OneBookShelf Jack O' Lantern Haul 2015 (Halloween 2015 Part One)

Every Halloween OneBookShelf (OBS) publishing has a trick or treat jack o' lantern search where one hunts down images of jack o' lanterns throughout the participating sites. A jack o' lantern signifies either a trick or a treat. The treat is a free ebook whereas a trick is a gag item. While OBS did have a trick for a number of years, they have stopped the practice the last couple years. Although I don't recall if I have participated in every annual jack o' lantern hunt, it has been a Halloween tradition for me. The sites that I have scoured through are DriveThru RPG, DriveThru Comics, and DriveThru Fiction. Don't know how long the treats last; but here's a rundown of this year's treats.


DriveThru RPG
Wolfsheim for the Scion RPG
Better Angels - a rather unique rpg where one plays a villain who struggles with a demon within that grants powers to the villain. A different player controls the demon.
The Book of Archetypes - for All-Flesh Must be Eaten RPG, quick characters for when the zombies are too effective at killing the PC's.
King Arthur Pendragon, 1st edition - Pendragon is an RPG that has long been on my must list. The RPG archivist/historian in me is excited to read the very first iteration.
Van Richten's Guide to Fiends - a classic Ravenloft (AD&D 2E). Fits the Halloween theme perfectly.
Laboratory of the Forsaken
Encyclopaedia Arcane: Demonology


An excellent haul if I do say so myself.


DriveThru Comics
The Necromancer Volume 1 Trade - a Top Cow book that has piqued my interest. Plus, free trade!
Jirni #1
Deadworld - Frozen Over #1
Vincent Price Presents: Gallery Omnibus - basically, pictures of Vincent Price.
Dragonstorm #1
The Lexian Chronicles #1
Monster Candy


Mostly unknowns but a great price. Free.


DriveThru Fiction
Dark Ages Clan Novel #1: Nosferatu - As long-time fan of the Old World of Darkness and Dark Ages in particular, I'm excited.
Apex Magazine October 2011 (Issue 29)
Deadlands Dime Novel 01: Perdition's Daughter - Deadlands is a weird western RPG that I would have liked to play but either never got a chance or was too apathetic when I did. I like weird westerns.
The Raven - Don't think this is Poe poem...
Courting the King in Yellow (The Parted Veil Series: Book One) - A modern King in Yellow story.
Awesome!
Obsessed


Another excellent haul even if I have no idea what the three other books are as the other three more than compensate for them.


RPGNow - While not part of the Trick or Treat promotion, Troll Lord Games offered a free pdf of the Demon Hunter class for Amazing Adventures to celebrate Halloween. Never had the privilege to sample Amazing Adventures but a demon hunter character in a setting of pulp adventure is too good to pass up!


Tomorrow, I plan (okay, hope) to post about how I celebrated the week of Halloween. My thoughts and reviews of: The Last Witch Hunter, Vertigo 2015 Preview, iZombie season 2, draugr, what I consider Halloween episodes of The Player and Sleepy Hollow, Grimm Season 4 premiere, and Howling Commandos of S.H.I.E.L.D. #1.

Guess, My Character Wasn't as Cool as I Thought...

Every gamer experiences those moments where their PC accomplishes great things. The rush one feels when any given game's challenge-resolution mechanic (CRM) enables a character to perform far better than one expected. Heck, some game's CRM have in-built eureka moments such as Dungeons & Dragons critical successes. Critical successes help create the excitement that stem from an RPG session. However, much of that excitement relies on the purity of that eureka moment.


Now I have been slinging dice, along with other forms of CRM, for around twenty years. Over the years, my appreciation for that visceral feeling that one experiences when the CRM works in one's favor has grown. Not only when it pertains to my experience but the experience of the GM and other players. After all, table-top and live-action role-playing games are communal so one's fortune or misfortune may impact how others enjoy the game. In a roundabout fashion I have come to appreciate the sentiment expressed in forums such as Knights of the Dinner Table of limited natural 20s! Watching the videos of Vin Diesel playing Dungeons & Dragons circulating the internet and palpable excitement whenever a critical occurred certainly help foster my new appreciation.


While playing a session of the fifth edition of Dungeons & Dragons, I had a chance to play the new iteration of the Barbarian class. Before play, I only briefly perused the class so I had a shaky grasp of the new Barbarian. Heck, I created my character on the fly within ten or twenty minutes! So while I was playing my character, I was pleased with his performance in combat as he downed his foes. Even had a critical hit! Here is where we reach the title of this particular entry. After the gaming session, in which the character leveled, I read the next level's abilities. Turns out I had misinterpreted the Rage mechanic and was using a souped-up version of a second level ability. In short, my character was far cooler than he should have been.


Years ago, accidental coolness would not have bothered me. I would have shrugged it off. Others would bring it to my attention. We'd argue and then refinements would be made. In a fashion, I'm glad to realize that I have matured as gamer. That I can accept an 'oops' moment when I play and realize its potential to disrupt that further games and adjust appropriately. Fortunately, role-playing games are just games and communal ones at that. As long as I am honest about my eureka moments, and work to maintain such honesty, its okay. Its just one's ego as it pertains to a fictional construct in a game. Besides, misreading rules is part of the game!

The New Television Season So Far

Today marks the start of what I consider to be week 3 of the Fall 2015 television season. Some shows I am week or two behind. Been able to play Dungeons & Dragons on Monday nights and that's a whole slew of shows to catch up on! Thank goodness for television recording devices.


Gotham - I have a confession: still have yet to watch the second episode of the season. Not because I hated the premiere. Loved it in fact. Airs on Monday night and thus played D&D instead. So geek card saved? Back to the show. As I said I loved the premiere. Rise of the Villains is off to a rollicking good start. The passcode for Thomas Wayne's secret cave office was a delicious surprise that should not have been a surprise. Penguin as criminal boss is promising but I hope more rivals emerge. Not a fan of how Gordon was reinstated. Matches the shows tone and should lead to intriguing developments but it does not seem true to the character. Felt more like the plot dictating the character rather the other way around. The main plot was beginning the Rise of the Villains arc where several Arkham inmates including Jerome (Joker?) and Barbara Keen are broken out of Arkham.


Minority Report - Never watched the movie starring Tom Cruise nor read Philip K Dick's story that inspired it. Only discovered after watching the pilot that show happens after the events of the movie. Only have seen the first episode so far but Minority Report promises to be an excellent sci-fi thriller although I tire of the police procedural of which serves as the shows frame. The cybernetic eye implant that enable the cop to see how a murder was committed in order to deduce the 'why' was a nice touch.


Castle - Castle is one of those regular shows that I watch sporadically but when I do I watch it as it airs. Ergo I have only seen the premiere 'XY' which tells a story from Castle's perspective as Beckett mysteriously disappears and undergoes a secret mission. Loved the action thriller break from the usual crime detective story.


Blindspot - Jamie Alexander, Lady Sif in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, stars as the central protagonist whose an amnesiac covered in 'prophetic' tattoos and some... interesting skills. Due to D&D, the premiere is the only episode that I have seen. The pilot strained my suspension of disbelief a couple times; but Blindspot fits the action-thriller with an arcane tone that I crave.


The Muppets - The Muppet Show trades in the variety show for a late-night show hosted by Miss Piggy, while switching from G-rated content to PG with humor that veers into PG-13 territory. Its hilarious! Loved the Jay Leno - Fozzy Bear segments in the second episode.


Scream Queens - Technically, I have seen the first two episodes as they were aired concurrently. The creators that brought us American Horror Story have created a comedy that acts a serious horror story in the slasher genre. Fittingly, Scream Queens begins in 1995 as its more like a serious parody of slasher films of that era. Plus you can't go wrong with Jamie Lee Curtis - who may very well be in cahoots with the Red Devil serial killer plaguing the sorority, which is at the center of this season's story. Hilariously good fun in a cult movie fashion I am glad that Fox re-airs it later in the week as otherwise it would become trumped by comic book Tuesday programming such as...


Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.LD. - Finally, Agents of SHIELD is the show that fans wanted it be when it debuted a couple years ago as super-spies are now fully integrated with super-powered individuals. An excellent premiere where we are introduced to the show's Little Bad and possibly Big Bad. In delightful espionage fashion, its unclear which of the two new characters is which let alone whether they are.


Limitless - Much like Minority Report, never saw the movie. While I found the pilot episode lukewarm at times, I'm glad I stuck around for the second episode. The lead is quirky enough and the light sci-fi (virus that targets a specific genetic mutation in the second episode) that I find myself drawn to the show.


Heroes Reborn - Yatta! Heroes is back. The original Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. show has returned. While conceptually Heroes Reborn is what if Heroes was never cancelled, Heroes Reborn is very much a product of said cancellation as I doubt Heroes 10th season would have unfolded like this. Doubt Molly Walker would have made such a surprise appearance otherwise. Another pleasant benefit to HR is that HRG is joined by a mostly brand-new cast that exhibit powers that function uniquely. Its been three episodes and Zachary Levi's character has been quite a surprise, repeatedly.


Sleepy Hollow - after last season's apocalyptic ending, I didn't know what would be next for Sleepy Hollow. Should not have worried as the second (of seven!) tribulations is introduced. Have not seen Sleepy Hollow? The third season is a stellar jumping-on point.


The Player - In a scripted television era of procedurals, The Player is a breath of fresh air. Its an action-suspense thriller where an unknown group gamble on a crime's outcome. Each episode feels like a one-hour action flick. Not going to lie while Wesley Snipes chews the scenery, I am not sure I'd continue to watch if he wasn't on the show.


Blood & Oil - A primetime drama that tells the story of people trying to make it (or continue to) big in the oil boomtowns of North Dakota. Yes, the oil/natural gas boom of the Bakken fields in North Dakota have finally arrived on network television. Blood & Oil is not only evocative of the North Dakota boomtowns but captures the feel of unfettered capitalism. Want to know what capitalism is truly like? Watch Blood & Oil. I'm also pleasantly surprised at how much this captures the feel of role-playing games such as the OSR of Gygaxian D&D or the World of Darkness. I have played in Vampire LARPs that played like this. Well, that is if the characters could come out during the day...


Quantico - A suspense thriller where the protagonist has to deduce which of her fellow recruits were responsible for a terrorist attack that she was framed for before her framer strikes again. Quantico is fairly engaging and everything at the school is not quite as it seems. Very lurid too - for network television anyway.

The Peanut Gallery on Marvel's New December Offerings

Well, Wednesday has passed. New comics day. What's just as much fun as new comics? Perusing solicitations for comics that arrive in stores two months in the future. In fact, October-December solicitations are available. Know what that means? Yep, the new wave in Marvel's All-New, All-Different initiative. Here's my peanut gallery thoughts on those solicitations.

• Invincible Iron Man #4: - Wait this not a new issue one?! Its not. However, Mary Jane Watson joins the cast of Iron Man. Peter Parker's ex is now a cast member in an Iron Man book. Tony Stark, who unlike in the movies, is still one of the Marvel Universe's biggest philanderers. Ever. Right now every fan who relished the Secret Wars mini "Spider-Man: Renew Your Vows" and/or fans of the Peter/MJ marriage are crying out 'E tu Marvel?!' If I was on the fence before now, this solidifies it. Thank goodness for Marvel Digital Unlimited or cheap trades. Not supporting this book. Ever. Well, for the immediate future anyway.
• A-Force #1: Marvel's all-female Avengers team officially enters the non-Secret Wars Marvel U. Singularity, a new hero from Battleworld, assembles the team of: She-Hulk, Captain Marvel, Dazzler, Medusa, and Nico Minoru (formerly of the Runaways) to face multiversal threats. Has potential. Whether or not pick this up depends on how many titles that I have winnowed by then.
• The Totally Awesome Hulk #1: The I-forgot-how-smart sidekick, Amadeus Cho, is now the Hulk. How many exclamation points can one solicitation have? Many. Is it enough to make me buy it? No, but its discouraged me from doing so!
• Guardians of Infinity #1: Another Guardians of the Galaxy book! Who would have thought... If Dan Abnett was not a co-writer and if not for the Guardians 3000 (the original Guardians, fuzzy wuzzy timey-wimey stuff), I'd say this is one Guardians book too many. Groot, Drax, and Rocket Raccoon further help alleviate such apathy. The prospect of a mysteries Guardians group from the 1000 - 1999 millennium will appear. Loved the Demon Knights - Stormwatch connection in DC New 52 so a unknown predecessor group intrigues. The back-up story featuring Ben Grimm the Thing and Rocket on a planet based on pro-wrestling seals the deal. Pro-wrestling comics are a big draw for me. Plus, it'll be a hoot seeing if the Thing becomes a champion on this world too. Buy.
• Daredevil #1&2: Daredevil has a protégé and is now prosecutor as opposed to a defense attorney. New writer too.  How many Daredevil restarts have their been? I'd buy the trades if anything.
• All-New Inhumans #1&2: A fourth Inhumans book. Second one that has 'Inhumans' in the title! Clearly, Marvel/Disney is attempting some synergy here. Crystal leads a team that seeks to aid the newly-Inhumanized population cope with the changes wrought by Terrigen Clouds. Definitely, synergy all right. Say isn't Crystal's former flame, Johnny Storm, pardon the pun, starring in Uncanny Inhumans? Uncanny Inhumans where the Human Torch has relationship with her sister? The inevitable crossover ought to be... awkward. Maybe off the rack. Maybe I'll let Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. scratch the 'waves of new-Inhumanized' itch.
• Uncanny X-Men #1 & 2: The most ruthless killers among the X-men and X-villians comprise this incredibly deadly team. Admittedly, I lost track with X-Factor and Monet so I don't know how she fits. But I will go with that. Another 'if I am not reading too much' book.
• Red Wolf #1: Red Wolf is one of Marvel's Native American characters. This book takes up right where the Secret Wars mini left off in 1872. Didn't read that mini. My enthusiasm wanes because of that.
• Spidey #1:  Much like the Untold Tales of Spider-Man that ran way back during the 90's, Spidey is set during Peter Parker's teenage years. Love that era. If Spidey remains a monthly book, it very well could become my Spider-Man book.
• Squadron Supreme #1 & 2: Absolutely love the Squadron Supreme. A Squadron comprised of analogs from different multiverses including Blur from DP7 (huge, huge fan of DP7) excites me. James Robinson is the writer. Namor is there target? Intriguing. Decisions. Decisions.
• Starbrand and Nightmask #1: Starband and Nightmask were concepts from Marvel's New Universe as was DP7. Which I loved. However, I have not read any of the Avengers comics that include the new Starbrand and Nightmask. Don't even know how similar they are. Roommates in college? Maybe off the rack?
• Weirdworld #1: A girl named Becca is trapped in land of sword and sorcery drawn by the same art team as the Secret Wars mini of the same name. Another promising title.
• Scarlet Witch #1: The prolific James Robinson writes the solo stories of the Scarlet Witch. Wanda traverses the globe solving magical crimes while trying fix and solve the mystery of who broke witchcraft. Other than confusion over what they mean by breaking witchcraft, seems a promising title.
• Patsy Walker, Aka Hellcat #1: Gleaning from the solicitation it seems Hellcat will be a comedy/super-hero book that will also incorporate Patsy Walker's history as a romance character into the book. Its not my type of comic yet I want to read it anyway...

Third time's the charm! At last, Marvel has learned how to write compelling solicitations. Only took the third month of its "All-New, All-Different" initiative to do so. First month where I found myself taking mental stock on whether or not I could afford to add another title to my list, comic after comic.