Pads & Panels

This post has been a long time coming, but – as you may have noticed with the site in general as of late – it has taken awhile to get anything posted. I’m not really sure how to start this other than to say it is with great regret that I report the death of one of this site’s co-founders, Dan Braun, who died Oct. 3 at the age of 35.

Dan was the second writer to take up with me when I started a video games feature for AMP Magazine, and when we shifted to Pads & Panels, he was one of four who helped found the site. Because of other obligations, he did not stay active in the site in the last year or two, but he remained a good friend to many of us. We will miss him dearly. (more…)

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Last month, Bill took a whole bunch of toys over to the Ronald McDonald House in Oak Lawn, Ill., on behalf of Pads & Panels. To be fair, we were sort of re-gifting the donation. We attended the Chicago Toy and Game Fair (CHITAG) in November, and got hooked up with a bag full of games. Some of them we kept for coverage, but many of them were young children’s games, not really appropriate for the type of stuff we cover on the site. So we elected to donate a bunch of them to some sort of charity. We meant to do it around the holidays, but like many things, we got a bit behind. So Bill took over a bag earlier this year containing a Hot Wheels Wheel Track Pack, Zibits Gunk, Cool Rides Funrings, Muscle Car Garage, Battle Bands, a 3D Floor Puzzle, World on the Street, and The Ultimate Truth of Dare Game: Toss It To Me Edition. So thanks to all of those companies, and know that your gifts went to help a good cause. Bill’s name was on the letter because the house required one for the donation, but this charity really comes from the people who provided the games, and everyone at the site who decided this would be a good route to go with them. So the “thank you” letter we received is scanned and posted for all to see. Enjoy!

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Okay readers aspiring to be writers, now is your chance. Pads & Panels is making a big push to expand coverage this year, and we’re looking for some new writers, specifically in New York, Los Angeles, San Fransisco, Seattle and San Diego. As some of you may know, we’re a Chicago-based site, which is fun for us, except it makes it hard to reach some of the coverage opportunities that often come up in these areas, so we’re looking to bring a few more creative entertainment-oriented writers onto the staff. Please keep in mind, Pads & Panels is something we do purely for fun, so these are unpaid positions. They will, however, offer some passionate gamers, comics fans, movies aficionados and culture geeks some great opportunities to cover exciting events, and possibly products.

So if you’re interested, please let us know. Send us a brief email at padsandpanels@gmail.com after reading the ENTIRE post and tell us why we should bring you on the Pads & Panels staff. Also, please provide the following when you email us… (more…)

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So when Matt and Archie aren’t putting their writing talents to good use here at Pads & Panels, the duo has been hard at work creating an awesome podcast every other week called Games Comics and Puppy Dogs (more affectionately known as GCPD) for their site, Mighty Ink Comics and Entertainment. It’s swell, and we’ve been promising for awhile now that we would start posting their episodes on a regular basis.

Well, it only figures that Matt and Archie had to practically bribe yours truly with a guest spot on the show this episode to finally get the job done. But that’s neither here nor there. The gents are celebrating the milestone of their 20th episode, and I joined them in the studio this week to see the magic unfold (and interject a few stupid lines of my own).

Along with a chance to win some cool prizes, the dynamic duo discusses LittleBigPlanet 2, Hothead Games, Capcom, a Spider-Man screen, Bruce Campbell and so much more. It’s an episode not to be missed…so we suggest you don’t miss it. You can listen to it streaming below, or visit the guys over at www.mightyinkcomics.com.

–Bill Jones

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

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Chicago Bears Lance Briggs gets charitable

By Bill Jones
Photos and Reports by Matt Peters and Thomas Braaksma

Right now, Chicago Bears Pro Bowl linebacker Lance Briggs has to have only one thing on his mind – an NFC Championship showdown with the Green Bay Packers in Chicago this Sunday. But as the Bears were still working to clinch a spot in the playoffs in December, the avid comics fans held a weekend of charitable events in Chicago to bring in comics and cash for CHA, the armed forces and underprivileged children in the city.

Matt Peters stopped by The Chicago Comic Vault Dec. 11 for Briggs’ Comic Book Day, where comics readers and football fanatics packed the building to capacity and spilled out the door waiting for the appearance of linebacker. When he finally arrived, it was to tremendous applause of the crowd, and Briggs took time to shake hands with everyone in attendance. (more…)

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Lance Briggs is the Pro-Bowl linebacker for the first-place Chicago Bears, our hometown football team. But as anyone who saw our interview with Mr. Briggs at C2E2 in April knows, the football player is also a true comics aficionado. He conducted his own panel at the Chicago event, and has appeared on a variant cover of The Darkness. He’s also quite the charitable athlete, running the Briggs 4 Kidz Foundation.

Briggs is combing these interests for “Lance’s Comic Book Weekend” in Chicago, two days of charitable happenings related to comics and sports. On Saturday, Dec. 11, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., at  The Comic Vault, 1530 W. Montrose, Briggs is scheduled to hold Comic Book Day. Fans are encouraged to donate their old comic books and meet Lance. The donated books will be given to the CHA and to the Armed Forces. Then on Monday, Dec. 13, from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m., at 42 N Latitude, 4500 N Lincoln, fans can pay $55 for open bar and food to watch Monday Night Football with Lance. The proceeds are to benefit underprivileged youth in Chicagoland. The flier for the events is posted above. A button to purchase tickets to the Holiday Bash is below.

For more info, lancebriggs.com

Lance Briggs Holiday Bash!

Monday, December 13th

7:00pm – 11:00pm

42N Latitude

BUY TICKETS HERE!

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All right, gaming fans, the annual Electronic Entertainment Expo is this week. Chris Park is there and will be sending in reports that we’ll post on the main site as we get them, but for all the up-to-the-minute news we can get our hands on, please keep an eye on our twitter feed, @padsandpanels, as that is where it will be posted. Enjoy the coverage! We’ll also be continuing regular coverage throughout the week.

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Today is Saturday, May 1, the first Saturday in May, which means it’s also Free Comic Book Day. For noobs, this means get your asses to your local comic shop, where you’ll find a wide-ranging selection of comic books and samplers that are totally free. Many shops are also hosting writers and artists, as well as comic characters to hang out with. The selection this year is pretty solid, from the Dark Horse offering of Doctor Solar/Magnus Robot Fighter, to a Del Rey Showcase, to The Sixth Gun from Oni Press, to Kevin Smith’s new Green Hornet, and plenty more. So what are you waiting for? If you haven’t yet, go check out your local shop, and maybe support them by buying a book while you’re there.

For local shops and more info, www.freecomicbookday.com

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Marvel Comics announced today that its New Year’s celebration will take place early in local comic shops on Wednesday, Dec. 30. The publisher said participating shops will be giving away free 2010 Marvel Super Hero calendars, Exclusive Avangers ID cards and a free comic book, Origins of Siege – a prelude to the 2010 Brian Michael Bendis “event.”

To find local shops, www.comicshoplocator.com

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In a very interesting cross promotion, Sega is giving Bayonetta fans a chance to play the game early, at a Playboy party in Chicago on New Year’s Eve, with flight and hotel for two paid by the gaming publisher. Those entering must be 21 years old and reside in the United States to be eligible. The contest ends this Friday, Dec. 18.

For more details, http://www.sega.com/bayonettaplayboy

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