Steve Jackson's Blog, page 327

December 14, 2016: Three Times The Munchkin Pathfinder!

Sharpen your swords and gather your party; it's time to go back to the world of Paizo's Pathfinder series. And we have a lot of new RPG-themed goodness available now!



Munchkin Pathfinder Guest Artist Edition gives the classic dungeon diving a fresh coat of paint, with new art from Shane White. As the artist for the Pathfinder: Goblins! comic series, Shane has experience with the universe, and it shows in his creative and mischievous monsters. He's also revamped the art for the board and player standees! This new version is a part of our limited edition Guest Artist Edition line, so pick it up while you still can!



Speaking of goblins, Shane also illustrated the newly released Munchkin Pathfinder: Truly Gobnoxious ! This 15 card booster that adds a horde of greenskins to any Munchkin Pathfinder game. Even the treasures are goblin related! If you have Munchkin Pathfinder , this is a must own booster. Because there are never enough goblins to kill, right?



Last, but certainly not least, in this goblin smorgasbord, is Munchkin Playmat: Presents Unaccounted For . This playmat is gorgeously illustrated by Shane White, like both of the above, and gives the Goblins a holiday themed makeover! The mat not only has places to organize your cards, but it's own special rule. Because what's a Munchkin accessory without it's own rule? This playmat makes the perfect stocking stuffer for your favorite Munchkin Pathfinder fan.



You can pick up all these adventurous titles at your friendly local game store today! And check out our Munchkin Gift Guide for even more ideas on what to get your friends and family this holiday season. 



– Hunter Shelburne



Warehouse 23 News: What Are You Waiting For?!?!?!



Two days of ordering to go before we leave for the holidays! We're selling special collections of boosters, expansions, or games until December 15. See our Sale! page for 20% off BOOM! Munchkin Comics and all of the newest bundles added to the already awesome messenger bags and grab boxes. These bundles are just waiting for a good home. Get yours exclusively from Warehouse 23 today!

December 13, 2016: Munchkin Musings: December 2016

It's our Year In Review edition!



2016 was, as we may have mentioned once or twice, the 15th anniversary of the debut of Munchkin , at Gen Con 2001, in Milwaukee. (Fun fact: Gen Con used to be in Milwaukee . . . and before that, Lake Geneva, which is where the "Gen" in "Gen Con" comes from.) We've been celebrating all year, including the return of the Munchkin Tavern to Gen Con this year, and we aren't done yet!



Of course, one of the ways we're commemorating this year is with the Guest Artist Editions . It has been a whole lot of fun to see new artists' takes on classic Munchkin cards. The artists themselves have told us how much they've enjoyed this series, and our sales have told us how much you fans are enjoying these sets. We have a couple more Guest Artist games planned for 2017, extending the anniversary celebration, because no true munchkin wants a party to end!



We made several accessories that fans have been requesting for a long time. You wanted storage solutions: we gave you Munchkin Monster Boxes ! You wanted playmats: we gave you Munchkin Playmats ! You wanted card sleeves: we gave you three different sizes of Munchkin sleeves! We've already made second waves of Monster Boxes and Playmats (some of which should be showing up in your Friendly Local Game Store very soon), and we're watching the sales of the card sleeves to see what we should do next.



You may have also noticed a few new Munchkin games this year. We published the standard-sized Munchkin Steampunk , made a companion to one of our most popular expansions with Munchkin 6.5 – Terrible Tombs , and introduced a new character to the Munchkin universe in Moop's Monster Mashup . Our latest new game, Munchkin Grimm Tidings , is the start of a partnership with Walgreens, putting Munchkin into thousands of stores across the United States. USAopoly contributed Munchkin: Marvel Edition and two expansions, which we hear have been pretty popular.



All that still leaves out a lot of cool stuff from 2016 – go back and look at the combined releases from this year to see if you missed something!



Looking forward, our biggest news is of course the upcoming Munchkin Collectible Card Game . Work is moving fast and we're very excited to show it to you at our conventions in 2017. On the regular Munchkin front, we have a number of new releases planned, many of which are already at print. USAopoly has announced Munchkin: X-Men Edition , a stand-alone game for 3 or 4 players that also works well with the Marvel Edition , and has a couple more releases planned that I reeeeeeeeeally want to tell you about, but can't quite yet.



I'm starting work on plans for 2018 and beyond, so it feels like 2016 is already over, even though (at this writing) December has just started. I'm very excited about what's coming up and I know you all will be as well. See you right here next year!



– Andrew Hackard



Warehouse 23 News: Have You Gotten Your Bundle Yet?



You have only three days of ordering remaining before we leave for the holidays, so look for the special collections of boosters, expansions, or games until December 15! Check out our Sale! page for 20% off BOOM! Munchkin Comics, plus the newest bundles added to the already awesome grab boxes and messenger bags! All of these bundles are waiting for a good home! Get yours exclusively from Warehouse 23 today!

December 12, 2016: Super Munchkin Guest Artist Edition: The Ultimate Alter-Ego

Many heroes have an alter-ego; an identity they keep to walk among the people. Fortunately, Super Munchkin is so super that it's alter-ego is heroic as well!



Recently released, Super Munchkin Guest Artist Edition features a unique style from Art Baltazar, the mind behind his own super-heroics, like Aw Yeah Comics , and DC Comics' Tiny Titans . It's whimsical, and perfect for the heroics in Super Munchkin ! It's a perfect compliment to the original art from John Kovalic! The jokes are similar, but the different styles give each card a unique feeling, and we wanted to highlight some of these awesome illustrations. 



Everyone knows John's style, and it's beloved for a reason. You can instantly look at one of his cards, like The Cowl, and know it's his, even if it's not Spyke or Flower. On the other hand, Art has a ton of experience with animal heroes, like his own Action Cat (who also makes an appearance in the set). Each version is great in its own way, but distinctive, which can be tough when you have to draw an owl in a cow suit. 

The Punster is another great example of these artists' different strokes. John's is a bulky, obviously perturbing funnyman, while Art's is a stand-up comic! Neither of them drew Andrew Hackard, our Munchkin Czar, so they missed the boat on the best puns in the world, but they both took a unique take on the character. I especially like Art's "Pun" tie. Now I need to find one for Andrew's secret Santa gift . . . 

The last card today is what I'd consider the prime example of Munchkin art defining a joke. John took Bat Mobile and made it literal, while Art also took a literal approach, just a completely different one. I love this card in both sets, and can't even choose a favorite. I actually laughed out loud when I opened both boxes to do this comparison, so I had to make it part of the list. Just goes to show we are fortunate to be able to work with such amazingly talented (and funny!) artists on a regular basis!

You don't have to leap tall buildings in a single bound to get Super Munchkin Guest Artist Edition; just go to Target.com! And keep an eye out for our other Target exclusive, Munchkin Legends Guest Artist Edition! I mean, legends were the first super-heroes, right? 



– Hunter Shelburne



Warehouse 23 News: Four Days Of Ordering Left . . .



From now until December 15, we've got special collections of games, boosters, or expansions for you! Check out our Sale! page for 20% off BOOM! Munchkin Comics, as well as all the newest bundles added to the already amazing grab boxes and messenger bags. All of the bundles are waiting for you to give them a wonderful home, exclusively from Warehouse 23!

December 11, 2016: The Holiday #PlayMunchkin Event Recap: A MIB's Tale

Our volunteer community was very busy last month! On November 19th we debuted our first #PlayMunchkin national event, the Holiday #PlayMunchkin Event, with MIBs celebrating Munchkin in its various forms at local game stores across the country. Then, over the Thanksgiving weekend, they helped our friends at USAopoly show off the latest expansions to Munchkin: Marvel Edition! Munchkin Marvel 2 – Mystic Mayhem and Munchkin Marvel 3 – Cosmic Chaos were instant hits!



One of our intrepid MIBs reported on his exploits during our Holiday #PlayMunchkin Event:



"On Saturday, November 19, 2016, MIB Steve Huckabee and his trusted partner,  Zombie Chibithulhu,  responded to reports of #PlayMunchkin at Dark Knights Gaming in Long Beach, Mississippi. As we arrived we quickly realized that the reports were indeed true; there was much Munchkin  to be played! We broke out our trusty tub of Munchkin games and asked the players which game they wanted to play. We had a great variety of  Munchkin games available: Zombies , Marvel , Gloom , Axe Cop , Apocalypse , Bites! , Loot Letter , Steampunk , The Nightmare Before Christmas , Christmas Lite , Smash Up , Panic , Quest . . . but it was Munchkin Pathfinder Deluxe that was chosen for the first game.



We wasted no time setting up the game and playing with a full table of six players. Each player was equipped with a brand new Munchkin Bookmark  – and the battle began. In the end,  Zombie Chibithulhu and I emerged as the victors. We picked up the game and the players once again went to the tub of Munchkin,  this time choosing  Munchkin Steampunk Deluxe . We quickly set up the game and began round two of our battle. In the end, it was the store owner, Gordon, who claimed the championship with his rather elaborate cane weapon.

We had plenty of promos, bookmarks, Munchkin Playmats, Kill-O-Meters, and Dice Bags to share during the games and everyone had a blast! Zombie Chibithulhu and I packed up our Munchkin goodies, thanked the players for playing and the store for hosting, and headed back to headquarters to file our report of the night's activities."



Thanks to Steve for his update! If you're an SJ Games fan and want to volunteer, check out our MIB program! If you're a retailer, recruit your local players to be a MIB for your store, and make sure you sign up for our Store Finder! You'll get information on all our upcoming events, as well as details about sign-ups for free event kits like the Holiday #PlayMunchkin Event kit. 



– Andreas Stein



Warehouse 23 News: You Can't Beat These Sales!



Only five days left in our holiday sale! From now until December 15, we are selling special collections of boosters, expansions, or games. Check out our Sale! page for 20% off BOOM! Munchkin Comics and all of the newest bundles added to our already awesome grab boxes and messenger bags. Find alll these bundles and more at Warehouse 23!

December 10, 2016: Top Ten In Warehouse 23 For November

Another month down, and with Black Friday in the books, we've got some new champions for Warehouse 23! Plus some awesome seasonal deals are hitting the list, like our Grab Boxes! Remember that we have a lot of sweet deals, like 20% off Munchkin comics, 40% off GURPS PDFs, Munchkin Messenger Bag bundles, and our Holiday Bundles! Looks like we have a lot of artists this month as well, seeing how the Munchkin Coloring Books have sold. The last day to order from Warehouse 23 is Thursday, December 15, so make sure you order soon!



Without further ado, here's the list: 



Munchkin Doors and Treasures Card Sleeves


GURPS Dungeon Fantasy Denizens: Swashbucklers


Mostly Munchkin Grab Box 2016


12 Days of Munchkin Christmas Coloring Book


The Munchkin Alphabet Coloring Book


Batman: The Animated Series Dice Game


Surprise Me! Grab Box 2016


Munchkin Kittens


Discworld Roleplaying Game


Munchkin Christmas Lite
– Hunter Shelburne



Warehouse 23 News: You Can't Beat These Sales!



Only five days left in our holiday sale! From now until December 15, we are selling special collections of boosters, expansions, or games. Check out our Sale! page for 20% off BOOM! Munchkin Comics and all of the newest bundles added to our already awesome grab boxes and messenger bags. Find alll these bundles and more at Warehouse 23!

December 9, 2016: Munchkin Messenger Bag Contest Winners!

Santa's bag has some competition now that Warehouse 23 is stuffing Munchkin Messenger Bags with a Munchkin game, expansion, and accessory! And we have a few fans from social media who have won their own holiday surprise:



Ann Capion on Facebook


@MoxyLane on Twitter
Congratulations to our winners! This bag of joy will bring you lots of wintery wonder this holiday season. Make sure you follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram for more chances to win!



If you didn't win, don't worry! These bundles are available on Warehouse 23 until December 15. But make sure you get yours soon, because Warehouse 23 closes that same day! We have to load the sleigh, feed the reindeer, and . . . listen, we're not elves – we have to go home for the holidays. 



But before we head back to the North Pole (hey, rent is cheap, you'd live there too), be sure you take advantage of our other Warehouse 23 deals! Like Holiday Grab Boxes, with over $80 worth of items for $40, plus you might get something signed by Steve Jackson! If a blind box isn't your style, but you still want a bundle of games, our Holiday Bundles are a great gift for fans who want it all! You can also save 40% on GURPS PDFs, as well as 20% off of Munchkin comics by BOOM! Studios, for all the readers in your life. And no matter what you order, you're getting triple the free swag with your order, including the new Mr. Freeze promo for Batman: The Animated Series Dice Game !



Make sure you follow us on social media for more chances to win awesome holiday loot, and get your orders in on Warehouse 23 before they close on December 15!



One last special note to backers of the Dungeon Fantasy RPG Kickstarter  – The BackerKit survey closes today! Make sure you have responded to the survey so we can fulfill your rewards!



– Hunter Shelburne



Warehouse 23 News: Fill Your Virtual Stockings With Our Digital Sale!



Between now and December 15, Steve Jackson Games is having a 40% off sale on all PDFs for GURPS and In Nomine . Fill out your collection, discover new favorites, or try something new. Gaming goodness is waiting for you . . . at Warehouse 23!

December 8, 2016: Announcements For March

March is jam-packed with exciting releases! Munchkin gets a new Guest Artist Edition , Spyke and Flower go back to Oz with more weapons, and Ogre Sixth Edition gets an expansion. If you want firepower, we've got it in March 2017! Look for these titles at your friendly local game store next year! 

Munchkin Guest Artist Edition



Kick some skulls with Edwin Huang.



Celebrating the 15th anniversary of Munchkin , the Guest Artist Edition line is packed with all-star artists, and Edwin Huang is the latest addition to that lineup. Known for Skullkickers (and the Munchkin variety) and Street Fighter Unlimited, among others, Huang's kinetic artwork brings a dynamic touch to classic Munchkin .



Get the newest addition to this limited printing at your friendly local game store.


Ogre Reinforcements



Big, metal backup has arrived.



Enhance your defense with new units to defend the Combine base in  Ogre Reinforcements , an expansion for Ogre Sixth Edition . This set comes loaded with five 3-D units, 56 counters, and 25 overlays to help take your Ogre combat to the next level. Plus, you get five scenarios written by Steve Jackson!



This supplement is intended for players with Ogre Sixth Edition. Owners of the Ogre Designer's Edition already have the rules and counters for these units.


Munchkin Oz



Follow the yellow brick road . . . to loot!



Adventure with the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodsman! Brave the Poppy Fields or the Deadly Desert! Fight against a Wicked Witch or King Krewl! Visit the Emerald City and talk with Dorothy, Ozma, or the Cowardly Lion! Play a Professor, Royalty, Soldier . . . or even a Wizard! L. Frank Baum's Oz books have been favorites of children and their parents ever since the books were published more than a century ago. Create your own adventure with Munchkin Oz !



You may recall seeing Munchkin Oz at retailers in the past; starting in March it will be available at your friendly local game store!


Munchkin Oz 2: Yellow Brick Raid



Raid the Emerald City!



L. Frank Baum wrote 14 books about the marvelous land of Oz, so try as we might, there was no way we could fit all those adventures and characters into Munchkin Oz .



That's why we've made 56 more cards to shuffle into your original Munchkin Oz deck – it's Munchkin Oz 2 – Yellow Brick Raid !



Whether you're a fan of Baum's books or you've just always meant to read them but never got around to it because reading is hard, you can experience the fun of the Oz setting in even more detail now when you play Munchkin .



– Hunter Shelburne



Warehouse 23 News: Buy All The Games!



We are selling special collections of boosters, expansions, or games from now until December 15! Check out our Sale! page for 20% off BOOM! Munchkin Comics, as well as all the newest bundles added to the fantastic grab boxes and messenger bags. All these bundles are waiting for you to give them a good home, exclusively from Warehouse 23!

December 7, 2016: Tanks For The Holiday Memories!

The holiday season is well underway – that magical time of year perfect for gathering friends and crushing them under the treads of a gargantuan cybernetic tank. Well, we've got you covered, with Ogre Scenario Book 2 . This downloadable book from Warehouse 23 and your copy of the Ogre Designer's Edition will get you ready to play 14 amazing, fan-made scenarios.



Foretold during the super-successful Designer's Edition Kickstarter, this stunning collection is now available to all, ready to download and print (or use on a digital reader of your choice . . . it's the future!). Whether you're playing "Luck of the Draw" as a solitary adventure, joining two other gamers for the battle of "The Dragon of Magdeburg," taking part in the nine-player "Salvage" scenario, or gathering some in-between number of friends for the other scenarios herein, you'll have hours of fun. And if you don't have Ogre Designer's Edition ? Ogre Sixth Edition is available for preorder now! Look for more Ogre expansions and accessories coming down the pipeline.



Don't delay; let gaming memories begin with a trip to Warehouse 23 to pick up Ogre Scenario Book 2 today!



– Steven Marsh



Warehouse 23 News: Bundles Everywhere!



From now until December 15, we are selling special collections of boosters, expansions, or games! Check out our Sale! page for all of the newest bundles added to the already awesome grab boxes and messenger bags. Just today, we added a new sale: 20% off BOOM! Munchkin Comics! All of these bundles, and more, are waiting for you to give them a good home, exclusively from Warehouse 23!

December 6, 2016: The 2016 Munchkin Gift Guide, And W23 Bundles!

Do you have a Munchkin fan in your life who is tough to shop for? Are the holidays hectic because they won't drop any hints? We're here to help! The 2016 Munchkin Holiday Gift Guide breaks down our recent releases, exclusives, and accessories that even the most hardcore munchkin probably doesn't have.

Find out more about games like Moop's Monster Mashup and our Holiday Vault items at your friendly local game store, and discover some exclusives like Munchkin Wonderland on Amazon, Munchkin Apocalypse Guest Artist Edition at Barnes & Noble, Munchkin Legends Guest Artist Edition at Target, and even Munchkin Grimm Tidings at Walgreens. And don't miss out on all the accessories! PHD's Munchkin Christmas Monster Box and Munchkin Playmat: Spyke's Christmas Wish can be found at your FLGS, and are perfect for storing all those holiday-themed cards.



And since it's cold outside, why not bundle up? Well, bundle up your games, anyway. They won't keep you warm, but you'll have heartwarming family fun. Get our Munchkin Messenger Bag, filled to the brim with a random Munchkin game, expansion, and accessory. Or maybe you want your random games in mass quantities, and in a box. In that case, Mostly Munchkin and Surprise Me! Holiday Grab Boxes are what you're looking for, with over $80 of content for $40, and the chance for an item signed by Steve Jackson! If you prefer to choose your games yourself, our Warehouse 23 Holiday Bundles are also available for almost every game we make. Be the best secret Santa this year, and save some money while you're at it! 



Warning: These bundles will not physically keep you warm. Please wear layers.

In addition, since you folks have been so nice this year, the elves out in the warehouse will be throwing triple the promo swag into every order from now until December 15! Bookmarks, promo cards, and all the awesome freebies we're known for, in massive quantities, delivered to your door. Even Santa can't offer that kind of service!



While we're at it, SJ Games has been mentioned on a few different gift guides this year, so check those out, too! There are lots of great gift ideas for all sorts of game fans. But remember, Warehouse 23 is closing on December 15, so make sure you get your orders in now – before it's too late!



– Hunter Shelburne



Warehouse 23 News: Bundles As Far As The Eye Can See . . .



From now until December 15, we are selling special collections of boosters, expansions, or games! Check out our Sale! page for all of the newest bundles added to the already awesome grab boxes and messenger bags. Stay on the lookout for even more specials soon! All of these bundles of joy are waiting for you to give them a good home, exclusively from Warehouse 23!

December 5, 2016: A Super Munchkin Interview With Guest Artist Art Baltazar!

Award-winning comic artist Art Baltazar ( Tiny Titans , Patrick and the Wolf Boy ), who illustrated our upcoming, action-packed release Super Munchkin Guest Artist Edition , answered a few questions for us about his process, superheroes, and (of course) cloning.



Q: Your Super Munchkin art looks great! Before you took this project, were you a Munchkin fan?



A: AW YEAH! I always knew about the game! We sell the Munchkin card games at our stores AW YEAH COMICS! Plus, I've always been a fan of John Kovalic's cartooning!



Q: You've drawn a lot of very different projects in your time. What's your process for getting your head into new material so that you can illustrate it?



A: I'm kind of familiar with all things pop culture – especially comics and cartooning. But sometimes I need a refresher. Thanks to the internet, I can educate myself on all things Munchkin , opening my brain to a much larger world!



Q: What did you do to prepare to draw Super Munchkin?



A: When Steve Jackson Games asked me to redraw all the cards, I thought . . . wow! That's a lot of cards. I love drawing and designing characters. So, preparation involved a large pot of fresh-brewed coffee and flipping each card over one at a time, and then drawing the first image that popped into my head. I just had to roll up the sleeves and get in there!







Q: What's your favorite card from the set you drew?



A: Wow. I liked a lot of them. The comedian guy stands out for me. But I really liked drawing Action Cat and Awesome Bear in the set. My guys meet Munchkin guys. An instant classic crossover in the making!



Q: What was the biggest challenge for you about drawing these cards?



A: Hmm. The big challenge was getting them all done. It's like when you order a pizza. When it arrives, you are so hungry and you have no doubts you can eat the whole thing yourself! Then halfway through, you feel like you need help finishing. Let's just say, I am very thankful for the colorist! AW YEAH LIGHTER WORKLOAD!



Q: If you could have a super-power, what would it be and why?



A: Oh, man. I wish I had the ability to clone myself. Then I can be the art director of myselves and watch all these cool cartoonists work on multiple projects all at once. I could have 12 monthly books published around the clock! 24-hour comics forever!



Q: Where can people find you online and learn more about your other projects?



A: AW YEAH! I'm all over the place on all social medias! The best place to find me is www.artbaltazar.com. There are links to my other web pages and you can shop for comics and read some for free! You're a good man, Munchkin ! 



Pick up  Super Munchkin Guest Artist Edition , available now, only at Target!



– Ariel Barkhurst



Warehouse 23 News: Bundles As Far As The Eye Can See . . .



From now until December 15, we are selling special collections of boosters, expansions, or games! Check out our Sale! page for all of the newest bundles added to the already awesome grab boxes and messenger bags. Stay on the lookout for even more specials coming up next week! All of these bundles of joy are waiting for you to give them a good home, exclusively from Warehouse 23!