Friday, September 9, 2022

Quick Sips 09/02/2022

So it’s WorldCon week and alas I am not going to be there in person. It’s my fifth year as a hugo finalist, and I’ve only been able to attend in person once, though for the past three years that has been at least in part pandemic related. The rest has been down to not being able to afford to go. Indeed, the only way I attended in San Jose was because there was such an effort to get finalists there who couldn’t otherwise afford. It was incredibly appreciated, and definitely a highlight in my time as a finalist. I had hoped, what with Chicago so close, that this year was going to be a sure thing, but some complications, including a lingering pandemic, have made it impossible. Boo.

My life otherwise has been bouncing between trying to get reviewing done and trying not to break apart under the strain of multiple stresses. I’m…still here, at least, which is something. And I’m planning on still being here for the indefinite future. And I am looking forward to paneling during the virtual programming for the convention. Talking reviews, stories, and probably not winning a Hugo (that’s what booze is for). It’ll be fun.

Outside of that, I’m working on catching up on all the things. I owe some recommendations, a drunk review of the final chapter of Wolverine Origins, and need to get the queer short SFF list up for August. It’s going. Sorry things are a little late. I have at least been keeping up with posting pictures of my pets, so hey, that’s something. Media consumption has been pretty sporadic, though. I’m enjoying moving through the David Suchet Poirot, at least partly as a sleep aid.

In video games, I’m still playing through Final Fantasy VI, and at a point where I can probably mostly work on getting magic points and leaving Gau some more techniques and such. Unfortunately I was hoping that doing so with Strago in the party would help him, too, but alas most of the enemies aren’t casting any blue magic. Maybe that will change. In the meantime there are a lot of espers to master for people. A Lot. I’m sure it’s easier to do later in the game but I’d prefer to do what I can now so it’s more manageable then, especially because there’s going to be even more espers and even more characters. Whew.

In reading, I did get through the last of what was available for Generation X, and I’m not really a huge fan of how that series ended. Ev dead, Chamber recruited to the “adult team,” Sean headed into the unknown, Emma kinda sorta evil again, and the rest of the team…kinda up in the air. And of course things don’t necessarily go well for them. Chamber and Husk each have stints with the X-Men, though it doesn’t really work out for them. Jubilee is almost killed, while Skin is killed. Jubilee and Chamber are both depowered on M Day. I guess I need to read the New X-Men title to find out if there’s any more interesting stuff that happens with the younger people. Only M seems to land rather solidly with X-Factor investigations, but who knows how any of them are in the newer comics. Not me, certainly.

Anyway, with that done I was sort of bouncing around a little finishing up some series that have significant holes in them. So I’ve now gotten through all of what’s available for X-Factor and Alpha Flight (which at least includes the Northstar is gay issue but is otherwise ridiculously spotty and seems like it would have been a fascinating read… ah well). I’m now moving through X-Force and after that will probably do Cable, because those titles are fairly closely linked, as well as X-Man just because I don’t think there’s much at all of that on Marvel U. After that, hmm. Then I might get back to following the “core” titles of Uncanny and X-Men a bit closer, with Wolverine for good measure. Those were the titles I actually consistently followed, so that will have some nostalgia at least. Still kind of slow going, but I’m having a good time. Onwards!

And that’s about it for now. Safe travels to everyone going to WorldCon! Cheers!

---

Support Quick Sip Reviews on Patreon


No comments:

Post a Comment