[Andy is the Real Power. Click for a gianter picture]

It all started, back in '91.  My cousin, Jeff, had gotten some nice Nintendo games for Christmas.  I, too, picked up my share.  The highlights that year were Capcom's Codename: Viper, and Vic Tokai's Clash at Demonhead.  NARC was acquired, the following January.  But Jeff got the two coolest games, ever: The third installment of the legendary MegaMan series, and CastleVania III: Dracula's Curse.

Unfortunately, the awesomeness that CV3 reeked of was totally overshadowed by the mega hype (pun fully intended) behind MegaMan 3.  Jeff was into CV3, but I just thought it was all right.  I wanted my new MegaMan gaming!  Lucky for me, Jeff came over every Tuesday, after school. 

I still feel kind of bad about the whole thing, though.  While Jeff was going on about Poltergeist Kings and Bone Dragons, all I cared about was outspinning Top Man, and proving to Hard Man that he was a big softy.  Sorry about that, man.

When my grandparents died a couple years later, Jeff and I saw each other less, and that meant less of the double-threes.  I rented CastleVania III a couple more times, but never really made it past the first couple levels.  That's where CastleVania III ended for me.  Finished.  Kaput.

At least, so it seemed.. Half a decade later, the story continued..

It was the middle of fall break, my Sophomore year ('97-'98) of high school.  There I was, sitting in front of my Macintosh, doing a bit of online role-playing, with my character's new wife.  My friend Zach from school had been pestering me all day.  For some reason, I really don't like talking to real-life friends online.  None of them can spell.  No offense, guys..

Zach had been switching screen names here and there, trying to trick me into talking to him via Instant Message, and whatnot.  For about 15 minutes, he gave up.  Then I was IMed from another queer, unusual screen name - "Sinyaso."

"Hey Alucard," he started, "don't you hate it when your dad grows 1000 heads and flies out the window?"  I was baffled. 

Turns out, the man known as "Sinyaso" was none other than Eric Roman, CastleManiac extraordinare.  He was advertising for his new website, "Dracula's Curse: THE PAGE!!!"  I took a look, and his site was pretty cool.  It was by no means official-looking.. Just a few pages thrown together.  But hey, that Skull Knight was damn cool!  He guarded the art page with his (after?)life.  Man, he was so dedicated, it sucked royal hiney when that stupid lizard thing took his place.

Eric and I became pretty cool pals over the course of that school year.  DCTP grew, and I kept going, because it was fun.  Man, I think the fun totally peaked at the point Eric dipped the Skull Knight King in the blood of 1000 souls, and busted the end of his sword off, though I don't remember why.

(insert witty commentary from Eric, here)

"You see, when I had originally posted my bunch of CastleVania fan arts to the bite-sized Miscellaneous section back in the Fall of 1997, the jealous Skull Knight had run off with them to 'hone his skills.'

His temporary art gallery featured a goofy picture of him as an aspiring artist on top and every entry was commented on by he. As a result of his idiocy, I punished him by destroying his weapon and boiling him. That in effect made him the Skull Warrior, King of the Red Skeletons, and as such, indestructible and more powerful.

That was bright. o_o "

A couple months later, I managed to score myself a copy of CV3 (as well as the first two, and the fourth, on SNES..), so I didn't have to rely on the shoddy emulator I had at the time.  Months later, my friend Emily (Hey Moussie!  ^^;) wondered what my obsession with the game was all about, so I bought her a copy, for her birthday.  I was a CastleManiac once again!

Sometime in early '99, Eric got sort of let down with DCTP.  What the hell was he thinking?!  Man, this was the COOLEST website out there.  He couldn't just let it die down!  I tossed him against the corner turnbuckle, and Ric Flair-chopped him back to his senses.  Well, y'know what ol' Eric did?  He went and made me the official DCTP site advisor!  Wow!

Since then, I've done a lot of nothing around here, except for smack Eric around to stop him from doing some really stupid-ass stuff, like make DCTP part of the 'Dungeon.  No offense to Grandmaster Kurt, but a merging of The Page and The Dungeon would be quite the odd amalgamation.  The Dage?  The Pungeon?  Nuh-uh.  Ain't workin'.

And so, here I am.  Advisin' Eric's ass, and taking names.  I've been here since pretty much the beginning, and I plan to stay here.  Why's that?  Because I believe in Eric, and I believe in DCTP.  And none of it would have existed this long, if it wasn't for you guys - The readers!  So keep coming back!  You're the reason Eric keeps me around!

Peace out, guys.  Share the lovin'.

-Andy