Stuff I Appreciated in 2023

Just a killer year for great media and experiences I enjoyed

This past January, I went on one of the worst dates of my life. I’ve been on plenty of mundanely bad dates, and at least one remarkably disastrous one before this, but my date with — let’s call her A — definitely broke some new and terrible ground.

Not even two hours into us meeting in person for the first time, sitting at a trashy bar on the west side of Madison, Wisconsin, A and I of course got to talking about our favorite music, and I dropped the tidbit that I log all the media I engage with into a spreadsheet so I can look back at the end of each year and remember what I enjoyed. A took this in and said, without missing a beat, “It sounds like you’re on the spectrum.” I was really thrown off by this and had no idea how to respond, because even though I don’t think I am (I’m not diagnosed, anyway), so what if I were? Does it matter? Where does the conversation go after a callout like that? I tried to recover, replying, “Well, I mean, I think I do it because my memory isn’t as sharp as I wish it were, and it helps me keep things fresh in my mind.” Her response: “Okay, but I still think you’re on the spectrum.” And this wasn’t even the most out-of-bounds thing A said to me that night (that definitely came when I told her I was adopted and never felt like seeking out my biological parents, and she replied: “But don’t you feel like your life is missing something?”). Needless to say, this date with A does not slot into my list of 2023 favorites.

The date does give me a nice springboard into this post, though, because when it comes to tracking my yearly favorites, you know I’ve got the receipts, baby.

SO, here’s a pretty solid list of a whole lot of things (mostly media, but also some experiences) that I really dug throughout 2023. This post is a little longer than usual, so I’m including anchor links to make navigation easier or in case you’d like to jump to certain sections.

Table of Contents

• Albums

• TV

• Movies

• Books & comics

• Tabletop games

• Video games

• Podcasts

• Transformers figures

• Meals

• Personal projects

Albums

Since I posted about my favorite songs of the year a couple weeks ago, I’ll make this quick (I did individual write-ups for all of these in that prior post).

I’m on pace to have listened to 1790 albums in 2023, and these are my favorite that came out this year:

1. boygenius: the record

2. Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit: Weathervanes

3. Jenny Lewis: Joy’all

4. Olivia Rodrigo: GUTS

Hall of Fame: Here are some albums from the past that I fell in love with this year.

1. The Hold Steady: Stay Positive (2008): 2023 was my year to fall hard for the Hold Steady. I’d been on the periphery of fandom for a while, but seeing them live in June clinched it. This was the most soul I’d felt from a rock show outside of Springsteen. I dove into the parts of their catalog I hadn’t yet heard, and this release from 2008 is the one that I most latched onto, from the pop-rock strut of “Sequestered in Memphis” to the surprising power ballad “Lord I’m Discouraged.”

2. Genesis: Invisible Touch (1986): Obviously I was aware of at least half the songs on this record already, but hearing “Throwing It All Away” randomly on the radio sent me into a deep dive of listening to Invisible Touch front to back a whole bunch. And you know what? It’s all amazing, one of those albums where pretty much everything is a hit, or could have been. And man, the production is so good! The songs sound super alive even by today’s standards.

3. Spitalfield: Remember Right Now (2003): Getting to work with Mark Rose on our last Mortified show had me doing my homework by spinning this album a lot. I missed a lot of early aughts emo while it was happening (except for the super obvious stuff like Dashboard), but man, it’s never too late to fall in love. The melodies are great, the songs are sharp, the passion is real. Super glad to add this to my library.

4. The Replacements: Stink (1982): Between the Replacements and the Hold Steady, I listened to a ton of Minneapolis music this year. Maybe moving to Madison has just put me in tune with the rhythms of the upper Midwest? At any rate — this is a punchy, cocky sub-20 minute set from one of my favorite bands that a random Spotify excursion put in my ears, and I listened to it a ton. Stuff like “Fuck School” and “God Damn Job” is classic 80s punk, but then you’ve got “Go,” which is a hint at the more melodious Mats to come.

TV

I watched 36 seasons of television in 2023, and these are my favorite that came out this year:

1. Poker Face season 1 (Peacock): I can’t think of a show that was as eminently watchable as Poker Face in 2023. Just, like, what an engaging, thoughtful, gripping, yet pleasant viewing experience. The highly episodic nature did it a ton of favors; it kind of reminded me of Will Eisner’s Spirit comics in the way that the stories were more focused on some bozo-of-the-week committing a murder than the deus ex machina human lie detector who solved them. I would watch this for 10 seasons. 12, even!

2. Jury Duty season 1 (Freevee): I don’t think I recommended any show more to people this year than Jury Duty. It’s wildly fascinating. Like, how did they pull this off? It feels like magic to have fabricated something so complicated for so long. I’ve watched this basically three times so far and I still want to turn new people onto it so we can share our own theories and observations.

3. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2 (Paramount+): I hate to be the guy who’s like, “now this is Star Trek,” but Strange New Worlds is exactly what I want from a Star Trek show, and for my money season 2 is in the running for all-time great Trek seasons. I see two S-tier episodes here — “Ad Astra per Aspera” and “Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow” — and then a whole slew of A-listers, like “Charades” (Guess Who but with Trek, lol) and Those Old Scientists. So fun, so thoughtful, so sharp in its genre experimentation. Yeah — this is Star Trek.

4. How To with John Wilson season 3 (HBO): No one structures a narrative like John Wilson. I can’t believe I didn’t mention How To when I talked about how much I love media that hides multiple stories inside a single narrative. Every episode of How To starts off being about some broadly relatable topic (my favorite from this season: “How to Watch the Game”), follows a trail of breadcrumbs into some wildly esoteric subculture (people who love vacuums and washing machines!), and ends up revealing something fascinating about documentarist Wilson himself (formative homosexual experiences, that he was too afraid to say goodbye to his dying grandmother). I love it because it hits hard in the most surprising ways, and because it’s a clear acknowledgement that all documentaries are as much about the person telling the story as the subjects starring in it.

Movies

I watched 44 movies in 2023, and these are my favorites that came out this year:

1. Barbie (dir. Greta Gerwig): Popular opinion got this one right — one of the most compelling blockbusters in recent memory, with something it really wants to say, and wildly funny besides. An obvious classic.

2. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (dir. Joaquim Dos Santos/Kemp Powers/Justin K Thompson): The first Spider-Verse is good, but this one is mindblowing for the mixed-media visuals alone. The creativity in a single scene of this movie should make other films feel bad, dang it.

3. A Disturbance in the Force (dir. Steve Kozak/Jeremy Coon): As it probably does for many dorks, the Star Wars Holiday Special looms largely and goofily in my mind, an absurd question mark of a project that popped on the scene while one of the most iconic film franchises was just finding its way. This documentary is predicated on that very idea — How does something like this even come to exist?? — and I really connected with the way it tackled the question with humor, sharp analysis, and a nice deconstruction of corporate media hierarchies.

4. M3gan (dir. Gerard Johnstone): You know one reason horror movies are awesome? Cuz usually they’re, like, 90 minutes. I love a film that knows what it wants to say, does it with some cheeky cleverness, and doesn’t overstay its welcome. What a tight, interesting, and snappy movie. Super rewatchable.

Books/Comics

I read 38 books and comics in 2023, and these are the two that I think have genuinely changed how I think about things:

1. The He-Man Effect (Box Brown): This nonfiction graphic novel is subtitled How American Toymakers Sold You Your Childhood, and it relates a history of American advertising broadly and Reagan-era children’s advertising specifically, relaying how rampant deregulation and shady business is responsible for so many of my generation, absolutely including myself, feeling an emotional attachment to brands… brands aimed at children (see my segment on Transformers toys below!). But there’s a real sensitivity here, too. Something that will stay with me forever — in a chapter on reactionary fan responses that seems inherent modern geek culture, author Brown makes this point: people feel an emotional ownership of things like Star Wars or He-Man because, in all likelihood, their favorite stories involving those characters are ones they told themselves, with their friends and siblings, playing with their toys. Their iconic Luke Skywalker moments live in their head, not on the screen. Even though that doesn’t excuse the YouTube chuds, it is a really interesting point, and one I’m going to carry with me.

2. Monsters: A Fan’s Dilemma (Claire Dederer): I already wrote about how much I love this book. Funny enough, both this book and Box Brown’s take up the topic of analyzing art alongside capitalism, and add in some solid opportunities for empathy along the way. I guess I have a brand. I also want to point out that Monsters got me away from talking about “consuming” art — a very capitalistic framing for something that should be beautiful — and has supplanted that word with “appreciating.” So, while the spreadsheet tracking all of this media was called “2023 Consumption,” next year it’ll be “2024 Appreciation.”

Tabletop Games

I played 53 tabletop games in 2023, and these are my favorite that came out this year:

1. DIE (Kieron Gillen/Stephanie Hans): I’ve written about DIE on here before, and it’s my most popular post, so you probably know my feelings on it. The more I play DIE, the more I honestly think it might be my all-time favorite TTRPG. I’ve had so much fun playing my Full House-inspired DIE scenario with friends, and I look forward to bringing it to a few Wisconsin cons in 2024.

2. Fabula Ultima (Emanuele Galletto): Billed as “the JRPG TTRPG,” Fabula Ultima aims to bring an experience inspired by video games like Final Fantasy to the tabletop. So obviously, this is right up my alley. I love Fabula Ultima; I find it charming and magical, and clearly I’m not the only one, since it won this year’s “Best Game” award at the Ennies. Watch this Substack in 2024 for more Fabula Ultima-related content.

3. Daybreak (Matt Leacock/Matteo Menapace): A cooperative game about dismantling climate change. To be honest, I can’t say it’s always the most fun, but what it is is super thoughtful, impeccably designed, and full of great opportunities for a-ha moments. Besides that, it gives a true sense of accomplishment when you and your friends manage win a session (which is hard).

4. Ticket to Ride: Legends of the West (Rob Daviau/Matt Leacock/Alan R. Moon): Ticket to Ride is already one of my all-time favorite board games. Add a legacy campaign element to it? Oh yeah, I’m in. It does lose a couple points because it features a ghost train, but you can’t suplex it. Come on, Rob Daviau.

Video Games

I played 19 video games in 2023, and these are my favorite that came out this year:

1. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (Nintendo): Nintendo grafted the open world sandbox of Breath of the Wild onto an ever-so-slightly more traditional Zelda experience in Tears of the Kingdom, and that little bit more structure — a more present quest, actual dungeons — was all I needed to elevate an already incredible experience. I can’t think of a game that encourages so much player creativity in the service of a compelling narrative. Tears of the Kingdom quickly became one of my favorite games of all time, and for me, it’s a clear choice for the best of 2023.

2. Super Mario Wonder (Nintendo): “Wonder” is an apt word here, because this game is designed to amaze at every turn. I’ve got the outline of a post (maybe I’ll do it up one day) of what I call “the Grant Morrison school of game design” — the philosophy of, instead of satisfying yourself with one good idea, throwing every good idea you have at the wall and deploying them at any opportunity. That’s exactly what Super Mario Wonder does; every level offers something new and, usually, something so wildly unexpected and delightful that you can’t help but smile. A total blast.

Podcasts

Okay, so I listen to podcasts all the time, but I only “count them” on my spreadsheet if they’re segmented into seasons or wrap up in a given year. Most of what I listen to is ongoing, so largely, I don’t log podcasts. I do want to shout out my weekly listening companions (mostly Scott Aukerman stuff): Comedy Bang! Bang!, U Springin’ Springsteen on My Bean?, Pod Meets World, and Scott Hasn’t Seen. There was one podcast I listened to this year, though, that got in and out with 14 killer episodes:

• The Frasier Files (Stephen Winchell): A wild ride of a series by my friend Steve (artist on my Blackmore book) that purports to be about one thing but is actually about three. 1) It’s an (actual) biography of the (fictional) Dr. Frasier Crane, researched so well that I was truly amazed by Steve, especially since… 2) This podcast is also a story about the unhinged fictional biographer who delivers Frasier’s narrative, Dr. Howard Lyons, currently under house arrest for doing… something to his ex-wife… but it’s also also 3) a window into toxic fandom; note all the times that Dr. Lyons tells us that he never laughed once at Frasier, despite being invested in its characters more than any resonable person should be. This is great stuff, well worth your time. And it’s funny!

Transformers Figures

I added 49 figures to my Transformers collection this year, and these were my favorites that came out in 2023:

1. Armada Optimus Prime (Legacy): Since Transformers Armada originally came out in 2002, I don’t have a nostalgic connection to its designs the way I do the original cartoon. This toy is just too cool; as I wrote in this post about Optimus Prime, it did make me nostalgic inasmuch as it reminded me of getting a Powermaster Optimus Prime toy in 1988. I hope it gives some 2023 kid the same experience. (I actually have a second copy of this guy; if anyone has kids who would like it, I’ll happily send it your way.)

2. Hot Rod (Retro Transformers: The Movie): Transformers toy engineering has come a long way since the 1980s, and yet, the original Hot Rod figure remains a pretty timeless example of why these toys are so cool. This Walmart-exclusive rerelease, finally colored like the character was in the animated movie, has got to be among the Platonic ideal of classic Transformers designs.

3. Scourge (Studio Series): This dude turns into a Mad Max-style truck, and he’s got a blade on the underside of his left arm that you can flip out and have him wield. That’s cool as hell.

4. Armada Starscream (Legacy): Another Armada design makes my list just because this figure rocks! He’s so poseable! He has so much attitude! Legacy is crushing it with these Armada throwbacks.

• Honorable mention: Robosen Optimus Prime: Okay sooo this figure came out in 2022. He’s on my list for one very important reason: for my birthday this year, around 40 of my friends each chipped in some money to buy him for me. This toy is obviously incredible on its own (Forbes called it “the most amazing toy ever made”), but its place in my collection will always remind me of the friendships I have been very fortunate to build.

Meals

I ate at 134 restaurants this year, and these were my favorite meals. I want to say, I’m very fortunate to have a job that lets me travel a fair amount, and more fortunate still to have friends who go on adventures with me and recommend incredible places to eat. Only one of the restaurants listed below was my idea — so if I go on a trip with you, you should make the suggestions.

1. Sausal (El Segundo, CA): paella

2. La Lanterna di Vittorio (New York, NY): vegetarian lasagna flight

3. Pizzeria Mozza (Los Angeles, CA): corn pizza, fennel sausage pizza

4. Villa’s Tacos (Los Angeles, CA): Villa trio

5. Bonfire Burritos (Golden, CO): The Classic

6. Samba Brazilian Grill (Madison, WI): dinner — Have you ever had a meal you’d call inspiring? I left this dinner thinking of three different dishes I wanted to try to make at home. That’s really something. (by the way, this is not my picture obviously. The meat came too fast to capture any of it in photographs before it was eaten.)

7. Nada (Indianapolis, IN): braised chicken enchiladas

8. Stay & Play Game Cafe (Chicago, IL): pork jibarito with yucca fries

• Honorable mention: Harry & Izzy’s gauntlet (Indianapolis, IN): shrimp cocktail/ prime rib sandwich/shrimp cocktail #2 — Even though I’m 100% positive that this restaurant is where I finally after three years caught COVID, this was a really incredible time getting to show one of my favorite restaurant dishes to some tabletop industry folks.

Massive thanks to my dining companions who absolutely made these meals better: Chris, Jon, Troy, Mary Beth, Dwight, Aaron, Maggie, Ed, Danny, Nora, Dray, Fin, Brice, Logan, Kayla, Heather, and Kieron.

Personal Projects

As far as my own work goes, I’d have to say Mortified was the most successful creative project I took part in over the past year — we did three regular shows plus a 20th anniversary bash across some of Chicago’s most iconic venues, and they were all prettyyyy cool. It’s kind of wild, honestly, because it doesn’t feel like I just performed at the Vic the way I would have thought it might when I was regularly hosting shows in 80-seat black boxes. I guess that’s the trick of gradual progression — you have to make an active effort to see the whole size of it. I am of course super proud of my work on Mortified, and very appreciative of the incredible team that works on the show. Should be some sweet stuff in 2024, starting with our annual Doomed Valentine’s show, which sees our debut at the lovely Athenaeum Center on Southport!

As far as TTRPG publishing… ehhhhh. I started the year with a Zine Quest success in Saved by the Morph, which I’m really happy with — it’s probably the thing I’ve published that had the least distance between “how I imagined it” and “how it ended up,” and my friend Brandon did such a sick job drawing all the Sentai monsters. Then a couple months later I bombed with my first go at Rock & Roll Greatest Hits, the largest Kickstarter I’d tried to date. That sucked. I mean, obviously it’s not fun dropping the ball on a Kickstarter, but I felt it took the wind out of my sails for most of the summer (and then catching COVID at Gen Con did the rest, lol). But I’m feeling energized and ready for round two, which is still coming. But first, Zine Quest 2024! I’ll actually have two projects to launch in February this year, one of my own design and a second in collaboration with a couple pals. As Zine Quest projects tend to be, they’re pretty niche but, I think, quite rad, and I’m excited for February to get them out there!

In the meantime, you can follow the pre-launch page for the second round of Rock & Roll Greatest Hits, which, again, will return soon!

Thanks for being here with me, y’all — looking forward to a cool 2024!