Sense of Adventure

So I finally did something I should’ve done weeks ago: went and saw Iron Man.

Just up front: if you haven’t seen it, it’s a great movie. Also if you have.

I first started to get hopeful, I think, seeing an early trailer for it. The first review I read was by James Berardinelli of ReelViews, who’s the only critic I follow, in large part because he tends to get action movies, and not condescend to them. He basically said that director Jon Favreau had made it as an action movie that happened to be about a superhero, not as a funnybook movie. Which was the very promise the trailers seem to hold out, and what got my blood a-pumpin’.

I actually had more knowledge going in than with most comic book movies, having read the book some back in the Seventies - especially when Barry Smith, now dba Barry Windsor-Smith (the only man for Conan in the comics, since Frazetta wouldn’t do the deed) was doing the art. And I didn’t read it that much, although as a devout technophile I always did have a weakness for the battle robot/powered suit conceit. I just generally didn’t, and don’t, follow aboveground comics, not even X-Men - and I was briefly a villain in the series. (Seriously; tell you later.)

So I can’t really address how truly the movie stuck to the comic, although it seemed to do so fairly well. What I can talk about is how true it stayed to how to make a kick-ass action movie.

Which to my mind was: very.

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I hope - how I hope - I truly hope the new Indiana Jones movie doesn’t stink as badly as the “first” - i.e. the new - Star Wars trilogy.

Advance notice on the net is unkind. Of course, fanboys can be beyond hypercritical. You knew that, I’m guessing?

On the other tentacle … it wasn’t as if the subsequent Indy movies lived up to the first. The second lacked a plot; it couldn’t live up to its own opening sequence, which smoked, and ran rapidly downhill once the Gratuitous Kid Sidekick was introduced. The third was … deeply okay. Perhaps they didn’t bite as much cheese as Die Hard II, or any Lethal Weapon flick with a numeral. But the second wasn’t good, and the third, not great.

Still, I dare hope. Meanwhile, there’s always Iron Man.

(First in an undoubtedly unending series.)

And, mirabile dictu, it doesn’t even involve guns!

First, mea maxima culpa for going dark here for so long. (Nothing like tossing in gratuitous Latin phrases to make you look smarter than you are. And if anybody’s smarter than I am, it sure isn’t me!) Things got on top of me. I’ll try not to let it happen again.

Anyway, one thing that bugs me in movies is when the elevator cable breaks, and the cage falls like an anvil toward Certain Doom. Oh, if only anyone had ever thought to invent an automatic safety brake!

Someone did. Elisha Otis. In 1853.

It’s a fairly simple system, which causes the rollers to lock up if the thing goes too fast. Because it’s mechanically simple it’s highly reliable. It’s not perfect, but what is?

Of course some people, even certain good friends of mine (who, granted, probably never read this blog) will rush in and say, Well, it’s for dramatic effect! Duh! Sorry, enablers; it’s sloppy writing. You can always bother to do it right. If by nothing more than a three-second scene of the rollers catching - and then failing. Even mysteriously. Oh my! Suspense! And without imbecility!

Perhaps oddly, one flick I know that got it right was Speed. Now, I like Speed. (Okay, I know that’s a risky statement to make in our happy police state. To belabor what’s obvious to all but informers and ambitious prosecutors, I mean the movie. As far as stimulants go, caffeine is just all right with me. And then some.)

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Dungeons & Dragons (and before that Chainmail, a proto-RPG which I played in a campaign run by Walter Jon Williams) co-creator Gary Gygax has died.

Enter the ICHC online Poker Cats Contest!

Those of us who have enjoyed, and devoted far too much life, time, and creative energy to, role-playing games, owe Gygax a deep (if somewhat ambivalent) debt. So do those of us who make our living as professional fantasists - by which I include SF writers, by the way: all SF, and arguably all fiction, is a subset of fantasy. Like J. K. Rowling he brought us many, many potential customers, in the form of readers turned onto fantastic fiction through his work.

Naturally, those of us who have earned income from role-playing games or RPG-derived fiction owe him big time. Since Wild Cards started life as an RPG (you knew this, yes?), and I wrote a D&D novel, War in Tethyr, he’s got some pretty specific gratitude coming from me.

He had his enemies and critics. Anybody who leaves a mark is going to. Especially in such insular, and strongly overlapping, circles as gaming and SF&F.

I don’t know much - okay, anything, really - about Gygax as a person. But I’ll readily say of him: hail, farewell, and thanks for everything.

(Thanks to David Weigel on the Hit & Run blog for the heads-up. Lolcat added 3/7/2008, courtesy of, where else, I Can Has Cheezburger? And if you think that’s inappropriate, I only hope that when I die, I rate my own Lolcat.)

Thanks to everybody who turned out for the signing. I told you a good time would be had by all. And what do you know …?

I just had a big old boatload of fun Saturday at Page One. And as I said, I’m not even in the book. Although as it turned out I was called on to sign copies of various earlier Wild Cards books. And even one or two copies of Inside Straight, for people who apparently wanted to get as many WC authors’ autographs as possible.

We had a good turnout. I’d have to say at least a hundred people and probably more. We got a number of folks from ASFS, including the lovely and irrepressible Pat Rogers, Kevin Hewett, Craig Chrissinger, and Dawn Barela. Various WC authors not in the book appeared as well (so those who wanted as many signatures as possible kinda hit the jackpot), including Laura Mixon, Sage Walker, Gail Gerstner-Miller, Walter Jon Williams, and of course me, as well as Royce (Chip) Wideman and Parris, non-writers who contributed characters to the pantheon. To my pleased surprised a goodly contingent of non-Wild Cards NM authors also came out and supported us, including Pati Nagle and her husband Chris Crohn, Laura’s husband Steve Gould (whose movie Jumper comes out next week!), Robert Vardeman, Steve and Jan Stirling, and Jane Lindskold and her husband Jim Moore, Joan Spicci, and Ty and Jayné Franck. (Anyone I overlooked, please forgive me.)

What was coolest, though, as others in the group also noted, was how many faces we didn’t know. This wasn’t all just the Usual Suspects turning out, grateful as we all are to them for doing so. We got a lot of new people not just to attend, but to buy books. And that’s no bad thing.

The audience seemed to enjoy the presentation in advance of the signing proper. I did. When it was over a lengthy line formed for autographs. I had intended to come and listen to the opening show, then maybe take off. Instead I had such a great time hanging out and talking with people I never could tear myself away.

I also noticed that after the signing finally ended, and most of the regular public drifted away, the area Page One had set up in front of the signing tables with twenty or twenty-five chairs was mostly occupied by various NM SF writers talking to each other, reminding me once again what an incestuous community we are. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.

As we packed up Caroline Spector asked the gentleman from Page One who’d run things - profuse apologies; I’ve spaced on his name - how many books sold. He said about seventy-five, plus some put on hold by people who weren’t able to make the signing. While that left a lot of copies out of the 200 they had on hand, he seemed thrilled. That’s pretty good sales for New Mexico. And it’s not as if those’re the only copies that’re going to get sold.

The Wild (Cards) Bunch and select others adjourned to a nearby Garduño’s Restaurant, where super-agent Kay McCauley threw us a swell reception. There, thanks to the kind offices of Melinda, I actually got to meet our editor from Tor, Patrick Nielsen Hayden. I also met a couple of Parris’ very nice friends from Ireland, Paul and Sally. Paul, as he puts it, swordfights for a living - being a notable re-enactor and movie stunt guy.

Laura got concerned because one of her adolescent daughters wasn’t answering her cell phone. Eventually the strayed lamb was heard from. I told Steve I didn’t reckon they’d have much trouble from young men wanting to date their daughters. All they need do, I said, was point to Steve and say: yes, Dad wrote a novel that got turned into a movie starring Samuel L. Jackson. I mean, Samuel L. Jackson. That ought to cut down on the nonsense.

Of course, it also means the daughters will never actually have a date until they move to a different continent and change their names. But what’s that to parental peace of mind?

Many thanks are due to Page One, PNH, and Kay, all of whom did wonderfully well by us. Also Craig, who gave us a nice review in the previous Sunday’s Albuquerque Journal.

Parris said the whole get-together was “a lot like having the band back together.” John Miller said it was the best signing he’s ever participated in.

I tend to agree with both sentiments.

Okay, in response to thunderously absent popular demand, here’s one more bit on the Superbowl.

It’s the last. I promise. Really.

The real story was how the New York Giants defense just bulldozed the Patriots’ secret (or at least seldom-acknowledged) weapon: possibly the best offensive line in history. Sure, much as it pains me to admit it, Perfect Tommy is a great quarterback. Having Randy Moss (and the previously unsung Wes Welker) to throw to doesn’t hurt your offense either.

But I think the main reason the Patriots put up record offensive numbers this year was its first-line defenders of the “skill” (or at least the headline) players. Time and again throughout the season Brady had jaw-dropping amounts of time to stand back and wait for one of his receivers to get clear. And with receivers such as he had, they did.

But for the first time all year we saw defenders running through the Patriot O-line as if they were the 2006 Raiders. Brady seemed to get knocked on his kiester every other play.

And why was that? Well, granted, the Giants defense played like gods most of the game. But the Patriots offensive line played like gods for 18 games.

Now think back to what the Patriots were known for. Not just playing the starters every game to try to ensure they never lost; there are good arguments made that those teams who obviously coast to rest their starters after they have home-field clinched for the playoffs tend to check out early during thoe selfsame playoffs. The Colts did it this year, and they’ve done it before.

But the Pats didn’t just start trot their stud horses out to start every game, or even just leave them in until victory was reasonably assured. Remember what more they did, especially early in the season? They ran up the score like a football-factory college team.

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Just a few moments ago it seemed to me I felt a great disturbance in the Force, as if millions of voices suddenly cried out in terror.

Then I realized it was only Bill Simmons, the Sports Guy, screaming in anguish that the Patriots just lost the Superbowl.

Heh, heh.

Those predictions: the next Sports Guy column will have the theme, “We wuz robbed.” The one after will explain in great detail why the Patriots are still the Greatest. Team. Ever.

As for me … for the first and most likely the only time in my life I rooted for the Giants. I do not like the Patriots.

Okay. On to a subject at least a couple of my readers may actually give a carp about…

Was this an epically lame year for Superbowl commercials, or what? It wasn’t until the FedEx pigeon courier ad that I laughed or even cracked much of a smile. Perhaps the most egregious was the early animated Ad Genie commercial: not simply because it was completely lacking in interest, but because for a company that purports to sell its services as marketing experts to lack so completely any sense of what makes a successful Superbowl ad - humor, wit, the moondog bizarre, anything different - would seem to be nothing short of disaster.

One of the more amusing ad series was actually Fox’s own, featuring their new football robot mascot getting the grease kicked out of him by the Terminator, to plug their new series, The Sarah Connor Chronicles. It looked toward the end as if perhaps more robot jocks (but not those robot jocks) were going to gang up on Ol’ Chromebones -

- But my cable company lost the signal. With about eleven minutes to go in the fourth. And didn’t get it back until just before the Giants’ game-winning touchdown. That meant that I would’ve missed the two earlier lead-changing touchdowns, if I hadn’t finally found the signal on my little portable telescoping-antenna TV, so that I watched some of the most amazing Superbowl action in the history of the game on a three by four inch black & white screen. Way to roll, Comcast!

Anyway, that was wild. Sorry, but you’ll have to wait a bit for an after-action report on yesterday’s Wild Cards related hijinks. Quick summary: they rocked.

I can’t tell … and if you want some clues, go here.

Click there now and check it out. Seriously. I’ll still be here when you get back.

Y’all know, probably (and if you don’t, hang around a spell and it’ll all become abundantly clear) that I’m more than somewhat slightly skeptical and cynical about conventional Big House publishing and publishers.

That said, Tor Books so far are doing a bang-up job promoting our spanky-brand-new Wild Cards offering, Inside Straight. They’re actually putting some effort into it. And the just-launched American Hero site is a wonderful step.

I’m basically in love with the site. Along with a very fine-looking logo we have brilliant headshots of all the contestant aces (I love Toadie’s big ol’ eye just staring at you) taken from the big group pictures done by artist Mike S. Miller. Farther down, past the first of what will be a continuing series of “confessionals” by the contestants, and a description of the reality-television series which drives the plot for much of the book, we see the group portraits themselves, along with rosters. Fortunately you can click on the group shots for larger versions, which is a good thing, because they’re freakin’ gorgeous.

They’re also, according to the characters’ creators - I’m not one, incidentally - pretty accurate, allowing for a wisp of artistic license. Frankly, from what I’ve read, they’re far, far closer to the characters as described than most illustrations I’ve seen. Indeed, I wish I’d had these pix to refer to when I was writing my sequences for the (ahem!) next volume, Busted Flush. Since some of the characters pictured play prominent roles in my contributions.

Ah, well. I’ll have ‘em for Book Three. Provided I’m in the volume … which, I have to say at the risk of tempting Fate, is fairly likely … they’ll be great to draw upon.

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This hit me literally out of nowhere: the other day a message appeared in my e-box headed, “SCI FI NIGHT AT NM SCORPIONS HOCKEY,” from one Melissa Gomez, who proved to be the Director of Special Events for the New Mexico Scorpions hockey team (I’m presuming I’m not violating any confidence by posting this, since it concerns a public event, indeed a promotion.) At first I took it to be an invite for me to attend; on reading it, it turned out to be asking if I cared to participate.

Indeed do many things come to pass.

So what’s going on is, at 7:15 PM on Saturday, March 1^st 2008, the Scorpions will host a Sci-Fi Night at their game against the Colorado Eagles at the Santa Ana Star Center. For details I’ll just go ahead and quote the post verbatim:

“Mr. George Noory of Coast to Coast AM will be our guest that evening. Fans will have an opportunity to meet and ask questions. We would love to have local authors available to meet our fans and would like to extend an invitation to you to be our guest that evening. You will be able to display your books or upcoming events on the concourse and mingle with fans as they enter the arena at 6:00 pm. Currently local authors Walter Jon Williams, Jerry Weinberg and Jane Lindskold will also be joining us that evening.”

There you have it.

I wrote back to Ms. Gomez and said, basically, “Sure.” It sounds fun. And of course getting a chance to promote NM authors - myself notably included, o’ course - appeals to me. I don’t know exactly how big a draw a passel of SF authors will be at a hockey game, although if a lot of people turn out to see George Noory (Art Bell’s successor as host of the Coast to Coast overnight radio show, which deals with all sorts of weirdness) (as if you didn’t know) who knows? They might just find our high-quality local science fiction and fantasy entertainment product appealing too.

If nothing else, I’ll get to pass a pleasant evening with friends. I’ll go way out on a limb and predict there’ll be more of us there than Walter John, Jerry, Jane, and Your Humble and Disobedient. Not that anything sucks about that lineup…

And it should be a hoot to meet George Noory. Maybe he’ll decide to have some NM SF authors on his show some evening? We’re a fairly entertaining bunch, if I do say so myself as oughtn’t.

So if you’re in the area that night and find yourself at loose ends, fall by. You don’t know less about hockey than I do. It isn’t possible. We might even become fans. Stranger things happen. I’m just sure.

Since I was rendered mentally fuzzy (okay, more so than usual) by the cruds the last couple weeks, I plumb neglected to announce this: Tor Books is launching the all-new Wild Cards volume Inside Straight with a gala mega-signing Saturday, February 2, 2008 at Page One Bookstore, Montgomery and Juan Tabo NE in Albuquerque, at 2:00 PM MST.

Featured will be George R.R. Martin, Melinda M. Snodgrass, Daniel Abraham, Michael Cassutt, John Jos. Miller, Ian Tregillis, Carrie Vaughn, and Tor Books editor Patrick Nielsen Hayden. That’s, if I reckon right, seven of eight authors and the editor. They’ll be discussing the new mosaic novel as well, of course, as signing it.

Play your cards right and you might live to talk about it even get to see some other Wild Cards authors. Such as, um, me. I don’t have a story in this volume, but I do in the next. I’ve offered to come and heckle.

But wait - there’s more. Since two out of three authors will be there, you can also get your copy of the new SF novel Hunter’s Run by George R.R. Martin. Gardner Dozois, and Daniel Abraham signed.

That should fill anybody’s recommended daily allowance of awesome.

Mark it down on your calendars. A good time should be had by all.