Category Archives: What Im Reading

Je t’aime. Je te déteste.

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Dear Halo… see above. Thank you. ❤ </3

I was watching some of the Halo Championship Series this weekend to see how good people play. Maybe pick up some tips and ticks. Mostly to unlock some of the Twitch drops. I’m definitely not a pro Halo player, but I can hold my own among my friends. So watching pros play was interesting, depressing, informative, and exhausting. I followed that with a lousy night in-game. Where I couldn’t buy a win.

I still find it surprising how I’ve stayed in the Multiplayer Arena for so long. I looked up my stats and found that I’ve been playing for almost 60hrs and 278 matches. Level 75/100 within the Battle Pass. Over the last 3 months. I really like the battle pass idea, and the weekly challenges mix up which modes I play. I find myself looking forward to Tuesdays when it rolls over.

What I’m Playing

Halo mostly. See above. Also stepped back into Far Cry New Dawn for a bit in co-op. Far Cry 5 / New Dawn I think by a long stretch are the worst in the series to date. But that could also be because I’ve been playing them in co-op and the “co-op” just isn’t implemented ideally. By design. It allows you to play through the whole campaign with a partner but only one of you gets any story progression / story achievements. And I don’t understand why they do this. They were able to figure it out with Ghost Recon, and Borderlands 3, among many other co-op games. Why do they insist on this deal-breaker with Far Cry. Also the game constantly revisits old tropes from previous games, like the drug trips. And its getting old.

I’m hoping Far Cry 6 is better.

//

What I’m Drawing

Made more progress with the DareDevils. I’m tempted to colour, but really, I think I’m ready to get back to my comic and take a break from these pin-ups for a beat. I’ll fix up a few things that are nagging at me, like the back of Electra’s mask, where the hair is bundled, and her back foot should be somewhat visible underneath her forward leg. And DareDevil’s mask needs a bit of alignment/touch-up. Otherwise I am pleased with how it turned out.

Eh, maybe I’ll do a colour pass. OK, you’ve convinced me. But then we’re moving on to some comic work. I’ll let the X-men group simmer on the back burner for a bit.

//

What I’m Reading

  • Batgirls #3
  • Batman/Catwoman #10
  • Devil’s Reign #4
  • Batman: The Knight #1

Not pictured:

  • King of Spies #3
  • Radiant Black #12

My Image books did not arrive due to trucking delays. I’ll hopefully get them this week. Likely Protests or Freedom Convoy related, or something. Marvel and DC come by air. Image/Indies come by truck.

//

Happy Valentines Day
G 317,726
iRogan

A Fellow of Infinite Jest

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Happy Anniversary to Me. Stranger Than Friendship turned 5. Pretty big deal, but its a shame that my webcomic site gets neglected so. My last comic was in October when I was playing Surgeon Simulator a lot. I’ve had some new ideas, involving my son and Boomerang Fu but I just haven’t really had the motivation or drive to draw that style. Drawtober took a lot out of me, and then I did a few Spider-Gwens, and then Tracer and Jinx. And the went into the X-Men group. And now DareDevils. I really need to do another webcomic contribution, and then just get back to my Wrestling Comic if I’m ever going to see progress there.

Happy Anniversary Comic #1

It’s hard though, working on creator-owned work. Drawing pin-ups of fancy-posed, established characters is just so easy. It’s like a quick fix. You feel satisfied because you did the work and you have something to show. But it doesn’t last. I tell myself every year that “this will be the year that I do work on my comic consistently”. Like a New Year’s Resolution. But it’s just a New Year Revolution.

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WHAT I’M DRAWING

Here’s the DareDevils I mentioned. Some WIP pencils before I ink the Hell out of it. Just giving my hand and wrist a break for the moment after too much Halo. Electra’s back arm needs some work. Reposition or repose I don’t know yet. Looks off currently.

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WHAT I’M PLAYING

Halo. Obviously. But not much else sadly. Didn’t do a co-op night. Just wrapping up the Tenrai:Fracture event in Halo to work on the Samurai armour. Which is done again, for a few weeks. Not sure if there’s any new interim events planned for February or not. So I’ll just keep plugging away at my Battle Pass.

//

WHAT I’M READING (FEB 02/02/2022 Pull List)

  • CrossOver #11
  • Dark Knights of Steel #4
  • Echolands #6
  • Sweet Paprika #7
  • Nocterra #7
  • The Scumbag #12
  • Spawn #326
  • The Walking Dead #32

//

A shorter entry this week, as there wasn’t much exciting to report. Just kind of bummer realizations. Like a sad birthday where you realize you’re one year older, but don’t have anything to show for it.

Anyways.
Be Good.

G317,556
iRogan

Sick Burn

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Another year around the sun. It was my birthday. Glad that’s out of the way. Now on to more important matters.

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What I’m Playing

The Gunk. This was an enjoyable indie game on GamePass. I mentioned I had started playing this just after Christmas and completed it this week. It’s by no means a long game, as I was able to finish it in just under 6 hours. Managed to finish it in three play sessions and 95%’d the achievements in the process. There’s one final one which requires me going back through the game to collect some missing resources and unlocking the last upgrade. Buuuuut I’m not bothered. Gorgeous game though. Simple gameplay design. Reminds me of N64 games of old, in its simplicity, but just soo good looking.

Played some more We Were Here Together with Illestrader in our Co-op nights, as well as some Second Extinction. Just about wrapped up the final campaign mission in Second Extinction. We actually completed it last week, but I was unfortunately dropped in the last quarter of the mission, AS HOST, and my crew was able to finish the mission without me. Lucky them. I’m not really sure what the devs have planned for the game as its still in early access with unlockable achievements. No real incentive to go back once it hits 1.0 release but I’ll have to see what’s added.

And obviously, still playing Halo Infinite almost on a nightly basis. Finished the Cyberpunk Event, and now we’re back into the Fracture Event for the Samurai Armor.

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What I’m Drawing

I made a bit more progress on the Uncanny X-Force group, with the addition of Rogue. But now the group composition feels unbalanced again. I think I will add Mystique, maybe Magik, and two guys, with the choice of Old Man Logan, Nightcrawler, Archangel, or Gambit. For the total of nine. I’m leaning towards Archangel because I think his wings will be a challenge, and Night Crawler. Plus those two are the Uncanny group anyways. So they fit. Unlike Rogue. But it was fun to draw the 80’s outfit, and the mullet.

And just as a friendly reminder that I CAN draw guys, I took a break from the X group and started working on a DareDevil / Electra pair. Should probabaly have this wrapped up this week, and then I can get back to the X-Group, and make more work for my colourist. Who is me.

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What I’m Reading

  • Batman/Catwoman – Holiday Special
  • DC vs Vampaires #4
  • Gunslinger Spawn #4
  • The Human Target #4
  • Wonder Girl #7

Saga also returned after a 3 year hiatus, which I’m stoked about. But I collect those as Trades so I’ll have to wait 6 months. Sigh.

Wonder Girl concludes, which is fine. The series was ok, and I like the intro of Yara Flor, and it will continue in another spin off series, but I wont follow it.

DC/Vampires is also a very fun read. I love the art of Otto Schmidt as its so loose but clean, and he works his colours so well. It’s truly impressive how easy the art is to read with his simplistic style. And the story has been gripping with so many twists.

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I think that wraps up the week that was. I have a few things on my to-do list still that I will try to find time for. Gallery first on the list. But I also do want to get a compilation video put together of the Marital Madness gameplay nights with my wife. Every 2nd Tuesday on her Twitch channel. Twitch.tv/cro0kedj. Currently playing It Takes Two, and we just finished Chapter 6.

Til’ next time.

G316,506
-iRogan

New Kid on the Block

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I took a little break from this following the holidays to reset a bit. Enjoyed some time off work. Did some review of the year that was. 2021. You could’ve been a lot nicer, and let’s be fair, the bar was set pretty low. Last week I posted my 2021 Quick Reviews which collected 20 of the most notable games I played last year into a condensed review. I try to do this every year.

I am also grateful that I was able to produce quite a few drawings this year:

// What I’m Drawing

This year I will unquestionably be building out the Gallery pages on this site to showcase my art more. If last year was any indication, I am clearly in a good place to continue drawing more regularly, and posting more often. With that said, I can show off what I’ve already been up to THIS year:

The group isn’t done yet, as I still want to add Rogue. But so far we have Psylocke, X-23/Wolverine, Storm, and Domino. Domino needs some tweaking, Psylocke’s power is unfinished. The composition of the team shot is not final. And I still need to colour it all once I add Rogue. Just trying to decide which costume to use. My overall idea is like the Uncanny X-Men group, hence all the black, and all female. Kind of like a Charlie’s Angels poster. But Charles Xavier’s Angels. I thought it was pretty smart.

// What I’m Playing

I wrapped up Dirt 5. 100% completion unless another DLC is released. We also played some Human Fall Flat and Embr and We Were Here Together in our Co-op nights. Embr is kinda fun. You play as firefighters in a cartoony type game where you have to save people from a burning building, or save their stuff. Or steal it ;). We Were Here Together is a 2-player co-op puzzle game where you are two guys up in the wilderness on an expedition and requires teamwork to solve the puzzles and you communicate through a walkie-talkie (or xbox party chat 😉 ). The puzzles can easily leave you stumped and require some real thought to advance. I am also excited to give Rainbow Six Extraction a show, maybe this week.

Also I’ve been playing a lot of Halo Infinite. Like a lot. And Multiplayer to boot. Which is very unlike me as I am decidedly a Campaign-Only player. But its been a blast. I’ve invested in the Battle Pass, and the Cat Ears, and the timed event cosmetics. And really enjoying my nightly gameplay sessions. At least up until those nights where I just get wrecked. But its really a no-pressure multiplayer game, and enjoyable. Right now its the Cyberpunk Event, and I’m working towards the glowing spiked mohawk for the helmet.

I’m a fancy kitty

// What I’m Reading

  • The Walking Dead #31
  • Supergirl Woman of Tomorrow #7 of 8
  • A Righteous Thirst for Vengeance #4
  • King Spawn #6
  • Batman vs Bigby #5
  • Undiscovered Country #18
  • Stillwater #12
  • King of Spies #2
  • Batgirls #2

I am sad that Supergirl is coming to an End as I always enjoy Tom King books and this has been a stellar series. But I still have The Human Target and Batman/Catwoman still going for now. There always seems to be at least one Tom King series going.

Batgirls I’m enjoying, especially because I really like Jorge Corona’s art. It was a pleasant transition following him from The Me You Love in the Dark to this. I believe this series is only 6 issues though, sadly.

King of Spies I’m excited to read more, obviously because of Mark Miller, but really Matteo Scalera is the star. Scalera I’ve followed from Black Science, Batman White Night Present Harley Quinn, and Dead Body Road.

// Achievement of the Week

I’m highlighting this one for the sole purpose of bragging as I unlocked this achievement within seconds of the Aquarium map starting. Such a fluke, but I’m sure where ever yetimachete1194 is now, they don’t see it that way, and they’re upset.

#humblebrag

Enjoy, and be good.
G314,986
iRogan

Happy Wrestling Day

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Holidays, full swing. Hopefully yours have been pleasant. Happy Holidays to all. This year, like last year, we are in the middle of COVID restrictions. So we didn’t spend time with family save for a presents and gifts swap from the front door. Maybe things will settle down again in the New Year.

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What I’m Playing

Halo Infinite has been the game of choice, Multiplayer, not Campaign, which is very un-like me. But for some reason this multiplayer experience has been fun, and I’m going to ride that wave while it lasts. I bought the Battle Pass, and the Cat Ears and everything:

I also bought my son Hot Wheels Unleased for Christmas, so we’ve been playing a bit of that. I tried The Gunk briefly tonight. Which is a enjoyable platformer/puzzle game where you start by investigating a dying planet and find a gunk-like substance that is consuming the planet’s energy. You have a grapple/gun-type arm that sucks it up and slowly start healing the planet. Its free on Game Pass. Dirt 5, ripped through another DLC, only one more to go.

//

True to my word, I’ve put down the digital pen, and taken a break from drawing. I have a few ideas queued for the New Year. My will may break this week as I have a few days off work, but I might use those to just catch up on sleep, and comics.

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What I’m Reading

  • Batman/Catwoman #9
  • Catwoman Lonely City #2
  • Gunslinger Spawn #3
  • Radiant Black #11
  • A Righteous Thirst for Vengeance #3
  • Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow #6
  • Batgirls #1
  • Nightwing #87
  • Nightwing Leaping into the Light HC Vol.1
  • SPAWN Compendium 2

I hate to say it but I’ve been really disappointed with Batman/Cawoman ever since Liam Sharp took over. I don’t know why he took over from Clay Mann, whether it was some behind-the-scene thing, or deadlines or if he had other obligations but I’m just not a fan of the art since the switch which has really turned me off the book sadly. And I am a huge Tom King fan. I’ll push through to the end, but begrudgingly.

Nightwing is not my typical book, but I’ve head a lot of good things from this run with Tom Taylor, and #87 in particular is one long no-frames un-cut sequence which is pretty cool to pull off within a comic book.

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2021 Reviews Done Quickly

I’m just going to add the list here for now, and then by the end of the week, write up the full post. These are the games I completed or consider done with, in 2021. Some of which may not have been released in 2021, likely earlier. And when I say complete, I mean either I 100%’d it, finished the main campaign story if it is open-ended or has end-game content, or I consider it done enough that I won’t be revisiting it. Also the order below is roughly Jan through Dec, for when I completed the game, and not necessarily when I started the game. You’ll get the idea as you read the list.

I usually start with the main game from the previous year that I wrapped up the year with, and that was Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, and the finish with my in-progress, not-ready-for-review games.

  • Assassin’s Creed Odyssey
  • Little Nightmares
  • Donut County
  • The Touryst
  • Fortified
  • Generation Zero
  • Just Cause 4
  • Zombie Army 4: Dead War
  • Rain on Your Parade
  • Marvel’s Avengers
  • NieR:Automata
  • Super Lucky’s Tale
  • OUTRIDERS
  • Boomerang-Fu
  • Twelve Minutes
  • Surgeon Simulator 2
  • Aliens: Fireteam Elite
  • Middle-Earth: Shadow of War
  • Morkredd
  • Dirt 5

    in Progress
  • Watch Dog’s Legion
  • Grand Theft Auto III
  • Borderlands III

Good riddance 2021! On to Twenty-Twenty Too!

G310,416
iRogan