Ooooh, dear. Some year, right?

I’m not gonna lie. This year’s been pretty rough. One of the most divisive election years in recent history, more natural disasters than can be counted, rising international tensions, multiple terror attacks and political upheavals, and a string of heart-wrenching  celebrity deaths that have taken away the personal heroes of many people… this year’s seen its suckitude. I’ve seen many stating that this is ‘the worst year ever,’ and that ‘nothing good has come of this year’… but hasn’t it? Perhaps that’s the double-edged sword of the internet, yes? In this world of instant gratification, pain can spread just as quickly and easily as joy. And let’s be honest. We’re attracted to the negative. Otherwise major media outlets wouldn’t expend the majority of their resources on it for the ratings. We watch the news or read articles from these places, and because they’re supposed to be telling us what’s happening in the world… well, I guess we assume that’s it. And so we fixate on the bad things so much that maybe we just forget to look around. If literally nothing good came of this year, then the world would be a crater by now, yes? The very fact that the Earth continues to spin is, itself, a good thing. So. If you can honestly say nothing good has happened, then you simply aren’t looking for it. And I can understand that. This year’s been emotionally draining in many ways. Hindsight is going to sting. But let’s just try, anyway, yeah? Here we go.

Anniversaries!

Clearly there were more anniversaries, this year, than you can count on one hand. From Pokemon and Legend of Zelda, to Star Trek, fans around the world got to celebrate major milestones of their favorite franchises. Pokemon fans got two news games, and year-round distribution of difficult-to-obtain Pokemon, Zelda fans got a remaster of one of the most beloved games in the franchise (certainly my own favorite), and were spoiled with news on the upcoming installment, Star Trek fans witnessed the reveal of a new series on the way, and so much more. Rejoice that you could celebrate such awesome milestones, and the years you’ve been graced with the privilege to experience them.

Gaming!

This has been a good year to be a fan of video games. If you’re into games, then the odds are ever in your favor, as something probably came out this year, for you. What were your most anticipated games? Overwatch? Pokemon Sun & Moon? Final Fantasy XV? Or maybe you were just amped up to see all the amazing reveals for things to come next year? Horizon Zero Dawn? Breath of the Wild? The Nintendo Switch? How about the major push into the realm of VR? Were you as happy as we were to see Hideo Kojima win an Industry Icon Award? Gamers, now is an awesome time to be alive! Celebrate it!

Movies!

I’ll not pretend there weren’t some major let downs and all-around awful things to hit theaters, this year. But that’s to be expected. I’d rather spend my time on things like Deadpool, and Captain America: Civil War. Superhero movies not your thing? What about Star Wars? I’ve heard amazing things about Rogue One. And let’s not forget about all the amazing animation, this year. How about Kubo and the Two Strings for another beautiful stop-motion adventure? Zootopia was a great animated feature, with a pretty wonderful message. Moana took to the sea in a gorgeously animated epic, and speaking of the sea, has anyone found the magic of Finding Dory, yet? Such a great story that well represents people with disabilities. And let’s not all forget the anime film that’s been blowing away the entire world, apparently, Your Name. If you love movies, I’d say you could’ve definitely picked a worse year to be alive in.

Diversity!

Ladies! People of Color! LGBT peeps! This is your freakin’ year, man! A ton of awesome new femme action heroes and leading roles? Check. Big steps in the right direction with minority portrayal and representation in media franchises? Check. Leaps and bounds taken towards acceptance and support for the LGBT community, especially after one of its darkest hours? Well, let’s see. We Are Orlando, Tracer, Love is Love; I think we can check that one off. I’m not saying it’s all fixed. Nor will it be, immediately. There’s a long road, ahead. But we’re getting there. That, alone, is worth celebrating… reasonably… without letting a single story drag on for an entire month. Please.

The Site!

Hey, we actually got quite a lot done, this year. We kicked off our Patreon, got the ball rolling with Bulletoon in a big way, started getting the hang of playing games for the amusement of others (still workin’ on that… heh), and look at all those articles. Like this one! And next year promises even more goodies from us, starting early.

You

Yes, you. And your accomplishments. You’ve made it through another year, despite its trials and tribulations. Never undervalue yourself. You’re not stupid, you’re not weak, you’re not worthless. You are awesome. And come what may, in 2017, don’t forget to share your awesome with the world.

Thanks for sticking with us, everyone. And, as always

Keep Up The Awesome! Take Care
C. Voyage