al.: Some confused dude with a piece of paper in one hand, an open PHB in front of him, twiddling the "funny-looking" dice with that open-mouthed, "Whaaa-?" It's the same, every time.

I had made the cardinal error as a DM.

DM: My Fault

Notice I am taking all the blame here - it's all mine to take!

As a DM, I had not prepared them for what to expect. I had told them nothing about how roleplaying works. Even worse, I kept treating them as though they already knew the stuff. In my head, we're just scrambling together a pick-up game; to these guys, I'm randomly ushering them through no fewer than a dozen books with abstruse directions like, "The table with that sword's to-hit bonuses are in the front. Don't forget to record your back AC - it makes it easier for ambushes and Backstabbing." Of course, all of that makes perfect sense to me, as it does any D&D player; to the rest of God's Creation, it reads: "WTF? -insert BlankStare^TM-"

Furthermore, I was headed into a full-fledged campaign without the first note! I mean, I'd doodled an idea here and there, read some Dragon articles on campaign creation, thumbed through the Campaign Guide and the rest of the books I intended to use, but I'd made no actual, concerted effort to put a game together.

D&D was always the fallback. In the entirety of my gaming history, no matter what else was going on, "Let's play D&D" was always a viable option. Every gamer has at least one D&D book (even if it's just a copy of Dragon with an article for another game he actively enjoys) and most everyone we knew had far more than that. Like a lot of gamer groups, pretty much every one of my peers had enough of the system that we could pick-up a game in minutes, no matter where we were.

Many were the nights where character creation for the game we'd planned on playing ran so long that we knew we wouldn't get to game, so we'd strike-up a game of Dungeons & Dragons while the next guy worked on his character. By the time I was a senior, almost all of them were "pick-up" games, never to be continued. I have folders full of great characters I got to play once for an hour or two. I have vivid memories of saying things like, "Well, he was with [that character] and [that other character] in [that tavern in that town], but we're never going to finish that and he's ready to go, so I can use him." You'll encounter a lot of very interesting, very detailed, though low-level, NPCs should you ever play in one of my D&D games - I've got dozens of them!

So, to my mind, we're basically a bunch of grizzled, old D&Ders, dusting-off the books. Elfen Rangers and Thief-Acrobats; Dwarfen Warriors and Clerics; Halfling... no one ever played a Halfling - or a Gnome, for that matter - so fuck them. Anyway, there are a lot of basic D&D concepts you not only can't shake, but that seem so fundamental to you whenever you even think about D&D that you eventually assume everyone knows them. Beholders, the Tarrasque, the very phrase "the Flanaess," whoever the hell Bigby is... D&D is its own animal, though it didn't begin that way, and few of us Old Hands play using anything "Official."

Worse yet, I couldn't even remember the system! I knew it was d20, but all I could think of was The Problem With The System (you want to roll high sometimes, low others). All I had to do was look-over the Combat chapter, et.al., but still, that's pretty bad prep work when you're dealing with a completely neophyte group!

The fault lay with me: not only did I not prepare these budding, young, brand new gamers for the experience they were about to have, I hadn't prepared the very game they would be playing!

And Yet Another Strange Interlude

Um, yeah... about that - I tend to ramble. Anyway, continued in yet another post (which really will Get to the Fuckin' Point!)

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

The D&D Game - Preparation and a New Approach

I've had to change tacks with this new "group" - hey, two's a "gang," isn't it?

The first time we played, the sheer possibilities overwhelmed them; when left to their own devices, they had no clue as to where to go, what to do, what was expected of them, etc. While more experienced players would instantly head for the tavern, market, or the ruins on the outside of town, my players just looked at me blankly...

In Mixed Company

D&D is one of those games best left unplayed in "mixed company." Now, there are Gamers and there are people who play roleplaying games, and we've run them down before; what I mean here is that D&D is not one of those games people unfamiliar with roleplaying, roleplaying games, and the associated concepts, "take-to" well without significant preparation.

You literally have to pull certain people aside and tell them, "Look, these people don't really think they're a band of rugged adventurers repelling swarms of orcs attacking a Dwarfen Stronghold, but... they're prolly gonna kinda seem that way at first." You know? There's very little more distracting than trying to roleplay - or just roll dice - when someone like that is in the room.

First of all, it makes you feel self-conscious and that is probably the greatest bane to enjoying roleplaying and RPGs, in general. When someone who doesn't "get" gaming is staring at you with a curled lip, it makes it damned hard to pretend you're Lord Aldaron Fletcher, Noble Warrior and Heir-Apparent to the Throne of Fletcher's Hold. We experienced gamers become more reserved in our speech and movements; we drop accents and tone-down our general exuberance for gaming. Newbies shut the fuck up - fast.

In fact, many people who might otherwise enjoy tabletop gaming give-up, should a non-gamer friend or peer do that sneering thing at too early an introductory game. I have personally known a handful of people who I still believe would enjoy gaming, but for an early game which was attended by a non-gamer who either expressed disdain for the hobby, related it to "Nerdism," or chided/cajoled the newbie's roleplaying efforts. Unless and until someone becomes comfortable roleplaying - "acting-out" their character - it can be the "deal-breaker" that prevents them from joining the fun!

Roleplayer

I'm a Roleplayer - with a capital R. Some people enjoy rolling dice, canoodling with friends, challenging their math skills, or gaming the system. I enjoy getting to that point where I can completely forget about everything in my life and be consumed with everything in the character's. I can literally suspend my disbelief to the point that I can almost smell the clean air, taste the heather, and see the plains rolling out before me... unless there is some impedance(s) - such as a non-gamer with That Face.

I keep extensive records, albeit haphazardly, and generally know everything about my character one would know of one's self and one's own life. So I forgot to record the fact that I placed the gem in my backpack before my horse sailed off without me - I stay in-character so often that you have no reason to question anything else I did. Meaning to say that, unless the DM is an asshole (and/or a Gamer), the little slip-ups are more than covered by the extent to which I roleplay - if I say the gem was in my backpack, it was, and you'll know it because I am the type who would honestly admit it if it weren't. After all, as a player, I see the possibility for adventure if the gem had been lost, so I'm "game," either way.

Some people do not like Roleplayers, and I not only get that, I appreciate it. If I'm in a game in which most of the players would rather go with another style, I politely adapt my playing to fit the group's. I'll still do the character's accent when he's called upon to talk, I just won't say as much. And that goes right down the line: if I'm gaming with a bunch of "roll-players" - that is, guys more interested in wargaming than roleplaying - I won't bother trying to spark-up an animated conversation with the post guard; I'll adopt a "when in Rome" tack and kill him outright, without provocation or reason.

Okay, so I'm poking fun, but the point remains: as a player, I adapt my style to the group's. Sometimes, I find my Roleplaying style infectious - particularly in a group which has grown stale or is simply new to me - so it all works-out over the course of my interest in the hobby. Because that's exactly what it's all about: enjoying yourself, enjoying gaming, enjoying RPG.

A Strange Interlude

This all was longer than anticipated (at least in this small window), so I'll actually get to the "Preparation" and "New Approach" - you know, the stuff in the title, as in what this post was supposed to be about - in a second post.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Spider-Man: American Son Second-Printing

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

G-Man Lower Than Expected

G-MAN CAPE CRISIS, originally anticipated at $3.50, will have a cover price of $2.99 for the entire series!

17 June 2009 (Berkeley, CA) - While G-MAN: CAPE CRISIS, the all-new mini-series from MINI-MARVELS cartoonist Chris Giarrusso, was originally anticipated with a cover price of $3.50, it will now feature the lower price of only $2.99!

"I know the recent price-jump on a lot of mainstream titles has fans watching their wallets more than ever," Giarrusso said. "It's especially difficult to keep prices down on non-mainstream titles that don't have advertisement dollars helping to offset costs, but I'm very happy that with Image, the price of G-MAN will actually be lower than anticipated, retailing for $2.99."

G-MAN: CAPE CRISIS is the five-issue follow up to G-MAN: LEARNING TO FLY, a compilation of all of G-MAN's appearances to date, and shows what happens when pieces of G-MAN's magic cape fall into the wrong hands. While G-MAN: CAPE CRISIS was originally solicited at $3.50, the entire series will maintain a $2.99 price point, ensuring fans of all ages can afford to give the series a try!

G-MAN: CAPE CRISIS #1 (JUN090322), a 32-page full color comic book for $2.99, will be in stores August 12^th, 2009. G-MAN: LEARNING TO FLY DIGEST (MAR092415), a 96-page full color digest tradepaperback for $9.99, is available now.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009