🎮 Make 'fetch' happen

The convergence of movies and games, 'Deadpool' writer Q&A, and more.

Mornin’. Did you ever wonder why Garfield—an unemployed and well-fed cat—hates Mondays?

According to creator Jim Davis, it’s because “every Monday is just a reminder that his life is the same old, same old cycling again.”

Too depressing? OK, maybe it’s only us that finds an orange cat with ennui funny. Fine!

—Eric Alt, Marques Edge, Andrew Nusca

Buffed/Nerfed

What’s up and down in the world rn.

Buffed: Japanese altruism. Vending machines in the coastal city of Ako have been designed to “unlock” and provide free food and drink during emergencies. In the U.S., meanwhile, your dollar bill is still too wrinkly to work. Womp womp.

Nerfed: Community fans. They’ve been hoping for—nay demanding—a movie since the show ended in 2015. Welp…ever heard of the myth of Sisyphus?

Buffed: Hippiemobile 2.0. The classic VW bus is reimagined for 2024 as a sleek electric ride. Far out, man.

Nerfed: Normie space flight. Boeing and NASA’s Starliner capsule, built to ferry people to and from the International Space Station, has been grounded because everyone ignored design flaws that were present a year ago. They, uh, didn’t want to miss a thing.

Buffed: Spider-Mation. Did you see Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse this weekend? You might want to get on that, because apparently a LOT of people did. You really couldn’t go wrong with Issa Rae and Oscar Isaac in the cast. —EA

Burning Question: How are movies and games influencing each other?

Asked and answered.

Illustration by Edward Ubiera for Activision Blizzard King

When entertainment writers start using terms like “fetch quests” to describe episodes of The Mandalorian, you know the boundaries between television, movies, and video games are really eroding.

Executive editor Eric Alt sat down with screenwriter TJ Fixman (of Netflix’s upcoming action thriller Carry-On) and senior writer Sydney King (of Blizzard’s team-based action franchise Overwatch) to talk about the creative approaches to feature films versus games, and where the storytelling possibilities for both may be heading.

Here’s what they had to say.

Speed Run: Gerry Duggan, writer, ‘Deadpool’ and ‘X-Men’

Two-minute talks with today’s movers and shakers.

Gerry Duggan has sent the X-Men down the runway of the Hellfire Gala and has put balloons in the mouths of everyone from wisecracking superhero Deadpool to wisecracking superhero Iron Man to, um, Batman.

In conversation with executive editor Eric Alt, Duggan lets us in on the what goes on in the hotel rooms of Comic Cons, how breaking into comics is like breaking out of jail, and why working at a comic book shop kinda rules.

We’d say ‘nuff said, but that’s not really true. Read on for more.

Mixtape Monday

Let’s get this week started off right.

Last week’s picks were all about mellow vibes; this week we’re turning up the volume on Pride Month.

Today’s playlist, curated by members of the LGBTQ+ employee network at Activision Blizzard King, is guaranteed to put some wind behind your rainbow flags.

Let’s go:

• Moloko, “Sing It Back.” If it were possible for a song to physically get up and strut around, this one would do it. Listen on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube. (Recommended by Tanarra Schneider, head of inclusive practices, Activision Blizzard King)

• SOPHIE, “BIPP.” Have you ever heard a song that sounds like a Super Bounce Ball careening around inside your head? Now you have. Listen on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube. (Recommended by Kaylee Barnes, copywriter, Activision)

• Little Star, “Voice.” This rocking track by a trio comprising trans and gay members has a slow build and one formidable bass line. Listen on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube. (Recommended by Santiago Guerrero, associate QA project lead, Activision)

• Halsey, “honey.” Does someone need an anthemic rocker? ‘Cause we’ve got one. Listen on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube. (Recommended by AJ Rogers, production manager, Blizzard)

• Stray Kids, “Youtiful.” With a line like “I’ve never been so anti-hopeless,” we couldn’t resist this self-acceptance ballad. Listen on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube. (Recommended by Liz Brooks, senior product manager, Blizzard)

That’s it for this week! —EA

Wormhole

Click the following image and…well, we don’t want to ruin the surprise.

Illustration by Johnson Martin

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