While the rest of the console kids are butchering their morals on GTA IV, my wife and I have been playing Mario Kart Wii. None the less, I don't think it matters whether cut each other down with a Mac-10 or knock each other off the road with a Winged Koopa-Shell. We still yell and swear just as much. Good times.

Labels: Art, day to day, pop culture

Contrary to my post on Playground Love, this little entry shows some of the scariest images to ever be taken in a Playground.
I give you Nightmare Playgrounds

Labels: links, pop culture, social commentary

Labels: Art, comics, pop culture

The father of the turn based role playing game died yesterday. Gary Gygax created Dungeons & Dragons in 1974, the year before I was born. His death got me thinking about the old game again and the pen and my pen and paper RPG days.

For as long as I can remember, I always knew about the game. There was always a collection of kids in my neighborhood who played. It was like their secret club. I never got my hands on a D&D book until I changed neighborhoods and started hanging around with my old friend Jeremy.
Jeremy also treated the game like it was a secret club. Until I came along, I think he was in a secret club of one. He was almost obsessively protective of his Dungeon Master's Guide though we weren't even playing the game at the time. Before long we had a late night sleepover campaign going though it's a pretty limited game with only two people playing but none the less it was still fun and dark.

On the other side of the neighborhood, I was involved in a more organized RPG called M.U.S.C.L.E.S. Wrestling. Credit to some pretty clever kids, this game was drawn from the ground up on pad and paper. We had dozens of wrestling moves and managers and hit points and even cage matches. The creators were big fans of WWF wrestling at the time. It was a pretty fun game and a safe distance from the darker D&D that I was involved in with Jeremy. At least half of my friends were quite forbidden from the likes of D&D, aka "Satan's Game".


Unfortunately, late night games of D&D with Jeremy began to infringe on my afternoons of Muscles Wrestling. Word got out that I was missing the MW game to play this darker evil that they were all forbidden to touch. Before long I received a phone call from the MW club. I was collectively "kicked out" of the MW club. It was like they rehearsed the phone call ahead of time as they all shouted it over the phone together. I wasn't really hurt. D&D was more fun anyway, even with two people.

Before long the Nintendo Entertainment System brought the pen and paper RPG phenomenon to a close. A few of us still dabbled in Battletech and Robotech RPG games. We never did get the rules right playing Battletech but it too was still pretty fun.

I still have a bunch of Battletech and Robotech books boxed away somewhere. I can't bring myself to part with them yet.

Labels: day to day, pop culture

I don't ask for much from network television shows but at the same time, I don't watch that many either. I wasn't expecting anything amazing from this new take on the Terminator story so maybe that's why I'm still watching. I'm really hooked.

The story really focuses largely on the consequences of the first movie which I think is perfect. It bypasses all the liquid metal effects of the T-1000 which I thought were extremely far fetched to begin with. It does however take place after T2 so I'm not sure how or if they're going to incorporate the T-1000.

I always wanted more from the story and less of the Arnold and so far Terminator: SCC has delivered.

Labels: pop culture

It's 5am and I'm about to read the Walking Dead #46. I'm almost afraid to. It's a story I've followed closely since the very first issue. It's the best comic I've read in ages. All I know about this one is that it's a devastating issue. For anyone who hasn't read this story, I strongly suggest reading it from issue #1. In short, zombies are backdrop to a survival story where the real horror is in the survivors themselves.

I go read now.

*reading*
*reading*
*reading*

Finished reading.
The suspense is so high right now. I'll die if I have to wait another four weeks for until the next issue.

Labels: comics, pop culture

Retro Junk Playgrounds
This is a great read is you've ever played on a playground as a child. It got me thinking back to those giant play structures built entirely out of old tires bolted together. I remember one specifically in Fort Saskatchewan. There's also the wooden wall made up of pillars that I fell off of and broke my nose. I got stitches in my forehead from riding down a metal slide in a big old oil drum too. Oh the memories.

Labels: day to day, pop culture

So I'm channel surfing on the old satellite this morning and I stop on an episode of the Incredible Hulk. There's this guy banging on a soda machine because it ate his money. Then here comes Hulk, calm as can be, tears open the soda machine as only Hulk can. The guy who lost his money who should be running away in horror by now grabs his soda from the machine.
"That's pretty neat", he says "What kinda soda do ya want?"
He tosses a cold one over to Hulk. The guy promptly puts some more change in the machine to pay for the second pop. They guy shows Hulk how to pull the tab on the can and they stand there and have a soda together.

I just can't believe that this was the same show that caused me to leave the room when I was a kid because I was horrified of the Hulk.

Here's a longer version. The soda scene is towards the end.

Labels: pop culture

Disc 1 - The Final Cut (2007):

* Ridley Scott’s definitive new version of his science-fiction masterpiece includes added & extended scenes, added lines and new and cleaner special effects.

Disc 2 - 3 Complete Film Versions:

* ‘82 U.S. Theatrical version
* ‘82 International Theatrical version
* ‘92 Director’s Cut

Disc 3 - “Dangerous Days: Making Blade Runner” Documentary

* Newly created documentary: Through interviews with the cast and crew, critics and colleagues, this feature-length documentary provides a mainstream-friendly yet meaningful in-depth look at Blade Runner’s literary genesis, its challenging production and controversial legacy. When all is said and done, this will be the definitive documentary on the film.

Disc 4 – Enhanced Content Bonus: (TBC)

* INCEPTION - Featurettes and galleries devoted to Philip K. Dick, the birth of Cyberpunk and adapting the novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep.
* PRE-PRODUCTION - Featurettes and galleries devoted to script development, conceptual design and abandoned sequences.
* PRODUCTION - Featurettes and galleries devoted to principal photography and locations.
* POST-PRODUCTION - Featurettes and galleries devoted to deleted scenes, music and visual effects.
* RELEASE - Featurettes and galleries devoted to marketing and reaction including Trailers, TV Spots and Promotional Featurettes
* LEGACY - Featurettes and galleries devoted to the film’s resurrection and impact.

Disc 5 - Work Print Version & Enhanced Content:

* Including the rarely seen Work Print version and potentially the 52 min. Channel Four (UK) documentary which was the first serious documentary created for the film.

I've been waiting for this since DVDs were invented. Fall 2007 just keeps getting more and more exciting!

Labels: pop culture

The next best thing to my idea of a zombie theme wedding in Las Vegas. It's like they knew I was getting married in Vegas in the fall of 2007. The movie opens just a couple weeks before the wedding. Yet another thing to look forward to.

Labels: pop culture

Man, I haven't been to a good comic book convention since 1990 or so in Vancouver. I'm damn tempted to check this one out. I used to know and party with a lot of people in Calgary but that was years ago as well. Anyway, I thought I'd post it here so I don't forget about it.
Calgary Comic Expo
April 29th, 2007
Roundup Center (I wonder if they're affiliated with the pesticide)

One of my favorite comic creators, Brian Wood will be there which really turns me on to the idea of attending.

Labels: pop culture