Tom Cruise Film Festival, Part Two

I had so much fun with my first retrospective of Cruise’s work (link here) that I made a pointed effort to watch (or re-watch) more of his films. Following are my impressions of this second batch. Dim the lights! Jack Reacher Tension up to eleven! Amazingly well done! Jack’s an ex-military policeman, and for some …

Part Fifty: 2014. Popular! You’re Gonna be Popular… A Historical Overview of Role-playing from the Trenches

Popular And we’re back, embarking on a journey into the fifth decade of modern gaming history. But before we go any further, let’s check in on my own gaming activities for the year 2014. The birthplace of Aerokidz Aerokidz and Roll20 Our DM for the “Dads & Kids” gaming group bowed out, so I picked …

Artist Retrospectives V – Maxfield Parrish

Dream Castle in the Sky Parrish was born in Philadelphia in 1870 and raised a Quaker. He passed away in 1966. Romance The son of artist Stephen Parrish, he was incredibly successful and widely known. The Canyon He studied art for many years and traveled widely. The Lantern Bearers, cover of Collier's Magazine, 1910 He …

The Planet of the Apes (Old School)

I’ve been on an ape rampage recently. But what good’s a rampage without witnesses? So here’s another blog post. I hope you relish it as much as I. Rampage First of all, now I’ve reminded myself of an old arcade game circa 1986 called Rampage, featuring, you guessed it, a giant ape. (There were two …

Part Forty-Nine: 2004-2013, Summarizing the Fourth Decade of Modern RPGs. A Historical Overview of Role-playing from the Trenches

Four decades of role-playing games. Forty years, that’s huge. That’s not an unusual adult lifetime (IE, twenty years growing up, then forty as an adult). Forty years certainly covers multiple generations, and that includes not only players but writers. Many folks working on games at this point may not have even been born back in …

Artist Retrospectives IV – Arthur Rackham

Undine Arthur Rackham was an English illustrator whose life spanned the years between 1867 and 1939. He is considered to fit into the Art Noveau style, something organic and sensuous. The Goblin Market He illustrated a number of works both great and fanciful. His style could range from brooding to elated, from dramatic to joyous. …

Part Forty-Eight: 2013. Nothing Personal, It’s Just Business. A Historical Overview of Role-playing from the Trenches

“It’s a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door.” Let’s start this post with my own gaming adventures in 2013. This year, three dads started meeting at our local game store, Aero Hobbies, along with our kids, for Basic D&D! Five kids, three dads. Then we added another dad and his two kids! Chad was …

Artist Retrospectives III – Beatrix Potter

Recognize these faces? Beatrix Potter was born outside of London in 1866. She was a scientist as well as a writer and illustrator. Every single one of you has heard of Peter Rabbit. That's hers. Or perhaps you know the frog, Mr Jeremy Fisher. Tom Kitten. Or even Jemima Puddle-Duck. I have the one of …

Part Forty-Seven: 2012, Somebody That I Used to Know. A Historical Overview of Role-playing from the Trenches

No, not this A lot happened in 2012, and I don’t mean the Emmerich film or the Mayans. Sit back and get comfortable, this could take a while. By the pricking of my thumb... Ray Bradbury Bradbury was an author who won a Pulitzer and the National Medal of Arts. You might know him from …

Promises from NASA

Tranquility Base Apollo 11. Humans finally landed on the moon on July 20, 1969. We had accomplished JFK’s directive. 1962 There is no strife, no prejudice, no national conflict in outer space as yet. Its hazards are hostile to us all. Its conquest deserves the best of all mankind, and its opportunity for peaceful cooperation …