For Tax Reasons Goes To Genericon!

February 11th-13th, Matt and I (aka For Tax Reasons) will be all up in Troy, New York for GENERICON XXIV!  48 straight hours of sci-fi, anime, and gaming (of the video, table and live action varieties).  Of course, like any self-respecting convention, there will be PANELS PANELS PANELS!

We’ll be running two of the previously exclaimed panels.  A how-to animate panel- where Matt and I will discuss producing independent shorts, the creative process and showcasing work. As well as a screening and Q&A panel- where we’ll take on all the scathing questions and criticisms the viewing public has been too afraid to voice over the internet.  And as a special surprise† we’ll be screening our never released Ronin Dojo Community College DX cartoon!

Go to genericon.union.rpi.edu for more details.  We’ll be chilling there all weekend, and should have a table up. So if you’re in the NY area, come around and hang out.

†no longer a surprise, specialty withstanding

Chach Rules!

This past weekend I hauled my butt back to DC for the Max Levine Ensemble's 10 Year Anniversary Show.  It was, without a doubt, one of the best shows I've been too.

I started playing in a band right around the time TMLE started up; the Konami Code for anyone interested (we were once mentioned in Game Pro at the height of our "success").  We dabbled in the same DC/MD/VA punk-ska-anything scene, and knew each other from hanging out at the Corner Kick- this indoor soccer place where our friends from DC Ska / Rude In DC would put on these awesome shows with local bands.  At any rate, fairly early on my journeys as a teenage songwriter it became evident that TMLE were operating on a much different level than I was.  Their first songs right off the bat were so insightful and nuanced, yet still fun and catchy at the same time.   Whenever I heard a new song from them, I would say something like "Oh yeah, I've thought about that too" or "So you don't have to slam a slogan over someone's head to make a statement".  Plus, on top of all the punk rock, they had a sense of humor.  So seeing them live was always a rad time. 

I'm rambling.  Point being, I was impressed with them when they started and I'm still impressed with them today, and super glad they've been going 10 years strong.  It was so fun to see everyone come together for the show, see all the old faces and friends, and feel all the super posi vibes.  And of course, it was great to hear them play Pizza Guy again.

That's the second longest Monkey Island post I've ever seen!

Over the holiday break, I had the chance to get reacquainted with an old friend. Not one of my high school chums, I see them fairly often. I'm talking about graphic adventure games.

The story starts when I got an iPhone! (<-- Read in Oprah voice) First app I purchased proper- THE SECRET OF MOTHERFUCKING MONKEY ISLAND! 
 It is so awesome to have that game in my hands. I'm not too hot on the Special Edition graphics (though it's fun listening to the new voice overs), but with a simple two finger swipe you're back in original game mode. Only complaint, I think the music from the forests on Mêlée Island™ weren't included. That was one of my hauntingly favorite synth reggae tracks.

After all the excitement of having an app everyone else played months ago, I got sick and was stuck in bed with a fever. I found myself rocking even more graphic adventure games. Legend of Kyrandia 2 and Telltale's Back to the Future: The Game and Tales of Monkey Island. I love the writing, acting and graphics in both of Telltale's ventures. Tales is an especially welcome sight for sore eyes. Between the third and fourth iteration of the Monkey Island series, the graphics had moved from this, with Curse of Monkey Island:

To this, with Escape from Monkey Island:

I was sad too, Guybrush. Personally, nothing tops my nostalgic love for the EGA graphics in the first two Monkey Island games, or the way the box art captured my imagination (I know at least one guy feels the same). But we can't live in the past, and I really dig what Telltale is doing.


So I was moved to do a little Monkey Island tribute. Click HERE to see the original.