This bloody follow-up to a 2007 video game finds the two escaped inmates marked for death after tangling with the fearsome criminal gang The7. The contract on their lives cuts short Kane’s reunion with his estranged daughter and makes it harder for psychopathic Lynch to stay on his diet of self-prescribed pills. To shake the hit men, Kane and Lynch enter into an elaborate scheme pitting The7’s consigliere against a villain known as the Butcher of Bosnia. Writer Edginton (Victorian Undead) turns in a script that reads like a decent action movie—and Kane and Lynch are way more villainous than your typical antiheroes, leading to some funny, four-lettered exchanges. Mitten’s (Wasteland) art works best in the frenetic action scenes but doesn’t live up to the promise of Ben Templesmith’s (30 Days of Night) covers.

Verdict: First published over six issues last year, this is an interstitial work filling in some details between the original game and its 2010 sequel. Though enjoyable, it’s a nonessential title. Most libraries can skip it. If you’re looking for convoluted crime stories with gory gunplay, you’re better off picking up 100 Bullets: The Deluxe Edition.

[Xpress Reviews—First Look at New Books, December 9, 2011]



View all my reviews

Crap. Wikipedia is telling me that the Fall equinox is September 23rd. I don’t even know what an equinox is. Something to do with horses?

Fine the Fall release I’m most looking forward to is Batman: Arkham City. Actually this is pretty true. I loved the first game and I’ve been picking up the Paul Dini/Carlos D’anda miniseries (which is good). So that feels like a safe choice.

Now, I don’t have this preordered—unlike Deus Ex: Human Revolution and Skyrim—and I don’t think I’m going for the collector’s edition—unlike the Augmented Edition and the Collector’s Edition of the above titles. I already have Gotham Knight on DVD and I’m pretty sure I don’t need a Batman statue.

Actually I’m only 30% sure I don’t need a Batman statue.

You know what I do need? Batman: Year One (DVD).

Hmmm . . . maybe I’ll make my own Collector’s Edition.
_________________

This post was part of Gamer Banter, a monthly video game discussion coordinated by Terry at Game Couch. If you’re interested in being part of this, please email him for details.

Other takes:
Silvercublogger
Gunthera1-Gamer
Zath

Sentinels of the Multiverse
Card Game
Publisher: Greater Than Games
Players: 2-5
Play Time: 30-60 minutes
Ages: 8+

Sentinels of the Multiverse is a cooperative card game for 2-5 players set in the fictitious universe of the equally fictitious Sentinel Comics. Comic book fans will recognize tropes and archetypes, but – in terms of world building – there’s a nice blend of borrowed and original material here. With character cards that look like comic book covers and flavor text quoting from invented issues, it’s easy to believe you’re playing a licensed product.

To its credit, this first game from the startup Greater Than Games is fast, fun and easy to learn. Most modern games have me running to BoardGameGeek to figure out the right way to play – and that’s after studying exhaustive, overwritten manuals. The gameplay in SotM is streamlined – events in a round are clearly spelled out and it was rare that I needed to consult the manual to figure something out.

The players choose their characters, pick the villain and decide where the battle will take place. With 10 heroes, 4 villains and 4 environments (578 cards in all), there’s already great variety even before possible expansion sets. Then the game begins: the villain plays a card, the players play their card and then the environment plays a card.

In our game, Baron Blade was quick to summon his minions and use tech against us. The Mighty Ra countered with fire blasts to take out the henchmen, the Indestructible Bunker used his Omni-Cannon to do massive damage against the Baron while the Inhuman Tempest addressed environmental dangers (velociraptors and lava) with flash floods. The cooperative nature really came through and led to us role playing our characters.

Some additional elements really make SotM standout: if a character falls in battle, the player can keep playing by using incapacitated abilities to strengthen other characters; villains take on second forms, example: Omnitron flips between being a robot factory and a renegade robot itself; and there’s a nemesis mechanic which takes place when a hero meets their archenemy.

If you’re looking for an exciting card game, I strongly recommend Sentinels of the Multiverse. It’s fast paced, challenging without being convoluted and the depth of backstory along with high quality card art will have you convinced you’ve discovered a new line of comic books.

“Hi Annie! Hi Annie! Hi Annie! Do you get it? That’s Anakin Skywalker!” says the guy pointing at Darth Vader’s costume. This isn’t a conversation I want to have, so I duck into another gallery and stare at N. C. Wyeth’s Robin Hood for ten minutes.

I’m at the Norton Museum of Art for Out of this World: Extraordinary Costumes from Film and Television which runs until September 4, 2011 before moving on. It’s a mixture of costumes and props famous science fiction television shows and movies like Blade Runner, Star Trek and Batman. Kind of like a traveling Planet Hollywood, except you’re not hovering over someone’s dinner while looking at the Terminator 2 leather jacket.

As a geek, it’s an odd combination of feelings — being in the presence of sci-fi artifacts while also seeing how well they actually stack up. Dr. Eldon Tyrell’s white bathrobe is intricately detailed, but Vader’s chest panel looks roughshod – though it does have Aurebesh lettering (which you can’t spot in the movies). The Batsuit from Batman & Robin is all about the nipples, but The Riddler suit from Batman Forever is an amazing piece of work. And Jeri Ryan is either very petite or her Seven of Nine costume is stretchier than it looks.

With thirty-something costumes, plus props like Luke’s hand and a Klingon D7 battle cruiser, Out of this World is definitely an exhibit worth catching. Just expect random people to come up to you and tell you about Harrison Ford’s dysentery and why Ghostbusters 3 will never happen.

Halos and Avatars
Author: Craig Detweiler
Publisher: Westminster John Knox Press
Released: Feb 2010
208 pages (229 with notes)

Introduction

Last time you heard from me, I told you that Philosophy through Video Games was a good effort and a nice try, but recommended you wait to buy it till the second edition comes out. This time, rather than talking about games and philosophy, however, I’m going to branch out and talk about games and religion.

“Why games and religion?” you ask. Well, my friend, you may recall that there have traditionally been two great enemies of video games in the US: politicians and religious parents. Specifically, Christian parents. Specifically, conservative Christian parents. Halos and Avatars is an attempt to convince concerned Christian parents that video games really aren’t that bad after all. And, perhaps more ambitiously, it’s an attempt to develop a new field: the theology of video games.

(Actually, I don’t know which of those is more ambitious. I’ll leave that to you to decide.)

Now, don’t get me wrong. I love Christian parents, and I think it makes every bit of sense that they tend to be concerned. (I think politicians should keep their noses out of it, but parents have the right at least to pay attention to what their children are up to.) But I also like video games, and thus I was happy to be asked to review a book that tries to show just how theologically meaningful such games can be.

The book consists of twelve chapters, contributed by different authors, along with an introduction and conclusion by the editor (Craig Detweiler), and an appendix. The contributions—let me warn you ahead of time—range from highly-intriguing to head-deskingly-awful.

Now, if you remember from last time, I’m an academic, and that means I do book reviews a little differently from normal people. If you get bored by my loquacity (I think that’s a word), feel free to skip ahead by using the handy li’l links at the end of each (sub)section. Just be warned: you might miss something amusing in the process. You never know.

[ Intro | Content | _{Intro - 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10 - 11 -12 - Conclusion - Appendix} | Evaluation ]

Content

Introduction

The Introduction, by Craig Detweiler, presents the goals of the book, and the world of video games. It simultaneously tries to show that video games are good (not evil), interesting (not irrelevant), and theological (not debasing). This is a bit much to attempt in what amounts to a single chapter.

At times, during the Introduction, it feels like theology is irrelevant, and sociology/philosophy is the main issue. Then the (decidedly Christian) theology will suddenly reappear.

The Introduction ends with an overview of the coming chapters, as any good introduction should.

[ Intro | Content | _{Intro - 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10 - 11 -12 - Conclusion - Appendix} | Evaluation ]

Chapter 1

“From Tekken to Kill Bill: The Future of Narrative Storytelling?” (by Christ Hansen), argues that movies are on the wane and video games are on the rise. It indicates certain possible implications of this shift, arguing that it might lead people to be more tolerant, and Christians to be less Calvinist (about predestination and free will).

[ Intro | Content | _{Intro - 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10 - 11 -12 - Conclusion - Appendix} | Evaluation ]

Chapter 2

“Ultima IV: Stimulating the Religious Quest” (by Mark Hayse) is an ode to the educational genius of Ultima VI. It argues that moral lessons are best taught in an implicit, rather than explicit fashion, and critiques Left Behind: Eternal Forces for being too in-your-face about its message.

[ Intro | Content | _{Intro - 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10 - 11 -12 - Conclusion - Appendix} | Evaluation ]

Chapter 3

“The Play Is the Thing: Interactivity from Bible Fights to Passions of the Christ” (by Rachel Wagner) is a mind-boggling piece whose inclusion I can only explain as being due to an editorial oversight on Detweiler’s part. It argues that video games encourage a Gnostic approach to religion. The author, Rachel Wagner, clearly thinks this is a good thing.

Feel free to research Gnosticism when you get a free moment (hint: it’s one of the Big Heresies from early Christianity), and then come back and tell me whether being told that video games encourage Gnosticism is going to help Christian parents feel more comfortable about video games.

If you take the chapter seriously, it tells you that you cannot mix God and games because games are heretically evil. If you take it as an exercise in scholarly irony, it’s a critique of Christian orthodoxy in favor of video games. In neither case does it make sense that Detweiler included this essay in his book for Christian parents.

[ Intro | Content | _{Intro - 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10 - 11 -12 - Conclusion - Appendix} | Evaluation ]

Chapter 4

“Islamogaming: Digital Dignity via Alternative Storytelling” (by Heidi Campbell) is a review of the ways in which some Muslims have reacted to (and designed) video games. It argues that there are usually three responses of religious groups to “new media technologies”—”acceptance and appropriation, rejection and resistance, or reconstruction and innovation”—and says that recent games designed by and for Muslims are evidence of the first and third responses (p. 73).

[ Intro | Content | _{Intro - 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10 - 11 -12 - Conclusion - Appendix} | Evaluation ]

Chapter 5

“Wii Are Inspirited: The Transformation of Home Video Gaming Consoles (and Us)” (by Kutter Callaway) is a celebration of “embodiment” (a buzzword in contemporary philosophy and theology). Where philosophy traditionally emphasized the intellect, many current philosophers and theologians are emphasizing the body (see pp. 83–84). (I can’t decide whether this is much-needed balance, or a reactionary swing.)

The popularity of the Wii, the chapter argues, is due to God’s Spirit moving through our culture, causing people to yearn for a more holistic experience (pp. 84–86).

[ Intro | Content | _{Intro - 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10 - 11 -12 - Conclusion - Appendix} | Evaluation ]

Chapter 6

“Myst and Halo: A Conversation with Rand Miller and Marty O’Donnell” (by Lisa Swain and Craig Detweiler) is an interview with the co-creator of Myst and the co-composer of Halo‘s soundtrack. It’s actually a very interesting conversation, and the only support I saw for the cover’s claim that Halos and Avatars “includes behind-the-scenes interviews about Myst, Riven, and Halo.”

[ Intro | Content | _{Intro - 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10 - 11 -12 - Conclusion - Appendix} | Evaluation ]

Chapter 7

“Madden Rules: Sports and the Future of Competitive Video Games” (by Matthew Kitchen) argues that sports video games are actual sports (and discusses the question of whether video games encourage an unhealthy kind of competitiveness). I found it exasperating.

[ Intro | Content | _{Intro - 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10 - 11 -12 - Conclusion - Appendix} | Evaluation ]

Chapter 8

“Poets, Posers, and Guitar Heroes: Virtual Art for a Virtual Age” (by Andrew McAlpine) is a chapter-length argument that video games—specifically Guitar Hero—are a waste of time because they not only do not involve the player in genuine aesthetic experience (e.g., creating real art), but encourage self-centeredness.

But ultimately it [Guitar Hero] has nothing to offer but diversion, a way to forget who we are for a little while and play pretend. We have to remember that we’ve been offered so much more; our World 2.0 is wired for communication and expression. (p. 134)

This is another chapter that won’t convince Christian parents to let their children play video games—in direct contradiction to the book’s mission. Once again, I can make no sense out of Detweiler’s having included it.

[ Intro | Content | _{Intro - 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10 - 11 -12 - Conclusion - Appendix} | Evaluation ]

Chapter 9

“BioShock to the System: Smart Choices in Video Games” (by Kevin Newgren) argues that “if games are strong enough to do harm, they can also do good. They have great potential for creating a meaningful and moving experience for participants” (p. 136). The chapter involves a discussion of what makes for good stories. It also repeats, in essence, the analysis of chapter 2. “In Left Behind, knowledge is imparted, while in BioShock the learning is lived” (p. 144).

[ Intro | Content | _{Intro - 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10 - 11 -12 - Conclusion - Appendix} | Evaluation ]

Chapter 10

“‘Till Disconnection Do We Part: The Initiation and Wedding Rite in Second Life” (by Jason Shim) argues “that wedding rites performed in Second Life can be as real and meaningful as those enacted in one’s First Life.” In fact, “wedding rites enacted on Second Life may even be more real, as they encourage a serious reflection on the process of marrying and require the conscious construction of the ceremony” (p. 150).

Needless to say, this is a pretty strong claim, but the chapter’s argument in support of it is unfortunately weak.

This chapter contains another two rather glaring instances of editorial inattention. First, it refers to “J.L. Austin’s Speech Act Theory.” No such book exists (that I can find, anyway).

Second, the chapter claims that “Infidelity, like the wedding rite, is a social construction” (p. 161). In other words, what it means to be unfaithful to your spouse, and hence what it means to be faithful to your spouse, is not something determined by God (who Christians believe created marriage in the first place). Rather, it is something determined by the society you happen to live in.

Show me the concerned Christian parent who will be comfortable with the claim societies just make marriage up as they go along, and I’ll show you a flying pig.

[ Intro | Content | _{Intro - 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10 - 11 -12 - Conclusion - Appendix} | Evaluation ]

Chapter 11

“Role Playing” (by Daniel White Hodge) makes an intriguing argument. “By engaging in narrative, gamers are able to experience God in an entire new dimension and are allowed to find God on their own terms within that story—not within the confines of a prepackaged salvation formula. Gaming narratives can become a form of hermeneutic to interpret and analyze Scripture within community” (165). And, “At their best, video games can become a lens through which participants see life” (166).

However, the chapter is an editorial epic fail. Examine the following quotations with me.

When playing games, it is only natural to get emotional and want to win the game while playing, yet this goes deeper than a mere in-the-moment excitement. (p. 166)

This is the kind of sentence that freshmen in college write. Either drop the initial clause (“When playing games”) or drop the “while gaming” clause. You don’t need both. It’s an editor’s job to catch such mistakes.

For gamers, the emotions behind games are just as real as the game itself, and are not to be ignored. (p. 166)

This implies that the “emotions behind games” are not real at all, since video games are, by definition, unreal. Semantic ambiguities like this are also the kind of thing an editor should catch.

Apocalyptic games never depict the end of the world as a pleasant picture. (p. 167)

(a) Apocalyptic games “depict the end of the world as [an un]pleasant picture.” (b) To depict something is to paint a picture of it (whether literally or metaphorically). (c) To depict something as a picture, therefore, would be to paint a picture of a picture. So, (d) apocalyptic games paint a picture of an unpleasant picture. (e) What is that unpleasant picture? It is the end of the world. So, (f) the end of the world is a picture, of which apocalyptic games paint a picture. But (g) of what could the end of the world be a picture?

“Protoevangelium is considered by many scholars to mean ‘the first gospel’.”(p. 169)

This implies that there is a difference of opinion amongst the scholars on this issue. There can’t be, however, as we can see from a basic etymology of the word:

“Proto” means the same as “original” or “first” (as in prototype). “Evangelium” has two parts: (a) “ev” (from the Greek prefix “eu-”), which is a prefix that means the same as “good,” and (b) “angelium,” which means the same as “news” or “message” (cf. “angel,” which means the same as “messenger”). Thus, “evangelium” means the same as “good news” or “gospel” (since “gospel” means the same as “good news”).

What else, therefore, could protoevangelium mean other than “first” or “original gospel”?

These are all errors that an editor is supposed to catch, especially because their presence distracts from the message of the text.

[ Intro | Content | _{Intro - 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10 - 11 -12 - Conclusion - Appendix} | Evaluation ]

Chapter 12

“Cybersociality: Connecting Fun to the Play of God” (by John W. Morehead) is intriguing but vague.

[T]he experience of play in video games and digital cultures can be considered as a form of spiritual experience and a hint of transcendence as the player steps out of the real world of time and into the sacred space and time of the play environment. (p. 181)

That about sums it up.

But consider another editing mistake:

With these three ideas in place, they can be considered in application to video games and digital cultures. (p. 186)

This is a freshmen-level syntax blunder that has no place in a published book. It should read something like, “Now that these three ideas are in place, we can consider them in application to video games and digital cultures.”

[ Intro | Content | _{Intro - 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10 - 11 -12 - Conclusion - Appendix} | Evaluation ]

Conclusion

“Born to Play” (by Craig Detweiler) offers some brief gestures in a few directions, without much development. Though tantalizing, it’s not clear to me why it was included.

[ Intro | Content | _{Intro - 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10 - 11 -12 - Conclusion - Appendix} | Evaluation ]

Appendix

“Beyond ‘Turn that Thing Off!’: Elevating the Gaming Conversation between Parents and Kids” (by Kara Powell and Brad M. Griffin) might actually be a helpful discussion for parents who are seeking to deal with their children’s gaming activities. That it was relegated to an appendix is another example of poor editing.

[ Intro | Content | _{Intro - 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10 - 11 -12 - Conclusion - Appendix} | Evaluation ]

Evaluation

Craig Detweiler is to be congratulated for having a noble vision: explore what is good and inspiring about video games, in relation to Christian theology, so as to help Christian parents both understand and appreciate the games their children play. I’m glad he had the idea and tried to realize it.

However, the actual execution of his idea was a disaster.

My suggestion, therefore, would be as follows. Do not buy Halos and Avatars unless:

1. you are an editor who needs to convince your boss that when you do your job right, it actually makes a huge difference, or
2. you are doing a survey of the use of “narratology” (the study of the story side of games) and “ludology” (the study of the “game-play” side of games) in 21st century video game analysis. (These two concepts show up multiple times throughout the book.)

A few of the chapters (e.g., Detweiler’s Introduction, chapters 1, 2, and 4, and the Appendix) show great promise, especially if developed further. The whole, however, is unfortunately incoherent and ultimately a waste.

What I would like to see is Detweiler take his Introduction and expand it into a monograph-length work. He has enough material in the Introduction—and he presents it with such enthusiasm—that I think it would be well worth doing. If he did, I would definitely want to give the book a read.

[ Intro | Content | _{Intro - 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10 - 11 -12 - Conclusion - Appendix} | Evaluation ]

I love this because, not only do I recognize a bunch of these games, they’re also ones I really loved: The Movie Monster Game (damn, I miss Epyx), Axe of Rage, Death Wish 3 and more.

Guinness World Records 2011: Gamer’s Edition
Publisher: BradyGames
Released: Jan 2011

This is an example of the variety found in Guinness World Records’ latest collection of video game records.

Having spent over a hundred hours playing Fallout 3, I have to imagine error1 missed the point of the game, but more power to him for exploiting glitches to do his speed run. I wish I had made the numerous glitches work for me.

Aside from trying to be too 1337, Guinness has put together a great volume and its wealth of current information makes a great case for this being an annual product. The book is divided into genre subdivisions, and they’re smart and thorough. Shooting, for example, is subdivided into First Person, Third Person, 2D Shooters, Online Shooters and Light Guns. Each major subdivision highlights a “Critical Hit” game which exemplifies the field, like Madden NFL for Sports.

There’s a mostly modern spin, but classic systems are referenced and there’s plenty of love shown to arcade games. With nods to Farmville (the most popular Facebook game whose most expensive item is a 5,000,000 farm coin/$2835 mansion), Minecraft (among the Best of PC Games), and the iPad (the first 3D iPad game is Flight Control HD), the book isn’t showing any lag.

Guinness adds extra value by sprinkling trivia throughout the volume and placing uncredited quotes at the bottom of each page which will have you flipping to the back of the book to prove you guessed the character and game correctly.

Finally, Guinness pulls in many lists like the Twin Galaxies scoreboards, Top 50 Game Characters, Best of E3, Golden Joystick and other bests of 2010.

Next year I’m looking forward to seeing if someone has unseated Halo 3’s $55 million budget as the Most Expensive FPS Videogame Ever Produced.

And if you think you can Set a Record, hit up the official site.

When I say I beat a game, I mean that I completed its story mode. However, being completely done with a game is another story.

I’m playing Donkey Kong Country Returns right now and – I can already tell – when I pummel the final boss, I’ll be done with the game. This has nothing to do with how much I like the game (a lot) and everything to do with my self-acknowledged inability to find every hidden puzzle piece or K-O-N-G letter.

But I don’t play a lot of platformers. I spend more time with shooters (currently playing Aliens vs Predator) and, after I beat the game, I go back to mop up some achievements – mostly the low hanging fruit. Sometimes, I’ll even replay the game at a higher difficulty level for frustration’s sake.

RPGs are another story. In that case, after I beat the story mode, I go back and explore other paths, try out different character builds and then hit the DLC. I think Mass Effect 3 will launch before I’m completely done with ME2 and I haven’t touched Dragon Age 2 yet, because there’s a witch that must be hunted.

_________________

This post was part of Gamer Banter, a monthly video game discussion coordinated by Terry at Game Couch. If you’re interested in being part of this, please email him for details.

Other takes:

Yuki-Pedia: The Curious Case of the Never-Ending Backlog

Zath: When Do You Know That You’ve Completed A Game?

Gunthera1-gamer: I have never completed a current generation game

Silvercublogger: What Do You Mean By Gamer Banter

The Game Fanatics: Gamer Banter: To Beat a Game

SnipingMizzy: Is it over yet?

Game Couch: The End?

OXCGN: When Is A Game Truly ‘Finished’ For You?

Despite all that, I got it solely for the Gold Key series.

The Gold Key series ran from 1967 to 1979 and it’s amazingly weird. The creators are said to have never watched the show and — based on the results — it’s not hard to discount that as an internet rumor. To their credit, later issues seem more in line with the original series, but there’s still plenty of WTFery to be seen.

So here goes . . .

The 5 Weirdest Moments in Gold Key Star Trek

5. Genocide!

The Enterprise. Its five-year mission: to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and burn it to hell! This gem from issue 1 “The Planet of No Return” pits the Enterprise against evil vegetation. The mere chance that spores from planet might spread and threaten other life on other planets leads Spock to the only course of action: Total Destruction! As Captain Kirk says in this issue, “Suffering Solar Showers!”

4. Down Periscope!

Issue 1 introduced the Enterprise’s TV scanner so why not have an Infra-Red Periscope in issue 2 “The Devil’s Isle of Space”? Between fire-spouting nacelles and glassed-in Teleportation Chambers, Gold Key’s Enterprise is a nitpicker’s dream. I still would have liked it if the headphones-wearing Ensign just asked Kirk why he didn’t use the viewscreen.

3. The Mummy!

Actually I’m not sure how weird this is. The television show featured an interstellar Abe Lincoln after all. Maybe the weird thing here is that Gold Key thought of issue 21′s “The Mummies of Heitius VII” and somehow Gene Roddenberry didn’t.

2. The Dark Crystal!

One of the things I really like about Gold Key, oddities aside, is that they didn’t have the budgetary limitations the show had — anything Gold Key’s writers could imagine could be adapted to 4-color page. Here in issue 34′s “The Psychocrystals” the Enterprise crew discovers beings made from solid crystals — a completely new type of life — which inexplicably dress like Indians out of TV Western.

1. Voodoo Science!

“Weird, Deep Space, Voodoo” has to be the worst diagnosis ever. Issue 7 brings the Enterprise to a Voodoo-based civilization which threatens the Earth itself! Luckily Spock knows how to whip up some Vulcan voodoo! Armed with magic potions and a voodoo doll, Kirk and Spock are ready to take on “The Voodoo Planet!”