Usagi Yojimbo: Book 1: The Ronin by Stan Sakai

I’ve talked about Sakai’s comic before, but it bears repeating. More than just a “furry” comic, Usagi Yojimbo is a brilliant ongoing story set in the Shogunate Japan. Sakai melds history and myth together seamlessly, as well as blending romance, drama, action and comedy.

In this first volume alone, there are battles against monsters, ninjas, bandits and the blind swordsman Zatoichi. It would be easy to dismiss Sakai’s work as another funny animal book, but that would mean missing out on one of the best ongoing series in comics.

Happy holidays, everybody!

Just Alex and Jonathan this week. This episode we cover the games we’ve been playing lately, and then talk about the games we hope to be playing on Christmas evening.

In our mini-reviews this week, Jonathan talks about Shadow of the Colossus, Lux Touch, and Osmos, while Alex get sacrilegious with Inferno Pool and Solium Infernium.

In our feature, neither of us knows what we’re getting for Christmas, but that doesn’t stop us from dreaming. Alex is angling for Brutal Legend, Blood Bowl, and a GameFly subscription. Jonathan cribs a bit off of Alex’s list, wanting Blood Bowl, and is also considering picking up Borderlands and the Metroid Prime Trilogy.

Next week, we’ll wrap up 2009, and the week after, we’ll look forward to 2010. We hope you’ll join us.

In the meantime, head on over to the forums and let us know what you’re hoping to get (or did get) for Christmas.

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Pluto vol. 1 by Naoki Urasawa and Takashi Nagasaki

In an ideal world where man and robots coexist, someone or something has destroyed the powerful Swiss robot Mont Blanc. Elsewhere a key figure in the robot rights group is murdered. The two incidents appear to be unrelated…except for one very conspicuous clue – the bodies of both victims have fashioned into some sort of bizarre collage complete with makeshift horns placed by the victims’ heads. INTERPOL assigns robot detective Geischt to this most strange and complex case – and he discovers that he too, as one of the Seven Great Robots of the World, is one of the targets.

Naoki Urasawa is one of the top Manga writers alive, behind critical and fan favorite works like Monster and 20th Century Boys. Which is probably why was able to convince the family of the late legendary Osamu Tezuka to re-create one of his greatest stories. “The Greatest Robot on Earth” story from Astro Boy. Urasawa and his artistic partner Nagasaki produce something greater than a simple homage. Even in this first volume can be seen the set-up and beginnings for a science fiction classic…

The Holy Temple was built by King Solomon in the 10th century BCE, It acted as the center of the Jewish faith until it was destroyed by the Babylonians who sacked Jerusalem in 586 BCE. A second temple was authorized by Cyrus the Great, emperor of Persia. The finished second temple was dedicated in 515 BCE. In the 2nd century BCE, the Macabees liberated Jerusalem and a large part of Israel from the Seleucid Empire (the remnant of old Persia). When they recaptured the temple, the Macabees discovered that all the jugs of ritual olive oil had been profaned except for one. They used the oil to relight the altar fire and the oil miraculously burned for eight days.

Hannukah is an annual celebration of that dedication that takes place on the 25th day of Kislev (somewhere between the end of November and the end of December). The celebration includes the lighting of a menorah. Each night, a successive branch of the menorah is lit. (The menorah actually has nine branches. The center, tallest branch holds the shamash—the helper candle that is used to light the other eight candles.) The light can be from a candle or oil lamp. On the first night when the lights are lit, three blessings are prayed: sheheheyanu, hanerot halalu, and maoz tzur. On the remaining nights, only the latter two prayers are recited.

Jewish eschatology ties the construction of a third Holy Temple in Jerusalem with the coming of the messiah.

Futurama-o-rama with scripts by Eric Rogers and art by many

Caught up on all the original episodes? And all the movies? But still jonesing for more thrilling tales of the future? Just can’t wait for the relaunch? Fear not! Matt Groenig and his Bongo comics line has what you need! Thats right in one compact volume FOUR new tales of the employees of Galaxy Express!

Monkey Sea, Monkey DOOM! (pencils James Lloyd, inks Steve Steere, Jr, letters Chris Ungar, colors Colorbot 3000) A time capsule from the past brings mail-order pets to the future!

…But Deliver Us to EVIL! (pencils Tom King, inks Steve Steere Jr, letters Chris Ungar, colors Nathan Kane) Galaxy Express wins an award. But with great fame comes great danger!

The Owner of Mars ATTACKS! (pencils James Lloyd, inks Steve Steere Jr, letters Chris Ungar, colors Colorbot 3000) Leela discovers a new passion. Newbies, a collectible pet. But can she survive when Amy’s mom becomes her rival for collecting the rarest kinds?

DOOP the Right Thing! (pencils Pam Cooke, inks Phyllis Novin, letters Karen Bates, colors Dave Stewart) With Zap Brannigan captured by the De Nang, DOOP turns to Leela and Galaxy Express to rescue him…

This afternoon I shared a conversation with my friend Britt who I have collaborated with in the past. He’s being encouraged to write a novel and had some questions he wanted to run by me. Here is a copy of our conversation. Minor edits have been made to protect his story idea.

Joe: So what did you want to talk about? It sounded important.

Britt: Oh, not important, it was just a head’s up to chat sometime. Casey almost has me convinced to take one of the sub-plots I created in our role-playing game and make a novel out of it, but I don’t know if I’d be any good at it. Itt’s a good story, in theory, but not sure

Joe: No one is any good at it when they start. It’s one of things that has to be done before you can be good at it.

Britt: yes, but there are plenty of people that are no good after they start
Read more »

An unexpected interruption during our regular recording session ended up in a delayed episode.  I choose to blame Joe.  Why can I blame Joe?  Because Joe joined us for this episode!

Since this is Joe’s first appearance, we give him about thirty seconds to come up with his Top Ten video game list, and then berate him when he tries to break the rules.

In the news this week, we talk about:

• The Biggest News of the YEAR!
• The National Institute on Media and the Family is closing its doors at the end of the month.
• Joe talks about Dragon Age for a little bit.
• Review scores aren’t a factor in game purchases.

For the feature, we talk about boobs(!) and digital distribution.  It works.  Trust me.

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CAPT HOUSTON MAJORS, USA (RET.)

Captain Majors was commissioned a Second Lieutenant from West Point, graduating at the middle of his class. He had grown up a young boy obsessed with chemistry and the wondrous ability a home chemistry set gave him to blow things up. Studying at West Point put focus on primary forward divisions like Infantry. While EOD was alloted its due respect, that respect was crammed into a few short weeks of study out of four years. Captain Majors’ military career was equally average. While he excelled at everything explosives, he had little interest in the bureaucracy that is the US Army. The invasion of Iraq in 2003 and the prevalence of IEDs finally gave Majors a chance to demonstrate his skill, but too late in his career. Pass over for promotion twice, Majors was quick to retire and accept an offer as demolitions specialist with Tesladyne Industries.

Attributes
Agi d6
Sma d8
Spi d6
Str d6
Vig d6

Skills
Fighting d6
Guts d6
Knowledge (chemistry) d6
Knowledge (demolitions) d8
Notice d6
Shooting d6
Throwing d6

Edges
Quick

Hindrances
Curious (Major)
Phobia (MInor [-2 to trait checks when subjected to phobia], scared of heights)
Vengeful (Minor, bears a grudge against the Army for waisting the last 15 years of his life)

On December 7th, 1941, the Empire of Japan attacked the naval station at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, killing 2,402 and wounding another 1,282. This attack, along with Germany’s successive declaration of war despite any treaty obligations, swayed American public opinion away from isolationism toward direct involvement and intervention.

The event yielded 16 Medals of Honor, 51 Navy Crosses, 53 Silver Crosses, four Navy and Marine Corps Medals, one Distinguished Flying Cross, four Distinguished Service Crosses, one Distinguished Service Medal, and three Bronze Stars earned by American military personnel who distinguished themselves during the attack.

90,000 US servicemen lost their lives in the Pacific. Today is a day we remember their sacrifice.

Read more about it here.

The Dark Horse Book of Monsters edited by Scott Allie

One of four horror anthologies from Dark Horse, this hard-back features seven stories about monsters…

1. “I Witness the End of the World!”, story by Kurt Busiek, pencils by Keith Giffen, inks by Al Milgram and letters by Richard Starking & Comicraft. Busiek presents a tale of an arctic shaggy man-beast that is mostly about the change-over from pulp heroes to 4-color super-heroes…

2. “The Hydra & The Lion”, story and art by Mike Mignola, colors by Dave Stewart and letters by Clem Robbins. Hellboy has a sort-of team-up with Hercules to capture a hydra…

3. “A Tropical Horror”, story by William Hope Hodgson and art by Gary Gianni. An illustrated short story that tells the tale of a dread sea monster and the sailor who survived it…

4. “To Weave a Lover”, story & letters by Arvid Nelson and art by Juan Ferreyra. Apparantly part of the Rex Mundi series, which isn’t one I read. But is a perfectly stand-alone piece about a mad and murderous scientist…

5. “The Horror Beneath”, story by Leah Moore & John Reppion, art by Timothy Green II, colors by Michelle Madsen and letters by Nate Piekos for Blambot. A nice and creepy monsters from the depths of the Earth type story..

6. “Hidden”, story by Scott Allie, art by Paul Lee and Brian Horton, colors by Dave Stewart and letters by Nate Piekos for Blambot. A witch of the woods and a hypocritical preacher have a deadly falling out over the fate of a child…

7. “A Dog and His Boy”, story Evan Dorkin & Sarah Dyer, art by Jill Thompson and letters by Jason Arthur. The dogs of Burden Hill (seen in Beasts of Burden) take in a strange boy who can speak to them. A sad story to end on…