I know, I know, it’s been a long time since I posted a review to ESO. New, apathetic, and forgetful readers likely have no idea who I am. Allow me to reintroduce myself, I’m the author of the hugely popular (in my mind) and severely lapsed (in reality) Web Pick series. So why haven’t I been posting? I’ve been busy. It seems everytime I get near a computer I have the urge to delve into a new series or explore a new character…you see, my name is Grundy and I’m a digitalcomicsoholic.
It all started when I picked up a dead-tree issue with the the trojan horse of an included digital copy. Being unwilling or unable to turn down free stuff, I promptly downloaded said copy before reading its paper counterpart. I then had to run and left both my computer and comic behind. One greasy beef burrito later, I found myself on the john remembering that I had coveted reading material on my cell. I sat and I read. The experience wasn’t ideal. There will always be something missing when viewing frames one at a time on a small screen. I later reread the comic as God, or at least my comic shop, had intended–at home. By reread I should say that I skimmed. The story was consumed on the toliet, I really just came back to admire the art.
From then on I dabbled in digital comics. Full analog price for digital goods was never platable to me, especially when I could often get the paper comic and the digital comic at the same price or a dollar more than the digital comic by itself. At $3.99 I was faced with the iTunes opportunity cost of a comic that would provide entertainment for 10 to 20 minutes compared to a movie rental that would keep me occupied for at least a couple hours–not to mention the occasional four dollar game with daily replay value. I said to myself, “Self, I’ll only pay what digital comics are worth: $.99.” Continue reading

The Earth Station One boldly goes back to the theater for a review of the new summer blockbuster, Star Trek Into Darkness. That’s right, ESO suits up for another adventure with Kirk, Spock, McCoy, and the rest of the USS Enterprise crew. Quick, make sure no one’s wearing a red shirt.
Although the special effects are now somewhat dated, the “Star Trek” original series has always occupied a special place in my geeky heart. What the show may have lacked in budget, it more than made up for with great characters and good storytelling. Captain Kirk, Spock, Uhura, Dr. McCoy, Scotty and the rest of the original Enterprise crew have become some of science fiction’s most beloved characters. Though we never got to see the end of their five-year mission, they’ve never completely faded from pop culture.
Resistance may be futile, but this episode has been met with more than its share of it. Mike, Mike, Phantom Troublemaker, the award-winning author Bobby Nash, and Beth Vandusen match wits with Neil Gaiman, Steven Moffat, and Mr. Clever and try to make sense of the penultimate episode of series seven. Perhaps the ESW crew just needs to be upgraded.
Who dunnit? That’s what the ESO crew investigates this week. Mike, Mike, the award-winning author Bobby Nash, new co-host Jennifer, and Van Allen Plexico seek help from some of their favorite detectives. If only ESO had a butler! Also, friends of the station Anthony Taylor and award-winning artist Mark Maddox join us to honor Ray Harryhausen, Steve Charleson previews the upcoming Alabama Phoenix festival, and our new co-host finds herself in The Geek Seat! All this, plus the usual Rants, Raves, Khan Report and Shout Outs!
Hey Atlanteans and all of our Earth Station One listeners! Yours truly, JC De La Torre of Transmissions From Atlantis, has launched a kickstarter campaign for our comic book StarMage.
This is a big day for me. My first book, Archaeology In Fiction, is now available via Amazon in both paperback and Kindle versions. I have taken my popular Archaeology in Fiction discussion which I have presented at various sci-fi and fantasy conventions and transformed it into an in depth discussion of Archaeology as it is depicted in fiction.
White Rocket 023: DragonCon Memories with Keith DeCandido