Lots of things that I have not been able to focus on, but by gum, I can still take a good photo or two.

Here is the link to the links for everything new availalbe on my Picassa site.

I especially like the photos of my daughter's soccer season, but lots of family goodness in all the new albums, including the annual favorite: Halloween.

So, for months, I have been trying to sit down and write out some ideas and sort through some issues.

Utter failure.

And that's not happening now either. But I figured I ought to say something.

Life has been busier than ever recently between work and home with no refuge. Far too often I feel like a drained drone, capable of slack jawed TV/video watching on the rare occasion that time remains at all before falling into slumber. It could be much worse, no doubt,but it's not really my preferred mode of being.

I have come to realize that despite all other distractions, I have met the enemy and he is me as far as my desire to write in a creative or RPG vein. It is not happening because I am not doing it. They say admitting you have a problem is half the battle. Unfortunately the other half is kicking my ass.

Photography has worked out well enough for me so far and I am still loving my new camera. New photos will be up soon. However, I habe found once aga the creative limit on the camera and again it is me.

I have a lot of balance to still work out for my life and I guess this blog will both suffer dor it and be subject to it.

I was a while ago most fortunate to be made LJ friends with two giants of creativity, Jess Nevins and Chad Underkoffler. Both are funny, brilliant and very gifted writers and thinkers with way better blows than me. So I am glad to be counted as a loyal reader for them (though since the blocked LJ at work I have been more sporadic). They are terrific anyone who reads this should check their stuff out.

Well, that's all the self indulgence for the moment. Stay safe out there.

So, the big day for my old friend is here. He has walked the "white carpet" at the premiere, and the movie hits theaters is wide release.

Also, the movie has received praise for getting the science right.

The bad news is that it would appear that the critics really hate the movie. I won't catalog the various disdainful, unpleasant, and just plain mean things they have said, but, I have to acknowledge that coast to coast, the reviews have been far from complementary.

In general, Hollywood won't care about that. Transformers 2 got bad reviews and made a bundle. As long as Whiteout performs good box office, it will be counted a success. The problem is that it is a much less know quantity than giant robots that turn into cars and planes, so, the question now is whether it will find its audience?

I hope so. I don't want it to be a bad movie or a finincial failure, and I will be going to see it (and I'll buy the DVD too; after all, Greg will be in the "extras").

In the meantime, it is worth knowing what the journey was for the story and the author from comic book concept to finished film and there is a great set of interviews with Greg and the very talented artist who co-created the comic book, Steve Lieber, here. Whether you see the movie (which I still think you should), or pick up the comic (which you definitely should), or just have an interest in the creative process, you should definitely check out the interview. It is a good read.

So, a very great friend of mine is finally seeing one of his creative works transformed from one medium to another. Greg Rucka and I went to high school together and we have been friends ever since.

On this Friday, September 11, his first comic book series, Whiteout, is released a a major motion picture.



I have had the privilege of seeing Greg's creativity from an early age. He is the real deal in that he has the imaginative juices and the work ethic that together creates amazing things.

Whiteout was written for Oni Press after he had already achieved success as a published novelist. His first foray into comics netted a nomination for one of the highest awards in comics, the Eisner. He was edged out his first year, but he later won for the sequel to Whiteout (Whiteout Melt) and has collected a number of additional Eisners since then.

From Whiteout, he went on to write for some of the biggest characters in comics: Wonder Woman, Batman, and Superman for DC, Daredevil and Wolverine for Marvel. He has also brought his great talents to other characters that are deserving of readership in mainstream comics: Batwoman, Huntress, the cops at Gotham Central, and the (new) Question. And, of course, a bunch of other stuff too.

What many consider his greatest contribution, so far, to comics, is his amazing series, again for Oni Press, Queen & Country. These action-espionage comics are, quite simply, some of the best writing out there. From them, he crossed back into novels, with two Queen & Country books under his belt and a third on the way. Top notch all the way.

Anyway, the best thing is, that he has many, many more years to contribute as a writer, and I am glad that his writing has led to the chance of reaching a wider audience through film.

However, for me, the greatest gift of the film (aside from helping Greg to put food on the table and keep the lights on at home for Greg and his family) will be to get more people interested in Greg as a writer and to open the audience more to his many novels and collected comic books, and his new work, particularly as he opens yet another new chapter with his Stumptown comic book series.

In many ways, this entry is a long commercial for Greg's work because I am a big fan, aside from being an old friend. More so though, it is a love letter to the hard work and dedication it takes to be a creative person in a commercial world. The life of the artist is a hard one, and I salute Greg and everyone like him who turn their creative juices into a career. It takes something very special, something I, as a dabbler, know goes far beyond what your average joe and jane, bring to the table.

So, go see this movie, pick up a book or comic, and be prepared to be amazed and enthralled, because, yes, Greg is just that good.

Link to the list of links over on the side bar.

I have slightly updated the photo links. There is a big gap, but hot off the presses photos from this past weekend are now at the top of the list.


Enjoy.

I am continuing this narrative that I started here and continued here about a campaign I ran a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far, . . . oh wait, I’m mixing my references.

Anyway, as I mentioned, I had returned from Peru in 1988 and began to run a campaign set in the Star Trek: The Next Generation universe (as it was known at the time, with only one season of ST:TNG out). My first collaborator was my good friend ruckawriter (who had run a Star Trek campaign for me set around the time of the Star Trek II, III, IV movies). His character was Captain Khelly Vander May. I had run him through several adventures, including one (inspired by Invasion of the Body Snatchers) in which a driven junior officer, Flight Controller Lt., j.g. Circe Protagon was promoted on his recommendation. However, for her to advance in ship seniority (from relief crew to command crew) she had to accept transfer to another ship. The captain and Protagon had a somewhat flirtatious relationship, but he really had only had eyes for his security chief. The ambitious young Lieutenant left Captain Vander May scratching his head a bit when she left. But it was on to the next adventure, an encounter with Kalandan technology.

After I returned to college for my senior year at U.C. Davis, I was badgered, in a friendly way, into initiating a separate campaign for my friend and housemate David, which started with me running the Kobayashi Maru scenario for his character, Captain Marc Antony Rhys Parthalon.

After getting to “kill” Captain Parthalon and his entire crew in our first outing, if only virtually, I let up on David, but only a bit. First, I made him play cat and mouse games with a Romulan privateer from the House of Khel, a Bird of Prey upgrade with which he traded fire, but never had a decisive engagement.

In his next major episode, near Gorn space, he had to mediate a dispute between a newly contacted race, the Bubahcuhb, and the Gorn, who were attempting to set up a base on the Bubahcuhb planet. After jousting a bit with the Gorn ship in the planetary system ((including having his first officer beamed over to sneak through the ship to disable certain systems), David hit on a “simple solution” to deal with the Gorn claims: hand to hand combat between Parthalon and the Gorn captain in the Nagato’s shuttle bay. No bamboo canon for Parthalon. Nope, a lot of running and screaming, and his high skill in martial arts (which we later determined to be
Savate ) managed to win the day and force the Gorn to relinquish their claims to conquest and agree to negotiate.

After that light little mission, I had the opportunity to bring my two “swaggering, overbearing, tin-plated, dictator[s] with delusions of godhood” together for a Star Trek event.

It happened that ruckawriter was back from Vassar on vacation and was available to come up to visit David and I. I quickly threw together some adventure ideas to bring together the two captains. The basic plan was to throw a series of issues at the two captains, one after another, to keep them off balance until I really pulled the rug out from under them. Then, after they got to experience some rollicking adventure, I was going to throw another curve ball at them and really give them a chance to shine.

One thing I had not planned for was that Greg brought with him a cousin whom I don’t recall having met before, and I certainly had not role played with him before. He was in high school, and there was some tension over whether he would get with the program of our “mature” play. Nonetheless, I had a place to fit him in and he quickly created a character, and actually worked out being a nice addition to the game.

To preface the description of this adventure, I should mention that I was diabolically mean as a GM, and everyone had an inordinate amount of fun.

The episode broke down into several parts:

Part I: Starbase 42
Captain Marc Antony Rhys Parthalon faces a Board of Inquiry. The Board stems from his solution to the Bubahcuhb/Gorn conflict. The Board accepts the arguments of the Judge Advocate General (JAG) prosecutor, Captain Horace Tildor, that Captain Parthalon is guilty of negligence and an infraction of the Prime Directive. The Board demoted him from Sector Captain to Subsector Captain and removed him from command of the U.S.S. Nagato. He and his command crew, minus his Betazoid counselor, were to await reassignment to the U.S.S. Peter Marlowe, a Wambundu Class Starship for which we used the unofficial stats from the FASA Decker Class. The Peter Marlowe did not rate a counselor given its size and mission. However, it did come with a small compliment of Marines, led by Lieutenant Rascar of Cait. The Nagato was transferred to the command of one Captain Janus and First Officer Terrence Navarre.

Captain Parthalon’s new assignment is to rendezvous with the U.S.S. Investigator and initiate an investigation into Romulan privateering in the sector. His instructions are to proceed with caution and to use force only as a last resort. As a military commander in a military command operation, he is technically the ranking officer. Parthalon is also given a second briefing on his fellow Star Fleet Officer, Khelly Vander May. The briefing is provided by a Star Fleet Admiral. He instructs Parthalon to be very wary of Vander May. Though Vander May is a trained Star Fleet Officer, he has a mysterious past, which included Romulan training and conditioning, and although he has been thoroughly evaluated by Star Fleet, he may still have hidden sympathies with his birthright. Further, his father, Del Vander May, also had a history of breaking with Star Fleet policy.

Part II: Starbase 223
In the aftermath of an investigation into an ancient Kalandan outpost which resulted in the explosion of a Kalandan moon complex and the near destruction of the U.S.S. Investigator, Captain Khelly Vander May and his crew take some well-earned shore leave, while the Investigator’s warp core and engines receive repairs from the damage done by the Kalandan automated defense systems.

During the lay over, Khelly sees Lieutenant Tasha Yar for the last time while the U.S.S. Enterprise-D is in port. He also oversees the transfer of his counselor, Wyeth, an Edoan with whom Khelly, who was not much interested in sharing his feelings, did not get along. Vander May then receives orders that he is to take his crew far across the Federation to an area near the Neutral Zone and report to Star Fleet Military Command. His expertise and knowledge is required.

Phase III: Vicinity of the Romulan Neutral Zone
After careful posturing and discussion, the two captains and Parthalon’s Marine commander, set out a plan to search for Romulan privateers operating on the Federation side of the Neural Zone. During their initial patrol, they come into contact with an Orion “merchant” ship captained by one “Commodore” Zynast, aka Captain Zy. After a little back and forth, the Captains and Marine commander beam over to have a little face to face conversation with Captain Zy. He treats them to the usual dancing Orion women, smuggled Romulan ale and then gets down to business. He is looking to make “friends” with the Federation patrols in the sector. Captain Zy provides what data he has about the Romulan pirates. He notes that he has avoided any direct confrontation, but notes that he has observed Romulan ships fire on one another when he and his ship were concealed in an asteroid field.

With the additional information, the Federation Captains find themselves in yet another game of cat and mouse with three Romulan ships. The Bird of Prey upgrade from the House of Khel, as well as a Stormbird (a modified Klingon D-7 ) identified by Khelly to be from House Kur’ta and a Bright One identified, again by Khelly, to be from House T’Kara. Incidentally, all of these houses were foes of his mother’s house according to his training growing up. After tracking the ships, studying patterns of sightings and surveying the nearby systems, the captains are close to an engagement, perhaps a decisive one, with the Romulans.

But they get a priority recall for another mission.

Part IV: Mission to the Jaradan sector
Parthalon and Vander May receive orders from Starbase 42 to proceed to the Jaradan sector where new diplomatic talks have opened after the recent mission of the U.S.S. Enterprise . The orders are precise. The U.S.S. Investigator and the U.S.S. Peter Marlowe are to proceed to the Jaradan sector to rendezvous with the diplomatic ship U.S.S. Aquila II. Commodore Alexis Tangent is the ranking Starfleet officer and the diplomatic head of the mission is Ambassador Tkl’enKla of Kareria. Once the captains located the Aquila II, they were instructed to transmit an encoded message to the Commodore and then place them under her battle orders. This was classified as a military mission.

Captains Parthalon and Vander May did not take the bait. These orders did not seem right. A military mission into the Jaradan sector, during sensitive diplomatic discussions, just after the reopening of diplomatic relations, seemed like a reckless and direct provocation in their analysis.

Parthalon order his second in command, half-Vulcan Science Officer T’Sparlyk (some clichés have to be honored), to break the encryption on the “eyes only” coded message for the Commodore. T’Sparlyk, after breaking the encryption found the message empty, a hollow shell. Concerned over this deception, they decide to try to trick their chain of command at the Starbase and then return to confront whatever must be going wrong there.

Their deception is a complicated engineering effort to send a status report via subspace that they have repair needs that will delay their departure to the Jaradan sector, but actually star warp pulsing back towards the Starbase at speeds that will put them much closer to the Starbase than where they sent the message. It was a complicated ploy, worthy of Treknobabble tradition.

Unfortunately that meant that the neural parasites which had been slowly infiltrating the crews of both ships had to move up their timetables to deal with Parthalon and Vander May. The parasites took over the crew that was in charge of the complicated subspace radio/warp pulse maneuvers and purposely failed while reporting success. Lulled into a false sense of security, relying on their crew members, the Captains begin to plan for alternatives for dealing with the problems back at base.

Those plans, however, would never be realized.

Phase V: Marooned
Despite clear orders, each captain finds that their ships have veered off course from the return to base. Captain Parthalon confronts the crew on the bridge and is told that he is under arrest. Indignantly he orders his Security Chief to arrest the second officer and others supporting him in trying to take the ship. Instead, the eight foot tall Kzinti Security Officer seizes Parthalon and the next thing Parthalon knows he is confined to his own brig along with First Officer T’Sparlyk and Marine C.O. Lieutenant Rascar. The reason behind the mutiny is unclear, but all command level officers, besides those locked up appear to have turned against Parthalon. Later they are escorted to the transporter room and beamed off the ship.

On the Investigator, Vander May senses trouble. Noticing the course deviation, he attempts to secure the bridge with the assistance of his Andorran Tactical Officer, with whom he is also romantically involved. She, however, at the prompting of the parasite infesting her promptly beats the crap out of him (you may recall, the parasites boost strength and endurance significantly) and he next wakes up in the brig with C.M.O. Singes Kang (Klingon exchange officer), and First Officer Yank Kumis. Although Vander May attempts to overcome his guards with the backing of a Klingon and a Malaysia warrior woman, but they are embarrassingly easily overcome and dragged to the transporter room.

The captains, their first officers, C.M.O. Kang and Marine C.O. Rascar find themselves marooned on the surface of a Class M planet, in a vast desert on Sohkta-4. They have their duty uniforms, minus their communicators. Khelly Vander May, having grown up in survival training on a desert planet from the age of two to fourteen, takes charge of everyone’s survival. Science Officer T’Sparlyk is able to relate basics about the planet. Sohkta-4 is a planet in an arid phase of its climate development, similar to Vulcan. The planet is host to two disparate cultures. One is nomadic and inhabits the desert and oasis system of the major land areas. They tend to be tall, lean and have orange hued skin. The other is mountain dwelling and organized around feudal principals. They tend towards stockier builds with olive brown skin. Each has a technological level approximately equivalent to cultures extant on Earth, circa the Middle Ages. Federation surveys have detected significant and untapped mineral wealth on last review of the planet, but due to the lack of technological sophistication, the Federation decided against first contact, citing the Prime Directive. Animosity between the nomads and the mountain dwellers was noted, with some institutional enslavement by the mountain dwellers of the nomads.

Khelly conducts the stranded crews to a rockier area that holds the promise of vegetation, water, and some resources to build some survival tools. They find the promised oasis and put together survival gear, including making some bows and arrows (something with precedent in the Treknoverse). However, they are soon driven from the oasis by a raiding party of the mountain dwelling Omars. The problem is that, somehow , the Omars have acquired helicopters and other technology, including low level disruptors, which cannot be a natural technological progress. They manage to evade pursuit, but Vander May is wounded.

Later, they come upon a battle between the nomads, who had been mounted on their equivalent of camels, and an Omar slave raiding party. The Omars have ground troops and an armored hovercraft. The stranded starship crews enter the fray with their bows. Briefly they are pinned down in a canyon. Vander May, against the advice of Dr. Kang, vigorously participates in the battle, but is a poor shot, wounded, with his bow (to much playful mockery of the Klingon doctor). Eventually, they manage to capture a disruptor pistol and kitbashing it into a makeshift grenade, take out the hovercraft.

The grateful nomads take them in, and return with them to their camp. There, the captains learn that Ferengi traders and privateers have made illegal contact with the Omars. They are able to work out that the Ferengi have supplied various Omar lords with technologies, including small arms, helicopters, hovercraft, and VTO jets to raid the nomads and to protect against retribution from the nomad tribes. In return, the Ferengi had apparently obtained unlimited access to the mineral wealth of the planet. The Omars supplied nomad slaves for unskilled labor and the local Ferengi operation contracted with smugglers to take the wealth off world.

The captains further learned that there was a Ferengi base and, what they deemed to be a subspace communications network at an Omar castle. While the crews recuperate, they forge an alliance with the nomads and the captains, some of Starfleet’s tactical geniuses, sketch out a plan to storm the Omar castle and obtain access to communications network and get a message off world. Although the nomads, the captains and their officers are definitely out gunned technologically, they use the terrain and skills of stealth to their advantage. There is a terrific battle. Captured weapons, wielded by Starfleet officers, take out helicopters and hovercraft, and the nomads, lead by Starfleet Marine Lieutenant Rascar, manage to storm the gates and breach the castle.

At this point, Captain Vander May took the lead and while Parthalon, Rascar, Singis Kang, Kumasi and T’Sparlyk begin to secure the perimeter around the tower housing the communications array. Vander May, handily wielding a nomad’s hand and a half sword, cuts a swath to the top, where he confronts some Ferengi trader-adventurers. The Ferengi attack with energy whips, but Vander May handily avoids damage and pursue the terror crazed Ferengi, who can only scream “Insane Vulcan! Insane Vulcan!!” Soon, the Ferengi are in custody, and Parthalon and T’Sparlyk are able to bring up the array to begin transmitting a Federation distress signal.

Almost immediately, they begin to receive an incoming distress signal. The coding is from the U.S.S. Nagato. Broadcasting on all distress channels, the acting captain, Flight Control Officer, Lieutenant Circe Protagon reports that the Captain and First Officer down, the ship suffering severe damage after an unprovoked attack by a Ferengi squadron. The Nagato was withdrawing, seeking assistance as it could not hold its own in its present condition against the invasion force. Both Parthalon and Vander May were more than nonplussed by the message. However, soon they receive messages from the Investigator and the Peter Marlowe that they are returning to planetary orbit around Sohkta-4 and will be able to retrieve the marooned officers. Acting captains Solon and Sten explain, with much embarrassment, that the command crews had been under the influence of neural parasites which had infiltrated. Actions by the U.S.S. Enterprise on Earth had eliminated the parasites influence; however, the tactical situation here on the perimeter had become critical in view of the shakeup throughout the Federation, causing significant confusion and chaos.

The Investigator and Marlowe enter orbit and beam the officers aboard, along with the captive Ferengi who are beamed to the brigs.

Phase VI: The Battle of Hostile Takeover
Both captains, despite being ragged, dirty and, to some degree, injured, immediately take the Conn. On Vander May’s investigator, his loyal crew is still in shock over the fact that they had been controlled by the parasites and forced to maroon him. His tactical officer is punching up the tactical situation with tears falling onto her consol. Vander May gives a short and to the point speech “Get over it. We have a job to do, and I expect you all to perform to the best of your abilities.” On Parthalon’s Peter Marlowe, the crew get over greetings and apologies quickly. Marine Lieutenant Rascar leaves the bridge to prepare his marines to attempt and/or repel any possible boarding action. Parthalon rejects Security Officer Tal Warrior’s offer to commit suicide to atone for the mutiny and orders a tactical assessment of the situation.

Thus starts the defense of the Federation frontier by two weary captains in what would come to be known as the Battle of Hostile Takeover.

Both ships tracked the departure from the system of the U.S.S. Nagato at top speed. Approaching almost as fast were three Ferengi vessels, a D'Kora-class Marauder and two privateers known as Enforcers. Nagato acting captain Protagon transmitted all data recorded on the three ships that had attacked, wishing both captains “good luck.”

The Investigator and the Marlowe prepared photon torpedo spreads to take the ships as they dropped to sub-light to engage the Federation ships. The Ferengi vessels broadcast a message. “The Federation has fallen into chaos. In view of its weakened position, in the name of the Ferengi Alliance, we announce our hostile takeover bid for this sector. Withdraw, or be destroyed!”

The answer was a full volley of photon torpedoes.

Three torpedoes from the Investigator hit the D’Kora, collapsing its sheilds and severly damaging its sensor array.

Vander May then ordered the Investigator to engage the damaged D’Kora and one of the privateer Enforcers. The second Enforcer began a full assault on the lighter Peter Marlowe. The Marlowe returned fire with incunclusive results. On a return volley, the Enforcer took down some of the Marlowe’s shielding and the ship began to take damage.

Captain Parthalon decided to take a decisive gamble. He ordered his marine contingent to transporters to be ready to board the Enforcer. Then he ordered the Efrosian Flight Control Officer, Sten, to engage the Picard Maneuver. The gambit worked and the next hail of fire missed the Marlowe as she suddenly appeared right next to the enforcer. On Parthalon’s command, his Kzinti tactical officer battered down the Enforcer’s shields and suddenly the Ferengi had a contingent of steely eyed Federation marines on their bridge, in their engine room and at their computer core.
Meanwhile, the Investigator continued to further disable the D’Kora, ensuring the massive ship would not be a threat, taking engines and weapons offline. The Investigator maintained a steady defense against the Enforcer escort vessel. However, before the Investigator could turn its full attention to the Enforcer, the canny Ferengi privateer captain ordered an all out attack with everything his vessel had. The attack proved overwhelming to the Investigator’s defensive systems, and only the valient efforts of the First Officer directing damage control and, even moreso, the Chief Engineer’s actions to hold the ship together with little more than spit and paper clips, prevented a total warp core implosion. For all intents and purposes, the Investigator appeared to be dead in space.

Captain Parthalon viewed with horror the sensor readings on the Investigator. Another hit would undoubtedly consign every being on the ship to their death. They had been about to engage the D’Kora as the larger threat when the Enforcer had pummeled the Investigator.

Again, he reacted with crazed imagination. Abandoning any attempt to bring damaged shield back online, he ordered his engineer to dump power to the engines and the tractor beam system. He ordered the Conn Officer to plot a warp jump followed by a drop to maximum impulse that would bring the ship as close as possible to the Enforcer. He ordered his Tactical Officer to calculate what amounted to a tractor beam lasso which would grab one of the Enforcer’s warp engines as they passed. The planned effect was to charge, lasso and slingshot arround into attack position on the far side of the Enforcer while also damaging or tearing away a warp engine.

Against all sense or reason, the “Parthalon” manuever worked, though the Marlowe burnt out its tractor beam and knocked warp engines off line.

Captain Vander May, from his smoking ruin of a bridge opened communications with the Ferengi ships. “Surrender or die!”

The Ferengi, viewing the seemingly crazed half-Romulan captain muttered “Insane Vulcan” and quickly calculated how to cut their losses.

“We withdraw our bid for this sector.”

Then it was all over but the shouting.

The captains dispatched security teams to each of the Ferengi ships, taking scans of all computer data and logs for analysis by Fleet intelligence. They began to assess and repair damage. They began to write the hard letters home about the dead among their crew.

The Ferengi ships eventually limped off, taking with them the unauthorized personnel and as much equipment as they could repossess from the Omars on Sohkta-4.

The Investigator and the Marlowe were eventually sound enough to limp back to Starbase 42; all told, a month passed between the battle and their triumphal return. Each received Starfleet decorations and commendations. Captain Parthalon was returned to the command of the Nagato.

Finally, all seemed right with the world again.

But the terror of Shore Leave, would eventually leave the two captains wounded and separated.

But that was another adventure.

I have been inspired to try to post information about using PDQ# and Swasbucklers of the 7 Skies (S7S) as the basis for designing characters and adventures for playing in the Star Trek Universe. I am here going to post my initial proposal for character creation.

I cannot claim much originality in this. Of course, I would be nowhere without the creator of the PDQ# system and author of S7S, Chad Underkoffler. Further, Chad posted on his blog (here) the work of another genius Markwalt providing a first draft of a Character Creation system for Trek characters using PDQ#. He also posted characters descriptions , and actual play examples from Episode 1, Episode 2, and Episode 3.

This was nothing short of a bolt from the blue for me. But, I thought I would like to make a few changes, especially after I started reading the application of PDQ# in S7S. To be as generic as possible, I will make references to the free PDQ# publication, but some elements as I describe them for character creation and other issues in other posts, will require me to make some S7S references. I will try to be clear.

Obviously, if you are going to play a game in the Star Trek universe, you are going to have to decide between the game master and the players a number of basic issues like what era is going to be the setting for the game and what the general role of the players will be that will bring them together. Chad has some great general advice in this regard (PDQ# 16-17). My assumption to start with for these guidelines are that players will choose to play characters from the Federation, with all or the majority in Starfleet.

I also find useful a number of on-line references that are really quite fantastic: Memory Alpha (a Star Trek Wiki), Memory Beta (a non-canon Star Trek Wiki) and Ex Astris Scientia-Bernd Schneider's Star Trek. And, of course, with so many people who love Trek out there, you will find an almost endless source of Trek ideas, stories and resources out on the web. But those are my favorite so far.

I will also probably consult a scattering of previously published Star Trek RPG materials to which I have access. FASA started it all for me, and I have been able to look over offerings from GURPS (Prime Directive), Last Unicorn Games and Decipher, and there are vibrant RPG communities keeping elements of all those games alive. A Trek game has to be your own, but I am a big fan of begging, borrowing and stealing all that I can to make my life easier, get inspiration and get the job done as a game master, narrator, etc.

I must again acknowledge that this is inspired by and borrows from the work of Markwalt and his players as linked to here.

1. Choose a name, rank, and job on the ship. Good background information on these issues can be found at Memory Alpha: Starfleet Ranks, Starfleet organization, Senior Staff positions, and Federation Starships. These choices should help you start to put together your back story. The information about your past and how you got to where you are is going to be important to how you play and what your character can do.

2. Choose two or more Foibles (PDQ# 5; S7S 137-38).
A Foible is a failing or feature that presents opportunities for interesting failure. These should flow from and be interwoven into your character's background. All Starfleet crew and Federation employees should take the a Foible related to Starfleet Regulations(which includes the Prime Directive, but much more as well). Generally a second Foible should reflect the character;s personality and a third may be linked to cultural or species specific issues (Betazoid rituals, Vulcan Logic, etc). The cultural or species specific Foible could be generic ("Vulcan"), but the more descriptive flavor you give it, the more it can shape your character. For example, Spock and Sarek both come from the same Vulcan family, but I would think you could come up with very different Vulcan Foibles for them.

Some Foible examples:

Cautious
Pacifist
Always helps those in need
Honest to a fault
Says what people don’t want to hear
Some social situation require nudity (Betazoid foible)
Klingon Idealist
Andorian honor code

3. Chosing Expertise (aka Fortes, see PDQ# 4-5, 7-9; S7S 132-37, 142-69).
(Note, PDF# and S7S use the term Forte and I am simply, based on my own foibles and desire for a more "in genre" term, changing the term Forte to "Expertise").

I. Pick a Motivation Expertise.

A motivation starts out at Good [+2] and serves as the primary reason you do what you do. These tend to be long term dreams and goals.

Some example motivating Expertise:

Explore the Galaxy
Heal People
Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations
Learn about other life forms
Bring honor to my planet and its people
To boldly go where no man has gone before

II. Pick a Past Expertise.

A past Expertise starts at Good [+2] and explains how you came to be here, what made you the person you are today.

Some example past fortes:

Brilliant Researcher of Interspecies Sociology and Psychology
Science wunderkind
Graduated with honors
Reformed master thief
Mister Fixit

III. Pick a Cultural/Species Expertise (compare S7S 184-86 (Nationality))

A cultural/species Expertise starts at Good [+2] and explains particular skills, connections and abilities that stem from cultural experience or inborn species characteristics, or a combination of both.

Failed student of Kolinahr
Exceptional Betazoid Telepath
Old country doctor
Masai Warrior Woman
Ambitious Kzin soldier

IV. Choose a Fleet Expertise (see "Swashbuckling Forte" PDQ# 5, 16; S7S 137, 186).

This replaces the Swashbuckling Forte in the PDQ# and S7S rules (Markwalt refers to it as Starship Forte in his writeup, but since I want to eventually use this to build non-Federation characters who may not even be on a starship as a usual base of operations, I choose the slightly more generic "Fleet" as my substitute for "Swashbuckling."

A Fleet Expertise begins at Good [+2]. This should be your area of expertise for your role in your organization, be that Starfleet, the Federation Diplomatic Corps, or whatever.

Examples:

Seasoned Ship's Counselor
Tactical Leadership by Example
THE Captain
Command the troops
Phaser marksman
Master and Commander

V. Add more Expertise and/or increase your existing ones.

You have 3 additional Good [+2] ranks to create new Expertise or bump up your existing ones as high as Master [+6].

4. Add up to 5 points of Techniques (PDQ# 6; S7S 139-42, 190).

Techniques chained to a Fleet Expertise cost 1 point, chained to another Expertise cost 2 points, and unchained techniques cost 3 points.

5. Style Dice.

You get to start with 1 style die.

6. Write your background.

For me, the biography of the character is going to chart the penumbras of his or her expertise. It is hard to capture everything a character can or should be able to do in a word or phrase, but when read in context with a rich background, it makes sense and makes things all the more interesting. Obviously, a background can and should grow as you work with the character. However, the richer and more interesting your background is (as long as exceptional or extraordinary events and past achievements are cleared with your game master) the richer the character, and the more things you can do with your expertise.

One thing that I did like about the old FASA game, was that it provided Starfleet, Klingon, Orion and Romulan characters with a detailed history creation mechanism, with numbers of tours and assignments from education through early career that, while not making a story in and of itself, gives a structure to hang many interesting back stories on. I am working on a character sheet for Federation characters that will provide some options to sketch out the framework of professional education and career that will support some really interesting back story. But that will be another post.

This continues the narrative about the evolution of my Star Trek: TNG campaign started in the late 80's. I started this narrative here.

I ran a number of episodes for my high school friend ruckawriter the summer after I returned from Peru. I had been able to catch up on ST: TNG's first season because my mother's friend had taped every episode and he loaned me all his tapes. I totally binge watched the entire season. In general, I was pleased, although the death of Tasha Yar grated and I really disliked the episode "Conspiracy.". Something about that episode just made me think "ick." However, later on it was going to prove important.

So, anticipating the second season, I ran things for my friend, spinning adventure ideas for he and his crew off of old Trek episodes, such as "That Which Remains" and even old animated series episodes like "The Slaver Weapon." I had the character, Captain Khelly Vander May, in charge of a ship that was highly diverse and Terrans and other human-type species we a minority (as it turns out, anticipating by years a selling point of the recent U.S.S Titan books about Captain William Riker's first regular command which is advertised as having only 15% humans in the crew). As I said, it was great fun, but ruckawriter had to return to Vasser and I had to go back to Davis for my senior year.

The game went on hiatus.

In Davis, I had been really fortunate to be included in a deal to rent a house with four other guys that was brokered while I was still in Peru. My housemates included my roommate from the first two years of college, two guys who had been in the same dorm with us as freshmen and sophomores, and one other guy, David, who been in the dorm the last year I was there, but he was a transfer student, and now, although younger than me, he was in a graduate program because he was really smart.

As it turned out, he was our token conservative Christian Republican. Also he was dating a girl (his future wife) who I had dated as a freshman (really nice girl). He also liked RPGs, and Star Trek and fantasy and science fiction books. And he had the room next to mine. And he slept in late (relatively) and I was an absurdly early riser (I blame my farm raised father). And I wasn't sure if I liked him.

Needless to say despite my mild idiocy, we are dear friends to this day, despite many differences and because of so many similarities.

It started out slowly, but we got to know each other, to know each others routines. We watched the second season of Trek together avidly.

And, I told him about my Trek campaigns with ruckawriter and my Captain Waver and his Vander May.

So, the natural question from David was, when are you running it for me? I put him off. Running some things was pretty easy for me to do then, but I was pretty up-tight about Trek. I felt I needed a good amount of prep time and thought to do a good job. There was a defined universe, and with new NextGen episodes out about every week, I was liable to get contradicted or otherwise messed up trying to pull it off. At least, those were some of the excuses I told myself. Also, it was one thing to run a solo "captain's" campaign for ruckawriter, with whom I had a lot of shared experience, deep friendship, and a lot of trust. It was another thing to put together something for David, or so I thought.

David was persistent, however, and I shared with him the character creation materials to buy me some time. He quickly generated an iconic character, Marc Antony Rhys Parthalon, not the youngest captain in Starfleet, not a prodigy, but a careful, brave, compassionate and mature man, an engineer and a teacher who, by dint of steady and reliable duty, rose to the captain's chair in his late 40s. That was harder to imagine 20 years ago than it is now.

We also put together his First Officer, who just had to be a Vulcan Science Officer (some clichés have to be honored) and I sketched out the rest of the command crew that included an 8 foot tall Kzin (animated series/Larry Niven Known Space crossover) at tactical (okay, so we out-Worfed Worf).

We decided that Captain Parthalon commanded the USS Nagato, a ship of the same class as the Enterprise C. Of course, in Season 2, no one really knew what that ship was like, so we used the unofficial "Royal Sovereign" Class from FASA's imaginative but very apocryphal NextGen Officer's Manual (eventually after "Yesterday's Enterprise" on down the line, the Nagato became an Ambassador Class vessel).

So, after all that, WHEN WERE WE GOING TO PLAY? I finally gave in.

We set up with the Nagato on the star map, and Parthalon on routine patrol duty as part of his Galaxy exploration mission. To start off, I played a clip on tape of the beginning of Star Trek II that ruckawriter had made for me. I played the distress signal from the Kobyashi Maru (16 periods out of Altair 6 . . .).

David thought he was responding to a distress signal "like" the Kobyashi Maru. He ordered the ship into position to effect rescue efforts.

Then Romulan ships started decloaking. Parthalon had not been lax during all his years coming up through the ranks. He knew his tactics and he, the crew and the Nagato gave a good account of themselves. The Romulans paid in ships and soldiers. In the end, however, the Nagato's warp core exploded, killing all hands.

David looked up at me with an expression that told me he could not believe he had failed so badly in his first outing with the game. He was not the kind of guy who would think that I had done anything but played fair. He had just not done things right. That was on his face. He said, picking up his sheet as we sat on my room's floor, "I guess that's it for my character . . ."

And I said "All right, open her up! Crew to after action debriefing! Mr. Parthalon, congratulations . . . Captain."

It was only then that David realized that he HAD been taking the Kobyashi Maru scenario.

He had performed to the best of his abilities at the "no win" scenario, and he and I were really playing Star Trek. I will never forget his mixed expression of shock, relief, and appreciation that I (really by dint of luck alone), had taken through the classic scenario, with a few tweaks, that resulted in him being completely taken in and transported (no pun intended).

It was a great start. But this was just the beginning.

As you might imagine from the "vast" traffic on my page, I write mainly for myself.

However, just to help with the sudden onset of full blow Trekkiness here, I'll mention how this state of affairs developed.

Now, those having been hit by the media blitz might well assume that my new found Trekkie faith has been spurred on by the new Star Trek movie set to come out May 8. While I'll admit to having been impressed by the trailers, the new movie is not at the heart of the action. And after all, we do have to realize that this is, in many ways the same idea that a decade or so ago was shouted down by the fan base, who hated the idea of a reboot of TOS. Now, hungry Trekkies/Trekkers who have not even had a new show running for the last four years after 18 years of mainlining new shows and movies.

I however, got derailed in the last season of Deep Space 9 (basically due to TV reception, work, and young fatherhood). I abandoned the voyage in Voyager even before that, and I never signed on for Enterprise. My Trek hiatus has been much longer.

The main motivation actually has to be laid at the feet of Chadu as the author of the PDQ# rules set (available free) and a set of links Chad posted on some work done by markwalt did adapting the free PDF# rules for Star Trek.

First PDQ# is a bright little rule set of simple rules designed to flexibly support a vast number of situations and narratives. It underlies a new game called Swashbucklers of the Seven Skies ( S7S ), which looks pretty brilliant (I have the pdf and the limited edition hardback is coming). The utter simplicity, yet supportive depth of PDQ# completely energizes me to think that easy Star Trek role playing could be in my grasp, and the information (actual play!) Posted supports my sense. Added to that Skyship combat (really cool) from S7S and I can imagine much Trek goodness.

That said, the touchstone of the revival was PDQ#/Trek rules, catalyzed with the new movie trailers dredging up all that I had invested in watching, enjoying and building friendships on Trek. It all comes back.

Perhaps it will be a brief revival, but I am glad to have these feelings and memories and to have some creative juices flowing on the Trek vibe for now. And now, perhaps I'll get back to my narrative stories.

A long time ago, when I used to play RPGs a lot, I first entered the world of Star Trek through the (now long defunct) FASA Star Trek RPG. My gamemaster was ruckawriter, and he was a great Trek storyteller (and he had most of the supplements and could really throw all sorts of things out at you). Of course, what generally happens when you play one on one, is that the player (me) wants to be Captain (I mean, why not be the boss). So was born Captain Darel Waver of Mars, UFP; Captain of the USS Investigator, NCC 1492. This was a "movie era" campaign. Captain Waver was wearing the very cool maroon Starflee Uniform and the Investigator was a Miranda Class starship (like the Reliant from "Wrath of Khan").

Many of the stories, no surprise, were full of intrigue, espionage, betrayal and politics. Within a couple of playing sessions, my close friend, the Chief Medical Officer, had been exposed as a Klingon spy, and had murdered my best friend, my Science Officer, right in front of me. I developed a rivalry with a Klingon ship captain. Then, through several sessions of play (and, I might add, years in advance of the start of ST:TNG and the release of Star Trek VI), my enemy and I realized how futile the Klingon/Federation conflict was, and we made our peace when we jointly faced (surprise surprise) an alien power more advanced and powerful than the two of us.

Lots of other very interesting things happened and the stories and characters really developed.

Good times.

So, then we had a big break in play when I was out of the country in Peru for a year. That was the same year that ST:TNG started. At one point during my stay in Peru, ruckawriter sent me a big care package that included pictures of Piccard, Worf and the novelization of Encouter at Farpoint. I started jotting notes, and pretty soon I put together our own Next Generation game, this time with me as gamemaster and ruckawriter as Captain, the Captain of the Investigator NCC 1492-A, a Constellation Class Starship on its continuing mission.

What was better, was when I got back, he and I played and it was great. Ruckawriter created a great character, Captain Khelly Vander May, a half-Romulan/half-human military genius. His first adventures were much fun.

But more lay in store . . .

I see that I have not posted here for over two months. That is pretty bad.

It has been very busy at home and at work. I have a lot of photos to organize and I am not sure when I'll bet things posted.

I have wondered about a theme for posting at this point. One thing that has run through the last few months is reconnecting with a variety of people. Back in California during Christmas vacation, I got to get back in touch with an old college friend with a good in person visit. Also, I reconnected in D.C. With my college room mate when he was here on a lobbying trip. Also, I got back in touch with my law school moot court partner, and I hope we'll see each other, also in D.C., when he is here on business.

Finally, I reluctantly got onto Facebook at the urging of my wonderful wife, and within a week, I was back in touch with so many folks from high school, college, grad school, law school and my extended family it makes my head spin. On the whole I am very happy for signing up. FB is a fundamentally different experience than LJ, but each fill distinct on-line niches.

I see LJ as a place to put thoughts or concerns, or just to randomly pontificate, as well as a great place to put pointers for photos and other sites. On the other hand, FB is a social network for keeping up with and giving notice of some day to day activities and to allow some easy chit chat and discussions with folks that you want to have the opportunity to keep up with.

I find having a whole slew of cousins of FB a great way to get acquainted with folks I last new as children (when I was a child) and now I can see the fine adults they have become and catch up with some of their day to day lives.

Also, it has been very positive getting back in touch with so many people that I once saw on a daily basis and then might not have seen for 10 or 20 or 25 years. Again, it is good to see where people are and how they are doing.

So, I am feeling more connected, more hopeful about my ability to see and be seen in the world and to stay more in touch on into the future.

So, that is all to the good

The number of photos that I want to post exceeds what I can do with a sidebar, so, in future, the sidebar should link to this entry, and I will keep adding links to my google/picassa web site for photos.

Last update: November 23, 2009 (added misc links).
Enjoy.

October 2009: Halloween.

October 2009: Fall 2009 Whetstone Princess Camp out at Greenbrier State Park, MD.

October 2009: Family Trip to New York to celebrate Ian and Fiona's birthdays with their grandparents.

September to November: Fiona's soccer season with the Gators (fifth place finish in their division).

August 2009: Camping in New Germany State Park, Maryland with friends.

August 2009: Photos from our trip back to California and Oregon (I made a special surprise appearance for one long weekend).

June-July 2009: A Selection of the best photos I have taken for the Whetstone Whales 2009 Season.

June 2009: Photos from Camping with the Whetstone Guides.

June 2009: Ian's Fifth Grade Promotion.

June 2009: Fiona Bridges Up in Girl Scouts.

June 2009: Photos from Camping with the Whetstone Pricesses.

December 2008: Various photos.

November 2008: Evan's Birthday, Thanksgiving and a trip to Virginia's Historic Triangle.

October 2008: Halloween.

September 2008: Maryland Renaissance Festival.

August 2008: Trip Through New England.

July-August 2008: Wonderful Family Trip to the Outer Banks (OBX), NC.

July 2008: B-meet Relay Carnival.

July 2008: B-meet at Flower Hill.

July 2008: A-meet at Manor Woods.

July 2008: July 4th Parade.

July 2008: B-Meet at Lake Marion.

June 2008: A-relay Carnival at Glenmont-Fiona swims 5 events.

June 2008: A-meet against Glenmont.

June 2008: Ian's second B-meet of 2008.

June 2008: Fiona on her first day of summer day camp.

June 2008: Neighborhood Block Party on Canal Road.

June 2008: Ian swims at his first B-meet of 2008.

June 2008: Fiona swims at her first A-meet of 2008.

June 2008: Ian's Spring campout with the Whetstone Guides.

May-June 2008: Fiona's Spring campout with the Whetstone Princesses.

May 2008: Fiona's Class Butterfly Release.

May 2008: Ian's Spring Chorus Performance.

April 2008: Visit to the National Zoo.

March 2008: A short visit to Ocean City with Kathy.

March 2008: Fiona and a friend go Skating.

February 2008: Ian's Chorus Concert.

December 2007: Laura and Kathy's Angels on Display.

November 2007: Disney Cruise-Disembarkation.

November 2007: Disney Cruise-Castaway Cay.

November 2007: Disney Cruise-Nassau.

November 2007: Disney Cruise-Embarkation.

November 2007: Disney World-Animal Kingdom.

October 2007: Halloween in Montgomery Village.

August 2007: To the top of the Golden Gate Bridge.

June 2007: Fiona's Gymnastics Final Class.

April 2007: Fiona Becomes an Astronaut at the Franklin Institute-Philadelphia.

I read today that Gary Gygax passed away. I am sure my comments won't be the first or last or most pithy. Let me just say that, given all that Mr. Gygax did to create, popularize and support imaginative paper and pencil role playing games, he really contributed a lot to who I was when I was a kid, and who I have become. Dungeons and Dragons was a great way to spend time with friends, and it was out of the social dynamic of game playing that a lot of who I am developed.

I haven't played D&D for a long while now, and, with the multiplicity of games now around after D&D created the industry, I have to say I might never go back and play any sort of D&D again. But the idea of role playing games is in my root being now, and I will always be interested in and doing something related to RPGs, whether it is just reading published materials, or blogs, or talking to friends about what they are doing now, or what we did in the past, and, on occasion, I think a bit and write a bit (though much less) on my own creative explorations rooted in the RPG genre.

Given that D&D formed a part of the person I am today, I have to say with great humility, thank you for your life and imagination Mr. Gygax. You paved the way, and you had far too short a time on this earth. Good luck on the next adventure.

Dust off your hats boys and girls, its gonna be a wild ride.




Not as easy as it used to be! Ah, the theme (or one of them) of the new Indiana Jones film (http://www.indianajones.com/). He's older, I'm older, but boy it looks like it's going to be a lot of fun. I am looking forward to a number of movies this year, mostly what critics would term "escapist" fare, but it is hard not to be most excited for this flick.

There is a lot going for it, with Marion back, Cate Blanchett as the femme fatale, Roswell, Mesoamerican temples, car chases, explosions, and some potentially witty dialog, they have me hooked. Where will it fall on the spectrum of Indy movies? Hard to tell. It would be best if it gave up the pretensions of the third movie (though I liked it), conceded that the first one was a masterpiece, unlikely to be repeated, and go for the fun like was done in Temple of Doom (a movie which has grown on me over the years because of its craft and unabashed love of pulpy serial cliches reinterpreted through the lens of blockbuster).

So, nothing deep, nothing pithy, just I love Indy. Indy is back. The trailer does not obviously suck, and it fact gives reason to think that the awesome is back. Yes indeed. Indy is a teacher (a teacher of FUN!), if only "part time."

Just can't wait for May 22.

Just hopped on my train home after briskly walking past the newly opened branch of Fantom Comics. I had my train to make, so I did not stop in. I did notice, a lot of customers, significanty younger than me, hanging out, talking comics, etc. This branch of the store is small, just a small rectangle with a rectangular sales island, and comics racks on three walls and all around the island.

Sadly, not apparently large enough to host a well ordered comic book signing by say, Greg Rucka, but a nice place to stop in on the way around town through Union Station. Hopefully it does well. Might get a chance to stop in sometime.

And now, on to home and packing, packing, packing.

I have to admit that I have more than a passing interest in comic books, but, on the other hand, I am hardly a real fan. I mean, I don't follow much comic news, I don't frequent comic book shops, I don't buy any comics to speak of.

That might beg the question, how can I even say that I am interested in comics? The answer is, of course, this man:



I have known ruckawriter for a long time, and I used to read his comic books when he just bought them and before he wrote them. Now, I am a fan of just about anything he writes. As with any artist, some of his work outstrips other things he has done, but his skill is really superior. So, I follow comics to the extent that I follow his work and how it intersects with other things going on in the industry (surprisingly a lot of things, of course).

So, I am mostly a comic book fan as an adult, and am focused mainly on one writer's work. However, I have a son, a wonderful son, and he is close to diving in as a comic book fan (actually FAN). Of course, he wants to know everything. He is that kind of kid. He reads voraciously, far above his grade level. Comics still are not the top of his obsessions, but they could move up. Currently, his hobby list is:

Heroscape
Heroscape (he really likes this game)
Reading anything and everything (including comics)
Age of Mythology/Age of Empires
Magic the Gathering
Pokemon

So, it is with some interest that I saw this article in the Washington Post this morning:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/13/AR2007111302003.html

Superheroes on Demand
Marvel Goes After New Fans With Subscription Site

By Mike Musgrove
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, November 14, 2007; D01



Comic book publisher Marvel said yesterday that it has made thousands of vintage comics accessible online for a subscription fee.

The service, called Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited, is intended to attract new fans with online versions of the hard-to-find early adventures of such superheroes as Spider-Man and the X-Men. Though the publisher has occasionally posted issues of its classic comics online, this is the first time it has tried to make a business with Web content.

"We wanted to find a way to get more people to take a look at our comic books," said Dan Buckley, president of Marvel Publishing.

Recent movies and video games based on Spider-Man and the X-Men have been financially successful, Buckley said. But Marvel has suffered from a waning sales at newsstands, and it has thousands of other characters and properties that it hopes will find a larger audience with the Web's help.

"Comic-book fans are Web-savvy," Buckley said. "We feel like it's a good overlap with our core demographic."

Marvel isn't the only comic publisher working to find its way into the online world. Its traditional rival, D.C. Comics, has a Web division, Zuda Comics, that went online last month.

Marvel's comic-book content is available for $59.88 a year, or $9.99 a month, at Marvel.com. The company is initially putting about 2,500 titles of its back catalog on the service and intends to add 20 comics each week.

Subscribers will be able to view the vintage comics on their computer monitors, in the window of a software browser designed for the service. The software is designed to keep users from saving the pages to their hard drive or from making printouts.

To win an initial audience, Marvel is offering a free online sampler of 250 titles for an unspecified time. Because of heavy traffic at the site, the service was sluggish or unavailable for much of the day yesterday.

Brad Meltzer, who has written stories for comic books such as Justice League of America, said the comics industry has trouble bringing in new waves of young readers. Marvel's move sounds like a good idea, he said.

"They're building the next generation of readers; they're creating geeks as we speak," Meltzer said. "This is how you, potentially, save comics in a world where kids just want to sit in front of a glowing computer."

The new service isn't Marvel's first move into the digital world. It has also made much of its back catalog available on CD-ROM and DVD-ROM. Web-savvy comic fans have long been able to illegally download issues of vintage comics via file-trading services such as BitTorrent.

To guard against undermining sales of its latest comic books, which cost about $3 apiece, Marvel plans to post its latest comics -- the ones on sale in stores today -- six months after publication.

Joel Pollack, founder and primary owner of Big Planet Comics in Bethesda, said he was ambivalent about the new service.

"Some of my fellow retailers are kind of upset, but I think you can't turn back the hands of time and it's inevitable," he said. "If it hurts the sale of Marvel Comics, it's more self-destructive of Marvel . . . than anything else. . . . I don't know if it's going to have any impact on my business or not."

Matthew Klokel, who owns Fantom Comics in Tenleytown, was more enthusiastic.

"I think it's a great idea -- it'll get more people reading comics. Hopefully, it'll get people comfortable with some of the characters and they'll decide they want more," he said. "I think it will be a gateway drug to further comic book reading."

If that's true, it comes at a good time for Klokel. His new shop in Union Station is scheduled to open Friday.
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Now this is an interesting article to me for several reasons. First, of course, is that Ian could gain access, for a fee, to all the Marvel comic books he hungers for. He is currently saving up for a laptop that my mother has told him she will match him dollar for dollar to buy. Once he has his own computer, he will be linked into the home wireless network and he could, conceivably, spend hours reading back issues of X-Men, Captain America, and lots of others. I know, from my past readings, that there are a lot of really good runs (X-me, Dare Devil, Thor and more) in the thousands of comics that would be available. Of course, he would probably, left to himself, just read everything.

He has mainly been a DC kid, to the extent he has anything to read, as my friend has passed on a batch of kids comics, including some great kids targeted Batman, Superman and Justice League, which my son keeps in a box and takes out an has all over his room from time to time. But he also bough a big collection of old (not very good) X-Men at a used book store, which he reads over an over. So, comics do seem to be for him in his huge menu of reading selections.

The other item of issue is that a comic book store is opening this Friday in Union Station, which is the transit center that I come through every day on the way to work. It also means that there is the bare possibility that Greg might show up and make a professional appearance at said comic book store some day, and I could catch him.

So, I don't know where my son will end up as far as a comic book fan, but I can appreciate the possibility of him being able to read so much of the historic comic books without having to buy everything up. It will be interesting to see the choices he makes, and which way he will go.

Also, I just have to hope that someday that Matthew Klokel or some other shop owner and convention organizer gets Greg to the area. I'll be looking for him.

This is the second blog I have ever tried.  Don't expect too much, but, from time to time, there might be something here.

For good or for ill, ruckawriter made me do it.