The Wanted movie trailer was posted yesterday. Although it seams to have little to do with the original comic, which is a dark twisted affair, the movie looks interesting. Sadly, it appears Angelina Jolie will NOT be donning the “Miss Fox” suit.

Wanted Movie Trailer was originally published on The Geek Curmudgeon

Now if they could just explain how cosmic rays created the Fantastic Four…

The Origin of Cosmic Rays was originally published on The Geek Curmudgeon

[  Mood: Sick ]
[  Currently: Listening to The CD Joe sent me ]
So it was Supergroup night at City of Heroes on Wendesday. My level 32 scrapper, Bouncin’, joined her sisters from the Strippers of Paragon City in a little Trick or Treating.

The Strippers of Paragon City are mostly a bunch of clones of each other, so when we gather in groups of two or more we tend to attract a crowd. Especially when we dance. (Confession: Bouncin’ once gave a virtual lapdance to another player for a million influence. I told the Husband Unit. He was fine with it.)

At first it was just the tanker, Grindin’, and Bouncin’ knocking on doors. Later, when the blaster Bumpin’ and defender (a healer – you need one of those) Slinkin’ showed up, we pretty much farmed a door.

I found it a bit ho-hum at times. The hordes that attacked us were nothing compared to the mobs that our SG usually fights on Wednesdays. Generally, we fight mobs that generate red or purple given our size and the level of one of our regulars, controller Pearl Necklace is currently at.

The costume pieces are still dropping, so you can still earn your fifth costume slot. But they won’t let you get a sixth. I tried. So I will be selling lots of that salvage.

The attraction for the experienced gamer this year is the possibility of getting a temporary power that will let you look like your favourite Non-Player Characters. Villain groups, the cops or others. I managed to collect some costumes, enough that I also got my first costume collector badge. My fave costume was the Carnival of Shadows one, as it makes my bum look cute. (Not exactly as pictured.)

After about an hour I was bored and called it a night. Next week, on Halloween, it’s Giant Monster time. I have already killed Eochai with Bouncin’, but I’m not sure if I got the badge.

I am really after Jack in Irons. I was too low a level last year to go for him. This year, he is going down!!!!!

[ Currently: Watching Red Sox-Rockies game ]
On October 27, I began my guest blogging stint for Jeff Vandermeer on his very popular Ecstatic Days. My tenure started with a reprint of my rarely seen 2003 Hellnotes self-interview complete with commentary and updates. My guest stint extends through November 11. I will attempt to maintain both blogs during the two weeks.

Hope to see y’all there as well.

My Ecstatic Days was originally published on The Geek Curmudgeon

[  Mood: Angry ]
[  Currently: Watching Project Runway : Canada ]
So I had this beautiful City of Heroes blog entry with witty comments and pictures. But apparently I took too long and the site logged my out, and all my work went poof!

Going off to bed to sulk now.

[ Currently: Listening to Social Distortion ]
Among ape collectors, Gil Brewer’s “Gorilla of the Gasbags” is a Holy Grail of sorts. The legendary cover of the June 1929 Zeppelin Stories tantalizes with a gorilla and a man fighting from the ladder beneath a flying dirigible! I’ve longed to read the story, but not only have I never actually seen one, I know of no one who has read the story.

Shockingly, a copy of the much sought after pulp recently sold on ebay for the astronomical sum of $3,183.33! Oh, to find one at a garage sale someday!

Remember that my 40th birthday is rapidly approaching. Just an observation.

Holy Gasbags! was originally published on The Geek Curmudgeon

[  Mood: Sick ]
[  Currently: Watching Colbert Report ]
Read through this while waiting for a medical appointment. Nice follow up to the first book. Once again, lovely illustrations and a story that moves along quickly.

This time the siblings are battling goblins who are stealing animals for their teeth. Yes, their teeth. Apparently they aren’t born with any teeth so they use bits of glass, stone and the teeth of animals to build dentures. Tell grandma to hide the dentures!

When brother Simon goes looking for his missing kitty (Not the kitty, you goblin bastards!), he is taken by the goblins So Jared and Mallory go looking for him. And hilarity ensues.

Spoiler alert: They don’t find the cat, but they do rescue a kitten.

[ Mood: Shocked ]
On his blog, Jeff Vandermeer released a rough of the cover to his (co-edited with his wife Ann) forthcoming anthology Steampunk. Contributors include Michael Moorcock, Joe R. Lansdale, Neal Stephenson, Michael Chabon, Mary Gentle, and others. Actually one of the others happens to me. I’ve contributed an essay about pop culture and steampunk.

Table of contents:

“Preface,” Jeff and Ann VanderMeer

“Introduction: The Nineteenth Century Roots of Steampunk,” Jess Nevins

“Steampunk in Pop Culture,” Rick Klaw

“Steampunk in the Comics,” Bill Baker

“Benediction: Warlord of the Air” excerpt, Michael Moorcock

“Lord Kelvin’s Machine,” James Blaylock

“The Giving Mouth,” Ian MacLeod

“A Sun in the Attic,” Mary Gentle

“The God-Clown Is Near,” Jay Lake

“The Steam Man of the Prairie and the Dark Rider Get Down,” Joe Lansdale

“The Selene Gardening Society,” Molly Brown

“Seventy-Two Letters,” Ted Chiang

“The Martian Agent: An Interplanetary Romance,” Michael Chabon

“Victoria,” Paul Di Filippo

“Reflected Light,” Rachel E. Pollack

“Minutes of the Last Meeting,” Stepan Chapman

“Excerpt from the Third and Last Volume of the Tribes of the Pacific Coast,” Neal Stephenson

I’m jazzed about this book. Especially after seeing the cover and the people that are in the anthology. The piece I most look forward to is Jess Nevin’s “The Nineteenth Century Roots of Steampunk.” For the uninitiated, Jess produced the two amazing League of Extraordinary Gentleman companions (Heroes and Monsters and A Blazing World) plus the incredible The Encyclopedia of Fantastic Victoriana. Needless to say, Jess knows his stuff.

Look for the book in May, 2008.

Steampunk: The Anthology was originally published on The Geek Curmudgeon

[  Mood: Scared ]
[  Currently: Eating Breakfast – Organic Shreddies type cereal with a banana ]
So I was skimming through the coupon envelop that arrives at my door on a fairly regular basis when I came across an ad for a fine Thomas Kinkade Clock

Okay, maybe fine is pushing it. This thing is fugly. I know it appeals to the same people who would buy the Pillsbury Doughboy Clock

But I have to ask myself, "Why is Grandma spending your inheritance on pieces of crap?"

I also had to ask myself if there was a special level of hell reserved for Mr. Kinkade and his fellow tchotchke creators? And how many of his children’s souls did Mr. Kinkade sell for his fame? Cause you know that most of those pieces of highly decorated plastic and cheap metals are going to end up in a dump somewhere once grandma goes to the home.

I look at the stuff and think, it’s pretty, in a schmaltzy Touched by an Angel kind of way, but would I pay $179.99 (Plus $19.99 in S&H) in four easy installments of $44.99 for it.

The answer to that my friends is no.

[  Mood: Sick ]
[  Currently: Watching Canada’s Next Top Model -Cycle 1 ]
Just finished the second book of the Circle Opens trilogy. Once again, Tamora Pierce has done a great job with the pacing and story of this book.

Briar, the plant mage, is now fourteen and on an educational tour with his mentor, Rosethorn. They stop in Chammur, where Briar discovers Evvy, a street urchin who is a stone mage. Briar must try to find her a teacher or be faced with teaching her himself.

Fun read.