The Professional Gamer - January 4, 2016

Happy New Year readers! I hope you all have enjoyed the end of one year and the beginning of a new.  I enjoyed a short week at work (probably the last until we get closer to summer).  And I've ended up spending most of my free time this week working on plans for my Traveller game.  And I've got quite a lot done.  For example, I've made a map of the sector where the players will start out:

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If you can't tell, I'm rather excited about this whole game.  I have Star Wars to blame for a large portion of that enthusiasm.

Speaking of Star Wars, I'm still reading Shadows of the Empire, and it has improved somewhat.  I still feel that reads a bit like a fan-fiction, with a lot of purple prose and too much telling, rather than showing.  I'm a bit surprised that I was so into these sorts of novels when I was in high school and college.  I suppose that imagining the action sequences, like the star fighter battles and the blaster shoot-outs, was more important to young Jim than artful prose and characterizations.  In spite of my concerns about the quality, I'm having a ton of fun reading it.

I also got back into reading The Thrilling Adventures of Lovelace and Babbage.  I haven't quite finished yet, though I think my favorite part is the visit from George Boole.  I just love the setup and build to the punchline.

That's all I've got for this week.  I hope 2016 treats everyone with care and respect, and that you all have a great year.  Have a great week and game on!

Star Trek Beyond Trailer

Some how I missed the memo on the new Star Trek movie coming out this summer. I don't know how I managed it, but none the less it is coming, and it even has a teaser trailer! 

Civil War Preview

The first trailer has hit the interwebs. And I already feel bad for the characters. There is one scene in the trailer that is a literal shot to the heart.

The Professional Gamer - November 23, 2015

I must report that I may have fallen off the the wagon this week.  You see, I started reading The Lord of the Rings again.  When I was middle school and high school, reading through LotR was an annual ritual for me.  As I moved onto college and, later, a career.  I found it harder to keep up with my regular habit.  I think the last time I actually read through the books was during graduate school.  I still really love Tolkien's prose, and the slow unfolding of the plot.

At other times, I read a few more pages of The Thrilling Adventures of Lovelace and Babbage.  As I've written before, this is a really fun comic, with a fun blend of slapstick humor and discussion of the historic context via footnotes.

That's all that I have going on this week.  I'll see you all again next week.  Game on!

The Professional Gamer - November 16, 2015

Hello again readers! I've had one of those weeks with a completely normal load at work, but way to many things to do outside of work hours.  I'm a bit limited on what I can talk about this week, but let's proceed anyway.

I discovered Seven Deadly Sins this week.  I find that I'm a bit ambivalent about the series.  It provides some fun action.  But, for reasons that I don't entirely understand, the male protagonists fits the lecherous trope that tends to be rather common in anime.  In spite of my ambivalence, I've already watched more than 13 episodes.  The world building is good, and the secondary characters are interesting.  Its available on Netflix streaming, which means you won't waste any "real" money if you give the series a chance.  I think it is worth at least that chance.

In postal news, I received my copy of Eat More Comics, which is a collection of comics the were published by The Nib over the past few years.  I haven't had a chance to read through much yet, but the book itself is beautiful.  If you missed the Kickstarter campaign, the book is for sale on TopatoCo. 

That's all I've got for this week.  Have a great week and game on!

2015 Denver Comic Con Silent Auction

Are you already doing your Christmas shopping? Looking for a unique and one of a kind item for that special person on your list? Well have I got news for you then! Denver Comic Con has announced their 2015 Silent Auction. This auction will include "some of the signed memorabilia and original art that has been collected from Denver Comic Con and other organizational events as well as items donated from its partner organizations Colorado Rockies, Colorado Avalanche, and Denver Film Society".  Proceeds from the auction will benefit the non-profit group Pop Culture Classroom. So you can get some Christmas shopping done and feel good about yourself!

So when an where is this going down? Well you can find it at Breckenridge Brewery at 2990 Brewery Lane in Littleton, CO on November 14, 2015 at 7:00 PM.

The event is free for those the RSVP on the following site: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/denver-comic-cons-silent-auction-tickets-19267588877