Commentary on comics, games, books, and their occasional intersection with politics and other serious business.
Friday, October 30, 2015
Thursday, October 29, 2015
17 to 01: Obsession
Like "The Changeling," there are a few good ideas here that are picked off and used better in later episodes. That this episode's greatest claim to fame is the second-greatest number of red shirts killed says a lot about it.
Does Kirk feel too bad about dead crewmen, or does he not feel too bad enough?
17 to 01 is available on iTunes. It updates Thursdays at 01:00 AM CT and Friday nights at 8:30 PM ET / 9:30 CT. We're also amazingly on Stitcher.
Wednesday, October 28, 2015
NaNoWriMo 3087
I'm attempting National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) again this year. My goal this time around is to finish off the 3087 Technical Readout. Most of the history is already recorded as are the notes I want to hit with the 'Mechs.
To be honest, writing the TRO entries can get pretty grindy and there's this feeling that you're repeating a few off-the shelf phrases and terms. Best case scenario: all of that is alleviated by desperation and a mad dash to just get things done. Worst case scenario: it will be finished.
I'd say a few words about editing, but...that's probably not going to happen. Maybe I'll tinker with a few pieces when they conga line across the blog on Wednesdays, but 3087 is more exorcism than exercise at this point.
Speaking of those Wednesdays, November has four of them. I'll be pulling the best of entries from the previous week every Tuesday night and queuing it up. The rest will have to wait until the rest of the year.
Oh, hey. Full TRO listing after the cut.
To be honest, writing the TRO entries can get pretty grindy and there's this feeling that you're repeating a few off-the shelf phrases and terms. Best case scenario: all of that is alleviated by desperation and a mad dash to just get things done. Worst case scenario: it will be finished.
I'd say a few words about editing, but...that's probably not going to happen. Maybe I'll tinker with a few pieces when they conga line across the blog on Wednesdays, but 3087 is more exorcism than exercise at this point.
Speaking of those Wednesdays, November has four of them. I'll be pulling the best of entries from the previous week every Tuesday night and queuing it up. The rest will have to wait until the rest of the year.
Oh, hey. Full TRO listing after the cut.
Tuesday, October 27, 2015
Friday, October 23, 2015
Thursday, October 22, 2015
17 to 01: Friday's Child
I never realized how erratic Eleen's character is in this episode until Derek calls it out. I still love this episode because we add pillow throws to the WWF moves which have so far solely comprised Kirk's fighting style.
"Friday's Child" also has the galaxy's deadliest slide whistle, which is...a thing you can say about this episode.
Stockholm Syndrome comes from a 1973 bank robbing hostage situation. You can guess where.
Episodes of 17 to 01 are available on iTunes. It updates Thursdays at 01:00 AM CT and Friday nights at 8:30 PM ET / 9:30 CT. We're also amazingly on Stitcher.
Wednesday, October 21, 2015
TRO: 3087 - Wolfhound
3087 is a Battletech alternate
universe where The Jihad never happened. Instead, political fracturing
continues in the wake of the technological and military upheavals of the
3050's. Its history is told through the pages and designs of TRO: 3087.
With any luck this series will be the last anyone hears about 3087.
WLF-7 Wolfhound
Overview
By 3075, the Wolves in Exile, the Kell Hounds, and the nominal Lyran government of the Arc-Royal Defense Cordon had accepted that a long-term arrangement was needed. Few were eager to join either the government on Tharkad or continuing to limp along as an amalgamation of Clan, mercenary, and actual state.
When the Council Clans sought the help of the Exiles, their only condition for entering the greatest war The Clans had ever known was for the Exiles to restore Clan Wolf, relegating the Clan led by Vlad Ward to a corrupt aberration. When the Council Clans were defeated and Ward’s allies were reaved, Kell created Clan Wolfhound for those who wished to stay within the ARDC. Those who desired a wholesale return the ways of the Clans stayed with Clan Wolf.
Seeing it as one of the many ends of the war, Khan Kell commissioned the Wolfhound redesign as a totemic, front-line unit for a population of warriors left bewildered by years of massive social and political changes. It performed well throughout the ilClan War and has become, unlike many other totem 'Mechs, a popular export.
WLF-7 Wolfhound
Overview
By 3075, the Wolves in Exile, the Kell Hounds, and the nominal Lyran government of the Arc-Royal Defense Cordon had accepted that a long-term arrangement was needed. Few were eager to join either the government on Tharkad or continuing to limp along as an amalgamation of Clan, mercenary, and actual state.
When the Council Clans sought the help of the Exiles, their only condition for entering the greatest war The Clans had ever known was for the Exiles to restore Clan Wolf, relegating the Clan led by Vlad Ward to a corrupt aberration. When the Council Clans were defeated and Ward’s allies were reaved, Kell created Clan Wolfhound for those who wished to stay within the ARDC. Those who desired a wholesale return the ways of the Clans stayed with Clan Wolf.
Seeing it as one of the many ends of the war, Khan Kell commissioned the Wolfhound redesign as a totemic, front-line unit for a population of warriors left bewildered by years of massive social and political changes. It performed well throughout the ilClan War and has become, unlike many other totem 'Mechs, a popular export.
Tuesday, October 20, 2015
I Am A River Unto My People
Unless you've already seen it, of course.
I think Luke being the bad guy is a big fake-out, but it's a good fake out. I mean, take the betrayal of Vader being a whiny teenager and turn it around so in ten years you're watching the original trilogy and know Luke will be some asshole with an antichrist lightsaber some day and you can quickly imagine why Luke isn't Kylo Ren.
He is gonna be a force ghost by the third movie though.
I think Luke being the bad guy is a big fake-out, but it's a good fake out. I mean, take the betrayal of Vader being a whiny teenager and turn it around so in ten years you're watching the original trilogy and know Luke will be some asshole with an antichrist lightsaber some day and you can quickly imagine why Luke isn't Kylo Ren.
He is gonna be a force ghost by the third movie though.
Friday, October 16, 2015
Thursday, October 15, 2015
17 to 01: The Deadly Years
We finally turn and face the attribution of "classically trained actor" to William Shatner. It is an epic duel. For those of you who know about acting, are we right or are we just making shit up?
Episodes of 17 to 01 are available on iTunes. It updates Thursdays at 01:00 AM CT and Friday nights at 8:30 PM ET / 9:30 CT. We're also amazingly on Stitcher.
Wednesday, October 14, 2015
TRO: 3087 - Staff
3087 is a Battletech alternate
universe where The Jihad never happened. Instead, political fracturing
continues in the wake of the technological and military upheavals of the
3050's. Its history is told through the pages and designs of TRO: 3087.
With any luck this series will be the last anyone hears about 3087.
SA-2T Staff
Overview
Originally designed to be the fastest ‘Mech ever made, the Staff carries that title only within the Federated Hellfire Territories. While respectably nimble, quick, and maneuverable, the Staff is outpaced by a handful of ‘Mechs fielded by both the Inner Sphere and Clans.
The premiere recon unit of the Territories, the Staff carries LRMs and a pair of Optok VII small lasers for closer work. The Optok lasers run hot and require quite a bit of maintenance, but their targeting systems allow them to better target infantry and increase their striking distance by ten percent.
SA-2T Staff
Overview
Originally designed to be the fastest ‘Mech ever made, the Staff carries that title only within the Federated Hellfire Territories. While respectably nimble, quick, and maneuverable, the Staff is outpaced by a handful of ‘Mechs fielded by both the Inner Sphere and Clans.
The premiere recon unit of the Territories, the Staff carries LRMs and a pair of Optok VII small lasers for closer work. The Optok lasers run hot and require quite a bit of maintenance, but their targeting systems allow them to better target infantry and increase their striking distance by ten percent.
Tuesday, October 13, 2015
Monday, October 12, 2015
The Killing Joke - Your Franchise is Pandering Wrong
So the news is that the Alan Moore classic Batman story, The Killing Joke direct-to-video animated feature is cleared to be rated "R".
About a month ago, I volunteered to help out Star Trek: Renegades at the local ComicCon. I was looking to interact with Star Trek fans and talk a bit about 17 to 01. I was giving them free labor; don't judge.
Also, Renegades is kinda bad, so if you're going to judge, judge me for that.
About a month ago, I volunteered to help out Star Trek: Renegades at the local ComicCon. I was looking to interact with Star Trek fans and talk a bit about 17 to 01. I was giving them free labor; don't judge.
Also, Renegades is kinda bad, so if you're going to judge, judge me for that.
Friday, October 09, 2015
Thursday, October 08, 2015
17 to 01: Who Mourns for Adonais
So maybe it's wrong to have an atheist watch the episode with so much talk of gods.
Nah, it's great.
Derek puts Kirk's philosophy of "Give me freedom or give me a fire to burn this mother down!" into words we've all been looking for.
Episodes of 17 to 01 are available on iTunes. It updates Thursdays at 01:00 AM CT and Friday nights at 8:30 PM ET / 9:30 CT. We're also amazingly on Stitcher.
Wednesday, October 07, 2015
TRO: 3087 - Sheriff
3087 is a Battletech alternate
universe where The Jihad never happened. Instead, political fracturing
continues in the wake of the technological and military upheavals of the
3050's. Its history is told through the pages and designs of TRO: 3087.
With any luck this series will be the last anyone hears about 3087.
SLF-2409 Sheriff
Overview
The vexing problem after the Jade Falcons’ massive gains in the Lyran Commonwealth was keeping them. Never content to let anything else do what could be assigned to a BattleMech, the Falcons designed and fielded the Sheriff as a dedicated garrison and lawmaking ‘Mech.
Attached to garrison units, it’s often deployed in pairs or individually to exert Jade Falcon control on distant areas of their worlds. A cost-conscious design, it’s been instrumental in keeping order and making “Jade Falcon” more than a name for a distant government to millions of people living under the reign of a distant government.
The design has seen a number of rebuilds and tweaks since its inception as designers, commanders, and even Khans have placed their thumbs on the Sheriff’s delicate balance of cost, service, and effectiveness in a stand-up fight.
SLF-2409 Sheriff
Overview
The vexing problem after the Jade Falcons’ massive gains in the Lyran Commonwealth was keeping them. Never content to let anything else do what could be assigned to a BattleMech, the Falcons designed and fielded the Sheriff as a dedicated garrison and lawmaking ‘Mech.
Attached to garrison units, it’s often deployed in pairs or individually to exert Jade Falcon control on distant areas of their worlds. A cost-conscious design, it’s been instrumental in keeping order and making “Jade Falcon” more than a name for a distant government to millions of people living under the reign of a distant government.
The design has seen a number of rebuilds and tweaks since its inception as designers, commanders, and even Khans have placed their thumbs on the Sheriff’s delicate balance of cost, service, and effectiveness in a stand-up fight.
Tuesday, October 06, 2015
Friday, October 02, 2015
Thursday, October 01, 2015
17 to 01: Amok TIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIME!
This thing is superbly directed, written, and acted. Is there a better episode of TOS? I don't know guys. This episode is just really, really good.
Episodes of 17 to 01 are available on iTunes. It updates Thursdays at 01:00 AM CT and Friday nights at 8:30 PM ET / 9:30 CT. We're also amazingly on Stitcher.
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