ScrewAttack Game Convention

This weekend, I attended the ScrewAttack Game Convention, which was at a hotel near the DFW Airport. While there, I met some really cool people, had a few laughs, heard some interesting talks, and sold a bunch of books.

Atari founder and Pong mastermind Nolan Bushnell delivered the keynote speech (which was funny and informative), and he was kind enough to pose for this picture.

Nolan gets a visit from yuckmeister Keith Apicary.

Crazy Keith kept people in stitches the entire weekend.

Keith organized a you-had-to-be-there game of human Duck Hunt.

Sonic the Hedgehog keepin' it real.

The obligatory Rock Band jam session.

The only really big disappointment of the show was the dealer's room, which was very small. Only two vendors were actually selling video games. Others had miniatures, plush toys, sign-up forms, and such. (The show could have also used an auction, a swap meet, more consoles set up for play, more panels, and a larger arcade).


Political activist and former lawyer Jack Thompson was on hand to discuss violence in video games. He was a good sport, taking questions from the crowd and explaining his viewpoint with intelligence and, frequently, humor.


Thanks to the ScrewAttack staff for putting on a fun, funny, and even educational show.

Bela Lugosi's Tales from the Grave

I went to my beloved niece's wedding over the weekend, where I ran into comic book artist Kerry Gammill (he's been a friend of my sister's family for years), who's got a new project in the works: Bela Lugosi's Tales from the Grave, a horror anthology series slated for some time in 2010. It was fun talking movies and comics with Kerry, who I see from time to time at conventions and various family gatherings (birthdays, anniversaries, and whatnot).

Me, Kerry, and Kerry's lovely wife, Susan.

Recently published in...

Alter Ego #87, which contains my report on the 2007 Oklahoma Alliance of Fandom (OAF) reunion. I'm especially pleased with the publication of this article since the publisher of Alter Ego is Roy Thomas, legendary comic book editor/writer and one of my childhood heroes.

Classic Home Video Games, 1985-1988 Order Form

I received a pile of these order forms in the mail today, meaning Classic Home Video Games, 1985-1988 should be available any day now.

To preorder the book through Amazon, or to simply read more about it, click on the following link: Classic Home Video Games 1985-1988.

Recently published in...

Comics Buyer's Guide #1656.

Where I review:

Star Trek: Alien Spotlight: Tribbles
Writer: Stuart Moore
Artist: Mike Hawthorne
Grade: 3 Stars (out of four)

David Gerrold’s “The Trouble With Tribbles” is one of the most popular Star Trek episodes of all time, spawning an animated sequel (“More Troubles, More Tribbles”), a Deep Space Nine tribute episode (“Trials and Tribble-ations”), and now a comic-book sequel. Star Trek: Alien Spotlight: Tribbles is told, in part, from the Tribbles’ point of view, with the furry little critters calling the hated Klingons “Rufflefurs” and the beloved humans “Warmhands.”

The story is slight, especially considering the four-dollar price tag, but it uses the best aspects of The Troubles With Tribbles to fun effect, namely the rapid reproductive rate of the Tribbles and the Klingons’ ironically irrational fear of the Tribbles. The sketchy, cartoonish art is slight as well (if serviceable), but the human characters behave like what they are—a cargo delivery crew—not Starfleet officers. This adds a dash of verisimilitude to the funny, farcical, goings-on.

Don’t let cover B fool you: Captain Kirk doesn’t appear inside, though it’s hard to blame IDW for using the iconic shot of Shatner covered in Tribbles.

Classic Game Fest 2009

This sounds like a ton of fun:

CLASSIC GAME FEST 2009: Game Over Videogames is back this summer with its 2nd annual Classic Game Fest - a new summer tradition for old-school video game players, collectors, and fans of all ages. It will be held at the north Austin, TX location of Game Over Videogames at the intersection of Hwy 183 and Lamar Blvd. on every other Friday night from July 3rd through August 28th. And the best part is that these events will be completely FREE and open to the public!

Austin, TX – June 3: Game Over Videogames, Inc., an Austin-based corporation that specializes in the buying and selling of classic and used videogames, announced today that it is continuing its annual summer festival designed to celebrate classic videogames. Classic Game Fest will begin this summer on July 3rd, and it will continue with new shows and events every other Friday night until August 28th. Specific dates and games are: July 3 – PONG, July 17 – Joust, July 31 – Dr. Mario, August 14 – NBA Jam, and August 28 – Super Smash Bros. Movies, schedules, special events, and more info about each night will be posted online at www.classicgamefest.com and www.gameovervideogames.com as it becomes official.

The events will all be staged at the Game Over Videogames retail store and videogame museum located at the corner of Hwy 183 @ Lamar Blvd in north Austin, TX. Each night will include classic videogame tournaments on a large, 16 x 9 feet outdoor screen provided by the Alamo Drafthouse. In addition to the games, each night will feature videogame movies, special sales in the store, and other special events to watch or participate in. If you love classic videogames, you don’t want to miss a single night!

Best of all, these events are once again completely FREE and open to all videogame fans and players young and old, so bring the whole family for some late night fun and videogames under the stars. Just imagine the excitement of playing classic videogames on a huge movie screen in front of 100 or more fellow gamers – there is nothing like it! Come to watch, to compete for cool gaming prizes, and to enjoy the cooler nighttime temperatures this summer at Game Over Videogames.
Sponsors and vendors are currently being recruited to participate in this massive video game spectacle. For more information on this awesome event or to find out how you or your company can participate as a sponsor or vendor, please contact David Kaelin at 512-459-4263 or check it out online at www.classicgamefest.com or www.gameovervideogames.com

Classic Home Video Games 1985-1988

The publication of my second book is just a few weeks away. Today, the cover appeared on the publisher's website:

Here's a description of the book:

Introduced by Bill “The Game Doctor” Kunkel, one of the most important figures in all of classic gaming, Classic Home Video Games 1985-1988 contains detailed descriptions/reviews of every U.S.-released game for the Nintendo NES, one of the best, most popular video game systems ever produced. The book also contains detailed descriptions/reviews of every U.S.-released game for the Atari 7800 (revised, expanded, and updated from Vol. 1) and the Sega Master System, both of which maintain a loyal fan base to this day.

Organized alphabetically by console brand, each chapter in this book includes a description of the game system, followed by substantive, literate, fun-to-read entries (most 125-185 words in length) for every game released for that console, regardless of when the game was produced (meaning hundreds of games are covered). Each video game entry includes publisher/developer data and the release year, along with gameplay information and, usually, the author’s critique. A glossary provides a helpful guide to the classic video game genres and terms referenced throughout the work, and a preface provides a look at the industry at the time (and how it relates to gaming today), along with anecdotes from the author, a full-time writer who has been a devoted gamer and game collector since the days of Pong, Pitfall!, and Pac-Man.

Classic Home Video Games 1985-1988, which is the follow-up to the critically acclaimed Classic Home Video Games, 1972-1984, also contains photos, historical information, and comparisons to arcade classics, computer games, and similar games for other consoles. Aimed at hardcore gamers, casual fans, and pop culture scholars alike, Classic Home Video Games 1985-1988 is must-reading for anyone interested in the history of the industry and the playability of its games, namely that fondly remembered era that gave us the Atari 7800, the Sega Master System, and the Nintendo NES.