Happy Birthday, Naomi!
You are 26 months old today, and you know your way around a pile of presents.
Final Comics Reviews of the Year
Crime Bible: Five Lessons in Blood #3
The theme of this issue is greed, and the story deals with one of the variant copies of the Crime Bible put up for auction in Gotham. The Question acquires the copy but cannot read it. In her single-minded pursuit of the Bible, she alienates allies and old lovers – undramatically.
Criminal #6-10 Lawless
Tracy Lawless, a menacing neighborhood figure mentioned in the pages of Coward, returns home to avenge his brother’s death. It’s more complicated than that: Tracy is AWOL, angers a mobster, joins his brother’s criminal crew, and ends up retracing his hated father’s footsteps. A more comprehensively bleak and compelling story.
League of Extraordinary Gentlemen III The Black Dossier
This long-anticipated volume is more a self-indulgent formal exploration of genre and literary history than the darkly exuberant romps of the past. The bright light is Moore’s cruel destruction/celebration of the brutal James Bond figure, who he’s publically hated since 1986. The Promethea-esque ending fails to impress. Good not great.
Legion of Superheroes #37
The last time I read a Jim Shooter Legion story, I was ten years old riding the bus to a Cub Scout camp. When I heard that Shooter returned to DC, I signed on immediately. The Legion is badly managed and unprepared for an alien invasion – a welcome flashback.
Ultimate Power #9
You’re kidding me: this is all you have to show for my nine-issue investment? A declaration of guilt already revealed three issues ago, and a single character crossing between universes? I don’t care if this series does lead into a company crossover event – it was a waste of my time.
2007 Montreal International Game Summit in Review
The Montreal International Game Summit: 2007 Edition
This is another large write-up of my experience at the Summit. Enjoy!
2007 in Review, Part 2
MUSIC
This was the first year when I bought more music downloads than actual CDs…even as gifts. I’ve hardly noticed the switch.
Favourite: Drastic Fantastic (K.T. Tunstall)
Is it coincidence that my favourite album is also the most recent enthusiasm? Probably. But of all the rocker-girl albums I’ve purchased, KT has two albums on my playlist, where everybody else has one. That counts for something.
Disappointment: Nothing!
It’s true – everything I’ve purchased/discovered/been given has found its way into heavy rotation on my Shuffle or in my car stereo at least once over the year.
Surprise: This is Somewhere (Grace Potter & the Nocturnals)
This straight-up rocker is not what I expected to find, but I’m glad I did.
RPGs
RPG books now occupy more shelf space than my CCG set binders, which was an unimaginable situation five years ago. Now that D&D 4th edition is on the horizon, it seems as though the acquisition trend is winding down. Aside from the fine works in Open Design and Kobold Quarterly, I’ll be wrapping up the 3rd/3.5 edition collection shortly, and then concentrating on interesting non-d20 system items in the future.
Favourite: Monte Cook’s Ptolus: City by the Spire
This ambitious campaign setting satisfies my love of comprehensive fictional worlds and my lust for well-crafted tomes. From the embossed cover to the multiple silk bookmarks to the colour-coded cross-references on every page, this book is a sensory delight. Plus, it’s huge! But the best part is that the city detailed therein justifies such grandiose treatment.
Disappointment: Tekumel: Empire of the Petal Throne
I had hoped that the latest edition would explain why this long-lived fantasy setting has such a following, but it didn’t. I’m still at a loss.
Surprise: Polyhedron Mini-Games
Only when Dungeon magazine closed up shop did I take notice of some of the fine work done at the Paizo offices. The highlight are the d20/d20 Modern mini-games published under the Polyhedron section of the magazine. The obvious settings are reimagined (pulp, mecha, modern war, monster hunting) but there’s also some fun genre experimentation (Mecha Crusade, Hijinx, Thunderball Rally), and classic AD&D campaign settings are given new life (Spelljammer, Dark Sun). If anything else deserves the hardcover collection treatment, this is it, but I’ll have to settle for my collection back issues.
TV – Broadcast
These are the shows that I set my evening schedule by.
Favourite: Intelligence and Heroes (tie)
It’s a cruel twist of programming fate that set my favourite Canadian and American shows against each other. Can’t we all just get along? The first half of Intelligence was tense and stellar, but the second act, where CSIS and Reardon’s drug empire both face U.S. encroachment, was less focused (though this act marked the return of Reardon’s crazy ex-wife, which is always entertaining). As for Heroes, I think those viewers who complained about the show should have their TV privileges revoked until they learn to appreciate what they’ve got…plus, it has Kristen Bell as a villain!
Disappointment: Private Practice
I like my medical soaps sudsy, but I could barely see the actors for all the bubbles on this one.
Surprise: Pushing Daisies
As much as I enjoy Bryan Fuller’s TV creations, I never thought this particular confection would withstand this dreary CSI-filled TV climate. I’m glad it survived to see a full-season order (strike permitting).
TV – DVD
These are the shows that I’ve watched in a single sitting, thanks to the wonders of modern technology.
Favourite: Veronica Mars (Season 3)
Even though this wasn’t the best season, even though the storylines were tuncated to match the bizarre original broadcast schedule on the CW, this was still heads and shoulders above other shows. Except for the moody opening credits, which are among the worst I’ve seen. On the other hand, the final three scenes are the most memorable.
For what it’s worth, the third season of Battlestar Galactica almost held this spot, but I can’t forgiven the creators for the nightmarish singalong finale.
Disappointment: The IT Crowd (Season 2)
You can’t catch lightning in a bottle twice, but there were sketches of brilliance. Changing the boss character was a mistake, but not as huge as approving the script for the final episode.
Surprise: Kitchen Confidential
Along with Scrubs, this show might well be the last of the good sitcoms. I took a chance on the show because I liked the producer (Darren Star, of Sex and the City) and the concept of behind-the-scenes business and kitchen shenanigans at a New York restaurant. Too bad the show was aired on Fox during the baseball playoffs – it never stood a chance.
VIDEO GAMES – PS2
I always thought that working from home would give me more time for “research” into the products of my chosen profession. I’m able to sample games, but rarely have a chance to complete them.
Favourite: Marvel Ultimate Alliance
This is the slickest, most entertaining of the Raven-produced superhero dungeon-crawl RPGs – it has all the character designs and interaction that I admired in previous games, with fewer of the interface and design flaws. This game lets you design your own teams of superheroes and send them on a quest from Latveria to Atlantis to the Blue Area of the Moon – wonderful stuff. Plus, there are no errors in the trivia game, which makes this old-school Marvel Zombie very happy.
Disappointment: Nothing
I haven’t played many games through to the end this year, but even those I’ve dropped for lack of time haven’t been dropped for lack of quality or interest.
Surprise: Justice League Heroes
As good as the Marvel games have been, the games based on the DC universe have usually been terrible – this is a fantastic exception. It’s a dungeon-crawl unlike the Marvel counterpart, and uses a streamlined skill and experience system. You start with the core JLA, and then earn points to purchase additional heroes. There’s a good array of DC villains and lots of replay value. The only disadvantage is that some of the mission pairings are mandatory, which can get a little dull. Plus, any game where Superman completely loses his cool against Darkseid is all right by me.
VIDEO GAMES – PSP
The PSP games are the easiest to play as a parent – while the kids are watching TV or playing in the living room, I can sit on the couch and keep one eye on them and the other eye on the tiny screen.
Favourite: Ratchet & Clank – Size Matters
Everything I loved about the first three R&C games compressed into one economical package. Loved the grind rails and the door puzzles in R&C 2? Well, they’re one and the same activity in Size Matters. Add the upgradable weapons and Clank mini-games, and you’ve got a winner.
Disappointment:Every Extend Extra
Try as I might, I can’t figure this trippy little shooter out. I think having limited ammunition at the beginning is what’s throwing me off.
Surprise: Untold Legends: Brotherhood of the Blade & Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords (tie)
I’ve loved dungeon-crawl games every since Diablo, but I never thought I’d find one for the PSP…until I discovered Untold Legends in a discount bin. That was easily the find of the year. The only other game I played so immersively and intensely was Puzzle Quest, which succeeds at the rather odd trick of combining an RPG with Bejeweled. The major shift in the combat paradigm was revelatory…and addictive!
2007 in Review, Pt. 1
Once again, here is my extensive list of media reviews and memories for the past year. As always, the selections and designations reflect my own idiosyncratic and imperfect taste. Your mileage may vary.
Favourites are my personal preferences. Disappointments aren’t necessarily the worst of the bunch, but they were certainly not as good as I’d hoped. Surprises are just that: items that were better than expected.
BOOKS
The biggest story of my book reading habits in 2007 is how few books I actually managed to read. Between the kids, freelancing, other media and other reading, I’m too beat at the end of the day to enjoy a book…yet reading in the middle of the day doesn’t feel like the best use of my time.
This will have to change in 2008.
Favourite: Hobby Games, the 100 Best (James Lowder, ed.)
An essential reference book on tabletop gaming, from wargames to CCGs, written by the luminaries of the game design industry. Even if you don’t like a particular genre, the essays on why any given game is exceptional is compelling.
Disappointment: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (J.K. Rowling)
Nothing important seemed to happen, but at least events are set in motion for what promises to be an exciting volume 6 and 7.
Surprise: Black Bird (Michel Basiličres)
This grandly madly magic-realist vision of the dualities of Montreal left me howling with rueful recognition of some of the great characters and improbable events in the city. Add a Frankenstein’s monster, and you have one fine novel.
COMICS
I came closer to my initial goal of reading nothing but trade paperbacks this year. I would have been successful, were it not for Boom Studios and their roster of promising limited series. I can’t take the chance that these series won’t see a collected edition.
Favourite: Y, the Last Man (Brian K. Vaughan & Pia Guerra et. al.)
I must know how this series ends! After I read the first trade, I couldn’t stop until all nine were on my shelf. As much as I appreciate the globe-spanning quest of the last man on Earth to find his lost fiancé and, incidentally, the cure for the plague that left him alone, I appreciate the fact that all the incidental characters are given their own stories in spotlight issues.
Disappointment: Ultimate Power (JMS, Millar, Loeb & Greg Land)
This crossover series between one of my favourite modern revisionist properties (the new Squadron Supreme) and one that I tend to ignore (the Ultimate Marvelverse), has taken far too many issues to tell far too little story.
Surprise: Ocean (Warren Ellis & Chris Sprouse)
When Warren Ellis is on his game (and on his rocker), there are few writers who can compete with his inventive, scathing action stories. I picked this book up on a lark and couldn’t put it down. Who would have thought the UN Weapons inspectors of the future would be so bad-ass?
DVDs
Usually, I make a distinction between the DVDs I rent and the DVDs I buy, but not this year. As with books, I’ve bought more DVDs than I’ve had time to watch. The fact that my most memorable DVDs happen to be rentals is coincidence.
Favourite: The Prestige
I think this might just be my favourite Christopher Nolan, Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale movies all rolled into one sterling event. I stopped watching the film solo so I could make Dina watch along, and I still missed all the tricks and distractions. This may also be the first film to drive me to read the book (I picked it up at Powell’s in Portland).
Disappointment: Fantastic Four: The Rise of the Silver Surfer
In the first movie, nothing happened, but the characters were cute. In this movie, the producers tried to make something happen, and failed horribly. Plus, they turned the Silver Surfer into a teletubby, which is unforgivable. They should have stuck with the power-switching plotline, which was pretty funny.
Surprise: OSS 117: Le Caire, Nid d’Espions
I watched this spoof of 60s-era spy thrillers entirely out of peer pressure. At my last game design job, the office was filled with posters for this film and for Jean Dujardin’s previous film, the surfer epic Brice de Nice. I like Sean Connery’s Bond flicks as much as the next guy, but I didn’t expect to be howling at the site of a slick French superspy throwing live chickens at his attackers…or chauvinistically studying the wrong native language for his Cairo assignment.
HOBBY GAMES
Favourite:Three-Dragon Ante (Rob Heinsoo, Wizards of the Coast)
I learned of this game in an issue of Dragon magazine, and then picked it up at the belated Quantum Cards one Boxing Day. The magazine article described how the game could be used to generate character ability scores, but that’s not how I played it, naturally. This is a trick-taking and forced wagering game that ends after one player is forced out of the game. Each dragon card played forces additional wagers, which makes for a turbulent, yet predictable, game. One of the highlights of Three-Game Night.
Disappointment: Order of the Stick: Dungeon of Dorukan (Rich Burlew, APE Games)
I love the Order of the Stick webcomic, and everything I love about the comic is in this game. Unfortunately, the gameplay itself is just too damn long. One way to speed things up is to make healing and “untapping” an automatic part of every turn.
Surprise: Pieces of Eight (Jeff Tidball, Atlas Games)
I confess: I bought this game for the gimmick value. The prospect of building a “deck” out of actual metal coins and then playing a naval skirmish game was just too good to pass up. I didn’t expect to have quite so much fun, though! The game is an elegant system of triggers and targets based on three exposed coins in the stack: the front, the back, and the coin set aside as the crow’s nest. My only complaint: that darn pirate monkey is too hard to kill!
MOVIES
Dina and I ended up seeing more than our fair share of films this year.
Favourite: Bourne Ultimatum
This is how you end a blockbuster trilogy – by building on the strengths of the previous films without slavishly following the formula. Jason Bourne looks exhausted by his quest for identity and vengeance, and the audience is running with him every step of the way. Magnificent.
Disappointment: Spider-Man 3
In a summer of disappointing blockbusters and sequels, this was the film that had the furthest to fall. The creators should have resisted the temptation to add Sandman as yet another villain and concentrated on forcing Spider-Man to fight two doppelgangers: the revised Eddie Brock (a brilliant choice, IMHO), and the angered Harry Osborne (without the amnesia).
Surprise: Cashback
This high-concept British romance about a lovelorn art student who believes he can stop time – and ability he uses to sketch nubile midnight grocery store patrons in the buff, naturally – turned into a heartfelt meditation on the eyes of the lover, artist and beholder (no, not the D&D monster). It’s also pretty darn funny, but the title still makes no sense to me.
The Transfer is Nearly Complete
Every time I think that I have every necessary transferred from my old laptop to the new laptop, I launch a program or open a file and discover a missing font, .dll or login profile.
This last attempt will do it…I have confidence!
(One plus side is that I’m forcing myself to keep an exacting inventory of the transferred software, which should make backups all the easier.)
Boxing Day Adventures
The secret to a successful Boxing Day? Skipping it.
Well, skipping it physically. I did use my sexy new laptop to put an end to those gift certificates I had received and to take advantage of a couple of online deals. Add in those items that I had ordered in contravention of the Buy Nothing rules (though I did appreciate my in-laws taking the books that I had shipped to their PO Box, wrapping them up and hiding them under the tree), then it’s clear that I had a pretty good haul for Boxing Day to go with the extraordinary good fortune of Christmas.
So why bother leaving the warmth of the hearth to butt heads and jab elbows with the crowds?
Santa Claus Must Read My Blog…
…how else to explain the arrival of this sweet new widescreen laptop under the Christmas tree yesterday?
I’m busily transferring files and applications and thanking my fantastic family of elves who made this possible.
Merry Christmas!
Kicking the Holidays Off with a Boom
2 Guns #3
The two double-crossed double-agents are still figuring how each of them had their covers blown, who owned the stolen money, and who has it now. This issue brings a paroled mobster with a grudge and an interest in $50 million into play – the more the merrier! Head-scratching criminal fun.
2 Guns #4
The motivations of the double-agents shift once again: Now they’re off to steal back the mob money to pay off another mobster and rescue Bobby’s partner. The Navy agent has a plan, but the team is a day late in taking action. I bet this story resolves without a firefight.
Fall of Cthulhu #8
Hooray, the Harlot is back! Drat, Connor (Arkham’s sidekick) is given a disturbing origin and then killed. Boo! I guess I shouldn’t get too attached to any of the characters in this series.. After three different monster intros, I think it’s time for Nyarlathotep’s plans and calculations to move ahead.
Left on Mission #5
I wonder how Eric ever coped with civilian life – though that might be the point. Emma has ensured that he’ll never really leave it behind. I don’t buy Emma’s character, but I buy Eric’s reactions to her. The series is looser and less action-packed than advertised, but nonetheless enjoyable.
Potter’s Field #3
We learn more about John Doe than before – but hardly anything concrete – when Doe meets the gloryhound mobster who trapped him. Both the mobster and Doe are obsessed with names and identity, leading to a tense conflict and even more satisfying confusion. Inaction is sometimes the best option.