For the past two months, I've been hosting face-to-face sessions of Dungeons & Dragons Fourth Edition on Monday nights. Although I didn't even have the core rulebooks initially because of Amazon.com shipping delays, I've been reading various postings to Wizards of the Coast's Web site and on EnWorld.org, and I've caught up to most of the current Boston-area gamers while running the D&D4e "Vanished Lands: Gusorin Confederation" campaign. As I've mentioned before, I've been running my homebrewed fantasy world for 25 years now!

After some introductory "preludes" (a concept borrowed from White Wolf's Storyteller: World of Darkness horror games) and heated rules debates, the new Player Character party, dubbed the "Faith-Based Initiative," began its misadventures on the Plains of Sathendo. Longtime members Paul J., Alex J., Beruk A., and Greg D.C. have been joined by gamers from the past few years, including Brian W., John C.M., and Sara F., as well as newcomers Josh C. and Greg's girlfriend Anna G.

Sara's boyfriend Josh ended up deciding to sit out the tabletop game until Paul and Anna return to school for the fall. In addition, Paul's girlfriend Brie and Alex's girlfriend Serena C. have sat in on a few sessions, so my basement has been fairly crowded! In September, John will be moving to Maryland, and Dexter V.H. and Byron V.O. of the Tuesday night D&D3.5 "Vanished Lands: Holy Steel" teleconferencing team hope to visit from Brooklyn and St. Louis, respectively. Their heroes have been journeying to the ancient empire of Khemet (New Kingdom Egypt).

So far, the "F.B.I." has rescued some refugees from the besieged city of Tekugi, fought monsters in the barbaric Gusorin Confederation, uncovered a priest of Loki and slayed a vampire near the village of Hasnold, and explored the dangerous home of a serial killer in the hamlet of Harsuth. The team recently arrived at Tekugi, which was suspiciously quiet. With the player turnover mentioned above, we'll see if we can master the new rules and gel as a party to reach a truly heroic destiny…

I thought that Sen. Barack Obama's speech last night at the Democratic National Convention in Denver wasn't as inspiring as the one I attended in Boston four years ago, but he did aggressively respond to claims by Republican rival Sen. John McCain and detail both his background and proposed policies. We'll see how the presidential debates go in the coming months. Have a good Labor Day weekend!

Next time: Role-playing rules impressions!

Friends, I hope you had a good weekend. On Saturday, 23 August 2008, Janice and I had a hearty brunch at Cafe Fresco, then drove up to Walden Pond for a long stroll in the nice weather. From there, we went to the bookshops of Harvard Square, Cambridge, as well as Pandemonium Books & Games in Central Square. Janice and I had dinner at the Border Cafe, our favorite Tex-Mex restaurant.

On Sunday, we caught up on housework and the end of the summer Olympics in Beijing. Thanks in part to our new recumbent exercise bike, I've continued to catch up on recent comic books. However, I've got some videos still to watch, and genre television shows are coming with the new fall season. I blogged last week about cable counterprogramming, and as other reviewers have done, here's a preview of my autumn plans:

Sundays:

-2:35 to 3:40 a.m.: Star Trek: Remastered (WCVB space opera; DVR?)
-10:00 a.m. to noon: City of Heroes multiplayer online supergroup

Mondays:

-6:00 to 11:00 p.m.: D&D4e "Vanished Lands: the 'Faith-Based Initiative'" fantasy campaign
-8:00 to 9:00 p.m.: Chuck (NBC espionage comedy; DVR?) **
-8:00 to 9:00 p.m.: Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (Fox science fiction/action; DVR?) **
-9:00 to 10:00 p.m.: Heroes (NBC metahuman ensemble drama; DVR) ***

Tuesdays:

-7:30 to 10:30 p.m.: D&D3.5 "Vanished Lands: Holy Steel" teleconferencing team
-9:00 to 10:00 p.m.: Fringe (Fox supernatural conspiracy; DVR?)
-9:00 to 10:00 p.m.: Reaper (CW midseason, supernatural comedy) ***

Wednesdays:

-8:00 to 9:00 p.m.: Pushing Daisies (ABC modern fantasy) ****

Thursdays:

-8:00 to 9:00 p.m.: Smallville (CW metahuman drama; DVR?) **
-9:30 to 10:00 p.m.: Samurai 7 (IFC cyberpunk/samurai anime; DVR) ***

Fridays:

-7:00 to 7:30 p.m.?: Batman and the Brave and Bold (Cartoon Network, animated superheroes; DVR)
-7:30 to 8:00 p.m.?: Star Wars: Clone Wars (Cartoon computer-animated space opera; DVR) **
-8:00 to 9:00 p.m.: Crusoe (NBC literary period action)?
-9:00 to 10:00 p.m.: Stargate: Atlantis (SciFi space opera; canceled and to be succeeded by Stargate: Universe) ** Note: Stargate: Continuum is out on video now.
-10:00 to 11:00 p.m.: Sanctuary (SciFi time-travel drama)?

Saturdays:

-9:00 to 9:30 a.m.?: The Spectacular Spider-Man (WB, animated superhero; DVR) ***
-9:30 to 10:00 a.m.?: Wolverine and the X-Men (WB, animated superheroes; to be announced)

Possible midseason replacements: Dollhouse (Fox speculative fiction), Virtuality (Fox cyberpunk/space opera)

Next time: Gaming updates!

This summer's run of bad luck has continued, as I've had to bring my car into the repair shop yet again because of an exhaust problem. With shorter days and cooler weather already arrived in New England, let's hope autumn brings fewer unpleasant surprises.

My DVR has been filling up with episodes of The Middleman and Olympic events not broadcast at prime time. However, now is as good a time as any to appreciate recent genre television. Although the regular season this past year was disrupted by the Hollywood writers' strike, and next autumn may be affected by a Screen Actors Guild strike, there have been a number of decent shows this summer. Here, in no particular order, are my top 10:

1. Doctor Who (BBC/SciFi Channel time-travel drama, Fridays) ****

2. Psych (USA comedic sleuths, Fridays) ***

3. The Middleman (ABC Family speculative fiction comedy, Mondays) ****

4. Robin Hood (BBC America semi-historical action, Saturdays) **

5. Sarah Jane Adventures (BBC/SciFi SF adventure, Fridays) ***

6. Samurai 7 (IFC anime, Thursdays; see above) ***

7. Masterpiece: Mystery (BBC/PBS sleuths "Inspector Lewis," "Foyle's War"; Sundays) ****

8. Masterpiece Theater: Cranford (BBC/PBS period ensemble drama; Sundays) ****

9. The Spectacular Spider-Man (WB animated superhero, Saturdays) ***

10. Avatar: the Last Airbender (Nickelodeon anime fantasy, ended) ****

Next time: Fall schedule!

On Saturday, 16 August 2008, Janice and I took advantage of the sales-tax holiday in Massachusetts at various book and electronics stores before meeting Beruk A. and Thomas K.Y. for a late-afternoon screening of Star Wars: Clone Wars at the AMC Framingham multiplex. The computer-animated movie is the pilot for this coming autumn's series on the Cartoon Network.

Clone Wars takes place between the live-action Star Wars: Episode II–Attack of the Clones and Episode III--Revenge of the Sith, and after the animated shorts directed by Genndy Tartakovsky, the creator of Samurai Jack. The Jedi knights are scrambling about the galaxy trying to lead the clone armies against hordes of droids led by the nefarious Sith, including the evil Asaji Ventris. Anakin Skywalker reluctantly takes on young Ashoka Tano as a padawan, or apprentice, in a mission to rescue sluglike gangster Jabba the Hutt's child.

Many of the characters and locations familiar to viewers of George Lucas' blockbuster space opera are present, although it takes a while to get used to Tartakovsky's angular style in 3-D animation. As critics of the prequel trilogy (Star Wars: Episode I–The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, and Revenge of the Sith) might expect, the dialogue is stiff, and the plot is disjointed.

However, the youngsters in our audience seemed to enjoy Clone Wars, and the combat scenes are dynamic, the soundtrack is lively, and the underlying theme of political machinations and betrayal is preserved from Lucas' admittedly weak follow-ups to his original trilogy (Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, and Episode VI: Return of the Jedi).

The clone troopers begin to develop individual personalities, Ashoka is an appealing newcomer who adds a much-needed sense of humor to the proceedings, and returning cast members such as Christopher Lee and Samuel L. Jackson lend continuity and gravitas to the proceedings. Clone Wars does feel a bit like the old serials, such as Flash Gordon, that first inspired Lucas, rather than a stand-alone story.

While not as strong as its live-action or conventionally animated predecessors, I'd give Clone Wars a B- and still plan to watch the television series. It succeeded in whetting my appetite for more of this franchise, whether in novels, video games, Lego sets, or the D20 Star Wars: Saga Edition RPG.

After the movie, Beruk, Thomas, Janice, and I went to the British Beer Company, a pub near where I work. The food was good and reasonably priced, there was a decent drink selection, and service on a crowded Saturday night was swift. It's hard to believe summer's almost over!

On Sunday, Janice and I went to the Marshfield Fair, where we enjoyed the agricultural competitions, the craft displays, and of course, the fair food (although a book I just picked up, Eat This, Not That, provides many suggestions for healthy eating). I spent much of the rest of the weekend watching the Olympics and trying to back up my home computer's hard drive. Coming soon: Genre TV updates!

The past few weeks have been rainy in the U.S. Northeast and rough at work, with the deaths of some close co-workers' family members, chronic illness of a few former colleagues, and now some layoffs. Our ongoing war in the Middle East and Russia's offensive in Eastern Europe are also worrisome. I can only hope that the autumn is more pleasant.

I've been watching the Olympics on most nights lately. The opening ceremonies in Beijing were truly impressive. Amid the athletic feats, it's hard to tell which is more annoying: getting glimpses of an authoritarian and increasingly plutocratic People's Republic of China (for which I blame the government and multinational corporations, not the people), or the ever-present smug nationalism of NBC/Universal's commentators.

As usual, while I can't help but root for superswimmer Michael Phelps and beach volleyball players Kerry Walsh and Misty May-Trainor (who were surprisingly challenged by the Belgian team), I'd like to see more prime-time coverage of other sports, including those where Americans aren't favored to win medals. I plan to record some cycling, equestrian, fencing, and table tennis events, which are broadcast on various cable channels at odd hours. In addition to my DVD backlog, I'll have a lot to watch!

Still catching up, last weekend, Janice and I went to Wild Willy's, a restaurant that just opened in Needham, Massachusetts. While it's not as good as Mr. Bartley's Burger Cottage in Harvard Square, Cambridge, or Fuddruckers, it's nice to have a burger joint in walking distance of where we live, especially since the local Bickford's burned down and Ground Round recently closed. We also have a Friendly's relatively nearby.

In genre television, I enjoyed the Season/Series 4 finale of Doctor Who. It's not too much of a "spoiler" to say that the good Gallifreyan and his numerous companions finally get together to try to thwart the apocalyptic schemes of the dreaded Daleks. However, uncertainty about the casting and production into 2010 have hurt the BBC's long-running time-travel drama.

Continuing with British shows, the second season finale of Robin Hood was decent, including an appearance of King Richard and a breaking of the fellowship in the Holy Land. Despite this version's many anachronisms, I've enjoyed the acting and wonder how the merry band will return. Given the negative buzz around Ridley Scott's Nottingham, I'm glad that the movie has been postponed. Enough damage was done to the legendary hero in the popular imagination by Kevin Costner's Prince of Thieves.

Similarly, while there have been numerous bad movies using comic book superheroes, it's not fair to blame the source material, even if print publications of all kinds are struggling. It's interesting to note that the cinema is bringing this modern mythology to a wider audience, although I'd hesitate to put the stylish Hellboy 2: The Golden Army or even the upcoming Watchmen on a pedestal.

The animated Spectacular Spider-Man and upcoming Wonder Woman are probably closer to their creators' original intent, just by being graphical storytelling. There are no doubt important comics, but entertainment value is what brings me into comic shops. Speaking of which, as I gradually read through my piles of recent issues, I've been enjoying the various Superman and Spider-Man titles, which have returned to a Silver Age sensibility. The Batman family and espionage take on Captain America remain reliable, even as DC Comics' Final Crisis and Marvel's Secret Invasion crossovers drag on.

Although my D&D4e "Vanished Lands" game keeps me from watching ABC Family's The Middleman right away, I'm still digging the ratings-impaired comic book adaptation. I've compared Middleman to Nickelodeon's cartoons of the past decade and to the recent spate of prime-time genre comedies, but watching the latest fun episodes reminded me of two other underrated television shows: The Chronicle and Special Unit 2.

Speaking of blasts from the past, has anyone else noted the voice of genre vet Jeffrey Combs in recent advertisements for presidential candidate John McCain? I'm not sure an endorsement from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine's Weyoun and Brunt, Enterprise's Shran, or Justice League Unlimited's Question is a great idea. On the other hand, stung by early criticism, celebrities seem to be avoiding McCain's rival Barack Obama.

I haven't yet seen the computer-animated Wall-E or cliffhanging sequel Mummy 3: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, which has gotten mixed reviews. However, I do hope to catch the pilot of space opera Star Wars: Clone Wars (which will be a series on the Cartoon Network this fall) this coming weekend.