The Dark Tower

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  • lasvegaspinballhalloffame
    Pinball Wizard
    • Sep 2011
    • 1040

    The Dark Tower

    This is a series on novels written by Stephen King. Marvel has been making comics on it since 2007. I read half of the novels, and they would be perfect for a table. It has a little of everything, western/sci fi/steampunk. Here is a bit of summary frIt tells the story of the gunslinger, Roland of Gilead, and his quest to catch the man in black, the first of many steps towards his ultimate destination - the Dark Tower.

    The main story takes place in a world that is somewhat similar to the Old West but exists in an alternate time frame or parallel universe to ours. Roland exists in a place where "the world has moved on." This world has a few things in common with our own, however, including memories of the song "Hey Jude" and the child's rhyme that begins "Beans, Beans, the Musical Fruit". Vestiges of forgotten or skewed versions of real-world technology also appear, such as a reference to a gas pump that is worshipped as a god named "Amoco", and an abandoned way station with a water pump which is powered by an "atomic slug".

    As Roland travels across the desert with his mule in search of the man in black, he encounters Brown, a farmer, and Zoltan, his crow, who graciously offers to put him up for the night. While he is there, we learn of his time spent in Tull through a flashback. Tull was a small town which Roland came to not too long before the start of the novel. The man in black had passed through the town previously; he brought a dead man back to life, and left a trap for Roland: the town itself. After Roland spends some time there, the leader of the local church reveals to him that the man in black has impregnated her, and has turned her against Roland. She turns the entire town on Roland; men, women, and children. In order to escape with his life, Roland is forced to kill every resident of the town, including his lover, Allie. Telling this story seems cathartic for Roland. When he awakes the next day, his mule is dead, forcing him to proceed on foot. Before Roland leaves, Brown asks his permission to eat the mule.

    At the way station Roland first encounters Jake Chambers, who died in his own universe when he was pushed in front of a car while walking to school. Roland is nearly dead when he makes it to the way station, and Jake brings him water and jerky while he is recovering. Jake does not know how long he has been at the way station, nor does he know exactly how he got there. He hid when the man in black passed by the way station. Roland hypnotizes him to determine the details of his death, but makes him forget before he awakes (since Jake's death was extremely violent and painful). Before they leave the way station they encounter a demon in the cellar while looking for food. After their palaver, Roland snatches the jawbone from the skeleton in the hole, from which the demon speaks.

    After leaving the way station, Jake and Roland eventually make their way out of the desert into more welcoming lands. Roland rescues Jake from an encounter with an oracle, and then couples with the oracle himself in order to learn more about his fate and path to the Dark Tower. Roland gives
    om Wikipedia:

    I think Roland on his quest to the Dark Tower would be AMAZING. What do you think?
    http://www.pinballmuseum.org/ The City Is My Church
  • tenorhero
    Senior Member
    • Mar 2012
    • 699

    #2
    +1,0000 (If that's possible?) Great Idea. Not only that I think some fantasy other that what has been released on film.


    Love the Shannara series by Terry Brooks. Some say he copied Tolkien but I found his series much more enjoyable. Especially Elfstones Of Shannara.

    Anyway would be a great fantasy table without the hefty licensing from that Stern table. Awesome pinball table though.

    Comment

    • CheshireGrin1221
      Member
      • May 2012
      • 87

      #3
      'nother solid concept, definitely.
      It was some time ago, but I actually listened to Wizard and Glass, as a book on tape. It had something like 30-40 cassettes to it... but it was really good. I ended up readin' The Gunslinger shortly after. I feel like the dark tower series takes a lot of its inspiration from The Wizard of Oz - which seems like it would have a broader range of visual potential. I haven't seen much of the comic though. What visually stands out most in the comic, as far as setting and characters go?

      I would love a Cowboy Bebop table, which pulls many of its characters from the DT series.
      Spike is, most definitely, a gunslinger. He just knows tai chi too.
      (I just don't think it has a wide enough of a following, tragically.)
      If life's really just a game, it was designed to be played co-op.

      Comment

      • rapierdwit
        Senior Member
        • Jan 2011
        • 404

        #4
        You have forgotten the face of your father.

        Comment

        • lexandro
          Senior Member
          • Nov 2010
          • 240

          #5
          Sorry but I have to visciferously disagree. The Dark Tower books are utter tripe, and some of the worst books I have read in a long time (and I read a book a day!). The fact that he (Stephen King) writes himself in to the the series itself in Sussana's Song as its god is some of the worst writing I have ever suffered through.

          I would completely ignore any tables based on any Stephen King work as I dont find any of his work even in the slightest entertaining.

          Now if was someone like Terry Prattchet, Arthur C Clarke, Dean Coontz, Greg Bear or Stephen Donaldson then sure I could get right behind those authors works as a setting for tables.

          Discworld is a world wide phenomenon and would generate millions of customers for a well done table or set.

          Clarke's 2010 series or Rama series both are widely renouned for the imagination and attention to detail in factual science fiction.

          Comment

          • lasvegaspinballhalloffame
            Pinball Wizard
            • Sep 2011
            • 1040

            #6
            hahahah, Dean Koontz. Uh yeah ok, he's sooo uch better than King, LOL.
            I respect your opinion. but I have read a lot of this series, and even though it might be tripe ( I dont think it is, King just have his fair share of bashers out there), it's still a great idea for a table. King is a lot better author than a lot oif people w ould like to admit. yes, all of his stuff is not golden, but to be such a mainstream writer, he does shine more often than not.
            http://www.pinballmuseum.org/ The City Is My Church

            Comment

            • CheshireGrin1221
              Member
              • May 2012
              • 87

              #7
              I still don't think they'd have the fan base to warrant Zen's attention. Sorry
              If life's really just a game, it was designed to be played co-op.

              Comment

              • CheshireGrin1221
                Member
                • May 2012
                • 87

                #8
                I still wanna know how visually engaging the comics are...
                If life's really just a game, it was designed to be played co-op.

                Comment

                • Sherwoody
                  Junior Member
                  • Nov 2017
                  • 6

                  #9
                  The Dark Tower would DEFINITELY have the fan base...hands down. We fans are super disappointed in that god awful movie that came out, so anything true to the form is needed!! Which is right up Zen’s alley...less Hollywood more comics

                  A table for each book would be GREAT. Imagine a “Drawing of the Three” table....oh man!

                  Please go after this!

                  Long days and pleasant nights.

                  Comment

                  • hajdu
                    Community Representative
                    • Nov 2017
                    • 237

                    #10
                    Hey Guys,
                    thank you for this awesome suggestion! I forwarded it to our designers!
                    As a fan of the Dark Tower series myself, I also hope that we'll able to create these tables!

                    Wishing you all a great holiday season!

                    Comment

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