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#1
Books & Comics / Re: Skybound to reprint 80s Ma...
Last post by JohnCKirk - Today at 11:24:46 PMThe related news (which I haven't seen mentioned here) is that the UK "Action Force" stories are being reprinted soon:
https://www.totaltoybooks.com/news/battle-action-force-treasury-editions
If that does well, maybe we'll see a "Storm Force" collection afterwards?
https://www.totaltoybooks.com/news/battle-action-force-treasury-editions
QuoteBattle Action Force, was published weekly from October 1983 to November 1986 by IPC Magazines limited, and brought together some of the greatest talents in the British comics industry of that time, both on the editorial and illustrative fronts including names like Gerry Finley-Day, Geoff Campion and Cam Kennedy. Included within its pages were the adventures of "Action Force", created by British toy manufacturer, Palitoy.
Four heroic Action Force teams: infantry specialists Z Force, ocean based Q Force, infiltration specialists the SAS and orbital guardians Space Force protected the world against the evil machinations of Baron Ironblood, The Black Major and their army of brainwashed Red Shadows.
Now, for the first time in over forty years, Total Toy Books, with kind permission from Hasbro and in collaboration with Rebellion Publishing and Skeletron, are proud to announce an officially licensed reprint of the Action Force tales from Battle Action Force collected in a series of deluxe sized 'treasury editions.'
If that does well, maybe we'll see a "Storm Force" collection afterwards?
#2
Off Topic / Re: This is the News!
Last post by Funt Solo - Today at 10:12:49 PMQuoteAnd the star-spangled Banner in triumph shall wave,
O'er the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave.
Gaza protesters clash with police at US universities
#3
Games / Re: Gamebooks
Last post by Richard - Today at 08:57:41 PMNightshift
by Victoria Hancox
by Victoria Hancox
This is a non-FF horror-themed book which first saw print in 2019. I started it a while ago and enjoyed it at first, but then got put off by its one true path structure, and left it for what was meant to be a few days but turned out to be several weeks! I then got back to it a couple of days ago and was enjoying it again, but then got put off by a choice of direction with no information about either option, which is dull at the best of times, but quite frustrating when you know that your entirely random choice will later mean the difference between winning or losing! So I gave up, but thought I should still write something about it anyway, although this won't be a playthrough.
It has an interesting setting: you are a nurse (gender never specified) in a modern hospital on Earth, when you wake up in a break room and find one of your colleagues has been murdered, her throat slit. You soon find the murderer pursuing you, and you have to flee. The murderer is described in such a way as to create a real sense of peril, and if you manage to get away at the beginning, he stalks you around the hospital, so there is the prospect of unexpectedly bumping into him at any time.
The hospital is otherwise mostly deserted, and something has definitely happened -- or you're in some sort of parallel, supernatural world. It's a derelict ruin, full of monstrous surroundings. Early on, I hear an unpleasant sound which I investigate, and find that it's one of the patients who is quite beyond help... moving on, I find another murder victim, then one of the corridors is barred by a barrier made of human skins stitched together ... then my first proper encounter is with the incinerated corpse of a witch who was burned at the stake 500 years ago! After meeting her, I blunder into the murderer, who kills me.
It has an interesting setting: you are a nurse (gender never specified) in a modern hospital on Earth, when you wake up in a break room and find one of your colleagues has been murdered, her throat slit. You soon find the murderer pursuing you, and you have to flee. The murderer is described in such a way as to create a real sense of peril, and if you manage to get away at the beginning, he stalks you around the hospital, so there is the prospect of unexpectedly bumping into him at any time.
The hospital is otherwise mostly deserted, and something has definitely happened -- or you're in some sort of parallel, supernatural world. It's a derelict ruin, full of monstrous surroundings. Early on, I hear an unpleasant sound which I investigate, and find that it's one of the patients who is quite beyond help... moving on, I find another murder victim, then one of the corridors is barred by a barrier made of human skins stitched together ... then my first proper encounter is with the incinerated corpse of a witch who was burned at the stake 500 years ago! After meeting her, I blunder into the murderer, who kills me.
The whole description of events, encounters, and descriptions in general are very atmospheric and compelling, making it an enjoyable read. There are some nice instant death paragraphs, and one of the recurring puzzles involves finding and keeping tack of certain disembodied body parts that are lying around the place. There are no scores to keep track of or combat, it's just a matter of solving puzzles and choosing the right path. Unfortunately, while the puzzles are reasonable (although sometimes they require you to know some general knowledge that isn't in the book, which you could argue isn't fair but I didn't really mind), the necessity of choosing precisely the right path through the book or being killed became annoying after a while, and my patience with the book eventually dissipated entirely.
If you don't mind that sort of Ian-Livingstone-on-steroids approach to gamebooks, and you like horror, then this book will probably be right up your street. It had some positive attributes that I enjoyed about it, but ultimately I had to decide that it wasn't really for me.
(Back to FF for my next book!)
#4
Games / Re: Gamebooks
Last post by Richard - Today at 08:35:34 PMYes, the open-ended exploration is a big plus for me -- having the exact opposite feature in the gamebook I've just been reading was eventually the reason I stopped reading it!
From memory, there is an encounter with the dark elf in Ashkyos, which makes his re-appearance at the end of the book feel less random and more like plot. Recurring characters like him and the captain and Jesper make it feel more like a story than just a sequence of encounters.
Glad you enjoyed it!
From memory, there is an encounter with the dark elf in Ashkyos, which makes his re-appearance at the end of the book feel less random and more like plot. Recurring characters like him and the captain and Jesper make it feel more like a story than just a sequence of encounters.
Glad you enjoyed it!
#5
News / Re: Watch out for stolen Ian G...
Last post by Jim_Campbell - Today at 07:46:47 PMQuote from: The Legendary Shark on Today at 07:15:37 PMCan lessons be learned?
There is a particular 'art dealer' whose presence seems to be a constant throughout these (and other) stories. Perhaps not engaging (or dealing) with that specific person might help to detoxify the entire thing, at least to some extent.
#6
Help! / Re: Help me Hive Mind, you're ...
Last post by The Doctor Alt 8 - Today at 07:39:29 PMWell it's come to this....
DON'T let my cat become homeless...
Single disabled woman seeks ground floor flat.
Must accept my cat.
Must have a communal garden that will accept my plant pots.
Must be close to facilities or decent transport to central Croydon.
Must be unfurnished.
Rent available £800 per month.
No points negatable.
DON'T let my cat become homeless...
Single disabled woman seeks ground floor flat.
Must accept my cat.
Must have a communal garden that will accept my plant pots.
Must be close to facilities or decent transport to central Croydon.
Must be unfurnished.
Rent available £800 per month.
No points negatable.
#7
Help! / Re: Crowd Funding
Last post by The Doctor Alt 8 - Today at 07:36:34 PMWatch this space for my begging bowl!!!
#8
News / Re: Watch out for stolen Ian G...
Last post by The Legendary Shark - Today at 07:15:37 PMDidn't something similar happen to the Ezquerra family? How did they deal with it? Can lessons be learned?
#9
News / Re: Watch out for stolen Ian G...
Last post by Jim_Campbell - Today at 07:07:08 PMQuote from: Funt Solo on Today at 05:53:54 PMI don't see that happening here, because people have kept their powder dry here (for the most part)
Yeah... I think that steering well clear of the Piskor clusterfuck is very wise. I'll be honest, I have opinions on this Gibson thing, too, but I'm acutely aware that they're coloured by my opinions of some the people involved, so I'm keeping those opinions to myself...beyond saying that I'm basically inclined to side with the Gibson family.
Whatever the ins and outs, if Ian's family aren't going to benefit from the sale of original art/sketches/prints then I won't be shelling out any cash. If other people decide differently, then that's a decision for them.
#10
