After more than 62 years in the grave, a long dead comic publication comes back to life in a new exhibit at the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art.

The sensational, politically radical and often gruesome works of Entertaining Comics, more commonly known as EC Comics, will be celebrated in Aliens, Monsters, and Madmen: The Art of EC Comics. The exhibit will have its opening ceremony from 6-10 p.m. this Friday, May 13.

Benjamin Saunders, a professor of the University of Oregon English department whose focus is American and British comics and Renaissance literature, has been working on and off since 2010 to organize the exhibit, but he credits its assembly to all those involved in its creation.

“A show on this scale involves a massive amount of work by dozens of people, not just the curator,” Saunders said.

EC Comics had a prolific run during the 1940s and ‘50s. The publication eventually shut down after a lengthy battle against censorship, but its effect on the comics and other media can still be seen today.

(Courtesy of Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art)

The exhibit will feature one of the largest collections of original comic artwork on display in an accredited museum in the U.S. Many pieces were obtained via loans from other museums and private collectors. The show will remain at the museum until July 10, with various discussion-based events scheduled to take place throughout its duration.

EC Comics started as Educational Comics and was founded by Max Gaines. It originally produced educational works and Bible stories, but never sold well. After Gaines died, his son William Gaines took over the company and transformed it into the Entertaining Comics we know today.

EC Comics made a name for itself creating some of the era’s most provocative and sensational writings, including the campy horror mag Tales from the Crypt, the political-jabbing MAD Magazine, and the bi-monthly sci-fi serial Weird Science.

From a playing baseball with human organs to a man handcuffed to a corpse, EC Comics reveled in all things gruesome, while still conveying topical and thought provoking messages.

The exhibit will host original artwork from comics like Judgement Day, in which a representative of Earth travels to a planet of robots to see whether they are ready to rejoin their creators — only to find they still divide themselves based on the color of their metallic chassis. After departing the planet, the protagonist removes his helmet and reveals that he is a black man.

“In a relatively short time period, EC published a number of groundbreaking works by some of the most influential American comic book creators who have ever lived,” said Saunders.

Some of the creators include Wallace Wood, best known for his work in MAD Magazine and Marvel’s Daredevil, Harvey Kurtzman, known for his satirical work in MAD and Playboy, and Johnny Craigs, whose artwork was used as evidence in the 1950 Senate hearings on juvenile delinquency by those trying to prove that the graphic violence in comic books was harmful to the country’s youth.

During the time of mass-comic hysteria of the ‘50s, EC Comics became the primary target of Comic Codes Authority, an agency formed in 1954 to regulate the comics industry and scrub out explicit material. Comics that passed their standards received a CCA imprimatur, which cleared it for publication. Most comic retailers refused to sell any comic without the CCA stamp of approval.

The CCA’s ethical standards were so strict that Gaines was forced to shut the company down due to comics being constantly rejected by censors. The aforementioned comic Judgement Day was denied the imprimatur from the CCA because the comic featured a black man as its protagonist.

After a heated argument with the censor, Gaines responded by swearing and angrily hanging up the phone. Judgement Day was EC Comics’ last published comic.

MAD Magazine was originally published in EC Comics but eventually changed to the magazine format to escape the comic industry’s rampant censorship. The popular TV series Tales from the Crypt also originated as an EC Comics series of the same name.

(Courtesy of Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art)

EC Comics has provided inspiration for many, including fiction authors Stephen King and R.L. Stine and filmmakers George Lucas and Steven Spielberg.

“I was obsessed with Mad comics. They showed me how to be cynical and satirical. And the EC horror comics, Tales From the Crypt and The Vault of Horror. Their combination of humor and horror was later very influential on my writing,” said Stine during an interview with The New York Times.

Members of the student improvisation acting group Absolute Improv will participate in the reception by dressing in full make-up as the only three recurring EC Comics characters — the series’ ghoulish narrators: The Vault-Keeper, The Crypt-Keeper and The Old Witch — to greet guests at the door of the museum. These three characters served as the wisecracking narrators of the Tales From the Crypt series.

“I like that we’ll be able to do improv in a context that we’ve never done it before, which is to stay in the context of one character,” said Charlie Craft, a member of Absolute Improv who will be playing The Crypt Keeper. “We’ll be welcoming people in at the reception by riffing the way the characters introduce the comics.”

The exhibit’s opening ceremony will also mark the release party for the fifth issue of Art Ducko, the campus’ student-run comics magazine. The newest issue of Art Ducko features a spoof of the iconic EC Comic cover of CrimeSuspenstories #22, where the image of a decapitated woman has been replaced by a duck who has met a similar fate.

“Some of the great cartoonists of tomorrow may have already appeared in [Art Ducko’s] pages,” said Saunders. “What better way to draw attention to the continued relevance of EC Comics, and to the creative strength of our own student cartoonists, than by launching the latest issue of the magazine at the opening of the exhibit?”

Both Saunders and Alex Milshtein, Art Ducko’s Editor in Chief, noted that this exhibit is a great opportunity for student comic creators to publicize their work while celebrating one of the most important chapters in comic history.

“I’m really excited, not just to see EC Comics, but to see the growth in comics studies and the comic community on the University of Oregon campus,” said Milshtein.

For a full list of the exhibit’s events, click here. 

Blizzard has a track record of creating and defining entire game genres, but their newest game, Overwatch, might be the first that does both at once. Overwatch might seem to be just a colorful and zany first-person shooter at first but it shakes things up with a variety of abilities and mechanics that seem to have come straight from the MOBA (multiplayer online battle arena) genre. The result is a unique experience that many are referring to as a “hero shooter.”

Overwatch will be out on May 24, but if you want to check it out before then there’s a free open beta until May 9. Since the game’s announcement at last year’s Blizzcon, Blizzard has been uncharacteristically tight with its beta invitations. Even when they offered open beta invites for anyone who preordered the game, they ended the promotion soon after with little notice.

The game has 21 playable characters, each with weapons and abilities as unique as their design and personality. There’s a character for just about every style of play you might find in a MOBA or first-person shooter: slow bulky tanks that can shield allies, healers that keep their team alive, builders that can construct turrets and teleporters.

The game has a lot of competitive potential since it focuses heavily on team play and has a lot of nuances that require high levels of skill. For example, each character has a distinctive sound they make when they move around, and each of their abilities is accompanied by a sound effect or witty one-liner. If you pay attention, you can use this to hunt down vulnerable heroes or avoid the ones that can counter you.

The actual gameplay has little to do with the plot, but the game maps are littered with little snippets that fill in the gaps. Characters gradually reveal more of their backstory through banter, and the game universe is further fleshed out by additional content like animated shorts and comics that Blizzard has released to promote the game.

The game also features a progression system that lets players unlock a variety of cosmetic skins, emotes, sprays, and poses. You gain experience based on your performance during a game, and each time your account levels up you receive a loot box. Loot boxes award you something you don’t yet have or give you a small amount of in-game currency that lets you choose what to unlock. It seems like a good way to reward skill and effort and keep players invested in the game.

Overwatch will be available on May 24 for $39.99 for PC, Xbox One, and PS4.

Nintendo has announced the Nintendo NX will launch with a new Legend of Zelda game in March of 2017.

Nintendo has been very secretive about its upcoming gaming platform, currently codenamed the Nintendo NX. But they’ve recently given their fans a treat by announcing some crucial information about the new console and their future plans for it.

Nintendo announced through various social media platforms that the Nintendo NX will come out March of 2017 and feature a brand new Legend of Zelda game as a launch title. The gaming company is still being stingy on the actual specifications of the new machine, but we can expect more details to come at this year’s E3 conference and Nintendo Direct broadcast.

The new Legend of Zelda will be Nintendo’s main focus during E3 2016 and will launch for WiiU and Nintendo NX in March of 2017. The announcement featured a picture of the game’s main protagonist wielding a bow and wearing a strange glowing artifact on his belt. Our hero’s signature green outfit is nowhere to be seen, but the art style is very reminiscent of Skyward Sword’s aesthetic.

ESL cuts ties to Team YP, the YouPorn-sponsored eSports team.

The competitive gaming scene was shocked when an internet porn site declared it would be sponsoring an eSports team, but surprisingly, the team flew mostly under everyone’s radar until very recently. Now their peculiar origins might end up the cause of their unfortunate end.

Team YP, sponsored by YouPorn, worked with ESL Gaming to compete in various gaming competitions around the world. But a recent announcement by ESL claims they will no longer associate with the team due to recurring branding issues caused by the nature of the team’s sponsor. This decision would crush many of the team’s ambitions and may bar them from competing in several prestigious gaming events, including ESL One Cologne and Evo 2016.

Team YP offered to completely rebrand itself to resolve any concerns, but the problem lies with the nature of its sponsor. Given the wide range of audiences and countries ESL needs to market to, associating itself with such a controversial brand may be far more trouble than it’s worth.

Despite the unfortunate turn of events, Team YP remains optimistic and has received encouragement and support from the eSports community. They’ve stated on social media that they intend to keep fighting to compete and to end the censorship they’ve faced for the foreseeable future.

Wake up in the wilderness, wander around stuffing anything remotely useful in your pockets, subsist on berries for a week, then get eaten by wolves. Welcome to the world of Don’t Starve. Dying horribly in the wilderness has never been so much fun, and now you can do it with your friends.

Don’t Starve Together is the standalone multiplayer version of the popular survival game Don’t Starve by Klei Entertainment. The game entered early access in December 2014 and was fully released last Thursday. Players can pick any character from the unlockable cast of the original game. If you and your friends ever wanted to reenact Lord of the Flies, this game is exactly what you’re looking for.

As the name suggests, you’ll spend most of your time trying to not starve to death. You manage three resources: your hunger, health, and sanity. If you run out of sanity, you start hallucinating monsters that can kill you. If you run out of hunger, you will start losing health. If you run out of health you will, of course, die. Different characters have different amounts of each resource, as well as their own special abilities. Wolfgang, the strongman, gets stronger the more he eats; Wilson, the gentleman scientist, grows a magnificent beard.

Once you manage to eke out a modest subsistence, you can start exploring the world of the game and gather the resources to craft all kinds of zany inventions. The game is basically the hard mode from the original Don’t Starve – except now you have to compete with other players for resources. When a player dies, they become a ghost, which can haunt items and drain the sanity of anyone nearby. Certain items can be crafted to resurrect players, though they will take a heavy toll on the crafter’s sanity.

Most of the characters have been rebalanced to work better in a multiplayer environment. This ranges from reducing health to drastically changing how their special abilities work. For example, Willow the pyromaniac has limited use of her fire lighting abilities and Woodie the cursed lumberjack can tell when he will be transformed.

As you play Don’t Starve Together, you will occasionally receive item drops for clothes to dress up your characters. Some items are only for specific characters; you can dress dapper occultist Maxwell in survivalist rags or overzealous method actor Wigfrid in golden valkyrie armor. Don’t Starve Together also incorporates content from the Caves and Reign of Giants DLC, with the Shipwrecked content coming soon.

You can pick up Don’t Starve Together for $14.99 or the entire Don’t Starve franchise for $23.96.

Steam may soon accept Bitcoin as payment for games and other services

According to reports from various Steam developers and the unaffiliated data analysis website Steam Database, game developers Valve – the game developers behind games like Half-Life, Portal, Counter Strike and Team Fortress – will soon accept Bitcoin as payment for services on their digital games distribution platform, Steam.

Valve has been skeptical of Bitcoin in the past, but given its heavy investment in digital goods and services it would be no surprise for them to expand their payment options to accommodate the popular digital currency. Many third-party websites already exchange bitcoins for Steam game keys, and a large independent market exists for tradable in-game items like Counter-Strike: Global Offensive weapon skins or cosmetic Dota 2 items.

No exact date for the update has been given, and Valve has yet to make an official public statement.

Microsoft ceases production of Xbox 360 consoles.

After more than 10 years in circulation, Microsoft announced on April 20 that it will soon cease production of new Xbox 360 game consoles. Pushing sales on the newer Xbox One game console and Windows 12 operating system for gaming was the primary push behind Microsoft’s decision. Many Xbox 360 titles are already playable on the Xbox One with no additional cost.

All online services, including third-party software such as Netflix, will continue to function for the foreseeable future. The remaining consoles, accessories and games still on the market will stay in circulation for as long as supplies last.

World of Warcraft Classic server petition reaches 200,000 signatures. Former developer Mark Kern takes it to Blizzard executives.

After the events that led to the shutdown of the World of Warcraft private server Nostalrius, an online petition was initiated to ask the heads of Blizzard entertainment, specifically co-founder Mike Morhaime, to change the policies regarding third-party use of the game’s content. The goal is to allow a team like Nostalrius to run the original 2004 iteration of the game or for Blizzard to provide it itself. The petition has since gained more than 200,000 signatures and been endorsed by former Blizzard game developer Mark Kern.

Kern has printed all five thousand pages of the petition and plans deliver them to Morhaime himself in an effort to organize a definitive sit-down on the topic. His ultimate goal is to determine whether these legacy servers are a practical option.

Blizzard has yet to make an official comment on the current situation. In the past they have commented on the idea of classic servers and stated they did not have the original source code for the game and that they did not have high opinions of the original game.

Hasan Minhaj, The Daily Show with Trevor Noah senior correspondent and stand-up comedian, came to the University of Oregon Straub Hall on Saturday, April 16 to perform his Homecoming King show as part of the Students of the Indian Subcontinent’s annual Utsav festival.

Minhaj’s set – originally performed as an off-Broadway show – ran from 5-7 p.m. He recounted a handful of stories about growing up in northern California as a first-generation immigrant, which were hilarious and devastating in equal measure. From the awkwardness of having a foreign name during grade-school roll call to being raised by a stern father, Minhaj poked fun at the cultural and racial differences that influenced him throughout his life.

During the show, Minhaj often referred to the Hindi phrase “Log Kya Kahenge,” which roughly means “What will people say?” The phrase resonated with many members of the audience as Minhaj told the stories of his Muslim father’s reluctance to approve his marriage to a Hindu girl and how his high school crush’s parents forbade her from going to prom with him, since they were going to take some pictures for family living in Nebraska.

“I didn’t expect him to take that angle, but I’m glad he did,” said SIS President Meghna Agarwal. “I feel like it really resonated with me and a lot of us here.”

This is the first time a stand-up comedian has performed at the Utsav festival, which is usually composed of cultural performances from students and community members. The performance was funded by the ASUO and through fundraising by members of the association.

If you finished Starcraft 2: Legacy of the Void, you might have assumed that the six-year-old game had finally run out of things to offer. But if there’s one thing developer Blizzard is good at, it’s dragging you back in just when you think you’re out for good. If you’re looking for another unique way to experience Blizzard’s hit RTS, then the first act of Nova Covert Ops is here to whet your appetite once again.

Nova Covert Ops is a nine mission campaign set years after the events of Legacy of the Void and revolves around the Terran government once again facing the threat of open rebellion. These rebels, The Defenders of Man, will stop at nothing to overthrow the Terran Dominion; it’s up to the Dominion’s most dangerous asset to stop them through stealth and superior tactics. The campaign is scheduled to be released in three parts, the first of which is already available with the second two installments dropping before Dec. 1.

In 2002, Blizzard Entertainment announced that they would be making a third-person shooter for consoles, Starcraft: Ghost. The game never saw the light of day, but its spirit lingers through the game’s would-be protagonist, the Ghost operative Nova Terra. Since her game’s cancellation, Nova has made appearances in novels, comics, the Starcraft 2 campaigns, and even as a playable character in Blizzard’s MOBA, Heroes of the Storm. But until now, she has never had the spotlight in one of the franchise’s main games.

The feature that makes Nova Covert Ops unique to the franchise is your ability to customize your units before a mission. Nova herself is a powerful hero unit that can be equipped with a variety of weapons, armors, and gadgets that let players take a drastically different approach to each mission. This also applies to your regular units, which allows you to swap certain special abilities for some interesting results. For example, you can give spider mines to the cliff-jumping Reapers or equip your Siege Tanks with jetpacks in order to propel them to higher vantage points. Your options are limited at first, but as you progress through the campaign, you’ll find more useful equipment through story elements and bonus objectives. Most of the Terran units have also been reskinned to fit into the covert ops theme.

As far as the story goes, it’s what you would expect from a Starcraft title, though less hamfisted than Legacy of the Void. The main concern is how abruptly the first act cuts off right as things start to get exciting. This could end up playing out in Blizzard’s favor, as it seems like a good way to keep players interested in the game by drip-feeding them new content to keep the game on their radar.

You can buy each set of missions for $7.49 each or in a bundle for $14.99 before the final set is released. All you need is the free Starcraft 2: Starter Edition to play.

Blizzard orders popular WoW private server Nostalrius to shut down.

World of Warcraft is one of the most influential games in history, with a large and loyal fanbase across the world. Unfortunately, not all fans agree with the way Blizzard Entertainment chose to evolve the game over its ten-year lifespan. This has led to certain individuals pirating the game and hosting their own illegal private servers. One of the largest of these servers, Nostalrius, received a letter from Blizzard Entertainment on Tuesday, April 5, indicating that the company would be taking legal action against them. This has prompted the full and permanent shutdown of the server and all its assets.

While some private WoW servers are created to illegally circumvent the game’s $15 subscription fee, Nostalrius only sought to recreate the original iteration of the game, which no longer exists after six expansions worth of overhauls to the game’s design and mechanics. Nostalrius had over 800,000 registered users, at least 150,000 of whom were active. According to a Reddit AMA  by the Nostalrius team, they made no profits from the server and went to great lengths to discourage and deny all donations. The server’s owner claims it cost anywhere from $500 to $1000 a month to run the servers.

The shutdown has prompted a huge community outcry for Blizzard to change its policies to allow a sanctioned way to experience the original iteration of the game. Many significant figures in the WoW community have spoken of the movement, including the YouTube vlogger Asmongold and the machinima maker Nixxiom.

You can check out the Nostalrius team’s online petition to change Blizzard’s policy here.

God of War 4 concept art has been leaked by Nerdleaks.

Since the conclusion of the third God of War game, many fans were wondering what the unstoppable killing machine known as Kratos would do next. After slaughtering the entirety of the Greek mythology, many theorized he would move on to the lands of another ancient religion and kill their deities as well. Thanks to the website Nerdleaks.com, it looks like we might find out what the angry Spartan has been up to sooner than later.

On April 4, Nerdleaks published a set of images that are allegedly from the unannounced God of War 4 before going completely dark on all platforms. The images depict lush forests and what seem to be pieces of Norse inspired architecture, as well as the series protagonist sporting a stylish new beard. The Nerdleaks team also released some cryptic Tweets that referenced Norse mythology before their sudden unexplained withdrawal.

A new God of War title was expected to be announced at this year’s E3 conference by Sony. The company has yet to address the leak with any official response.

While some students may have elected to spend spring break sipping Mai Tais by a swimming pool, 10 adventurous University of Oregon students took 10 days off to travel down one of the most popular bike touring routes on the West Coast – the Oregon Coast scenic bike route.

The cyclists loaded their bikes with camping gear and supplies before heading off during finals week on Wednesday, March 16. They returned a week and a half later on Sunday, March 27, just in time to start spring term.

The trip began from the UO Outdoor Program’s bike barn (at East 18th Avenue and University Street) and then ran down the scenic Smith River Road to Coos Bay, Oregon. From there, the group made its way down the coastline to San Francisco, where it crossed the Golden Gate Bridge eventually taking an Amtrak from Emeryville, California, back home.

During the tour, cyclists were treated to many stunning sights, from the towering trees of the Redwood forests to the expansive Pacific Ocean at the California coastline. A great sense of accomplishment washed over the entire group as they reached the end of the Golden Gate Bridge and concluded their 700-mile adventure.

“The highlight of the trip for me was biking through the Redwoods,” said UO student Katie Nock. “True bliss is riding down the hills through Redwood National Park and then stopping to eat a chocolate chip cookie at the bottom.”

The cyclists also met their fair share of challenges along the way, as they had to contend with numerous flat tires, unpredictable weather and steep hills. Through their own ingenuity and the help of several cyclist-friendly communities, the group was able to overcome every obstacle set before them. One clever solution involved several cyclists slipping their socked feet into plastic bags to stay a little dryer on days when the rain refused to let up.

Thanks to Warmshowers.org, a website devoted to helping wayfaring cyclists, the UO group was also able to get in contact with several gracious hosts who provided places to shower, wash clothes and rest after a long day on the road.

“The worst and best days of my life both happened on this 10-day journey,” said UO student Megan Brehm. “Coming out of it I feel crazy for making the decision to go on this trip, but I’m satisfied for having done it.”

Student and UO Bike Program employee Halley Anderson organized the trip to share her love of bike touring with others. She used the program’s resources to start networking and found several interested cyclists. Once she had a cohort assembled, they began to train for the trip by spending their weekends biking around Eugene and the surrounding area.

Each participant either rented a bike from the UO Outdoor Program or had their own bike inspected by one of the program’s mechanics to make sure it would be in acceptable condition for the trip.

Anderson was pleased with how the trip went and hopes that this will be the first of many tours she will initiate during her time as a student at UO.

“I’d say it was a raging success,” said Anderson. “Everyone fell in love with living on their bikes.”

Blizzard releases the first of the Overwatch animated shorts.

Ever since the unveiling of Overwatch’s first animated trailer, Blizzard fans have been craving more of Pixar-esque animations to help flesh out the game’s already colorful backstory. Recall, the first episode of the new Overwatch animated shorts series features one of the game’s most unconventional characters, a scientist gorilla named Wilson. The short does a lot to expand on both the Overwatch world’s past and present and may have fans of the game more excited than ever.

Overwatch is set to release on May 24 with the game going into open beta on May 3 for anyone who has pre-ordered the title. The game will launch with 21 playable characters and will feature objective based first person shooter gameplay. Players will be able to receive in-game drops that will include skins, taunts, and voice packs for individual characters.

5th Cell lays off 45 staff members after the cancellation of new Scribblenauts game.

Many fans of the imaginative puzzle game series Scribblenauts, developed by indie studio 5th Cell, were disappointed to hear that the latest installment of the franchise would not be coming to mobile devices due to its cancellation by Warner Bros. At least 45 5th Cell staff members have been let go as a result, and it is likely the studio may soon close.

Lead animator Tim Borrelli,sent out a Tweet in an attempt to find jobs for the many displaced staff members. He has since received over 100 responses – and counting.

Nikkei claims Nintendo may soon stop producing Wii Us.

The Japanese newspaper Nikkei claimed earlier this week that Nintendo will cease all production of its Wii U video game console before the end of 2016. Nintendo later made a statement that they intend to keep producing Wii U’s for the foreseeable future.

So far, the Wii U has been the slowest-selling console in the company’s history. Nintendo has already announced that it has been working on a new game console, currently known as the Nintendo NX; little information is available so far, several major announcements about the new product are expected to be made in summer of 2016.

Though it is currently unsure how much of the Wii U’s lifespan on the console market is left, it still has some exciting releases planned for the rest of the year, including Starfox Zero, Sonic and Mario at the Rio Olympics 2016, and a new Paper Mario game.