In the news today is the story about finding the wreck of one of the ships sent out to find the Franklin expedition, the HMS Investigator. While searching for the lost ships caught in the ice, the Investigator became caught in the ice herself and was eventually abandoned in 1853. The wreck is remarkably well-preserved in the cold Arctic waters.

What is Dungeons & Dragons? by Butterfield, Parker, and Honingmann

I think I got it as part of a bundle on eBay a while back. Meant to look through it but forgot all about it. Looks fairly interesting and I will have to read through it when I get a chance.

A 1971 painting by fantasy artist Frank Frazetta has sold for $1.5 million, two months after the Pennsylvania artist’s death.

Frazetta’s managers said this week that a private collector bought “Conan the Destroyer” from a family trust. Managers Robert Pistella and Stephen Ferzoco call it the price the highest ever for a work by Frazetta.

Conan the Destroyer
by Frank Frazetta

From 'Hal Foster's PRINCE VALIANT' by Gianni and Schultz

So what’s up with those polearms that only Gygax could love? And how to open that portal? (Click for better look)

The answer below:

From 'Hal Foster's PRINCE VALIANT' by Gianni and Schultz

I like it.

To be honest, I wasn’t expecting much, but I am happy to report that it wildly exceeded my expectations. It is a Real Good movie.

Now, don’t get me wrong. It is a kids movie. It is not something that contains much of what we would call old-school gaming sensibilities or has anything resembling ties to sword and sorcery. Don’t go in expecting something like that because Kilgore said he liked it.

But I did enjoy it more than Avatar. It’s a real good kids movie and should be entertaining for most parents, too. I nearly didn’t go to the screening but am sure glad I did.

It hits theaters on the 26th.

UPDATE: Duh. It’s “Train” your dragon, not “Tame.”

I want to look forward to this. But I fear that it’s going to be disappointing.

This featurette gets my hopes up a bit. We’ll have to check out the original at least one more time before hitting the 3D version of the new one.

Rama was from my brother at my suggestion. He’s a big Rama fan and was excited to be the one to get the book for my son.

I would have preferred the classic cover of Lord Foul’s Bane and a non-Will Smith cover of I, Robot, but they’re what was on the shelf at the book store. The book club edition hardcover of the old school Rama cover makes up for it, though.

Personally, I haven’t read I, Robot since about fourth grade and Rendezvous With Rama since junior high. And, I’m a little embarrassed to admit, I’ve never read Lord Foul’s Bane. I checked it out of the school library in junior high and got a few chapters in but that was it.

My son had just started The Hobbit (read several times already) when he got these and wanted to finish it before starting any of them, but he’s nearly finished (Thorin was on his deathbed when I checked this morning) and is going to hit I, Robot next.

Bring ‘em up on the good stuff, says Kilgore.

A cracking good yarn.

I can see a couple of clever players getting their PCs into the sorts of situations Peachy and Danny find themselves in and getting out of. If that save vs. drugged bride hadn’t failed, they might have gotten away with it.

I have not read the Kipling story, so I do not know how well the film compares to the original.

Looks like it could be good. I was a big fan of the first two seasons of the Justice League cartoon, less so when they went to the Justice League: Unlimited format.

This movie is based on a direct-to-video feature that was intended to bridge the gap between the two series but was shelved. It has been reworked to remove references to the television series.

I must say that I was once a big comic book fan and am still intrigued by the concept of superheroes. I must also say that none of the comic book adaptations to film have really re-charged my power ring, if you know what I mean. There are a few that I don’t mind, of course. I’ve been horribly disappointed by the new Batman films, though it looks like they tried to bottle what it is I’m looking for.

The Watchmen movie was pretty good, though I’m not a big enough fan of the original to comment on whether or not it was a good adaptation.

FWIW, I think the film that best captures the comic book vibe is “The Matrix.” I’ve said since I first saw it that it is “a comic book on film.” And, taken as such, it’s immensely enjoyable.