Pirates to Port, Zombies to Starboard!

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This Sunday I’m thankful for Pirates. And Zombies.

I haven’t been involved in the Zombicide world since Toxic City Mall; I haven’t played any of the games in over a decade.

Then Gamefound sent me a heads-up about the new crowdfund:

Su-nu-va … !

This looks like it could be peanut butter and chocolate! But I had to make sure it wasn’t nuts and gum, together at last.

I went and checked my old Zombicide figs and remembered they are a little small for use in my skirmish games. So I posted a question to the project and one of the creators replied that these figs are going to be 32mm.

Nice!

Then I got to wondering about the plastic. Soft? Hard?

So I posted a question about that and another about how well they’ll take paint. Someone answered that even though the game is being produced by a different company now, they’re probably working with the same factory for moulding and casting. That was well-meaning but only partly helpful so I searched the interweb and discovered Laborc:

He’s got some great videos painting through a lot of the White Death set. Check them out!

The figs look to be detailed enough and hard enough in hand for my tabletop needs.

Also, Dead Men Tales is going to have conversion kits available for the earlier Fantasy Zombicide games so you can play your older figs in this new environment. That gives me even more hope that all will be well.

The zombies are cool and all. And those abominations are going to look great in Dragon Rampant games. But I’m really here for the pirates.

They’re already at a couple dozen humans (plus some elves and such). I should have a full-on Xenos Rampant detachment by the time the campaign ends in a couple weeks. The figs are of course flamboyant and a bit over-the-top but they’ll fit in across at least 50 years worth of the late 17th and early 18th centuries.

It looks like Zombicide was eavesdropping when I talked to Reaper.

Dead Men Tales has definitely got it’s chocolate in my peanut butter!

 

Vampire Hunter!

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This Sunday I’m thankful for Captain Kronos.

I first learned of Captain Kronos: Vampire Hunter from an interview Grognardia did with James Raggi eight months ago.

(I’ve come to really appreciate the fact that as much as new films and shows are constantly being churned out, there is an, for all intents and purposes, infinite catalogue of material from throughout the past hundred years — world-wide — that I’ve never even heard of, let alone seen.)

I ordered a copy a week or so later and watched it when it arrived.

I just rewatched it. Afterward I took a look through the above linked wiki and came across the comic book adaptations. Via The Internet Archive I found these:

I printed off the three parts and stapled them into a poor-man’s comic book.

It’s a fun read with some pretty good art — and really quite good layout — that takes us on a new vampire-hunting adventure. There are a few well done funny and a-ha! moments.

I’m now in the process of tracking down Dan Abnett’s comic:

I’ll probably buy a copy of the compilation trade:

In terms of how Kronos is portrayed, I will say I prefer the film’s jacket thrown off the shoulder over the comics’ cloak.

Strangely, there are neither Kronos nor Grost miniatures on the market. Neither of the two companies that I would have bet on make them. Fortunately, there are a fair few figures available that can stand in for Carla.

This fellow on Lead Adventure has converted a fine trio.

As has this gent.

OK, I just took a moment to submit requests to those two companies I mentioned to make our heroes and heroine. Here’s hoping.

Game-wise, these characters would make great NPCs in Barrows & Borderlands. Lamentations and Black Powder and Brimstone also come to mind.

And I think Gadzooks it’s the Apocalypse or The Silver Bayonet are the right fit for skirmish games.

It’s also strange nobody has produced a sequel yet. Now fifty years on, it would be a perfect made-for-streaming popcorner.

Good hunting!

 

Sunday Roast

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This Sunday, I’m thankful for Sunday Roast at my local pub.

When my wife and I were in England years ago we were lucky enough to enjoy a couple excellent examples of this classic dinner.

Recently our favourite pub, The Irish Heather Shebeen, brought their Sunday Roast back into rotation. It’s a great way to spend an evening once or twice a month.

But when you think about it, it really is more than just a meal. The owners and staff are familiar faces. Even some of the other patrons are there for dinner as often as we are. There’s always chatter and laughter. The short walk through our neighbourhood to and from the pub are nice bookends to the meal.

And wrapping up dinner with a sweet sticky toffee pudding is just the ticket.

If you can find an old-school pub near you that does a good Sunday Roast, I can’t recommend the experience highly enough.

The Lord of the Rings Really Does Rule Them All

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This Sunday I’m thankful for the 25th anniversary theater release of the Lord of the Rings Extended Editions.

I was lucky enough to get the last seat in the house Friday night for The Fellowship of the Ring.

Yesterday I watched The Two Towers.

Today I’ve got The Return of the King lined up.

I saw all three theatrical versions at their midnight release showings in ’01, ’02 and ’03. And I’ve watched all three of the extendeds a number of times over the years of course, usually back-to-back. They’re like spending a day with an old friend. I’ll put them on and make dinner and paint or work up something in Photoshop.

But I haven’t seen them on the big screen since those early aughts.

One thing that struck me last night is how many shots looked like they were torn straight out of 1970s and ’80s Brothers Hildebrandt Middle Earth calendars.

I’ve never done a deep dive on it before so I took a quick look this morning and figured out why that is.

Turns out one of the chief concept artists for the films — John Howe — was inspired greatly by those very same calendars. Couple that with the brilliant work of the movies’ cinematographer — Andrew Lesnie — and you get those incredible shots, frames, stills and scenes one after another. Banger after banger!

It really has been an amazing experience. And, as the man says,:

 

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