Check It Out - Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening

The expansion pack that comes out in March has more videos for you to Check Out…

Learn more at http://dragonage.bioware.com/awakening

Check It Out - Patton Oswalt Lands on Caprica Tonight

First Fox’s Dollhouse and now Caprica; unrepentant nerd and incomparable comic genius Patton Oswalt seems to be getting a kick out of using his Hollywood credibility to land roles in the best sort of geek fare. Tonight marks his first appearance on SyFy’s Battlestar Galactica spin-off, which I for one am eagerly anticipating. Those of you who only know Oswalt as the voice of Remy the rat, and fail to understand my enthusiasm, I suggest you check out the uncut bootleg version of his first record “222,” and then move right along into the follow-ups, “Werewolves & Lollipops,” and “My Weakness is Strong”. If you like dick jokes juxtaposed with Dr. Who references, you won’t be disappointed.

Check It Out - Dan DiDio’s Dumbest Idea Yet

It’s a bold superlative, I know - especially since we’re talking about the guy who greenlit the return of Jason Todd - but apparently DC’s executive editor is out to set some kind of a record for terrible and callously profit driven ideas. What crime of bad taste and poor judgment could be the crowning achievement in such an abysmal career?

How ’bout Watchmen enfranchisement?

“I Watch Stuff” is reporting that DiDio has made the expansion of the series his personal mission and the crux of his bid for the job soon to be left vacant by DC President Paul Levitz.

I wish I had some more snappy commentary to throw up here, but I’ve never been one for preaching to the choir, and I’d like to think you’re all singing harmony with me on this one.

Check It Out - Siege

I’ve not been a fan of the Marvel huge cross-over for awhile now.  Nor of Brian Michael Bendis and his writing style.

That said, many people are enjoying the current slew of what I like to call “Dark Marvel” and if villains winning, super-heroes sniping at each other, and generalized themes of dictators and military law and the worse sides of human nature appeal to you -

maybe you should read Siege.

Issue 2 came out today.  Someone (fairly) big dies, and while that might seem spoiler-ish, no one stays dead in comic books.  No one.  Barry Allen and Bucky are back - there are no sacred cows.  Look to see Rusty reappear in a future issue of X-Men.

Bendis has a sense of the dramatic - but I would qualify that would the word “over” at the front.

And have I mentioned the only time I ever enjoyed The Sentry was when Hulk beat him unconscious?

Check out Marvel’s official site for Siege here - http://marvel.com/comics/siege

History of the American Comic Book: The Golden Age

I figured since this column deals primarily with comic books and the comic book industry that the best way to start off would be with a little history lesson, specifically the history of comic books in America. Now bear in mind this is an abridged version concentrating on some of the main and more important points and aspects of the birth of the American comic book. So where do we begin? Some people believe the first comic published in America dates back to 1754. It was a political cartoon written and drawn by Benjamin Franklin published in an American newspaper.

For our purposes however the American comic book market is broken down into a number of historical ages. They are defined as follows, the Platinum Age, the Golden Age, the Silver Age, the Bronze Age and the Modern Age. For our purposes we will be centering on the Golden Age of comic books (1933-1952). I will be revisiting this topic in future columns to further discuss some of these other historical ages in more detail. …CONTINUE READING =>

Check It Out - Robot Chicken D&D?

We’ve heard Scott Kurtz (PVP), Gabe & Tycho (Penny Arcade), and Wil Wheaton (should need no explanation) several times now play some 4th ED in the D&D podcasts. I know I’ve listened to each campaign numerous times.

But now - lo and behold - video footage of some of the creative minds behind Robot Chicken playing D&D with Chris Perkins from WotC!

More goodness! Check out more info at http://www.wizards.com/DnD/Default.aspx