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Check out: Pop Haydn in Santa Monica, April 4

A few years ago I had the delight of meeting and befriending one of the greatest stage magicians around, a true master of the old-time patter and a gentleman to boot, Pop Haydn. Pop is performing his signature show this Thursday, April 4, at Magicopolis in Santa Monica, CA — discounted tickets are available on his website.

Here’s an excerpt from a recent interview with Pop — I love this guy:

We don’t have fraud in nature. The universe is not set up to fool us. If we find facts in nature, they’re usually pretty much what they appear to be. But when humans are involved, there is always the possibility of cheating and trickery. And that’s what magicians are here to remind us about, how easily we can be fooled, when there’s another human being using deception…

You [the public] can’t invent the solution [to a magic trick] because you don’t have the technology. You don’t know the technology of deception. We have a whole deception of camouflage, mirrors, pick pocketing, lock-picking, acting, costuming, lighting, deceit, trickery, lying. All kinds of stuff at our disposal that we’ve studied, that gives us an edge over someone who doesn’t know that technology. Because any technology that is sufficiently advanced looks like magic. Our technology is a technology of deception. That’s what looks like magic to people. (read more)

I was pleased to feature Pop at our Machine of Death Magic & Variety Show a little while back. Here’s an excerpt from his performance! (It starts with me & Ryan North chatting for a bit; Pop comes on stage around at around 2:45.)

If you’re in the L.A. area and free on Thursday night, I highly recommend Pop’s show!

Video: Just DO stuff.

Our Kickstarter is over! We ended up doing pretty okay. Thanks to all who participated! Here is a video I recorded yesterday as a sort of wrap-up and reflection. I talk about taking risks and putting things out there in the world, and I hope it inspires you a little. Mike, my friend operating the camera, called it my “TED Talk.” It’s not a subject I’ve never talked about before, but I think it bears repeating once in a while. I have to remind myself, periodically.

Also I was interviewed by Matthew Lesko, the guy from the infomercials who wears a suit covered in question marks. So I decided, for the interview, to wear a suit covered in exclamation points.

If you missed the Kickstarter, we have a PayPal-powered pre-order page for the game up now! I’ve already started receiving some of the special webcomics-artist bonus cards and they’re great. So excited to get this thing out there!!

LOS ANGELES READERS: I have an improv show tonight (Friday) at M.i.’s Westside Comedy Theater in Santa Monica! 7 PM!

Machine of Death game videos – LAST DAY!

It’s the LAST DAY for the Machine of Death card game Kickstarter! I am completely overwhelmed by the support. Thank you so much to everyone who’s pledged! We’ve been able to unlock a super-ton of bonus content thanks to you, and that’s stuff that’s going to everyone who gets in on the campaign before it ends later today.

Here is a video of me and Kris playing the game in 2-PLAYER CO-OP MODE. I think it shows how the game acts as a fun vehicle for jokes and conversation and the creation of absurd scenarios.

Kris and I have created a number of Wondermark- and Broodhollow-themed bonus cards that will go free to all backers during the Kickstarter! Some samples:

If you haven’t been reading Kris’s new comic Broodhollow, you gotta. It’s super-great. Start at the beginning.

BONUS VIDEO: Here is a BEHIND THE SCENES PLANNING SESSION recorded just over a month ago, right before Kris and I launched the campaign! It features…JOKES

Machine of Death game – Deluxe Box prototype

Here’s the first prototype I’ve received for the Machine of Death card game Deluxe Box! The Deluxe Boxes will be laser-cut and hand-assembled by Jason Lioi of Dapper Devil, and each individual box is laser-numbered. A unique number is cut into every box with a laser.

Because of the labor involved, these boxes will only be available during the Kickstarter! They’re really nice, too.

I think at this point it’s fair to say that I am beyond flabbergasted with how well the Kickstarter has done. We’ve raised over $385,000 — with a few days left to go still. It’s an amazing vote of confidence in the game, which is tremendously flattering, but I think it’s also because we’re trying to add a ton of value as well.

In our recent updates we have so far released eight free preview stories from the upcoming Machine of Death sequel This is How You Die, and we’ve also now unlocked twenty-two bonus mini-sets of cards by webcomics greats. Here’s a video where you can see some of who’s involved:

All the bonus webcomics artist cards come FREE when you pledge to the game during the Kickstarter. And if you already have, hooray! More great stuff for you!

I’m so excited about this game, folks. With all the dozens of stretch goals that we have so far unlocked, it’s MAYBE become the most complicated thing I have ever attempted. BUT THAT IS OKAY because if I am anything, it is UP FOR THE CHALLENGE. Handing me a pile of money and saying “Make this thing as AWESOME AS YOU CAN” is basically the best job ever, and I’m so pleased to find that so far it seems like seven thousand other people agree!!

THE KICKSTARTER ENDS ON TUESDAY