FLGS: Battle Games, Adventure Games and Fantasy Art: Part 2

After collecting a bit of information from and about Kingdom of Adventure, we’re confident we’ve a few suggestions that can help to grow the business without jeopardising the existing customer base. They’re offered informally and presented as ‘zero cost’ options, so it’s up to the owner, or any other FLGS owner, to make [...]

Spies, Saboteurs and Secret Agents 2

Step aside Bourne. Move over Bond. Make way for Spy Dog, the Sean Connery of canine espionage!

Spy Dog

Might be overdoing it a bit there, but Spy Dog and, yes, Spy Pups are just the kind of ‘confidence builders’ to spark an interest in spies and secret agents. We gave [...]

Beyond Books

The assumption with most books is that kids should and will use them to read quietly in much the same way as adults. Picture books for pre-school kids are a bit of an exception, as parents and carers often share stories and storytelling with younger kids. Thereafter, books typically become part of the [...]

Spies, Saboteurs and Secret Agents

Spies, saboteurs and secret agents slot straight into most game formats and settings with ease. They do so by drawing play away from direct confrontation and by asking players to try out new challenges.

Whether taking the part of spies, or simply up against some spies, players of tabletop and videogame [...]

Fantasy Fiction: 7+

The Harry Potter books have to be commended and congratulated for getting so many kids interested in reading and fantasy books. However, they’re far from the only ‘Wizard School’ books suitable for kids of roughly 7-13.

The following titles offer much the same boarding school formula as Harry Potter but without serving [...]

Graphic Novels To Die For: Part 4

Between us we get through several graphic novels a month. Some of them probably merit a post but don’t make the cut. That’s mainly because sticking to ‘the best of the best’ helps to showcase the entertainment (and skills) delivered by good graphic novels. Another reason is to avoid disappointing fans of graphic [...]

Touch Technologies and Gaming

There hasn’t been any coverage of touch and/ or handheld gaming in earlier posts, as we’ve seen these technologies as being solely about solitary gameplay. In particular, the Nintendo DS has become the ‘distraction’ of choice for many parents: convenient, portable and isolating.

Fortunately 2010 seems set to bring together a series [...]

Graphic Novel: Not Dead Yet

Just a quick mention for the Wolverine standalone Not Dead Yet. None of us would usually try or buy a Wolverine ‘standalone’ collection packaged as a graphic novel. But a Warren Ellis storyline is always worth a glance and Leinil Francis Yu’s artwork drags you in. The action sequences work particularly well.

Graphic Novels To Die For: Part 3

Blankets by Craig Thompson

Craig Thompson’s semi-autobiographical story about first love and growing up in a deeply religious community demonstrates a full range of graphic and storytelling skills. The brushed images are ‘to die for’ and consistently strong across hundreds of pages. The pace and content of the script is skilfully paced [...]

Graphic Novels To Die For: Part 2

300 by Frank Miller and Lynn Varley

The 300 is based more on the Hollywood movie of the same name than exact historical details of the battle at Thermopylae. Nevertheless, it presents a dramatic account of how Leonidas and his Spartans stood against King Xerxes’ massive Persian army. Miller’s composition and execution [...]