Guess what I got?

The last thing I need is a new game to get into but ...

when I heard that Wayland was going to have a few copies of the special Joker edition of Knight Model's Batman Miniatures Game rulebook on their stand at Salute, I decided I just had to have one.

I'd passed when they were up for pre-order, most likely because I was overcommitted to kickstarters at the point (who am I kidding, always).

It didn't help that I used to have a T-shirt with the design from the cover. Here's my copy:

Given that I live in the States, retrieving this from Salute would've been terribly difficult without the amazing assistance of my Facebook friend and fellow member of the Tabletop Skirmishers group Andrew Bussey. Thanks again, Andrew, for being such a superb ninja shopper!

I haven't sat down with it in great detail yet, but let me say this is perhaps the most beautiful gaming rulebook I own. (Note: I haven't bought any of the recent wave of slip-covered, gold-foil bedecked rulebooks or codices from anybody. If I'm scared to put it on the table, I don't want it.) The full-page photography and full color throughout make this a pleasure to read. It's a sturdy hardback, too, and I think its price is totally justified.

I also received the limited Red Hood figure, which neither of us expected, but neither of us was going to complain. Here he is:

So I've returned to the Arkham City Limits Facebook group (I'd joined early on but left as I wasn't really doing anything with Batman.) If you're on FB and interested in the Batman Miniature Game, or any supers gaming, really, you need to check it out. It is among the most friendly, resourceful, knowledgeable groups I've had the pleasure of taking part in. It's right up there with A Wyrd Place and the aforementioned Tabletop Skirmishers for quality membership.

I was really going to try and pick and choose very carefully from Knight's releases for this game and only purchase figures of characters I really love -- Harley (Arkham version), Killer Croc (because alligator, obviously), Swamp Thing and Victor Szazs (because asylum lunatics -- I get them for every system I can find). But now I think I'm going to have to get all the Gotham Sirens, some of the various versions of the Joker, and I want to track down the Alfred Pennyworth that came with the Batman cover of the rulebook.

I saw in the new releases they're putting out Joker's Daughter in her New 52 incarnation. Here she is:

But I much prefer the previous version where she was all steampunky and known as Duela Dent. (The new one is Duela, but they haven't revealed her last name, I don't believe.) She's become pretty famous because of the cosplay meme involving someone slagging off the cosplayer and everyone else shouting that person down for not knowing what they were talking about.

But here she is from the comics:

And here's that cosplay meme:

Now, if they'd make a miniature of that version of her, I'd buy them by the truckload. OK, not really, but I'd buy several, most likely. As it stands, it shouldn't be too hard to find one of the many female steampunk figures out now and do a conversion, or maybe just a paint job would be enough, depending on the figure.

Suggestions for figures for Duela Dent's steamy goodness, anyone?

While you think about that, I've got to head home.

Back to the boards, everyone, and I'll see you across the table soon.

Oasis in times of crisis

Hello everyone. In case you hadn't heard, my better half Tracey is back in the hospital. Her numbness and pain levels increased significantly between Saturday and Sunday, and after a disastrous visit to the ER, we finally got her transferred back up to Wellstar Kennestone into the care of her neurosurgeon Dr. Franklin Lin. 

After three days of steroids and observation, it's been determined that she needs another spinal surgery, a decompression of the vertebrae at T10, T11 or T12, or possibly all three. (This is right below the site of her previous decompression, which was just over a year ago.)

So that will be Friday. We don't yet know what time. Prayers and positive energy are appreciated.

In the meantime, today I took take a little time for myself away from the demense of the hospital to visit THE GREATEST GAMING STORE IN THE UNIVERSE. 

Giga-Bites Cafe in Marietta, Ga., is all that and a piña colada smoothie (which is on the menu, y'all.) The store stocks a wide selection of the latest tabletop wargames, board games and card games, as well as having a diverse menu selection at its grill.

On offer are coffees and cappuccinos, smoothies, paninis and desserts. I had the ham and Swiss panini, which includes sautéed onions and Thousand Island dressing. Very savory. I also had a homemade brownie, because stress makes me crave chocolate, but damn if the lemon blueberry scones weren't tempting.

My second favorite thing about the store is the breadth if its selection. They have minis from the largest manufacturers and from smaller boutique studios. Whether you're into sci fi, fantasy, post apocalyptic, weird war or anything in between, they've got you covered. 

Today there was a lot if 40K going on, and some of the many tables showed evidence of their active Magic the Gathering community. They also have a full library of terrain for the gaming tables, representing many different landscapes. 

My favorite thing about the store, though, is its staff. Owner David Finn is a superstar. Now get this: I live three hours away and visit the store once every three to sixth months, but when I walk in, he recognizes me and greets me by name. And I know the store's regulars also benefit from his warmth and generosity of spirit. All the staff shares that openness and attention to the clientele, and that are also detail- and service-oriented. 

Today I was restricting myself to things that would go well with my steampunk warbands for In Her Majesty's Name and Empire of the Dead, so I only bought a couple of Micro Art Studios resin bases. Oh, I forgot to mention the swathes of goodies they have for painting, basing and terrain-making. So, they have swathes of goodies for painting, basing and terrain-making. There. 

And though I was being financially disciplined, given the expenditures endemic to a prolonged hospital stay, I was severely tempted by the Killer Croc figure for Arkham City. If they'd had Harley Quinn in stock, I know I'd have broken protocol and bought her. 

Sorry for the poor quality of the photos, but I was trying to be as unobtrusive as possible as people played. Also, my camera is my iPhone 4. I also apologize that they're all infodumped here at the end. Often I'll start a post in my phone and then finish it up on the laptop before publishing, but yesterday a medtech knocked over a glass of water that infiltrated our laptop's touchpad. Now the thing won't turn on at all. 

The hospital is being very in touch about the situation,and I'm going to drop it off at Best Buy for an estimate tomorrow when I run home to get some fresh clothes and check on our kitty. 

So back to the boards, everyone, and I'll see you across the tables soon!