MORRAND - Thanks for sharing those experiences with us. Your mention of finding that book on the Vikings at the used book store reminded me of the many occasions I've visited used book stores and found similar treasures. I haven't been able to go to any lately, alas; the closest is a "used book corner" at the local library, though that's led to a few treasures. (Last year I found and bought there a small book on gargoyles which even included a couple of pages on the animated series - if with a couple of inaccuracies. for example, it gave the impression that the gargoyles' turning to stone in the daytime was due to the Magus's curse, rather than their regular biology.)

And I've been wondering as well about those advertising bots.
Todd Jensen
posted @ Sun, Feb 25, 2024 2:07:49 pm EST from 174.72.60.154

Weird spam is weird and putting all sorts of hilarious images in my head of how they accomplish the service they are advertising, given the context. Plasma cannons and such.

I took a vacation trip over to the UK about ten years ago, and part of the itinerary I set was to go up and see the Stone of Destiny precisely because of its appearance in "Clan-Building." That was about the most interesting thing about it, honestly: Magnusson's not off in describing it as a "chunk of rock," albeit one with handles and a history. (Another part of the trip was Cardiff, right before a NATO meeting had been scheduled, which led to some interesting interactions. But that is a story for another time.)

On the topic of relevant history books: On a recent visit to a local used book store, a copy of "The Vikings in Britain" by H.R. Loyn popped off the shelf as I was passing by. I can't describe it fairly another way. In a sea of brown books, this book with a very faded red spine just stood out to me, and an "oh, that's interesting" and an outlay of $8 later, it followed me home. I have not had a chance to read it thoroughly yet, but it does cover our most relevant timeframes (954-1100, but also from 798 to 954) and parenthetically discusses the various Scottish kings of the period too. Including their later interrelationship, as it turns out: Loyn tells the story of Sigurd, who, we are told, "built up a powerful hold on Caithness and the Southern Isles, placed a subordinate earl in charge of Man, and married as his second wife a daughter of Malcolm II of Scotland (1005-34)."
morrand - [morrand276 at gmail dot com]
posted @ Sun, Feb 25, 2024 11:26:35 am EST from 99.74.15.252

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posted @ Fri, Feb 23, 2024 1:36:53 am EST from 49.146.190.102

Interesting stuff, Todd! Thanks for sharing.
Matt
"And, thus, given no choice, we waited..." - Alesand, "The Reach"
posted @ Thu, Feb 22, 2024 12:32:59 pm EST from 47.233.90.133

I've just finished reading a history of Scotland I mentioned here before, "Scotland: the Story of a Nation" by Magnus Magnusson. The last chapter included some material on the 1950 theft of the Stone of Destiny from Westminster Abbey and its return to Scotland in 1996, both of which we encountered in the Stone of Destiny story in "Clan-Building", providing much real-world information about them.

The book gave a detailed account of the 1950 theft of the Stone, which made it feel almost like a comedy about a heist going spectacularly wrong (apart from the fact that they did succeed in getting away with the Stone). After reading this, the scene in "Clan-Building" where Macbeth's having to hush the guy who shouted "Scotland forever!" sounded all the more believable. In fact, if the Gargoyles Universe break-in matched the real-world break-in, I have a strong suspicion that Macbeth must have been shaking his head and rolling his eyes at his compatriots' actions.

The account of the Stone's official return to Scotland in 1996 was shorter, but contained with the observation that its return seemed almost anticlimactic; placed alongside the Honours of Scotland (the Scottish crown jewels), to quote the book, it "became just another ordinary and undistinguished chunk of rock" (p. 691). That description of it definitely echoed the ending of the Stone of Destiny story in "Clan-Building" when the true nature of the Stone was revealed. (The book also mentioned that they made an exact replica of the Stone to practice moving it out of Westminster Abbey; looks like Xanatos's copy wasn't the only duplicate around).

At any rate, I highly recommend this book, if you can find it (I bought it in the History section at Barnes and Noble, a few months ago)l it makes great reading for anyone who'd like to know more about the original homeland of the Wyvern clan (not to mention many of the supporting cast).
Todd Jensen
posted @ Wed, Feb 21, 2024 7:09:29 pm EST from 174.72.60.154

It's been so long since I've collected individual issues (getting them on Kindle counts right?) that I had forgotten the anticipation of waiting for each story to conclude.

Still want the physical trade when it gets published though.
Matthew
Ain't nothing crazy 'bout me but my brain!
posted @ Tue, Feb 20, 2024 4:00:16 am EST from 64.85.245.77

Seeing the Kickstarter be such a success totally distracted me from the fact it feels like a while since we've had a new issue of either comic. Two endings and a new beginning all in March huh? Neat.
Kate
posted @ Tue, Feb 20, 2024 1:28:14 am EST from 208.102.156.56

Third ,,, I'm alive and still kicking.
Margaret Stephens - [realdemonamay at gmail dot com]
The real living insane one
posted @ Mon, Feb 19, 2024 11:02:31 pm EST from 72.28.173.155

Second.

Just a couple more weeks until the next issue...
Matt
"And, thus, given no choice, we waited..." - Alesand, "The Reach"
posted @ Mon, Feb 19, 2024 9:25:22 am EST from 47.233.90.133

First. And happy Presidents' Day!
Todd Jensen
posted @ Mon, Feb 19, 2024 7:32:29 am EST from 174.72.60.154