Media Consumption: Chronic Logic's Edmund McMillen

Today’s Media Consumption, a weekly column that digs deep to find out what our favorite game developers have been devouring in the four basic media food groups of audio, video, printed word and games, speaks to Chronic Logic co-founder, graphic designer and IGF-winning Gish co-creator Edmund McMillen. Sounds: "My wife and I decided to open all our Christmas presents early," said McMillen. "She got me a bunch of Melvins albums, so I've been listening to them." The Melvins are a Black Flag-inspired rock band from the Aberdeen, Washington area, and are often credited as inspirations for a number of popular rock bands. Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain, for instance, started his musical career by playing improv sessions with the group. "I kind of missed the whole Melvins thing," said McMillen,"and all the bands I listen to credit them, so I thought I should check them out. They got a lot of albums with just music going on, just mood music, which is good for working." Other favorite bands of McMillen's include Alice in Chains, Squirrel Nut Zippers, and Mars Volta. Moving Pictures: "Last thing I saw in the theater was The Devil's Rejects," he said. "I'm not really big on going to the theater, unless there's something good. And there usually isn't." McMillen does, however, buy DVDs "like a madman. Anything that comes out, TV-wise, I'm usually buying." McMillen and his wife are currently watching seasons 5 and 6 of Seinfeld, and other current TV-related DVD purchases include Family guy and two MTV animation staples: Beavis & Butthead and Aeon Flux. "I also just got a movie called Fireworks on DVD. It's a Japanese film, and it's pretty awesome." Words: McMillen has been regularly reading British fetish magazine, Bizarre. "It's really good," he said, "there's a lot a lot of weird info and pictures. They featured my art once, and that's how I found them. Someone told me about it." When pressed for his further reading endeavors, McMillen is quiet. "Nothing else good, really. Nothing I want to mention!" Games: "I've been playing Mario Kart a lot for the DS," he said. "My cousins came down and we played, it was really awesome. This is by far the best Mario Kart there ever was. I don't think they'll be able to top it." There were a number of other DS games in McMillen's Christmas stash, including Viewtiful Joe: Double Trouble, Trauma Center: Under the Knife, and Metroid Pinball, and when Gamasutra spoke to him on the phone, McMillen was getting ready to go out and purchase Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time. "I love my DS," he said. "I was probably like the only person I knew when it came out that saw the potential. I think once developers got past the gimmick part, making you touch and speak into the microphone or similar in every game that came out, it really started to shine."