Michael Van Vleet (he/him)
@signalstation.bsky.social
Writing type person. TTRPG work: Ennie award-winning Wassailing of Claus Manor; Devil, Aim For Me; DIE, GRAVE ROBBER, DIE!, writer on Trophy, Brindlewood Bay, Public Access, Planet Raygun etc. etc. | signalstation.itch.io
An NPC from STEP RIGHT UP, my carnival/Dust Bowl RPG based on the ruleset of The Between.
Kept my players horrified/amused by drawing from online lists of dirty jokes while they chatted with Gina.
Kept my players horrified/amused by drawing from online lists of dirty jokes while they chatted with Gina.
November 13, 2025 at 3:52 PM
An NPC from STEP RIGHT UP, my carnival/Dust Bowl RPG based on the ruleset of The Between.
Kept my players horrified/amused by drawing from online lists of dirty jokes while they chatted with Gina.
Kept my players horrified/amused by drawing from online lists of dirty jokes while they chatted with Gina.
Years back, I spent an afternoon taking distorted macro photos of dollar bin comics. Enjoy this giant chef face from a man obviously thrilled to be cooking for Dr. Doom.
November 6, 2025 at 8:33 PM
Years back, I spent an afternoon taking distorted macro photos of dollar bin comics. Enjoy this giant chef face from a man obviously thrilled to be cooking for Dr. Doom.
They won't let you do it.
November 3, 2025 at 8:06 PM
They won't let you do it.
Better late than never.
November 3, 2025 at 4:25 AM
Better late than never.
Kids don't come around our place, so Halloween is pretty quiet. Whole neighborhood seemed quiet, actually. Went for a short walk to grab a burrito and the taco truck's little picnic bench area was all decked out. A party with no guests.
November 1, 2025 at 5:30 AM
Kids don't come around our place, so Halloween is pretty quiet. Whole neighborhood seemed quiet, actually. Went for a short walk to grab a burrito and the taco truck's little picnic bench area was all decked out. A party with no guests.
Added alt text
October 31, 2025 at 6:08 PM
Added alt text
Getting online used to take some effort. You felt like you earned it.
October 30, 2025 at 11:40 PM
Getting online used to take some effort. You felt like you earned it.
Have you ever seen a game before that describe rations in such a way that you're jealous of the adventurer who gets to eat it?
![A section of a page of Kala Mandala.
[illustration - a monkey man smoking a pipe, a sword casually resting on his shoulder, a knife in a belt-scarf wrapped around his middle. Two more blade handles can be seen at his waist. He's got a handkerchief on top of his head.]
4 - Workout Meal
You know 2 power recipes to recharge.
Padi Trail Mix: Young padi flakes, grated coconut, burnt cashews.
Protein Balls: Mung bean paste, stomped banana, dried pineapple.
* Both recipes restore up to 2 STR.
[illustration: four fuzzy little balls]](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:az4z3ubu75hyjozaztfwu5ja/bafkreidir7doiji3pzivomb72me46zkfowwsi7vbv4uht4dx22aqiap5dy@jpeg)
October 28, 2025 at 6:05 AM
Have you ever seen a game before that describe rations in such a way that you're jealous of the adventurer who gets to eat it?
Miles of RPGs in today's mail from @plusoneexp.bsky.social
Which one should I be reading first? Who's got the inside scoop?
Which one should I be reading first? Who's got the inside scoop?
October 27, 2025 at 10:37 PM
Miles of RPGs in today's mail from @plusoneexp.bsky.social
Which one should I be reading first? Who's got the inside scoop?
Which one should I be reading first? Who's got the inside scoop?
Lots of people have their own thoughts about what they'd do with a time machine.
Me? I'd go back and give Jack Kirby a book about fish so he can see what they look like.
Me? I'd go back and give Jack Kirby a book about fish so he can see what they look like.
October 27, 2025 at 7:14 PM
Lots of people have their own thoughts about what they'd do with a time machine.
Me? I'd go back and give Jack Kirby a book about fish so he can see what they look like.
Me? I'd go back and give Jack Kirby a book about fish so he can see what they look like.
I think that'll do it. Time to make my escape. Thanks for spending October with our #hauntalong gang.
Follow this link to see a list of all contributions:
bsky.app/profile/clea...
Follow this link to see a list of all contributions:
bsky.app/profile/clea...
October 25, 2025 at 5:51 PM
I think that'll do it. Time to make my escape. Thanks for spending October with our #hauntalong gang.
Follow this link to see a list of all contributions:
bsky.app/profile/clea...
Follow this link to see a list of all contributions:
bsky.app/profile/clea...
All the monster effects in the film are practical, which is fun when it works, though there was one monster reveal when I blurted out "What in the Spirit Halloween?" on my first viewing.
But the film's got lots of charm and, however you feel about Shawn, the house beats the heck out of him.
But the film's got lots of charm and, however you feel about Shawn, the house beats the heck out of him.
October 25, 2025 at 5:51 PM
All the monster effects in the film are practical, which is fun when it works, though there was one monster reveal when I blurted out "What in the Spirit Halloween?" on my first viewing.
But the film's got lots of charm and, however you feel about Shawn, the house beats the heck out of him.
But the film's got lots of charm and, however you feel about Shawn, the house beats the heck out of him.
Some of these ghosts, man.
They don't fight fair.
They don't fight fair.
October 25, 2025 at 5:51 PM
Some of these ghosts, man.
They don't fight fair.
They don't fight fair.
It IS a horror movie, so of course ghosts are real, as Shawn's cameras prove. For the rest of the film we get to watch Shawn whipsaw back and forth between rank cowardice and an emboldened artificial swagger put on to impress the chat.
This leads to all-out brawling with ghosts, Evil Dead 2-style.
This leads to all-out brawling with ghosts, Evil Dead 2-style.
October 25, 2025 at 5:51 PM
It IS a horror movie, so of course ghosts are real, as Shawn's cameras prove. For the rest of the film we get to watch Shawn whipsaw back and forth between rank cowardice and an emboldened artificial swagger put on to impress the chat.
This leads to all-out brawling with ghosts, Evil Dead 2-style.
This leads to all-out brawling with ghosts, Evil Dead 2-style.
Shawn is always talking to the viewers, sometimes opening up the chat to address specific comments as he's encouraged/heckled.
In a behind-the-scenes feature, the creators said they wrote over 1,000 chat comments, and worked in a Romeo and Juliet romance between two chatters.
In a behind-the-scenes feature, the creators said they wrote over 1,000 chat comments, and worked in a Romeo and Juliet romance between two chatters.
October 25, 2025 at 5:51 PM
Shawn is always talking to the viewers, sometimes opening up the chat to address specific comments as he's encouraged/heckled.
In a behind-the-scenes feature, the creators said they wrote over 1,000 chat comments, and worked in a Romeo and Juliet romance between two chatters.
In a behind-the-scenes feature, the creators said they wrote over 1,000 chat comments, and worked in a Romeo and Juliet romance between two chatters.
The film's a comedy-horror but it's also a technical achievement. The filmmakers had to figure out how a live-streamer would actually rig an old house with cams and control the stream feed via a tablet app.
Joseph Winter, as Shawn, is juggling acting and camera framing as he goes.
Joseph Winter, as Shawn, is juggling acting and camera framing as he goes.
October 25, 2025 at 5:51 PM
The film's a comedy-horror but it's also a technical achievement. The filmmakers had to figure out how a live-streamer would actually rig an old house with cams and control the stream feed via a tablet app.
Joseph Winter, as Shawn, is juggling acting and camera framing as he goes.
Joseph Winter, as Shawn, is juggling acting and camera framing as he goes.
Shawn believes in ghosts and tells his chat that they, and his sponsors, need to keep him honest. He HAS to check out anything weird, or he won't get paid.
The film plays out more or less in real time as we watch Shawn through his array of cameras, as if we were watching the stream ourselves.
The film plays out more or less in real time as we watch Shawn through his array of cameras, as if we were watching the stream ourselves.
October 25, 2025 at 5:51 PM
Shawn believes in ghosts and tells his chat that they, and his sponsors, need to keep him honest. He HAS to check out anything weird, or he won't get paid.
The film plays out more or less in real time as we watch Shawn through his array of cameras, as if we were watching the stream ourselves.
The film plays out more or less in real time as we watch Shawn through his array of cameras, as if we were watching the stream ourselves.
Our protagonist, Shawn, is everything you could hope for in a streamer: desperate for attention and money, genuinely funny, and a bit of a self-centered dick.
A recent stunt got him cancelled, but his apology video worked, so he's back in the saddle and spending a night in a haunted house.
A recent stunt got him cancelled, but his apology video worked, so he's back in the saddle and spending a night in a haunted house.
October 25, 2025 at 5:51 PM
Our protagonist, Shawn, is everything you could hope for in a streamer: desperate for attention and money, genuinely funny, and a bit of a self-centered dick.
A recent stunt got him cancelled, but his apology video worked, so he's back in the saddle and spending a night in a haunted house.
A recent stunt got him cancelled, but his apology video worked, so he's back in the saddle and spending a night in a haunted house.
Oh my gosh, the month is just flying by and it's already time for my final #hauntalong.
Fire up your OBS, tell the mods to get into the chat, because we're spending a night in a haunted house with a narcissist streamer:
We're talking about DEADSTREAM (2022)!
Fire up your OBS, tell the mods to get into the chat, because we're spending a night in a haunted house with a narcissist streamer:
We're talking about DEADSTREAM (2022)!
October 25, 2025 at 5:51 PM
Oh my gosh, the month is just flying by and it's already time for my final #hauntalong.
Fire up your OBS, tell the mods to get into the chat, because we're spending a night in a haunted house with a narcissist streamer:
We're talking about DEADSTREAM (2022)!
Fire up your OBS, tell the mods to get into the chat, because we're spending a night in a haunted house with a narcissist streamer:
We're talking about DEADSTREAM (2022)!
More Jack Kirby magic from KAMANDI: The Last Boy On Earth. While wandering the post-apocalypse, Kamandi was picked up by some vintage Chicago gangsters... turns out they wuz robots the whole time!
October 24, 2025 at 6:16 PM
More Jack Kirby magic from KAMANDI: The Last Boy On Earth. While wandering the post-apocalypse, Kamandi was picked up by some vintage Chicago gangsters... turns out they wuz robots the whole time!
Why does my Letterboxd watchlist sound like a whimsical horror movie villain about to murder a child?
October 24, 2025 at 4:44 PM
Why does my Letterboxd watchlist sound like a whimsical horror movie villain about to murder a child?
Depends on when you ask me, but today, maybe this one.
October 24, 2025 at 3:18 AM
Depends on when you ask me, but today, maybe this one.
The more things change...
From Jack Kirby's KAMANDI: THE LAST BOY ON EARTH
From Jack Kirby's KAMANDI: THE LAST BOY ON EARTH
October 23, 2025 at 1:13 AM
The more things change...
From Jack Kirby's KAMANDI: THE LAST BOY ON EARTH
From Jack Kirby's KAMANDI: THE LAST BOY ON EARTH
He Who Gets Slapped (1924)
Lon Chaney as Paul Beaumont, a scientist humiliated by his patron and his wife, who abandons his life in shame to become a clown.
His act: he's slapped in the face repeatedly, alchemically transforming the act of public humiliation into a source of joy for others.
Lon Chaney as Paul Beaumont, a scientist humiliated by his patron and his wife, who abandons his life in shame to become a clown.
His act: he's slapped in the face repeatedly, alchemically transforming the act of public humiliation into a source of joy for others.
October 20, 2025 at 8:53 PM
He Who Gets Slapped (1924)
Lon Chaney as Paul Beaumont, a scientist humiliated by his patron and his wife, who abandons his life in shame to become a clown.
His act: he's slapped in the face repeatedly, alchemically transforming the act of public humiliation into a source of joy for others.
Lon Chaney as Paul Beaumont, a scientist humiliated by his patron and his wife, who abandons his life in shame to become a clown.
His act: he's slapped in the face repeatedly, alchemically transforming the act of public humiliation into a source of joy for others.