An Explanation Is Not Owed

Important stuff here.

The Reading Pile Pt. 3

I'm now working exclusively on the graphic novels, as that pile has gotten waaaaaay too big.

Quantum & Woody: The Complete Series Omnibus I absolutely loved this series when it originally came out. There really wasn't anything like it out there, certainly not from a major publisher (and yes, at that time, Valiant/Acclaim was a major publisher). The book features an Odd Couple-style duo of "super-heroes", forced to be together. Each wears a control band that must be clanked together every 24 hours or they will die. Hilarity ensues. While there is a ton of humor, mainly in the different dynamic of the two characters and a bunch of fourth-wall breaking (the best being the 3 pages in the beginning of issue #4 where Quantum & Woody complain about all the graphic violence the book can get away with, but can't use naughty words), it can not be classified as a humor book, as there is many serious and dramatic situations throughout. The book stars Quantum as the Felix Unger of the group. He takes super-heroing earnestly. He's orderly and meticulous and serious. Woody, the Oscar Madison type, is his complete opposite. He doesn't take the super-hero lifestyle very seriously (the best being his insistence on taking elevators rather that climbing up & down the outside of buildings), is a slob and does everything chaotically. One of dynamics of the team is that Quantum & Woody are childhood friends who both grew up in rich, suburban Connecticut. Which is an issue for Quantum, who is African-American. The series, written and drawn by Christopher Priest and Mark "M.D." Bright (both of whom are also African-American) doesn't shy away from this. The biggest problem with the series is that there is a lot of "jokes" based on Quantum & Woody not being a gay couple. While this was okay-ish in the '90s, in the 2020s, it's just uncomfortable. It worse when at one point Woody goes on a 2 page rant about how all villains are secretly "in the closet" (though Woody doesn't use any terms that would be considered PC). Despite this, the series is still worth the read and I highly recommend it. Just... be prepared for the cringe. Valiant - HC cover price, $99.99 (Out of print) - Kindle, free with a Kindle Unlimited membership.

Do your PCs love getting loot? Do you like sowing chaos in your campaign? Well then, Dungeon Masters, look no further than Jay’s Dumb D&D Items! Remastered and tweaked by the incredible @currycurrie, this table provides a random selection of truly stupid and entertaining items well-suited for heroes and villains alike. Happy adventuring!

(PDF) + (Imgur) 

Pup interrupts soccer match, gives interview.

Me.

a new day

Catching up on the reading pile

Since I'm stuck at home right now, I've made an effort to try to catch up on my reading pile.

Jack Reacher Book 1: The Killing Floor Being a big fan of the show, I decided to give the books a read. I have to say, I was disappointed. No Neagley and how stereo-typical "damsel in distress" Roscoe was were the two biggest disappointments. Also, the ending had a very "Super easy, barely an inconvenience" feel to it. I didn't hate it, mind you. And in fact I'll give the 2nd one a try. I'm chalking it up to it being a first/early work. Penguin Random House - $9.99

Mad's Greatest Artist: Seigio Aragones - Five Decades of his Finest Works One of my favorite artists & writers. His view on the world (especially in the "A Mad Look At..." series) often make me laugh. I'm sorry to hear that his health is not great these days and that his output has suffered because of it. This book is great and you should pick it up (if you can afford to). Running Press - Cover Price $29.95 (Out Of Print)

Tori Amos: Little Earthquakes (The Graphic Album) Various writers and/or artists present stories based on songs from Tori's first album "Little Earthquakes", as well as songs that only appeared as "B-Sides" on singles. The book is beautiful and most of the stories are very good. There is a modern day problem though as her long time friend Neil Gaiman has one story and the epilogue, where he talks about his 30 year friendship with the artist. Still worth picking up though. Z2 Comics - $39.99

We are playing Tapestry for the first time. The 12-sided die is the die you roll for the science track. We have already dubbed it "Bill Nye The Science Die."

The Reading Pile Pt. 4

Lazarus: The Complete Hardcover Collection Volumes 1, 2 & 3 In the not too distant future, the 18 richest families of the world get together and divide up the world. Governments soon fall, and these families become the leaders of the world. People are broken down into three classes. Family (those who rule), Serf (those who have been chosen by the family to serve the family) and Waste (those who have no association with the family). As you can guess, most belong to the 3rd class. Along with their fighting units, each family has a Lazarus; a warrior specifically designed to be the ultimate fighter. They are strong, cunning and hard to kill. For the family Carlyle, this is Forever, the youngest daughter of the family and the series protagonist. This series is, quite easily, my favorite book of the past 15 years. Writer Greg Rucka and artist Michael Lark really put their heart and soul into this series, which is evident if you get the hardcover collections with all the bonus "how we did it" material. Tons of research and discussion go into each issue. Rucka even went so far as to film himself and buddy for a fight scene that Lark could use for reference. Rucka originally said the story would take 125-150 issue to tell. Unfortunately, it looks like the series has died. The final volume (four) is due out in May, collecting the last 9 issues of the series to have come out, which finishes off the first major arc of the series. The last issue came out in 2022, literally one year after the previous issue, and that issue came out 8 months after the one before that. It's a shame, because it was a great book. Image Comics - 3 HC volumes (with the 4th due out in May) - Vol 1 $34.99, Vols 2 & 3 $39.99, Vol 4 $49.99. All still available. Also available in SC trades (with no behind the scenes items).