iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Marshall 'Merdle' Cain 🐀 @merdle.blacksky.app · 02/10/2026

Pissing my votes away, but standing by what I believe. #deadlock

An image from Valve's moba shooter Deadlock. It shows a team with a ballot box and snacks. There are 5 stickers on the wall of the character Solomon, representing 5 votes for him to be released. In the foreground is the character Apollo, a red devil man with a rapier.

Marshall 'Merdle' Cain 🐀 @merdle.blacksky.app · 28/09/2026

Time to do that whole My 9 Games trend so I can age myself. But it was a fun experiment to think about what video games made me like this (derogatory) and what games I enjoyed but they probably didn't change me noticeably. Runners up: Homeworld Pharaoh Shogun: Total War Super Mario RPG Sim City

A image titled 'My 9 Games' with games in a 3x3 configuration. Final Fantasy Tactics, Ogre Battle 64, Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles, League of Legends, Earthbound, Warcraft 3, Super Mario 64, Kirby Superstar, and Bubble Bobble.

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Marshall 'Merdle' Cain 🐀 @merdle.blacksky.app · 16/09/2026

The topic was how weird men are toward women, especially when the woman is cooler than them.

A discord screenshot that says: "Most men operate on the idea that their wife will be like a jrpg boss you can recruit.
They will be hype and awesome while you chase them down, and then become demure and lame when you have them under your thumb. Lol"

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Marshall 'Merdle' Cain 🐀 @merdle.blacksky.app · 09/09/2026

Nothing required Kirby to look this dope, the design team just woke up and said 'we need Kirby to look as cool as he ever has.'

Kirby from new game Kirby the world beyond, wearing a big green hat from his sword copy ability, wielding a glowing sword three times larger than himself, kirby is glowing with energy and has an x scar across his cheek that is also glowing.

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Marshall 'Merdle' Cain 🐀 @merdle.blacksky.app · 05/09/2026

Baby Bulba enjoyed cosplaying on the first day of #paxwest. We got to meet actual @aggrocrabgames.bsky.social @landfall.se devs and they heard our story of Peak's final level sending us into labor. Such a great people, thank you aggro crab/landfall!

Baby bulba in his Peak cosplay, which includes a sash with badges and a red crab hat, hanging out with his toy crab.

A Peak dev on the floor handing the baby a Bing Bong plushie.

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Marshall 'Merdle' Cain 🐀 @merdle.blacksky.app · 31/08/2026

We went to the #VPL used book sale and I decided to look for any sci-fi worth picking up. I found a couple of short story collections, hopefully there are a few gems inside. #booksky

Three books sitting on a wood floor. 'The Year's Best science fiction & fantasy 2013', 'Analog science fiction magazine' from like 2013, and 'Future Fables and Strange Stories'. They were all purchased used so they are beat up a little.

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Marshall 'Merdle' Cain 🐀 @merdle.blacksky.app · 28/08/2026

I finished listening to 'The Nerd Reich' by Gil Duran and... phew guys we are in trouble. Not because it is impossible to right the ship. But because doing so will require convincing your average American that we should help normal people instead of rich businessmen. So yeah... we are boned.

A picture of the book The Nerd Reich: Silicon Valley Fascism and the War on Democracy by Gil Duran. The cover is red with large black font. Below that it says An Instant New York Times Bestseller.

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Marshall 'Merdle' Cain 🐀 @merdle.blacksky.app · 25/08/2026

I'm listening to The Nerd Reich and it really is just a series of punchable guys being detailed, and each time you wonder why they haven't met their own personal Luigi. But Marc Andreessen looks like a comicbook villain on top of quoting the fascist manifesto in his own manifesto. Like... Seriously

A photo of marc andreessen, emphasizing his cone shaped skull and dead fish eyes.

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Marshall 'Merdle' Cain 🐀 @merdle.blacksky.app · 20/08/2026

I don't like seeming like a hater because I enjoyed the movie. It is just one of those films where you can easily see where it could have been improved, and it makes you feel like someone wanted it worse on purpose.

Screenshot of a discord chat with the text from me:
This was their chance to answer so many questions or do closure to so many aspects of the aang era... Or to hype people up for their upcoming show... Or to bridge into Korra's canon.
It does... None of those
A guy pops onto their life for a week and then dies, and is promptly forgotten and Aang goes back to what he was doing literally right before.

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Marshall 'Merdle' Cain 🐀 @merdle.blacksky.app · 14/07/2026

I wish the part of my brain that finishes stuff would work, that would be cool. I WILL put out a ttrpg project, or die.

A meme of a very depressed person that constantly repeats 'finish the project'. First there is a head with scribbles inside with a speech bubble that says 'I just need to finish this project'. Then there is a person laying in bed with a thought bubble that says 'I just need to finish this project'. Then there is a loop of arrows that say between each 'finish the project'. Then there is a person wearing a hat opening a door saying 'Are u okay bro?' and inside is a scratched out space and a person sitting in the darkness saying 'yes I just need to finish this project'.

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Marshall 'Merdle' Cain 🐀 @merdle.blacksky.app · 08/07/2026

I hear master ball had 600k people so I wasn't even top half, lol. But it was fun, death to all Charizard Ys, eat a power gem so nerds. Anyway, Season M4 is gonna be such a lame duck. Give us the Z Megas already Pokemon Champions!

A season results screen for pokemon champions. It is for Sean Vio, trainer ID 122643281477. It shows master ball tier rank 4, placement 366,242, final rating 1635.741. it is for double battles in event period june 16 2026 to july 7 2026, season M-3.

The team is called Haters, with Farigiraf, Forretress, Glimmora, Kangaskhan, Hippowdon, and Venusaur.

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Marshall 'Merdle' Cain 🐀 @merdle.blacksky.app · 01/07/2026

I was messing with the team at the bottom of Master Ball Tier, and it did the job well enough. I lost to Archaludon once when I didn't protect Venusaur enough for it to survive a Draco Meteor. But it works well to pressure these teams away from just shoving their way through the meta.

A pokemon champions screenshot of rising to Master Ball Tier on a 4 game win streak in ranked double battles.

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Marshall 'Merdle' Cain 🐀 @merdle.blacksky.app · 01/07/2026

Made a new pokemon champions team to hate on the meta full of Charizard Y and Mega Swampert/Archaludon. The idea is simple enough. Two pairs: Venusaur and Forretress for Swampert games, Glimmora and Kangaskhan for Charizard/Floette games. Farigiraf and Hippowdon otherwise always come.

A Pokemon Champions team share sheet. The Team ID is K5ARWC495K. The team is Farigiraf with Armor Tail, Colbur Berry, Protect, Shadow Ball, Imprison, Psychic. Forretress with Overcoat, Leftovers, Volt Switch, Lunge, Helping Hand, Light Screen. Glimmora with Toxic Debris, Glimmoranite, Spiky Shield, Sludge Bomb, Energy Ball, and Power Gem. Kangaskhan with Scrappy, Chople Berry, Protect, Circle Throw, Fake Out, and Ice Punch. Hippowdon with Sand Stream, Sitrus Berry, Protect, Rock Slide, High Horsepower, and Yawn. Venusaur with Chlorophyll, Venusaurite, Protect, Sludge Bomb, Earth Power, and Giga Drain.

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Marshall 'Merdle' Cain 🐀 @merdle.blacksky.app · 27/06/2026

Realizing how many Avatar fans didn't finish watching Korra, poor Kuvira just stands no shot in the Avatar Legends character poll. Somehow they are going to vote in freaking Bumi, mark my words. Amon is probably the one who deserves to be in there though.

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Marshall 'Merdle' Cain 🐀 @merdle.blacksky.app · 25/06/2026

I probably need to replace the Tsareena, she is mostly there to stop priority move problems but I can't exactly open with her. Maybe a Farigiraf instead. Blaziken bulks in their face, gaining speed, then Baton Passes out while huge and fast.

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Marshall 'Merdle' Cain 🐀 @merdle.blacksky.app · 20/06/2026

Whenever I see something new come out in Yu-gi-oh it is like 'well, in 6 months to a year that might come to #MasterDuel where I can decide if I want to wade into that cess pool to try that'. Anyway, Chess archetype, cool idea, going to be toxic.

Yugioh card spoiled for an upcoming set. The art is of a strange white knight golem in front of another golem.

Angelechy Opening to e4
Normal Trap Card

If your opponent goes first, you can also activate this card from your hand during the Standby Phase of their first turn. Place 1 "Angelechy" Field Spell from your hand, Deck, or GY, face-up on your field, and if you do, Special Summon 1 Level 2 or 7 "Angelechy" monster from your Extra Deck to the Extra Monster Zone, and if you do that, place 1 "Angelechy" monster from your Extra Deck in your Spell & Trap Zone as a face-up Continuous Spell. Until the end of your next turn after this card resolves, you cannot Special Summon from the Extra Deck, except Synchro Monsters.

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Marshall 'Merdle' Cain 🐀 @merdle.blacksky.app · 18/06/2026

'I bet if I draw a foot, I can turn it into Columbo' - me while on a walk I was wrong, but it was worth a try.

A sketch of a foot headed Columbo from television's Columbo.

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Marshall 'Merdle' Cain 🐀 @merdle.blacksky.app · 18/06/2026

Born from a conversation about marvel comics and the Civil War arc.

The wow cool robot meme format. A Gundam labeled 'Marvel's Civil War 1 / 2' and a person looking at the Gundam is saying 'Government regulations are dangerous'. But the Gundam is shooting over the person's head, a message that says 'Marvel hates recovering alcoholics'.

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Marshall 'Merdle' Cain 🐀 @merdle.blacksky.app · 11/06/2026

Senna 2xko motion comic and now the Detective Notes are going out of their way to remove Lucian from the moment Senna was freed from the lantern and it is weirding me out. Community has decided on their own it is so 'no one gets disappointed that lucian is teased' but... Why? That is silly.

The 2xko detective notes post from Senna releasing. It mentions several facts about senna, like "incident details: improsoned in this lantern like many souls before her, senna somehow escaped, stronger than ever.' and 'can transform into a powerful ghost-lile state. Wonder what it can do but would prefer not to find out.' next to a picture of senna glowing green in wraith form.

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Marshall 'Merdle' Cain 🐀 @merdle.blacksky.app · 03/06/2026

They have a combined art piece of everyone fighting over the cosmic cube. Heroes and villains all having a climactic battle over an object that can alter reality. That is a reason why everyone from thanos to hawkeye would be acting. But... That's it, no mechanics are built on it, no cohesion or plot

A large art showcase for the marvel superhero set for magic the gathering. It shows a variety of superheroes like iron man and Thor fighting villains like doom in an attempt to get the cosmic cube. It is very pretty, and in the end will include likely 18 cards in one tableau.

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Marshall 'Merdle' Cain 🐀 @merdle.blacksky.app · 03/06/2026

No one in this marvel set feel connected, they aren't fighting for anything, they aren't teamed up and they have no goals. We are playing superheroes that aren't being heroes. And maybe it doesn't matter, but I'll say that for a moment I thought this set had a plot, and I was almost intrigued!

The magic the gathering card construct a cosmic cube. It is a black plan enchantment, the text isn't relevant. The art shows AIM scientists making a blue glowing cube, a powerful object from marvel canon.

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Marshall 'Merdle' Cain 🐀 @merdle.blacksky.app · 03/06/2026

I'm not saying a plot would fix everything. But it wouldn't hurt! Final fantasy did well even though it is ostensibly over a dozen snaps of different plots. But that is still superior to single cards referencing loose canonic events in the long history of characters that have been repeatedly reset

The magic the gathering card Secret Invasion, it is a blue aura enchantment. The art references the comic book arc Secret Invasion and shows spider-woman jessica drew as a skrull, and then other heroes as skrulls.This arc was bad, but not as bad as the show they made for it.

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Marshall 'Merdle' Cain 🐀 @merdle.blacksky.app · 03/06/2026

These sets, the good ones and the bad, have no actual lore. They are a showcase for already established lore. For stories where that lore is already a story, that works. We are seeing moments from the story of avatar. But the least loved sets, spider-man and tmnt, are a shotgun of nostalgia.

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Marshall 'Merdle' Cain 🐀 @merdle.blacksky.app · 03/06/2026

I'm already not going to play #mtg #marvel for other reasons, even before their current anti-union choices. But I am not a UB hater. But the UB sets do have one aggravating tendency... Nothing is happening. They are just a nostalgia showcase of 'remember this?!' and blorbo showcases. I dislike it 🧵

The magic the gathering card Black Panther Vanguard. It is 2 and green white. The text isn't important here. But the art is black panther and other wakandans doing the wakanda forever pose.

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Marshall 'Merdle' Cain 🐀 @merdle.blacksky.app · 20/05/2026

Some #ttrpg map drafting. The Claw Island off the coast from... Red Coast. Previously controlled by forces that work to please the terrible dragon called 'Lord Crimson'. Most arrivals happen at Talonpoint. Those coming overseas used to stop by Ansta up North. Second biggest town is Ulustraza.

A pencil drawn map draft of a fantasy location called Claw Island. A landmass to the left has a circle indicating a town called Red Coast. The pizza shaped island has Talonpoint near the bottom, Ulustraza in the middle. And a place called Ansta up North.

The island is divided into the south end, west end, north end, and east mountains.

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Marshall 'Merdle' Cain 🐀 @merdle.blacksky.app · 18/05/2026

We also saw this nice mural of boomer cartoons.

A mural of boomer cartoons on a garage door found on Granville island. It includes characters from the simpsons, Powerpuff girls, johnny bravo, rugrats, king of the hill, daria, doug, sailor moon, dexter's lab, pinky and the brain, ren and stimpy, sonic, stitch, hey arnold, spongebob, pokemon, and paw patrol.

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Marshall 'Merdle' Cain 🐀 @merdle.blacksky.app · 18/05/2026

A nice haul from Granville island. Somehow my bookshelf has 0 Octavia Butler so it was time to remedy that.

An image of goods purchased while down on Granville island. Including some Lee's donuts, candied salmon, a copy of Murdle volume 1, a leuchturm notebook, and the Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butker.

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Marshall 'Merdle' Cain 🐀 @merdle.blacksky.app · 18/05/2026

Clearly I underestimated how quickly these frogs can spread around the board. The work of the Knaves is never done! #root

Screenshot of playing Root by Leder Games, on Tabletop Simulator. The Lilypad Diaspora faction has many frogs in one clearing, and there are a couple bats, and a couple skunks along with the Scoundrel captain of the Knaves.

The scores visible include the Knaves at 14 points and the Lilypad Diaspora at 12.

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Marshall 'Merdle' Cain 🐀 @merdle.blacksky.app · 15/05/2026

I've decided that to start this new season of Champions I'm a Grass pokemon gym leader. Trying to design a team that doesn't fold to any flying pokemon is rough. Chesnaught has just enough speed to rock slide a max speed charizard Y under tailwind. Wide guard protects us from blizzard spam.

A team share for a pokemon champions team. The team ID is XP8ASGJKG3. The team has a bulky hydrapple, a rock slide Chesnaught, a Mega Venusaur, a Meowscarada with triple axel, a sinistcha with rage powder, and a whimsicott with tailwind. There is added text to say it went 4-0, No it isn't good.

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Marshall 'Merdle' Cain 🐀 @merdle.blacksky.app · 06/05/2026

Caught myself wishing I could use Farigiraf more while discussing it with a friend. What a bulky room setting psychic pokemon does to a guy. #pokemonchampions

The Invincible 'I miss my wife ' meme. Norman is in space, looking sad. His speech bubble says 'I think I miss my giraffe'.

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Marshall 'Merdle' Cain 🐀 @merdle.blacksky.app · 29/04/2026

I was never a #pokemonChampions doomer, but while I enjoy the game, it does do this common thing with big franchise games that is like... Overselling and WAY under delivering. People had such big hopes and every rumor was plausible, but instead we got less than that in literally every way possible

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Marshall 'Merdle' Cain 🐀 @merdle.blacksky.app · 22/04/2026

I don't know what my #pokemonchampions opponent here was thinking. 100% Earthquake kills here. But they went dragon claw. Anyway #wetakethose

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Marshall 'Merdle' Cain 🐀 @merdle.blacksky.app · 10/04/2026

Sorry opponent, I've twisted the dimensions, now you're too slow, get stepped on! Pokemon Champions may be a buggy mess, but still fun.

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Marshall 'Merdle' Cain 🐀 @merdle.blacksky.app · 05/04/2026

That other place is having a discourse that amounts to 'maybe the land system in Magic the Gathering is flawed.' And the response is magic players acting like the game is being called absolute trash, the worst game ever. I know this is a sensitive issue for MTG players but christ on a cracker.

Meme image 'leave alone the multimillion dollar company'. An overweight man with glasses and an unkempt mustache is brandishing a knife, with the text 'leave alone the multimillion dollar company' attributed to him.

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Marshall 'Merdle' Cain 🐀 @merdle.blacksky.app · 31/03/2026

The more you learn about American history, the more righteous indignation you'll feel. (Watching an essay on Cuba to research for RPG stuff.)

The You are not immune to propaganda meme. Garfield's head is on a sky blue background and dark blue text says 'You are not immune to propaganda'.

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Marshall 'Merdle' Cain 🐀 @merdle.blacksky.app · 31/03/2026

Bananza is definitely a nintendo game that is designed to amuse old fans and literal children first trying it, but even through that the expressive design and beautiful aesthetics made it a wonderful experience. Just look at that final moment.

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Marshall 'Merdle' Cain 🐀 @merdle.blacksky.app · 31/03/2026

When fascists start saying you just call everyone you hate a fascist, you NEED to be able to pin down WHAT about their stances is fascist. I've been trying to paraphrase it down as best I can.

It just says in plain text
The 'fascist minimum':
An (often nationalist) political stance built on a cultural crisis in opposition to perceived degredation of culture from 'degenerate' forces, requiring a return to a mythologized past that promises a 'national palingenesis' or 'national rebirth'.

It is my best summary of the idea of the fascist minimum.

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Marshall 'Merdle' Cain 🐀 @merdle.blacksky.app · 23/03/2026

I need some kind of print of this art, just beautiful. These Riftbound 'overnumber' cards have generally been meh but this one just works for me as a fan of Riot's biggest girlfailure, LB.

The legend card Leblanc Deceiver from the Riot card game Riftbound. The art is by Valentine Tran. It depicts the character LeBlanc, many duplicates of her standing in a row looking to the left with their eyes closed, wearing metallic armor and makeup that bleeds down from the eyes.

A single Leblanc duplicate is looking toward the viewer with gold eyes.

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Marshall 'Merdle' Cain 🐀 @merdle.blacksky.app · 08/03/2026

I made this whole chart for #my9games and then realized I forgot to put Secret of Mana on there... Can probably replace Company of Heroes or Bubble Bobble with that.

A 9 game chart for the My9games trend, made using my9games.com
Games listed from top to bottom left to right:
Bubble Bobble, Final Fantasy Tactics, Ogre Battle 64, Guild Wars, Mother 2, Super Mario Bros 64, League of Legends, Company of Heroes, and Starcraft.

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Marshall 'Merdle' Cain 🐀 @merdle.blacksky.app · 06/03/2026

We finished RE9 last night, an amazing time. The game makes some... Last second story choices I dont agree with but that doesn't rake away from the hours of great atmosphere/action before that. They really managed to blend a terrifying RE with a 4-6 style action RE. Best of both worlds.

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Marshall 'Merdle' Cain 🐀 @merdle.blacksky.app · 03/03/2026

Guy who has only previously played Fallout games: 'Getting a lot of Fallout vibes here.'

Screenshot from Resident Evil Requiem where Leon Kennedy is looking at a decayed billboard for Umbrella corp.

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Marshall 'Merdle' Cain 🐀 @merdle.blacksky.app · 27/02/2026

The Switch 2 doesn't have the best graphics sure, but I'm content with it being capable of this. I wasn't going to get to play Resident Evil Requiem if it wasn't on switch 2.

A screenshot from Resident Evil Requiem where Grace Ashcroft is in the office of her boss at the FBI. He is saying 'investigate that crime scene and report back to me with your findings.' the image was taken on the switch 2.

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Marshall 'Merdle' Cain 🐀 @merdle.blacksky.app · 27/02/2026

I've seen people complain about another grass bird, as if Decidueye isn't one of the best of all time! Pokemon wind and Waves, you have my attention. I love my bushy brow browt.

Pokemon wind and wave starters revealed today. Browt is a green bird. Pombom is a red dog. Gequea(?) is a water lizard.

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Marshall 'Merdle' Cain 🐀 @merdle.blacksky.app · 24/02/2026

I like Grass pokemon! Honestly, I'm that simple. Grass and poison mostly. cajunavenger.github.io

a Pokemon favorites chart. There are too many to list here, but it has been exported as text. The main theme is lots of Grass pokemon.

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Marshall 'Merdle' Cain 🐀 @merdle.blacksky.app · 09/02/2026

Whenever I think about Elestrals as a card game, I run into this exact problem. The game's art design seems to be 'knockoff 90s game'. It could be the best TCG around, who knows, I sure won't find out. It feels mean to say, but the primary art style looks like '90s anime drawing guide'.

Screenshot of a youtube comment section on the how to play elestrals video. The first comment says 'So basically Yu-Gi-Oh with a resource system. Seems interesting!' Second comment by the same person says 'The only thing I'm a bit iffy about is the card art/the flavour. I don't mean to be rude, but the monster design is kind of unappealing compared to something like Pokemon or the cute/cool monster in Yu-Gi-Oh.' The third comment in reply says, 'For me it's quite the opposite, it brings a modern card design into the TCG scene, for me it's the best card design by far.' A fourth comment in reply says 'It looks like every single ad for a dragon mobile game lmao, be real.'

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Marshall 'Merdle' Cain 🐀 @merdle.blacksky.app · 07/02/2026

If someone makes top 8 with the precon, I will just forever shut up about them. Like, yeah that will sufficiently shove my foot in my mouth. #fabtcg

Screenshot of a Reddit post. First user says 'For those not watching the stream. Floring who is currently ranked 45th going into day 2 is on an unedited Fai sage precon. A user replies 'The Prophecy.'

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Marshall 'Merdle' Cain 🐀 @merdle.blacksky.app · 26/01/2026

The usual Stormlight Archive experience. #cosmere #SLA (comic by linktr.ee/robotatertot)

Four panel comic about the Stormlight Archive books. Panel 1: 'Kaladin jumped into a volcano full of chasmfiends and then,' with a picture of Kaladin with a spear jumping into a lava pit full of monsters. Panel 2: a person holding a book saying 'And then???'. Panel 3: 'Interlude. This is Pibu, He sucks on rockbuds.' with a little man in green saying 'ooh lala!' in front of a bud like plant. Panel 4: The person with the book from panel 2 shouting 'BRANDON!' while dropping the book.

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Marshall 'Merdle' Cain 🐀 @merdle.blacksky.app · 19/01/2026

I usually don't worry about MLK day too much, but this image with his Nobel Peace Prize makes me want to talk about Dr. King today!

A black and white photo of Dr Martin Luther King Jr holding his Nobel Peace Prize that he got in 1964 in Norway. He is presenting it to the camera.

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