tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-152807142024-03-19T03:17:03.590-04:00KaijuvilleA blog about gaming, movies, books, and other aspects of popular cultureKaijuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06184830369889881159noreply@blogger.comBlogger536125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15280714.post-18233220009042745862021-02-19T12:30:00.014-05:002021-02-19T12:30:11.416-05:00Where the Wheat Grows Tall zine on Kickstarter<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZkV4vPC5gVFZXY1aYKezMmzz5naol5H2-wJZvk2xoCgPY7EosutYI5vROL7Vu6-7Y5L3nxAONDERokKuJO4-29uPbBTWCxllHohvkiRmXy1Nil_JGJXElMUDNdIAfe8oVjderLw/s1024/wheat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="1024" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZkV4vPC5gVFZXY1aYKezMmzz5naol5H2-wJZvk2xoCgPY7EosutYI5vROL7Vu6-7Y5L3nxAONDERokKuJO4-29uPbBTWCxllHohvkiRmXy1Nil_JGJXElMUDNdIAfe8oVjderLw/w407-h229/wheat.jpg" width="407" /></a></div><p></p><p></p><p><b>Gaming Zine Quest Kickstarter post #2: </b></p><p><a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/abandonfarmland/where-the-wheat-grows-tall">Where the Wheat Grows Tall</a> is an old-school fantasy adventure for low level characters inspired by Slavic myth. The adventure starts at an abandoned farm, and from there the player characters have a variety of options involving ancient spirits, long forgotten tunnels, and more across a map with twenty keyed locations. <br /><br />I remember first seeing Evlyn's art on gaming blogs and the early days of G+, and I really like it. It has a whimsical look at first glance, although there is always much more under the surface and in all that detail work. <br /><br />This zine will be unlike the usual Dungeons & Dragons adventure and well worth your time. I recommend that you check it out.</p>Kaijuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06184830369889881159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15280714.post-51057294692664487172021-02-18T10:51:00.000-05:002021-02-18T10:51:29.496-05:00GRIDSHOCK zines are now on Kickstarter<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3ir3cwoOrhAgIewcuEWhLyP34HWTPqdjWqGZa-ne1kD3AlMCwQnk-JEGM1zQ_ADRULuOuSTGnmhYZIRd7mczRCa-DOfI8gb4PSupIzS7m6poTTKJbvsZL3Qe_5UC_NQfzAQORcA/s1024/gs_header.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="1024" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3ir3cwoOrhAgIewcuEWhLyP34HWTPqdjWqGZa-ne1kD3AlMCwQnk-JEGM1zQ_ADRULuOuSTGnmhYZIRd7mczRCa-DOfI8gb4PSupIzS7m6poTTKJbvsZL3Qe_5UC_NQfzAQORcA/w415-h233/gs_header.jpg" width="415" /></a></div><b><p><b>GRIDSHOCK is a Post-Apocalyptic Superhero Road Movie.</b></p></b><p></p><p>My friend Paul has been working on a tabletop RPG setting for several years now. I remember reading the bits that he would share back on G+, and how I looked forward to seeing it arrive in its final form. </p><p>Now, you can help bring it into the world as a finished product by checking out <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/paulvermeren/gridshock-20xx-post-apocalyptic-superhero-setting">the Kickstarter for GRIDSHOCK 20XX</a>, a part of Kickstarter's ZineQuest 3 gaming zine extravaganza.</p><p><i>GRIDSHOCK 20XX describes a superhero world where something went very wrong in 1986. Reality was warped, civilization collapsed, and the world as we knew it was turned upside down. Now the bad guys are in charge of what's left – but a new breed of superhumans called Vectors strive to restore freedom to their ravaged world.</i></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9_6Cf7wfZkKfU7DtXO7iKKjRRihm5tmhMf-owPXpXkSTuT-goLXfvwxO4nlNnJTZMDn2Qr7YLZ-SEgBdzKChjOYFmfm6eX9YRym8jxCrfvxdwmsclHXL0GUgVST98ixIvHNnI_Q/s670/gs_templates.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="520" data-original-width="670" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9_6Cf7wfZkKfU7DtXO7iKKjRRihm5tmhMf-owPXpXkSTuT-goLXfvwxO4nlNnJTZMDn2Qr7YLZ-SEgBdzKChjOYFmfm6eX9YRym8jxCrfvxdwmsclHXL0GUgVST98ixIvHNnI_Q/w405-h314/gs_templates.jpg" width="405" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Art by Steven De Waele</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></p><p>Because of its influences GRIDSHOCK 20XX will seem familiar, yet it is a original and creative world with its own unique backstory. Fans of <b>Akira</b>, 80s action figures and cartoons, <i>Final Fight </i>and similar arcade games, and synthwave music will find a lot to love here. </p><p>It's ready for any supers RPG rules you want to use, although the stats present in the book are powered by ICONS under the OGL. If you've familiar with the original <i>Marvel Super Heroes</i> from TSR, it will be a snap to get started or convert to another system.</p><p>I can't wait to see this in print, and if you are a fan of post-apocalyptic sci-fi or superheroes (or both!) I urge you to <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/paulvermeren/gridshock-20xx-post-apocalyptic-superhero-setting">check it out</a>. </p>Kaijuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06184830369889881159noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15280714.post-51875252872888632012020-04-18T10:11:00.001-04:002020-04-18T10:11:32.760-04:00Pandemic bloggingIf you're here from <a href="https://diyanddragons.blogspot.com/">DIY & Dragons</a>, welcome, and thank you!<br />
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It has been a while since I updated here, even before the pandemic hit. I've been working from home normal hours since my library closed its doors and the campus went to online teaching only. Also during that time my face-to-face gaming groups took to Zoom and Roll20, and I've joined new online games. I'm trying to sneak in more movies when I can. We finished a re-watch of Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings last week. I just got the first Hobbit movie on DVD in the mail from Netflix. My re/watch of John Carpenter movies continues, the latest being PRINCE OF DARKNESS (1987). <br />
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Despite staying at home except for grocery trips, my days have been filled up. It reminds me of when retired folks say they are now busier than ever. My creativity was low before though and this medical emergency hasn't helped any, hence the lack of posts. I need to do some housekeeping here -- cleaning up old links, and maybe a new template and colors. <br />
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Put Kaijuville in your favorite feed reader and stay tuned for something to pop up. I never know when that spark will hit.<br />
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Kaijuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06184830369889881159noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15280714.post-39948455396364540022019-11-05T11:00:00.000-05:002019-11-05T11:00:24.624-05:00Still here, part 2As mentioned in Part 1, I've been posting more elsewhere and I need to refresh this neglected blog. <br />
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Along with more gaming content, I want to update the Hammer horror movie list here, update links, and provide some updates on what I've been watching. <br />
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Two months ago was Shawtember -- all Shaw Brothers kung fu movies, and following that was an October full of Hammer and Godzilla films. This month is Noirvember, a deep dive into the underbelly of crime films. Speaking of Godzilla, my look at the brand new Godzilla set from Criterion will be up soon. <br />
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At the beginning of the year I planned a John Carpenter retrospective re-watch over a few months, but I only got as far as DARK STAR. Now I'm thinking that the Christmas/New Year's break might be a good time for it. Kaijuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06184830369889881159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15280714.post-85503921076479094092019-11-05T10:00:00.000-05:002019-11-05T10:00:09.682-05:00Still here, part 1I haven't had an update here in a while, posting what I might put here on Facebook, Twitter, and Discord. I hope to have some actual gaming content here soon, particularly my take on the <a href="https://diyanddragons.blogspot.com/2019/10/new-new-crobuzon-city-of-stones-and.html">"New New Crobuzon Challenge"</a> in a few days. <br />
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Non-gaming content in Part 2!<br />
Kaijuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06184830369889881159noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15280714.post-70476596335809556162019-07-26T10:45:00.001-04:002019-07-26T10:47:44.011-04:00Godzilla: The Showa Era films on Blu-ray from Criterion!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The rumored, highly-anticipated announcement finally arrived yesterday. The Criterion Collection's spine #1000 milestone has a massive subject to match: <a href="https://www.criterion.com/boxsets/2648-godzilla-the-showa-era-films-1954-1975">Godzilla: The Showa-Era Films, 1954–1975</a>. The fifteen original films and extras are spread across eight Blu-rays. Nine of these movies will be on Blu-ray for the first time in Region A! The discs are packaged in a 10" x 14" hardcover book with notes on each film and new full-page illustrations from sixteen artists.<br />
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The highlight of the set might be the inclusion of the Japanese version of KING KONG VS. GODZILLA (1962) in HD. This will be the first time it has ever been on home video in America (or anywhere else outside Japan, I believe).<br />
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I'll keep my Classic Media DVDs, and Media Blasters and Kraken Releasing Blu-rays of these titles for completeness, however. The US versions of GODZILLA, KING OF THE MONSTERS (1956) and KING KONG VS. GODZILLA are here, but the only other English dubs included are for INVASION OF ASTRO-MONSTER, SON OF GODZILLA, DESTROY ALL MONSTERS, GODZILLA VS. MEGALON, GODZILLA VS. MECHAGODZILLA, AND TERROR OF MECHAGODZILA. These are the Toho International dub tracks, not the AIP or Titra dubs many of us remember from Saturday afternoon movie matinees or TV showings. <br />
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Despite not being as complete as many fans would like, this is still a monumental achievement. Every Showa-era G-film is now on Blu-ray. Seeing an entire block of Godzilla films joining a prestigious film collection like this, and with the symbolic designation of #1000, should make all kaiju fans proud.<br />
<br />Kaijuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06184830369889881159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15280714.post-87756018377336330072019-01-22T13:08:00.000-05:002019-01-22T13:08:21.729-05:00Happy 113th Birthday, Robert E. Howard<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzlqOyPxzMICw5PXmysQaw9s8sylnoBkNOp4fHexoMgl6YBr-cC5n4dgikftrvyzgXP9VT8k7RZMDqnJIoKGg0ghuGJnGLPb9dKiwpcruQ2rp7tBeCPeUt3wMKrDs1pYIFUC6T9g/s1600/225pxtwwwdvd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="327" data-original-width="225" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzlqOyPxzMICw5PXmysQaw9s8sylnoBkNOp4fHexoMgl6YBr-cC5n4dgikftrvyzgXP9VT8k7RZMDqnJIoKGg0ghuGJnGLPb9dKiwpcruQ2rp7tBeCPeUt3wMKrDs1pYIFUC6T9g/s200/225pxtwwwdvd.jpg" width="137" /></a>Today marks the 113th anniversary of the birth of pulp writer <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_E._Howard">Robert E. Howard</a>. It has become a <br />
tradition on this date for Howard fans to read a favorite story and raise a toast.<br />
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Howard wrote something for every interest: sword and sorcery, hard-boiled detectives, weird horror, historical fiction, boxing, westerns, pirates, and poetry.<br />
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Two-Gun Bob's fans who are also tabletop gamers are seeing another resurgence of products, with the Conan <a href="http://www.monolithedition.com/conan-en/">adventure board game</a> (recommended), and the main rulebook and many sourcebooks for the <a href="http://www.modiphius.com/conan.html" target="_blank">Conan RPG</a> out now. This month Marvel Comics released the first two issues of their new Conan comic series, with <em>Savage Sword</em> and other new books on the way.<br />
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One of the best brief introductions to Howard is the mostly true, somewhat fictionalized film <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118163/?ref_=nv_sr_1">THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD (1996)</a>, based on the writings of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Novalyne_Price_Ellis">Novalyne Price Ellis</a>. <br />
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For more information on his life and career, start with the following sites:<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.facebook.com/RobertEHowardDays/" target="_blank">Robert E. Howard Days</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.rehfoundation.org/">The Robert E. Howard Foundation</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.howardworks.com/">Howard Works bibliographic database</a></li>
<li><a href="http://leogrin.com/CimmerianBlog/">The Cimmerian</a> (archive; no longer updated) </li>
</ul>
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I highly recommend Mark Finn's Howard <a href="http://www.monkeybrainbooks.com/Blood_and_Thunder.html">biography</a>, the Locus and World Fantasy Award-nominated <i>Blood and Thunder: The Life and Art of Robert E. Howard</i> available as <a href="http://www.rehfoundation.org/2011/12/10/pre-order-blood-thunder-revised-and-updated-edition/" target="_blank">an expanded edition</a> from the REH Foundation.Kaijuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06184830369889881159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15280714.post-1616119523614433762019-01-08T10:18:00.000-05:002019-01-08T10:18:47.774-05:00Update, part 3 -- Board gamesForgot to mention in one of the previous posts -- I'd like to get in more board games this year. I have Monolith's <strong>Conan</strong> and Everything Epic's <strong>Big Trouble in Little China</strong>, and of those I've only played <strong>Conan</strong> once. <br />
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I'd also like to play some of the games that friends of mine own, like <strong>Rising Sun</strong> and the different flavors of <strong>Zombicide</strong>. Kaijuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06184830369889881159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15280714.post-23420050704177551192018-12-20T15:30:00.000-05:002018-12-20T15:30:15.409-05:00Update and what's next, Part 2Part 1 is <a href="http://kaijuville.blogspot.com/2018/12/end-of-year-update-and-whats-next.html">here</a>.<br />
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<strong>Podcast Idea</strong><br />Interviews and discussion linking two of my favorite things: games and movies.<br />
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<strong>Movie-watching Projects</strong><br />This year, in an effort to keep more data and as reminders to myself, I started tracking each film I watch and creating a separate to-be-watched list. Right now the lists live in a notebook. I keep forgetting to sign up for <a href="https://letterboxd.com/">Letterboxd</a>, where I'll eventually post these for myself. So much good stuff is out there waiting to be seen, and I'm trying my best to carve out more viewing time to fit in as much as possible, especially over the holiday break and the rest of the winter.<br />
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With that in mind, a few themes are showing up in the watch lists:<br />
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<strong>John Carpenter</strong> -- <a href="https://www.facebook.com/purecinemapod/">Pure Cinema</a> <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/4xbAl28Rnh9la3khRm09lv">Podcast's</a> fantastic two-part Carpenter retrospective, where they examined all the films and paired each with another film as a double-feature, gave me the idea to try a back-to-back watch of the catalog myself. It's an opportunity to revisit old favorites and discover some of his films that I've haven't seen yet. <br />
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<strong>Charles Bronson</strong> -- Over the last year or so, several Bronson movies have hit Blu-ray, either singles or in affordable <a href="https://www.millcreekent.com/charles-bronson-collection-4-movie-collection-blu-ray.html">multi-packs</a>. A collector's edition Blu-ray of the action/thriller/slasher 10 TO MIDNIGHT is out early next year. All this recent attention has inspired me to take a deep-dive into his catalog of films. Bronson has always been a favorite of mine, but like Carpenter there are many that I missed. I might try watching chronologically if possible, but that might depend on availability. More likely I'll just pick and choose at random. <br />
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<strong>Spaghetti Westerns</strong> -- Like the recent Bronson releases, we've had a couple of good years for Euro-Westerns. The recent Blu-ray of Corbucci's THE GREAT SILENCE, Kino Lorber's releases of Leone films, Arrow's Ringo and Django films, along with their box set of Sartana movies, just to name a few highlights. This year I also picked up Mill Creek's <a href="https://www.millcreekent.com/spaghetti-western-44-movie-collection.html">44-movie DVD box</a> for a cheap sale price. It's an economical way to see many of the popular titles (a good hit/miss ratio) and it was the only way to get Monte Hellman's CHINA 9, LIBERTY 37 on disc. Over the holidays I'd like to dig into this set and The Complete Sartana box.<br />
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<strong>Cyberpunk movies</strong> -- Continuing my research for a cyberpunk RPG by moving down the list of cyberpunk and related near-future sci-fi movies. Next on my Netflix queue is RUNAWAY (1984) with Tom Selleck.<br />
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<br />Thanks for reading this far. I hope that this gives some idea on what to expect here at the blog in the new year -- more gaming and movie reviews, more game setting and mechanics ideas -- and an incentive for me to keep it going.<br />
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Kaijuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06184830369889881159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15280714.post-32510918665930938192018-12-20T10:22:00.003-05:002018-12-20T15:37:08.306-05:00End of the year update and what's nextI'm trying to write a catch-up post, and hardly knowing where to begin. With the death of Google+ being moved up closer, I think longer posts will end up here on the blog more often.<br />
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<strong>Game Ideas in the Works</strong><br />
I've got two game ideas that have been percolating for quite a while: first, a smaller kaiju-themed RPG code-named "The Kaiju Hack", and the second is a D&D 5e-based cyberpunk game -- my version of <em>Shadowrun</em>. I'll post more notes about those games here. It's time to stop thinking about them, and actually get something tangible done and completed. I thought that I'd work through these games in posts on G+, but alas... if you can't tell, I'm really bummed-out about the loss of G+ and its gaming scene. <br />
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The next month with 30 days is April, which might be a good opportunity to post something about one of these games everyday using the #DIY30 hashtag.<br />
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<strong>Secret Santicore</strong><br />
No Santicore this year, and we are still working though layout for Santicore 2017. A new layout designer is looking over the project, and I hope to have more to report about that soon. Eventually we will have a free PDF, entries posted to the <a href="http://santicore.blogspot.com/">blog</a>, and (with luck) an at-cost print-on-demand book.<br />
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After the holidays, I'll send out some requests to get the band back together again for an early start to Santicore 2019, along with finding a new home for the G+ Santicore production community. <br />
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<strong>Folk Horror (gaming and movies)</strong><br />
I backed the Kickstarter for Howard Ingham's excellent book <em><a href="https://www.room207press.com/2016/12/we-dont-go-back-personal-taxonomy-of.html">We Don't Go Back: A Watcher's Guide to Folk Horror</a></em>, and I'm hoping to read it over the holiday break. It's an expanded version of his blog posts covering aspects of Folk Horror in movies and other media, and well-worth a look for gaming inspiration or for those interested in the subject on its own. I also have the more academically-minded <em><a href="https://cup.columbia.edu/book/folk-horror/9781911325222">Folk Horror: Hours Dreadful and Things Strange</a></em> by Adam Scovell (a gift from <a href="http://ageofravens.blogspot.com/">Age of Ravens</a>) which I have also started, and I need to finish.<br />
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More in <a href="http://kaijuville.blogspot.com/2018/12/update-and-whats-next-part-2.html">Part 2</a> later today...Kaijuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06184830369889881159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15280714.post-83120160249466609342018-12-11T10:11:00.000-05:002018-12-11T10:16:15.185-05:00A quick wordWas my last post four months ago? Time moves quickly. Expect a longer post here soon to catch up on what has been happening, what to expect here in the future (More posts! A new look for the new year?), and so on.<br />
<br />
I've been much more active on Google +, but of course the long-rumored demise of The Plus <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2018/12/10/18134541/google-plus-privacy-api-data-leak-developers">was moved up in a dramatic way</a>, so reviving the blog seems like a logical way to proceed. Game design ideas I would have posted on G+ will be here instead. Kaijuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06184830369889881159noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15280714.post-47810579283919259652018-08-09T10:02:00.001-04:002018-08-10T08:54:52.323-04:00Gen Con 2018 Loot<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I didn't have a big shopping list this time. In recent years I've been more on the lookout for limited items not available later or stuff that is heavily discounted for the show. My main goals were to pick up <em>Mothership</em> and <em>Dead Planet</em>, the art print, and <em>The Hobonomicon</em>.<br />
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<ul>
<li>Art print by <a href="https://stefanpoag.com/2018/07/17/2018-gencon-and-hobonomicon/">Stefan Poag</a> of a isometric dungeon map, signed.</li>
<li><em><a href="https://sites.google.com/site/hobonomiconcom/">The Hobonomicon</a></em> #0 from Doug Kovacs and Stefan Poag for DCC, signed by both.</li>
<li>The Free RPG Day modules for this year from <a href="http://site.pelgranepress.com/">Pelgrane Press</a> (freebie in my GM bag).</li>
<li>Gen Con program book (smaller, being the first year that event listings are not printed)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.crystalcaste.com/">Crystal Caste</a> Gen Con 2018 d6 (green)</li>
<li>Scotty's Brewhouse Gen Con 2018 d6 (red, Thursday)</li>
<li><em><a href="http://www.tuesdayknightgames.com/">Mothership</a></em> sci-fi horror RPG, signed by author/artist Sean McCoy </li>
<li><em>Dead Planet</em> (adventure module toolkit for Mothership), signed by co-author Donn Stroud</li>
<li>Rackham Reversible Gaming Tiles Set D for <a href="https://cadwallon.com/">Cadwallon</a>, half-price at the <a href="http://www.chimerahobby.com/">Chimera Hobby Shop</a> booth</li>
</ul>
<strong></strong><br />
<strong>Special "don't procrastinate" note:</strong><br />
I was at the Half-Price Books booth between games mid-day Thursday, and someone brought out two more packing boxes of DVDs and Blu-rays. Some good stuff, including a nice full set of Star Trek movie 2-DVD special editions. The one item that caught my eye was Anchor Bay's 2004 DAWN OF THE DEAD (1978) <a href="http://www.dvdcompare.net/comparisons/film.php?fid=676#9">Ultimate Edition</a> 4-disc DVD set -- sticker-priced at US$15. The DVDs were loose, scratched-up, and in rough shape, so I set it back to check on later. The next time I could get into the dealer's hall was 1pm Friday, and of course it was already gone. The set usually goes for north of US$100 on the secondary market.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC4zwL6Cgp0xhV9BdyJ5jKbiz4bxZSKf98jPiJXQHpHO2wKoOJsPr1tzu6YUHfcik-j5JMhP8Cg8bp1-lyY1sWdVi-5oogoh8KnykUg3_-ir1JYi63oFEwo0Nd3gS_d5z1RYxL5Q/s1600/dante_shirt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1253" data-original-width="1565" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC4zwL6Cgp0xhV9BdyJ5jKbiz4bxZSKf98jPiJXQHpHO2wKoOJsPr1tzu6YUHfcik-j5JMhP8Cg8bp1-lyY1sWdVi-5oogoh8KnykUg3_-ir1JYi63oFEwo0Nd3gS_d5z1RYxL5Q/s320/dante_shirt.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
<strong>Update:</strong> I completely forgot about the Count Dante-inspired DCC shirt I bought (in gray). It was packed with my clothes, not my gaming stuff. Now I'll need to get the rest of their "Deadly Hands" shirts. <br />
<br />Kaijuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06184830369889881159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15280714.post-32044123489088079282018-01-22T07:30:00.000-05:002018-01-22T07:30:00.433-05:00Happy 112th Birthday, Robert E. Howard<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzlqOyPxzMICw5PXmysQaw9s8sylnoBkNOp4fHexoMgl6YBr-cC5n4dgikftrvyzgXP9VT8k7RZMDqnJIoKGg0ghuGJnGLPb9dKiwpcruQ2rp7tBeCPeUt3wMKrDs1pYIFUC6T9g/s1600/225pxtwwwdvd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="327" data-original-width="225" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzlqOyPxzMICw5PXmysQaw9s8sylnoBkNOp4fHexoMgl6YBr-cC5n4dgikftrvyzgXP9VT8k7RZMDqnJIoKGg0ghuGJnGLPb9dKiwpcruQ2rp7tBeCPeUt3wMKrDs1pYIFUC6T9g/s200/225pxtwwwdvd.jpg" width="137" /></a>Today marks the 112th anniversary of the birth of pulp writer <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_E._Howard">Robert E. Howard</a>. It has become a <br />
tradition on this date for Howard fans to read a favorite story and raise a toast.<br />
<br />
Howard wrote something for every interest: sword and sorcery, hard-boiled detectives, weird horror, historical fiction, boxing, westerns, pirates, and poetry.<br />
<br />
Two-Gun Bob's fans who are also tabletop gamers are seeing another resurgence of products, with the Conan <a href="http://www.monolithedition.com/conan-en/">adventure board game</a> (recommended), and the main rulebook and several sourcebooks for the <a href="http://www.modiphius.com/conan.html" target="_blank">Conan RPG</a> out now. Marvel Comics recently announced that the Conan comic book rights are going back to them from Dark Horse Comics.<br />
<br />
I've been thinking about re-reading his sword-and-planet novel <em><a href="http://www.howardworks.com/almuric-paizo.html">Almuric</a></em> soon, so for his birthday this year I might read one or two chapters, or maybe watch <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118163/?ref_=nv_sr_1">THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD (1996)</a>. <br />
<br />
For more information on his life and career, start with the following sites:<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.facebook.com/RobertEHowardDays/" target="_blank">Robert E. Howard Days</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.rehfoundation.org/">The Robert E. Howard Foundation</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.howardworks.com/">Howard Works bibliographic database</a></li>
<li><a href="http://leogrin.com/CimmerianBlog/">The Cimmerian</a> (archive; no longer updated) </li>
</ul>
<br />
I highly recommend Mark Finn's Howard <a href="http://www.monkeybrainbooks.com/Blood_and_Thunder.html">biography</a>, the Locus and World Fantasy Award-nominated <i>Blood and Thunder: The Life and Art of Robert E. Howard</i> available as <a href="http://www.rehfoundation.org/2011/12/10/pre-order-blood-thunder-revised-and-updated-edition/" target="_blank">an expanded edition</a> from the REH Foundation.<br />
<br />
<span id="goog_1140458540"></span><span id="goog_1140458541"></span><br />Kaijuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06184830369889881159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15280714.post-80790836844142759402017-05-03T15:34:00.000-04:002017-05-03T15:34:21.900-04:0060 years of Hammer Horror<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnJYtXvNqicqZzA92F-3c-_VinlfV5dGnpnBxFSNOJh3CA_SRQU7a16sHuVB3bfK6vrg-e31NPrTm1CZme4USN7SuCNB_8zr1oyYxJ4Wfqat-zzpzUrRYcDdMuTTazMT97rxxYRA/s1600/The-Curse-of-Frankenstein-1957-poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnJYtXvNqicqZzA92F-3c-_VinlfV5dGnpnBxFSNOJh3CA_SRQU7a16sHuVB3bfK6vrg-e31NPrTm1CZme4USN7SuCNB_8zr1oyYxJ4Wfqat-zzpzUrRYcDdMuTTazMT97rxxYRA/s320/The-Curse-of-Frankenstein-1957-poster.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
I missed an important anniversary yesterday -- it was on that date, May 2nd, 60 years ago, that <strong>The Curse of Frankenstein</strong> was released by Hammer Film Productions. Although the studio had been around in one form or another since the 1930s, it was the release of <strong>Curse</strong> in 1957 that ushered in the age of Hammer Horror and made the studio's name known worldwide.<br />
<br />
The British Film Institute posted <a href="http://www.bfi.org.uk/news-opinion/news-bfi/lists/great-hammer-horror-film-every-year">a short photographic retrospective</a> for the occasion, highlighting one Hammer film for each year during its prime.Kaijuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06184830369889881159noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15280714.post-83249885908453526792017-01-22T12:00:00.000-05:002017-01-22T12:00:41.931-05:00Happy 111th Birthday, Robert E. Howard<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRUJldHCV5a9vVq6QhF3_h6JlrLg_QYEukm8T0LfXkF7osAGtwX6FTP5aoxmZ7S6nDJl00qoqOb67c30tMZzYHcNe1Lzc7jipaSRchgSZC77cckImF-pBt5qBL9M6hSL3XdoTmiQ/s1600/swordwoman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRUJldHCV5a9vVq6QhF3_h6JlrLg_QYEukm8T0LfXkF7osAGtwX6FTP5aoxmZ7S6nDJl00qoqOb67c30tMZzYHcNe1Lzc7jipaSRchgSZC77cckImF-pBt5qBL9M6hSL3XdoTmiQ/s200/swordwoman.jpg" width="132" /></a>Today marks the 111th anniversary of the birth of pulp writer <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_E._Howard">Robert E. Howard</a>. It has become a tradition on this date for Howard fans to read a favorite story and raise a toast.<br />
<br />
Howard
wrote something for every interest: sword and sorcery, hard-boiled
detectives, weird horror, historical fiction, boxing, westerns, pirates,
and poetry.<br />
<br />
It's a great moment for Howard fans
who are also tabletop gamers, with the Conan adventure board game <a href="http://www.monolithedition.com/conan-en/" target="_blank">out now</a> and the core rulebook for the <a href="http://www.modiphius.com/conan.html" target="_blank">Conan RPG</a> available sometime later this year. <br />
<br />
For his birthday this year I might read one of the stories from <a href="http://www.howardworks.com/swordwomanandotherhistoricaladventures.html"><i>Sword Woman and Other Historical Adventures</i></a>.<br />
<br />
For more information on his life and career, start with the following sites:<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.facebook.com/RobertEHowardDays/" target="_blank">Robert E. Howard Days</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.rehfoundation.org/">The Robert E. Howard Foundation</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.howardworks.com/">Howard Works bibliographic database</a></li>
<li><a href="http://leogrin.com/CimmerianBlog/">The Cimmerian</a> (archive; no longer updated) </li>
</ul>
I highly recommend Mark Finn's Howard <a href="http://www.monkeybrainbooks.com/Blood_and_Thunder.html">biography</a>, the Locus and World Fantasy Award-nominated <i>Blood and Thunder: The Life and Art of Robert E. Howard</i> available as <a href="http://www.rehfoundation.org/2011/12/10/pre-order-blood-thunder-revised-and-updated-edition/" target="_blank">an expanded edition</a> from the REH Foundation.Kaijuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06184830369889881159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15280714.post-29269945790798191062016-09-08T10:27:00.000-04:002016-09-08T11:06:15.915-04:0050 years of Star TrekIt's 1991, and I'm sitting in the crowded Shrine Auditorium in LA. My parents scheduled a trip to visit my aunt and uncle so that we'd be there for the 25th Anniversary Creation Star Trek Celebration. The only part of the con I attended was the main event -- a showing of the teaser trailer for ST VI: The Undiscovered Country, followed by the Original Series main cast members and Gene Roddenberry on stage together. It would be the last time they would all appear together in one place.<br />
<br />
The Undiscovered Country was billed as the farewell to the original cast, one last send-off before turning the future of the franchise over to The Next Generation. If you haven't seen it or don't remember, the teaser was a series of scenes from the Original Series as if they were projected on the surface of the Enterprise. It was a powerful and special moment seeing those scenes together in the loud appreciative audience of fellow Trekkies.<br />
<br />
Star Trek had an enormous impact on me. I literally grew up watching these characters every week, and traveled the galaxy on adventures along with them. I watched the movies, collected starship blueprints, read articles in <em>Starlog</em>, and made up my own fan theories. Seeing that teaser was the highlight of the trip. I thought maybe someday it might be available on VHS to watch again. I couldn't have guessed then that "in the future" it would be available anytime on YouTube on a networked pocket computer more powerful than a Starfleet communicator.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/lKfkkhEbUlY/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lKfkkhEbUlY?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<br />
<br />
What I find most compelling about the Original Series besides the great storytelling and action, even more so than the later series, is a vision that the future can be better. We can work together to make it so, like the crew of the Enterprise -- not in spite of our differences, but because of them.<br />
<br />
Happy 50th to Star Trek, and to all of us who kept it alive. Live Long and Prosper.Kaijuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06184830369889881159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15280714.post-47438425109490975932016-07-27T10:05:00.000-04:002016-07-27T10:05:30.396-04:00A mid-year updateI was reminded over the weekend that I haven't posted since the beginning of the year. What is happening right now:<br />
<br />
<strong>Getting ready for Gen Con:</strong> As always, the time before the con gets shorter and shorter, even if I try to prepare earlier to avoid the crunch time. Although in the past I tried to keep my schedule fairly light, making it easier to wander the halls and play in whatever pops up, in recent years it's become busier. This year my schedule is packed. <br />
<br />
I'm running three demo games for Pelgrane Press, two sessions of <em>Night's Black Agents</em> ("Four Days of the Bat" in the morning and "The Van Helsing Letter" in the afternoon) and one session of <em>Trail of Cthulhu</em> on Saturday morning ("The Innsmouth Investigation"). <br />
<br />
Friday night I'm running <em>Trail of Cthulhu</em> off-the-books for a group of friends, then playing with the same group in our annual <em>Pathfinder</em> game on Saturday night. I hope to pop into various other panels along the way.<br />
<br />
Mrs. Kaiju will be hosting a writing workshop on therapeutic expressive freewriting, and co-hosting a presentation on using women's medieval history as flavor for fantasy fiction writing and gaming. <br />
<br />
<strong>Game writing:</strong> I have been watching 80s/90s sci-fi and cyberpunk movies to get inspiration for a cyberpunk RPG project, and then I had the idea flash into my head for yet another hack of a popular rules-light hack game which would be faster to develop and finish first.<br />
<br />
<strong>Secret Santicore 2015:</strong> Compiling and editing entries took much longer than expected, and therefore missed the window of availability for our layout folks. I'm learning Scribus with the goal of completing layout and pushing the project out the door next month before we begin planning for <em>this year's</em> Santicore. <br />
<br />
Today is <a href="https://www.facebook.com/GaryGygaxDay" target="_blank">Gary Gygax Day</a> and (coincidentally) Awesome Gamer Day. Celebrate appropriately! Meanwhile I'll try to get back to a normal posting schedule. <br />
Kaijuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06184830369889881159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15280714.post-84373847144036589642016-01-22T07:00:00.000-05:002016-01-22T07:00:50.519-05:00Happy Birthday, Robert E. Howard<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMLt_Y1CnXI6KuV01ylgn_JnGua5U7ABvq0ZwiT2PjQjdco34v4rbPhCy8ti7xzlaS2abWpR339WZjSi88qB1ZiI4fGgxlZTNKkIC_xGZ6SbzZbZhwiddPvIJzadfiEq4AyBXq5g/s1600/colected-poetry-ws.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMLt_Y1CnXI6KuV01ylgn_JnGua5U7ABvq0ZwiT2PjQjdco34v4rbPhCy8ti7xzlaS2abWpR339WZjSi88qB1ZiI4fGgxlZTNKkIC_xGZ6SbzZbZhwiddPvIJzadfiEq4AyBXq5g/s200/colected-poetry-ws.jpg" width="123" /></a>Today marks the 110th anniversary of the birth of pulp writer <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_E._Howard">Robert E. Howard</a>. It has become a tradition on this date for Howard fans to read a favorite story and raise a toast.<br />
<br />
Howard
wrote something for every interest: sword and sorcery, hard-boiled
detectives, weird horror, historical fiction, boxing, westerns, pirates,
and poetry.<br />
<br />
This will be a big year for Howard fans who are also tabletop gamers, with the adventure board game being released soon and the Kickstarter for the <a href="http://kaijuville.blogspot.com/2015/02/conan-rpg-announcement-from-modiphius.html" target="_blank">new RPG from Modiphius</a> scheduled for next month.<br />
<br />
I'm going with my wife to an open-mike poetry night at a local coffeehouse so I might not have a chance to read a story this evening. Maybe I should bring the first Del Rey <i>Conan</i> volume along and recite "Cimmeria" for the crowd.<br />
<br />
For more information on his life and career, start with the following sites:<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.rehupa.com/">Robert E. Howard United Press Association</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.rehfoundation.org/">The Robert E. Howard Foundation</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.howardworks.com/">Howard Works bibliographic database</a></li>
<li><a href="http://leogrin.com/CimmerianBlog/">The Cimmerian</a> (archive; no longer updated) </li>
</ul>
I highly recommend Mark Finn's Howard <a href="http://www.monkeybrainbooks.com/Blood_and_Thunder.html">biography</a>, the Locus and World Fantasy Award-nominated <i>Blood and Thunder: The Life and Art of Robert E. Howard</i> available as <a href="http://www.rehfoundation.org/2011/12/10/pre-order-blood-thunder-revised-and-updated-edition/" target="_blank">an expanded edition</a> from the REH Foundation.Kaijuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06184830369889881159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15280714.post-36054215360987775402015-12-30T08:00:00.000-05:002015-12-30T08:12:23.663-05:00Three film articles<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgleKg8eKbvQlgGvo2ybCp2KAjVqXtmO8d2ZhYmNCElrDkzVkv8DVlQ6h37I4qEbtVNRtGv2u6grkRE1OJTdV2vtGy1ENfweqq4gra1dLlQid18NSTo8h8DCVO8wFSNIFIno14Wjg/s1600/4927h01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgleKg8eKbvQlgGvo2ybCp2KAjVqXtmO8d2ZhYmNCElrDkzVkv8DVlQ6h37I4qEbtVNRtGv2u6grkRE1OJTdV2vtGy1ENfweqq4gra1dLlQid18NSTo8h8DCVO8wFSNIFIno14Wjg/s1600/4927h01.jpg" /></a>For the last blog post of the year I wanted to highlight three web posts that I have read recently on the history and current state of two distinct branches of home video releases: Hammer Horror films and Shaw Brothers kung-fu films.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://trailersfromhell.com/dvd-savants-guide-to-the-new-wave-of-classic-hammer-blu-rays/#.VoM19lKTIXj" target="_blank">DVD Savant’s Guide to the New Wave of Classic Hammer Blu-rays</a> -- Glenn Erickson, DVD Savant, hosted an guest article in October by an anonymous film industry transfer expert and Hammer fan about Region B (UK, Europe, Australia) Blu-ray releases and how they compare to each other and US discs. Many of these titles are not yet available on Blu-ray in the US.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLcE8KZm_rmTnfV1amSHN0MCGG71N4tDa8k0WnYCLtG7IuyrtNbU2Dk5koztpZFrDxYravReCQE1_QOEpZ1C-nnJ3P_5CZr4NQZ9yGUAUk-6074KFCyj-rcAJ1eAe-5pHS9TbsPA/s1600/12120680_f260.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLcE8KZm_rmTnfV1amSHN0MCGG71N4tDa8k0WnYCLtG7IuyrtNbU2Dk5koztpZFrDxYravReCQE1_QOEpZ1C-nnJ3P_5CZr4NQZ9yGUAUk-6074KFCyj-rcAJ1eAe-5pHS9TbsPA/s200/12120680_f260.jpg" width="141" /></a><a href="http://hubpages.com/entertainment/How-The-North-American-Release-of-the-Shaw-Brothers-Movies-Was-Botched" target="_blank">How The North American Release of the Shaw Brothers Movies Was Botched</a> -- An in-depth article from January 2015 detailing the history of how the Shaw Brothers kung-fu films were released in the US, from the first theatrical release in 1973, the bootleg VHS copies in the 80s, the Celestial Pictures DVDs of recent years, to the current TV broadcasts on the El Rey Network. <br />
<br />
I'm not sure of the identity of this anonymous author. While this person does seem to know insider information about the home video industry and appears to match what I have read elsewhere, sources are not cited, and Celestial Pictures has said the article contains "<a href="https://www.facebook.com/ShawBrothersUniverse/posts/925339354154325" target="_blank">a ton of inaccuracies</a>." I might also quibble with the author's opinion of certain films and their importance to collectors, but that could be a matter of my own incomplete knowledge.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://hotpeasandbutta.com/diggin-kung-fu-with-johnnyray-gasca/" target="_blank">Diggin' Kung Fu with Johnnyray Gasca</a> -- This interview from 2013 details the other side of the <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib9QlGihNKX5ufLLFSGXjaiHVIHXvPLHkPloPCEWyGsFsZk_rjNpjKRISXkViUCdTSP5SITH80ZxblTbSnGPxC3HsyJ-7lQUpH4uotZwtLB7ECbksOsOhVdD8bcVtUrgItAB_5Bw/s1600/sbvid.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib9QlGihNKX5ufLLFSGXjaiHVIHXvPLHkPloPCEWyGsFsZk_rjNpjKRISXkViUCdTSP5SITH80ZxblTbSnGPxC3HsyJ-7lQUpH4uotZwtLB7ECbksOsOhVdD8bcVtUrgItAB_5Bw/s200/sbvid.PNG" width="200" /></a>previous article and as a counterpoint, being a first-person account of 42nd Street grindhouse movie theaters and the origin of SB Video, which supplied the VHS boots found in stores all over New York City and elsewhere in the 1980s, contributing to the legendary status of Shaw Brothers films in the US. A fascinating look at an otherwise hidden world.<br />
<br />Kaijuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06184830369889881159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15280714.post-62196076430591063012015-12-07T08:08:00.000-05:002015-12-07T08:08:19.191-05:00Happy 100th Birthday, Leigh Brackett<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYZhnHjW_tUkD_4xaM7dgyGNMqP6zVrOk0QgOHec9W0O9qBmDEWiRwlZNyyHFKbMt0NjnPC4hsO9dQy5WspVeI-QBjOETY1d2XuIWuuVzzkZKmse9aZXUFuuGAtZqzoEWR0aaGSQ/s1600/LB100-cover2-300x434.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYZhnHjW_tUkD_4xaM7dgyGNMqP6zVrOk0QgOHec9W0O9qBmDEWiRwlZNyyHFKbMt0NjnPC4hsO9dQy5WspVeI-QBjOETY1d2XuIWuuVzzkZKmse9aZXUFuuGAtZqzoEWR0aaGSQ/s320/LB100-cover2-300x434.jpg" width="220" /></a></div>
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Today is the 100th anniversary of the birth of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leigh_Brackett">Leigh Brackett</a>, one of the great authors of fantasy and sci-fi's Golden Age. I haven't read as much of Brackett's work as I should, but I'm working to correct that. And maybe later this week I'll watch <b>Rio Bravo</b> as a tribute.Kaijuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06184830369889881159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15280714.post-35957278243860704902015-10-06T13:53:00.001-04:002015-10-06T13:53:39.373-04:00October means HalloweenIt's already October. September just disappeared. One day you're coming back from Gen Con, the next day the leaves start turning and Fall's chill is in the air. <br />
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My attention has been on research and writing on a gaming project that I'm pretty excited about. More details soon, I just need to get it wrangled and done before the deadline at the end of this month. <br />
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<a href="http://santicore.blogspot.com/">Secret Santicore</a> is on track again this year with only a slight delay. The call for volunteers will go out soon, then for requests shortly after.<br />
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Today is the US street date for Warner's <a href="http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Hammer-Horror-Classics-Volume-One-Blu-ray/133772/">first set</a> of four Hammer Horror blu-rays, and their 30s/40s/50s <a href="http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Special-Effects-Collection-Blu-ray/133773/">monster film collection</a> is available on the 27th. Each title is also sold separately. It's my understanding that each has received restoration and new masters, for an improvement over the DVDs. I plan to get the Hammer singles over time, with <strong>Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed</strong> on the way as I type this. Not so sure about <strong>The Mummy</strong> yet -- I might go with <a href="http://diaboliquemagazine.com/mummy-uk-blu-ray-review/">the UK edition</a>. <br />
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I am utterly stunned by the number of deep catalog and cult film releases on blu-ray this year. Kino, Twilight Time, Warner Archive, Shout Factory, and others have all been busy. I've had trouble keeping track. A roundup highlighting this work would make a great end-of-the-year series of posts.<br />
Kaijuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06184830369889881159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15280714.post-48962807353821549442015-08-06T07:30:00.000-04:002015-08-06T07:30:00.659-04:00My Gen Con 2015 haul<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I didn't spend as much time browsing through the Exhibit Hall this year as I would have liked, but I did get to my top priorities -- and a few unexpected pieces.<br />
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<i>Blowing Up the Movies</i> by Robin Laws was a stretch goal for the Feng Shui 2 Kickstarter, and although I had the ebook version I wanted the <a href="http://www.atlas-games.com/product_tables/AG2707.php">print copy</a> on my shelf.<br />
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<a href="http://www.sighco.com/">Sigh Co.</a> offers a ton of Lovecraft-related shirts, and their 1930s Prairie-style Miskatonic University T-Shirt stood out.<br />
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<a href="http://greenronin.com/">Green Ronin</a> had several boxes of older material for $2 each, so I grabbed the Revised Edition <i>True20</i> rulebook along with the <i>Warrior's</i> and <i>Adept's Handbooks</i>. <i>Fantasy AGE</i> and <i>Titansgrave</i> had already sold out -- I flipped through their display copy of <i>Fantasy AGE</i> and it looks good.<br />
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Steve Dempsey generously chatted with us for a bit about <i>Night's Black Agents</i> and <i>Trail of Cthulhu</i> at the <a href="http://pelgranepress.com/">Pelgrane Press</a> booth. Shortly after that, I picked up the <i>Trail</i> rulebook in anticipation of a future ongoing Gen Con campaign (along with a <i>13th Age</i> Escalation Die).<br />
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The <a href="http://goodmangames.com/">Goodman Games</a> booth is where I spent most of my dealers' hall time this year, with two separate visits. On the first round I picked up a print copy of <a href="http://www.alephnullpublishing.com/"><i>Black Sun Deathcrawl</i></a>, along with <i>Sailors on the Starless Sea</i>, <i>Crawl</i> #1 and <i>Crawljammer</i> Issue 1. The second time I got a great combo deal on the Wizard Van t-shirt and one of the last skull logo shirts, and the adventures <i>Against the Atomic Overlord</i> and <i>The Rock Awakens</i>. This gave me the chance to roll the giant d20 twice, for which I was rewarded with the <i>2013 Gen Con Program Book</i> and...<br />
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my choice from a stack of foamboard-backed promotional posters, in which I found this poster of the <i>Frozen in Time</i> sketch cover. I had it signed by Joseph Goodman and artist Doug Kovacs, but I missed Michael Curtis (next year!). Also pictured are issues 2 and 5 of <a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/106732525592099902256/posts/5u3toVSEFbw"><i>The Gongfarmer's Almanac</i></a>, an in-house zine produced for Gen Con. The picture is missing the swag bag of free Dungeon Crawl Classics goodies, including a pad of blank 0-level character sheets.<br />
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Already thinking about next year!Kaijuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06184830369889881159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15280714.post-24865670053018004562015-07-17T07:00:00.000-04:002015-07-17T07:00:10.197-04:00Kaiju Movie Marathon this Saturday<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This Saturday, July 18th, Shout Factory TV and Famous Monsters of Filmland are <a href="https://www.shoutfactory.com/editorials/10-great-reasons-to-watch-the-kaiju-movie-marathon-this-weekend">hosting</a> a free 24-hour live stream marathon of Godzilla films, Ultra Seven and Ultra Q episodes, with introductions by kaiju expert August Ragone. See the <a href="http://www.shoutfactorytvlive.com/?utm_source=Shout!+Factory+TV+Master&utm_campaign=3bc116b841-Kaiju_Movie_Marathon_SFTV_July_2015">link</a> for the full schedule (auto-play video on the page, but it was muted when I looked at it). It's also being streamed on the Pluto TV app for mobile and TV devices. (US and Canadian IP addresses only)<br />
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Kaijuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06184830369889881159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15280714.post-55008683757499373202015-07-09T09:54:00.000-04:002015-07-09T09:54:37.132-04:00Age of Ravens nominated for Best Website ENnie AwardLowell's site is full of campaign ideas, gaming tips discovered during
actual play, and he's been doing a great service by producing a valuable ongoing resource of
histories of RPG genres. Take a look at some of his previous posts.<br />
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I will be voting <em><a href="http://ageofravens.blogspot.com/">Age of Ravens</a></em> as my #1 choice for Best Website at the <a href="http://www.ennie-awards.com/vote/2015/">ENnies</a>.Kaijuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06184830369889881159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15280714.post-65465259207787408982015-07-07T12:39:00.000-04:002015-07-07T12:39:46.349-04:00Google Doodle for Eiji Tsuburaya’s 114th Birthday<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's fantastic to see Google honor the special effects director <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eiji_Tsuburaya">Eiji Tsuburaya</a> on what would have been his 114th birthday today with a very involved Google Doodle game on their home page. Create a movie alongside the master!<br />
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Read about the making of the doodle <a href="http://www.google.com/doodles/eiji-tsuburayas-114th-birthday">here</a>.Kaijuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06184830369889881159noreply@blogger.com0