John Carter of Mars: Gods of the Forgotten

Edgar Rice Burroughs, inc has authorized a new John Carter of Mars novel. 

I haven't read any of the non-Burroughs books they have put out, but apparently this is the 3rd in the series. There was also a Tarzan in Pellucidar novel released not long ago.

It is encouraging that the estate has been making efforts to build on ERB's legacy by turning his works into a Universe. Some of the Dynamite John Carter comics are interesting, but have been received with mixed reactions. I recently picked up the Vampirella meets Dejah Thoris comics that came out a couple years ago, which I have to admit look pretty good to me.

From the press release:

Tarzana, California (June 22, 2021) –The groundbreaking Edgar Rice Burroughs Universe series continues with John Carter of Mars: Gods of the Forgotten by Geary Gravel—the third novel in the Swords of Eternity super-arc, a cycle of all-new canonical novels expanding Edgar Rice Burroughs’ worlds of wonder and adventure! Preorders of the book are now available directly from ERB, Inc. Softcover and hardcover editions, as well as a limited Collector’s Edition with a signed bookplate, will be available in a simultaneous release. The novel is expected to ship to customers Late Summer 2021.

https://www.edgarriceburroughs.com/preorder-now-john-carter-of-mars-gods-of-the-forgotten/

Sedona Arizona and Gunslinger the Weird Science Wild West Roleplaying Game

 The blog has been a bit quiet this week since I've been in Arizona collecting reference for the Gunslinger roleplaying game.

Alright, actually I'm on vacation with the family and we happened to go to Sedona as part of the tour of this great state from the Grand Canyon to the stunning red rocks of Sedona.

While Sedona is considerably North and West of where Gunslinger takes place, the terrain is inspiring and what you imagine the wild west looks like. So I am taking plenty of photo reference for the illustrations to fill in the blank spots of the book.

Swords & Wizardry Complete Box Set Unboxing

 

The new Swords & Wizardry Complete Box set just arrived in the mail.

It has 4 booklets, a character sheet pad, a polyhedral dice set, a bookmark, and a letter from Matt Finch the writer. All in a sturdy digest sized box.

While the font was much smaller than expected it is very legible. I've only flipped through it and haven't sat down to read it all yet, but first impressions are it is about what you would expect. Perfect bound digest sized books with the minimalism S&W is known for.

The organization of the combat section was a little confusing, maybe it will make sense once I read it in more detail.

The pages are smooth coated paper which is good for full color printing, but it is printed essentially monochromatic so I don't think it was necessary for the added cost of that kind of paper. So the touch and feel of it are a bit off.

I recorded a video so you can see my first impressions.

https://youtu.be/7KWDB6SQWiQ

Fight On! Compilations

 I've picked up a few copies of Fight On! magazine over the years, but recently I decided to fill out my collection. When I looked into it I found on the Ignatius Umlaut Lulu page there are compilations of issues 1-4, 5-8, and 9-11  Each issue is packed full of useful material, but when you get the compilations you can really appreciate the quantity and quality. Each article feels passionately created, mostly from direct experience at the gaming table. It reminds me of the best years of early Dragon magazine crossed with some of the best thing about the Judges Guild periodicals. The website seems to stall out at issue 11, but the Lulu store has up to issue 14. 

I'll be digging into more details in the coming weeks as I read through them. 

A message from my dog Loki

Gamma World 1st Edition Bundle

Next to the Moldvay red box set and the original AD&D hardcovers few other old RPG's hold the same special nostalgia as Gamma World. This was one that when I first saw it I immediately had to get it, but I missed out on 1st edition. Fortunately the 2nd edition is just as good, possibly better and the summer I got that set my friends and I played the heck out of it. 

Even though I have since found a copy of the 1st edition, I like to also have copies in PDF format. And Wizards just put this bundle on sale for a good price. I don't know how long it will last, but I wasted no time in getting and downloading it. The scans are clean and well presented, so I'm happy with the purchase.

The bundle includes the original boxed set, the Referee's Screen, GW1: Legion of Gold (not only one of the best GW adventures, but ranks high in all adventures), GW2 Famine in Far-Go, and GW3 The Cleansing War of Garik Blackhand. That's enough Gamma World adventures for months worth of campaigning.

From the description:

Can you survive in a world gone mad? A world where civilization as we know it has been destroyed in a cataclysmic holocaust? What is left in this world? Find out and encounter such bizarre things as mutated plants and animals more terrible than you can imagine, radiation wastelands that stretch as far as the eye can see, and fearless machines gone uncontrollably berserk . . .

This is the setting for a GAMMA WORLD™ campaign, with players taking on the persona of an individual character somewhere in this forbidding locale. In a quest for survival and in search of a better future, the players adventure across the land, enduring hardships and encountering dangerous obstacles and mysterious foes - never knowing quite what to expect. The result is a game which can go in many directions, but which will be challenging and fascinating no matter what the outcome.

The GAMMA WORLD™ Set includes all the basics needed to set up your own "world": game booklet (packed with terrible mutants, as well as guidelines for creating additional ones of your own), a large campaign map (designed to be easily modified by individual gamemasters), and a full set of polyhedra dice. The only other things necessary are a good imagination and a spirit of adventure! The GAMMA WORLD™ rules are also suitable for use with the ADVANCED DUNGEONS & DRAGONS™ rules.

 

https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/359504/Gamma-World-1e-BUNDLE