Waste of Time Awards - Best in Show

We've reached the final day of the awards, and that can mean only one thing - I'm out of tiny award statues with clocks on the top and I have to stiff the winner today.

I won't waste a lot of words introducing this one. As it is, the winner has already devoured a good chunk of my time in 2010. Hopefully, in 2011, I might be able to find more time to do actual productive things.

With how awesome "Monster Hunter Tri" is, though, it's not looking good.

Rather than reuse the same red curtain award backdrop I've been using the past three days, I thought I'd mix it up and just make an original comic based on the winner. So this is what you get. If it's not quite as epic as you think it should be, I suggest imagining a hardcore guitar solo playing in the second panel.

And with that, we wrap up a successful year of awards and a great 2010. Congratulations to the winners. (All both of them.)

But in letting go of the old, we also look forward to the new. Among them are two major events happening right on this blog (or linked to it by this blog, at least - we'll see) next week. On Monday, I plan to unveil the first installment of "Ascension: Origins" - "Cold Eyes." You'll also get your very first look at this site's big brother - "The Nerd Empire."

While I can't get into too many details right now, I can assure you that The Nerd Empire will be your one-stop shop for all things nerd. I'll also be expanding my staff to include new writers. And, by the way, if that's something that interests you, get in touch with me.

In any case, I'm literally so excited I could squeal, but that would be embarrassing, so I won't.

Waste of Time Awards - Video Games

This award is only a day or so old now and we're already beginning with a shocking result - "World of Warcraft" did not win in the Video Games Category.

So who could have put up better numbers? Well, it was none other than the Wii's "Monster Hunter Tri." With 182 hours - more than a week's worth of continuous play, or 2% of all my time in 2010 - it was the Winner of Biggest Waste of Time in Video Games!

To accept this award will be Reia, the character I play:

This game got some big numbers with an early year release. But that's not all that carried it. It was a mix of fun and frustratingly hard gameplay that forced me to replay encounters again and again until I won.

And it was this same frustration that had me coming back to old encounters with better equipment just to kill the monsters again out of spite. I'll give Capcom credit for making the most infuriating game in exactly the right ways to be a replay goldmine. The difficulty was always exactly enough to keep me interested but never quite enough to remove the game disc and pump two rounds into it execution-style.

And, for those interested, here's how the contender's did.

2. "World of Warcraft" (PC) - A respectable 92 hours. Of course, many will point out that it may have won if "Cataclysm" were released earlier in the year. But winners don't need excuses to win - it's what separates the games that nibble on my free time and those that devour it.

3. "Super Smash Bros. Brawl" (Wii) - An impressive 84 hours - almost enough for the number two slot. Once again, lots of replay options gave both myself and Jess lots of reasons to come back to the ring. Sadly, we stopped once the only trophies left to win involved beating impossible challenges with 600 different characters...

4. "Katamari Damacy" (PS2) - A baffling 61 hours. This quirky game about rolling a sticky ball over objects to making an even larger ball somehow got played for over two full days. This is all the more surprising, given that the game's soundtrack is like the elevator music in Hell.

5. "Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn" (Wii) - Rounding out the top five, this game ate up 42 hours. This fun tactical RPG is probably one of the best (and only) on the Wii. Assuming I have a yen to play the super-bonus second play through with the secret ending, it might get a slot on this list next year.

How do you think this list matches up with your own? Please do tell. I'm guessing those with actual next-generation systems may have had varying mileage.

Stay tuned - up Wednesday is the "Film and Television Category."

Monster Hunter - Resolutions

(Note: As Deviljho is enormous and very detailed, the picture had to be exceptionally large for this post.)

As the pictures are quite large already, I'll keep this fairly short.

Once again, it's a New Year. For many of us, that means making resolutions. For most of those people, it also means failing them.

But that's not my point today, so I won't digress.

Unlike people, video game characters are incapable of change. This means that whether they want to shed a little holiday weight, cut down on the gambling or just try something new everyday, they have to stay the same. To help, I've decided to write their resolutions for them.

Link (Legend of Zelda):
Consider a new wardrobe. And not just different colors. I mean, like, something non-tunic. I'd address the hoarding and thievery, but one step at a time, I suppose.

Kirby:
Eat less. Or throw up less. I'm willing to settle for either.

Sonic the Hedgehog:
It would probably be cute if I said something about slowing down and enjoying life, but really, I'd just like him to stop starring in games that suck.

All Cat People with Irritating Voices:
Die.

Cloud Strife (Final Fantasy VII):
Stop being such a wishy washy crybaby. Seriously. How can someone who carries such an enormous sword whine so much about having to fight?

Well, I think that pretty well covers it. As I was aiming at keeping this post short, I'll stop here. As I've also forgotten a few hundred video game characters, I might also come back to this in another column.

In other site news, I'll soon be adding a dedicated "Monster Hunter" section for their own comics. I've also received requests for a "Dorktionary" to clarify confusing nerd terms. As I didn't come up with the name for that and am furious that someone else gave me the idea, I'll say no more on it for now.

In other, other news, you might be amused if you check the staff page and read the adjusted titles under each of the staff member's names.

Monster Hunter - Christmas Wishes

(Note: No, there's nothing wrong with your eyes. The comics actually look different. They may seem more hand-drawn, which would be ideal, as they now are.

Or...there's something wrong with your eyes, in addition to this new change.)

By now, I'm sure everyone is basking in their hauls from Christmas. That is, assuming, you happen to celebrate this particular holiday. Or, at least, your friends do, and give you gifts against your will.

As a nerd, I've always found this to be a somewhat difficult holiday. Since most of my gifts are either obscure or related to confusing technology, I can't always expect others to get me the right things. Asking for a laptop with particular specifications is kind of like speaking to people in Korean.

Luckily, my girlfriend is fluent in nerdish - not only does she understand what I want, she can also explain it to her parents.

I won't bore you with my entire gift list, but I was very happy with everything I got. "Cataclysm," obviously, was awesome. I also got a lot of tasty treats. And, most importantly for the site, we also got a very high-quality scanner/printer so I can publish better and faster blog posts. Though, if I'm not mistaken, that gift might have been for Jess, and I just kind of stole it already.

...I'll have to look into that.

More on-topic, I was commissioned - or rather, asked nicely - to do a "Monster Hunter" Christmas comic. As I draw very little else, it seemed like a good idea. But I still get to seem generous, okay?

The comic does bring up valid questions. Assuming monsters were good, what would they be asking for? I'd imagine they'd have some interesting wish lists - in addition to the more obvious wish that random people stop killing them.

Great Jaggis would probably like some earplugs to block out the constant screeching from their entourage. Royal Ludroth might consider a turtleneck. Caedeus could use a beard-grooming kit. Gigginox, well, I really have no idea.

Hunters, clearly, don't need Christmas gifts - they just carve them off monsters.

Monster Hunter: Cha-Cha Accessories

Have you ever heard of being alone in a crowded room? In my case, it's often being alone in a room full of millions of people. And I wouldn't have it any other way.

I'm a bit notorious when it comes to my solo gaming habits. Though many games have online multi-player modes to enjoy, I generally prefer the offline version. In fact, even in games that have only an online version - such as "World of Warcraft" - I find it irritating to bump into other people.

By no means am I antisocial. But after five years of college and endless group work projects, along with a team-based work environment and a committed relationship, I've come to appreciate a little solitude here and there. It's not that I don't enjoy playing games with other people. For me, it's just a lot easier to unwind when the only person I can let down is myself.

In the case of "Monster Hunter Tri," I'm secretly convinced that I suck - a fact that the offline mode is much less likely to notice than a living, breathing person.

Ironically, there are people who are the exact opposite of me. They love the online multi-player. They love it so much, in fact, that they have things in the offline version that mimic other people. They invite non-existent people to play with them. Somehow, this seems insulting to schizophrenics, who don't have the option to turn these people off.

My experiences with these "fake people" has been...well, hilarious. I remember playing with "bots" in the original "Half-Life" who trash-talked as they shot at you. Playing capture the flag with fake humans who yell things at you that you pre-determine in the options menu is exactly as fun as it sounds.

They're something surreal about a computer program saying it slept with your mom last night after head-shotting you...because you programmed it to.

In Monster Hunter, Cha-Cha is the closest thing they have to a second player (assuming you have no one else at home to play with). As horrible as it would be, I'd like to see an option to customize his behavior to mimic a real person. The snobby high-rank player and hopeless low-level seem like good options.

They're apparently pretty popular gaming types, as they're the bulk of all complaints on the forums.

Video Game Aversion: Language Quirks

This week, I thought I'd address an issue that's common (and irritating) in both anime and video games - people with pointless language quirks.

There's no real-world counterpart to this annoyance. But if it helps, imagine if people randomly interspersed semi-words into sentences like "nyah," "shaka," "laka," and other such nonsense. It's kind of like how Canadian people say, "Eh?" at the end of sentences, but less...language.

Aside from occasionally making a character incomprehensible, it doesn't add much to a game or anime. Ever. Though it may convince you to forcefully add a remote or Wii controller to your television screen.

In "Monster Hunter Tri," your tiny Shakalaka companion Cha-Cha has one such quirk. Instead of saying, "We just killed that monster," he may say something along the lines of, "We shaka-smacked that laka-loser." The only upside is that the game allows you to kick him. It doesn't make him stop, but I admit that it tends to make me feel better.

This same idea carries over in many animes, where it's apparently a law that at least one character must have cat ears and talk in an irritating voice. They must also randomly meow while talking. I assume these same laws are also responsible for half the people who flip onto television anime and leave six seconds later.

Maybe Japanese culture is big on being irritated - unfortunately, it doesn't carry over to Western societies.

Monster Hunter: Downsides III

Of course, the main reason so few people become the things they want to be as children is that they have unrealistic goals.

But I think that was kind of the point. As an aspiring writer, I probably had the most grounded dream I’ve ever heard of, in that it’s a real job you could actually have. I’ve heard children talk about what they want to be when they grow up – wizards, superheroes, Hannah Montana, etc. – and they’re in for some big disappointments through the years. (That last group, especially.)

Childhood probably would have been a lot duller if it was just a bunch of us wanting to be contractors, cashiers and human resource directors.

For one, the playground wouldn’t have been all that fun. Imagine long games of haggling over estimates to upgrade pretend kitchens or scanning make-believe grocery items while making small talk. I’m not sure what games the aspiring human resources directors would have played. From what I’ve seen, their games would have mostly involved not calling me back about job offers.

Zing.

I’m sure that most of us won’t be what we wanted to be. But that’s okay. Because when you get right down to it, most of us were pretty stupid when we were children. I know my six-year-old self. He took dangerous dares involving gasoline and fire from his older brothers. He's probably the last person I’d be taking career advice from.

As we grow up, I think we learn a lot about the real world. And our job hopes are tempered with a healthy dose of reality. We suddenly learn that jobs aren’t about “fun” or “magic” or whatever else we originally thought. We realize any job is fine if they pay you a lot.

I admit it’s a lousy moral to the story, but yeah, I’d probably take a punch in the stomach every day at work for thirty dollars an hour.

And that nicely wraps up my week-long article spree about jobs.

(A Note about the Comic: Yes, that suit of armor is drawn to scale. I opted for the male version, which is slightly bigger and good for this joke. Though, it probably would have been just as funny to use the female armor – more or less a pink metal carnival prize bear. It’s ever more proof that the armor crafter in town secretly hates your character in Monster Hunter Tri.)

Monster Hunter: Downsides II

In other news, no, you wouldn't be good at that random job you saw in some random movie or video game.

There are times when I wish I hung around people who used more recreational drugs. While my overall stance on drugs is reasonably conservative, this is the point where I'm happy to bend. Mostly, I think if my friends used drugs, at least they'd have an excuse for half the stupid ideas that come out of their mouth.

I can't count the number of times I've heard someone point at a television screen and say, "Oh, I'd be so good at that." Generally, it's some absurd job, like a guy shooting zombies or something. As if someone could have natural talent in that.

Like, "Your verbal and mathematical skills are very low on your SAT's, but your zombie survival numbers really saved you."

The worst part is that a lot of these comments are self-disqualifying. I mean, I have no idea if you have any skill in being a special operations soldier or not. But judging by the fact that the friend who said this had been on the same forty inches of couch for the past ten hours - too lazy to even go to the bathroom - I'm pretty sure they'd at least fail the physical part of the exam.

A lot of these things seem like fun. Then again, anything is more fun when it only involves pressing six to ten buttons to make it happen. The real versions of being a soldier, assassin, race car driver and professional athlete involve quite a bit more...well, standing up and that other hard stuff.

Well, maybe not race car driver...

Monster Hunter: Downsides I

Note to Non-Hunters: In "Monster Hunter Tri," you cook raw meat to restore stamina. While doing so, inexplicably weird circus music plays. Anyone looking to make more than three pieces of cooked meat is bound to go insane listening to that tune over and over. If it also plays when hunters eat random meals at home, I have no doubt they'd hang themselves within a week. (Or at least get a lot of take-out.)

Now, on with the article.

When you were a kid, you probably had outlandish ideas for what you wanted to be as an adult. We all wanted to be astronauts, ninjas and all sorts of other random crap. Twenty years later, I can say that I'm thrilled I never became any of these things.

Eventually, the reality sets in that these jobs are terrible.

Assuming you could even find work as a ninja, assassin or something of the sort - and that's a big "if" - can you imagine a worse job? You'd be working every night. You'd never be able to sleep soundly. And everything you did would be kept a secret. This, I imagine, would be hell come time for a raise.

"I only get one percent?" you'd asked. "I killed a hundred men. I lived in the shadows. And I didn't even get a single vacation day!"

To which your boss would reply, "There's no proof you were involved in any of those assassinations. Also, I think you're stealing throwing stars from the supply closet."

And then you'd have to kill your boss - which means no reference for your next job.

My point is, so many of the jobs we thought would be cool probably have their share of negatives. Anything from superhero to vampire hunter would probably be a lot less fun to do than we'd think. Unfortunately, I doubt a lot of kids are reading this article, so I doubt I'll be helping anyone. Still, speaking from personal experience, I can definitely say I wish someone had been there to give me a reality check as a child.

Believe it or not, I wanted to be a writer. I know, right? A terrible fate, indeed...

Monster Hunter: Snuggling Benefits

People are superstitious - even in video games.

Granted, there's not a lot to be superstitious about in "Monster Hunter Tri." You can't really decide what shoe to put on first or anything. Most of the things that could be classified as "good luck charms" are actual charms that give real statistic boosts.

The one possible exception is your Piggie. As you might guess, Piggie is a pig. You can dress it up in a number of costumes and snuggle it before missions. Or not. I mean, if you want to get crappy items, you can just forgo it. That's really up to you.

I personally swear by snuggling Piggie before missions. For one, I think I've got some great drops as a result of snuggling that I wouldn't have otherwise. For another, it's snuggling. Why would I avoid that?

Of course, there are always naysayers. Many people claim that the Piggie-snuggling thing is just a wild rumor. They say there are no real statistics to back up the theory. Some say this disproves it. I think it just backs up the idea that math and snuggling don't mix.

Still, because I'm willing to meet people halfway, I suggest a minor change. Actually, as you can see from the comic, it's kind of a huge change. I'm willing to make the concession, though.

So...developers...get on that. Thanks.

Monster Hunter: Mysteries

If swords in video games get any bigger, I'm going to start having trouble seeing my character.

I realize it's somewhat hypocritical. After all, one of my favorite games ever is "Final Fantasy VII." But the characters carrying ridiculously large swords there were also genetically modified to have superhuman strength. Also, that game had magic, so that can be used as an excuse for anything.

In Monster Hunter Tri, the one thing they get right is the consequences of swinging a huge sword. If you don't hit your target, it will bury itself in a small crater in the ground. You can then struggle to lift it out...probably after being beat around by monsters for a minute or two.

And for the record, that character in the comic could have just as well been a male. Male or female, I don't think anyone could lug around sharpened metal clubs the size of another human being. The only people who could do that are those strongmen who can throw compact cars behind them into a third-story window. Those guys are ridiculous.

Ironically, being a strongman would explain why character is flexing so much...

Personally, I'd like to see a return to reality in video game weaponry. I mean, short of realizing swords can't cut through plate armor. Otherwise, games would completely suck.

But things aren't likely to change soon. After all, gigantic swords are as much a staple of the modern RPG as random encounters. Which brings me to my follow-up point - when you're getting rid of unrealistically huge swords, also ditch the random fights.

Oh, and cliche cat-eared characters who say "nya" at the end of each sentence can go away, too.

Monster Hunter: Regional Differences

Like DVDs, video games have something like region codes. These prevent people in different countries from playing another region's version of the game. And unlike DVD region codes - which are meant to prevent piracy - video game regions are mostly meant as a way to show regional favoritism.

When I first browsed the weapons in Monster Hunter Tri, I was thrilled to see Tessaiga. With a little work, I could literally be killing monsters with Inuyasha's sword. Granted, it wouldn't have the awesome special attacks, but that didn't matter to me.

Mostly because I'd be yelling, "Wind Scar!" myself before every swing.

Unfortunately, only players in Japan get to use Tessaiga. I'd be forced to use the United States counterpart. I didn't bother looking up what that was, but I'm relatively sure it's not an awesome Inuyasha-related sword crafted from one of his father's fangs.

Heck - I'd even settle for Tensaiga, and all that would do is revive monsters I've already killed.

The point (if I haven't belabored it enough) is that regional differences in games aren't fair. I pay as much as they do in Japan. I should get access to culture-specific references that don't carry over to this country, too.

And yes, I'm aware I just defeated my own point with that last paragraph.

Monster Hunter: Fun Trivia

When it comes to video games, I believe the best ones can be picked up and played without even reading the instruction manual. I used to think the manuals were a fun way to spend the agonizing ride home from the video game store. But now that I'm driving - and reading while at the wheel is a bit dangerous - the system has sort of broken down a bit.

Some months down the line, I consider myself reasonably well-versed in all things Monster Hunter Tri. Every now and then I'll still learn something, but I do okay. Many of the things I know now, I wish I could go back and teach myself. For example, if you really have to pee, there's a way to pause.

It's not necessary to finish an entire half-hour fight while doing the "bathroom dance."

Today's comic was meant to demonstrate a few lesser-known facts about the game. While trial and error is fine, I think it's best to skip it whenever possible. Neither "trial" nor "error" sounds all that pleasant, if you really think about it.

It's also worth mentioning that every lesson here is based on a true story from my own gameplay experience. This is all the more reason to share this information. There are better ways to learn about nasty Rhenoplos habits than being stepped on repeatedly during a fight.

What are some of your hard-learned lessons? I won't judge you. (I've done worse.) And if it's particularly funny, the lesson may even end up in a comic, too.

Monster Hunter: The Honor System

Nothing takes the air out of a hunt faster than having that big red "Quest Failed" message pop onto your screen.

From a gameplay perspective, I get it. Having a time limit means more of a challenge. It prevents people from safely whittling down monster health over the course of several hours. In the game world, though, it seems arbitrary and stupid - it baffles me.

A lot of the quest orders mention a monster attacking a city, trade convoy or other important location. Of course, I understand that if your city is being terrorized, you want the monster killed. But why does the monster have to be dead in 50 minutes? What's happening in 51 minutes that's so damned important?

And it's not just the time limit. It's the precise time of 50 minutes. Why not a full hour? Why such an arbitrary amount of time? So...why not 52 minutes, or 46 minutes?

In happier news, as you may have noticed, this is a rare "nerding for the weekend" post. I'm happy to announce the blog has zoomed past 5000 views! And I do mean zoomed. Because in the amount of time between hitting the milestone and posting this, I'm already well over 5500 hits.

As always, I'd like to thank the fans. And it's not just because you read. But I'd also like to thank you all for being so good-looking, intelligent and good at sports.

Also, thanks for letting me suck up to you...

Monster Hunter: Felyne Theft

For those unfamiliar with Monster Hunter Tri, Felynes are essentially cats that walk on their hind legs, yowl and steal your things. Basically, aside from walking on hind legs, they're like all cats. To sum up, I hate them.

Those familiar with the game are probably very familiar with these critters. (And not for pleasant reasons.) While they pose no danger to your actual life, they have the nasty habit of targeting you when you're doing something else. These tasks usually involve fighting fire-breathing lizards fifty times your size. This is pretty much the last time you want something diverting your attention.

It occurs to me, though, that I have no idea why they steal your things. Nothing I'm carrying ever seems like something a cat would really want. Aside from Felvine - the equivalent of very strong catnip - I doubt anything in my bag would get their interest.

Which leads me to the obvious conclusion - like all cats, Felynes are just jerks.

Me? I'm much more of a dog person. They're fun to play with, they snuggle you and their fur doesn't cause me to sneeze and turn red. They also care whether you live or die, which is a plus.

You'd probably think I'm getting off my main point. But that would also assume I really had a point. I guess the gist of it all is that I don't like cats much. Ones that steal my stuff - and throw bombs, which I forgot to mention earlier - endear themselves to me even less.

Though it is cool if you're carrying a torch - it makes them dance!

Monster Hunter: Armor Types

I'm willing to accept a certain amount of artistic flair when it comes to female armor, but even I have my limits.

This creates the obvious conflict of interests for me. As a guy, there's a certain appeal to scantily-clad women swinging large swords. As a realist, I also understand the very poor protection these armors would provide to the midriff area.

And back. And neck. And legs. And...well, so forth.

Still, the gender stereotypes are probably here to stay. Which sucks. Because in addition to girls being dressed like strippers in most suits of armor, I'm also not fond of playing as males - their armors tend to look more like small SUVs than outerwear. You'd think occasionally a light vest would be an option.

Some will be quick to tell me that I could just not play as girls in video games. But it goes back to the old adage: "If I'm going to stare at a character's back for five hours at a time, it might as well be a girl."

Jess probably doesn't mind, as she's dating a guy who notices weak points in female armor first.

Monster Hunter: Flexing History

It's probably no secret I love Monster Hunter Tri - it's not perfect, though.

If I had to point out one problem with the game, it would probably be the lack of urgency your hunter seems to display. Being attacked by a gigantic monster elicits a certain response. Be it swinging a sword, healing or screaming like a little girl, I'd be doing them all at a frantic pace. Trust me.

Your hunter, however, prefers to lazily do everything. They casually sip on a healing Potion as though they were at a wine tasting. And to make matters worse - and I'm not joking about this - they then flex for a solid three seconds in place.

I have no idea why this is in the game, aside from artificially creating difficulty. But if you're like almost every person I've spoken to about it who plays, you probably find it terribly annoying. Of course, there are armor skills that allow you to consume Potions more quickly and without the irritating pause at the end to allow a monster to clobber you. Then again, why should the common sense not to leave myself wide open to attack every time I heal be a skill in-game?

That's why I used the Potion in the first place. I wanted more health. Not less.

Monster Hunter: Difficulty Changes

Video game difficulty can be tricky. If you make it too easy, people will be breezing through it in under two hours and be bored. If you make it too hard, it will be that "Indiana Jones" game for the Atari that was pretty much unbeatable without the reflexes of a demigod.

"Monster Hunter Tri" has the balance fairly well, though it's not always consistent. The first few things you fight, for example, are a joke. By the end, though, you'll be frantically trying to avoid two-hit kills from super-powered monsters that are so large and powerful they affect local weather.

In short, we need some tweaks. Hard.

Great Jaggi and Gobul need to be harder. And Melynxes need to start randomly stealing my items. I'm sick of them targeting the best thing in my inventory to swipe every single time. I realize there's not much incentive for them to steal my least cool things, but still - they could meet me halfway on this. Despite them focusing on me during every battle, I've yet to actually attack one. Why do they hate me so?

And yes, I picked on the Great Jaggi again - that guy is ripe for comedy.

Monster Hunter: Deeper Cleaning

Like many of the monsters in Monster Hunter Tri, the Royal Ludroth has a real-world counterpart. The Gobul is a big devil frog. Kelbi are just deer, pretty much.

For whatever reason, the Royal Ludroth is a large cleaning sponge.

Granted, it's far more ornery than most sponges I've used. And I couldn't begin to guess which side is the abrasive one. After all, it's all pretty abrasive. And I don't just mean he has a very bad attitude. Some sides literally have claws, teeth or little spines jutting out.

I'm not sure how well it would clean. I mean, after all, it would probably destroy your bathroom if it went rampaging around. So...pretty much don't use it on frosted glass in showers and all that.

Happy hunting!

Good News!

For the sake of the sheer awesomeness of it, I wanted to note a recent event of note for the blog. My Monster Hunter Tri comics were recently featured on the Capcom site. As this is a legitimate company that makes video games and I was recognized by them, I was understandably very excited. When I saw it, I squealed like a little girl.

Luckily, Jess caught my squealing - the shame of it allowed my head from getting too big.

Not much more to say about it than that. Of course, I will say thank you for all the support I've been receiving. In addition to the entire Monster Hunter community, I'd like to thank all the other nerds who have made all this worth writing. As I'm so fond of saying, without all you, it's pretty much just me talking to myself about video games and movies.

Oh, and the link to the article is here:
http://www.capcom-unity.com/snow_infernus/blog/2010/08/31/monster_hunter_fan_comics_to_start_your_tuesday