Steve Jackson's Blog, page 371

October 1, 2015: Nefarious Necromancy Comes To W23!

During the month of October, while supplies last, every order on Warehouse 23 will receive a copy of The Official Munchkin Bookmark of Nefarious Necromancy! . . . because no Munchkin fan ever said "My game has too much Undead in it."



Speaking of Undead . . . Munchkin Undead starts shipping to distributors later this month! Watch our New Releases page to find out when.



– Andrew Hackard



Warehouse 23 News: October GURPS BOGO!



In the month of October, buy GURPS Zombies (hardcover or PDF) and get GURPS Zombies Day-One free by using the code GURPSZOMBIES2015! Promotion ends October 31, 2015. Only at Warehouse 23!

September 30, 2015: Now Available For September

Now that the weather seems to be cooling off a little, why not get cozy and pick up a new game at your FLGS? September's releases are chock-full of zany fun. Munchkin Marked for Death is back and this double-duty booster is badder than ever! And back in print in time for the holidays, we have Munchkin Stocking Stuffers . Rev up your autoduelling skills with Car Wars: The Card Game . And, finally, the new packaging is here for Zombie Dice. Pick up yours today at your favorite FLGS!


Munchkin Marked For Death



Munchkin Marked for Death is a double-duty booster set! This pack contains 17 cards, including Anvil, Recalculate Your XP, and the horrifying effervescence of the Soap Golem. And they're balanced to let you use them as a quick rigged demo for your friends, to get them into the madness that is Munchkin !



Note: This is NOT a collectible or randomized set. Every Marked for Death pack is the same as every other.



Second note: We have already shipped the entire print run to our distributors! If you want a copy, don't wait too long, or you might miss out . . .



Munchkin Stocking Stuffers



Ho Ho Hoard!



Reward all the good little munchkins in your life with a pack of Munchkin Stocking Stuffers ! Each pack contains four holiday-themed Munchkin cards plus a brief explanation of the game. Stocking Stuffers also includes five Munchkin -themed gift tags for your non- Munchkin presents.



Car Wars: The Card Game



Welcome to the sport of the future – autoduelling! Killer cars battle with machine guns, missiles, autocannons, and flamethrowers. You're behind the wheel . . . and the last survivor wins.



This fast, fun game, based on Steve Jackson Games' award-winning Car Wars , includes six full-color car cards, 150 full-color playing cards, and short, easy rules.


Zombie Dice



Eat brains. Don't get shotgunned.



You are a zombie. You want braaains. More brains than any of your zombie buddies.



Zombie Dice is fun for any zombie fan (or the whole zombie family). The 13 custom dice are your victims. Push your luck to eat their brains, but stop before the shotgun blasts end your turn!



It's a great quick game. Play it at lunch (braaiiiiiins!) or while you're in line for a zombie movie . . . !



Two or more can play. Each game takes 10 to 20 minutes, and can be taught in a single round.



– Anna Meade



Warehouse 23 News: Get Fired Up Over Munchkin!



What better way is there to turn up the heat in your Munchkin game than with dragons? With  Munchkin Dragons , you'll get 15 new dragon-y cards, perfect for all your flights (fights?) of fancy. This set is waiting for you at Warehouse 23!

September 29, 2015: Prank Your Coworker #72: Purple Tentacle

You may say to yourself, "Self, why do I need a purple plush tentacle?"







Why? Why not! The possibilities are limitless. It is bendable and posable, 30" long, purple, and super plushy! And you can prank your coworker. Pictured is Andreas, MIB Control, who had the dire misfortune to ask me for a cup of coffee. MOOGHOOHAH.



Plush tentacles. Now only at Warehouse 23.



– Anna Meade



Warehouse 23 News: All That Glitters Is Doom?



A terrible curse has befallen the dwarves of the Steelhand Clan, turning them into fearsome foes . . . and only you can keep evil from being unleashed upon the world! Adventure awaits and the decisions are yours with Fifth Edition Fantasy #1: Glitterdoom . Download it today from Warehouse 23!

September 28, 2015: Missed All The Munchkin Guest Artist Edition News?

This post will get you up to speed on these celebratory sets! Let's blast, backstab, and karate chop our way toward 2016 and the 15th Anniversary of Munchkin .



Munchkin – Ian McGinty



First in our lineup is a comic artist featured in Entertainment Weekly for creating Welcome to Showside . Here we are familiar with his work on popular BOOM! Studios comics like


- The Reveal – See sneak peeks at Ian's early sketches for the set.



- Q&A with Ian McGinty – Learn how his expressive style translates to classic Munchkin .




Star Munchkin – Len Peralta



Next up is Len Peralta, best know for his zombie themed caricatures accompanied by celebrity podcasts on Geek a Week . Not new to Munchkin , Len illustrated Munchkin The Guild , a booster based off the hilarious Web series by Felicia Day!



- The Reveal – A side-by-side art comparison.



- Q&A with Len Peralta – Insight into Len's quirky style.




Munchkin Fu – John Kovalic



Did you know there was a Munchkin set he DIDN'T illustrate?! Munchkin Fu is one of the few, but not for much longer. John Kovalic adds his original style to this karate themed, butt-kicking favorite.



- The Reveal – Background on Munchkin Fu .



- Sneak Peek – John's early sketches of the set.




Make sure you Like, Subscribe, and Follow us to get next week's two reveals! Warning: tentacles may be involved.



– Rhea Friesen



Warehouse 23 News: More Like Ly-CAN-thropes!



Unleashing were-creatures has never been easier, with Bite Me! The Gaming Guide to Lycanthropes . This meaty tome will have your heroes looking nervously at the moon. Download it today from Warehouse 23!

September 27, 2015: Ogre Shot Glasses, Almost Gone!

We're down to only 18 Ogre Shot Glasses in Warehouse 23. If you want one, the time to order is now! They make great stocking stuffers, or simply make your bar look cooler.



Toast your loyal unit mates – or your defeated enemies – with this striking 1.5 oz gold-on-black shot glass, featuring the classic Ogre supertank silhouette!



– Anna Meade



Warehouse 23 News: What Lurks In The Village?



Designing an adventure in a mysterious, foreboding locale is easy, with Alternate Dungeons: Abandoned Village . With just a download from Warehouse 23, your heroes can wander where it's a little too quiet . . .

September 26, 2015: MIB Report: Munchkin Steampunk Deluxe At San Diego Comic Con

I am almost ashamed to say that after 6 years of living in San Diego, this was the first time I've been to San Diego Comic Con. After braving the crowds, I arrived at a wonderful bay side game room, an amazing collection of games and a great group of MIB's from all over Southern California.



We were even given an advanced copy of Munchkin Steampunk Deluxe to preview before its October release. This game drew a great deal of attention all weekend, with a full table running almost all day, every day of the convention. We even used it the final round of the tournaments we held each night. Prizes included Castellan , Munchkin Pathfinder , Trophy Buck , Boxes of Holding , a bunch of  Munchkin Jumbo d6 , accessories and a plethora of promos and bookmarks over four fantastic days.



The highlight of the weekend was having Munchkin Steampunk Deluxe artist Phil Foglio stop by to play a round with his son. This was such an amazing weekend. I don't know if this first year can be outdone, but I can't wait to see.



– Travis Otteson, MIB



Warehouse 23 News: A Pillar Of Your Community?



A reclusive wizard has gone missing from his tower – a giant natural pillar – and it's up to the heroes to find him or discover what happened. The adventure continues with Fifth Edition Fantasy #3: The Pillars of Pelagia – just a download away from Warehouse 23!

September 25, 2015: Oz And Ends: John Kovalic Talks Munchkin Oz

Steve Jackson Games CEO Phil Reed phoned me, last summer, anxious to discuss an idea he had: Munchkin Oz . Phil is a bit of a mad genius. Munchkin Oz was something he'd wished to do for a while, and he asked if I'd draw up a cover, to try and sell folks on the concept.



I'd grown up in England, and L. Frank Baum's classic books weren't things kids read there, for the most part. There was the movie, yes, but Phil was adamant we'd be keeping to the books. I was intrigued. I was also in London, but I travel with pens (Faber-Castell PITT Artist Pen, thanks for asking), pencils (Palomino 602s) and paper (4-ply Bristol Board). "Emergency cartooning" is a thing that happens more often than you might think, where Munchkin is concerned.



At the time, what I knew of Oz you could fit in a silver slipper. Now, I was pretty sure there was a Tick-Tock man involved (though I didn't know it was spelled "Tik-Tok"), a Pumpkinhead, someone named "Ozma," and that the Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Cowardly Lion were all fair game. I sketched up two covers: one, featuring Dorothy riding the Lion, while the other centered around Spyke ( Munchkin 's main mascot) with Jack Pumpkinhead, the Scarecrow, and the Tin Man.



The Green Light was given on the second cover (it was deemed "more Munchkin "), and I inked it up. Then I started reading. Baum's Oz books were a revelation, to me. They are, simply put, brilliant, full of timeless wit and wordplay, and unbounded imagination. The characters were hugely entertaining: Tip; Ozma; H.M. Wogglebug T.E.; General Jinjur; the Gnomes; the Wheelers; the Sawhorse; the Gump - the freaking GUMP - and on, and on, and on! I adored it all.



The original illustrations (by both W.W. Denslow, and then, from the second book on, John R. Neil), were also wonderful. However, they felt very Victorian, to me: lovely, but dated, and of a definite, long-removed time. It was not a look I felt was right for Munchkin . But I was stymied for a another direction. When we found out  Munchkin Oz had gotten the go-ahead, the deadline was fearfully short. I hadn't settled on an overall look for the characters, yet, save the few who were on the cover. If ever there was a time to panic, this was it.



Fortunately, it was about then that I discovered Marvel's six Eisner-award-winning Oz graphic novels. And they blew me away. Written by Eric Shanower (I've been a fan of his writing since "Age of Bronze"), and illustrated by the ridiculously talented Skottie Young (one of the great comic art stylists of today), I'd peeked at these books a few years ago, but never got around to picking them up. Until now. Shanower is something of a Baum disciple, and the graphic novels are as lively as the original books. At the same time, Young's inspired graphic imagination brought Baum's world to animated, immediate life.



This was an Oz for the 21st century – wickedly playful and smart, beautifully rendered with energy and excitement. It was the affirmation I needed to break from the 1900s illustrations, just go my own way, and roll with it. In other words, treat it as I'd treat any other Munchkin project: by having a blast! It was insane, the amount of fun I had with these drawings. Of course, Munchkin Oz wouldn't be what it is without Andrew Hackard's own ridiculous wit thrown into the mix. After a day of drawing Wheelers and Winkies, seeing a Curse card like This is Not the Oz You're Looking For would leave me giggling helplessly. (Or possibly it was the deadline pressure – sometimes it's hard tell.)



And as always, Steve Jackson Games' incredible art department took my silly sketches, and made them look far better than I could ever hope. The colors on the Munchkin Oz cards really pop, adding depth and dimension to the original art. I'm always grateful to work with such hugely talented folks, but in this particular case, they really bought out the colors and craziness of this truly magical land. I've been reading the Baum Oz books now to my six-year-old daughter, at nights, and she's enthralled with them – as kids have been for the last century, and longer. It just took me a bit of time to catch up to what most kids have known all along. The world of Oz is, indeed, wonderful, and I'm so glad I got a chance to get to know it.



– John Kovalic, Munchkin  illustrator



(Find Munchkin Oz at your local Target store or online here.)



Warehouse 23 News: Download Some Heroes



Hand-drawn printable adventurers lurk on Warehouse 23, awaiting your download to unleash them upon evildoers everywhere – thanks to Paper Miniatures: John Kapsalis Adventurers !

September 24, 2015: Ready To Change Up Your Game Of Munchkin? Munchkin Game Changers Now On Amazon!

What's in Munchkin Game Changers , you may ask?



Only a ton of fun ways to charge up your Munchkin game!

More Munchkin Stuff!



Want more silly cards for your Munchkin game? Some cool level counters? Giant pink sparkly dice?! Here they are! This box combines four of our most popular Munchkin boosters into a single expansion:



Fairy Dust gives you cards for being nice!


Munchkinomicon gives you cards for being nasty!


Monster Enhancers is full of ways to help the monsters!


Reloaded! is full of ways to help the players!
Now available on Amazon!



– Anna Meade



Warehouse 23 News: Do You Have A Prayer In Lankhmar?



Supernatural forces from the Lankhmar setting come to life with DCC Lankhmar: The Patrons of Lankhmar . Meet Mog the Spider God, the Sea King, or even Death himself! Download it from Warehouse 23, and you'll have an encounter of a lifetime!

September 23, 2015: Ninja Burger Returns!

Our notable reprint coming in January is Ninja Burger ! This popular game has been out-of-print a long time, but it can finally be yours! YES!

Ninja Burger



Now you can join the elite Ninja Burger delivery team! You will learn to deliver tasty burgers and fries anywhere. You will bring honor to your franchise. Failure is not an option.



The twisted minds that brought you Chez Geek and Munchkin are back. Based on the popular website at www.ninjaburger.com, this hilarious card game, designed by Steve Jackson, pits you against your fellow trainees in a new Ninja Burger store. Learn the secrets of stealth, swordsmanship, and customer service. Fight for honor, respect, big tips, and that coveted promotion . . .



This new, deluxe edition combines the original Ninja Burger with the cards from the supplement, Sumo-Size Me! and adds counters for tracking honor and money.



It's fast-moving. It's fun. You get to be a ninja. What more can you ask from a game?



No matter how secure your office,
how deep your bunker,
how dedicated your guards . . .
we deliver your burger in 30 minutes or less.



– Anna Meade



Warehouse 23 News: The Cutting Edge For GURPS



Make heroes without character points! Keep gear undefined until the moment you need it! Redefine attributes in new and interesting ways! All of these and more are in the latest issue of the GURPS -support magazine, Pyramid #3/83: Alternate GURPS IV . Download it individually, or subscribe today for more months of GURPS greatness – thanks to Warehouse 23!

September 22, 2015: Grab Your Munchkin Dragons Before They're Gone!

Despite the fact that they were just reprinted, we are already running low on the Munchkin Dragons booster. If you've been wanting it, be sure to grab it now!





Here There Be Dragons!



Dragons are fearsome! Dragons are cool! Dragons have LOTS of treasure for munchkins to loot! Munchkin Dragons has 15 new cards. The treasures are wondrous indeed . . . but first, you've got some dragons to slay. Good luck.



This is an expansion for Munchkin. It is not a stand-alone game. This is NOT a collectible or randomized set. Every Munchkin Dragons pack is the same as every other.



– Anna Meade



Warehouse 23 News: Get In The Lab!



Let your heroes mix it up in an interesting locale, with Alternate Dungeons: Alchemist's Laboratory . Conjuring this fun is just a download away, with Warehouse 23!