Answering the 'Mega Man Universe' riddle

Gaming blogs were buzzing this week after news surfaced that Capcom is working on something called "Mega Man Universe."

The trademark filing was, of course, notoriously vague on details. All we know is that the project is a video game of some kind. But what kind? Nobody knows. Well, nobody outside of Capcom knows. So you, I and John Q. Gamer are left only with our speculation. I love to speculate, though, so let's consider some options.

Option 1: It's a mumorpuger! Massive multiplayer online role-playing games such as "World of Warcraft" and "Lord of the Rings Online" remain popular, but are generally inaccessible to causal gamers. It might make sense to market "Mega Man Universe" as some lighter alternative. Capcom notably has experience in the MMORPG arena with "Phantasy Star Online" and "Monster Hunter." So this option isn't implausible.

Option 2: It's a compilation! More than four dozen Mega Man games have been released, including games set in several different universes. Might the "Mega Man Universe" be one game disc that brings these many entries together for the first time? Many of the games in the series have been released on the NES, SNES, PlayStation and handheld systems so these smaller games presumably could fit together on one disc.

Option 3: It's a crossover! Whether done in the style of "Super Smash Bros." or "Kingdom Hearts," a game that unites the many Mega Man characters in one setting could be great fun. Even better would be if the game resolved some heretofore unanswered questions, such as what happened between the original Mega Man games and the futuristic Mega Man X games.

Option 4: It's something else! Maybe the game could be some retro-styled undertaking that blends various aspects of the property together, like "Super Mario Bros. Wii." Maybe we're getting a first-person Mega Man shooter, like so we can run around capping Mets by the dozen. Or maybe we're getting a traditional role-playing game that uses Rush Jet in place of airships. Anything is possible!

What do you think is the answer to the "Mega Man Universe" riddle?

To con or not to con?

I'm not sure how the Washington Comicon escaped my notice until now, but escape it shall no more!

The event this weekend at the George Mason University campus in Fairfax comes one day after Free Comic Book Day — and after a very long work week. So the timing really couldn't be much better. I've got a yen for some mindless entertainment this weekend. And while Baltimore Comic-Con it may not be, the inaugural Washington Comicon does have some good guests lined up. Jo Chen of "Runaways" fame, J.G. Jones of "52" fame and Herb Trimpe of old school "G.I. Joe" fame are among the artists at this weekend's show. Tickets are just $5, but they're granting free admission to people in costume. Hmm...

But the question remains: To con or not to con? What say yee, faithful readers? Shall I again ride Metro in costume, or should I kick back at home?

Cuteness overload Tuesday

My friends are having babies, so now I'm dying a slow, delightful death by cuteness overload from all the baby pictures. It is only by inflicting cuteness on the rest of the world that I can stay sane, so I present you with the cutest non-human pictures I've seen lately:









Via ICanHasCheezburger and DailySquee

Still sharp after 40 years

In case you missed the news today, my favorite LGBT newspaper will again be called the Washington Blade starting this Friday.

The name changes are already occurring on Facebook and Twitter, but it's not official until the issue hits the streets Friday. I just wanted to give you a quick heads up so that you're in the loop. Look for more from me on all this later in the week.

Giveaway: Yoplait "Nourish Your Inner Goddess" gift pack

UPDATE: The deadline for this contest has passed and the winners have been notified. Thanks to those who participated!

Hi everybody! It's a special giveaway day!

To celebrate its new Greek yogurt and to encourage women to nourish their inner goddess, Yoplait is offering Think Lynsen readers a Greek “Nourish Your Inner Goddess” gift pack, which includes some great items that will help you relax (pictured at right).

With 12 grams of protein -- twice that found in leading yogurts-- new Yoplait Greek nourishes from the inside out. Available in four delicious flavors, Strawberry, Blueberry, Honey Vanilla and Plain, the brand’s newest offering has a unique thick and creamy texture with the unmatched taste expected of Yoplait.

You can get a coupon to try the yogurt here - I'm planning to buy some today!

I got a gift pack in the mail as well, and because I'm feeling generous, I'm going to be offering that one to you folks too. So that means we'll have not one, but TWO winners for this contest!

To enter to win, all you have to do is comment on this post by telling me your favorite way to unwind after a stressful day! I'll randomly choose two responses as the winners.

• Only one comment per person will be counted.
• You must comment by 8 p.m. Eastern time Monday, April 26 to be eligible.
• You must provide your email address in your comment (unless I know you personally).
• I will notify winners by email that same evening and request your mailing address. If you don't respond with your mailing address within 48 hours, I will draw a new winner.

Note: Yoplait provided the free product, information, and gift pack through MyBlogSpark™.

More than meets the eye

I wasn't too excited when Nintendo announced it was making a new DS system capable of displaying 3-D images. I mean, Big N doesn't exactly have a great track record in the 3-D game department.

But then I saw this video of the current Nintendo DSi — a system not intended to display 3-D images — and I realized this path might be worth exploring. If a game developer can manipulate a traditional system into achieving such feats, how much fun could a true 3-D system bring us?



The above game, "Looksley’s Line Up," is available for download May 17. We'll have to wait until the Electronic Entertainment Expo in June to see Nintendo's proper 3-D system in action, but if the above clip is an appetizer, I'm ready to see the meal!

Quick recap of my first performance with Pirates for Sail

It. Was. Exhilarating.

Yes, I was a bit nervous before we started; yes, I croaked the first line of my verse of "All Fo Me Grog," but man oh man...it was fun. I felt like I was absolutely meant to be there.

Thanks to Josh, Paul and Melissa who came out to cheer me on, and thanks to Tim, Jim, Erin and Lou for being so welcoming and for helping me along. Everyone said I sounded great and looked good. The former I can largely credit to my singing teacher, Jade.

I can't wait for future performances!

One of these in every home!

Via Epic Win FTW

The votes are in...

...and it's been decided that I am, in fact, a pirate.

Following my successful audition earlier this month, last night I had my first rehearsal with Pirates for Sail. Their process is that if you pass the audition, then you come to a rehearsal, and the crew then votes if you're to become a part of the band. I found that homemade cookies helped ease that process along. (Hey, a pirate's not above bribery!)

Now I have a one-month probationary period to show that I can actually make it to rehearsals and performances on time, etc., but that part I think I can handle.

Rehearsing with the group last night, though - it was slightly surreal and more than a little awesome. A bit overwhelming, too. The surreal is because I've been watching these guys perform for over three years now, and have been a superfan for pretty much that whole time, so suddenly being in the band is simultaneously odd, wonderful and one of those pinch-me-am-I-awake moments. The awesome part was actually joining them on the songs I knew, like "All Fo Me Grog," one of my favorites. The whole time I was singing that, basically the word "SQUEEE!" was going through my head on a loop. So, so fun. And the overwhelming part? I'm now in possession of a rather large songbook containing nearly 100 songs...and I've actually heard maybe a fifth of those before now. Annie's got a lot o' memorizin' to do.

For those who are interested in hearing me sing with the group, I'll be posting on Facebook and Twitter when I'll be performing. My first performance will actually be this Friday night at Piratz Tavern. I can't make any guarantees about my vocal quality or ability to remember all the lyrics at this stage of the game, and you certainly won't be hearing me sing any solos, but feel free to come cheer me on if you feel so inclined.

All tweets to become enshrined in history

(My latest musings on Small Act's blog.)

One of our awesome clients, Alison McQuade from Global Giving, tipped me off about an exciting development last week. The Library of Congress has just acquired the entire Twitter archive!

It's been interesting to see people's mixed reactions to the news. Lots of people are excited, I think because it makes Twitter feel more like an official communication medium. Others are nervous, like one of my friends, who responded to my enthusiastic retweet by saying she was one of those who "liked having [her] tweets expire." And you have to admit, depending on how and what you tweet, that's a huge amount of personal data that's about to be curated and enshrined in history...

Continue reading at Small Act.

Worst. Pitcher. Ever.

Knowing that the Washington Nationals lose more than they win, my expectations for Sunday's game were pretty low.

But they weren't low enough.

The first Nats game that Annie and I attended this year was such an embarrassment — such an unmitigated disaster — that I can't believe the team is allowed to play at the professional level. In the first inning alone, the Nats gave up 10 runs. Ten! Pitcher Jason Marquis walked a guy home and allowed another guy to steal home. When he wasn't pitching sloppy or hitting batters, he was allowing hit after hit. The coach finally and mercifully pulled him from the field, spurring the crowd to boo Marquis as he trudged, head down, back to the dugout. Not that his replacement did much better, allowing a grand slam before the inning ended, but that phrase about making a silk purse from a sow's ear comes to mind.

I know we all have bad days. I get that. But considering that Marquis recently signed a two-year, $15 million contract, realize that he gets $20,547 every day of his life. He's earning $856 each hour, whether awake or asleep. If he spends one minute sneezing and blowing his nose, he's just pocketed $14.27. So forgive me if his station in life fails to elicit sympathy from me.

Somebody alert Google Translate. Marquis evidently is French for "Worst. Pitcher. Ever."

"Kick-Ass" points toward what superhero movies should be

This weekend we saw "Kick-Ass," a snarky superhero movie that deconstructs the genre by filling it with a bunch of non-superpowered people who just want to make a difference...and beats the crap out of them.

Though the movie has some pacing issues that kept me from being engaged 100 percent of the time, the way in which the movie was put together really, really pleased me after seeing a string of cliched superhero flicks.

• The movie doesn't take itself too seriously. This was a relief...too often, these big-budget flicks based on established comic book characters suck all the fun out of what could be an exciting, campy romp. This was my disappointment with "Spider-Man" especially...the King of Camp, Sam-I-Made-Xena-Warrior-Princess-and-the-Evil-Dead-Movies-Raimi, gave us a flick that eliminated the classic Spidey-villain banter from the fight scenes, but dwelled extensively on how much it sucked to be Peter Parker.
• The movie was grounded in the real consequences of a superhero life. Despite what I said above, the movie didn't shy away from showing the bad things that could happen from being a superhero. These guys get beat up...a LOT. Horribly. They lose fights on occasion. Badly. But it's done in such a way where it it doesn't take away from the fun.
• They don't play the "victimize women" card. I'm not going to lie - before I saw the movie I combed the internet for information on whether there would be scenes of violence against women, which I really can't stomach. To my relief, despite the quantity of violence in the movie, not once did they play the card of "Oh, to motivate the hero to put the mask on again and to show that the bad guy is really, really bad, we're going to threaten or rape the woman he cares about." As an English major, I always consider this type of plot point to be so hackneyed and overdone and cliche that I wonder why it's still being used. But "Kick-Ass" manages to accomplish the same thing without. Yes, a young girl does take some hits in the movie...but as a result of combat she initiated, and after she's already killed about 57 guys.
• The female superhero is unapologetic. Along the same lines as above, it's become a traditional move where one of the main females has to be somehow emotionally tortured or question her ways. And although Hit Girl kills a LOT of people in the movie and curses like a sailor (both of which have generated a lot of controversy because she's a child), not once does she pause or question herself or soften her approach. She is absolutely confident in her resolve, and that was refreshing to see.
• It has a heart. As I write this I continue to marvel (ha!) at how this movie balanced a lot of competing aspects, and despite the unapologetic violence the movie really does have a soul. There are some incredibly sweet moments between Hit Girl and her father, Big Daddy. The main character is willing to do anything to win the heart of his crush. And the son of a mob boss is torn between wanting to take over his dad's business and being appalled by the nature of it. But again, none of this takes away from the fun.

I'm hoping more superhero movies will take a page from this movie's book and be as refreshing, funny, and interesting as "Kick-Ass." While the movie isn't for everyone, and probably a lot of comic book fans are going to jump all over me for saying comic book movies should be more like this one as opposed to, say, "The Dark Knight," I do stand firm in my opinion that it had a lot of ingredients missing from other movies, ingredients that made the superhero formula taste even sweeter.

Nexus One: The opposite of William Shatner riding a horse

Welcome to the Nexus. While it isn't an astronomical phenomenon that brings eternal happiness to those who inhabit it, it is a pretty awesome phone. I've had mine for over a week now, and here are some of my first impressions.

Overall
Generally, I'm very, very happy I decided to go with the Nexus One as opposed to the iPhone, Droid, or another Blackberry. (There's a nice features comparison chart here.) I'm going to nitpick a bit in the ensuing paragraphs, so bear with me, but my overall feeling is 95% happiness with my purchase.

The look
It's really crazy pretty. I love the "live backgrounds" (wallpaper that moves in subtle and interesting ways). The blacks are nice and dark and the lights are really light. I actually can't bear to dim the screen's brightness setting because it's so darn gorgeous.

Size
I love and hate the size of the phone. It's nice and slim, especially when compared to my husband's Google MyTouch, but it's also a lot taller than most phones. Now this gives the advantage of having a really nice, big screen for web surfing, but the disadvantage of being really bulky in my jeans' pocket. A relatively minor quibble, but it's there.

Accessories
This is another minor point of angst for the phone. Since it's sold directly through Google, and from what I can tell Google isn't really selling much in the accessory department besides spare batteries and a docking station, it's really freaking hard to find cases and stuff at brick-and-mortar places. I'm a little reluctant to buy a case online, because I like that tactile experience before I commit to one (or at least to get a really good look at it to assess its durability). If anyone knows a great place to buy a case for it, let me know. The one it came with is just annoying to deal with (standard slipcase-type thing - I need something you can keep on the phone while you use it).

Web browsing
It's like freaking LIGHTNING. So fast.

The touch screen
The touch screen took a bit of getting used to. One of my first impressions was, "Gee, this thing smears really easily." It doesn't matter how clean my hands are when I use it, the thing is always a fingerprinted mess. I've taken to carrying a microfiber cleaning cloth in my pocket to combat this.

Initial experiences with typing were also a bit frustrating, as I had a habit of accidentally hitting the keys just wrong so I'd suddenly exit to the home screen in the middle of typing something. Which was annoying, to say the least. But after using it for a week, I've got it down now and actually find typing on it to be more intuitive than I initially thought. Basically - don't obsess over what you're typing as you're typing it. The autocorrect is savvy to the point where you wonder if it's psychic.

The camera
Five megapixels plus a flash. Honestly, this was a huge selling point on the phone for me, because my Blackberry camera sucked so badly. And the phone delivers on everything it promises. I took some great pics at a conference last week in a variety of lighting conditions. A colleague even said, "I think this camera has better resolution than my EYES!" The pictures are crisp and clear, and when you email someone a photo, it automatically sizes it down. And once you install the Facebook app, it's a really quick and intuitive process to share photos from your phone to Facebook.

Native Google apps
Generally I'm really pleased with how easy it is to work with Gmail, Google Calendar, and the like, but I have a couple of beefs. For one thing, why can I synchronize multiple email accounts, but only one calendar? My workplace uses Gmail and Google Calendar, and it would be great to be able to have both my business and personal calendar on there, but I'm limited to one. So weird.

For another thing, there are a lot of missed opportunities in terms of apps that should be native but aren't, namely Google Docs and Google Reader. Though the web interface for both is really good, these seem like things that could've been made a bit more full-featured if they were apps.

Speaking in terms of smart phones in general, there are a few more apps that I think should be native but aren't: a notepad, a task list, and a profile manager (so you can set profiles for the ringer/vibration/message notifications, rather than change each item individually). These are features I used heavily on my Blackberry, and they seem to be the sort of thing every smart phone needs, but they're nowhere to be found. I'm playing with some of the downloadable ones, but so far haven't found any that work the way I want it to, except for the profile manager (which I'll mention in the next section).

Android apps
Most people hate on the selection of Android apps, but I've been really pleased so far. There really haven't been any that I felt are missing from the app store. I was able to get a decent Twitter app (Seesmic), AIM, Facebook, a DC Metro app that tells me when the next train and bus will be arriving, Foursquare, a barcode scanner, a Magic 8 Ball, Mahjongg, a mini keyboard (perfect for vocal warmups on the go), Pandora, Shazam, a stopwatch, Urbanspoon, the Weather Channel, and even an app that will turn on my phone and start the phone ringing when I lose it. Oh, and all of those were absolutely free. I've only paid for one app so far, and that's one called Setting Profiles that changes my ring settings based on my physical location (super cool). So when I'm at work, it automatically turns off the ringer and switches the phone to vibrate, but when I'm home, it turns on the ringer and all the notification sounds. Very, very cool.

Search
This is one of the real gems of this phone. The built-in search is incredible for both searching your phone and the web...and I love, love, love the voice search. Most phones require you to program in voice dial, but not the Nexus One. The first time I hit "voice search" and said, "Call Joshua" it instantly dialed Josh's cell phone. So cool. I can also hit the same "voice search" button and say "artichoke dip recipes" and it'll search Google for that. I don't even have to tell it whether to search Google or my contact list - it just KNOWS. (I welcome our future robot overlords. SkyNet is here, man.)

Battery life
On an average day, I have no problem making it through the day on one charge. When I was at my conference last week, though, I had to charge around midafternoon because I was using it so heavily from 8 a.m. to well past midnight. I consider that to be pretty much par for the course in the smartphone realm, though.

Conclusion
So yeah, the phone isn't perfect, but overall it's a really smart, intuitive phone with some great features and apps. The camera alone should put this near the top of your list for smart phone purchases, and if that doesn't sell you, the browsing speed will.

Oh, Clyde, I feel your pain

Nonprofit Technology Conference: Smart phones, networking, and generosity

(My latest post for Small Act.)

Last week, Jason Vance (Small Act's resident pathfinder, AKA sales guy) and I headed down to Atlanta for NTEN's Nonprofit Technology Conference. Three days of learning and networking later, we have a lot to talk about! Here are a few observations about the event. (Oh, and if you weren't able to attend, you can check out lots of awesome presentations from NTC online.)

Nonprofit leaders are moving up in the world
I was really impressed and, admittedly, surprised by the number of smart phones I saw at the event. It seemed nearly everyone had an iPhone, Android, or Blackberry. One guy casually left his brand-new iPad out on the hotel bar, presumably so people would come up and ask him about it (a great networking strategy!)...

[Continue reading at Small Act]

I was a punk when I was 22

Have I ever told you about the time I met Newt Gingrich? No? Oh, you'll get a kick out of this.

Let's rewind about 10 years. I'm working at the Faribault Daily News in Minnesota. Newt is appearing at St. Olaf College in neighboring Northfield. And I'm guaranteed one question during a press roundtable in advance of his speaking engagement. Not entirely sure what to ask the leader of the Republican Revolution, I call one of my old political science professors at the University of St. Thomas. We chat for a while about the opportunity and ultimately decide on one question.

When the appointed hour arrives, I and several other reporters are ushered into a quiet corner of the college campus and we take our seats. Newt soon joins, makes a few comments, then starts taking questions. If memory serves, people were asking about his reasons for coming to St. Olaf, his predictions for the 2000 election and so on. Things were relaxed and Newt was taking it all in stride. Eventually, it was my turn.

"Mr. Gingrich, whatever happened to the contract with America?"

You could almost hear the record scratch. The tone immediately shifted as Newt went on the offensive. The Contract with America, he said, was fulfilled. A common misperception was the contract had gone unfulfilled because most of the bills it regarded had failed to pass both chambers of Congress. Or were vetoed. Or were declared unconstitutional. But because the contract only pledged to bring the bills to the House floor for debate — and those debates had occurred — the contract technically was fulfilled. So nyah.

OK, so maybe he didn't say that last part. My memory's a little fuzzy. But you get the idea.

The roundtable interview ended shortly thereafter. I seem to remember the St. Olaf public relations team being a bit cold toward me after that. And I can't rightly recall whether I got to hear Newt's speech. But it didn't really matter. I had my fun.

Rebuilding a 'Metropolis'

It's one of the most ambitious movies ever made. It's also one of the most confusing.

But that's because "Metropolis," the first great science fiction movie, has been cut so many times that it makes a jigsaw puzzle look coherent. Many attempts have been made to rework the German film since it debuted in 1927. Some of those versions work better than others, but most are simply confusing. Why? Because so much of the film's footage has been physically lost through the years that a fully intact version no longer exists.

There's good news, though, for anyone who's ever wished to have seen the full film. Two years after cinema experts found copies of the film that included long-thought-lost footage, plans are being finalized to release a nearly fully restored version. When it hits stores in November, "The Complete Metropolis" will include 25 more minutes of footage than any previous DVD release. This 147-minute version of the film is likeliest the closest we'll ever come to seeing the original 153-minute version German audiences saw in 1927. And I dare say it'll be the most coherent "Metropolis" version we've ever seen.

Kino International is said to be planning plenty of theatrical showings in advance of the DVD release. I'm hoping to see it at the AFI Silver Theater — and I'm hoping the new version won't have me again scratching my head. "Metropolis" is such an important film that I hope this new version is not only understandable but appreciated.

Must… Resist… Siren… Call…

I swear that Marvel Comics is on some mission to woo me back. How else can you explain them taking one of my favorite Marvel characters and putting him into a video game for the first time?

Miguel O'Hara, better known as Spider-Man 2099, will finally take a lead game role in the upcoming "Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions." What's that, you say? The 2099 universe hasn't yet been announced as part of the game? True. But a recent slipup at GameStop's web site prematurely confirmed the realm as one of four universes players will visit.

The image you see at left, no longer shown at GameStop's web site, is one of the four "cosmic" outfits that are available to people who pre-order the game. These outfits overlay each universe's regular Spider-Man costume, indicating which universes will join the Classic and Noir settings. Marked by its unique forearm spikes and distinct mouth mask, the costume at left clearly belongs to the 2099 character. And that makes me very, very happy.

But given my "I'm done with Marvel" stance, what's a stubborn boycotter to do? Spider-Man 2099 has appeared in previous video games, sure, but those inclusions were nothing more than alternate costumes. This is the first time a story is being built around him and his universe is being fully represented. I want to play this game.

Curses. What condiment goes well with crow?

Dr. Horrible goes 8-bit!

This is the very definition of "Labor of Love." Someone has translated the first episode of "Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog" into a NES-esque game-type...thing. Anyway, enjoy.

New "community pages" adding to Facebook confusion, but don't panic

(My latest musings on the Small Act blog. Enjoy!)

Facebook has recently introduced a new feature: Community pages. Folks on Twitter are asking lots of good questions about the implications for nonprofits and other organizations, and I'm here to say to those of you who are confused: don't panic. I'll explain how we got to this point, and how this new development really doesn't change anything for you or your organization.

You see, up until now, an organization who wanted a presence on Facebook essentially had two choices: start a group or start a fan page. There are advantages and disadvantages to each, but in my experience fan pages are much more effective if you're looking to push messages to your fan base, as your page's status messages will show up in people's news feeds.

But now "community pages" have been thrown into the mix. Why?

(Continue reading at Small Act.)

Stop me if you've heard this one before…

As a journalist and science fiction aficionado, I've long adored Mercury Theater's old "War of the Worlds" broadcast.

Ingenious in concept and brilliant in execution, the show elicited an unmatched public reaction. Well, unmatched until last week, anyway. That was when a Jordanian newspaper's April Fools' Day prank spurred similar panicked reactions. A front-page article reporting that 10-foot-tall aliens in flying saucers had landed within 200 miles of the capital city terrified residents and nearly triggered an emergency evacuation. One local official was so caught up in the prank that he sent security in search of the aliens.

One of the newspaper's editors is now doing damage control, explaining the staff "meant to entertain, not scare people." But what angered Jordanians will likely fascinate sociologists. I, for one, have often wondered if the public panic spurred by Mercury Theater's 1938 broadcast would ever be duplicated. Now we know.

Memory does not equal truth

You know how your memory can play tricks on you? Some of those tricks, it turns out, are rather cruel.

For example, take my experience this weekend watching the first episode of "Voltron," the classic 1980s show that introduced many guys my age to Japanese animation. I seem to remember frequently watching the show in my youth. I also seem to remember it being fairly awesome.

It's not.

The animation quality is uneven, the storytelling rather pedestrian, and the voice acting borders on the absurd. Honestly, the best thing the show has going for it is that Peter "Optimus Prime" Cullen does the narration. And considering his role generally is limited to "Voltron will be right back," that's not saying much.

If I seem a bit too disappointed here, that's probably because this is the second time I've been disappointed by what's regarded as classic anime. I attempted to rewatch "Robotech" a few years back, but pulled the plug on that endeavor after finding it to be more soap opera than war saga. I remember the show being much different — much better — than it truly is.

Has this ever happened to you? What shows from years gone by have you tried to watch again only to be disappointed?

Definition of "shoe fate"

Definition of "shoe fate" - When your husband randomly finds a pair of barely-worn, pirate-themed shoes in your exact size sitting in a giveaway pile in the hallway outside your apartment.



I think they suit me.

Happy Easter!

Via Daily Squee

The blogger is out

Sorry, but it's way too nice outside for either one of us to be blogging today. See ya tomorrow!

Kurt Busiek ruined superhero comics?

I might no longer care for Marvel Comics, but that doesn't change the fact that "Marvels" in my favorite comic story ever told.

Written by Kurt Busiek, a man whom I've met and consider among the industry's top authors, "Marvels" is the beautiful saga of photojournalist Phil Sheldon witnessing and contemplating the emergence of super heroes. I read the books when they first hit in 1994 and own the four-issue story's 10th anniversary hardcover printing. The critically acclaimed tale, which won a host of prestigious awards, is still regarded as among the best work the industry has ever produced. If you've haven't read it, you should.

So it surprised me earlier this week when I stumbled across a column claiming Kurt Busiek ruined superhero comics with "Marvels." I thought such an argument to be preposterous. There's no way such a lauded writer and celebrated work could have ruined anything. But then I read the column. And I have to admit, it's got a point.

It's a long read, but it offers some rather astute observations about the industry, how publishers wrongly think we want our characters to be stagnant and why good writers often save their best ideas for creator-owned books. If you've got some free time today, go take a read and let me know what you think.

Annie is one step closer to becoming a pirate

Hi all! I'm writing this just as I'm on the cusp of crashing for the night, but I had to share. Tonight, after months of hard work to bring my vocal talents back up to par (or at least to "passable"), I successfully auditioned for Pirates for Sail.

Becoming a part of the band has been a dream of mine since I first saw them perform a few years back, but I didn't think I was good enough. The last time I sang with any degree of seriousness was high school. But lately, the urge to perform has been nagging at me, and I started to gain a bit more confidence in my vocal abilities. So I worked with a vocal coach (taking a cue from Dr. Horrible, heh) and the past three months I have spent practicing and working on technique. Am I where I'd like to be? Not quite. But I'm much, much better than when I started.

I auditioned in front of the five officers of the band tonight. I prepared "Amazing Grace" and "Roll Me Over in the Clover," and aside from my obvious nervousness, I think I did both quite well. By the end, they agreed I should come to a rehearsal, and after that there's a crew vote and a brief probationary period to make sure I'm committed to rehearsals, etc. before I'm considered officially a part of the band.

I'll keep you posted, but suffice to say I am VERY EXCITED.

...And VERY EXHAUSTED.

Why I'm selling all my video games

Video games have long been a part of my life. I remember saving my childhood allowance to buy a Nintendo Entertainment System. Annie and I have logged hundreds of hours playing the Final Fantasy games. And we've hosted many Guitar Hero parties.

So when I say that I've decided to sell all my video games, you should know that this was not a decision made lightly. But here's the thing: You can only play the games so many times before you find yourself going in circles.

Mario games are fundamentally the same experience today that they were 20 years ago. And after playing more than a dozen Mega Man games, you realize just how repetitive the experience has become. It doesn't matter whether I'm playing "Final Fantasy IV" or "Final Fantasy XII." Beneath the rewritten script and changed graphics are games fundamentally identical.

The industry I've supported for decades was once one of innovation, but it's devolved into a marketplace so driven by sequels and copycat maneuvers that I can no longer support it. Companies founded to make entertaining products have, ironically, doomed themselves by forgetting to be innovative and fun. It's gotten to the point where I can't even look at my game collection without grimacing.

I'll be taking my Nintendo Wii, Nintendo DS and PlayStation 2 and all their accompanying games to GameStop this weekend to exchange everything for cash. I've strummed my last Guitar Hero riff, jumped my last Mario obstacle and smited my last Final Fantasy villain. It's time for a different kind of adventure. An original one.



By the way: Happy April Fools' Day!