The Dark Menace of the Universe

The Dark Menace of the Universe is a memoir on creativity written by Tom Filsinger, an Associate Professor of Psychology and game industry entrepreneur. The book is an analysis of creativity as it relates to rebellion and culture. In The Dark Menace of the Universe, Filsinger tells the inside story of how he created card games like Champions of the Galaxy and Legends of Wrestling. He discusses how he proposed a basic version of his game to the World Wrestling Federation in 1984 only to be rejected in favor of a Milton Bradley game, and how this rejection inadvertently led to the creation and success of Champions of the Galaxy. In addition to being the owner of a game company, Filsinger is also an Associate Professor of Psychology in Jamestown, New York. In The Dark Menace of the Universe he brings together his scholarly interests and game entrepreneurship. “I use the expression, 'The Dark Menace of the Universe,' to refer to creativity in general. Creative people are often misunderstood by others and I analyze why this might be the case.” Filsinger uses examples from the lives of famous creators to shed light on his subject, including anecdotes from writer Stephen King, jazz musician Jelly Roll Morton, cartoonist Gary Larson, and others.