[1.Local]: Overheard in local chat

WoW Insider at the WoW panel at Comic-Con
Dunwich gets it – this is a guy who understands how to use blog comments for brainstorming, debate and through-provoking discussion (rather than limp, Bliz-forum-style QQing). "To be honest, I think the only way the WoW comic could interest me is if they stopped trying to do what every other comic going these days seems to do: earth-shattering arcs full of drama and how things will Never Be The Same Again," he writes.

"Bah. Give me one-, two-issue storylines of more low-key things. That's one of the things I like about WoW; it isn't all about slaying dragons and battling the Demon Earwig King, with a plethora of rather interesting tales to be told.

"What about a tribe of Murlocs being the centre of a dispute between the Steamwheedle Cartel (who want to slaughter them and sell their remains) and the DEHTA (who want them to run free and frolic and so forth) that eventually erupts into violence, only for the Murlocs to summon a collosal Water Elemental at the end and butcher both sides?

"Or just one comic devoted to Shizzle trying to get out of the Un'Goro Crater? Or the two Shattrath investigators trying to finally put Griftah away? Or if you fancy something rather darker, what about the Firewing Point Project, before the player becomes involved?

"It's a world of stories. I just hope they don't just focus on the big-name heroes, because it'd be a real waste of an opportunity. "

The sights of Stormwind Harbor
If Dunwich represents the voice of reader wisdom, then Robert M stands for strong opinions: "I HATE STORMWIND! The fact that Blizz gives all this love to the Humans absolutely disgusts me. How about you play an RPG where you get to be a Human, since you don't wake up every morning and look in the mirror as a Night Elf. The sad thing is that all the work that went into Darnassus and Ironforge often gets overlooked because so many people like the prettiness of Stormwind.

"The crowning achievement that is the Human's capital has statues that are obviously the work of the Dwarves, a park that is maintained by what appears to be some Cenarion ambassador, and a tram built with Gnomish technology to give them access to Ironforge. The Humans aren't great diplomats. They are post-modern Alliance faction leeches who bask in their greatness at the hands of their allies. I hate that I'm going to have to use Stormwind as a point of launch into Northrend as I will have to access it once again."

Azeroth's new plague: potion sickness
What's up with the new potion sickness debuff in Wrath? Centigrade offers his own theory: "My thought on this is that it's meant to be in DIS-favor of the casual players who want to raid. As it presently stands, if I gear up my Holy Paladin in badge gear and take Alchemy/Leatherworking, I can contribute to a Tier 6+ raid even though my gear is disproportionate for the encounter because I can spam big heals and chug potions.

"I'm going to drop Alchemy/Leatherworking for Enchanting and probably Herbalism (to make money off of everyone who switches to Inscription) if they take away the usefulness of the Alchemist's Stone."

WoW Insider's Winter's Veil in July contest
Here comes a slew of comments from readers posting in for a shot at winning WoW Insider's Winter's Veil in July contest – an entertaining read if you have time for a really long thread of comments.

"Sup GFW," posts A.Menethil. "Sorry about kicking you outta Northrend but you know how it goes, legions of Undead to accumulate and all that. This summer's been going GREAT. We're just about to ready to unleash our Horrifyingly Evil Plan, that jerk Kael got what he deserved a while back – oh, and I hear Rogues' Cheat Death got nerfed. About time. Totally OP. Anyways, hit me up with the swag. I need some ceremonial garb to wear when I'm strutting through the ruins of Ironforge."

"Summer of change," reports Korixa. "Leveling my cooking in WoW on all the characters I haven't leveled it on, and applying for culinary school. It seemed appropriate."

"Great-Father Winter," writes Wolftech, "I just wanted to let you know that my summer is going fine, but I am real concerned about the goings on up in Northrend. I hear all sorts of things about what is taking place up there and I really want to go. I hear that it is by special invitation only right now, so I am checking my mailbox every day and hoping that it comes soon.

"As you know, I have been a good little Gnome and haven't set fire to any villages or more than a couple of hundred Murlocs. Well, there was the incident with Cannon Master Willey, but it's not my fault. I mean, come on -- if you are on fire from an Ignite debuff, you don't run into the powder room. Besides, how did I know that it would set the whole city on fire?

"Ok, so other than that, I have been a good Gnome. I will live the glass of milk and some gingerbread cookies out on the table for you when you come this year. Thank you, Lil Nik."

"Hey Granfather," begins Markymark, in a similar vein, "can't wait to see what you'll get me this Winter's Veil. My summer is going fine so far I got an internship with the battlemasters in Undercity. Those guys are kinda smelly, but they're all really nice. Hope you're having a blessed summer ... Sincerely, MarkyMark"

"It's bloody winter here -- always nice to feel ignored and marginalized by you Yanks!" grouses michael. "Even the frigging spell check's in on it."

Continuing in a more realistic vein, Will Petersen says, "LOL I thought last summer was a great summer. It was the first time I went out of the country for about a month to England and France. Most fun I have ever had – 'til this summer, when I got my first job working at the California Academy of Sciences as a high school intern. I love what I do, and once school starts up next month and when the museum will reopen Sept. 27 after the old museum being torn down and rebuilt (which took about five years), I think I will love my job even more. :D – Will"

sammy's comment was short and sweet: "Ho Ho H---ugh, just got ganked."

Thio composed a special verse for the occasion: "On the first day of summer my Mage turned to me and said 'It's summer! 'tis the season to put that sunscreen on my pale, pale skin!'

"On the second day of summer my Mage turned to me and said, 'Now is the time to head away from dull lands of Netherstom and enjoy a Dark Iron brew in Nagrand.'

"On the third day of summer my Mage turned to me and said, 'It's time that Prince goes down again; he had ruined our last summer, not again this one!'

"On the fourth day of summer my Mage turned to me and said, 'It's time for the Midsummer Festival; let's go do a Ribbon Dance!'

"On the fifth day of summer my Mage turned to me and said (all dizzy-like), 'Oh ... 24 hours of a Ribbon Dance can make one Mage dizzy; let us go collect Burning Blossom and tease those Alliance.'

"On the sixth day of summer my Mage turned to me and said, 'My flower collection is complete -- I can now have my very own Summer Spirit to follow. She will guide me during the cold season, and it's coming.'

"On the seventh day of summer my Mage turned to me and said, 'There is an evil spirit we must summon: Ahune. He must be stopped. Let's assemble our friends and kill kill kill!'

"On the eighth day sf Summer my Mage turned to me and said, 'The Midsummer Festival is gone, we had our fun -- but our fun will continue, for that was only the middle of summer!'

"On the ninth day of summer my Mage turned to me and said, 'Have you heard the rumors? Because they are true -- the Dark Knight will triumph all!"

"On the tenth day of summer my Mage turned to me and said, 'I'll fish all day and fish all night to try and catch the world's biggest Mudfish'... 'Your fish got away!'

"On the eleventh day of summer my Mage turned to me and said, 'Now that it's the opposite season, we should sell these snowballs I've been keeping cold in my backpack for all these months!'

"On the twelfth day of summer my Mage turned to me and said, 'Twelve days of WoW -- time to go outside and play!'"

Have you seen Varian Wrynn?
Winner of this week's [1.Local] Standing Ovation is Braundo, who made one short but oh-so-sweet comment on a post about the recent sightings of Varian Wrynn: "Hey, the king's back!"