December 27th, 2010
Café Verführen ran into a few lease problems over the past year (read: trouble getting an appropriate room, due to the shift in hotel), so instead of their usual careful pageantry, the staff scheduled a small panel on Sunday afternoon, a quick chance for them to let their guests take a little peek behind the scenes.
I find it a little bit hard to write about this, a little bit like I might have a hard time talking about Disney’s Backstage Magic tour, or maybe Dining with an Imagineer. On the one hand, as a stubbornly persistent return visitor, I take a certain thrill in knowing the little, less-than-obvious preparations that go into bringing the Café together. On the other, I wonder if a curious newcomer might return next year, knowing that it doesn’t all suddenly crystallize, and for that find it somehow a little less magical.
I did bring along a new friend I met this year, the very pretty Miss Molly mentioned at the page footers for a while now, and she was sufficiently impressed that she says she’d like to visit, if the “leasing issues” get sorted out in time for next year. I’ll send her an invitation to post her thoughts below. Beyond that, though, I’ve thought about it a bit, and just to avoid spoiling things, I think I’m going to avoid telling too much. Let’s just say that I’m still enchanted by what an amazing, beautiful little bit of fan-craft the Café is. Sometimes the most wonderful things are the most fragile, and if the Café comes to an end, I’ll understand…
… but I can’t say I wouldn’t be deeply saddened.
On a happier note, even if we couldn’t actually see the ongoing story play out, it does continue.
February 6th, 2010
Wild Cards, for those of you unfamiliar with it, is a series of shared-universe books where a space-alien germ bomb was set off over New York City on September 15, 1946. The virus, dubbed “Xenovirus Takis-A”, killed 90% of the people it infected (they “draw the Black Queen”). Of the survivors, 90% were horribly mutated (“Jokers”), and the remainder – that lucky 1% – developed superpowers (“Aces”). From there, the world wanders forward in a very roughly-parallel history to our own, with the butterfly effect in full force. For example, McCarthy investigates “dangerous wildcards” instead of “potential Communists”, and, misappropriating something Terry Pratchett said of Discworld, black and white set aside most of their differences so they can gang up on green. They’re very well-written, grown-up superhero stories, and I’m a huge fan (warning: the books are streaked with violence, sex, politics, and moral greys, and even longstanding favorite characters can and do die).
Aside from a hiatus in the late 90s, the series has been going on for a good twenty-odd years now, and a lot of very big science-fiction/fantasy names have taken part (George R. R. Martin edits, which should say something). Somehow I missed the release of the latest volume, Suicide Kings, back in December, but I got a chance to correct that this Monday. It was a good read, in that way that only a favorite, familiar series can be, though I have to admit that the older books felt more immersive. Unfortunately some of those (and even the reprints) have gotten disturbingly expensive, but the new trilogy (Inside Straight, Busted Flush, and Suicide Kings) is still in print. I’ll be happy to offer some good starting points if anyone is interested.
Also, while I’m pretty sure she isn’t playing Chrysalis, this cosplayer takes “anatomically pretty” to a whole new level. It must’ve taken hours to get ready.
It’s been a long and slightly painful week and I’ve drifting in and out of sleep for a couple hours now (hence the post-midnight update), but I have most of tomorrow (today?) set aside for writing. We’ll see how that goes.
