Harley Quinn races toward its season finale with its latest episode “Family Feud.” Offline, Season mentioned that Harley and Ivy made up too quickly for her liking. I agreed but then I looked up Harley Quinn’s remaining episodes. “Family Feud” is the eighth of ten scheduled episodes for this season. We only have two episodes remaining. What? While I would’ve liked to have seen the tension between Harley and Ivy last another episode, there aren’t that many episodes remaining. Harley Quinn needed to set up the final stakes in this episode, hint at how the gang plans to overcome the stakes, and then spend another episode assembling the supporting cast (King Shark, Clayface, Bane, and Lex Luthor) so they’re ready to enter the fray before launching into the season finale.
Yes! We have a Lex Luthor sighting. It’s always fun when Giancarlo Esposito joins the cast. He didn’t have much to do in “Family Feud” because the gals broke him out of jail, and he was incapacitated in a patented way only Harley Quinn could pull off. Harley’s mom runs him over with Harley’s car.
Harley’s family is where the episode’s title “Family Feud” derives. Truth time. I forgot about Harley’s piece of crap father until he showed up in this episode. It took me a while to remember Harley’s past with him (we haven’t seen him since season 1–four seasons ago), but Harley’s family past came screaming back as soon as Mr. Quinzel double-crossed Harley for money. That rang a bell. Nick Quinzel dies for real in this episode, and Harley doesn’t get the closure she wants.
Meanwhile, Ivy sneaks into Lena’s apartment to figure out a way to infiltrate Brainiac’s lair and free Frankette. I never thought that Harley and Ivy would stay at odds for long, but “Family Feud” may have been better served if the exploits of Harley and Ivy were reversed. I may have believed Ivy forgiving Harley as quickly as she did if she had to deal with Floronic Man or someone else from her past and learn the lesson that Harley did during this episode about being there for someone you love even after they screw up. Heck. Being there for someone after they screw up may be the most important time for someone to show their love. This was a missed opportunity.
This small gripe doesn’t detract from an otherwise fun episode. “Family Feud” balances its three threads well (Harley and her family, Ivy infiltrating Lena’s apartment, and Lena’s master plan) and the episode sets up Harley Quinn for what should be a hilarious season finale.
Season’s Thoughts
The pacing of Harley and Ivy patching things up was too fast for my liking. It shouldn’t have been set up if it was going to be a rush job. I get that relationship drama pulls in an audience, but they didn’t give themselves the space to work with it. I agree with Kyra that this small thing doesn’t detract from the rest of the setup “Family Feud” provides for the season finale.
Even though I also forgot about Nick Quinzel, I enjoyed the moments between him and Harley, even though they hated each other. I think Harley and Ivy grow more as characters when they’re apart than when they’re together. Sure. Their relationship with one another and how they love each other matures throughout the series. But they tend to face their pasts alone and then confide in one another after the fact. Harley did help Ivy with Floronic Man, but Ivy tried to deal with him herself first. I think Harley Quinn does a good job of showing Harley and Ivy as individuals, and I definitely got that from “Family Feud.”
I found it amusing that Lena didn’t have any plans to harm Frankette. She waved her hand and was like, “Get out of here.” This makes me wonder if Frankette will pull off some inside work for the season finale and save Metropolis. That would be a fun twist.
Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.
Daredevil: Born Again blessed us with two episodes on opening night. We covered the first episode “Heaven’s Half Hour” in our previous post. In this post, we’ll share our thoughts about Daredevil: Born Again’s second episode “Optics.”
Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here. I spoke at length about my thoughts on Matt Murdock’s character journey and the camera work in our previous post. If you missed our review of Daredevil: Born Again’s first episode “Heaven’s Half Hour,” here’s a link to that post. Daredevil: Born Again’s first two episodes debuted at the same time. I’ll try to touch on things I didn’t mention in our previous post in this one. Let’s get started with Kingpin’s wife Vanessa.
I should’ve mentioned Vanessa and the fact that Kingpin became mayor of New York City in the previous post. Yikes! Those are some big omissions, but I will say that “Optics” builds on those two points more than “Heaven’s Half Hour.” Again, I’ll preface this section with a spoiler warning. At first, it looked as if Daredevil: Born Again planned for Vanessa to exit the show. Kingpin finds out that she’s cheating on him, and she begs him not to kill her lover. It doesn’t surprise me that Kingpin agrees. This shows that he loves her. I’m also not that surprised that Vanessa cheats on Kingpin. He’s been away, and she’s been left to her own devices. Like most things, “Heaven’s Half Hour” rushes these devolopments.
“Optics” takes a breath. The audience has time to absorb that Kingpin not only ran for mayor of New York City, but the city elected him mayor. We watch as Kingpin settles in as a politician. Pawns like the police commissioner, news outlets, and Fisk’s cabinet take shape. Honestly, the pacing of “Optics” reminds me a lot of the original series. We even have a chance to find more out about Matt Murdock’s supporting cast.
Truth time. I forgot the investigator who works with Murdock was the same former cop who learned Murdock’s identity as Daredevil during his rooftop fight with Bullseye. It took me his second scene as Murdock’s investigator for me to put those two things together. “Heaven’s Half Hour” flew by so fast. We needed a slower-paced episode like “Optics.”
This episode does a great job of weaving Murdock’s and Fisk’s new personal lives. “Optics” presents a lot of future tension that could bear fruit as the season progresses. Fisk functions like a man of the people mayor. This is a facade. He and Vanessa enter couples counseling. This serves double duty but in a good way. Kingpin needs to show his voters that he and his wife are on good terms. Does he go to counseling because he wants to save his marriage or is it “Optics?” Does Fisk want to rehabilitate his reputation and serve as an honest mayor and he kept his distance from Vanessa because she’s running his criminal empire? “Optics” presents a lot of interesting questions.
The episode’s title works for Murdock as well. He encounters White Tiger, another vigilante. His investigator friend warns him about stepping into the life of Daredevil. White Tiger’s case also seems unwinnable. Is Murdock taking on the case because White Tiger reminds him of Daredevil? Daredevil: Born Again skates lightly over White Tiger’s abilities. He doesn’t don his outfit when he helps a helpless person from a set of crooked cops. White Tiger’s inclusion is to set up an interesting court drama that should parallel Kingpin’s desire to rid New York of all its vigilantes. That’s not at all self-serving. Wink.
Murdock tries to be a lawyer and only a lawyer. This plays as his way of honoring Foggy’s death. But “Optics” ends with Murdock getting jumped by another set of crooked cops. Reluctantly, Matt fights back and we’re left with a classic Daredevil fight scene (close quarters and in your face), albeit one with Matt dressed in a suit and tie. It shouldn’t be long before we see Daredevil’s rebirth.
I mentioned this in the previous post, but the combination of watching “Heaven’s Half Hour” and “Optics” made the Daredevil: Born Again premiere a success. I commend Marvel’s foresight for releasing the first two episodes on the same night. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.
Daredevil: Born Again is one of Geekly’s most anticipated Marvel releases this year. Heck. Most people couldn’t wait for season one of Daredevil: Born Again to release. I’ve even said that Daredevil: Born Again must succeed. So, how did the show measure up to this anticip-ation?
Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here. I’m a little late with Geekly’s review of Daredevil: Born Again’s first two episodes but that’s because the first two episodes didn’t hit as well at first for me as it has with most people. Daredevil: Born Again’s first two episodes rate highly on Rotten Tomatoes, IMDB, and several other media outlets, so I’m in the minority. I watched these two episodes twice to find out why they didn’t land as well for me. I’ll start with the first episode, “Heaven’s Half Hour.” Hint: the second episode “Optics” showed promise and has me pumped for the third episode. Sigh of relief. Daredevil: Born Again is a great series.
But Daredevil: Born Again isn’t a great continuation of the original Netflix Daredevil. Full disclosure: after learning that Marvel wanted to continue where the original Daredevil left off, I watched the third season last week to prepare. Daredevil: Born Again doesn’t completely pick up where the previous show left off. It weaves in elements of the previous series. The two are different enough and Daredevil: Born Again takes some liberties.
I love that Marvel brought back Charlie Cox (Daredevil) and Vincent D’Onofrio (Kingpin). Those two actors embody those two characters. I’m never going to say no to Cox and D’Onofrio in a Daredevil project. I also love that Daredevil: Born Again brings back most of the original cast, even if it’s for a moment. Daredevil: Born Again does a fine job of capturing the original show’s veneer.
I say veneer instead of aesthetic because the external look of Daredevil: Born Again matches the original series, but the finer points differ–at least for the first episode. Several things felt off, but the most jarring change comes from Daredevil: Born Again’s camera work. A vlogger reports on the state of New York City. While this does an adequate job of letting the audience know the passage of time and the state of the city, it feels more at home in a Spider-Man project. Honestly, I expected to see someone play an acoustic guitar and sing about Spider-Man.
The non-vlogging camera work on “Heaven’s Half Hour” has more zoomed-out scenes. It felt out-of-place. In particular, the fight scene between Daredevil and Dex (who finally wears Bullseye garb, even if it’s just his gloves) feels different because the audience gets a bird’s eye view of the fight. The original series prided itself on up close and personal fights. One could feel each punch and kick.
The real kicker was how Daredevil: Born Again treated the former show’s cast. We’re getting into spoiler territory here. You’ve been warned. Foggy’s death (in the first ten minutes) gave the scene weight. That’s good and in keeping with the original show. Daredevil never shied away from killing off popular characters. Dex needed to pay for his crimes and for killing Foggy. Daredevil: Born Again suggests why Dex changed targets from Karen to Foggy, but it felt rushed.
Daredevil’s third season shows Karen staying in New York despite how bad things got, with people she cared about dying around her, and at the risk of her life. Karen’s actions felt off. While I could buy her leaving the city over grief (this could echo her leaving her family) Karen’s absence played more like Daredevil: Born Again wanting to start a new law office for Matt Murdock by any means necessary. And again, this development felt rushed.
“Heaven’s Half Hour” bogs down because it pulls double duty. It sheds the previous Daredevil series while trying to set up a new series. Like I said, I wouldn’t watch the original series right before watching Daredevil: Born Again. It colored my enjoyment of the show. Daredevil: Born Again is excellent separated from the original series. It’s easily one of Marvel’s best.
That brings me back to more praise for Daredevil: Born Again. While at first jarring, the camera work is deliberate. “Heaven’s Half Hour” zooms out from the action to give the audience detachment. Sure, this marks the end of the original Daredevil and the beginning of a new show, but it also mirrors Matt Murdock’s mental and emotional state. He becomes detached. The audience won’t see those in-your-face fights until the end of the second episode “Optics.” Disney+ released the first two episodes on the same night because they wanted the audience to see Matt Murdock’s change.
If I had only seen “Heaven’s Half Hour” this week, I may have been disappointed. Watched together, the first two episodes make for an interesting character study for Matt Murdock, and that was a big strength of the original series. So, perhaps the two shows aren’t that far apart. Thank you for reading. We’ll be back in an hour or so with our take on Daredevil: Born Again’s second episode “Optics.”
Daredevil: Born Again begins its run tomorrow, and Geekly is celebrating with another comic book starter stories list. Today may be the best day to begin reading Daredevil comics. We hope this list will help you decide where to begin your journey with the Man Without Fear.
Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here. Daredevil has been around for a long time and has had plenty of brilliant runs throughout his time in Marvel comics. We’ll have a mix of story arcs (stories composed of multiple comic book issues) and single-issue stories (which will only have one comic book to the story). Daredevil has a nice split between single-issue stories and story arcs. We’ll begin with the story arcs. Enjoy!
Story Arcs
Punisher Versus Daredevil (Daredevil #183-184; written by Frank Miller and Roger McKenzie/art by Frank Miller and Klaus Janson 1982)
This is the first of several Frank Miller entries. Miller made his name writing for Daredevil, so it’s inevitable. This two-issue story called “Child’s Play” shows the difference between Daredevil and the Punisher. While Daredevil refuses to kill, the Punisher has no problem killing.
The pair team-up after a young girl on drugs takes a dive out of her school window and dies. Yeah. Miller’s Daredevil pushed the envelope of what the Comics Code Authority would allow in a story. Getting back to this story, with the help of the dead girl’s brother, Daredevil and Punisher track down the dealer responsible for selling her drugs. Daredevil and Punisher get into a fight over how they’ll handle the dealer after they find him. Daredevil #183’s cover showcases this fight; it’s iconic.
Born Again (Daredevil #227-233; written by Frank Miller/art by Frank Miller and David Mazzuchelli 1986)
The Disney+ series Daredevil: Born Again gets its name from a Frank Miller-penned comic book story arc, and the final season of the Netflix Daredevil series borrows a lot from Daredevil Born Again. It’s a classic.
Daredevil Born Again follows Daredevil’s descent into insanity and destitution at the Kingpin’s hands. Daredevil’s ex-girlfriend Karen Page becomes a heroin addict. Strapped for cash, she sells the information that Matt Murdock is Daredevil for a shot of heroin. This information is then sold to the Kingpin, and the Kingpin does all manner of things to destroy Daredevil’s personal life. Matt’s life becomes hell.
I hope the Disney+ series goes further than the Netflix series and dives deeper into Born Again’s storyline.
Last Rites (Daredevil #283-300; written by Ann Nocenti and Dan G. Chichester/art by Mark Bagley, Lee Weeks Greg Capullo, Kieron Dwyer, Ron Garney, Butch (Jackson) Guice, Don Hudson, Larry Alexander, June Brigman, Al Williamson, Doug Hazlewood, Fred Fredericks, Tom Morgan, and Roy Richardson; 1990-1992)
Last Rites is the longest story arc included on this list, but it’s a Daredevil essential. This storyline concludes Ann Nocenti’s epic run on the character (we’ll see more of Nocenti’s work later). Last Rites is a whirlwind. The Kingpin falls. An amnesiac Matt Murdock is no longer Daredevil. Instead, another person swings around New York wearing a red jumpsuit, committing surgically precise crimes.
Matt thinks he’s the boxer Jack Murdock, while Kingpin builds a media empire. Eventually, a reborn Daredevil is determined to deliver the last rites to Kingpin’s reign of terror. There are a heap of guest stars in this massive Daredevil story: Captain America, Taskmaster, Tombstone, Baron Strucker, The Punisher, and Ghost Rider. But at its heart, Last Rites is Daredevil and Kingpin battling to the death.
Daredevil: Man Without Fear (Daredevil: Man Without Fear #1-5; written by Frank Miller/art by John Romita 1993-1994)
If you can’t tell, Frank Miller will dominate this list. I tried to keep Miller’s number of stories at a minimum, but he will repeatedly show up. Daredevil: Man Without Fear was a miniseries from the early Nineties. The series explores Matt Murdock’s childhood, the accident that caused his blindness and powers, as well as his father’s death. The series features pivotal scenes that have become staples in the Daredevil mythos: Matt’s mentor Stick, his college flame Elektra, his best friend Foggy Nelson, and his primary nemesis Kingpin. Fans of the Netflix Daredevil show will see plenty of familiar scenes. Daredevil: Man Without Fear is a must-read.
Return of the King (Daredevil #116-119; written by Ed Brubaker/art by Michael Lark and David Aja 2009)
A story arc from Ed Brubaker’s historic run on Daredevil had to appear on this list. I chose Return of the King because it shows Kingpin—easily Daredevil’s greatest villain—at his backstabbing and conniving best. Wilson Fisk (Kingpin) flees to Europe to escape his life of crime, where he meets a woman and befriends her children. Fisk views this family as his own until they are killed by the Hand. Lady Bullseye, one of the Hand assassins, claims Daredevil sent her. And all hell breaks loose with Kingpin reclaiming his reign as king of the criminal underworld.
The Omega Effect (Avenging Spider-Man #6, Punisher #10, and Daredevil #11; written by Greg Rucka and Mark Waid/art by Marco Checchetto 2012)
Mark Waid’s run on Daredevil could be summed up in one word: fun. The Omega Effect joins this list because it features Daredevil teaming up with two of his most common allies: Spider-Man and Punisher. But you don’t get one Punisher. Frank Castle trains a second Punisher, Rachel Cole-Alves. This makeshift team crumbles when one of the members turns backstabber.
Single Issues
“Last Hand” (Daredevil #181; written by Frank Miller/art by Frank Miller and Klaus Janson; 1982)
“Last Hand” is another classic Frank Miller comic. It’s a simple concept. Bullseye escapes from prison and plots his revenge against Daredevil. But Bullseye also discovers Daredevil’s secret identity and figures the only way to hurt Daredevil worse than killing him is to go after his lover Elektra. “Last Hand” ends with Elektra’s iconic death.
“Roulette” (Daredevil #191; written by Frank Miller/art by Frank Miller and Terry Austin; 1983)
The title “Roulette” may come from Daredevil playing Russian Roulette with a helpless Bullseye (he’s paralyzed from their previous battle), but the reason for Matt Murdock playing Russian Roulette stems from another encounter. “Roulette” uses Daredevil torturing a hospitalized Bullseye with an empty gun as bread in a narrative sandwich. This narrative’s filling comes from Daredevil’s interactions with a father and son.
The father is bullied at work just as the son is bullied at school. There’s a hint that the father may be abusing his child at home, too. The kid idolizes Daredevil, even pretending that he is Daredevil at school, but he becomes disillusioned when his father pulls a gun on a coworker who’s blackmailing him, and Daredevil beats up the kid’s dad before he can shoot. This traumatizes the kid. Later, the kid brings his father’s gun to school and when he gets picked on again, he shoots the kid who’s bullying him. “Roulette” is a bleak story. But it’s a story that may have even more relevance today than it did when it was first published.
“A Beer with the Devil” (Daredevil #266; written by Ann Nocenti and John Romita Jr./art by John Romita Jr.; 1989)
“A Beer with the Devil” is easily the oddest entry on this list. Ann Nocenti’s run on Daredevil is one of the most daring. Pun intended. She takes plenty of risks and takes Daredevil to some bizarre places. She’s the one who introduced the antagonist Typhoid Mary (Daredevil #254, which almost made this list) and the demon Blackheart (Daredevil #270, which is another standout issue). But we’re going with “A Beer with the Devil.” It puts the devil in Daredevil. Matt Murdock spends Christmas in a seedy bar with Satan’s cousin Mephisto.
The stories on this list are just the tip of the iceberg. Daredevil has seen so many reboots and stellar story arcs that we’re bound to miss one or two of five hundred. Let us know which Daredevil stories you’d add to this list in the comments. And wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.
Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here, and we’re back with some Geekly News. We don’t have as many stories to cover this week as we did the week before and we’re still figuring out how to present Geekly News. Let’s start with a standby.
Marvel Picks Television Series Direction
Marvel picked a new direction with their Disney+ shows. After the abject failure of Secret Invasion, rumors flew around Marvel’s television projects. Television shows like the upcoming Okoye (from the Black Panther franchise) series and the Nova series got canceled. Even some movies like Armor Wars got nixed. Marvel announced these cancelations in a whirlwind, leaving fans wondering why some shows got canceled and others didn’t. We’ve gotten some clarification. The following is a quick overview of the situation.
Overview of Marvel Reorganization
First, Marvel used to film an entire television series and drop it on the Disney+ platform with little outside input. There are a few shows that follow this method that have yet to be released, specifically Ironheart. But all future shows will film shorter pilots and test screen the pilot to gauge audience interest before filming the series in its entirety.
Second, Marvel pivoted to television shows featuring street-level heroes like Daredevil and Punisher, while making Marvel films larger spectacles, to reduce cost. The studio has confirmed that they want to bring back the rest of the Defenders (Luke Cage, Jessica Jones, and Iron Fist), but only after Daredevil: Born Again releases and they can see how the show is received. No pressure, Daredevil. If all goes well, these street-level heroes will need a Thanos-type big bad that they must collectively overcome. Vincent D’Onofrio’s Kingpin should fit that bill.
Third, Marvel does plan on starting a Marvel Animated Universe (an MAU). Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man will serve as a jumping-off point if they do plan on an MAU. Keep an eye on any upcoming Marvel animated projects.
Cancelled Marvel Projects
Getting back to what I said about Okoye’s show getting canned. That’s disappointing, but Marvel will release a Black Panther-themed animated show later this year. She could feature in that show (Marvel often uses their live-action actors as voice actors in their animated content) or a future Black Panther animated show, since Black Panther isn’t exactly a street-level hero. Okoye will undoubtedly return in the next Black Panther movie, which will include Denzel Washington in its cast. We still don’t know who Washington will play but here are a few options.
Achebe is a brilliant and unhinged adversary from the Black Panther comics. The First Black Panther Bashenga could explore Wakanda’s lore. Or perhaps the Shadow King. Amahl Farouk (Shadow King) is a powerful telepathic mutant who’s been a frequent Wakdandan antagonist and could bridge the gap with the X-Men. Could we get a Storm sighting in Black Panther 3?
The rest of Marvel’s cancellations include Armor Wars (film) and Nova (television show. Armor Wars’s plot was tied too closely to the failed Secret Invasion. War Machine will have to wait for his first solo movie after Marvel brass reworks the plotlines. It doesn’t look good, but a revamped Rhodie story could still happen. Robert Downey Jr. could don Iron Man’s armor during the Mutant Saga in Iron Man 4. Why couldn’t Don Cheadle do the same? While Armor Wars’s cancellation upset me, Nova stung a little more. The show doesn’t fit Marvel’s new roadmap. Okoye may or may not be a street-level hero. Nova is by no means a street-level hero. The Nova television show planned to introduce Annihilus, ruler of the Negative Zone with aspirations to control every known galaxy. We may have to wait until the Fantastic Four’s second film before meeting the villains, but there have been rumors that he could sneak into a project before Fantastic Four 2.
Final Thoughts on Marvel (for this week)
Daredevil: Born Again needs to succeed. Marvel’s roadmap makes more sense, and it’s a good thing when studios are transparent with their plans. I would’ve liked to have seen the three projects I listed that got canceled, but Marvel made their cancellation make sense.
Wonder Woman Game Canceled, Studios Closing
Speaking of a project getting cancelled and not making any sense, we have Warner Brothers’ video game branch. Warner Bros. hasn’t made too many sound decisions with their video game projects in years. They produced Multiversus, making the game stand out from Smash Bros. by making speed its core tenant, only to suspend the game for over a year and then rerelease it as a slower, more of a Smash Bros. clone game. Great. Then, there was whatever Suicide Squad: The Justice League Must Die was. Suicide Squad was meant to play as a multiplayer, online version of the Arkham series because “gamers want live service games” and failed. Okay. And then Warner Brothers refused to see Hogwarts Legacy as the smash hit it was because it wasn’t a live service game. What?
At least Avalanche Software (the developer of Hogwarts Legacy) got to keep their jobs. Player First Games (Multiversus) closed as well as Warner Bros. Games San Diego, which planned more online games. Monolith Productions who made the well-received Shadows of Mordor games and who were working on Wonder Woman also got shuttered this past week. Warner Brothers states that they’re keeping their focus on Harry Potter, Mortal Kombat, Game of Thrones, and DC Comics. That’s funny. Didn’t they just cancel Wonder Woman? Wonder Woman wasn’t a free-to-play online-only game. Maybe that was why, but then the publisher also canned Player First Games and Warner Bros. Games San Diego. Warner Bros. could take a page from Marvel Studios and produce a roadmap. Make it make sense.
Monster Hunter Wilds Released
The wait is over. Monster Hunter Wilds is out. I haven’t had a chance to play yet, but the game has received overall ratings of 90/100 from critics. Monster Hunter Wilds features a shorter main campaign than the last two Monster Hunter games. I don’t mind that. One seldom plays Monster Hunter for the main storyline. There’s also a major update coming in April. Capcom hasn’t said what the update will include, but I agree with waiting a month before a major update. Players will have a chance to play the game for a month before adding more fun.
World’s Largest Dungeon Returns
Have you ever wanted to play the largest Dungeons & Dragons dungeon? You’ll soon get your chance when The World’s Largest Dungeon returns with its 20th Anniversary Platinum Edition for 5th Edition. The crowdfunding campaign launches on May 13th. (Here’s a link to the BackerKit.)
Originally published in 2004 by Alderac Entertainment Group (AEG), The World’s Largest Dungeon earned a Guinness World Record for its size and scope. The campaign was designed to take players from level 1 to 20, feature every monster from the System Reference Document (SRD), and offers an interconnected, inescapable dungeon experience.
The World’s Largest Dungeon’s updated edition will include 16 new boss miniatures, curated miniature sets from Reaper Miniatures, and 16 poster-sized maps with new detailed maps. Over 1,600 original encounters have been fine-tuned for 5th edition, and the new dungeon will feature exclusive Fanroll dice, an audiobook by AudioRPG, and stretch goals of course.
Aspiring RPG designers may submit their own dungeon encounters, with fan-voted winners earning a spot in the Secret Doors book which will be alongside the core books. The Platinum Edition will be released as a four-book set. Each book will feature fantasy artwork, immersive page layouts, and rich world-building details, making it easier for game master to navigate this massive dungeon’s encounters and secrets.
Ernie Gygax Has Passed Away
Ernest “Ernie” Gygax Jr, son of Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) co-creator Gary Gygax, passed away this week. Ernie was one of D&D’s earliest playtesters. The Gygax family confirmed the news via Gary Con’s website on Friday (February 28). His cause of death was not given, but Gygax had been hospitalized several times in recent years. Gygax is best known for creating Tenser, the first magic-user character in D&D. Tenser’s name appears on several D&D spells in D&D’s current editions.
Our condolences to the Gygax family.
Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.
Plenty of top-notch board games were released in the nineties. This decade is the first where I could list a Top 5 Board Games for each year, and that will happen—closer to 1992 or 1994. But we will keep to 1990 and 1991 for this list of Top Tabletop Games.
Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here. Back with another Top 5 Tabletop Games. Board games begin heating up in 1990 and 1991. We’ll talk about board games soon, but first, if you’ve forgotten our criteria for the Top 5 Tabletop Games, let’s reiterate the ground rules before we start.
1: Cultural relevance plays as much of a factor as overall quality. A game might make a list that doesn’t hold up to others of its type, but you must admit the game is everywhere.
2: Only one game from a franchise makes the list. This will become more of an issue the closer we get to games with expansions.
3: Longevity plays a role, too. A game doesn’t have to fly off the shelves today, but it had to have some widespread appeal for a decent time.
5: Crocodile Dentist (1990)
Crocodile Dentist was on and off this list. Ultimately, it makes this list of top board games of 1990 and 1991 because it was the best-selling toy of the 1991 Christmas season. Not just a bestselling game, but a bestselling toy. The toy factor for Crocodile Dentist is overwhelming.
The toy factor makes sense. Crocodile Dentist is a children’s game. In early versions of Crocodile Dentist, players take turns removing a crocodile’s teeth and eventually, the crocodile would snap its jaw shut. Whoever made the titular crocodile shut its jaw was the loser. Crocodile Dentist has a simple premise that makes serious adults groan or guffaw. The York Daily Record’s Mike Argento included Crocodile Dentist in his 1992 Bizarre Toy Awards. However, twelve years later, Argento admitted that the game had “passed into classic status.” And that’s what Crocodile Dentist is, a classic.
4: Tichu (1991)
Real talk. I’ve never played Tichu. It’s the one game on this last that I’ve never played. I would like to; Tichu makes this list because so many board gamers swear by this game. Tichu has a cult following if you will. What I know of Tichu is that it’s a shedding game, meaning that you’re trying to rid your hand of its cards. But Tichu is also a team-based game, so you and your partner are trying to shed your hands before your opponents.
I’ve never had the chance to play Tichu. Tichu is a four-player-only game. If you don’t have four players, you can’t play. And from what I’ve heard, a veteran Tichu player will destroy a noob, and since Tichu is a cult card game, it becomes one of those games where people either don’t play or they’ll only find enjoyment with other accomplished Tichu players. Still, Tichu remains one of the most endearing games on this list, and this list has nothing but endearing games. I’d like to play at least one game of Tichu before long. If anyone plays and you’re going to a board game convention that I’m going to, I’d be happy to learn Tichu.
3: Vampire: The Masquerade (1991)
I can’t remember if I included Dungeons & Dragons in an earlier list. If I didn’t, that was an oversight. But while D&D dominated early tabletop roleplaying games (and still does), the Nineties saw a ton of worthy competitors. Tabletop Roleplaying games saw a boom in the Nineties. The early Nineties only had ten major TTRPG releases. Vampire: The Masquerade is the most famed of these Dungeons & Dragons competitors. In short, Vampire: The Masquerade simulates the afterlife of a vampire.
The developers deliberately didn’t read Anne Rice’s Vampire Chronicles until late in their development process but admit that Rice most likely influenced the vampire films that inspire the game. Rice’s Vampire Chronicles and Vampire: The Masquerade ushered in a new era for vampire fiction and the vampire mythos. The Underworld film series borrows a lot from Vampire: The Masquerade. And the game’s influence was felt in the Nineties. The Goth underground scene flourished with the help of Vampire: The Masquerade and Rice’s Vampire Chronicles.
I still have my original copy and will often pour over the full-page artwork. Artist Tim Bradstreet’s artwork from Vampire: The Masquerade was the concept art for the Blade film series. Vampire: The Masquerade was the height of cool in the early Nineties.
2: Formula D (1991)
Formula D is a strong second on this list. Until some recent games (games from the 2010s and 2020), Formula D does the best job of simulating a race. Heck, Formula D measures up well against newer racing games. It uses specialized dice (d4, d6, d8, d12, d20, and d30) that represent different gears of a vehicle. Formula D uses an additional d20 for collisions and other course events (like weather). With each turn, players must roll a die that simulates which gear their car is in and must move the number of spaces they roll on that die. The core concept is simple. You’re trying to reach the finish line before anyone else. It would make sense to stay in the highest gear you can. The problem comes when calculating car damage.
Each player takes a “dashboard” for their car. This dashboard will track damage to the various parts of their car. Each track—and there are plenty of bonus tracks you can use for Formula D—will have twists and turns that you must navigate. Taking a turn at a higher speed will most likely cause players to accept damage. A little damage is no big deal. But you could take so much damage that your vehicle crashes.
I like Formula D’s addition of “Rules for Beginners.” It allows players to learn the basics of the game and only when they get accustomed to the base rules, can they then take on more complex rules. Formula D—like the game that claims our top spot—continues to see play, even though it’s over thirty years old.
1: Hoity Toity (1990)
Hoity Toity has gone by several names. Originally, it was released in Germany by the name Adel Verpflichtet or Noblesse Oblige. It was distributed in the United Kingdom under the name Fair Means or Foul and in the United States as By Hook or Crook. It wasn’t until its 2008 reprint that it became Hoity Toity. I’ll refer to it as Hoity Toity from this point forward. Hoity Toity tasks players as members of a pretentious Antique Club who wager which one of them can acquire—by purchase or theft—the most expensive collection of objets d’art in one day.
Hoity Toity deploys a nice combination of bluffing and silent auction. The game’s movement (there is a track players must navigate) feels unique, especially for the time it was released. There shouldn’t be any wonder that Hoity Toity won the 1990 Spiel des Jahres. Klaus Teuber had a dominant early Nineties. I earned another Spiel des Jahres in 1991—back-to-back awards—for Drunter und Drüber, which just missed this list and another Spiel des Jahres in 1995 for Catan. We haven’t gotten to 1995’s list yet, but Catan will make that list. Hoity Toity gets the nod over Drunter und Drüber because it stands the test of time. Most gamers would place Hoity Toity as the second-best board game of Teuber’s career. Hoity Toity earns that distinction.
Did we get the list right, for the most part? Let us know which games you’d add in the comments. And wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.
I’m going to preface “Frankette” by saying I was a bit shocked by the ending. Not entirely, but the buildup to Brainiac being the season finale villain was being hammered home so much that I wasn’t expecting him to fizzle out this episode.
I enjoyed the dynamic between Harley and Ivy this episode. We got to see a volatile argument play out due to extenuating circumstances. Both of them wanted to honor Frank in their own way and butted heads (to put it mildly). It was nice to take a break from the lovey-dovey stuff they’ve been doing in previous episodes. That said, I think Ivy’s normally the one who expresses extreme anger when she’s upset. Harley’s been more of the pushy one between the two of them. I think their fallout at the end of “Frankette” is reparable. If it isn’t, that’d make for an interesting story.
On to Frankette herself. Her birth was hilarious. Frank giving a sermon at his own funeral just so she could pop out of the soil over his grave was done in a way I’d only expect from Harley Quinn. I’m not entirely convinced Ivy genuinely cares for Frankette outside of Frank telling her to rescue Frankette. Their moment at the end of “Frankette” was heartwarming, but I think Ivy is still seeing Frank, despite her initial rejection of Frankette. I think she’s getting there, but “Frankette” happened over the course of a day.
I enjoy Lena being the main villain of Season 5. Her taking over Brainiac’s ship at the end of “Frankette” for her own best interest was very much in character. I’m excited to see where else Harley Quinn is going to take her.
Side note: Bane is the best babysitter.
Kyra’s Take
Season did a great job covering “Frankette’s” plot points, so I won’t get into too much detail. Harley Quinn has a knack for heel and face turns. These turns happen numerous times during a season, but the showrunners find ways to keep them fresh and unexpected.
Parenthood has been a not-so-hidden theme for Harley Quinn’s fifth season. The show took a detour a few weeks ago when it explored Bruce’s relationships with Dick Grayson and Damien and the Joker with his stepdaughter. Harley Quinn followed that episode with one of Brainiac’s family and loss. It was only a matter of time before Harley and Ivy would be thrust into parenthood. Heck. Harley babysat Shaun the Shark a few times before Frankette made her debut. Even Bane makes his return with his adopted daughter Goldilocks in this episode. Despite her shocking origin, Harley Quinn’s creative team built up Frankette. Those “detours” that I mentioned before weren’t detours at all.
Harley Quinn’s creators do a fabulous job of world and character-building. Lena stays true to herself. Perhaps, we should’ve seen that she would become Season 5’s main villain. But are we sure Harley Quinn doesn’t have another turn or two for the balance of power to shift again? A lot can happen in three Harley Quinn episodes. I could see another tectonic shift. Superman and Lois Lane are still in play. Harley and Ivy’s relationship is on the rocks again, and that tends to add a little spice.
Harley Quinn needed to inject some turmoil into Harley and Ivy’s relationship. I agree with Season that the fallout at the end of this episode should be reparable. Harley and Ivy working through their problems is a strength of this show. It shouldn’t be easy for the power to make amends. Only time will tell. My biggest gripe is that this season of Harley Quinn only has three more episodes.
Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.
jkgeekly.com 