10 things I love that begin with the letter “C” – gave me my letter.
1. China: Whether it’s the cinema of Hong Kong, the novels of Jin Yong, the legends, the history or the language, I’m a nut for the cultures of the Middle Kingdom.
2. Call of Cthulhu: This RPG, based on the works of H.P. Lovecraft, was a constant companion through high school and into college, and remains the only horror game that has successfully given me the heebie-jeebies during play. I haven’t played it in far, far too long.
3. Cyberpunk: I used to be a huge fan of this subgenre of SF — a very 1980s look forward into the 21st century. “High tech and low life,” as the buzzwords surrounding it used to say. It still interests me, although far less than it used to (mostly because we are now living in the world it described, in many ways). It also was used as the title of a pretty damned nifty RPG set within the genre.
4. Cornwell, Bernard: My favorite author of historical action novels. His 20-book (and growing) series devoted to the adventures of Rifleman Richard Sharpe during the Napoleonic Wars is a particular joy of mine.
5. Comic Books: I surrounded myself from childhood on with superheroes, fantasy and sci-fi comics. I do so to a smaller extent now, but only because they’ve gotten so goddamned expensive.
6. Cities: I’m a city boy at heart. Every city lives and breathes, possessed of its own unique feel and personality. I feel more at home in the rush and the press of a large city than perhaps anywhere else.
7. Creative Expression: I’m driven. No matter what the form — writing, musical composition, drawing — I’m constantly doing something….and I’m constantly learning new forms to explore. (Currently dabbling in animation)
8. Conan: Not “Ahnold” or the popular image of the brain-dead beefcake sword-swinger, but the Conan of Robert E. Howard’s stories — clever, agile, complex. If you only know the movies, check out some of the stories (the real ones, not the pastiche novels). You’ll be surprised.
9. Cult Television: It’s inevitable. If it’s an intelligently-written genre show that’s destined for cancellation, I’m a sucker for it. If it’s a UK series that nobody here has ever heard of, I’ve got it on DVD. Sure, a few of them end up catching fire and lasting for a few years, but most of my favorites are solidly in the ‘here today, gone tomorrow’ camp.
10. Captain Blood: In my opinion, this is the best pirate movie ever made. Errol Flynn’s big break (and his best film, in my opinion, even surpassing Robin Hood) and the gorgeous Olivia de Havilland. Big-ass pirate-y story with all the genre tropes. The POTC movies had huge budgets, supernatural elements and Johnny Depp…and that’s cool as hell….but Captain Blood is better.
If you’d like to participate, and need a letter, leave a comment.
