Monsterpedia 2 is at times monstrous, at times adorable! This story by Sarah Dicken proves that there is nothing more endearing than a bunny you could ride.

Although, she gives her bunny some adorable competition with this puppy of a unicorn!

Many of the original Monsterpedia contributors have returned for this second volume, as well as some new faces. I am immensely proud to have written a story for it myself, and prouder still that it is illustrated by the amazing Dev Madan.

Dev and I go all Twilight Zone on a poor comic book creator. It's kind of my favorite thing ever that Dev Madan's pencils brought my characters into the world.

Erin Middendorf will be on hand with more of her gorgeous pottery.

I look at this and squee, "Corgi! Kitty!" And so forth.

I defy you to look at her animal art without trying to reach into the art and pet the adorable creatures. It just can’t be done. Don’t believe me? Have you played Solitaire Blitz? There are puppies who are soaked through, and you just know they smell like wet dog, but of course you would hold them and cuddle them anyway.

Readers of the first Monsterpedia will be excited to know that Karin Madan is back for Volume 2 with another story about the tragic and endearing Lil’ Dusa.

Don't worry -- this is just the title page, not the final panel. Lil' Dusa will be fine... probably....

So if you’re attending the con this weekend, be sure to stop by booth 506 and visit! The full complement of Monsterpedia artists and writers will be around, so pick up a copy of Volume 2 for thrills, chills and beautiful bunnies that you could totally ride if only you were tiny enough. And who knows? It’s Comicon. Probably someone there is selling reproductions of Alice in Wonderland cakes, and you can’t be sure they won’t shrink you unless you try.

The building got a new coat of paint, light fixtures, countertops, chairs, and ceiling tiles, plus a spiffy new mural from some cool cats — artsy and otherwise — at PopCap. (Please note the nice lady at the 1:07 mark in the video. She designed the mural and will probably be mad at me for calling her out like this but she deserves credit and it’s not like I said your name, Lorie!)

Many thanks to BNBuilders, Washington Commercial Painters, Sherwin Williams, Precision Electric, Auburn Mechanical, Contour Countertops, Ducky’s Furniture and GK Knutson for their generous donations of time and resources for the project.

Erin Middendorf was the first artist to sell out! Um, I mean that in the good way... she kept her integrity while unloading all her stuff.

Dev Madan and David Ryan Paul sketched and sold all weekend long and never stopped smiling.

In addition to prints and sketchbooks, Dev had a full-length adventure, Monstertown P.I., featuring Frank Neil Stein, the character from his delightful Monsterpedia story. This is one of the many items I failed to pick up, as I was mostly busy cosplaying and winning trivia contests. Fortunately, I work in the same building as Dev, so I guess it’s only fair to give the other fans first crack at his wares!

Lynn Hogan in PopCap finery, or "bling" as I hear the kids call it.

Lynn’s new graphic novel, Prydwen, is available in both hardcover and soft, and it’s gorgeous! She was busy signing all weekend.

Karin Madan went bananas for this con. Sorry, I really couldn't help myself there.

As I photographed Jordan Kotzebue, I said, "Ooh, hold still... your head is covering the boob in the picture right now, that's perfect."

There were lots of great costumes this year, including roving hordes of Doctor Who in his various incarnations, at least half a dozen Katniss cosplayers, Hogwarts students travelling solo or in packs and representing at least three of the houses (as usual, no love for poor Hufflepuff). Here are a few of the highlights I managed to get on camera:

All Gryffindors here, but Slytherin and Ravenclaw both made a pretty good showing at ECCC this year.

I would like this just slightly better if the team simply represented all four major Robins, rather than three Robins and a Batgirl... but still, very nicely done!

In line for Stargate Atlantis star Jason Momoa, a trio of Wraiths menace Rodney McKay (whose Ancient shield device must have worn off already, or he shouldn't look so scared).

And last year after San Diego Comic Con, I challenged readers to correctly identify my cosplay (incidentally, no one did, but their guesses were good). This time, I went with a much more identifiable character, so no challenge. It was great walking around being recognized even by very young children who love the character! Kind of gave me hope that the next generation of comic book fans is here.

Avengers, assembled. At least two of 'em.

What keeps Scott going all day? A little cuteness, a little weirdness and a dangerous amount of coffee. Here’s how he tells it:

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Monkey.

The “Like a Boss” monkey makes sure that I stay on task and is always willing to lend a hand when I’m falling behind. (Scott also loves puns, which is why we all respect and fear him. –Ed.)

The “Weee Whale”

The WEEEE Whale Shaker dances on my desk when I crank the key, reminding me that baby whales go “WEEEEEEE.” (Please don’t try too hard to figure this one out. Trust us, it will only end in madness. –Ed.)

The Leaning Tower of Coffee

When no more mugs will stack on top of the Coffee Mug Tower, I know I have had my limit of coffee for the day. (Scott’s office-mate disagrees with Scott’s assessment of his coffee “limit.” — Ed.)

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Thank you (I think), Scott.

And because you demanded it, we went back to Scott’s cave (seriously, dude, why so dark?) and got the Weeee Whale in action. Please to enjoy.

What did folks at PopCap dress up as for Halloween? Stay tuned next week!

Meanwhile, your photos from Halloween past keep arriving in our in-box. So while you’re putting the final touches on your own costume, take a peek at at one more batch of Halloween costumes and decorations — courtesy of our amazing Blog readers.

Patrick H. sent us his Balloon Zombie...

while Brandi J created PvZ decorations.

Meanwhile Stacy W dressed her daughter as a... Sunflower Zombie??! (Beware Zombies -- this looks like a plant to me!)

Adrien G.'s daughters and sister embraced the PvZ spirit...

and even Adrien and her husband got into the act!

After reading about PopCap’s Wonder Woman-obsessed Ellen Marrett last month, one blog reader was inspired to take matters into his own hands. He decided to create a motion-sensitive box that plays the Wonder Woman theme song when Ellen starts her day.

“When I wrote up the documentation, I called it the Wonder Woman Theme Player, but I just call it my second box,” explained Michael Black, a Web Developer with PopCap’s Content Services team.

Apparently Michael has a penchant for creating one-of-a-kind boxes in his spare time. “My first box was a useless machine that had the sole purpose of turning itself off.”

Michael spent two weeks (after work, of course!) building his second box. First he researched how to use an Arduino to detect motion and play music. Then he ordered all the parts, soldered them together and spent a day or two writing code. When all the internal components were in place, he was ready to assemble his creation.

“I went to Metrix Create:Space and with the help of their staff used their laser cutter to make the box and etch a logo into the side.”

Wonder Woman Theme Box with etched logo

Then Michael enlisted the help of James Bernert, PopCap’s Facilities Coordinator, to sneak into Ellen’s office and set up the sting.

“I went into her office early in the morning and set up the box on her desk. I spent about 30 minutes walking back and forth in front of her glass door, testing the motion sensor’s sensitivity to make sure it didn’t go off when someone walked by.

“I had James spy on her to make sure it worked. The plan was that if the box failed, he’d call her out of her office before she found it, and reset it for me,” he said.

Hoping to keep his identity a secret, Michael created an email account under an alias so Ellen could get help if she had questions about her awesome box.

Documentation for Ellen's Wonder Woman Theme Player

But his anonymity was short-lived.

“I’m not sure exactly how she found out it was me, but I got an email from her minutes after she arrived at work,” he said.

Perhaps Michael forgot Wonder Woman’s ultimate superpower.

“No one can resist the golden lasso. It binds all who are encircled and compels them to tell… the truth!”

Now I know you wanna hear the Wonder Woman theme!

Now I had spent the long weekend in the garden and at the lake, not thinking about work, confident in the knowledge that our beloved Editorial and Social Media Director, Jeff Green, would be on the scene with his usual trenchant insights and irreverent observations, but…

Dude stood us up.

And since Mr. Green couldn’t be bothered to come into work today, I thought I’d sneak into his office to see what’s in there that he guards so jealously. So join me, if you please, on a brief tour of Jeff’s office.

The first thing you’ll notice are the spacious accommodations and expansive views. But let’s take a closer look at the tools of the trade, employed by our living legend.

The Ziggy mug.

What is it about Ziggy that Jeff finds so relevant? Is it the “nothing ever goes right” foibles of the comic-strip stalwart? Is it his relentlessly upbeat attitude no matter what life throws at him? Or is it that, like Ziggy, Jeff never wears pants?

The Donald.

Nothing says “I’m on the path to success” like a 12-inch talking Donald Trump doll. Actually, I pushed the button a lot and this thing never says “I’m on the path to success.” Mostly it just says “Never quit” and “You’re fired” which is a horribly mixed message, but maybe it’s the art of flim-flam that got Mr. Trump to the point where somebody thought making a plastic likeness of him (in a poorly made suit) was a good idea. Would I buy a plastic talking Jeff Green doll? I’d buy two! Somebody make it happen.

Soda. Or is it pop?

Something you might not know about Jeff is that he’s a notorious Juggalo. He doesn’t talk about it much, but ask anyone about “Crusty G” and they’ll just smile and nod. Sadly, Faygo is really hard to come by up here in the Pacific Northwest (you Michiganders don’t know how good you have it) but some of our Texas friends were able to dig up a few cases of this stuff to keep Jeff relatively happy and productive. Occasionally you can hear him muttering, “You ain’t Rock & Rye” but for the most part he manages to stay calm.

Thanks for stopping by. I’m going to see if I can’t track our man down and find out if he plans on doing any work this week.

We called in Rebekah from Vain Salon to help out, and six brave souls, including Lisa, took it all off.

Ellen giving up her blue locks.

We expect the now hairless bunch to celebrate their new look by sporting a variety of hats and wigs around the office.

Co-workers who kept their hair showed their support by donating several thousand dollars to the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance. And we’re happy to say Lisa is doing very well!

Lisa and her kids.

Lisa, Abigail, Rebekah, Pamela, Ellen, Darren and Kaya

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Keys to the Kingdom

The first thing on my desk is my key chain. When you see the keys it has on it, the natural assumption would be that they grant me access to a plethora of restricted areas with unique functions, but the truth is that they all gain entry to rooms full of PopCap’s most sought after treasure… swag! It seems a significant portion of my job is to ration out the multitude of games, t-shirts, fuzzy toys and other random treats that no one seems to be able to get enough of.

The Y.E.T.I.

Handing out these goodies to everyone and seeing them react with pure glee should really be reward enough, but a group of fantastic PopCappers decided that there should be a program where employees can reward fellow employees for going above and beyond, such as doing a deed that has a beneficial effect on morale. Enter the Y.E.T.I.! The Y.E.T.I (You Earned This, Indubitably!) program is a great way for employees to acknowledge one another’s achievements by giving an award. I am a proud recipient, but take greater pleasure in being involved in the process of creating the program to honor others. Seeing the award on my desk each day reminds me just how much we all care about each other here at PopCap, and brings a smile to my face. (Editor’s note: Leah’s Y.E.T.I. came with “a modern tiara for a modern princess.”)

Medals of Honor

Speaking of awards, and fellow employees, for two years in a row I have been a part of a gold medal showing in Rock Band Contest, one of the many PopCap Olympic events. What a great chance for everyone to shake off the dreary winter blues by getting paid to play games and kick ass. I must say I am “hungry like a wolf” for next season, and hope to be “motoring” to another victory.

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Thanks, Leah!

Come back soon, gentle reader, for another peek behind the curtain at PopCap!

So, what’s it like to be an attorney in the gaming industry? How convenient of you to ask! Because I sat down with one of PopCap’s chief legal eagles, Meredith Dorrance, to find out this very thing!  See how things work out?

Enjoy, and remember, kids: Obey the law!

Not Meredith Dorrance, but a zombie eating some important legal documents. This is how we resolve most of our problems at PopCap.

My title is Associate General Counsel. Basically, I negotiate deals with our distribution partners and vendors, meet with product development and management teams to review products and talk about new features and launches they’re planning, troubleshoot issues as they wash (or flood) over the transom, monitor legislation and newly filed lawsuits that affect our industry, and try to make smart decisions to manage real risks (instead of theoretical ones).

What is a typical day like for you at PopCap?

Typical?  There’s no such thing as a typical day at PopCap, but that’s a huge part of what makes it so much fun. But, if you really want to know, the average Tuesday might look like this: I sprint from the parking lot to attend a conference call with our Dublin office.   After the call, I read a few documents and review and reply to a ton of emails.  Then, I sprint to a meeting about a lawsuit in which we’re embroiled.   After that festival of fun, I return to my office and delete the emails telling me there are donuts in the second floor cafeteria, or that someone’s bubby baked chocolate chip cookies and left them on the 8^th floor for us.  Then, I sprint to a product review meeting (and pick up one of bubby’s cookies on the way).  After that meeting, I review opposing counsel’s redline of a deal we’re negotiating and curse at him/her (quietly, in my head of course). I insert new redlines into the contract and get on the phone with our business development director to review the new draft and commiserate about how the deal resembles the original term sheet about as much as Snooki resembles Audrey Hepburn.

When you were in law school, or even just thinking about becoming an attorney, did you ever imagine that you’d be working at a video game company?

Not in a million years.  My parents wouldn’t even buy us an Atari when I was a kid. (Oops, I think I just gave away my approximate age or at least my vintage).  When I was in law school, if I had known that a part of my job someday would be playing games, I would have gone ahead and slept through my corporate tax class instead of inserting that IV line into my arm to keep the triple espressos flowing directly into my blood stream to try and stay awake. Actually, I was a bit technophobic until Al Gore invented the Internet.  I think I was the last person in my law school class to get an email account.  A friend of mine put together a class roster, and listed my email address as mdorrance@get.email.com.

How do your family and friends feel about you having this job — as opposed to something more “traditional”?  Do they ask you if you play games all day for a living?

My friends who are also lawyers think I have the best job in the world (for a lawyer). And they’re correct.  I don’t track my hours in .10 minute increments and “client development” usually involves hanging out at the Two Bells Tavern with my PopCap friends.  More importantly, I’m completely immersed in our business, which is hard for lawyers working in law firms to do because they aren’t on site or in a position to sit down with a product manager and walk through a game and its features step by step. My family thinks my job sounds great.  They love the swag. Although, my father, husband and brother-in-law all were perplexed that I gave them PvZ beer sleeves. Their drinks don’t actually stay in a glass long enough to warm up.

Do you actually play games?  If so, what are your faves? 

I’m addicted to Bejeweled Blitz. I might need to enter Bejeweled Blitz re-hab. My daughter loves PvZ.  Her favorite character is the Squash (a.k.a. “Squashie”), and she does a pretty good imitation of it.  My husband claims to be the master of PvZ. He sings “There’s a Zombie on Your Lawn,” a lot, which is an auditory tort because singing isn’t one of his strengths.  Our cat loves chuzzles. She likes to rip off their eyes. She’s a gentle and cuddly feline.

What’s your favorite part of your job?  Anything that makes you think “I can’t believe I do this for a living.“

I really like supporting a team that’s launching a new game or launching one of our games on a new platform.  For example, when we launched on Google+, I had no choice but to check out the test site, create a profile, build up my Friend circles, start following various “new” Friends and start playing the games that would be available at launch, so that I could work through various deal terms with Google’s attorneys (great bunch of lawyers at Google, by the way) and advise the product team about complying with Google’s requirements.

Seriously, I have to play PopCap games so I understand the features, how the platforms work and what we’re doing to create a great user experience. That knowledge is invaluable. It’s my job to ensure we’re complying with applicable laws. It’s also my job to understand all aspects of our business so that I can document a strategic partnership in a plain English contract, evaluate which risks we can take and which don’t make sense for PopCap.

Who gives you more of a headache, as an attorney: people within PopCap, or without?

Actually, it isn’t a people, it’s a what. The candy bowl on the 5^th floor of our office building taunts me.  Occasionally, I give in to the siren song of the Twix bars.  There’s nothing “fun” about those “fun size” candy bars when you substitute them for dinner.

What’s the one thing you’d like us to know about you that I haven’t asked.

If you could be any kind of animal, what would it be and why?  I’d be a chuzzle because maybe then our cat would like me.

Thank you for your time, Meredith, and thank you for keeping us out of trouble!