2009 September | Forbeck.com

Marvel Encyclopedia Preview

Sep 302009

The second edition of The Marvel Encyclopedia, which I revised, is due out in the UK tomorrow. Those of us here in the US have to wait until Monday, October 5, to get our hands on the book instead. For a sample of some of the sharp new layouts (which include only dummy text, not my prose), check out DK UK’s entry for the book.

Collectors should note that there’s a limited edition of this version of the book, just like there was with the original. It features a blue slipcase with a cutout that displays some of the cover art inside. Speaking of the spectacular cover, it was created by the ever-amazing Brandon Peterson, another (former) Wisconsin guy done good.

Mutants Take Turin

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Sep 302009

If you happen to be in Turin, Italy, this weekend, you can join in the Mutant Chroni-Con, a convention dedicated to all things Mutant Chronicles. They’ll be playing Mutant Chronicles, Doomtrooper, Warzone, and Dark Eden plus (I think) screening the Mutant Chronicles film. I sadly can’t be there, but my pal, the great illustrator Alex Horley will be around on Saturday. See the Mutant Chronicles Italian Club for more details.

My Star Trek Belt in Stores

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Sep 282009

Last summer, Playmates Toys hired me to design the logic system and write the script for a Star Trek toy based on the latest film. It’s called the Starfleet Command Mission Utility Belt, and it comes with a phaser, a communicator, and a belt that sends the wearer on away-team missions for Starfleet. I just saw it on the shelves of our local Toys-R-Us last week, so apparently it’s available all over the place now.

Angry Robot at Forbidden Planet

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Sep 272009

Angry Robot, the new imprint from HarperCollins that happens to be publishing two of my novels next year, is having its official UK launch party on October 10th, 2009, at the London Megastore location of Forbidden Planet. Come on out and meet authors Dan Abnett, Andy Remic, and Colin Harvey, plus the triumvirate of Angry Robots themselves: Marc Gascoigne, Lee Harris, and Chris Michaels. The event starts at 12:30 and ends at 2 PM. If you’re anywhere near the area and love great science-fiction and fantasy, be sure to stop by and say hi!

Interview in Game Writers Quarterly

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Sep 232009

The latest issue of Game Writers Quarterly—published by the Writers SIG of the IGDA—features a joint interview of several professionals about writing for excellent characters in video games. For this, they lumped me and my sometimes flip answers in with those of an all-star lineup of game writers including Armand Constantine, Rich Dansky, Christy Marx, and Rhianna Pratchett.

The newsletter is a free PDF, so be sure to check it out.

OgreCave Podcast Interview

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Sep 172009

While I was at PAX, Allan Sugarbaker of OgreCave.com asked me to sit and chat with him for a bit. He just posted the recording of our conversation in their Gaming News Update section. Stop by and listen to me ramble on about all sorts of things I either worked on or have in the works!

My Descent Adventure

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Sep 132009

While I was at Gen Con, I saw a preview copy of a book for which I wrote a small bit: Descent: Quest Compendium. This is an all-star jam book of 16 brand-new quests for Descent: Journeys Into the Dark from Fantasy Flight Games. Descent, for those who don’t know it, is a monstrous board game that comes in a massive box and plays like Dungeons & Dragons with all pretensions of roleplaying stripped clean out.

For this book, developer Will Hindmarch gathered together a host of top game designers, including Keith Baker, Monte Cook, Ken Hite, John Kovalic, Chris Pramas, Phil Reed, Mike Selinker, Jeff Tidball, J. D. Wiker, Kevin Wilson, Ray Winninger, Teeuwynn Woodruff, and—ah—me.

My quest is called “Pinball Wizard,” which allowed me to combine my love of the Who and Indiana Jones and blend it into a high-octane cocktail with old-style, “kick down the door, kill the monster, and take its stuff” gaming, garnished with a heaping helping of rolling boulders. I’m looking forward to checking out what everyone else chipped into the book and how they each gave the game their own unique spin too.

Guild Wars Novel Panel at PAX on YouTube

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Sep 102009

The savvy souls at ArenaNet managed to capture many of the panels the held at PAX on video. Better yet, they posted them on YouTube!

They recorded one panel I was on with Will McDermott and Eric Flannum, speaking about my upcoming novel based on Guild Wars 2. It’s in two parts, and you can see each below. This took place at 1:30 PM Pacific Time on September 5, 2009. Considering the long night before and the fact I was starting to fall ill that morning, I think I managed to be mostly articulate.

Check them out here, or go to YouTube to see Part 1 and Part 2 larger and in HD.

Geek.Kon Guest

Con Report 1 Response »

Sep 102009

After that last post, it might have seemed that I was all conned out for the year. Just when I think I’m free, though, they pull me back in!

The fine folks at Geek.Kon, a new geek culture convention in Madison, Wisconsin, have asked me to be one of their guests this year. I’m slated for a couple panels and will join in at the mass autographing sessions too. I hope to see you there!

PAX, the Flu, and Delays

Amortals, Con Report, Guild Wars 18 Responses »

Sep 092009

I had a fantastic time at PAX (the Penny Arcade Expo) last weekend. Unfortunately, since then I’ve been laid up with some evil con crud, and that’s substantially changed a few things in my schedule.

Allow me to explain.