Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Fire In The Hole!

I wouldn't call myself a master at the grill, but I'm comfortable enough to throw down several different types of meats at once and manage as needed.  Tonight's comic would not happen at the Estate, thankfully.

I had to debate with myself about also including our second cat, the mostly wild-eyed smaller variety that makes an occasional appearance.  My final thought was that the fat one would want to be present for a meal, as he's often begging in reality (yeah, my cat begs for burgers too) while his counterpart is off getting into who-knows-what.  So tonight, let you mind wander not only on what I've provided but on what in the world could be going on in the background.  I smell a spin-off!

For some reason the phrase mentioned got into my head today and wormed it's way around after a small victory in the office.  It wasn't until minutes later that I realized the actual common phrase was "with gas" not "with gasoline."  From there we obviously escalated.

The Epoch boys have been getting into a new type of game this past week: browser-based.  This particular game is called Ikariam, and it's all about a pseudo-Grecian game of resource gathering and warfare against other societies.  Luckily we've banded together to keep outsiders and the experienced players from swooping down and pecking at our remains as they sail away with their ill-gotten gains.

We're a few days in, this week's smooth sailing.

Punch it, Chewie!


Thursday, January 26, 2012

Are You Ready For Some Goofballs?

The Super Bowl is upon us again, spreading its mighty wings of commercialism across the land.  It's the time of year when sports enthusiasts everywhere look at their entertainment setup and think 'I could go bigger.'

Fortunately it comes faster than most people can save up for those devices, because soon after you realize you didn't really need an industrial projector with built-in surround-sound in the arms of your couches.

Here at the Manor we're getting pretty pumped because this year we'll have HD capability on our television.  That means we'll see the four hours of commercials and one hour of football in crystal clear picture.  With the right group of folks around you though you may not even watch the game all that closely.

Here's hoping these gloomy days transform before our eyes into Spring afternoons with sunshine and no more coats.  I'm tired of coats.

Punch it, Chewie!

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Riding In A Winter Overcoat

If the stars aligned just right, if it were in the cards and if the exact right series of events took place, tonight's comic could very well be a true story.  Our female cat is nothing if not energetic, and really loves to get into whatever she can.  This includes previous references to drawers, closets, shoes and any clothes that she could lay on or in.  The really great thing about her is that if she were trapped in a coat she'd just take the opportunity to have an adventure.  That or freak out and scratch up my back horribly trying to get out.

Are we all gearing up for the upcoming football festivities?  Since we settled in the Manor here, we've been able to expand our social circles than when we were trapped in Filthy-delphia.  Now we'll be able to host a larger gathering (which of course means more people to bring food I can devour) and enjoy a hopefully exciting finish to the football season.

Hopefully today melted away much of the snow you may have received earlier this week.  If that's the last and only time I'll have to send the butlers out to shovel the Estate's driveway this year I'll be glad for it.  Spring, you can be sprung at any time now.

Punch it, Chewie!

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Eyeballs Are For Losers

If you could, would you really turn down the ability to augment your life with a super power of any kind?  If I had to give up a finger or a toe in order to do it, sign me up.  I wasn't using them all, anyways.

Something I always find amusing are the 'what power would you pick' conversations.  Batman's a real outlier in this conversation, because he doesn't have a power except for anger and money to buy batmobiles and utility belts and the like.  Other than a few other examples like that, all super-powered heroes were granted their abilities without any choice in the matter at all.  They had to adapt to their situation and chose to make the best out of it.  To me that's the real test, to be able to alter your reality to include these extraordinary factors.

I had this idea in mind all day long, so it was completely by random chance I was reading through an X-Men event from a few years ago today, and someone who I was pretty impressed with also has eye-beam powers.  Cyclops is now not only leader of the X-Men, but de facto leader of what's left of the mutant race in the Marvel universe.  As a kid reading through comics, I was underwhelmed with Cyclops because he was "leader" in what seemed to be name only.  Now he's really stepped out, even to the point of disagreeing from time to time with Xavier.  Moving pieces and teams around the board, his tactical skills have completely come into their own.

It's a good time to be a nerd.

Punch it, Chewie!

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

The Broctopus Cometh!

Anyone who knows me will be able to inform you just how important crazy parties are to me.  I just can't get enough of the type of personality who craves masses of barely known people stuffed into small spaces and forced to make surface level communication for no real benefit. (Sarcasm end)

Being social in a healthy way is an odd thing.  I'm considered anti-social to the general public because I don't necessarily enjoy meeting new people.  However from the inside looking out I believe that I just choose who I spend my time with more carefully than others.  It's an odd line that, even in the simple act of recognizing and accepting, separates myself and the like-minded apart from many others.

With age, however, comes acceptance and a certain level of apathy in changing our basic natures.  It may not necessarily be comfort with oneself, but perhaps to a certain degree it's not wanting to go through the effort to change and become like 'insert whatever here'.  No matter how you reach it, if at all, the realization is fascinating.  The older one gets, the more unique in their quirks and ideas than when they were younger and taught a correct way and an incorrect way to do or process things.

And we're back.  That rabbit-hole wasn't all that deep, was it?  I think we got back out with everyone who went in, but either way this week's chugging along.  Keep in there, another weekend's right around the bend.

Punch it, Chewie!

Thursday, January 12, 2012

With The Power Of Hugs!

Lately, maybe even more so than normal, comics have been in my life.  Thus the idea of match-ups and several "who would win between" spontaneous conversations have been cropping up, and it got me thinking about the nature of comic books.

It's not to their benefit to make a well-adjusted, nonviolent character and place them in a world of drunken bar fights with lasers shooting from eye sockets.  It just wouldn't compute for their younger demographic, who's only just beginning to learn about all the new crazy chemicals getting pumped into their bloodstream.  As those youngsters age, it's especially important not to try and get all peace-y or else you run the risk of damaging their childhood memories and losing a customer.  Art for profit, it's an interesting business.

I think we're going to do it.  We've been avoiding it or waiting for the right time, but I think the day has dawned.  We at the Manor need to watch the next season of Dexter.  I have to admit I've been less than awe-struck by the past two seasons.  I'm feeling comfortable in this world where it's normal for a man to be a scientific investigator and a sociopath all rolled into one.  Perhaps that's the problem, though.  The novelty of the man who kills because he has to, but uses a code to keep from completely losing his chance at redemption, is wearing off.  I'm holding on to hope that this season is redeeming in itself and makes me anxious for more.  I hear that's how entertainers are supposed to leave me.

Anyways, that's it for this week.  Enjoy MLKJ day next week, and especially enjoy it if you're fortunate enough to be off work or other responsibilities.

Punch it, Chewie!

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

The Boy Who Cried Ding!

It's not hard to understand why my better half wouldn't necessarily love everything that I get into.  Around the manor, there are a lot of conversations about new shows or what's happening in comics or how I'm doing in my gaming.

Not all of these conversations have two willing participants in them.

The fact that the Lady of the Estate even knows half of the things I'm geeking out on at any given moment is a true testament to her ability to listen and care for other people.  If I were a more cynical person, I would rationalize this away as my helping her be a better listener by constantly bombarding her ear canals with nerd noise. Luckily, my tenuous grip on reality allows brief moments of clarity wherein I can make it known how much I appreciate her indulging the qualities that drive me to do things like create a blog or catalog all of my comic books.

We'll keep this short, and hopefully sweet.  The world's still here, so those Mayans are wrong so far and we can't ignore our alarm clocks yet.

Punch it, Chewie!

Thursday, January 5, 2012

The C-Section Of An Idea

Ever try to force an idea? Sit down and say "alright, it's time to start thinking"?  Well, it just plain old won't work out for you.  Unless you're some kind of robot or monster.  Are you a robot or a monster?

In keeping with tonight's brevity, I'll just leave you all with my short review of the first entry in the upcoming Avengers vs. X-Men event Marvel Comics will be putting out in April.  Cable comes back and rips the Avengers a new one, convinced that his adopted daughter will be hurt by them at some point in the future.  Cap and Cable square off in a predictably stalemated fight, but there is some really amazing art throughout.  If it's any indication of the flagship title for the event, I think it's going to be a good summer.

Alright, enjoy your weekends and we'll see you back out there for the next one.

Punch it, Chewie!

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Comic

Starting the new year right, posting a day late.  Other than that, revelry and celebration was great over the weekend.  The only thing I'd have changed would be the voice-ending sore throat I endured (hopefully with grace).

As far as New Year's Eves go, this one was a lot of fun, but didn't really leave the import of the last year on earth sort-of feeling that those rascally Mayans potentially foretold.  More likely that they just stopped counting or ran out of space on their calendar, but let's leave the conspiracy theorists with a reason to build those bunkers in their backyards.  The supplies those insane hermits purchase will only help bring back the economy from whatever sappy romantic comedy-esque mood it's been in the past few years.

In movie news, I was finally able to see Captain America: The First Avenger again over the weekend, and it was much improved from the original version I saw in the theater.  Since it was in 3D, and the projectionist must have seen the flick countless times since the premiere, they didn't bother to check that the blurry image they were seeing sans-ridiculous 3D glasses was in focus, thus as a group we all developed headaches trying to focus on the awesome action.  As a movie, I'd give it a solid B+, but since it's the first time that one of my personal heroes has been portrayed so lovingly it gets a boost up a bit in my books. 

Regardless, a good time was had by all and now we're back to the grind.  Huzzah and sally forth!

Punch it, Chewie!