Looking Cool

Yes, someone actually said I looked cool. It must be the fedora/scarf combination. Unfortunately it can add a few years to how old you actually look.

Mike is Getting Lazy

I remember when Mike would play DDR, where his feet would move faster than I ever thought possible. Or Dance Central, moving his entire body with a coordination most dancers would dream about possessing. But nowadays, he just plays a game where all you have to do is hit the "A" button.

The times they are-a-changing.

Equally Excited

Trying something new here. Introducing:

Super Pat Strips!

Mass Effect is currently my favorite game series. When Mass Effect 3 comes out, I won't get much sleep. Cougar Town is my favorite comedy sitcom aside from Community. And I'm equally excited for both.

Video Game Round-Up

In the last post, I mentioned that video games I usually like playing don't really excite me anymore. It's not like I stopped playing video games, but I certainly don't play them as much. Which is interesting, because I'm not exactly sure why. So I thought I'd do a rundown of the games I've played this year, with a 5 point rating system. Because people like to assign numbers to things!

Minecraft: This really is a heck of a game. It's basically Legos with monsters, and flexes the ol' creativity muscles. The only problem I have is the way the multiplayer servers are handled. I think my crowning achievements were the giant twin statues I made. One peed water, the other pooped lava. 5 out of 5.

Catherine: I really wanted to like this game. It's a puzzle game with a role-playing angle. It's not role-playing in the manipulating of stats and skill sets, but in the decisions you make, choosing between two different women. It's cell-shaded anime-style, like Valkyria Chronicles was, so it looks nice. But it's BOOOORRRRING. Sorry, but block puzzles do not hold my interest. They're repetitive and bland looking. The non-puzzle parts were also boring. I don't want to walk around a diner and talk to uninteresting people. The conversations don;t hold my interest like, say, the ones in Mass Effect do. And I couldn't get invested in the story because like a lot of protagonists in animes, the guy you play as is a COMPLETE FUCKING PUTZ. I hate the guy! The way he "accidentally" cheats on his girlfriend is just stupid, and his "uahh"s and "ummm"s that go with his indecisiveness are annoying as all hell. I appreciate game developers trying something different for once, but you have to make it more fun. 2 out of 5.

Portal 2: I demand you to play it. After playing the first one. My only grievance is that my roommate didn't want to play co-op with me, and played with someone else (the jerk), so I still haven't finished the cooperative mode. But that's not the game's fault.   5 out of 5.

Batman: Arkham City: I loved Arkham Asylum. It set the bar high for super-hero games. But something seemed off to me about its' sequel. The first game's story was tight and the game flowed well. The story in the sequel is just as good, but the flow isn't there. I think that's because of the sandbox-style gameplay. The first game I was getting distracted by Riddler trophies, and this game adds on to it with the addition of side-missions. I'm not as invested in the story because of these distractions. But playing as Batman is fun, and the game is still solid. 4 out of 5.

Battlefield 3: I was a huge fan of the original game, and a bigger fan of Battlefield 2. The Bad Company series never really sit well with me, so I was excited to hear the series was going back to its' roots with this one. The single player campaign is boring, so don't bother with it. This game is all about the multiplayer, and it's fun as hell. But the game has a few small but annoying issues, like how easy it is to steal the enemy team's helicopters. Get those ironed out, and the game is perfect. 4 out of 5.

Call of Duty 8: Modern Warfare 3: I wasn't impressed with Modern Warfare 2, with it's way-beyond-stupid-and-nonsensical campaign story and unbalanced multiplayer, but Black Ops came along and showed me I can have fun playing a CoD game again. So I had high hopes for CoD8:MW3. The story still makes NO SENSE, and the campaign is waaay too short, but it was enjoyable. (Except the ending, where, like the last Modern Warfare, it turns into a quick-time event jamboree.) The multiplayer, however, doesn't do it for me. After the exciting and nicely-paced multiplayer of Battlefield 3, CoD8's multiplayer is just frustrating. It's almost too fast. Pretty much it's spawn, run for about 3 seconds, shoot some bullets, die, repeat. I can't enjoy that. I'll stick with Battlefield 3, thank you. 3 out of 5.

X-Men Destiny: This game had a lot of potential. Choose from 3 different original characters, and 3 different mutant powers, and choose to help the X-Men or the Brotherhood. It had a good story too. But unfortunately it was made by Silicon Knights. What do they make? Oh yeah: SHIT. Ever since they made Eternal Darkness for the Gamecube, which is one of my favorite games, they've been phoning it in, heading downhill with each new release. But back to the game. The gameplay is repetitive and the graphics/physics are bad. But I like that they didn't make you play as a known X-Man, and spotlighted lesser known characters like Northstar and Pixie. (BUUUT they gave Pixie a stereotype teenie-bopper American voice instead of a Welsh accent. Do your research, voice director!) And Wolverine is barely in it, and Cyclops gets the bad-ass cutscene! Because of that, 5 out of 5! Naah just kidding. 3 out of 5.

That's all I can think of for now. Agree/Disagree? Lemme know. Till next time.

Getting Back To It

Okay, I've had a few beers so I decided to post again on this neglected blog. First off, sorry for the long delay in..well..everything. You see, I lost my job a few months ago so things haven't exactly been going smoothly. No, I didn't get fired for stealing or running around naked at work. The company I worked for went out of business. I didn't think much of it at first, because I didn't feel too strongly about the job itself. But after a while it was getting to me. Food didn't taste as good as it used to, video games I usually like playing don't excite me anymore, and I realized that I just have too much stuff. I stopped going to the gym because I didn't feel motivated anymore. Even the people around me were getting more intolerable.

Even comics, my usual cheerer-upper, had lost its' luster. My favorite comic line, the DC Universe, decided to reboot itself. Some of my favorite titles were cancelled and replaced with books either telling the same stories I've already read, or featuring characters I don't recognize anymore. Really the only two characters I've found worth reading about that are generally unchanged are Booster Gold and Nightwing. THAT'S IT. And Marvel? I don't know what the hell they think they're doing. Seriously, when comics don't do it for me, I know something is wrong. Obviously, there is no way I can create an episode of Super Pat Quest in such a condition. So that explains that.

Luckily I still had my second job, which eventually became my full-time job. I'm very fortunate to have such generous bosses and co-workers. If I didn't have them I'm not sure where I'd be now. And thinking about that made me realize I need to stop whining so God damn much. There are people out there in much worse situations than me. Who aren't as lucky as I am to have so many great things around me. Great roommates, great friends, great family, and the bestest friend a guy could ever ask for.

So what I'm saying is, I'm sorry I've been neglecting Super Pat Quest, both in video and blog form. I'm in much better shape than I was these past few months, and I'm ready to get back to work. I've been going to the gym again, football season is in full swing, and I'm out there socializing once more. Okay, video games still don't excite me the way they used to, and I cut back drastically on my comics, but I don't see any downside in that at all.

Look for some updates in the next few weeks, where I'll try to explain my problem with video games, talk about football a bit, as well as the status of the next episode of SPQ.

Oh, another thing that helped me these past few months is this video here. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Eve of Destruction Cyclops Custom Action Figure

After making the Super Pat action figure, my interest in making custom action figures had returned. The reason I started all those years ago in the first place was to fill out my Cyclops collection. I would make the figures the toy companies didn't, so eventually I'd have a representation of every costume Cyclops wore in 6 inch scale. I started out with two of them, made a third (that apparently I never posted. I thought I did, but I can't find it) and then I lost interest. Then a couple of years later I made two more, never posted them, then lost interest again. Then a couple more years go by, I make Super Pat, and here I am now, back at it. So for the past month I've been making new customs, to eventually round out my collection. Over the next week or so I'm going to post them here so I can share them. Because it's my blog and I can do whatever I want!

First up is one of those figures I made a few years ago but never posted: "Eve of Destruction" Cyclops

Around 1998 or so Cyclops merged with Apocalypse and effectively "died." In 2001 he came back, and it was clear he had changed since being bonded with an embodiment of evil. To reflect this new darker attitude, he had a new bad-ass costume.

Once I saw this costume I knew I had to try and make it into a figure. It started out as an Ant-Man figure but I replaced the original head with the head of a Gambit figure.

I sculpted the visor and the details on the gloves. I also added some more hair to try and give it that Tom Cruise look he had at the time. I took the straps that came with another Cyclops figure, repainted the red X, and glued them on. I was going to repaint the straps to make it more comic-accurate, but to be honest I liked the way they looked already. A little brown never hurt anybody.

 He only wore this costume for a couple of months, but it's one of my favorites. Looking at it now I could improve on a few things, so I may retry this one at a later date. But I'm happy with it enough to move on to other versions of the character.

Drew affectionately calls him "Flock of Seagulls" Cyclops. It's also worth noting that this is my second attempt at this costume. The first attempt was that figure I mentioned before, the one I thought I posted but apparently never did. I wasn't happy with how that one turned out so I made this one as a replacement.

I hope you're looking forward to more custom Cyclops figures, because I've got 'em! I also added a "Custom Action Figures" tag to the right so you can find all my customs with ease. Until next time!

Super Pat Custom Action Figure

Many years ago I started dabbling into making my own custom action figures. A lot of people (nerds) do it so I thought I'd give it a shot. My first figure was one of my favorite persons: me. After some sculpting and painting, I turned a Mr. Fantastic figure into a spitting image of me. Well maybe not so spitting. It was rough around the edges but I was satisfied enough with it and moved on to making different figures. Eventually I stopped making figures and moved on to other things.

When I pulled Action Pat out of storage for use in the latest episode of Super Pat Quest, I realized just how crummy he was. The joints were loose, the paint was chipping, he couldn't stand up by himself. He got old, just like I did. So I decided to make an update. It wasn't a huge priority or anything, I'd just keep a look out for an opportunity to give Action Pat an upgrade.

Well last week an opportunity presented itself, and I'm proud to reveal the NEW Super Pat Action Figure!!

While walking in a random store I spotted a Tim Hunter action figure with an uncanny likeness to Yours Truly. I thought it would make a perfect head for the new Pat. It even had glasses, which I wear more often nowadays, and it's rare to find an action figure with glasses that isn't Harry Potter. So I popped the head off the figure and put it on Thomas Jane's body. From a Punisher movie figure of course.

Recipe for success... what's with the owl?

Sorry I had to cut your head off, Tom. Anyway under that long black trench coat is basically a guy wearing a t-shirt and pants, so it works as everyday clothing. I sanded down the ammo packs and straps on the legs and repainted everything. I cut pieces off of the trench coat, trimmed it down, and glued a painted rubber band to it to make my trademark jacket. I felt like adding the jacket really made this a Pat figure, not just some nerd in a Punisher t-shirt. I painted over the Punisher symbol though. I haven't worn a Punisher shirt in years.

Yeah I've been working out.

Originally I left the t-shirt black to match the older figure, but I decided to make it gray to add some variety with the black jacket. I didn't paint a thick coat on the pants because I felt the bits of black underneath made it look more like jeans. 

 I've never looked this bad-ass.

I guess I could've kept the original Tim Hunter body because it looks more like my actual posture, but I wanted a more articulated figure. That and the figure couldn't hold stuff with its closed fists.

What about Fifth Column?

 The head sculpt from the Tim Hunter figure was almost too perfect. The hair was similar to mine and the goatee was already there so the only thing I had to do was paint the eyes green. No sculpting needed! 

So will I get back into making custom action figures? Maybe. There are some holes in my Cyclops collection, and if the toy companies won't make them, I guess I have to. Still, I have a lot of things on my plate, including making awesome videos for you guys to enjoy. 

Overall I'm very happy with how Super Pat turned out. Maybe I'll make a Drew figure for him to punch. In the meantime, enjoy the rest of the pictures.

The Blue, the Gold, and the..uhh..Pale?

 Who's next?!?

Thank You, Smallville.

As most of you know, Smallville's series finale was this past Friday. Also as most of you know, I'm a huge fan of Superman. He's my favorite superhero. What? Oh, I see..some of you seem confused. Sure I may rant and rave and have awesome logos designed for the blog about Cyclops, and some others may have heard me babble on about Booster Gold, but to me there was never any doubt about who my favorite superhero is. Only the best.

So when it was announced over ten years ago that there was a TV series in the works depicting the early years of Clark Kent, I was very excited. So I tuned in...for ten seasons. TEN SEASONS! It's remarkable that a TV show can stay on the air for ten years, let alone a show about a comic book character. But it all came to an end on Friday night. So what follows next in this post are my thoughts. I may delve into spoiler territory here so if you haven't seen it and plan on watching it, stop reading now.

...

...


...

GREAT CAESAR'S GHOST IT WAS AMAZING!!!!

::ahem::

Okay now that that's out, I'll be a little more specific. The finale delivered on everything I wanted it to. It was well written, beautifully acted, and just damn made me feel good.

During this final episode, Lois and Clark were due to be married, but both of them began having doubts...until they read each others' vows. The vows were beautiful and pretty much summed up why Lois and Clark belong together. Lana? Lana who?? And because Lois' father couldn't be at the wedding (I guess Michael Ironside was busy), Lois was going to walk herself down the aisle. But Clark wouldn't have that! No, he surprised her at the last second and walked her down the aisle himself. Very touching. Paul, stop calling me a girl.

Also, Clark was having trouble letting go of the past to become the hero he needs to be. But as his mother and the late Jonathan Kent helped him realize, it's the past and all he's learned from it that makes him who he is. If he gives up on it, he misses the point entirely. The scenes with Clark and his father were among the best in the episode. Pa Kent died a few seasons ago, and his presence as a ghost in this episode isn't really explained, but really, it doesn't need to be. He's there to help his son, it's as simple as that.

Oh, and Lex Luthor has returned. He's been dead for the past few years and he was sorely missed. Lex was one of the best parts of Smallville's early seasons and his scenes with Clark really stand out. So when he and Clark were reunited in this finale, it was awesome. It sets up Lex's role in the mythos quite nicely, with one of the best written scenes that's ever been in the show.

The season arc has been about this seemingly unstoppable bad guy (Darkseid for those who care) bringing Apokolips (uhh..Hell) to Earth, "tagging" people who succumb to their dark urges and doubts. Things come to a head, and it's up to Clark to stop it. Before he goes off to fight, the episode delivers one final wonderful scene with Clark and his parents in the barn that he grew up in. He then confronts the bad guy, and during the fight, his Kryptonian father, Jor-El, reminds Clark of all the good he's accomplished. This results in a little trip down memory lane, as they show quick snippets of the best scenes of the entire show. It reminded me of how awesome this show has been over the years. After the flashes to the past, Clark is back in the fight...and he's FLYING. I'd been waiting ten years for this to happen and it was finally happening right before my eyes. Nerdgasm!

This leads to what we've all been waiting for. Clark heads to the Fortress where Jor-El tells him he's proud of his son, and says it may be his Kryptonian heritage that gives him his powers, but it's his time in Smallville, and the upbringing of the Kents, that made him the hero he is. And with that, Jonathan Kent gives Clark the blue and red tights. "Remember Smallville," he says. And Clark takes off, changes into his new suit, to save the day.

He saves Lois (who is on board Air Force One), and has a small moment where they smile at each other through the plane window. Nice touch! Then it's off to stop the big planet that's about to crash into Earth! Oh did I mention? Apokolips is a planet. Anyway, he does, as the whole world watches, bringing hope to all those who have been "tagged" and officially "untagging" them.

We then flash to seven years later, in the Daily Planet. Lois! Jimmy Olsen! Perry White! Clark! GREAT CAESAR'S GHOST! What's that? A bomb in an elevator across town? Clark goes to the roof. Wait, what's that music? Is that...? YES! It's the John Williams theme!!! Nerdgasm again! I'm literally at the edge of my seat at this point. As that fantastic theme plays, as does the last scene in Smallville. And it's what I've always wanted the last scene in Smallville to be. Clark takes off his glasses, runs toward the camera, and rips open his shirt to reveal that all too familiar "S" on his chest.

And that was Smallville's series finale. I've watched it twice now, both times taking in every minute, getting goosebumps, becoming a bit teary-eyed (shut up Paul!), and loving every bit. My ten years of faithfully watching: rewarded.

The series as a whole was pretty good. It changed over the years, starting out as a story about a boy growing up in a small American town, falling for a girl, while coming to terms with the fact that he's not like anyone else. Then it became about a man trying to figure out his place in the world, and over the past few seasons it became a straight-up superhero show. It had its' ups (the Justice League!! YAY!) and downs (Lana posessed by the spirit of a 19th century French witch? What???), but it was satisfying overall. And I'll miss it.

So thank you, Smallville. Thank you for entertaining this comic book nerd for ten wonderful years.

No Need to Fear, Super Pat is (still) Here!

Hey Super Pat Quest-a-ronies! Sorry for the lack of updates again. Not to make excuses, but I've been a little busy with real life stuff. And sometimes I forget that I don't have to post a video to let you guys know what's going on. And with that awesome new logo that Jesse made for me (above!), this blog deserves to be updated more often. With that said...

I plan to update this blog at least once a week, maybe even twice a week, from here on out.

I may have promised this before. Actually, I'm sure I did. But I'm not about to look through the six years of posts to see how many times I actually said I would update more often. By my best guess it's probably around seven...

Anyway!! Look forward to more updates. I'll be talking about several things that's been on my mind lately, from serious stuff to just plain no-one-really-cares stuff. Including updating my comic book pull list on the right there. I've dropped a few titles since then, more on that later.

And as for the next SPQ video, it's planned and in the works. Very little filming has been done so far, but it will be worth it when it's done. Timetable: 3 weeks. Let's get this done!

Super Pat Quest: Episode Nine: One Point Two

The wait is over! In this episode, Phil delivers a brand new theme song for Super Pat Quest! Also, what's Super Pat been up to since the previous episode? And what's this about being mistaken for someone else?



Thanks to everyone for their help (and patience) with this episode. Tell me what you think!

Cooking with Food with Phil: Cooking with Food with Earl

It's Christmas Eve, so hows-a-bout a new holiday-themed episode of Cooking with Food with Phil? You might see a familiar face in this one!



Have a safe and happy holiday everyone! New episode of Super Pat Quest to come REEEAALLL soon!

Episode 8 Post-Game

I'm still not sure what to call these AARs (After Action Report) I type up for these episodes. So I'll throw random names out until one sticks.

Anyway, as I said before, this episode was a lot of fun to make. It made me a little nervous though, trying to align everybody's schedules so all four of us could appear on screen at the same time. But it makes for a great screen-cap. Once again I have to thank everyone involved for their patience. With so many people involved, the likelihood of mistakes increased, and you guys hung in there till we got it right.

The idea of making a new theme came from the constant mocking of my current theme. I originally made it because I wanted something that wasn't licensed or well known, or was something I made myself. Since I don't know how to play a musical instrument, my mouth was all I had. Naturally it was going to be made fun of. So I thought, wouldn't it be great to base an episode around my friends and co-stars making themes for me, with disastrous results?

I think my favorite was Drew's Matlock opening. I used to watch Matlock as a kid and I loved it. Older people had The Andy Griffith Show, I had Matlock. That's who Andy Griffith was to me. I took a lot of care making sure the Super Pat Quest version did justice to the original opening. After it was done, I would play it at least once a day, usually while getting ready for work. And it ends on a beautiful iconic image of myself and my co-stars.

Here's the original, for those who have never seen it:




Matt's theme was really tough to do, because I wanted to pick a zany, off-the-wall song that wasn't known and I could put lyrics to. The bit about the chipotle sauce was true, I tricked Matt into drinking it. Matt did a great job, and he proved that he's a better dancer than me.

Paul's theme was entirely his idea. Following me around with the camera while singing "Chocolate Rain"? Brilliant! And he wrote the lyrics himself too. I'm not linking to the original Chocolate Rain. If you don't know what that is, go find it and you'll be humming it to yourself all damn day.

Finally, Phil. I kept his involvement a surprise and it payed off. Phil is a very talented individual whom I am very happy to work alongside. Putting him in my video feels like having James Franco appear on General Hospital. I look forward to working with him again, and soon!

That's it. Thoughts? Comments? Put 'em down!

Super Pat Quest: Episode Eight: Theme Party

It's business as usual for Super Pat, until his brother Matt stops by with some surprising criticism. How does Super Pat react? Are Paul and Drew here to help? One thing's for sure: Something is gonna change!



This episode was a lot of fun to make. It may be my favorite so far, too. Special thanks to my brother Matt, Paul, and Drew. We all had a hand in writing this one. You guys did an excellent job. You also had a lot of patience while making this video and I appreciate it.

A follow-up post will be posted in a couple days. Until then, watch this one SEVERAL times!

Baltimore Comic-Con 2010

Another year, another comic book convention. It's been said that the Baltimore Comic-Con is the last big convention focused solely on comics, meaning no movie panels, no television panels, no actors, no porn stars. It's just comic books and comic book professionals. For someone like me, that's perfect!

Enter here!

I actually had a different mission this year. The past couple of years I've been perusing the scary, unpredictable world of independent comics. Talented people who love comics that decide to make their own books, selling them to anyone who gives them a chance. It's adventurous, because you really have no idea what you'll find. But this year I decided to bring a list (with various Cyclops, Blue Beetle and Booster Gold related comics). I was going to plunge into the back issue bins searching for those comics that accentuate my collection.

Zombies! Thanks for posing, assholes.

 I woke up early this morning and caught a ride on the Metro. (No way I was driving into the city.) As I approached the Convention Center I noticed a crowd outside the building. This is nothing new, but going inside I saw there was a HUGE line to buy tickets. The biggest I've ever seen here. It brought me immense satisfaction to bypass the line, go to the will-call booth, and pick up my FREE pass. Being a retailer has it's benefits. Walking in, smug happy face.

War Machine

I immediately set off on my search. Found one of them, Uncanny X-Men #45, took it to the cashier at the booth, that'll be $95 WHAT?!? Eheh...nevermind...  This isn't going to be as easy as I thought it would be. I decided it would probably be best to scout the area, see what my options are. While walking around I see a lot of people in costume. It's an awesome sight, but I don't think I'd ever go in costume, always being stopped to pose for pictures with kids and such. But I applaud those who do!

Catwoman and Poison Ivy

As the day went on, I found a lot of what I was looking for. Luckily all of the issues were reasonably priced, some as low as a dollar. I even found a cheaper copy of Uncanny X-Men #45, not as good condition, but I don't need it to be pristine. I circled the floor probably 20 times, each time finding something else to own.  It was around the time I literally bumped into a Gears of War Carmine that I realized...this place is PACKED! The floor was even bigger than last year, more booths more room, but there was definitely more people this time around. This comic convention thing must really be catching on!

Harley! She was adorable, and even did the voice!

After chowing down a soft pretzel I decided to attend the DC Comics panel, and that was cool. Here fans can ask comic creators and editors questions about upcoming books. Here is was announced, after the Senior Story Editor glanced at my Batman Beyond shirt, that there will be an ongoing Batman Beyond series! Because of ME!! (I'm totally taking credit for this one.)

The Riddler

After the panel I decided to go and see my favorite comic book writer/artist, Jeff Parker. I've mentioned him on this blog numerous times, as my long-time readers would know. Jeff is such a nice guy, a true professional all the way, that you can't help but like him. I asked him if he could draw a Cyclops for me, and he was more than happy to. And wouldn't you know it, it turned out great! Thanks Mr. Parker, I look forward to seeing you again!

Cyclops, by Jeff Parker

Jeff wrote and drew a book called The Interman that I highly recommend. I have an unsigned copy I can lend to anyone who is interested.

With awesome drawing in hand and backpack full of back issues I felt my mission complete and walked out satisfied happy face. When I got home I realized the only thing I bought were COMICS (and one superb drawing). Usually I end up with a couple action-figures, some trade paperbacks, maybe a collector glass here or there. Doesn't bother me one bit!

My booty.

Another great year for Baltimore Comic-Con. It's the perfect show for guys like me, without all the distractions of non-comic promotion. I can't wait to go back next year.

Oh and Russ, if you're reading this, this last photo is for you:

Captain America!

Logo My Eggo!

Holy crap! Look! Up there! A NEW LOGO! Where did that come from?? I'll tell you! From my friend Jesse! Thanks, man! It really brings style to this blog. I hope everyone likes it as much as I do.

With that, I think the new look of the blog is complete. I may add something here or there on the side, depending on what I find, or modify a few things once in a while, but yeah.

I've already started work on Episode Eight. It'll be a couple of weeks, but you can't rush genius!

Jesse, we're even.

Up in the Ayer!

Hey guys! I mentioned in the Side-Quest that the cut scene was written by my good friend Matt Ayers. I also mentioned that he's an up-and-coming comedian. Well, he really is! And I've got proof!



If I find more, I'll post them. Thanks Matt!

Super Pat Side-Quest: Runs, Hits, and Ayers

Side-quest? What's that?? A way to show off deleted scenes, of course! Super Pat shows off the original intro to Episode Seven of SPQ.



With Super Pat Side-Quest I can make quicker, not-as-intense videos that don't really qualify as full episodes. I can comment on current events (because I can put it out quickly), or show off deleted scenes. As an added bonus, you get to see more of me more often!! SWEET!

As I mentioned before, the Mass Effect intro from Episode Seven was not the intended intro. The piece written by Matt Ayers was. I didn't think it fit in that episode anywhere, and I didn't really want to use it as the intro to an upcoming episode, because I already have the next few episodes worked out in my head. So thank you Matt Ayers, for everything. Your hard work did not go to waste, it helped introduce the next stage of Super Pat Quest!

Cooking with Food with Phil: Episode Vegetable

This is it! The season finale of my buddy Phil's cooking show! This one is for the Vegans, so Phil brings out a special ingredient for the occasion!



Way to go Phil! It's been an awesome first season, and I look forward to what you cook up for the next. Now where can I find some of that ***** ********?

HOLY CRAP!

Yes, that's right. I changed the look of the blog. I've kept the same design for almost six years. But apparently Blogger updated their software a while ago and I never noticed. This is good! And I don't think I'm done changing things yet, so stay tuned to this website.

Episode Seven Aftermath

Hey guys! I just want to give a few quick updates. First off, thank you everyone who watched Episode 7, and thank you to those who gave me comments, suggestions, and weird looks. It's all appreciated, except the weird looks.

I'm going to make an effort to post more often on this blog, and not just videos. I figure the ones who follow this blog want to know things like the status of the next episode, and where the jokes and references in the videos come from. Not everyone plays the video games I do, let alone play video games, and not everyone watches the same TV programs that I do either.

So I decided to post a handy "guide" of sorts to the episode. I can also post commentary on the video itself. If it works, I'll continue to do it after each episode. Let me know if it's welcomed, or if I should just bugger off.

It goes without saying but obviously be sure to watch the episode first.

So with that said, on to the Aftermath!

The intro to the episode was based off of a video game called Mass Effect, which I talked about very briefly in the video. Mass Effect and it's sequel are two of my favorite games of all time. The conversation I had with Drew was also based on the conversations you have with characters in the game. You can respond in a noble or polite way, or you can be a total asshole, or you can give neutral answers. How people react and view you are based on these actions and responses.



There are also things called interrupts, where you interrupt a conversation with a heroic or despicable action. (The star flashing in the lower right corner while Drew was rambling on was an opportunity to interrupt in a dick move.)

Hopefully that explains the first part.

The scene with Paul was based off of a conversation in a TV show called FlashForward. The show had a big premise, but was mired in execution. In one scene, the main character's boss was confronting him about why he couldn't remember something. The reason was because he was drunk. The scene played out like this:



...without the remix of course. Anyway, "Because I was LOADED, okay?!?" became a line constantly recited around the house.

And New Coke was a flavor Coca Cola came out with in the 80s, and NO ONE liked it. That one is explained for the youngsters.

So that's it for the references. How about fun facts?

The Mass Effect part wasn't originally going to be the intro. I had another intro filmed and ready to go. But then I put together the Mass Effect part and suddenly the original intro didn't fit. I felt that the Mass Effect segment worked MUCH better as an intro, especially with such a long gap between episodes. So I shelved the original intro. But rest assured I'll use it somewhere else. We worked too hard on it for it not to be released.

So how about it? Am I wasting my time writing the "Aftermath" post? Or is it helpful? Please let me know. Comment, tell me in person, whatever. I know no one will comment on here because no one ever DOES. Does anyone even read this??