Ace!

I'm currently working on a piece for Time Unincorporated, which is why I haven't been posting much of late. (I finished my contract for EVE Online, took a week off, and then threw myself back into the geek fray. Banzai!)

My remit is to write about Ace. I always had a thing for her back in the late eighties, but I think we all did. In fact, I think most of us still would stumble over our words were we to meet Sophie Aldred now. Ace was a broken character, in as much as she seemed to be created solely to attract an audience that was no longer there. A troubled companion, but whose troubles wouldn't be too troubling for Saturday tea time telly. A punk rocker who really wasn't, and someone who liked to blow things up, which really would not fly these days. The character was a bit of a mess, yet Sophie made us love her regardless.

It wasn't until the fans took control of Ace in the New Adventures that she was somehow 'fixed', and became the Ace we wanted--which apparently was to wear mirror shades and tight leather. And be much better at blowing things up.

To us, this was perfection.

For Jim Dandy

$10. Xbox Live.

Apparently, they play this on BIG SCREENS in Japan. Which is only right.

Comic Of The Week: Exiles #1

Okay, so technically, this book has been out for two weeks. But in the backroom forums I hang out in, Exiles has been getting much adoring chatter, much of it tinged with surprise. No one expected to enjoy this as much as they did, it seems.

This is another 'multiple Earths' storyline, but unlike the eye grinding disappointment of Final Crisis, Exiles is actually fun. In fact, I smiled twice while reading. And sat down and re-read it again. And still smiled.

The story is refreshing simple: alternate Earth versions of Marvel superheroes are snatched from their respective deaths and recruited to become an interdimensional strike team. Whenever, wherever in the Marvel Multiverse (which I think is the first time I've seen that term, since DC has become synonymous with it since the late Eighties) things are about to go off the rails, these 'exiles' will go and make things right. And if that wasn't simple enough for you, then I suggest you will probably feel more at home here.

Did I mention this was fun? No clenched jaws, no durm, no strang. Just a fun, enjoyable comic. Which is what I've always thought they should be.

Friday Night Geek Music Party!

And we'll have Dungeons and Dragons after!!

Jolly Says It All

And he does.

If you aren't reading Knights of the Dinner Table, you should. The strips have been a joy for years.

Driving On A Sunday To RatRoy

..seeing empty, Southwestern Ontario fields, perfect blue skies, thinking of how vistas like this formed the backdrop my childhood,and then Thermals came on. Reach down to crank the volume, and suddenly, just like that, everything was perfect.

For three minutes and eighteen seconds, anyway.

London Ontario Boom Town

This is what my friends get up to. Jason 'Mad Dog' Dickson did the narration.

I have reported their attitude to the proper authorities.

That Sort Of Day

(The above is an actual picture of my soul, taken today at 10:12 a.m. We used a special lens and everything.)

I sometimes wonder if our soul corrodes at work. And if so, at what rate? If, say, someone looks confused when Douglas Adams comes up in conversation, saying with a look of confusion that she has never heard of him, with Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy not registering any look of recognition, does that take out the foundation of one particular brand of optimism, like, say, for the future? Or if someone else points out that they have never heard of W.C. Fields, or for that matter, any comic previous to 1970? Does that buckle some feeling of cultural continuity, isolating the support beam you cling to that you are not alone in your remembrance of things that happened before yesterday, when in fact you actually are? That you are dangling from the high beams by your fingertips, reciting Three Stooges lines while the Abyss yawns below?

Or when someone says that they really, really love the Barenaked Ladies? Or they think Twilight is a pretty good book? Or that Ghost World was 'pretty stupid', or that Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist was ' kinda dull, but the girl with gum was pretty funny?'

Work is truly bad for the soul. If you have one, that is.

Comic Of The Week--Secret Warriors #3

Okay, to read any Marvel Comic requires some degree of nerdosity. To read Secret Warriors is to enter the rarefied air of nerddom, to boldly go where most would never dream. To even begin to understand the importance of this title requires that you must have given up at least 2/3 of your life reading Marvel Comics, have turned down social engagements to better understand the inner workings of S.H.I.E.L.D., (like where you find the best coffee on the helicarrier), and probably held onto your virginity longer than most.

Here's the quick update, which will mean nothing to most people. If it means anything, then your soul is lost, and has been for years.

Nick Fury has discovered that S.H.I.E.L.D. is actually being run by HYDRA.

I mean, holy FUCK! What does this do to the Steranko issues? Does this affect the Howling Commandos? And just what does this mean to Gorgon? How does this relate to Contessa Allegra de Fontaine? What is Nick Fury's plan? How long will his new team of Secret Warriors last before they end being killed by HYDRA, A.I.M., or even--who knows? --the Thunderbolts?

If you clicked any of those links, you are lost.

Secret Warriors. If you have to ask, you'll never know.

Why Comics Are Awesome

Notes For Geek Corner--April 2, 2009

We'll be talking about the new Nintendo DSi, which comes out on Sunday. I really don't see any reason to buy it if you already have a DS--the ability to surf the web on my DS doesn't really get me all that tingly--but it will still be The Thing To Get NOW! And with the camera, you know someone has already shot a porno movie using Nintendo technology. Which you know will be a story on CNN in about a month or two.


We'll also be looking at THE FLASH REBIRTH, another kick at the Silver Age nostalgic can by DC Comics.

I admit to not being jazzed by this. Geoff Johns is a great writer, and I know he'll do the best job anyone could do on the story. The question in my mind is Why bother?

Barry's death was classic, and we have two decent Flashes already in Jay Garrick and Wally West. Bringing back Hal Jordan made sense since his death was just an editorial edict that made no sense, and his replacement was not winning over the fans as much as DC hoped. A certain intractability seemed to set in at DC over this, but finally they gave in to fan pressure and brought Jordan back. That was a success, as evidenced by the resurgence in both the Green Lantern title book and the spin off, GREEN LANTERN CORPS. I don't feel the same demand for Barry's return as I did for Hal's.

But since we all grew up reading about Barry Allen as Flash, DC must feel we'll be jumping up and down to have him back. Judging by the piles of books I saw today,the fans will be fighting over copies, so what in hell do I know? I'll also try to mention Mark Waid's new book, IRREDEEMABLE--about a Superman like hero who goes batshit, but we'll see how we do for time.



Free game is RUNES OF MAGIC, a new MMO that is getting a lot of good press. I checked it out, and it seems to have all the parts I like in MMOs--the grinding, some half assed fantasy world, and the ever elusive Next Thing You Gotta Have element--and it's free to play. That I like. Now, if I only had time...