On the heels of yesterday’s post on a family-focused comic shop, here’s one store that created an entire sub-store just for kids. The aptly-named Sidekicks in Chicago is a store connected to Challengers. While kids aren’t being given superheroes anymore (which frustrates me to no end as someone who came to superheroes as a kid) at least they’re still being given a love of comics. If only the larger companies would remember that.
I am not very good at video games. That’s not why I haven’t started that let’s play show, those are the fault of technical issues that continue to plague me. I love video games, but I’m not very good at them. My hand/eye coordination isn’t very good and I distract easy at times, plus I don’t get to play all the time since I’m working on other projects or before that actually working at a paying job (which I haven’t been able to do since 2013 for various reasons). However, they are fun to play…on easy mode, which is where the problem begins for some games. It’s one thing to put something behind the “hard mode” barrier to encourage improvement, it’s another to mock someone for only being able to play and get anywhere on an easier mode. I hate when games do that just to show how tough they are. If you didn’t want me to play on easy mode THEN WHY THE #@#$$ DID YOU INCLUDE IT, MORON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That said, is hard mode really as hard as you think? The addition of an easy mode for Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice has caused a controversy on the internet, and if that surprises you this is the internet. There are controversies over cake frosting! (I’ll even bet that’s true.) While most of us would say “if you don’t like easy mode, don’t play it”, could the real comment be “there is no hard mode”? In a recent video MatPat of Game Theory makes the case that maybe it isn’t. Listen to his reasoning and see if you agree. Or at least just get off of my case if I don’t use “brutal nightmare” mode.
My apologies to anyone eating right now.
Iron Man volume 3 #32
Marvel Comics (September, 2000)
“The Sons Of Yinsen” part 2: “Gods & Monsters”
PLOT: Joe Quesada & Frank Tieri
SCRIPT: Frank Tieri
PENCILER: Althia Martinez
INKER: Rob Hunter
COLORIST: Steve Oliff
LETTERING: Comicraft
EDITOR: Bobbie Chase
To you comic companies and even indie creators who don’t think comics for kids or all-ages readerships do well, here’s an article about a family-focused comic store that has three stores in a time when comic stores are closing. I don’t know if they carry monthly periodicals or just stuff from companies like Scholastic that basically makes graphic novels only. Still, it’s getting kids into comics and teaching them to read, with stuff for mom and dad as well. That’s always good to see.
If the rest of the book had been as interesting as this last quarter has been I might have been really enjoying the book by now. Things are happening, the main characters matter, and…there’s still the odd chapter system but two out of three and all. Gregory’s after Eyepatch, Op-Center finally has their act together, and hopefully that will help end this book on a high note. Goodness knows it hasn’t been for most of it.
Let’s see what the real heroes of this book are up to.
“Edward, just go to the optometrist already!”
Batman: Gotham Adventures #28
DC Comics (September, 2000)
“Notes”
WRITER: Scott Peterson
PENCILER: Tim Levins
INKER: Terry Beatty
COLORIST: Lee Loughridge
LETTERER: Tim Harkins
ASSOCIATE EDITOR: Frank Berrios
EDITOR: Bob Schreck
Does Link destroy the flute or do his duty?
I love Choose Your Own Adventure books and their various knockoffs. I would love to record a session of gathering a group either in person or online and have them play the books. Yes play, because these were the earliest “game books” where you didn’t just read the book but you made choices that affected the story’s outcome. That’s what makes them so interesting. VicSage of The Retroist looks at the very first book in the series and its origins.
The Clutter Reports (my other site) Atop The Fourth Wall Crisis On Earth Prime Lean Into Artcast Bully Says “Comics Oughta Be Fun” Siskoid’s Blog of Geekery
Cartoon Hero’s Lair SF Debris Four Million Years Later
