The Deal with D&D

As some of you may know, the definitive table-top RPG (Role Playing Game) of our time - and inspiration for countless works of fiction, cinema and video games - is releasing its highly anticipated 4th Edition on Friday, June 6. Dungeons and Dragons, created by Mr. E. Gary Gygax and Mr. Dave Arneson, was originally released in 1974 and has grown in every way since then.

For those who have no clue what this game is all about, I will give a quick rundown of what the game entails.

Players create their own character along a provided guideline, allowing for a large amount of creativity. The leader of the game session, named the 'Dungeon Master' (DM), controls the games progression. His/her job is to tell a story, through which the players' created characters quest in order to achieve glory and riches by defeating various monsters that the DM throws at them. Actions are controlled through the use of various die rolls, especially the all-important d20 - the 20-sided-dice.

This game is all done verbally, and use of the imagination is called on frequently and is of key importance to the success of the game. Many visual components have been produced over the 34 years of this game's existence to aid adventurers in completing their campaigns to the utmost satisfaction.

And now, 34 years later, Dungeons and Dragons has created a 4th edition of rules, updating and fixing the many issues that have built up over previous editions. With such new additions as an online component, this release is expected to be HUGE.

With D&D Insider, which I believe comes out to 9.95/month for a subscription (if purchasing a year) grants the user access to a veritable plethora of online material - the best part being the online game table. The game table will allow a DM to host a session of Dungeons and Dragons online with (from what I hear) up to 15 people. With the online aid, rules and procedures will be literally at your fingertips for easy access. A voice chat system will allow for the game's demand for verbal interaction, although instant messaging will no doubt be available. The game table itself will represent an actual dungeon which may be fully customized; every monster, every spike trap, every treasure chest and even the dungeon layout.

Players will be able to create their own characters, controlling everything from facial features, armor, how they stand, etc. The game will then place this newly created character as a playable figurine on the virtual game table. No more worries for the artistic impaired. The use of this character designer means you'll never again have to ask your friends to draw your character!

Unfortunately everyone must wait for June 6th for this release. However, on May 23 it was reported that Buy.com was shipping out copies of the new core rulebooks - 2 weeks ahead of schedule. Wizards of the Coast - the company handling the release of this new edition - released a statement that they take these matter seriously and that they were looking into the matter.

In the mean time, the books have wound up on various Bit Torrent sites. Regardless of this fact it is expected that paper copies of the product will still do exceptionally well, if not even better because of the additional hype over this early leak.

3 days ago now, however, ICv2 reported that the 4th Edition has gone back to the printers in order to handle the demand of the release this Friday. They report that the sell-in of this new edition has been 50% higher than Edition 3.5, and now Wizards of the Coast must compensate for this flux in sales.

You can currently pre-order your own copy of the core rulebooks either separately or in this convenient gift set. Amazon.ca currently has the set listed at $76.23 Canadian before shipping, and each book separately listed at approximately $25 Canadian apiece.

On another note, the guys over at Penny Arcade and PVP got together with Wizards of the Coast in order to do some online advertising, etc. They were able to sit down and play a session of the new edition, and went through a few of the new changes in play. This session will be released in a series of podcasts, of which the first you can see here. Accompanying this escapade is some official D&D artwork drawn by Scott Kurtz (PVP) and Mike Krahulik (Penny Arcade). Go check it out! It's both informative AND funny!

Kevin Colden: Fishtown

"It disturbs me no more to find men base, unjust, or selfish than to see apes mischievous, wolves savage, or the vulture ravenous." - Jean-Paul Sartre

Kevin Colden is a New York based web comic artist who has spent the last 3 years working on a gritty tale known simply as Fishtown (NSFW). Part of the Act-I-Vate online anthology, Colden has been working on this project since early 2005.

The story unfolds slowly as four teenage misfits are interviewed about their involvement in the disappearance and murder of their friend Jesse. A frightening, graphic account of the events is compounded by the calm, non-caring demeanor of the teens. Drugs, sex, self-mutilation; all part of the daily lives of these teens.

The fact that it is fiction does not help as you realize how real these events can be. Close to home, it resembles the murder of Edmonton's Nina Courtepatte, 13, on a local golf course by five low-life mallrats.

Fishtown will be released in book-form late this year by IDW Publishing.

UPDATED: 04/10/2008 - A correction on the post: There were five officially charged in the Courtepatte case, not the previously stated four.  Thanks anonymous for the keen eye!

Season 2 of The Boondocks

For those of you unfamiliar with 'The Boondocks', it is a widely popular animated television series created for the Adult Swim block on the Cartoon Network. Created by Aaron McGruder, and based off his successful web-comic of the same name, this satirical cartoon has definitely reached a certain level of fame.

The show bases itself off the Freeman family, including Huey, Riley and Robert - the first two being 10 years and 8 years respectively, and the third being their ultra-active grandfather - a black family in an upper-class white neighborhood. Hilarity ensues!

The show itself has come under fire numerous times from it's liberal use of a certain 'N' word in all it's forms, however despite the criticism the show has earned numerous positive reviews from critics!

Personally I think Uncle Ruckus - a black white-supremacist - to be absolutely priceless in terms of comedic value. Look for the second season of this show to be out on shelves on June 10th this year! Also keep an eye out, cause in this DVD set, you will also get 2 never-before-aired episodes!

It's on my list - what about yours?

Diary of a Wimpy (Yet Seemingly Popular) Kid

USA Today's most recent top-selling book charts has Jeff Kinney's "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" volumes 1 and 2 both in the top 20 of 150. The second volume Rodrick Rules holds the 7th place spot, while the first self titled volume holds the 18th position. This could be due to the hype surrounding Fox 2000's purchase of the series for movie rights!

Diary of a Wimpy Kid follows the exploits of the 7th grade student Greg Heffley through a comical medium. The idea began as an internet-based comic and evolved into an apparent book-selling phenomenon. The book itself switches between comic book illustration and hand written text.

I myself haven't read the series as of yet, however the news that it may turn into a full length movie and the fact it is clearly getting rave reviews and an honorable spot in the best-selling list has definitely put these two volumes onto my 'to-read' list!

Keenspot Aquired Completely by Crosby Comics

Keenspot, the online comic host that has recently been growing into a minor media mogul, has announced that Darren "Gav" Bleuel and Nate Stone of Orthnormal Systems have sold their 50% stake in the company to Crosby Comics for an undisclosed amount.

Said Keenspot CEO Chris Crosby, "I want to thank Darren and Nate for everything that they've done over the eight years since we founded Keenspot together. It couldn't have happened without their hard work, and we'll always appreciate that."

Crosby has announced major changes in the company's structure and business plans. "We're completely rethinking everything that we do," said Crosby. "Keenspot may be turning eight in March, but in many ways, this is only the beginning. Watch this 'spot."

Keenspot hosts over 50 unique comics in genres ranging from Adventure to Science Fiction to Surreal. The results of this acquisition and the announced future changes will certainly be reference for future blog posts as we see how the readers react.

Perry Bible Fellowship to Retire

Nicholas Gurewitch, cartoonist for the hit internet-based comic "The Perry Bible Fellowship", has decided it is time to close the websites curtains once and for all. This comes as a shock to many fans of the acclaimed web-comic, as his recent release of The Perry Bible Fellowship book, entitled: "The Perry Bible Fellowship: The Trial of Colonel Sweeto and Other Stories", pre-sold over 27,000 copies.

The comic, which is definitely not for the pure of heart - or young of age, for that matter - has definitely been a highlight in my personal reading when surfing the internet. Nicholas has also achieved success through multiple newspaper and magazine mediums who have also picked up his comic for syndication. The announcement (which came on February 19th, 2008) shocked them as well.

When asked about why he has decided to stop his work on the series, the answer was simple: "I feel I owe it to myself and the Perry Bible Fellowship not to turn a joyful diversion into a long career."

A quote that really grabbed me when I read about his announcement was, "My friend and I saw 20 deer today while jogging. I need to see more deer."

Extremely sad to see this comic halt production, however I have faith that the world will see much more of the now 25-year-old Nicholas Gurewitch's talent in the years to come, though through different mediums.

Lucid Dreams

Lucid TV is a new-ish web comic by David Rothlein and Roth Hutchinson Armstrong. Dark, often sadistic humor, and certainly not for the faint of heart. This medical marvel is a staple of my weekly reading. Prepare to throw political correctness out the window.