We went out yesterday afternoon to pick up Call of Duty 4. I was ready to grab it based on Tycho's recommendation. We hit the local EB and we were told they didn't have any copies for customers who didn't pre -order. I looked around at the store. It was full of  posters, giant novelty game boxes and cardboard standees all advertising Call of Duty 4. The strategy guide was displayed front and center right there on the counter. But I'm supposed to believe that they didn't receive a single extra copy of the game? They didn't think anyone else might want to buy one? I've never had any kind of problem purchasing games without a pre -order from this store in the past. I've always been able to walk in on launch day and grab as many copies of whatever game I want. Now all of a sudden I'm being told there's no games for me?

Now I don't know if the manager over there John (a.k.a the goblin king) has decided to blacklist us, but something seemed fishy. Other people from the PA crew have had similar experiences in his store since the comic. Someone looking for a game was told by John that he "didn't think they had it." when he was pressed to actually check and see he turned around, glanced at the case behind him and said "nope don't have it." This could just be the sort of classic douchebaggery we've come to expect from him, but I'm starting to think there may be something more sinister going on.

I continued trading in the games I had brought and mentioned to Tycho that we should just run across the street to Best Buy and get COD 4. John piped up from atop his over turned apple crate. "They won't have it until tomorrow" he told us. Actually Best Buy had plenty. In fact they had so many they actually had them stacked next to the registers in case people wanted to buy them. This is what shopping in a fucking store is like! You go in and buy what you want. You can take your 28 confessions and shove them up your fucking ass. How about instead of giving me a 40 paragraph strategy guide so I can shop in your pawn shop without getting screwed you just sell me a game when I ask for it.

It's funny, in the end it turns out I'm not a big fan of COD 4. I tossed it in last night and played through the first handful of levels. It certainly looks great but I think Rainbow 6: Vegas has really spoiled me. The lack of a cover system in COD is really frustrating to me. It looks and feels like a tactical squad shooter. Only I don't have any ability to play tactically or control my squad. The enemies can blind fire from behind cover but apparently I can't? My teammates can shoot the hinges off a door and then kick it in but I can't so much as jiggle a doorknob? After R6 I never thought I'd have to toss a flash bang into a room by standing in the middle of the doorway again. Visually it's a real stunner but game play wise it feels dated to me.

I doubt very seriously that I have anything of substance to add regarding the Writer's Guild Strike, though we have ostensibly done a comic on the topic, even though it was mostly an opportunity for Gabriel to draw a dinosaur. The Writers Guild is dealing with the same issues that Musicians have been dealing with, that is to say, compensation when the same work takes on a different form in this baffling digital age. The way contracts are currently written, there is some magical distinction between content that is broadcast on television, played from a disc, or streamed online. It's hard to imagine there are people who actually claim to believe this kind of mysticism.

Trying to figure out how you can make a DS game out of a next-generation sandbox title where you prowl through an entire era of history seems like kind of a tough nut. Seriously tough, like the dense iron nuts that fall from the Unending Oak, that which is called by elves Perpetua. Utilizing (and, I believe, expending) a great deal of our influence, we were able to discern the truth of it: a radical departure from the franchise proper, whose adorability index has pierced the cuddle threshold.

It is often the case that people thank me for Child's Play, even though it is a globally distributed effort and I am, at best, a kind of hyperactive mascot. I accept their gratitude, on your behalf. Indeed, I accept their gratitude on their behalf! They are thanking me for the opportunity to be excellent. We are glad to be of service.

Gabriel sometimes suggests that he doesn't give "two shits" about something, which is meant to imply that he is apathetic about it - very apathetic. It's always struck me as ambiguous. Buried within the phrase is the possibility that he might be willing to give a single shit. Manhunt 2 - which I'm told is very controversial, mostly by people who don't actually follow the medium - is a game neither of us have the slightest interest in. We also don't know anyone who is interested in it, but then, it's been a long time since I did things just to make my parents mad, which seems to be the game's entire purpose.

So Tycho already talked about our match against the guys over at SOE. Even though we lost again I'd say it was still one of our best. Part of that probably has to do with me finally winning my first match. When we got there they introduced their team starting with their team captain. They yanked the sheet off and there stood Diabolus in all his glory. Here's the comic in case you forgot it and here's a picture of the actual robot they built.

I suppose it is Halloween, a date which has historically called for scarifying content. Though it was not our intention to deliver horror, there is a horrifying subtext when you consider the unbridled power retailers have over what you can play.

Pork is here. He won't leave. Who invited him? Not me. I'm so angry.

If you were able to grab a copy of Eye of Judgment last week you might be interested in this EOJ tournament. It's being organized by our Forum and sign ups are going on right now through Wednesday. You can get all the details right here.

Our Pokemon League will be meeting again tomorrow night at the Comic Stop. Last week we had about thirty people show up and it was a blast. Our plan for tomorrow is to try and start as close to six as possible. We got a late start last time and that limited the number of games we were able to play. I think we will try and do 40 min rounds which means if we start on time three rounds should be easy. Also, don't forget that the new expansion Secret Wonders comes out November 7th. I actually attended a prerelease event for the new expansion over the weekend and scored some boosters. I know a few other people from our crew made it out to the event as well so there should be quite a few of the new cards floating around tomorrow night. We'll have the miniatures there again and you Diamond/Pearl players are also welcome. We've got our own forum now so please use it. Feel free to post deck ideas or trading requests. I know we've got a few people in there that are experts so if you have any questions about cards or strategies post them.

Finally, thank you all very much for the kind words regarding the artwork recently. The last two strips have been a lot of fun to draw.  Having the entire joke rest on the art is always a lot of pressure. I had a few people ask if Tycho is involved in the strips with no text and the answer is yes. We still sit down together and "write" them. In fact in the case of the Ratchet and Clank comic we actually had dialogue for each panel and then Tycho said "can we do it without text?" It was a challenge but I think that decision made it a much stronger comic.

-Gabe out

Last Friday saw the long awaited conflict between Penny Arcade and Sony erupt into fierce conflict, as rackets were drawn from the sheath and the respective battlecries were gutturally delivered. Our warcry was not sufficient to claim victory: the bloodthirsty gods it was directed toward were otherwise engaged. The final score was two rounds to five, their favor, but more than any previous match we made our opponents acutely aware of their own fleeting mortality.

This thing is shit hot.

The new Ratchet & Clank is a marvel, further proof that Insomniac is the surest thing that platform has going for it. You'll travel to lush, hitch-free worlds where the brutal load times found in other Playstation titles are nowhere to be found. It's something everyone with the system will be playing, and it's executed at a level that should generate jealousy in the non-owner. I don't know if it's enough to make someone pick it up, but we're moving into that territory. I imagine it largely depends on whether they've heard the sound it makes when you pick up bolts. I know that our desire to obtain bolts is second only to our desire to obtain even more bolts, and this is due largely to its captivating jingle slash jangle.

The Arcadia Battle Academy (our local Pokemon TCG League) now has it's own forum.

-Gabe out

Last night's Pokemon get together was a big success. We actually had a really good turn out and lots of people brought their cards. I ended up playing some miniatures and then a few rounds of the TCG. We're meeting again next Tuesday same time and place. After that we'll go every other Tuesday night. Assuming everyone sticks with it we can register our league with the Pokemon site and do some official tournaments and even get some prize support I think. In the meantime we can talk about the league in this forum thread. Now that I think about it we might actually want to have a separate forum instead of just a thread. I'll look into setting that up.

This rumor - the rumor about a Texas based BioWare being behind a Star Wars MMO - keeps coming back because I think we really want it to be true. We invest in it, we fantasize about it. It's also just a great rumor: it flips all the right switches, it has that Returning King quality that manufactures legend.

Even though, according to the forum only two other human beings will be attending our Pokemon night I'm still very excited. So excited in fact that I did some fan art. Colors coming soon.

I guess there's a chance that some of you reading this might not have pets with leaky butts. I do, and let me tell you it's no fun. Every time we take our cat to get her butt squeezed the doctor tells me she can show me how to do it at home. She suggests it would save me some money. There are certain things I am willing to do at home to save money. For example, I ask my wife to cut my hair. Something I won't do is reach into my cats asshole and wring out its butt juice. I'm willing to pay a professional for that.

Tomorrow night is the first meeting of the Arcadia Battle Academy. That's the name given to the Pokemon TCG league we're trying to start. We'll be meeting at the Comic Stop in Lynnwood from 6pm to 8pm tomorrow (Tuesday the 23rd). I've gone ahead and created a thread that you can post in right here. If you're planning on attending and you wouldn't mind making a quick post in there I'd appreciate it. I'd like to get an idea of attendance before tomorrow if possible. We're going to focus mainly on the Pokemon TCG. It will be a chance to play new decks and hopefully learn more about the game. Go ahead and bring your boxes and binders if you want to do some trading. Also, this is an all ages deal so if your kids play please feel free to bring them.

Like I said I want to focus on the TCG but I will also be bringing a box of the new Pokemon Miniatures if anyone wants to give that a try. You can even bring your Diamonds and pearls if you want to trade or battle on the DS.

It turns out there's another Pokemon TCG league that meets at the same time pretty close to us. We may end up wanting to shift our time for the next get together so as not to compete with the other group. We can figure out the frequency and time of our meetings tomorrow night.

Speaking of card games it looks like Eye of Judgment is still set to ship tomorrow. If you pick it up and your looking for a game Tycho and I are ready. We have it set up here in the office and the account on this PS3 is "CWGabe". So go ahead and add that name to your friends list.

-Gabe out