Domesticated Words

James McLean on Back To Frank Black

2011-11-22T16:16:00.000+01:00

Interview by Patrick Munn on Back to Frank Black - the campaign for the return of Millennium's Frank Black.

James McLean, founder and Co-Project Manager for Back To Frank Black, talks to us about the campaign, the support they have received and more.

Shorty after running our series of articles on XFilesNews, I was contacted by one of the two project managers behind the website Back To Frank Black. The site is devoted to seeing the central character of Millennium, Frank Black, resurrected in one form or another. To see if this was possible I spoke with contacts at 20th Century Fox and FX, who stated that a Millennium project was not on their "radars" at the present time. Shortly after that, I wrote a fairly in depth article on the campaign and its history. Just this past week I had the chance to interview James McLean, one of the campaign’s two project managers, about their origins, their upcoming book and more.

So, James, you are one of the two project managers for Back To Frank Black. Can you tell us what that involves? What do you tend to be doing on a day-to-day basis?

A lot of it is planning. There is a lot of planning, some stuff doesn’t work. But there’s a lot of reacting to issues and trying to build on them. We don’t have a big staff, so it’s not really about co-ordinating people; it’s about co-ordinating the direction of the campaign.

My Name is Earl movie? Jason Lee says please!

2011-11-09T15:54:00.000+01:00

Several sources have reported Jason Lee's interest in returning to My Name Is Earl, a show I hold with great affection.

OnTheReadCarpet.com reported on Jason's positive hopes just last week and prior to that Eonline quoted Jason on his belief that its just not him behind a revival but creator Garcia himself:

I've talked to Greg and even if we have to get a small guerrilla crew together and kind of make our own thing and put it on the internet, we definitely want a closing. Whatever we can do to sort of finish the list, I feel it in the air, it's time. A movie? Fantastic.

My Name Is Earl was a four season show about a criminal called Earl Hickey looking to reform through his misunderstanding of karmic nature, seeing that doing good things begets good things and bad things begetting bad things. He creates a list of all the bad things he's done and looks to cross each off (one a week as episode scheduling goes). It was a gentle, smart and slightly over the top comedy from Raising Hope creator Greg Garcia. It was cancelled at the end of its fourth season leaving the show on a "to be continued" cliffhanger.

A few years since that rather unfair cancellation (viewing figures, while not top of the league were reported to be fair), looks like Jason is trying to stir support in seeing the show return. Really worth a look if you haven't. Some form of conclusion is required.

Do good things, and good things happen - hopefully those holding the cards will feel the same.

Back To Frank Black book announced!

2011-10-26T00:49:00.000+01:00

Announced on the 15th Birthday of Millennium's first episode, Pilot, Back To Frank Black announce a book of Millennium and the campaign to bring it back!

I'll be doing some illustrations for the book as well as contributing as a writer.

October 25, 2011 — Fourth Horseman Press is proud to announce Back to Frank Black, an upcoming book based on the Fox television series Millennium(1996-1999) and produced in association with the titular campaign to return its protagonist and television’s greatest criminal profiler, Frank Black, to the screen.

Back to Frank Black offers fans of Millennium a hitherto unprecedented volume of material exploring this landmark series. The book features original essays from a number of authors with in-depth knowledge of the series—including Joseph Maddrey, co-author of Lance Henriksen’s autobiography Not Bad for a Human (2011), and media critic John Kenneth Muir—as well as exclusive material from the cast and crew, much of which is drawn from the wealth of interviews that the Back to Frank Black campaign has conducted for its distinctive series of online podcasts.

Back to Frank Black will be edited by Adam Chamberlain and Brian A. Dixon, publishers for Fourth Horseman Press and consultants to the Back to Frank Black campaign. The book will be made available in both print and digital editions with an expected publication date of early 2012. The collection will not be sold for profit and all proceeds will be donated to Lance Henriksen’s preferred registered charity, Children of the Night. For the latest news on the book’s release, visit backtofrankblack.com or follow the Back to Frank Black campaign on Twitter and Facebook. Publisher’s updates will be made available at fourthhorsemanpress.com as well as on Fourth Horseman Press’s Twitter andFacebook feeds.

Latest PodKast from Kasterborous.com with James!

2011-10-20T22:21:00.000+01:00

Another PodKast for Kasterborous.com. Myself, editor Christian Cawley, associated editor Brian Terranova and guest Vworp Vworp! editor Gareth Kavanagh.

http://www.kasterborous.com/2011/10/podkast-series-6-summary/

In their words not mine:

"The podKast with a “K” goes retrospective this week as we cast our eyes and our minds (not to mention your ears) back across the whole of Series 6, with our special guest, Vworp Vworp! editor Gareth Kavanagh.

In the past we’ve done round table discussions as articles, but this time around we thought it might be better to give our listener the chance to experience the thoughts as they’re shared, rather than in edited form.

We go into detail on a number of interesting points, such as the Tessalecta, the Lodger TARDIS, Steven Moffat’s broken promise of a proper death in The Impossible Astronaut and his choice of writers, as well as mulling once more on Alex Kingston and River Song and judging what can be gained from Series 6 going forwards into 2012.

Now we’re well aware that we might be going into some contentious territory with some of these observations, but with the benefit of Gareth Kavanagh’s presence (a gentleman fortunate enough to run his own pub and host weekly screenings of Series 6) we get a unique insight into what general, non-Whovian viewers might have felt about the 2011 episodes…"

Archive: Interviewing Hayden Black and Laura Silverman!

2011-10-19T18:35:00.000+01:00

One from earlier this year - an interview I did with TV Show comedy Goodnight Burbank creator Hayden Black and show's lead actress Laura Silverman for Doctor Who website Kasterborous.com. Goodnight Burbank was at time of the interview airing on Hulu.com though more recently its been picked up for cable. For more information on Goodnight Burbank, visit www.goodnightburbank.com. To hear the podkast, follow the link!

http://www.kasterborous.com/2011/03/goodnight-brubank/

The Kasterborous.com podkast is a weekly event - I tend to appear most weeks! Occasional interviews, but mainly opinion pieces on the TV show, Doctor Who!

Interviewing John Kenneth Muir!

2011-10-19T18:28:00.000+01:00

A podkast for Kasterborous.com interviewing John Kenneth Muir can be found on the Kasterborous website.

John Kenneth Muir is an award-winning author of an impressive 22 reference books and guides to popular film and TV series in the sci-fi, comedy and horror genres. Most importantly for our purposes, John is also the creative force behind the celebrated and the popular media blog, Reflections on Film and Television –reflectionsonfilmandtelevision.blogspot.com– and writer of ”A Critical History of Doctor Who on Television” and ”A History and Critical Analysis of Blake’s 7″.

John's a lovely gent and I consider him a good friend - worth a listen. He talks about his feelings on Doctor Who and his worth of an author and love of TV and film!

http://www.kasterborous.com/2011/10/the-podkast-with-a-james/

Sky's No Limit for "One Piece" Third Season!

2011-08-01T23:52:00.000+01:00

Originally Posted at Toon Zone 03-01-2011

One Piece Third Season has the show reaching for the sky, which was a relief for both myself and you, the dear reader; with any luck it will save you from another One Piece review filled with the usual load of half-baked sea-faring puns. This time you've got half-baked sky puns instead. How lucky are you?

Before I begin, I must clarify this review was mildly hindered by what I would call a pirate of the Post Office, and the first screener was lost to some m'hearty ho-ho-ho and a bottle of rum bastard. But I have since managed to watch the episodes on the boxset, which in the case of the Skypiea arc is more than necessary.

Third Season Voyages One, Two, Three and Four take the crew of the Going Merry into and through the giant Skypiea arc. As such, I'd say if you're new to One Piece, you really need to get all four box sets to enjoy the full depth of this tale. As I mentioned, the first screener was lost to me, and I did try to start on the Third Season Second Voyage box set, but it was very hard to get into the story from that opening episode. Not impossible, but this is a story that really requires you purchases all four segments.

"So what the hell is the story?" I hear you cry, waving that plastic cutlass and pinging your false eye-patch. Well let me divulge, m'hearties.

After suffering one of the Straw-hats usual rum encounters, in this case, a large ship falling on top of them from the clouds, Luffy gets it into his head that he wants to find Sky Island, a place of legend, a place – unsurprisingly – set high in the clouds. Much to Nami's disgust, the crew seem to go along with this lunacy, and the first box set is very much the prelude to their discovery of this world above the blue sea.

The second box set, contrary to the opinion of those suffering narrative blindness, opens with the crew having reached Skypiea and branded criminals. From here they find themselves thrust into trails and sacrifices in the name of god Eneru.

The third boxset sees the Straw-Hats battling the trials of the priests of Eneru and an all out civil war in the clouds. The Straw-hats go searching for a fabled gold city while having to face off both sides of the civil conflict as well as the god Eneru himself. Finally the forth boxset takes the war onto a new level of epic as the civil unrest gives way to Eneru's sky armageddon resulting in a spectacular conclusion and heart-felt slither of backstory.

It's a rather incredible tale that doesn't tip-toe around theological icons, but neither does it particularly acknowledge any in great depth. The question of whether the people of the sky are angels, or whether Eneru is God, is adeptly handled, used solely as an early narrative mystery rather than explored in any really profound way.

That is not to say the story is superficial nor shallow, nor that the question of whether the crew are up against God is passed by. These questions are neither milked or danced around, leaving One Piece to explore a story arc that Western cartoons might be a little uncomfortable with, but without feeling out of sorts. This is One Piece through and through.

After quite a few light simple stories and story arcs, the return to the epic adventure is welcome. I enjoyed the smaller tales of the later Second Season, particularly after the dense and colourful action of Alabasta, but now it felt like the time to enjoy something deeper. The story of the Sky isn't as politically real nor as emotionally driven as Alabasta, nor does it explore such a rich and complex society, but One Piece's talent is to take the show into different modes without feeling inconsistent. Yes, this story erupts into civil war like Alabasta; yes, it carries the usual mix of absurd adversaries, each a milestone towards the final battle. But beyond that it doesn't follow the same rules.

Simply said, well over one hundred episodes in, closer to two hundred, and One Piece still feels fresh.

How so? It plays with character dynamics for a start, splitting the characters off into less usual groupings: several times we see the groups split into different teams, letting the heroes bounce off each other in different ways. Robin, of course, is the latest crew member and has really had little time devoted to her. This arc gives Robin scope to push on in her own personal tale and get her squarely into some action.

Do we see any real changes to the group? Well, Nami feels a lot more isolated in this arc, fighting against her captain and fate with equal futility. Chopper is depicted as being far more cowardly than before, making even Ussop seem a hero in comparison, despite Chopper's devil fruit powers. If there is any criticism in this story it's perhaps the overly desperate need to keep Luffy out of the action. Alabasta de-powered Luffy by playing him in an environment he had no experience over, and in this story he tends to spend most of it in the wrong place, lost or trapped. One could argue that this all adds to the tension, while others might suggest it creates a feeling of contrivance. This is particularly prevalant in box sets three and four. We're talking large segments of Luffy being kept out of the story. In fact, it was particularly interesting to see Luffy's frustrating vine entrapment on box set four given the forewarning voice actress Clinkenbeard gave us on one of the second season's commentaries. Yes Colleen, now that I've seen it, I share your pain.

Which leads us to the commentaries and the box sets themselves. As always, each box set is neatly presented with one episode commentary and a "marathon" feature for those who like to take their episodes in one gulp. The presentation is simple and effective, though I wish the disk numbers were a little less teeny!

As for the commentaries themselves, they remain lightweight fun. Commentaries by dub teams can be a hit-and-miss affair. The US staff aren't involved in the creation of the show, which limits a great deal of the insight they can offer into characters and backgrounds. But that's not to say these aren't worth listening to, simply that if you've been following the One Piece commentaries you'll be familiar with some of the questions being asked. That being said, with the Skypiea arc being the first One Piece story the US crew worked on, there is some fresh material here for veteran commentary listeners. However, subject matter isn't really the meat of any of these commentaries. It's fortunate One Piece has such a vibrant and candid cast and crew to keep the commentaries entertaining regardless of the topic. I very much enjoyed hearing the perspective of relative Straw-Hat newbie Stephanie Young (Robin) on the Second Voyage set, and the Fourth Voyage set has a great, funny slice of banter between ADR Director Michael McFarland, John Michael Tatum (Eneru) and Colleen Clinkenbeard (Luffy).

So again, One Piece does good. I have to say I never noticed any massive changes in quality between this new arc, given it was the US voice crew's first go at One Piece. It all feels consistent, which is testament to their skills. I listened to one box set on the Japanese dub, and as I've said before, One Piece is one of the few exceptions where I think the dub surpasses the original VA crew. The US team do a fantastic job at bringing these characters to life.

Third Season Voyages 1–4 are a fantastically addictive affair. Buying all four will give you the complete Skypiea story, and in my experience it's watchable for all. If there is one anime that you can probably get friends, lovers and family into, it's One Piece. I have an 84-year-old grandmother who actually watches these screeners! If you ever feel a need to explain your love for Japanese animation to any of those who mildly concerned with your addiction, One Piece is good material to defend your honour! You certainly couldn't go wrong with the Skypiea arc! Humourous, poignant, creative and filled with cliffhangers that have you craving for more. Give in to your reservations. They say every cloud has a silver lining, but the story of Skypiea suggests otherwise. Both figuratively and literally, the clouds of One Piece are pure gold.

Halloween Podcast with Jimmy Boy McLean

2009-11-01T03:55:00.003+01:00

More BacktoFrankBlack - should have a Black Jack review up soon. In the meantime, more James Podcasts!

Great to speak to Kett - lovely man, and our wonderful friend, Murv (MR Sellars) the paranormal author! Enjoy!

BacktoFrankBlack: The Millennium Group Sessions, hosted by Troy Foreman and co-hosted by Jim McLean is now available for free download via our website AND on ITunes!

Listen to the Mp3 on the BacktoFrankBlack Stream or download using the links below!

To download from BacktoFrankBlack.com

For a high quality podcast: Right click here and select "save link a s.." (approx 57MB 60mins)
There is no enhanced version for this episode due to technical difficulties. The full MP3 will be available from ITUNES instead of the M4B

To download from ITUNES

To subscribe to the Itunes podcast, simply load up the Itunes store on your Itunes application, search for BacktoFrankBlack and wait for the podcast to pop onto the list. Then click "subscribe" - you will need to sign up to a free Itunes account to do this - but Itunes does run a great service for podcasts of all types (including our friends ThaDarkSideVibe and Spooktalkular)

BacktoFrankBlack: Millennium Group Sessions 14: MILLENNIUM - The Curse of Frank Black!

In this episode of the Millennium Group Sessions series, the focus is Curse of Frank Black as BacktoFrankBlack's Curse of Frank Black comes to an end. Jim interviews Kett Turton, the once kid actor who told the ghost story in Frank's basement before Troy and Jim launch into a Curse of Frank Black discussion with Kett and Millennium fan/Paranormal author, MR Sellars!

This free podcast is available on a weekly to fortnightly basis via ITUNES and BacktoFrankBlack.com. We'll naturally update you all on information on the podcast from this blog as well.

With ITUNES, anyone who has an Itunes friendly account will be able to subscribe easily and download the podcasts as they are released.

Send your letters and postcards to FOX:

STEVE ASBELL
Twentieth Century Fox
10201 West Pico Blvd.,
Bldg. 88, Room 132
Los Angeles, CA 90035#

PLUS: British fans, see Kett live!
"Moliere or The League of Hypocrites" by Mikhail Bulgakov.
Running from Nov. 24th - Dec. 19th at the Finborough Theatre.
Details at www.finboroughtheatre.co.uk

PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT ON THIS BLOG!

Free podcast with some free James McLean!

2009-10-24T20:05:00.001+01:00

Been a while - but here's a new post! Gasp. Another podcast. Gasp. Listen if you like. Gasp.

MILLENNIUM GROUP SESSIONS 12:

Millennium Group Sessions 13
FlashBack

BacktoFrankBlack: The Millennium Group Sessions, hosted by Troy Foreman and co-hosted by Jim McLean is now available for free download via our website AND on ITunes!

With Troy at the Flashback Horror convention in Chicago, giving our flyers and coordinating with Mr Henriksen, this week's podcast is a retrospective affair.

In Millennium Group Sessions #13, Jim and Troy introduce a flashback of their own, back to their first aired podcast together on ThaDarksideVibe, Troy's own podcast. This podcast aired before the Millennium Group Sessions began and was very much the catalyst for the podcast you listen to now.

So because we've not been able to do a full show this week, because it tentatively ties in with the Flashback Weekend convention, and of course, because its just a bit of fun, we offer you this slice.

Can't say I've listened to it myself since it aired, so I can't attest for quality (or whether we've progressed since then), but I hope you enjoy it. It is of course, all about Millennium!

In the meantime, don't forget to check the Back2FrankBlack twitter account for updates from Troy live at the convention!

TO HEAR THIS PODCAST FOR FREE!

Three methods are available:

Listen to the podcast streamed through the blog audio player below!

Download the MP3 of the podcast to your computer by right clicking the following link and selecting "save link as": RIGHT CLICK HERE

Subscribe to ITUNES and have the podcast automatically download to your computer on release! Simply download ITUNES, sign up for an ITUNES account for free and then search for "Millennium Group Sessions" in the ITUNES store. Click "subscribe" to get the free podcast as soon as its available!

Send your letters to FOX!
STEVE ASBELL
Twentieth Century Fox
10201 West Pico Blvd.,
Bldg. 88, Room 132
Los Angeles, CA 90035

Next week: Halloween with style! Jim interviews Kett Turton, the ghost story teller from Curse of Frank Black as part of our Curse of Frank Black week! Tune it - a lot of fun!

James speaks to Lance Henriksen!

2009-08-11T14:01:00.003+01:00

More interviews - this time with Lance Henriksen. A great guy - and a great interview. Well worth the time. Excuse my little monologue at the end - beyond the genuine need to rally support, I think half a glass of wine had got my lips flapping somewhat..

If you're reading this, and no doubt you are to be reading it, then please leave a comment on the backtofrankblackblog.

Listen to the Mp3 on the BacktoFrankBlack Stream or download using the links below!

To download from BacktoFrankBlack.com

For the enhanced image podcast (with some pretty exclusive photos) for Itunes and Ipod lovers: Click here! 21MB 88 mins)

For a high quality podcast (no images embedded into this one): Right click here and select "save link as.." (approx 81MB 88 mins)

To download from ITUNES

To subscribe to the Itunes podcast, simply load up the Itunes store on your Itunes application, search for BacktoFrankBlack and wait for the podcast to pop onto the list. Then click "subscribe" - you will need to sign up to a free Itunes account to do this - but Itunes does run a great service for podcasts of all types (including our friends ThaDarkSideVibe and Spooktalkular)

BacktoFrankBlack: Millennium Group Sessions SPECIAL: LANCE HENRIKSEN

In this special episode in the Millennium Group Sessions series, Troy and Jim speak to Frank Black himself, LANCE HENRIKSEN.

In this special and free podcast, Lance speaks about his time on the show, how he sees the future of Millennium, Aliens, Jordan and of course, the man we want back, Frank Black. There is also a cameo guest appearance in the interview! You don't want to miss it!

This free podcast is available on a weekly to fortnightly basis via ITUNES and BacktoFrankBlack.com. We'll naturally update you all on information on the podcast from this blog as well.

With ITUNES, anyone who has an Itunes friendly account will be able to subscribe easily and download the podcasts as they are released. We recommend the ITUNES friendly enhanced podcast because each episode will have its unique set of images to accompany the chatter!

James (and Troy) interview Jon Polito!

2009-07-27T13:18:00.003+01:00

A plug for the BacktoFrankBlack interview with Jon Polito that's just been released. A few comments before the press blurb...

I've always been a massive, massive, massive fan of Homicide Life On The Street, particularly it's early seasons where the cast choices made for a very real show. The decision to pull Polito on the basis he wasn't a charismatic character was the first signal of Network pressures damaging the show's integrity.

Thankfully the scenes Polito's character Det. Steve Crosetti had in the first two seasons were strong and worthy of both the show and the real-life police man Terry McLarney whom Polito's character was based on (at least from what I read of McLarney in the show creator's original study of the Baltimore police department).

So it was a thrill to interview Jon for his work in Homicide AND his GREAT work in Millennium. Certainly the most endearing guest character in the show and a real boon to the episode Omerta. A cold blooded killer, come anti-hero, come genuine hero - Eddie Scarpino is a delight to watch and I'm so glad that the man behind the character was as charming and captivating to interview as he was to watch.

Enjoy.

Press Blurb!

BacktoFrankBlack: The Millennium Group Sessions, hosted by Troy Foreman and co-hosted by Jim McLean is now available for free download via our website AND on ITunes!

Please download our free podcast to support the campaign and the guests who have graciously contributed their time to the campaign!

To download from BacktoFrankBlack.com

For the enhanced image podcast (with some pretty exclusive photos) for Itunes and Ipod lovers: Click her e! 20MB 80 mins)

For a high quality podcast (no images embedded into this one): Right click here and select "save link as.." (approx 73MB 80 mins)

To download from ITUNES

To subscribe to the Itunes podcast, simply load up the Itunes store on your Itunes application, search for BacktoFrankBlack and wait for the podcast to pop onto the list. Then click "subscribe" - you will need to sign up to a free Itunes account to do this - but Itunes does run a great service for podcasts of all types (including our friends ThaDarkSideVibe and Spooktalkular)

BacktoFrankBlack: Millennium Group Sessions 07 - Omerta Pt 2

In the seventh episode in the Millennium Group Sessions series, Troy and Jim speak to Omerta guest star Jon Polito (Homicide: Life On The Street, Miller's Crossing, The Big Nothing) and talk about his prolific career and his love for Millennium. It's a fun, informative and charming interview. Expect an abridged version on the blog in the future along with a great hi-res image of Jon on set.

Also, Millennium Group Sessions #7 has more news, updates and informal chat with your hosts Troy Foreman and Jim McLean.

This free podcast is available on a fortnightly basis via ITUNES and BacktoFrankBlack.com. We'll naturally update you all on information on the podcast from this blog as well.

With ITUNES, anyone who has an Itunes friendly account will be able to subscribe easily and download the podcasts as they are released. We recommend the ITUNES friendly enhanced podcast because each episode will have its unique set of images to accompany the chatter!

Introducing "Harvey"'s fairy tale character: Elwood P Dowd

2009-07-15T02:57:00.005+01:00

Spotted this on IMDB - a review I wrote three years ago. I actually found it fascinating to read given the time between now and then has left me with no real recollection of writing this nor which angle I chose to present in the commentary. Funny how fickle the brainbox can be.

This is a delightful film. Jimmy Stewart's Elwood is a timeless character. When we live in a world which is constantly looking forward or backwards, Elwood P Dowd is a character who reminds us how perfect our lives would be if could live in the now, enjoying the singular moment. It is Dowd's ideology as much as his "imaginary" friend that makes "Harvey" so captivating.

Of course, Elwood Dowd could be far less perfect than we imagine. The back story seems to imply he undertook some sort of personality shift seven years back (he says he took life seriously for thirty five years, he is now forty two as I recall). From the events he describes on his first encounter with "Harvey", his recalled dialogue infers this event was after his character transformation. Considering how his big sister, Veta seems to feel their mother should have warned her about Harvey when she moved in, it seems unlikely it was his mother's death that caused any sort of dramatic character alteration.

So Dowd's character - for some reason - shifted from normal to unique. His life now is simplistic yet to himself, very busy. He spends a lot of times hanging around in bars meeting people. To him, that's a vocation, and with life itself being such a rich tapestry of character and history, who is one to argue? His approach to each day is structured on much repetition. His dialogue and mannerisms are very uniform and repetitive. His approach to all people remains equal. Elwood does initially give the audience the impression of someone who has had suffered breakdown, as someone who probably isn't quite normal. But as the film reminds us, when "normal" is actually quite nasty and stressful, would those "normal" people see being so very nice as a mental deficiency? The film doesn't dwell on the question as to whether or not Dowd suffers from mental illness. It could be character just was hit by some amazing epiphany seven years earlier. Unlike more contemporary offerings, it's not interested in what makes us who we are; it is more interested in what we are at present.

While it's clear that Elwood was never always as simple and gracious as he is now. The film doesn't concern itself with any catalyst for this change; in fact, it seems to deliberately avoid talking about it. The beauty in "Harvey" is that Elwood is as much a fantasy character as the mischievous "imaginary" Pooka Harvey himself and in my opinion, just as fascinating.

The timeless character of Elwood is solidified by the play/films disinterest in creating a resolution for his identity, even if all the unhappy people attempt the contrary. I prefer to see the change in Elwood as being an epiphany rather than a breakdown. It just seems to suit his almost fairy tale perfection. He doesn't see the bad in others. All behaviour has its reasons and all actions can be dealt with positively. Even when confronted with selfish concerns, he sees the lighter side. While the film doesn't leave any doubt to whether Harvey exists or not, it does leave the audience to make up it's mind on Elwood. That to me is the beauty of this film. The actual fairy tale character is definitive, but Elwood isn't. Is he a drunk? Again, personally, I don't feel he is. He never shows any behaviour indicative to a drunk. He goes and has a drink when he meets people as part of a ritualistic pattern, but the alcohol never pertains importance to him beyond that. Again, if we take Elwood's almost fantasy built persona - something we would all want to aspire to - to be able to socially drink very regularly without dependence seems quite fitting. That's my opinion, but really it's up to you to decide.

So I think, deep down, we would all want to be Elwood Dowd. Not so much for the Pooka invisible friend, but simply because his existence shows us how life ought to be taken. This is of course, an impossibility given the responsibility of today's lifestyle. Life is too complicated for an existence firmly entrenched in the present and while we have to accept that we can't be like Elwood, it would be nice to think we can try.

For me Mary Chase's "Harvey" presents a dream existence made manifest, and that is very much thanks to Stewart's beautifully performed Elwood Dowd.

Surgical Spirit: "Black Jack" Volumes 2, 3 and 4 Get a Clean Bill of Health!

2009-07-13T10:31:00.001+01:00

For Toon Zone News
06-19-2009,

There are some books simply too good to review— books that really don't require the help of some meager assessor; that are happy enough to stand tall without third party endorsements. In essence, there are some books that make my job more without meaning than I could ever succeed at.

Vertical have been hot on the presses releasing more of their Black Jack collection. Toon Zone reviewed volume one earlier in 2008 and here we are again with volumes two, three and four putting me back in the hot seat looking for something more discerning to say about this range of graphic novels other than "Well, Black Jack is simply brilliant, innit?"

Of course the quality of Black Jack is hardly a secret. Written by manga's legendary godfather, Osamu Tezuka, Black Jack is the long-running series of short stories that follow the extraordinary feats of surgery performed by an unlicensed Japanese doctor of the same name. The tales frequently carry a moral or sociological message, usually catalyzed by some emergency requiring Black Jack's surgical skills. (Black Jack's universe seems to exist on an abundance of car and HGV crashes throughout the four volumes.) The stories drift between resolutions of hope and despair, often ending on an abrupt coda.

Black Jack plays on a breadth of drama that weaves a tale around both simple and complex characters types. More often than not, Tezuka turns his critical eye upon the medical profession, taking the opportunity to pull the strings on a variety of doctor and intellectual stereotypes and making them dance to his satirical melodies.

Simply put, Black Jack is a joy to read. Aside from a few visual elements that prove a reminder of its vintage status, the stories remain relatively timeless. One story in volume three called "Your Mistake" requires a spool based tape recorder as a central prop—a reminder of the days before cassettes, CDs and digital downloads. You can read volume four without a single reminder of the time differential between ourselves and the author—only a few footnotes give away some of the minor satirical swipes at his contemporaries in Japanese manga.

The age of Black Jack does raise a question: how can a book dealing with a medical surgeon first written over thirty-five years ago possibly carry any significant value to today's society? Strangely enough, many of the stories are indeed significant, particularly to our current climate, to coin a relevant pun. In volume two we have "Assembly Line Care" which questions the balance between bedside manner and hospital efficiency; "Where Are Thou Friend?" is about the malady that is mankind upon the planet. Volume three's "Dingoes" questions the ravages of mankind on the animal ecosystem and in "Shrinking" we seen theological faith struggle against secular humanitarianism as our medicines save more people only to see others die under surplus demand upon resources. All of which are contemporary issues, all of which Tezuka was querying three decades ago.

Of course, many of the Black Jack stories simply stand the test of time by centering on the timeless moral issues. The question of euthanasia for instance is neatly explored in volume three's "Two Dark Doctors". The internal struggle between the family unit is a popular theme, and Tezuka enjoys examining blood relationships through a some surprising facets. In volume four we have a trilogy of family plights; "Burned Doll", a tale of a gangster's willing sacrifice for his son; "Lost and Found" focuses on dying wife and mother and her family's desperate plight to raise the funds to save her, and "Heart of a Giant" looks at the risks a parent will put on his ill son for the sake of fame and fortune. Whether it be a broad sociological question or a very personal tale, Tezuka opens up the tender wounds found between human fragility and social morality.

While the stories avoid being trapped in the past, it's perhaps Black Jack's fantastical ability to perform feats of surgery that prevents the reader from questioning the book's contemporary relevance. Black Jack can graft skin, re-attach limbs and even transplant bodies in ways no one can, and this little zest of fantasy completes the timeless illusion.

As always, Tezuka's artwork is an eclectic blend of caricature and incredibly textured linework. The testament to his work comes in the decades of imitators who have drawn from his skills. His sequential narratives are almost faultless in visualization and pacing. There is little change within the artwork between the three volumes—Tezuka's style for Black Jack is very much set from the start. In fact, the only evidence of change comes in volume four where there is a tiny modicum of self-referential humour that leaks into the story and visuals. It seems by the forth volume, Tezuka has become very aware of the restrictions of Black Jack's story format and occasionally lampoons it—but never to the detriment of the tale itself.

Vertical have continued their unique and quite understated approach to the book design. The stories are bound with a stylish blend of block color and line art. The black and white stories themselves are laid out well with handy notes that help decipher the underlying cultural ambiguities—and, in one case, inaccuracies—to Tezuka's work.

To look for fault in Black Jack would be just that: looking—no, hunting—for faults, just for the sake of a balanced review. There is no critical balance to be found in Black Jack; it's simply damn good. If I were to impart a little personal ego into this review, I read volume four after having a wisdom tooth extraction—and there is nothing better to dull jaw discomfort than tales of people suffering far greater than yourself. Forget drugs, Black Jack was a great chemical substitute. Take that as my medical diagnosis. Now, go prescribe yourself a copy—or three!

"One Piece": Straw Hats off to Third and Fourth Voyage

2009-07-06T16:11:00.000+01:00

For Toon Zone News
06-15-2009,

Sailing forth, undaunted by the near-infinite number of episodes to come, I am lured in by One Piece, as a sailor is lured by a siren. The One Piece: Second Voyage DVD boxset ended on a nail-biting cliff-hanger, but and now we're back to finish off season one (and begin season two as well!) with One Piece: Third Voyage and One Piece: Fourth Voyage.

For those less in the know than me, One Piece is an anime serial authentically translated from its manga origins. It regales with the tale of a young pirate who seeks to sail the dangerous Grand Line in search of the fabled One Piece. Possessing this treasure is said to rank you as "King of the Pirates". Along the way, Luffy picks up (and occasionally drops off) a menagerie of odd crewmates, the Straw Hats, each with a curious longing and particular ability. The first season establishes his core crew through its run of forty-seven episodes.

My research has only been recreational, but it appears to me that the differences between show and comic, in content and style, are few and far between. In the early stages of the story (yes, the Third Voyage starts at episode 27, and that is very early for One Piece) we are still exploring our central characters. This hero exploration doesn't end until half-way through the fourth box-set with Nami's arc.

What makes this show such a popular affair is hard to pin down. I doubt it is a widespread interest in pirates; aside from Pirates of the Caribbean (a film that owes its success more to a blend of Disney ride and Depp than the pirate genre), pirates don't tend to be popular in contemporary media. Yet somehow One Piece succeeds in breathing life into a genre that has shown very little measure of success since Jim Hawkins set sail for Treasure Island. I think the magic ingredients don't come from any single element. One Piece is a multiplicity of originality, great characters, action, drama and humour—and it's never quite clear where or how the story is going to go from episode to episode.

As much as I'd like to find an excuse to criticise Third Voyage (and thereby at least look like I am fulfilling my criteria as an objective and non-biased reviewer), but I really am hard pressed to find anything to complain about, and those things I did find are rectified in the fourth boxset. For instance, the go-happy theme tune that continues through the third boxset—which I've always disliked—disappears during the fourth. How can you fault a show that clearly not only performs, but reads minds?

Well, Third Voyage does suffer from an incidental and unfortunate dearth of Luffy, who spends a great deal of the set traveling from plot arena A to plot arena B. So the middle episodes of Third Voyage do feel a little empty—but a diamond remains a diamond no matter how you cut it. Moreover, Luffy's adventures at the beginning and end of this set carry more energy and zing that the bastard child of sugar and caffeine. One Piece is more than Luffy, but I doubt it would be quite as unique and memorable without him.

Third Voyage is a strong collection of episodes that delves deeper into the world and the central characters of One Piece. The back-story to Nami proves surprisingly tragic; the Fishmen are seemingly unbeatable as an adversary; and there are deep pockets of humour found everywhere. And who cannot but feel a surge of pleasure when Luffy takes his passion for his crew to the nth degree in some violent and often shockingly bloody manoeuvres?

Fourth Voyage manages to excel even Third. This final first season boxset carries a brilliant run of stories. Partly this is because the series begins to move away from the more formulaic stories it has featured. After the Fourth Voyage wraps up the Nami story-arc, we are given an unusual yet relevant array of single character episodes that not only give our heroes but the audience too a little time for recuperation. In fact, we even move away from the crew for the first time and focus on the antics and situation of other One Piece characters. I found this change both refreshing and enjoyable—particularly the escapades of Captain Buggy which at one point made me, dare I say it, "LOL".

The final adventure on the disk (and the beginning of second season) brings the crew to the last town before the Grand Line and again the formula is shattered somewhat by a whole menagerie of storylines, character moments and comedy. Furthermore, this arc avoids the battle-come-verbal sparring contest and—shock horror—Luffy doesn't save the day as usual. So there some very surprising twists as the show progresses into its second term that pretty much demolishing the only criticism I've been able to muster in fifty-three episodes.

The DVD packaging for all the Voyages remain consistent throughout, and again the marathon option is present so you can watch the show without credits and recaps. As with the previous two boxsets, there is a single commentary track on each boxset—both are highly enjoyable. Third Voyage's commentary is with the buoyant Eric Vale (Sanji) and the Fourth Voyage features the lovely Luci Christian (Nami). Both are hosted by ADR director Mike MacFarland. While mentioning the voices, a quick kudos to the whole of FUNimation's voice cast for One Piece who deliver their lines with little difficulty managing to bridge the show's dramatic spectrum.

As I'm sure 80% of those reading this knew before myself, One Piece is really the king of anime. It's a wide, open genre, but I don't think I've experienced such a consistent gem from the East. It can be funny, it can be very bloody (strutting in its naked, uncensored glory) and strangely poignant.

Hyperbole as my friend, this is the magnum opus of Eastern anime, neatly drawing from all the necessary attributes of drama to make a solid, unbeatable package. If you didn't know it already, this is a show that keeps going from strength to strength and one day may become a street corner substitute for the narcotics trade. Yes, gushing aside, it's that good. Go score yourself some One Piece.

James (and Troy) interview Klea Scott!

2009-06-25T10:01:00.006+01:00

This was a great interview. The wonderful, talented and oh-so-charming Klea Scott, chatted to Troy and myself for nearly an hour and a half. Time shot by. She really does take the reins for this interview and imparts lots of juicy, fun and candid information about her career, Millennium and of course, Lance Henriksen (whom she worked with closely on Millennium for those silly people not in the know).

Monday brings another big interview. Along with Troy we'll be interview X-Files and Millennium writer/producer/legend, Frank Spotnitz. A little bit excited about that.

A couple of reviews will be blogged during the week that I did for Toon Zone. Need to add some variety to La Blog methinks.

La Plug:

Ladies and gentlemen, it is my pleasure to inform you of a very special edition of our Millennium Group Sessions Podcast to be released on Sunday 21st June. Klea Scott, Emma Hollis herself, spoke exclusively to BackToFrankBlack about her recollection of her time on Millennium for the first time since she provided the Season Three DVD commentary almost a decade ago.
We, as fans, owe a debt of gratitude to the sheer exuberance Klea still has for Millennium and for the way in which she has rallied to support this campaign and here's where you can help. Use your Blogs, Twitter accounts, Myspace pages and more to tell all you know about this very exclusive scoop. Let everyone know, Klea Scott is in the house!

To download from BacktoFrankBlack.com

For the enhanced image complimented podcast for Itunes and Ipod lovers: Click here! (19MB 75 mins)

For a high quality podcast (no images embedded into this one): Right click here and select "save link as.." (approx 69.5MB 75mins)

To download from ITUNES

To subscribe to the Itunes podcast, simply load up the Itunes store on your Itunes application, search for BacktoFrankBlack and wait for the podcast to pop onto the list. Then click "subscribe" - you will need to sign up to a free Itunes account to do this - but Itunes does run a great service for podcasts of all types (including our friends ThaDarkSideVibe and Spooktalkular)

BacktoFrankBlack Podcast #4 - now out!

2009-06-15T11:07:00.003+01:00

Another podcast comes your way. This one was fun - and despite having had to listen to it several times in post, I've enjoyed it. I hope you will too.

Troy did a wonderful job slicing this together, removing a terrible killing silence I created in the interview. Austin was a man after my own heart (or am I a man after his - that sounds almost romantic). Check out his music at myspace: www.myspace.com/acidengine.

Done some wonderful little interviews still waiting to be released. The sexy Keegan Connor Tracey (missed out on doing a video cast for that lovely lady - she'd done her hair for it too!) from BSG/Millennium, the bubbly, smart, Klea Scott (Millennium), the laid-back wisdom of Michael Buie (Millennium) and my all time favourite, the amazing, cheeky and charming Jon Polito.

In other news, news in which doesn't have me abusing this blog to promote the BacktoFrankBlack podcasts, will have some reviews I did for Toon Zone up shortly, including the humourous School Rumble, the wonder of more Black Jack and the fantastic, hilarious, sea-faring antics of One Piece.

Time for La Blurb:

BacktoFrankBlack: The Millennium Group Sessions, hosted by Troy Foreman and co-hosted by Jim McLean is now available for free download via our website AND on ITunes!

Please download our free podcast to support the campaign and the guests who have graciously contributed their time to the campaign!

To download from BacktoFrankBlack.com

For the enhanced image podcast (with some pretty exclusive photos) for Itunes and Ipod lovers: Click here! (20MB 73 mins)

For a high quality podcast (no images embedded into this one): Right cli ck here and select "save link as.." (approx 69.5MB 73mins)

To download from ITUNES

To subscribe to the Itunes podcast, simply load up the Itunes store on your Itunes application, search for BacktoFrankBlack and wait for the podcast to pop onto the list. Then click "subscribe" - you will need to sign up to a free Itunes account to do this - but Itunes does run a great service for podcasts of all types (including our friends ThaDarkSideVibe and Spooktalkular)

BacktoFrankBlack: Millennium Group Sessions 04 - Comedy

In this forth episode, Troy Foreman and Jim McLean give you, the potential endearing listeners, a podcast that looks at the most controversial of all the topics Millennium dealt with: comedy! Looking at episodes like "Jose Chung's Doomsday Defense" and "Somehow Satan Got Behind Me" Troy and Jim will be discussing the pros and cons of the comedy within the show and speaking to Millennium's only character to have urinated in a cup of coffee - the multi-talented Austin Basille will be speaking about Millennium, Hollywood and beyond! Expect the usual news updates on the campaign and the cast/crew of Millennium - including a very new way to support the campaign! (90 mins) - PLUS - Podcast BLOOPERS, keep listening to the end.

This free podcast is available on a fortnightly basis via ITUNES and BacktoFrankBlack.com. We'll naturally update you all on information on the podcast from this blog as well.

With ITUNES, anyone who has an Itunes friendly account will be able to subscribe easily and download the podcasts as they are released. We recommend the ITUNES friendly enhanced podcast because each episode will have its unique set of images to accompany the chatter!

BacktoFrankBlack: Millennium Group Sessions - PODCAST #3!

2009-06-05T14:47:00.003+01:00

Before the blurb, may I say this was a great podcast to do. Had a lot of fun with Murv (author MR Sellars), who was a wonderful and insightful guest - with lots of insight into the real life process of criminal behaviour.

Some great interviews to come. Recording Klea Scott (Emma Hollis from season three), in her first audio interview since the DVD set this weekend, we have two more interviews in the can (with two fantastic interviews!) and Keegan Tracey (Ometra and more recently Battlestar Galactica) lined up next week! Very exciting, a lot of fun! Please download and throw us your feedback!

***
BacktoFrankBlack: The Millennium Group Sessions, hosted by Troy Foreman and co-hosted by Jim McLean is now available for free download via our website AND on ITunes!

To download from BacktoFrankBlack.com

For the enhanced image podcast (with some pretty exclusive photos) for Itunes and Ipod lovers: Click here! (22MB 90 mins)

For a high quality podcast (no images embedded into this one): Right cli ck here and select "save link as.." (approx 89MB 90 mins)

To download from ITUNES

To subscribe to the Itunes podcast, simply load up the Itunes store on your Itunes application, search for BacktoFrankBlack and wait for the podcast to pop onto the list. Then click "subscribe" - you will need to sign up to a free Itunes account to do this - but Itunes does run a great service for podcasts of all types (including our friends ThaDarkSideVibe and Spooktalkular)

BacktoFrankBlack: Millennium Group Sessions 03 - The Gift

In this third episode, Troy Foreman and Jim McLean give you, the potential very dear listeners, podcast glimmering with Frank and Jordan's special gift! We have paranormal thriller writer (and self-confessed Millennium fan AND BacktoFrankBlack supporter) MR Sellars in for a chat, a chance to win the Jordan's gift inspired Millennium homage DVD, Millennium Apocalypse (region 1) and of course, news updates on the campaign and the cast/crew of Millennium. (90 mins)

This free podcast is available on a fortnightly basis via ITUNES and BacktoFrankBlack.com. We'll naturally update you all on information on the podcast from this blog as well.

With ITUNES, anyone who has an Itunes friendly account will be able to subscribe easily and download the podcasts as they are released. We recommend the ITUNES friendly enhanced podcast because each episode will have its unique set of images to accompany the chatter!

James and Troy Foreman interviews Marshall Bell for BacktoFrankBlack

2009-05-17T16:01:00.002+01:00

For BacktoFrankBlack, myself and Millennium Group Sessions host Troy Foreman got together to interview Marshall Bell - who you may recall as "the guy with the repellent mutant attached to his stomach" in Total Recall, or "the general who screams and whines before being jellified by a passing bug in Starship Troopers", or simply from many of his onscreen TV and film roles ranging from "House MD", to "Stand By Me".

It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say we have a few technical problems during the interview, but Marshall was wonderful. He patiently helped us through these unforeseen problems and was an absolute joy. Big soccer fan too - spent the seventies living in London. I warmed to the gent very quickly.

Anyhow, the relevant promo spiel is as follows:

BacktoFrankBlack: The Millennium Group Sessions, hosted by Troy Foreman and co-hosted by Jim McLean is now available for free download via our website AND on ITunes!

To download from BacktoFrankBlack.com

For the enhanced image podcast (with some pretty exclusive photos) for Itunes and Ipod lovers: Click here! (24MB 97 mins)

For a high quality podcast (no images embedded into this one): Right cli ck here and select "save link as.." (approx 87MB 97 mins)

To download from ITUNES

To subscribe to the Itunes podcast, simply load up the Itunes store on your Itunes application, search for BacktoFrankBlack and wait for the podcast to pop onto the list. Then click "subscribe" - you will need to sign up to a free Itunes account to do this - but Itunes does run a great service for podcasts of all types (including our friends ThaDarkSideVibe and Spooktalkular)

BacktoFrankBlack: Millennium Group Sessions 02 - Legion

In this second episode, Troy Foreman and Jim McLean give you, the potential very dear listeners, podcast brimming with Millennium's Legion! We have Legion himself, The Judge - actor Marshall Bell in an exclusive BacktoFrankBlack Interview, a chance to win a signed photo of Legion incarnate, Lucy Butler, AKA Sarah Jane Redmond, an informal discussion about Legion in season one by Jim and Troy and of course, news updates on the campaign and the cast/crew of Millennium. (97 mins)

This free podcast is available on a fortnightly basis via ITUNES and BacktoFrankBlack.com. We'll naturally update you all on information on the podcast from this blog as well.

With ITUNES, anyone who has an Itunes friendly account will be able to subscribe easily and download the podcasts as they are released. We recommend the ITUNES friendly enhanced podcast because each episode will have its unique set of images to accompany the chatter!

Jim and BacktoFrankBlack go all Podcasty!

2009-05-04T12:25:00.005+01:00

BacktoFrankBlack: The Millennium Group Sessions, hosted by Troy Foreman and co-hosted by myself, good old Jim McLean, is now available for free download via BacktoFrankBlack.com AND on ITunes!

To download from BacktoFrankBlack.com

For the enhanced image podcast (with some pretty exclusive photos) for Itunes and Ipod lovers (sound and images also works on apple quicktime - this version will also play as a simple audio recording): Click here! (15MB 60 mins)

For a high quality podcast (no images embedded into this one): Right click here and select "save link as.." (60MB 60 mins)

To download from ITUNES

To subscribe to the Itunes podcast, simply load up the Itunes store on your Itunes application, search for BacktoFrankBlack and wait for the podcast to pop onto the list. Then click "subscribe" - you will need to sign up to a free Itunes account to do this - but Itunes does run a great service for podcasts of all types (including our friends ThaDarkSideVibe and Spooktalkular)

BacktoFrankBlack: Millennium Group Sessions 01 - Pilot/Pilot

In the pilot episode, Troy Foreman and Jim McLean give you, the potential very dear listeners, information about the campaign's background, news updates on the campaign and the cast/crew of Millennium and a frank, informal chat about the pilot episode of our favourite TV show. (60mins)

This free podcast is available on a fortnightly basis via ITUNES. We'll naturally update you all on information on the podcast from this blog as well.

With ITUNES, anyone who has an Itunes friendly account will be able to subscribe easily and download the podcasts as they are released. We recommend the ITUNES friendly enhanced podcast because each episode will have its unique set of images to accompany the chatter!

***

In related news, I've just finished recording a podcast with the wonderful Spooktalkular team that will be released later this week. It was a great little session between myself, Troy Foreman (of BacktoFrankBlack/ThaDarkSideVibe) and Spooktalkular hosts Frank and Laura. Watch for further updates - it really was a lovely chatty session. Informal and a lot of fun!

Farewell Geocities and the Golden Age of the Internet Hippy

2009-04-26T09:35:00.006+01:00

It seems Geocities has had its day. Commence the jeers, cheers, sneers and general derision for a web host that really did mark the golden age of the amateur on the then labelled "Internet Superhighway".

Yes, the amateur was then in full force on the digital dial-up highway. He didn't have a car per se - because cars cost money. He preferred to sit on the hard shoulder with his flask of weak cordial. A presence - perhaps sometimes a hindrance - to the baby-boon commerce of the Internet.

Geocities will be remembered primarily for its banners, very short bandwidth and welcoming arms to the unqualified, thrifty web-designers. Pop-ups were abound, as were flashing tickers, animated Spider-Man gifs, neon green hit counters and of course, ugly "comic sans ms" font. They were "teh" terrible of their time; scorned for their cheap (and by cheap I mean free) offerings, laughed at by passers-by who soon learned to expect better.

But then, they were also so very wonderful. They really were the epoch of fan-free-fun on the net, before the hosts and servers who allowed these fans to have so much fun realised they had no revenue to let them do it for free. Soon enough all free web hosts would be filled with banners and Geocities was forced to offer more popups. The service became even more unbearable - quite surprising it has survived this latest commercial age of the Internet for so long.

However I would liken this era to a music festival - where everything is amateurish, muddy and generally awkward yet occasionally the province of something quite cool, nifty or informative. If you sifted through the oddball crap on Geocities you would find some interesting facts and cool gubbins. Who can forget searching through Geocities (or its rival, Angelfire - still alive) for landmarks dedicated to your favourite shows? The slow download their 600x480 wallpapers? The strings of wav files that would be composited onto your Windows 95 desktop theme? It was simple. It was a laugh. It was the age of the Internet Hippy.

Furthermore, as a web designer born from that era I owe a lot to the simple builders of Geocities and Angelfire. I built my first website on Angelfire (a band site). I built a massive LEXX resource called "The Squawkers Guide to Lexx" on Redrival (before it was forced into the banner revenue game). I built "EagleKen's Lonely Homepage" (a site dedicated to Gatchaman/Battle Of The Planets) on, well, it might have been Geocities - I really can't remember. I know the first illustration platform back at Uni was on Geocities - and was proof that if you knew a little about webdesign, you could create a simple, inoffensive Geocities site.

But like so many, I grew up. On leaving Uni I had transferred to the big boys with a decent paid webhost and domain name. Fan sites, those half-assed shrines of naff, began to die out as the truly dedicated upped their game and forked out a little for bandwidth and those who couldn't be arsed, well, time sapped the fun of the fan-shrine from their dial-up connections...

.. or took their design talents to the early days of MySpace. Another story perhaps.

But there are still some good Geocities websites out there. May I recommend you to my favourite Geocities site, dedicated to a film with very few sites to its names but surprisingly many more fans than you'd expect (I work with two colleagues who have separately confessed their love for this particular movie in the past few months). The film is called The Black Hole. The site is here. Enjoy this nostalgic slice of the Internet-as-it-were before it is as-it-isn't in the very near future.

Podcast Interview with Moi

2009-04-15T10:07:00.003+01:00

I took part in a rather enjoyable informal chat with the host of ThaDarksideVibe podcast, Troy Foreman to chat about Millennium and BacktFrankBlack. It was an Easter Monday affair and I must confess to not being on the ball as I should. Naturally I'll blame my infamous dodgy memory (as those who know me can attest to), and my recent drug addled recuperation from my wisdom tooth extraction (which those who know me will attest I stopped taking the pills earlier this weekend and expose this bogus excuse).

Either way, we myself and Troy have a good 45 minute natter across the seas on the subject of Millennium. We're looking at the possibility of working with Troy again on a podcast dedicated to BacktoFrankBlack - time will tell whether that idea comes to fruition.

I'm talking to horror magazine Rue Morgue on doing a small feature on the campaign along with Lance Henriksen. Again, early stages - for those who wanted to hear what I think without actually having to hear me. I understand such a perspective totally - you have my sympathy! In the meantime, support Troy's podcast and suffer my dulcet tones on the following direct MP3 link!

Download the podcast directly (MP3)
Visit ThaDarksideVibe

BacktoFrankBlack offering an X-Files book prize!

2009-04-13T14:21:00.002+01:00

BacktoFrankBlack is giving away "The C omplete X-Files: A guide to the M yth and the Movies"
by Matt Hurwitz and endorsed by Millennium creator Chris Carter to TWO lucky winners who can offer a humorous caption to the following picture:

Email BacktoFrankBlack.com your suggestion before the end of Friday, (update: they've announced their winner - check their blog!) to win a hardback copy of this fantastic X-Files book! Third place will get a copy of the indie movie Millennium Apocalypse (region 1).

Worth a try, n'est pas?

Click here for BacktoFrankBlack.com's entry terms and conditions

Doctor Who: Planet of the Dead

2009-04-11T19:58:00.007+01:00

Cut to the Chase Meridian : can't say I enjoyed this.

Planet of the Dead is a story that very much relies on the audience falling for the Doctor's one-off companion, Christina (Michelle Ryan). If you didn't fall for this cat-woman homage, there really wasn't much else in the episode to engage you. The other characters (who as usual for RTD, felt authentically British) were relegated to the bus leaving us with Christina and the Doctor - oh and some flies. Hate to sound stuffed with snark, but the flies carried more charm than Christina. Really - they were great!

Cards on the table - I hate sounding like a grumbler, but (and there's always a 'but') can we have a female character that doesn't have to constantly compete with the Doctor for the audience's attention? It seems each companion has to spar with the Doctor to prove they are made of equal awesomez as the 900-year-old Time Lord. When one goes, the next has to come and fill those same shoes. Having the occasional companion look the Doctor in the eye is super - having companions occasionally do this makes that moment stand out more, but it seems each companion or major female guest star has to find a way to do just this. So by the time Christina appears ready to prove how she's not going to be ordered around by a very competent and rather superior being, she's sort of lost the dramatic edge.

I suppose we should blame society and our churlish, sexist social regime that we have to constantly reminds ourselves exists no more by adding aggressive or challenging female role model to buck past trends (which on consideration, isn't exactly a bad thing). It's just in way, this ideology limits the female character types to fulfil the companion role. I mean, men can be charming like Captain Jack, or eccentric like Malcolm (Lee Evans), UNIT's scientific advisor, or just excitable like Adam (Dalek) without having to prove to the Doctor - and through the Doctor, the audience - that they are valid, contemporary role models. In a way, it seems lead female characters are pigeon holed as bolshy and confrontation to prove they are no longer being pigeon holed as weak and submissive. Is there no middle ground?

In fact, I think this episode would have been far better with just the Doctor and the bus load of Ordinary. Yes, the Ordinary were far more likeable, believable and enjoyable to watch than Christina. We had a spectrum of London types and they were all very well played. They rooted the audience in the dilemma very well indeed - unlike Christina's character who was a boob laden pastiche on Bond and Thomas Crown - who just dragged you away from the tension. She was too unbelievable.

What? Unbelievable for a man travelling around time in a police box? Yes, sir - unbelievable. One oddity is something an audience can invest in. We can accept a Doctor, or a James Bond or a Batman. But when they have an equally unbelievable sidekick, who is just as amazing, it starts to become a little farcical.

Strong sidekicks aren't always a 'no' of course - in the right context they can be beneficial to a story in my humble ungodly opinion, but I think the desperation required to sustain the situation in this particular tale required the supporting cast to be believable - and that includes the companion.

I'm sure many people loved this Special - which is great. I'm not here to berate RTD's production (or personal talent) as crikey, they don't half get enough flack from fandom as it is. I just feel I have to be honest and say this didn't fulfil my Doctor Who criteria. But given I'm neither The Family or The Kids - the two key demographics for this story, I'm not the stat type to take priority. I'm just saying as a member of the audience, I found it slow, predictable and, thanks to Ryan's character, slightly cringe worthy. It's a ghastly thing to say when people have worked so hard and I don't mean to smear any of the cast and crew's talent, but it just didn't work for me. Heck, I found Lee Evans Malcolm enjoyable - and he's a gent whose on-screen presence normally drives me to the ceiling (as did his father, Norman Wisdom). I didn't enjoy the lame robbery opening (can we not put Mission: Impossible behind us now?), the barren middle bit (barren for those of us neither lusting or loving Christina and the Doctor's dynamic) or the triumphant ending (that felt smug and superfluous). Though I have to say the portents of things to come were very exciting - matched with a wonderful shot of brooding Tennant.

So a little disappointed. I'm a big fan of the New Who productions, so if you are just reading this blog on a random web-surf, don't mistake me as someone who generally whine about the show (yet persists in watching it so they can whine some more). Loved the last season so perhaps I just don't do Easter Specials! And for the first time, I have to say I really didn't enjoy Gold's soundtrack - dear lord, I've fallen right off the Who bandwagon this time. Someone hoist me back up.

Well. Thirty minutes and its Red Dwarf. Let's see if the night continues this trend. I hope not!

EDIT: Who writer Lawrence Miles has far more to say on this topic and more candidly. Have to say I find myself agreeing with his points and feeling utterly awful for doing so.

Cancelled too soon: Firefly, meet Millennium.

2009-04-09T23:19:00.005+01:00

Those who regularly suffer this output will be aware of the campaign I keep pushing for the return of Millennium's Frank Black. Others may have equally suffered my recent twabber (a jabbering monologue as vacuous as twitter but with no word limit) on Battlestar Galactica. Some poor fools will have suffered both.

Well rest assured, the tippity, tappity, tuttery tick of my fingers against keys translates to a topic devoid of Cylons or Legion.

Well, almost anyway.

A neat, uncomfortable wisdom tooth extraction has lead to two vital occurrences this very week. The first is the increased necessity for painkillers, resulting in some wobbling and sleeping, the other is a marathon viewing of Whedon's Firefly show, its sequel Serenity and the comic book segue Those Left Behind. For those who aren't familiar with the show - bloody well go and get all manner of familiar with it. It's essentially the daily life of Han Solo with a more glib and earthy penmanship; a gang of mercenaries who struggle to survive in the outer edges of a solar system inside their much loved bucket of bolts, Serenity.

In some respects, Millennium and Firefly suffered juxtaposing ailments. The former got three brimming, excellent seasons but was robbed a satisfying resolution, while the latter was robbed of more than half a season but got a wonderful epic conclusion. Put the two together and you'd have the most righteous slice of television brilliance known to man since, well, Battlestar Galactica.

That being said, perhaps what makes Firefly so great is that it is short. Thirteen stories plus a film. In some ways it seems grossly unfair that it was cut off so early - even with the fortunate luxury of a feature film, this show had so much to say, but one could equally say that thirteen tales is enough for most forms of storytelling. We're never bummed out Hamlet never got a sequel or that Frodo didn't manage to showcase his exploits beyond Middle Earth. We don't get upset that Stoker didn't pen ten odd more encounters with Dracula. When all said and done, a book series that managed to whip out thirteen tales would be considered most generous - possibily even excessive.

But with television, we want more. Arguably this is understandable - we look to Firefly as a serial, we look to Macbeth as a single tale. With books, the time it can take to read a single good novel thoroughly you could have watched a good few episodes of a TV show. Three quarters of an hour isn't that long when it comes to storytelling - and that's our standard television serial format.

However, we don't look to serialised films with such a warm grace. Naturally there are factors which made film a whole different pot of ingredients, but whatever the factors that make a franchise of film often weaker than a single outing, the fact is we don't appear to look at ten odd hours of storytelling on television as a bigger enough investigation of a particular universe - or in Firefly's case, a particular 'verse.

The obvious answer is the basis of comparison. I'm not a fan of Stargate - as a genre comparison - and yet it has gone on and on and on. Whoopie for its fans, but for those of us who didn't find pleasure in the show and have watched shows that were pleasurable drop by the wayside, its understandable that we speculate to what Firefly could have had.

But then I have to remind myself - of those who did manage to get what Stargate had (or at least more than half a season) and see what happened to those shows as a result. Did longevity eat into the show's quality and thereby its legacy? It's an age old question - do you suffer the inevitable duds of a longer show for the sake of the gems that might be cut? Or do you simply enjoy the short and sweet of a single, well crafted season?

Invariably, as with all things from my gob, the answer is somewhere in the middle. I can't think of any show that lasted any more than five seasons that hasn't shown a dip in quality. Likewise, I can think of many shows which had potential that you knew was present but was never had the opportunity to prove it. Knowing Whedon's talent and the sheer craft of Firefly's 'verse, I'm sure the show had much to prove. Wouldn't it be great to swap over DVDs with an alternate universe - show a world which had five seasons of Firefly Serenity film and for them to show us their four extra boxsets? I'm sure they'd be as fascinated in Serenity's quick wrap as we would be in their extended franchise.

In the end, I know I would have happily suffered some duds for more Firefly, just as I am happy suffering Thirteen Years Later in Millennium for the sake of over fifty episodes, but if I was honestly rational with myself, I'd say that Firefly is like reading a book while Millennium will always remain a unfinished project (unless we can do something about that - see backtofrankblack.com). For all the potential Whedon's show lost, it had something so special that is so much missed from Millennium - it had an ending. Okay, not a definitive ending (Whedon wasn't that dumb), but the film it got gave the show closure the series never could offer. That closure is important. I can watch Firefly, enjoy the variety in stories, the colour of the characters and the wonderful workmanship of its world safe in the knowledge that like a good book - like all good things - it has an end that will satisfy. I can enjoy the episodes without looking at the clock knowing I'm getting closer to being ripped away from the story, its tale unfinished.

With Firefly/Serentity we have a beginning, middle and end - thanks to the film's focus on the River's arc. The show opens on Simon and River's début on ship, we watch the crew and passengers adapt to their new dynamic and it finishes with this family actually making a difference - whether that difference is long-lasting we don't know, but that doesn't matter. The show has been giving meaning by the significance of its final outing.

Of course there may be more from Firefly in the future. With the commerce of cult being so unpredictable these days, its never too late for a return (look at Red Dwarf, brand new back on TV tomorrow for the first time in over a decade - and given then ending of the last season, in need of a return). If there isn't, I'm good with that. For me, Firefly/Serenity make the book - I'm not desperate for a sequel. But with Millennium, well, that's a different story. That show needs an end.

Hell, every show needs an end of some sort - but there are a few quality shows in particular that need it more than others. I'm forever grateful to Firefly's fandom for pushing so we got some form of closure on that wonderful show. I'm just hoping that Millennium might have the chance of the same.

Illusions of Truth: Storytelling in Battlestar Galactica

2009-04-02T16:35:00.015+01:00

Just to add to my lengthy commentary on the finale of Battlestar Galactica, a tweet from Amazo Paul Cornell took me a wonderful collection of comments about BSG from established writers and journalists. Each author offers his reaction to the finale and ponders where they'd have taken the show if they were the creative mastermind behind it. Some polarised views there, but one strand of thinking is prevalent throughout - and that's the problems in writing a show with a fluid future; where nothing is set and everything is in flux.

I think this is a particular problem with BSG given the show states from the start that - within its fictional universe - the enemy "has a plan". This infers the storyteller has conceived a concise narrative prior to the story when in the case of Battlestar Galactica, it does not.

There is no doubt that while a pre-constructed formula to any story is technically constrictive and unbending to new ideas, but for an audience it carries a comfortable hierarchy with the storyteller - we like to feel a world is real even if its conceived, and our brains prefer that conception to have been molded before we embark on a tale. Bottomline, we like to be lead on a journey rather than taking the journey hand in hand. We prefer the storyteller to have control of the whole experience rather than in the case of BSG (or at least to some extent), a pawn to the eddies created by the story.

A rather general overview I admit - particularly in the aspersions to the BSG creative process which, to little surprise, I played no part in. Speaking generally again, a clear benefit of a a fluid storyline is the ability to expand and contract on what works and what doesn't as the story grows. Furthermore, the creative process is exciting and dynamic - it can respond to the notions and ideas of the audience and shift, staying one step ahead. So I'm certainly not berating such an approach to storytelling. If we look at BSG again, the shifts in season three seem to me to very much be based on where the show has been and an effort to find places it hasn't - and I think New Caprica and the Final Five were a brilliant way to re-engage the audience after two seasons. I think this is the strength of fluid storytelling - it allows the story maker to let the show progress at its own pace rather than a preplanned one. I recall RDM saying he was happy bringing the show to an end after four rather than five seasons because he felt the show had naturally covered its ground quicker than they'd anticipated.

Equally, while I'm not looking to berate the fluid approach, I'm not looking to champion structure. Look at Babylon 5, when the show was uncertain whether it would get its year 5 on its pre-planned arc, it was forced to compress the structured storyline into one season leaving season four feeling overtly compressed with two major cumulative wars and season five rather vacuous.

I would say the best work (as with all things) finds a middle ground, one where the storyteller has a plan and his willing to reinvent it if needs be. With Moore's show, I think that middleground is lost. Certainly they seemed to have a flavour of what's to come, but I felt in season four that some of the resolutions didn't match the notions that presented them. And one can't help feel that when you walk the fluid path, you let the show help dictate the outcome more than pre-formed structure. In other words, you create the impact then worry about the aftermath when it comes time and in the interim watch the story flow carefully letting that help inform the creative process.

That all being said, I think many of the critics in the linked page are overtly critical, forgetting that the niggles are not what BSG was about - it was about characters (which arguably is the opposite of Moore's previous work on Star Trek which was infamous for technobabble and crossing its tees). So I think certain fixations in the responses to BSG are unfair and largely irrelevant. Those who wanted a big expose on the Head Six or Starbuck's mystery should have sensibly seen that such ethereal revelations would be tonally impossible. The show was never about definitives and like life, tried to keep things grey. There was never going to be big explanations aside from one: God Moves In Mysterious Ways.

And I like that. The ambiguity and almost arbitrary love/hate the universe has for its souls, and the process it leads them is as inconclusive and as uncertain as theology has painted in a dozen cultures. How often as the Lord in the Old Testament acted in a way that for an omnipotent being been considered rather elaborate or needlessly pedestrian. Why did God put that particular fruit tree in Eden? Why did he seem surprised when Man took a bite from his fruit? Why was he not aware of the serpent's plans? He's omnipotent isn't he? And like theology, BSG's higher powers work in odd unexplained ways. Starbuck's narrative journey is extremely non-sensical (as Saxon points out in the article), but that seems very theological to me. From my understanding, gods in most religions rarely move directly from A to B, but prefer a more colourful and memorable route.

But I guess the real crux of these negative comments isn't whether as an audience we can "buy" these explanations, but a resentment to knowing they were never planned and as such we wonder whether there was the opportunity to do something better.

I think people are open to improvised storytelling - I'm certainly not against the medium, but I think unfortunately Moore's candid remarks on the fluid approach to the show worked against the show itself. His professional honesty was both commendable and insightful but practically it did damage the credibility of the story itself. For example, I thought some of the choices for the Final Five were very clever when the finale to season three aired. We'd seen Tyrol's connection to Boomer, his irrational fear of being a Cylon exposed with Brother Cavel and his instincts bringing him to the Temple of the Five. As soon as I discovered than none of that was planned to lead us to him being a Cylon, but was retrospective in its decision, the twist lost its impact. I still loved the twist and the impact of the revelation, but it did lose some of its sparkle. I guess we can cope with being hoodwinked by the mysteries of the narrative - in fact its what we watch for; we enjoy the anticipation of the big reveal. But we don't enjoy being hoodwinked by the smart retrospective eye of the writers - despite the fact it presents a different and no less impressive approach to creative writing. Both approaches look to find creative solutions to creative problems. Both approaches are manipulative in intent, but one we find it easier to stomach one technique over another.

Overall this approach never truly spoilt the show for me. After all, however they resolved the Final Five, that scene when the five were revealed will always be magical. And given the mandate of any television serial is to entertain in the moment and not to create perfect continuity nor even a perfect seamless serial, I think BSG was wise to involve fluidity into its process.

After all, audiences look more and more for story arcs within their television, yet the industry remains ever cutthroat to dips in performance. Maybe fluidity is the key to keeping a show relevant, adaptive and thereby responsive to its viewers. Maybe by on-the-spot tailoring of a show's masterplan will the epic remain relevant. While Babylon 5 managed to luck out on five seasons, it could be considered the success was a commercial fluke against the many odds. Perhaps BSG's successes and failures mark the future of epic fictional television storywriting. Pitching a show with a five year arc is not going to woo any investor, but pitching a show where your long term arc is as expansive as the viewing figures dictate - that sounds like the future of television and I look forward to seeing new shows build on BSG successes and failures just as BSG did on the sci-fi epic success of Babylon 5. The future is indeed, bright.

Battlestar Galactica: The Legacy and the Finale (Daybreak Spoilers)

2009-03-25T10:26:00.009+01:00

What a ride. Five years of Battlestar Galactica. I remember first viewing the mini-series after returning from America. Everyone here had seen it - and they were very positive about this new show. I'd been apprehensive but excited when I'd caught some glimpses of the promo material that filtered on the net having been, shall we say, a discerning fan of the original because it was clear there would be some distinct differences. But I was easy to bend - I was never a hardcore supporter of the original show. The pilot was excellent, but there was only so far the late 70s could take such a bleak premise and the show itself really plummeted at the back end of its single season (aside from the show-stopper, Hand of God). While I'd have been content to see a return to the universe, I was happy for a reboot given the shaky consistency of the old show (now missing the great Lorne Greene). I was pleasantly surprised to hear the favourable reviews of the mini-series and when I watched it fell in love with this new show.

Funny that after seeing the mini-series, the idea that a series had been green-lit on its back again caused me concern. This was an intense show - could it sustain the tension as a series? The original had failed - could the remake succeed?

Well it did. Beyond expectation. Well written, well made, well acted throughout. I have enjoyed the series from its conception. It did what both Star Trek and Babylon 5 never quite managed. In fact, funnily enough, when I used to watch Voyager I used to imagine how much better it would have been if it had borrowed from the original BSG - a ship leading a lonely trek to Earth, perhaps picking up a rag-tag fleet to protect along the way.. and who was initially involved in that production (albeit for a very short time)? Ron D Moore.

Ron D Moore has been a great series runner. The show has remained consistently strong, his commentaries have been honest and insightful. I hope they have convinced all cynics of the new show that while it may not be the show they wanted, the people doing it really cared for the product. And let's face it, the homages to the original show have been in abundance. Not just many of the designs or spattered reuse of the main theme (or more recently the opening chords on a simple piano), but in the drive of the characters. Starbuck in particular has played quite a similar storyline - she was marooned on a planet, she has had father issues (though this time minus Frank Sinatra) and as the series revealed, she didn't join the "god/gods". While this wasn't played in Battlestar Galactica's original incarnation, in the sequel Battlestar Galactica 1980 Starbuck was left on a planet marooned after helping a higher being and was intended, if a second season had been commissioned to become part of the Beings of Light that appeared throughout the original show.

It's been a great ride - so how did it end?

After hearing a few calls of derision on the net since the US airing, I was getting worried. The last few episodes had been very character driven, though a little meandering for an audience thirsty for answers. I believe with DVD retrospective goggles they will seem far less frustrating and directionless, but understandably people have been more than resentful to the lack of fast-pace and classic structure to the stories leading up to the finale. But with Daybreak, they were rewarded for those quieter episodes as the show saved the budget for its swansong.

And what a swansong. Emotion, action, answers, despair and hope. It went through the whole lot with honesty. I must admit I expected more characters to die, but we got a hefty few of supporting and major players bowing out. The effects were fantastic (great to see the return of the old Cylons) and the resolution was handled with grace. The final scenes with Adama and Roslin were as beautiful as the meeting of Athena and Boomer was brutal.

Was the final home of humanity a problem for me? No. For many I could imagine the definitive attachment to our history being an issue, but the mantra "it has happened before and it will happen again" implicitly (or in the case of this episodes mid-point, explicitly) tells us that the cycles in life are as much manipulated to repeat as they are to change. So people can speak English thousands of years ago and still speak English today, because its all part of the cycle. It's the way creation works. I particularly like the way that the god(s) in this show aren't good or evil, nor are they specific, they are an ambiguous force that doesn't require justification, just is. I think that was a very powerful perspective for TV, particularly given its propensity for absolutes - good and evil are the bread and butter of the Hollywood platter. I was happy to see this dull ideal shunned here.

But the series did fail, and that was a great pity. I was sitting watching this with my sibling and I was laughing near the end at quite how they could blow this fantastic episode in the last five minutes. I suggested perhaps an epilogue where a Raptor comes back for Hermit Adama saying they need him back in service; that unknown to him Roslin had a son and he'd been taken by Adama's evil twin brother. Or maybe an ending where the camera rises up into the stars and Ron Moore is there on a cloud winking at a camera. The latter idea was based on JMS' flouting of the dramatic illusion at the end of Babylon 5 being the guy to switch of the space station within the story - a little display of territorial ego that really didn't benefit the show and sure, the show should take priority over any in-joke? So my sister and I laughed and this ideas of how such a brilliant show could ruin the final few minutes.

And what do you know? It succeeded!

After a brilliant act-out with Adama alone on a mountain, a perfect place to end the show, we have this turgid, unnecessary contemporary scene with the head characters. It feels tacky, out of place and utterly worthless, sledgehammering a point that the series didn't need to make because it was there by inference: could we be making our OWN Cylons? Good lord, this isn't the Twlight Zone or Outer Limits - we don't need the show's message to be nailed to our foreheads and our faces thrust into a nearby mirror to understand. We get it. We could make our own Cylons. Yes, how profound.

What really staggered me by this epilogue was the sheer insult of it. The show has not once patronised or belittled its audience's ability to see the subtlety to its stories - why start on the final five minutes?

On top of this, the dialogue felt awkward and out of place, as did the contemporary setting. It just jarred with everything the show has done.

And of course, the piece de resistance.. my little gag of Mr Moore hanging in the clouds wasn't far wrong - like JMS, Mr Moore clearly couldn't escape the opportunity of having himself spiced into the final few moments and he appears awkwardly reading a paper rammed in the viewers face on contemporary Earth, again breaking the dramatic weave of the scene.

I wouldn't dare to lecture such a TV master but I would have to ask him this following questions - questions I've already alluded to but felt I need to really hammer home. I'm sure he'll see the snarky parallel I'm making. Did his appearance benefit the show's final moments? Did it add or distract from the drama? Did it do the story good? Did your appearance serve your show at all? I can appreciate the desire to give a fan-nod as you sign off your five year project, but after such integrity you've delivered over five years - was it really worth it?

It's a shame a mere five minutes can ruin a fantastic episode, but that is always the danger of any ending - you can start a story badly. You can start a relationship badly. You can start a meal with a disastrous first course, but as long as the last mouthful is wonderful, the bad start is forgiven. The same can't be said for a bad end. And as much as I have adored the show, I loved the finale and have so much awe and respect for the work of Ron D Moore and his fantastic team, it is a great, great shame that their perhaps singular dire moment had to be in the last few minutes, leaving Battlestar Galactica with a sour aftertaste on an otherwise perfect gourmet experience.

I can only hope that The Plan (shown this fall) will give us a new ending (not technically an ending, but an end to the franchise) that will fade this bitter pill of an epilogue. And I must say, of all the TV spins offs I've seen of sci-fi franchises, The Plan sounds an excellent one!

Maybe the after-dinner mints will make up for icky last mouthful of Galactica dessert.

Author speaks out on his feelings about Millennium.

2009-03-23T17:35:00.005+01:00

Back to Millennium, back to Frank Black. Am I obsessed? No - I've met Millennium fans who have worked for that description. I'm just over-focused. Particularly on the campaign to bring Millennium back - after all, it was a show about one man caring more than anyone else. Well, BacktoFrankBlack is the same. Only its a group of people who care more than anything else. Oh, and I suppose we don't really help solve violent crimes either. But there's enough there to strain out this allegory.

While we're on this subject, I thought for those who ask me "why do you waste time promoting this Millennium thing?" I could reply with a single sentence rather than mountains of my own frayed thread of opinions and ideas (see previous paragraph for damn fine example).

Let me just clarify what I mean:

"Why do you waste time promoting this Millennium thing?"
Read this blog and find out.

See? Simplo.

And seriously, give it a read. It's a great, personal piece from an established thriller author (M R Sellers) and what draws him into the world of Millennium. Read it if you feel tempted to ask me that bolded question, read it for the sheer hell of a good article. Which ever you pick, read it now - there's a good chap.

Police Boxes get the Google treatment

2009-03-19T19:45:00.014+01:00

Ever tried Google Maps? I'm sure you have. Like I, you've probably watched it evolve, spawn and germinate its way to become the Daddy of all online maps. I recall the time when Google kicked Streetmaps to the kerb with its birdseye photo POV shots of all major cities before expanding them to entire countries. I recall the excitement of Google Earth's debut, the software that dragged a reluctant camera around a spherical map of Earth (well it was reluctant on my below spec computer).

Google has taken the online map technology and vaulted it up and over another seemingly impossible benchmark: we can now explore the environments on foot.

Granted this technology has been applied to the US for a few years now, but its only recently been applied to the UK.

Dave Gorman wrote a blog today on how he found himself on Google's 3D street view maps. Having spotted - and been equally spotted - by the Google van on its virgin data pilgrimage through London complete with its Google camera strapped on the roof, Mr Gorman later discovered been caught on Google's survey camera.

Now I've never seen a Google van (actually that's not true, I did see one when checking out New York's street view maps on Google - I caught sight of the van's captured reflection in a mirrored shop window, but I don't think it counts), so I couldn't revel in the delight of spotting myself spotting a Google vehicle that in turn, was spotting me.

So having decided there was no way I could join in the self-voyeuristic fun, I wondered what other landmark I could find and thereby blindside this fantastic step in free navigational software for something far more worthy of its place on the internets: wasting time and having a lark.

I've never found a closet big enough to hide my geek qualities, so I wasn't ashamed to consider attempting to find how many police boxes there were visible on Google Maps. Some I found using the Street Walk mode, some using the overhead POV mode.

For those strangely still reading, here are the results:

Earl's Court, London

The most famous and pretty recent - put up around the time of the Doctor Who movie with Paul McGann in '96. Quite a nice box. Seen it myself, though I always forget where it is when I head into London.

Avonscroft:

No street view yet, so here we have the overhead of the box in the excellent Museum of Historic Buildings.
Wilson's Street, Glasgow

We're into Scotland and we're seeing red. There are other Scottish red boxes, but this was another fortunate find on Google's street view.

Great Western Road, Glasgow

And here's another blue box found in the same city. Appears to have an eyepatch god bless it..

Catherdal Square, Glasgow

A vertible police feast is our Glasgow. Here's another - once red, now blue. I take back my comment about red being the colour of Scotland's police boxes, but then I am happy to say I'm not a box-spotter. That would be very, very sad. Nay, I just sit trawling google maps for police boxes, uncertain why he's doing it. That's cool. Really, it is.

Wetherby Police Station, West Yorkshire

Another birdseye view. Look for the highlighted circle. This isn't an original, but a replica box for all those who care (and I suspect if you care, you knew that already). For more details - and indeed for direction to these specific locations the old fashioned way (and thereby really punctuating this entry with keen traditional slap in the face of googlemaps), click this link to the wonderful TARDIS library.

Thanks to the excellent policebox.co.uk for some extra data in this pointless, pointless research.

If you spot any more police boxes on Google Maps, don't hestitate to turn off your computer and do something far less boring instead. For more stupid google sightseeing, twitter ye this.

Why I love Stewart Lee - and why I hate myself for it.

2009-03-17T00:15:00.007+01:00

Oh no - another personal "me" ramble. As if the internets hadn't enough of them. Once again, servers, routers and internet interfaces groan with unwanted familiarity to the grating digital scape of another weathered soapbox and its ill-edited magniloquence.

Anyway. Just watched Stewart Lee's Comedy Vehicle (for those who merited a life, catch it on IPlayer if you get the chance) and it was a reminder of why I love the man and how disappointed he makes me feel in myself.

Stewart Lee (for those who only limit their interest to the 40 top stand-up comedians) is best summed up by his own continuity propaganda. A cop-out on my behalf - I'd only end up fawning, looking for smart hyperbole to convey to others that subjective quality of belly-laughs that he instills in myself. See? Doing it already - I never belly laugh, though I wish I did. And if I did, I would like it to be at the hands of Mr Lee. And there goes the fawning.

I'm sure we've all got someone that we look up to so much the blood drains from our heads and we are resolved to chitter-waffle our admiration. Stewart Lee is one of mine. It's not a fanatical fixation with the man. I can go many days, weeks, months and years without passing a thought to his brilliance, nor do I clamber to own all merchandise revolving around him. In fact, so far as supporting his vocation, you could say I'm a piss-poor admirer, offering no fiscal remuneration for his entertainment (well, I did see him at Glastonbury in '98, but I doubt my ticket price really propped up his bank account).

But it's not about being a fan. I don't rush around quoting the man, nor, as I have said, have I invested in a shrine to the guy. I simply admire him. I admire him for being me.

Now, that's a comment which could take any reader down two dissecting paths. First off, given he is seven years older, Stewart Lee being a copy of me would really be a hard argument to sustain. Secondly, I'm not putting myself above or even near his identity. Quite the opposite. He is, I suppose, what I would liked James McLean to have been. If James McLean could have really had any real meaning to this universe, I think it would have been as a person with the mind and legacy of Stewart Lee.

See now I sound self-effacing. I am pretty happy with who I am, and chuffed with what I've been blessed with. I'm not brain-blastingly ugly (if such a term or such a man exists - and woe be the case if either does), I've been gifted with an artistic eye, a reasonably astute mind and some achievements that many would be proud of. Okay, I'm not the most charismatic gentleman at times, I've had my share of failures and mistakes, but the point is I'm not defacing the history of James McLean. I'm not looking to put myself down or douse myself with the pity bucket.

I guess what I'm saying is when I listen to Mr Lee, more often than not, his stand-up reflects my opinions and feelings on life. In some ways its quite cathartic to have someone manage to express similar observations more effectively than you do. We all get that when we see any oratory, be it comedy or serious - and as a meandering side-note, I think what I always find a little weird is seeing someone express observations that are similar and more effective than yours, that you hadn't even considered previously. It's one of the wonders of seeing stand-up; having a comedian express ideas that resonate that you had never considered until that moment. Hardly a revelation of an observation, but one that seemed pertinent.

I think the horror of having such admiration for any person is you know you could never possibly meet them. The same goes for any crush I suppose. Any unrequited crush has the very real risk of leaving the crusher unable to bolster their ego enough to a) be themselves and b) treat the other as they would anyone else. And the more one tries, the more one will fail to create an honest rapport and instead will build a horrifying non-representation of the person you want to convey. It's a sad but natural state of affairs given any meeting is so horribly imbalanced; the quiet discomfort of the admirer and the admirer to find any common ground.

So in the end, my admiration - until now - has been relatively silent. I wouldn't mind if it didn't make me feel so dirty. Like some creepy invisible lovesick teen-puppy gushing from the sidelines.

Watching Stewart Lee on his new show was a reminder of all these little partially connected musings. It reminded me of how so much of his material resonates with me - and how thankful the same can not be said about the Al Murray's Pub Landlord. Which raises an interesting point: given I do not know Lee, could such affinity not be with the man but his comedy persona? Just like if I resonated with the Pub Landlord's xenophobia I wouldn't necessarily be connecting with man behind the mask. In my case, I don't think it matters. The product that Lee produces touches me, regardless of what the man behind it truly thinks. There is restrained, frustrated intellectual eye to Lee's "product" that I fell in love with in the early 90s that perhaps spoke for me with more humour, insight and - well - facts than I ever could possess. Perhaps that's what's so great about a comedian whose social comedy "speaks for you", be it Stewart Lee, Al Murray or - god forbid - Roy Chubby Brown - social comedy gives you the illusion of ideological validity: the comedian gives a sheen to your own personal beliefs - they say what you believe in a cooler, more amusing and often more enlightening way than you probably could.

And Stewart Lee's comedy output has done that for me for well over a decade - he's basically helped me define me better than I could do myself. A lot of 'Me' there. A big Me blip on the Me-dar.

Which perhaps leads me to refine my original statement: Why I love the comedic product of Stewart Lee, and why I hate myself for not being able to match it. Not quite as catchy. Yes, his comedy persona would have been what I would consider the perfect James McLean. But then, James McLean would have been lost to admire himself, Stewart Lee. So perhaps this is the best way. Let Stewart Lee do what he does best and I'll happily let his produce express what I'd like to say better than I'd ever need to say it - because I have Stewart Lee to say it for me.

So next time you want to know what I think, save me the time at having to read up, learn facts and find a suitable mode of self-expression by going and seeing Stewart Lee says on stage. I'm sure it will be close.

Now go watch his new stuff on IPlayer. It is very good.

Interview with Lance Henriksen: Part Three

2009-03-15T23:54:00.003+01:00

Been a night of rushing out some plugs, and the final stop is my own blog. Imagine that: selfishly using my own domesticated word space to promote something I've done. Disgusting.

This is another Millennium/BacktoFrankBlack.com which for those who have just stopped by (fingers proving a little less than nibble in regards to clicking the correct google link, eh?) BacktoFrankBlack is a campaign to return Millennium and its hero Frank Black to our screens.

I did an long phone interview with the lead actor, Lance Henriksen - famous for Bishop in the Alien franchise, and this is the final part in which he discusses politics, art, films and fans! Great guy and a fundamental success to the Millennium show's long lasting reputation.

Read it HERE
Read part one: HERE
Read part two: HERE

Deal or No Deal - the loser? My name is Skeletor.

2009-03-12T20:57:00.005+01:00

Having finished watching this edition of Deal Or No Deal, I have been forced to concede the horrible truth that I am Skeletor. That I am Megatron. That I am that oddball witch in Chorton and the Wheelies. I am Grotbags. I am wicked and must be punished.

My viewing of this once popular quiz show was inadvertent, and thereby so was my realisation to my true identity. I was merrily sitting on the sofa grinding my teeth against some milky chocolate eggs with little care in my small insular world with the remote too far from reach. Deal or No Deal started with the choosen contestent being a young girl whose name I really had no interest in remembering. She said she was a risk-taker, a student - or if reduce these characteristics to their base denominator: really quite annoying.

I must say I have a great dislike for students on quiz shows. I've met a few, been one myself and from first hand experience they aren't very interesting, because on the whole, they think they are. Just as I did. Often in debt from as much partying as text books (and again, I speak from experience rather than a skim-read of a Daily Mail editorial), and in any case, surely the point of being a student is to prepare one's best for the difficulties in life, rather than to go on quiz shows to see if you can skip a few steps and win a bundle of cash. All this doesn't warm me to students on quiz shows. She might have been a wonderful lady in real life, but as with all television, our bonds are superficial - we sit as lazy judge and juries. That's life, that's our relationship with the box-oh-so-square.

On she played. The board was shaping up nicely statistically. Quite a few "blue" numbers disappeared leaving a nice load of "reds". This can leave the player a little too optimistic, so I was interested to see whether she would fall for the trap of complacency and take a gamble one step too far. After all, she was a risk-taker apparently.

Well, middle of the game the risk-taker dealt on a decent figure. £17,000, when the board really was in a swing state. Naturally the game went on as if she was in play. This was my moment - knowing that there was a chance all the lovely numbers may stay and this andrenlin junkie student - might discover that she had dealt far too early.

And I was proved right. The "blues" fell away leaving her with "reds" - the top one, £250,000, remained firmly in play. For this moment, TV couldn't get any better. You see, in real life, I'm a nice gentleman. I certainly would never go out to harm anyone, or look to hurt anyone's feelings. I'm only writing this blog because I think it's rather unlikely it will be read by this lady in question - otherwise I wouldn't dare, simply because I wouldn't want to hurt her feelings. But the wonderful voyeuristic nature of television, that one way spectacle, allows our true nature to blossom, far from the fear of being exposed for the cackling, squirming, spiteful bastard I - I mean, we - are. I watched this poor girl watch the "reds" remain and the "blues" stay until I was positively rolling off my chair with pleasure. Again, it wasn't particularly personal. I don't know this girl, or anything about her really. She was no more than an archetype; an outlet for my most base assumptions intertwined around some of my personal pet-hates - in this case, students. But I was enjoying it. Very much.

Being not much of a people person, I have to say there are rarely moments of pleasure found in television. But this seemed to be a one of a kind as this girl watched the numbers vanish from the board.. all accept the 1p and £250,000 (meaning a high offer would be made by the banker that sat somewhere in between). I watched her stage grow smaller as the £17,000 she'd won seemed more and more worthless in her eyes. I watched her mouth tighten as she realised she'd dealt far too early - and that "risk taking" spirit really hadn't been proven. It was magic. To see the confidence stripped away, over a simple nature of greed. A gambler losing face. It felt dirty to be enjoy, but isn't greed a sin? Should I feel pleasure at her expense when her pain comes from not being happy with the £17,000 she'd won but the £100,000 she'd lost? Well whatever, I was lovin' it.

And there she was, at the end, with the prospect going round and round her head of having dealt too early. The banker is ready to tell her, the audience and squirming gits like myself how much she could have won...

... and then he does something he's never done before. He offered her to swap her £17,000 for the chance to choose between the last two boxes. One had £250,000, the other 1 penny. Was this to help boost the show's ratings? Only one person had one £250,000 in its near daily run - and that was back in 2007. They did need another. Was it because she was a young lady and he felt pity - I don't know, and just like Skeletor, I didn't care. I leapt from my seat, just as Skeletor would from his throne, my "win" suddenly teetering over the edge of Fail.

Sure she could win 1p if she took the gamble, but she shouldn't have that chance. She wasn't playing fair. THEY weren't playing fair! I was having my sick pleasure - they had no right to bend the rules and take it from me. The show was clearly stacking the pressure on her to take the gamble, and this would ruin it - even if she won the 1p, she'd go away knowing she'd didn't deal too early, that she proved she was a risk taker. It was lose, lose for me. Suddenly, I felt a brotherly kinship with Skeletor, as in the final act my victory was taken from me.

And she won. She won £250,000.

Now, I take solice in knowing others around the country will feel the same = particularly those who didn't get offered the opportunity who were on the show - but the fact is this always happens. It seems my win is always taken from me. Whenever I feel I get a television victory, something spoils it. Celebrity Big Brother was the last one to upset my pleasures. I watched Ulrika Johnson sulk, whine, spit and grumble all the way through 6 weeks while many of the other contestants worked hard to be fun and entertaining, and through one of those quirkly surprises, despite the odds and the situation, the ego-queen was glorified, and my victory snatched. I didn't see it coming - just as poor Skeletor never saw the turning of the tables just before victory.

TV doesn't like to offer me a win, and when it does, it likes to ensure that it ruins it just before the end. This doesn't happen to nice guys. It happens to bad guys. Evil guys. Skeletors. I never saw myself as evil. As I said, my issue with this lady was not personal beyond the fact that she was a student looking to make easy money. I'd far rather see someone who has worked hard for a few decades get the opportunity. To me, that creates a justified dislike - superficial maybe, but justified so far as the shallow bind between television and viewer goes. Same with Ulrika - if she'd proved to me she was truly up for a laugh, not bitchy and not self-focused, I'd have been happy for her to win. I've always seen myself as a nice person - okay, one who has a rather entrenched enjoyment of seeing people fail on live television, but as far as bad traits go, that isn't THAT bad is it? Well clearly not. I, like Skeletor and his minons are doomed to see our pleasures be snatched from our grasps. He probably thinks he's a nice person too - albeit a little over-focused on universal domination and the advocation of pure evil - he doesn't expect to lose at the last minute.

But we both do.

So good luck unnamed student. I hope you enjoy the money. My qualm isn't with your good fortune, but the wicked show that bent the rules - as He-Man bends his girders - and thwarting my victory.

Of course, there's always next time. There's always a next time.

Red Dwarf Synopsis details (spoilers-lite)

2009-03-12T16:24:00.003+01:00

Red Dwarf update:

Now I'm not one for spoilers, and I've done my best to avoid the naughty ilk when it comes to shows I like, but I must admit, I was very eager to find out some of the back story to the new Red Dwarf episodes being shown on Dave in the UK at Easter. I suppose I can give myself a small stretch of leniency as I very much doubt these smaller back story details won't be a massive part of the tales as a whole. I'm guessing, just like Red Dwarf III, that cliffhanger from Red Dwarf VIII will be briskly glossed over. As I think it should be. Forget the waffle, move the show along. I can't say I felt Red Dwarf VIII was the show's finest hour in set-up or gags, so I'm quite happy with this.

So what is there to say? Well, this from SFX - and they have more spoilers if you follow the link to do with the actual episodes, or "synopsis" as they like to officially call them. For me, a synopisis of a show you've not seen, even just a partial synopsis, still tells you stuff you didn't know, ergo, it's a spoiler really - let's not beat around the mulberry bush my lads.

Anyway, here's what it says - courtesy of Doug Naylor via SFX. Read with one eye shut - or not at all if you have a stronger backbone than I.

“It starts nine years after the last show. Kochanski has died and Holly is down – Lister left a bath tap on for almost nine years and then one night the floor gives way and a million gallons of water fall through the ship, and Holly hasn’t been dried out. That’s where it starts.

“Lister’s not in good shape, and there’s a general air of neglect and malaise. Rimmer, as he’s always done, thinks purely about himself, and because of this everything’s gone down the tubes. He has aged, even though holograms shouldn’t – he hasn’t had holo-services because he didn’tknow about them."

Sounds good to me, boys and girls. Does it sound good to you?

In memory of the Spectrum!

2009-03-09T10:22:00.013+01:00

I'm a big Speccy freak. For those who don't know what that is, and quite possibly disturbed by the possibilities such a term could possess, I can assure you I make no reference to any bizarre spectacle/glasses fetish. Nay, this isn't a plug for www.nakedspectaclewearersindubiousposes.com (and I pray such a site doesn't exist and that I've not just given them an unwelcome promotion), but the ZX Spectrum - or as it was affectionately know - the Speccy.

It was a simple 8-Bit 48K British computer that I grew up with. It had the memory capacity of a medium size Word document and some fantastic games - it was also responsible for some very dire ones as well. Very dire - but it was the beginning of the gaming age - mistakes would be made. I think you can forgive it for its more than occasional mishaps. And it did only have the memory capacity of a medium sized Word document.

The graphics were all in monochrome - if the game makers were sensible - as there was a tendency for coloured graphics to merge in passing creating what was affectionately known at the time as "colour clash". Some managed to bypass this ugly problem (Brainache on the left as a perfect example), but those that were smart, kept their colours static and distant.. or simply the same colour.

It was an innocent era, where coders fought against the limitations of the machine and players embraced the most simple successes (see successful escapes from the perils of colour clash).

For a comparative, I will point our contrasting Atlantic beach-huggers with the Commodore 64, the Spectrum's arch rival. With it's blighted 64k and smug escape from the colour clash calamity of the Spectrum, there was much spitting and hissing between fan groups. For younger fans, may I point you towards Nintendo/Sony as a comparison. For those of a generation in between, Amiga and Atari St 16 bit computers is another worthy comparison. While the Commodore 64 was technically a superior machine, I personally found its more colourful visuals blotchy and garish - and quite often, never quite as playable as the Spectrum.

I will dare to place one particular game on this aged 8-bit machine above its 16-bit rivals successor, the Amiga. Renegade, in my experience, has never been topped in its coin-op conversion (another term rarely used these days, I assure you it has little to do with any sexual fetish between currency and operations, but arcade machines) than on the Spectrum. The Speccy was an amazing machine.

In its golden era, the coders were managing to cram some amazing amounts of gameplay into this tiny bastard. The Sentinel was a block 3D environment (though admittedly you didn't "roam" in this game, but transferred across the board to different perspectives) with 1,000 levels. Remember: 48k. Incredible. Elite was out on the Spectrum, and we remember how big that was. And roaming block 3D DID manage to get a Spectrum publication with Driller being the ground breaker.

Amazing, amazing machine. I think I'll follow up with another entry on the Spectrum, but for now, may I tell you what prompted this article:

Sunday March 08, 2009
Cutting edge Biohell game for ZX Spectrum

Can you believe it? Read on.. SFX reports:

Author Andy Remic is publishing a computer game based on his latest novel Biohell… for the ZX Spectrum. Surely it's just an amusing promotional ploy, but speaking as Spectrum fans since youth, this thought fills us with a certain anachronistic excitement. We interviewed Remic about the book a few weeks ago, and he didn't mention his 8-bit ambitions, so what's the deal?

"When I finally finished the novel Biohell and it hit the shelves, I thought to myself: what do I do next?" says Remic. "There's of course the follow-up novel, Hardcore, to complete but I was eager to pursue an advanced gaming angle. I’d recently been approached by three large games developers who were interested in the idea of Biohell, but I decided against the glitz and glamour of worldwide gaming domination, and instead set out to develop a 48k Spectrum adventure myself."

He continues: "You always remember your first computing love affair, and mine was a sleek black little Spectrum number. It was October 1984, and I got my Speccy along with Ultimate’s Knight Lore for Christmas. It changed my life!"

We know where he's coming from, there's a lot of love and nostalgia for the Spectrum out there that we share.

The Biohell game will be a graphical text adventure in which you'll play Franco Haggis, utilising guns and bombs to progress across a nano-molecular zombie-infested city. It features "a full range of 8 (yes 8!) colours, advanced textual parser and many advanced Spectrum features".

The Biohell novel is set on a planet entirely covered with a city teeming with corruption, guns, sex, and designer drugs. "Humans are upgraded by the injection of microscopic nanobots, courtesy of a new technology," continues the official summary. "But when this heads onto the black market, millions of people inject themselves with pirated biomods - and transform into zombies. The Combat K squad are dropped into this warzone to uncover what's turned the planet into a wasteland of murder and mutations."

Incredible if true (and I'm sure it is).

May I finally point you towards the best Spectrum resources in the world.

www.worldofspectrum.org

The website contains a whole host of Spectrum emulators and ROMs (legal and endorsed) for you to try. May I recommend Renegade, Sentinel, Nether Earth, Batman: The Movie, Chaos, Mercenary, The Wild Bunch and The Hobbit as great wide-ranging examples of the wonderful Spectrum era!

James interviewed in SCIFINOW 25

2009-02-28T20:29:00.008+01:00

In relation to BacktoFRANKBLACK, I was interviewed for the back page of the latest SCIFINOW Issue 25. Read it. Not for me (I'm a simple, good-for-nothing Brit nobody) but to support the Millennium agenda.

And because I'm in it.

Should be taking part in a Millennium podcast stay tuned (or do something more interesting in the interim - your choice).
***
In other news.. more details about K-9, the upcoming children's series from K-9's brainchild, Bob Baker.

Source: PARK ENTERTAINMENT:

From the writer of Wallace and Gromit, Bob Baker, comes…

K9 – The Series

GENRE: Comedy
Running Time: 26 x 1/2 hr episodes

PREMISE
Somewhere in the future…

COMING SOON

Originally created for the 1970s DOCTOR WHO series by Bob Baker and Dave Martin, K9 has long been an iconic television character. Now comes a brand new adventure series featuring everyone’s favourite robot dog!

K9 is a children’s sci-fi/adventure series combining comedy, action and suspense “X Files” meets “Men in Black” with a zany dash of “Ghostbusters”. K9 mixes live action characters with stunning visual-effects.

London, in the future: STARKEY (14) orphan and rebel ultimately plans to bring down the system but for the time being he is prepared to simply slip through the cracks. While evading the police he takes refuge in a large detached house, now the residence of reclusive scientist, Professor GRYFFEN. He is followed by JORJIE (14) an adventurous girl who partly admires Starkey’s dissident stance, but mostly wants to share whatever excitement is afoot.

Inside the dilapidated mansion, they see Gryffen absorbed in an experiment with a strange piece of alien technology, a Space Time Manipulator (S/TM). DARIUS (15) an artful dodger who, among his many occupations, runs errands for Gryffen, confronts the pair, but at that moment a portal opens and through the hole torn in the fabric of space/time burst two reptilian warrior JIXEN. The Jixen attack Starkey. The teenager is saved from certain death by a small dog-like robot, K9 Mark I, who follows the Jixen through the portal and places himself between the monsters and boy.

In the ensuing battle, the only way K9 can defeat the Jixen is to blow himself and them to pieces. One surviving Jixen limps out of the mansion. Before expiring, K9 is able to give instructions that allow Starkey to initiate a regeneration program. A new, more sophisticated and futuristically designed K9 is regenerated.

K9 and Starkey, with the assistance of Jorjie, Darius and Gryffen, become the earth’s front line defence against dangers threatening from anywhere and anytime in the galaxy. They will have a lot of fun, action, adventure, and some scares along the way, saving the earth from alien creatures, monsters and more than a few human threats.

The K-9 mark 1 sounds interesting on two counts. K-9 mark 1 was left on Gallifrey - so what's it doing on Earth? Let's pray it's not "Bob" canon, based on his tie-in stories that were published staring K-9 in the 80s.

Secondly, wasn't the reason for the big K-9 revamp because while Bob owns the character, he doesn't own the design? So will Mark 1 look like the BBC K-9? As a pertinent quote: "Time will tell - it always does.."

16 things I love and hate about you, me.

2009-02-27T20:52:00.007+01:00

Following on the mental wittering from eariler today, I felt the urge to offer another 'piece of me', as Skid Row might say (if we were still living in 1989). Aye, it's that terrible viral social network set of questions, but I considered that it might be worth using on this blog. Be thankful I can't tag anyone. Anyway, it occurred to me I don't really open up much on Domesticated Words, and this might be an excuse to throw in a little colour about the gent who wastes his time writing it.

1. I once modeled a fish tank. About 14, in Braintree, with a photographer and a fish tank. I can't recollect why, and I'm not sure anyone really cares. Sometimes I feel it's best to consider it a dream.

2. I despise/fail to comprehend the "Sell-My-House" genre of television shows. The appear to focus on rich, upper middle class couples who are having trouble either upgrading their three-quarter of a million pound town house for a nice place in the country, or deeply distressed at being unable to find a nice villa in Spain for their holiday home. One I find bewildering is these shows are on during the day and are presumably demographically geared to those who probably haven't a job or the money to be anywhere near the bracket of consumers buying houses on their TV set. Is this just another example of how society intensifies its high-expectations of life? By living the lives of the wealthy via their digi-box? Is that not a little sad? Can't we just enjoy our own lives - or at least try?

3. I'm not religious nor proudly atheistic. I gave up caring. I don't like the label of agnostic either. divorce myself from any considerations of Faith. It's just not worth the energy - better to spend it on focusing in the present that speculating about things you cannot ascertain either way.

4. I don't enjoy conversations with stupid people, and by extension, children. Oh so I thought. I enjoyed doing a load of art workshops for children through 2008 (6-10 year olds). Discovered a lot of kids are brighter than their adult counterparts and seem to be far better educated school in grammar and reading than a few peers I know. So yah, I don't enjoy conversations with stupid people, and by extension, those more stupid than kids. At least children have a bloody excuse, what ours, eh?

5. I'm getting older. I know this for a fact: I am less worried about my haircut (just simply thankful I still have some), I wear dressing gowns occasionally and no longer have any affinity with the music of the young. I also have a couple of grey hairs and some wrinkles around my thumb. Look for yourself: do you have wrinkles around your thumb?

6. I have a strange fixation with Police Boxes. My childhood love has carried with me into adult hood. I have a Police box telephone, USB box, money box (times three), toy (multiply by two), die-cast model and cardboard model. Actually, I'm getting fairly sick of police boxes. Seems to me that age old trick about force feeding teen smokers cigarettes may carry some relevance in nerdy circles too.

7. I still carry a particularly potent childhood fear. A certain film freaked me out as a kid and still does as an adult - despite having seen, read and played a great deal of the franchise. Still get nightmares of watching the film as a kid who has not seen it, picturing it as I imagined as a child not as the film actually was when I eventually saw it. Weird. And disturbing. If you can confront your fears and still suffer, what chances are there you'll ever grow out of them? What's weird is I have no issue with the theme when its been played out in other films/books. It's simply a childhood hysteria that has never dislodged.

8. Dirk Benedict changed my life - but not in the way he would have ideally preferred. After bashfully seeing him in Celebrity Big Brother, I found myself questioning my food somewhat more closely. I bought his book and read his opinions on food, sugar and health. I didn't agree with all he said - he is a big believer in macrobiotic which I find an overtly simplified expression of bodily function - nevertheless, i began to question what I ate. I no longer eat red meats, I enjoy fruit, green tea, caffeine and a reduction in sugars and fats. Okay, I do occasionally have an ice bun, hot chocolate or an ice cream, but largely my diet changed from exposure to the strongly held opinions and beliefs.... of that guy from the A-Team. I even dedicated a book to him. Creepy, n'est pas?

8. I can't stand the sound of people eating. I would make everyone stop if they wouldn't all bloody well die without doing it.

9. I'm not a people's person. A colleague mentioned to me today how when in an informal meeting I visibly snubbed a couple of his friend who joined inadvertently. Apparently the glower I wore told all I wasn't happy. Bizarrely, I never realised I was so inadvertently expression-able. I can socialise and if in the right mood start playing for attention. I can be cheeky, loud and offensive, but among people I'm comfortable with, I'm quite a quiet person. A rather unfortunate blend of introvert and extrovert - all at the wrong time.

10. I never went on holiday as a child - unless you call going to grandmother's at the school holidays a vacation. I don't.

11. I have massive respect for bi, tri and upward linguals. Always been terrible with languages. Partially a memory thing, partially a confidence thing, partially a pride thing. Those who speak more than one language fluently are objects d'art for me. There, threw in a little French - just for an inappropriate measure.

12. I love arguing, and I hate myself for that. I do enjoy a debate, but the debates are something I take rather personally and thereby can find myself getting irritated very quickly. I tend to avoid them these days.

13. I miss the South. Born in the North, raised primarily in the South, live currently in the North of England. While I do very much dislike Essex and the candor/accent that comes with it, I must confess I always feel more at home around London.

14. I like to edit music in my spare time. I did spend a few years studying and performing music - but only very occasionally pick up a guitar/open the larynx. Not written a song in years. But I do like to edit music. Nothing fancy, but pulling a song I enjoy and re-editing for a more personally preferable cut is always a pleasant pastime. I can spend hours editing music.

15. Sports have never agreed with me. Not sure why. I was always a frail sort of turkey at school, never quite confident with my physical appearance and I think that very much translated into how well I performed at sports. That lack of confidence seemed to follow me through all sports, even the recreational type such as playing pool. It's amazing how much self belief is required in sports, and I think losing that conviction early on stained my enjoyment in sports very young. Or perhaps I was just naturally crap at anything requiring agility.

16. I find it hard to display affection - as such I tend to do it through insults. Which tends to eventually piss people off. If you are one of those such people - my apologies, I only insult people I care about - if I didn't like you, I wouldn't bother. A small disclaimer. According to a therapist a few years back this was a learned behaviour from my father and because I'm a rather sensitive old bean this cause a bit of conflict, resulting in keeping people I care for at a distance until they biff off. I think I've got worse of late, something I must try and remedy.

So there you go. 16 observations you can use against me in a court of law (if you wished to choose a particularly meaningless setting for a confrontation). Thanks to Ramon.

The truthiness of truthiness

2009-02-27T12:14:00.010+01:00

(James is not an accredited philosopher, a man of science or a personage of any evidence of the intelligence required to master such a question. As such he mixes issues, confuses ideas and just does the general mishmash we all do when we natter about topics that we're not well acquainted with. And unless you have never soapboxed what the PM should be doing, or how the NHS should run or why the US should leave Iraq, I doubt you're in a position to judge me on such a broad, unsubstantiated ramble!)

There are two particular quotes I'm very fond of, both purporting the need for the same arsenal of knowledge. Let me put them to you:

""I was in a taxi early on a Sunday and the cab-driver started talking about how homosexuality was immoral. I was fed up with this and so I said I didn't know how useful hard and fast concepts of morality were in discussing this kind of issue. I then elaborated on societies, such as the ancient Greeks or the Zunis, where, far from being subhuman, homosexuality was actually viewed as a higher, more profound form of love, so all our ideas about its degeneracy may actually be bound-up in our own cultural context. The cab driver then said: ‘Well, you can prove anything with facts, can't you?'" Stewart Lee.

"I don't trust books. They're all fact, no heart. And that's exactly what's pulling our country apart today. Because face it, folks, we are a divided nation. Not between Democrats or Republicans, or conservatives and liberals, or tops and bottoms. No, we are divided by those who think with their head, and those who know with their heart...

"The 'truthiness' is, anyone can read the news to you. I promise to feel the news...at you." Stephen Colbert, on the premiere of The Colbert Report

I've always been a big fan of knowledge (regardless of what my dear sibling believes). I can't pretend my facts are wide-spread thanks to a rather poor memory retention. But when it comes to "facts" I get nervous. Facts are duplicitous and polygamous bedfellows, yet like the politicians who crave their usage, enjoy a certain infamy that I wonder masks their true danger to society.

I am by no means suggesting that the acquisition of data is a danger, far from it, but I think how we perceive that data does invoke a danger largely invisible to society - a reliance on what we automatically deem factual. As a consequence can being knowledgeable lead us to create as many mistakes as being pig ignorant?

I think my first concerns began to wriggle and tickle inside me through the observation of politics. If we take the division of political contrast, left and right, both will rally themselves with a sheer mountain of facts to support their ideology. As more a leftie than a rightie myself, the facts the left offer to support their perception of political acceptability quench my righteous appetite of the right - yet the knowledge and facts of the right could - and are - equally justified. As I said before, facts - if their is such a definitive thing - are rarely monogamous and are positively dirty bedfellows, happy to be bent and twisted into all sorts of positions. As a simple citizen, I listen to the radio and hear all sorts of tangents based around the same findings - how these findings can be good or bad to a situation depending on the person speaking on them.

You see, as we all know, facts never come to us singularly, they are born from judgments, either from our own if we discover them ourselves, or by others if they are delivered to us. For if I may use a vague Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle allegory, our perceptions alter the article; no fact carries a definitive truth because our perception alters its appearance.

To make facts even more confusing (if I wasn't confused enough already as I'm sure is evident), we have the basis of desired perception. I very much doubt there are many people who look to evidence without already holding an opinion, be it from casual observation or from some gut instinct - how does that affect how we deal with the facts we get presented to us? How honest are we? Statistics are a collective of brothel infested facts - they really are any man's truth. Statistics are born from an often invisible selection of queries that nearly never come with the parcel of answers. There are so many variables in any statistic - or experiment - that can affect or distort the outcome, yet to an extent we take this statistics on board and if we decide they support our own perceptions, conclude them as "evidence".

Of course many of you will refute this idea that you only allow statistics to inform your already garnered conclusions, and are a little more open minded than that - and to be fair, that is true. But on subjects where one does have an opinion, when we get a statistic presented, do we judge it objectively? Do we always address its validity with the same considered appraisal regardless of its answers? It's unlikely - yet we'll use these "facts" in our arsenal.

Before I finish on statistics, to my knowledge, in professionally gathered statistics, the rate of accuracy take from a small target group being projected on a larger group is very high. Question I'd still ask is without the details of the survey, can we ascertain whether the roots to the maths are accurate? It would appear facts beget facts - is their an end?

And I guess this largely the problem: "facts", being born from the studies of such an erroneous beings as man will never be wholly accurate. Even our basics science is at risk. You'll find few scientists who won't acknowledge that all science has the potential to be fallible in some form. Every generation is prone to changes in their current scientific conceptions. So again, our facts become even more intangible.

Yet we do need them - but not as we'd like to believe we do. I think we like to see facts as the pillar of our society; treasures to be sought that enlighten us to the foundations of our existence which we can then relax in the assurance of their presence. But they're not. There are no foundations. There is no concrete fact. The best facts can do is help shape - or substantiate - what we need to know, what most likely fallacy we need to believe.

For instance, a court has a judge, and the judge will make a judgment based on the facts presented. He cannot make that judgment without hearing the facts - or should that be the arguments supported by "facts"? As we know, no judge is absolute, no judge is infallible, and part of that is because the application of facts is subjective to their presentation and of course, to his perception of their presentation.

So what does this tell us, my dear ramblers (and you are a true rambler if you've got this far into my turgid, swampish musings - for different reasons I may add that I too am clearly a rambler to have delivered you to this point) - well it tells us that perhaps as a society we need to be more honest, and to my horror, the homophobic Taxi driver Stewart Lee spoke to did - to my horror - have a point? Anything can be supported by facts because the facts are so malleable to the good lashing of an orators tongue/open mind/devious manipulator. That's fairly scary. I guess what it tells us is that we as people live perhaps behind a shield painted with "fact paint". This extraordinary paint hides this misgivings that we accept facts to readily to inform us or we are using the facts to hide our own bias. Unless we actually go and investigate these facts for ourselves, can we be certain of their validity - or do we want to? Does that merely destabilize that foundation of our world - that we, as imperfect as we are, live in the constructs of absolutes, be they maths, morality, science or religion, when in fact we live apart from any absolutes because we indeed cannot touch them without tainting them ourselves.

But facts we do need if we are to function effectively in our society, though perhaps more wary of how dirty our fingers our as we grab them and smear them with our bias, possible misnomers, misapprehension and inadequate investigation as to their nature. I see many people quote facts and most of those I hear are largely questionable when placed on the table and probed with some very simple question. But that's the scary thing, the same can be done with all facts I imagine - which is why we are subject to the wonders of discursive tacklings from word, pen and digital communiques such as this. No subject is without its facets. No proposal without a counter. It is the very reason God as the image of Faith can never be real (I am not suggesting high powers/creators can't exist, merely the quandary of how we assess perfection) - for as soon as he was real, any of his commandments or choices would be subject to scrutiny, to question, to the proposal of facts that counter the systems employed. God would be come fallible - maybe great, maybe omnipotent, maybe just totally uber-cool - but quantifiable and thus at the mercy of question, and for questions we most have evidence and evidence is born from fact. The need for simple Faith in our maker is lost because nothing we perceive is totally absolute, and there seems to be nothing we can genuinely hold in our arsenal as utter, objective knowledge - everything is dirtied by our sticky sticky fingers.

So here we are at the end of this musing, a musing that serves no real purpose except remind us that our society and life is built on - hopefully - informed perception, not facts, and as such we should perhaps prize the certainty in what we believe is definitively true and embrace our ability to build our own unique and fascinating towers of perception from faceted knowledge. Of course if we want our tower to remain strong and sturdy, we have to acquire supports - just best to acknowledge that support isn't singular, but might be equally shared as a strut to your opposer's skyscraper.

We're all interlinked in murky waters. Ourselves, our opinions and our facts. We enjoy being informed, but do we inform ourselves enough? Do we take facts on face value too often - and can they bring us answers or merely just reinforce our own personal constructs of preference?

This isn't a profound statement, merely a musing from a late night lying in bed. Don't take it too seriously and certainly don't berate me as someone trying to be profound. This isn't a soapbox, merely a position where I can use you (or the lack of you) as a personal soundboard.

As much as I feel ignorance is a dangerous beast, the acquisition of data is a subjective monster and we should always be aware that the facts at our disposal merely inform our decision, they do not necessarily enhance it with any absolute certainty. Perhaps if we were more honest, we'd see the environment we grow up in informs the basis of our perceptions and from their we collect and ally to facts that support the innate ideologies that set as we grow. If we look at investigations into facts, the are born from suppositions or un-substantiated questions that begin the exploration. Does Colbert's faux Republican have a point? Are we scared to acknowledge the power of our gut as much as our head? Facts in the different hands can create all sorts of tangents - does that mean our gut, or personal culpability is more the anchor to our decisions than the information we gather to support it? Is our personality the absolute that choosen facts orbit around? Maybe. After all, I agree with Stewart Lee's quick points on how homophobia is indicative of cultural contexts rather than any universal morality. That was my feeling before I learned about homosexuality in ancient Greece. The facts supported what I already felt. Likewise, I have no doubt a pretty well documented argument replete with facts could be offered to suggest a definitive amorality for homosexuality. I'm sure there are many out there which search for evidence beyond cherry picked evidence from the Bible. Doubt I would agree with them not because my facts are "right" and their facts are "wrong", but simply because my gut tells me that no matter how well presented and alluring, it's just not right to decide who or what is moral - just like a calculator shouldn't try defining what are the best numbers on its keypad - we're part of the issue we're trying to bracket - part of the problem. I can't see an argument swaying that gut belief which doesn't require facts - it's been built through observation and innate learning via my environment. And that's sort of scary for me as I like to feel I am open to new ideas, and that knowledge informs rather than simply substantiates. Maybe that's my own failing. Maybe this whole argument is.

In a world where we are individually exposed to far larger and complex issues than ever before (yes, we are now in a position to see far beyond our insular farms, villages and towns of yesteryear) we have to be wary that facts may make our perceptions more credible, but too many issues are far too large to ever truly make us right.

Incidentally, for all the grammatical transgressions in this blog, I had indeed investigated the meaning of certain words - I have increased my arsenal of factual information. Of course with a memory lacking retention as I have, I have to wonder for how long before I descend back to ignorance once more?

Total Recall: Totally Recalled?

2009-02-26T14:09:00.003+01:00

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Total Recall is being, well, totally recalled for a reboot.

""Total Recall" is totally coming back. Neal H. Moritz and his Original Films banner are in final negotiations to develop and produce for Columbia a contemporary version of "Total Recall," the 1990 Arnold Schwarzenegger sci-fi action movie directed by Paul Verhoeven. The original, based on the Philip K. Dick story "We Can Remember It for You Wholesale," follows a man haunted by a recurring dream of journeying to Mars who buys a literal dream vacation from a company called Rekall Inc., which sells implanted memories. The man comes to believe he is a secret agent and ends up on a Martian colony, where he fights to overthrow a despotic ruler controlling the production of air. The movie explores one of Dick's favorite topics, reality vs. delusion, as audiences never knew whether or not the story was a dream. Either way, the movie grossed a very real $261 million worldwide. Carolco was behind the original movie, which was distributed by TriStar. Dimension picked up the rights for a reported $3.15 million with the aim of developing a sequel. Columbia secured the rights from Miramax, which retained them when Harvey and Bob Weinstein left to start their own company. Calling Dick's story "prescient," Moritz said he hoped the advancements in technology and state-of-the-art visual effects can help tell the "Recall" story in a fresh way. Toby Jaffe is overseeing on behalf of Original Film. Matt Tolmach and Sam Dickerman oversee for Columbia."

Excited? Well, can't say I am really. And I'm not surfing a wave of fan bitterness singing "no reboot could match the original" - the original was fun, but you could hardly say there was no room for improvement. Nor am I hollering from my digital soapbox "Oh noes, not another movie reboot!"

For me it's simply that I've seen the film once, enjoyed it, but really have no interest in re-visiting it. Total Recall is a good film - particularly if you start looking for the nuances that really build upon the thin line between illusion and reality. Total Recall is a good concept, based on the works of a great author - so of course there is sense in redoing it no matter what I suspect the majority of the internets will declare. I'd hardly dare put in the same league, but no one moans re-staging of Macbeth, so why have a tirade about a remake of another story?

Sure, few remakes are better than the original, but some are. I'm a big fan of The Thomas Crown Affair with Pierce Brosnan. Was not Flash Gordon a great reboot of the old Crabbe serials? Heck, what about Battlestar Galactica? The Thing? Batman Begins? There are many reboots or remakes with credibility. Sure, there are many ker-naff ones, but the point is, at this stage, a reboot of Total Recall isn't as insane as many net-pundits would suggest. It's a good story that has room for retelling. If we sneered and rejected every proposed remake, the above would never have given us such pleasure.

Will I go and see it? Nah. Personal preference. I might watch it if it was on the old tele-visual jukebox, but beyond that I'm not exactly stimulated by the news. Worth reporting though - just for excuse of plastering one of Arnie's uber-hilarious expressions across my blog.

Ghostbusters 3 to go ahead late 2009?

2009-02-23T09:19:00.004+01:00

Like Indiana Jones, Ghostbusters III has been a helter-skelter of whispers, often leaving the hopeful audience, lying face down, disorientated on a door-mat at the base trapped once again in Cuckoo Land. Or is that Jamie and His Magic Torch? I forget. Maybe the allegory is a roller coaster. It matters not.

Anyhow, latest rumours seem a little more substantial according to Fangoria and AICN:

GHOSTBUSTERS III may be getting a little bit closer to reality. According to AICN, Dr. Ray Stantz himself, Dan Aykroyd, offered an update during a Boston Globe chat with fans while promoting a new venue for the House of Blues. When asked about the status of the third film, Aykroyd had the following to say: "Script is commenced early summer. Hope to be in production by late fall 2009."

There's a lot of "if" in that statement, as the film doesn't have an official greenlight yet, though signs currently point to a late 2010 release - IF they're shooting this fall. Lee Eisenberg and Gene Stupnitsky (both writers/producers of NBC's THE OFFICE) are currently penning the GHOSTBUSTERS III screenplay, and serving as Producers on the film, along with Aykroyd as Executive Producer.

Hopeful? Well I am. Screenplay by Eisenberg and Stypnitsky could really refresh the mold and they seem perfect for this project. I have high hopes, though I am under no illusion those hopes could be once again dashed at a moments notice, or concluded in a travesty that no where near lives up to the project potential: stand up and take a bow Indiana Jones...

Could the original Battlestar Galactica be back on track for Earth?

2009-02-21T23:02:00.004+01:00

Could Battlestar Galactica - the original return?

SCI FI Wire seems to think it might - or at least a movie version endorsed in some way by creator Glen A Larson. I for one would be curious. Always been close to my heard (though nothing compared to my pleasure and admiration of the new revival), but with RDM's version finishing, I'd be happy to try - or resample - the vintage brand.

Never a bad show, it did suffer from the politics of those above neutering their potential (for instance, not being too fond of Cylons killing people..). We can hope a return might not carry such ridiculous hinderances.

One minor issue that might plague any rebirth/return of the old show might be the comparisons to the critically acclaimed revival show by Ronald D Moore. Given how Moore's revival suffered such bitter backlash for its differences to the then established ideals of Battlestar Galatica, it will be interesting if those converted to the revival show might harbour similar concerns against the return of the original - which is bound to look for a niche far apart from Moore's baby.

How the tables have turned. But as RDM's show likes to say... it has happened before.. it will happen again. Pertinent... n'est pas?

A good bit of Fan Montage - Millennium style!

2009-02-19T15:33:00.003+01:00

Millennium fan video (RodimusBen)

Well worth watching. I must confess to being quite a fan of, erm, fan montages. Few get it right - the above is a rare exception.

Yes, what a backseat critic I am of this fan genre and I'm about to eulogise. I've made this point before on the net, but hell, I'm going to do so again. I'm not going to attempt to justify my 'right' to offer opinion in an area I don't really pratically venture personally - especially given everyone in this country, nay - world, enjoys the same right of stepping onto a soapbox and explaining how a film/government/society/local park should be run - with no practical experience to back it up.

Either way, I'll leave it to you good people to judge whether I'm being informative or an Arse. Or both, if you prefer. I'll happily accept "neither" as a conclusion to your findings.

Anyhow, injected with syringe full of opinion opiate, here's what I feel hinders many music montages.

1. Many fan montage makers lazily sit their masterpiece in linear edits with clips simply pulled out of the episode in order. Sometimes it would almost be worth just putting the chosen song onto an Ipod and watching the show ourselves. Jazz it up.
2. Don't let clips over-run. Another classic mistake. Clips that run on too long lose their punch.
3. Another grievous error is to spend more effort in matching lyrics to visuals than ensuring the video's edit is tight. It's nice to see some lines synchronize with the visuals, but it's more important the video is interesting, vibrant and well put together.
4. Using cuts with characters involved in dialogue tends to damage the flow of your visuals. The audience should skim like a skipping stone from clip to clip with the music as their wave. As soon as chosen clip has a character - or worse - two characters chatting, you lose the pace. Again, this relates to point 2 - if you've got time to see two people chatting, chances are the clip is too long.
5. Please, please, please, don't let your work be weakened by a predictable choice of music unless your clip has something new to prove with that piece. Avoid Linkin Park, Green Day, Avril Lavine and the wonderful Requiem For A Dream unless you have something new to 'say'! Be inventive.

Certainly this will create more hard work. I hope its as much feedback as it is snippy criticism. Anyone who willingly puts days into a piece of work I respect regardless of the result. This is a generic attack on generic mistakes, nothing personal whatsoever.

I think RodimusBen's raw 5 minute wonder is a fine example of finding a balance between diversity and relevance of clips place superbly to a well chosen piece of music. I hope you enjoy it more than you have this Blog opinion - or "Blop" as it were hereafter be known (and why I did not christen it until the very last sentence.

Red Dwarf is back! And they're older than ever!

2009-02-06T00:49:00.004+01:00

Well I'm quite excited - Red Dwarf is back at Easter (a higher res version of the above photo is available HERE). Even after the lack lustre final eighth season. Despite the Dwarf decline, I've always found any show that resolves on a cliffhanger vaguely annoying. I'd far rather see a show on the roll down slope hit bottom than just disappear over the hill.

That said, the eighth season was terrible. The final episode was the best in fact. I think the show lost a great deal when the Grant Naylor writing team split. Always good to have a spare head to keep you in check (as I'm sure a certain robot would agree).

Best season for me? Well I love one to three still. I think one is a very clever series - and it surprises me how the cast and crew deride it (a bit like how the Blackadder team dislike the original - which to me is a fantastic series). There was an inanity to the character's banile existence which was lost to some extent in season two then utterly from thereon. Rimmer and the garbage pod was a brilliant jape. Me Squared was a simple character study. Nothing happened on Red Dwarf and that made it so enjoyable - bizarrely.

Nevertheless, the following two seasons had their own charm. Season two had some great tales (Queeg being one of the best, a real hyrbid of what Red Dwarf had been and what was to come) and Season three began what Red Dwarf became famous for: tongue in cheek monster/dilemma-of-the-week science fiction.

For me, the show wouldn't find anything near the quality of 1-3 until season six where the show took a risk and propelled the crew from the meander around space of Red Dwarf to the arc drive chase for the same ship in Starbug. A great blend of gags, smart stories and wonderful character moments brought the series to a different level.

So where will this new Red Dwarf take us? Earth apparently, but in what form the drama and comedy will unfold is yet to be seen. Here's hoping the show discovers a new angle to revitalise this classic show.

An oldie, but still disturbs me to this day...

2009-01-30T16:46:00.001+01:00

Mandalorian Dance
by PatrickBoivin

Danger Red-shirt! Danger!

2009-01-12T12:37:00.003+01:00

You can't beat some geeky statistics to fill up the day with the required quota of triviality.

So to begin the morning, why not delve into the statistical chances of survival for a common, everyday Enterprise red-shirt?

The stats aren't quite as horrific as people might imagine - if they devoted the required brain activity to do so. Proportionally high amount of deaths for the red-shirts compared to other departments, though not as many red-shirts as a whole number than I would have thought - if I devoted the required brain activity to do so, of course.

Enjoy you geeks.

So true.

2009-01-03T12:12:00.002+01:00

GRAPHIC NOVEL REVIEW: Black Jack Vol 1

2009-01-01T22:55:00.002+01:00

(Originally Written for Toon Zone News)

Long before House M.D. whipped out his cane there was a maverick doctor who was regularly getting his scalpel wet. Every week in fact, in a serialized manga strip in Weekly Shōnen Champion. The tales continued for a whole decade before leapfrogging to anime in the eighties.

I talk, of course, of the unlicensed skills of Black Jack, in the manga of the same name by manga master Osamu Tezuka. The first compendium of Black Jack short tales has just been released by Vertical.

For those with virgin ears, let me be the first to nurture such naivete into full enlightenment.

Black Jack is an unlicensed surgeon: indisputably the best in the world. His skills are so honed that this doctor can do more than repair a disfigurement or heal a diseased body—his hands can do the truly fantastical. Black Jack can swap brains, limbs and even create bodies for un-housed organs to live in. His fee is high, but he carries a hidden set of scruples. It's not rare to find Black Jack slyly working for a fee far less than he would usually claim.

Osamu Tezuka is considered one of the original masters of manga, and rightly so. His hand and mind were behind such greats as Astro Boy, Kimba, and my personal favorite, Ode to Kirihito. He is a master of stylish, well-paced visual narratives. Perhaps his mastery lies in that rare art in creating truly timeless tales. In all his tales I have read, I never feel their age. Black Jack began in 1973, thirty-five years ago, and you couldn’t tell it by looking at it.

Black Jack: Volume One contains twelve black and white short stories, each as fascinating and perfect as the last, neatly bound in a uniquely conceptualized and stylish exterior. The tales are simple and effective. Medical fact and heightened fantasy are neatly sewn together by a rich skin of solid storytelling. The stories are diverse, never compelled to remain focused on the lead character, and always ready to push the boundaries. One of the most truly bizarre tales, "U18-Knew," has Black Jack having to play surgeon to a medical computer. Nearly four decades of technology later, somehow the tale still works.

Favorite tales? The well-crafted and subtle "The Legs of an Ant" documents the inspiring struggle of a polio-riddled boy attempting to overcome his disability and follow a legend’s marathon pilgrimage from Hiroshima to Osaka on foot. "Two Loves" is a bizarre tale of how one sushi maker has to overcome the loss of his arms to make his mother the best sushi meal ever. Strangely, the tales are rarely bleak despite their subject matter. Tezuka never lets the story simply focus on the tragedy of ailments, but uses them as a catalyst for his plot. As always, his story resolutions are rarely perfectly happy endings, but they lean toward being bittersweet rather than dark or depressing.

His artwork for this volume is an interesting blend of comic and literal renders. It's not quite as mind-blowing as his work for the likes of Apollo’s Song or Ode to Kirihito, but it keeps the short stories flowing.

Any criticisms? Well as timeless as Black Jack is, there will be occasions where-well seasoned readers will see where the stories are going. Thirty-five years of comics is going to tune the reader to the tricks of the comic trade far quicker than in 1973. That said, even if the reader does manage to make the occasional leap ahead of the story, it never spoils Tezuka's craft.

Black Jack is the epitome of the perfect manga, taking a rich understanding of fantasy and mixing it skillfully with the illusion of real medicine. It is crafty, inspiring and humorous. Black Jack is a tome that should be a mandatory inclusion on any comic lover’s bookshelf. Make a surgical incision into your wallet and donate some financial plasma in the name of the infamous Black Jack.

Happy New Year from James

2008-12-30T00:39:00.004+01:00

Hope Christmas was enjoyable and New Year proves eventful in a positive manner. Of course it brings up that ugly, ugly question of New Years Resolutions. Personally, my humbug Christmas attitude extends to New Years. I don't like going out on New Year (it's too much hassle to sort out and ultimately a let down) and I don't like trying to make character changes on the basis of, well, social tradition. I like my character evolution to be a little more flexible thanks.

That being said, I need to make sure I follow through with a few strict codes. First and foremost, sort out that bloody tax return. Second, sort out some sample illustrations I've been promising a potential client. Good lord, I've been putting that one off, simply through workload. Well, not just workload, work-style. Over the past few months, aside from a couple of commissions, I've been largely computer based in my art work - working on in-game material. When you get into that mode of working, going back to the pencil is hard. Really hard. One of those commissions I did while working on the video games wasn't a hard project in theory - I'd even worked for the people in question before doing the same stuff, but after time away from a drawing board, boy was it hard to do. So yeah, call it a "new years resolution" or a prompt "kick up the arse", but there is one piece of work I have to get started otherwise the client will look elsewhere and my bank account will suffer. Third, I need to finish the reviews for Toon Zone. A book review and a DVD review, both of which I've been back-burnering the last few months. Simply because I've been too tired between the illustration, art department and of course BacktoFrankBlack. But I will do it. This week.

Reflectively, I think New Year Resolutions are a great way to give yourself a posterior bat back into gear on specific jobs, but as anything that's meant to last the year - best get a shrink dear boy.

To finish off, a video montage of one of my favourite franchises - Final Fantasy 7 - to one of my favourite songs, Evil by Interpol.

Happy New Year.

James interviewed by X-Files News.com

2008-12-14T23:02:00.005+01:00

,James is interviewed for his work at BacktoFrankBlack.com by X-Files News - a FOX endorsed X-Files news site.

Enough of the third person, I was interviewed. It was fun and I must say the staff are splendid. Please support the site whenever you can if you have any Philes blood within you.

"..James Mclean and Kimon, as we know them, describe this campaign as a different and unusual one, “…as it's not really about fans demanding the return of a TV series, or even the main character, but looking to support the interest of Mr Carter, Mr Spotnitz and Frank Black himself, Lance Henriksen - all of which have cited their interest in returning to Frank Black and Millennium in the past year.” In their own words, is this a campaign to support a campaign?

They explain that this movement surfaced recently, and when the guys approached Frank Spotnitz about it he wouldn’t be any more forthcoming but yet realistic: "It’s something we would definitely be interested in, but it’s going to take a massive appeal by fans to get it up." James adds: “we are looking to bring the fans together and create a platform of support based on the actors and producers eagerness to bring it back...”

Click here to read the full interview.

McLean interviews Lance Henriksen!

2008-12-13T02:07:00.004+01:00

Little old me got the opportunity to have a phone interview with horror/sci-fi actor Lance Henriksen for BacktoFrankBlack.com. Read the first part of this interview!

I must say it was a delight and Lance was enthusiastic to talk about the campaign to return his character Frank Black to a screen near you. We chatted for nearly an hour - a fascinating man, as I hope the interview will prove.

What I found fascinating was just how difference Lance is to Frank Black and in someways so similar. They are both devoted to their art - Lance works hard on his characters as Frank does on his cases. I feel there are some similar perspectives in ideology too, but the candor and intonation of Lance is utterly different to Frank Black. Goes without saying that a good actor should be different from the persona he plays, but with Lance you really feel he explores the character and finds routes to discover that character that aren't supported by his own attitudes. In the interview, Lance quoted a line from Frank. Now, I won't pretend I'm the world's authority on Millennium, but I've seen the whole show and enjoy it thoroughly (enough to fight for its future I guess!), but I didn't recognize the quote! It wasn't until later when I played it back in my head I got it. It was the intonation. Frank and Lance may share the same voice, but the way he generates "Frank" is utterly different to how Lance speaks. So much so, the quote felt alien from Lance even though it was a quote from Frank. If you see.

Well there you go, a little waffle to plug the interview. Lovely guy - and eager to contribute to the campaign. Enjoy.

REVIEW: Afterlife - Tony Attwood

2008-11-12T19:20:00.004+01:00

Blake's 7 - Afterlife: Tony Attwood

A purchase on Amazon Marketplace. I'd heard nothing but wonderful things being said about this book, well, wonderfully derisive - well, derisive. In fact, I've not really read a singular wonderful thing about Blake's 7 - Afterlife
, so when I saw it for around four earth pounds, I decided to give it a go.

Is it bad? Not as bad as people attest. Is it flawed? You betcha, but the flaws are forgivable.

I think anyone interested in being blusteringly negative about Blake's 7 - Afterlife
needs to read Attwood's remarks before hand. He explains the background to the book and the problems it suffered.

A quick recap: Afterlife is the written, official follow-up to Blake's 7, a British sci-fi series that ran for four years between 1977 and 1981. It was a weird fusion of Robin Hood, The Dirty Dozen, 1984 and Christmas Pantomine. The finale episode was in fact broadcast before Christmas and had the entire band of freedom fighters/terrorists (take your pick) exterminated.

Afterlife was written by Attwood (who had written the Blake's 7 Programme Guide) based on a suggestion by creator Terry Nation's agent. The story was written on an agreed set of provisos that Attwood and Nation could agree upon:

	The episodes should be such that if only one or two were required in the making of the series, that would still work in terms of TV.
	The book would not resolve everything, thus leaving the door open to yet more TV, or if that was not forthcoming, a second novel.
	The project must use the name Blake's 7, and there must be a clear justification for the name Blake's 7 somewhere within the novel.
	The story would centre on Avon and Vila ("one man and his dog" as Paul Darrow said) but would have pop-in appearances by other characters, so that if there was a TV series and they were used in that, the book would not be too contradictory in relation to the series. The appearance of the characters would also serve to remind occasional viewers about the story thus far.
	There had to be a super wonderful amazing spaceship somewhere in the story.
	Since we were focussing on Avon and Vila we needed to incorporate a bit more background on at least one of them - and if we went into two novels, on both of them.

All of which will mean nothing if you've not seen Blake's 7 - so why are you reading this entry?

Anyhow, through issues, politics and the ilk, the book was published, but the notion of a series of books never came to fruition, meaning that the open ending that was agreed left the book - and Blake's 7 ultimately unfinished.

However the biggest problem with Afterlife isn't the ending - fairly unsatisfying as it is (given there was no follow-up as planned). Nor is it the "death" of one of the major heroes (which in the context of one book seems superfluous, but I suspect it would have proved a more revelant event if book two had gone ahead). The biggest problem is that it doesn't entirely feel Blake's 7.

There is a similar problem in one of the other spin-off stories that came after the series - two audio plays by Doctor Who writer/producer Barry Letts that were released by the BBC a few years back suffered just like Afterlife. Like these plays, Afterlife doesn't feel like Blake's 7, rather like Doctor Who. In Afterlife, we have dimension jumps and weird planets that feel like Doctor Who. What's more, these inclusions don't even feel that relevant to the real essense of the book. One feels if they had not been included and the plot had been sewn together in a different way, the book would have been better, even good.

Yes, Afterlife could have been really good. There are some nice ideas in there. I like the idea Avon would look at destroying the Federation by causing economic devastation. I even buy the idea that Servalan would cause a civil war to return to power. Even the idea of MIND isn't too bad. But there are two many awkward elements in there to allow these strong ideas to really bear fruit.

Okay, let's take negative alley in one go.

First off, I don't buy the notion that Avon despised Blake as he does in Afterlife - I think Blake and Avon's relationship was decidedly love/hate. I think even during Star One, the point where Attwood suggests Avon saw Blake as nothing but a terrorist, there was still respect there, there was still some form of kinship - look at the last scene between Avon and Blake for that chemistry. Furthermore, Terminal is far more than Avon turning to Blake for his mysterious greedy prize - again the finale scenes show there is a far greater connection even if it is an abrasive one. Avon followed Blake to the end, in series 4 his crusade mimiced Blake's and head writer Boucher has always said he saw Avon going the way of Blake if he had surived the final shoot-out. This may seem like a petty gripe, but given the drama of Avon's murder of Blake in the final episode very much hinges on the importance of Blake to Avon, to rewrite Avon so coldly takes from the finale.

Secondly, Orac and his bizarre brother. Yes the computer had a younger sibling so to speak, which appeared to play no role in the story. Now again, maybe this would have changed in the follow up, but that never happened, so its hard to say.

Third, Avon doesn't sound like Avon. Quite often the writing just isn't sharp enough. To be fair, Avon is hard to write for, and I think under such tough deadlines as Attwood had, one can forgive him, but given he's the lead, it does spoil the enjoyment somewhat.

Forth, as mentioned too many of the scenarios and new characters feel uncharacteristic for Blake's 7. But I've been through that, so let's not go there again.

Fifth, the ending does feel a disappointment. Far too open ended reterospectively. At least Blake closed the book.

Sixth - some terrible typos in there. Where was the editor?

and of course, seventh... MIND is introduced in a manner that implies it was something the reader should know about. Sure, it's explained in the last few pages, but 150 pages of wondering if you've missed something is a little too much.

Given I've just attacked it so, well, derisively maybe, I should throw a counter up.

First, Vila is well written. Okay, he's a little too dumb at times - given the show often implied that he was often smart enough to play dumb, but the book does suggest his dumb routine has become a second nature, so that's a good enough justification for me. And apart from that, he's written perfectly.

Secondly, Tarrant - who has a cameo - is also brilliantly written.

Third, I actually quite like the idea of MIND's involvement in clearing Gauda Prime even if I don't like the idea of it interfering with the final scene of Blake specifically. It's novel, it works. Personally I've always felt it could be more simple - that we hear several gunshots to kill one man at point blank. You could argue some unseen attackers entered the fray - given the idea that the troops were all excessive shooting a single dead body seems a little too much for an unknown man (there was no indication they knew who Avon was) who hadn't even wounded one of their own.

Forth, I thought Servalan worked and I did like the idea of her civil war. I also agree with Attwood that she had long outserved her purpose. Though quite why he set up another character almost utterly identical was beyond me..

Five, the use of Terminal worked for me too - I wasn't expecting it and some of the postulations to the "planet" it offered made more sense that Servalan's cheesy revelation in the episode of the same name.

Six, Korell was a good character, a little like Soolin, or perhaps more like Soolin than Soolin was portrayed.

Seven, it was an easy unpretentious read and ultimately Blake's 7.

So there you go. Spoilers over. Not a terrible book, but it didn't quite hit the nail for me and I appreciate that many of the excuses Mr Attwood has offered have validity. In any regards, whose to really attack a man who loves Blake's 7 equally? Who has certainly done his researach. His view is as valid.

If Afterlife doesn't totally appeal (and as Mr Attwood has said, he'd love to rewrite it as he's not happy with it as a novel or a dead-end of his projected series), then I recommend Logic of the Empire, a fan made audio play that is not, unfortunately, out of publication but has been novelised online. This play starred the original actors and is very, very good. You can read it here.

So don't be too hard on Mr Attwood. Given the pressures, politics and strife of a tie-in media, the deadlines and the failure to get the sequel out to complete the story, it's a fun Blake's 7 book. And of course, as people forget, it was written with the creator's blessing (Mr Nation) and released through the BBC, so like it or not, technically, it is canon. That of course doesn't mean you should love it (I hate the episode Animals, and it's very much canon), but I think Afterlife is often kicked aside as people an unofficial pointless waste of time. Well, regardless of whether it is a waste of time, it is official. Deal with it fans.

Like the dodgy audio plays by Barry Letts, The Sevenfold Crown and the Syndeton Experiment, Blake's 7 - Afterlife
is imperfect, but it's still Blake's 7. That alone makes it worthwhile inclusion on my bookshelf!

McLean is busy right now - please leave a message.

2008-11-11T12:40:00.003+01:00

A short but sweet update.

Been a little busy of late. Those smart stalkers out there will realise a lot of spare time has been ploughed into www.backtofrankblack.com, and beyond that, it's been work. Two video game projects on the go, plus what seems to be a regular entourage of illustration projects. All good for the wallet, not so good for Myspace blogs and the ilk.

Other things that have suffered is a comic submission/possible Stripped Bare follow up that I'm working on with Paul L Mathews which since August has been in limbo beneath workload and my own book which completed its second full 110,000 word draft has taken a backstep. As has my piano work. All very disappointing backburnering.

The M.A.S.K volume 2 is on its way to being completed, with the cover artwork near enough completed, waiting for the final pass. The image on this article is a piece of reference I was using - which happened to be a book I had when I was at school in the 80s. I bought it from the book club and it had a glowing hologram on the front that I still remember vividly. Ah happy days. Where was I? Oh yes - books. Quarry Grove book 2 is being pushed towards new publishers as we speak.

On the writing front, I'll import a couple more reviews I did for Toon Zone in the past few months. Waiting on the next selection of screeners, which given the aforementioned busy period, a delay is a good thing...

So there you go. Of course, this won't last - it never does. Like an actor, you can be filled to the brim for a few months and then a little quiet for a couple more. When it goes quiet, expect more updates. Promise. :)

Zone Horror UK promotes BacktoFRANKBLACK!

2008-10-27T10:43:00.004+01:00

Millennium and Frank Black are a personal favourite of mine, so excuse me as I add this little plug for the campaign to bring the lead character, Frank Black, back!

UK Horror has run an article about the BacktoFRANKBLACK campaign!

Millennium (which is being shown daily here on Zone Horror at 20:00) lasted three seasons but the main character, Frank Black returned briefly in an episode of The X-Files (episode 4 of series 7 fact fans!). More recently, creator Chris Carter and lead actor, Lance Henriksen have stated their interest in bringing Frank Black back. In Millennium producer/writer Frank Spotnitz’ words, “It’s something we would definitely interested in… but its going to take a massive appeal by fans to get it up!”

So it comes as no surprise to learn that a website has been created to petition and ask for Frank Black’s return, in any shape or form....

To read more, click here.

To discuss the article or leave comment, go the Zone Horror's forums or contact them directly here."

Bring Back Frank Black!

2008-10-13T01:37:00.003+01:00

BacktoFrankBlack.com

Bring back the best Criminal Profiler on television. Sign their petition, write a letter to Fox - Lance wants him back, so does Frank Spotniz and Chris Carter. Speak up for a good cause!

REVIEW: South Park Still Has Its Sparkle!

2008-08-24T00:10:00.004+01:00

[ARTICLE written for Toon Zone News - 08-18-2008]

There are some laws you should never try to break. No man should try going faster than light; no dog should be for Christmas. And, of course, no show should continue past a seventh season and attempt to maintain credibility.

But oh no, as with all rules, there has to be one defiant exception; there has to be one pugnacious chap who stands in the corner and refuses to conform to social expectations.

And you can’t really get more defiant or pugnacious than South Park, Comedy Central’s long-running series, which has just had its eleventh season box set released.

For those who have just stepped out of a time capsule from the year 1996, South Park is an award-winning, enigmatic animation comedy that fuses scatological hijinks with clever sociological quandaries, all played out on a smug bed of dramatic pastiche. It stars four young eight-year-old school kids who live in the small snow-coated town of South Park. Beyond this basic premise, everything is very much up for grabs, and anything in our global civilization is a target for mockery.

I must confess it’s a show I’ve always had mixed feelings about. I’ve never been a particular fan of shows that try shock or gross-out tactics. South Park, however, comes with an undercurrent of clever and devious writing that counterpoints the often simple shock value.

Season Eleven is no different. Each episode is sick, topical and surprisingly smart. You may not find all of their aspects funny, and you may not agree with the social commentary, but you can’t deny it's a very clever package that is a great deal deeper than most media outlets would like to presume.

If humor is subjective, South Park is doubly so. As creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone say on the mini-commentary for "More Crap," the episode you’ll probably either love or loathe, some humor you either get or you don’t. In this specific episode Randy’s need to "win" the title of largest defecation ever was not something I found shocking or funny—but I did find how the show used this simple story to send up Bono from U2. Quite often with South Park, if you get past the gross-out factor you'll find a well crafted idea lurking behind it, and this is certainly true throughout season eleven.

Perhaps season eleven's biggest blessing (or curse if you bought it on the standalone DVD) is "ImaginationLand," a three-part story that with its abundance of humorous fantasy pop-icons, smart pseudo-philosophy on the importance of imagination, and usual deluge of silly, sick antics, attains a near-perfect equilibrium.

And the duds? Well for me, South Park fails when it over-focuses on its pop-culture send up. The 24-inspired episode "The Snuke" is just a little too focused on its subject matter to carry its usual dynamic energy, and some of the gags are a little routine for South Park. (Hillary Clinton is yet another female celebrity in South Park to have her genitalia as the gag?) That said, it has a great final Cartman scene that very much twists any sensible message the show was offering. "D-Yikes" again is an episode that falls a little flat, spending too much time mocking 300 than in delivering the gags.

But overall, it's a good season offering all the usual kinds of South Park stuff that I’ve come to enjoy over the last eleven years.

The DVD set is a simple yet effective affair. The box set is neatly packaged and the interactive menus aren’t overtly invasive. Less successful are the ten-minute mini-commentaries that Trey and Matt offer on each episode. On one hand, it’s nice to have concise commentaries devoid of pointless waffle; on the other hand, Trey and Matt are interesting, funny and extremely relevant to the show’s production. Bottom line: the commentaries are very tasty but too short.

I’m a little surprised and perhaps a tad irritated that South Park could remain so good for so long. A show I once predicted to be a passing fad has managed to remain fresh, relevant and, most importantly, funny. I’m not sure how they manage to do it, but I don’t see any real loss of quality in this South Park nugget.

As perceptive as it is childish, South Park is content to stride confidently onward: smirking, farting and ridiculing the world around it, while remaining as ugly and pugnacious as ever.

Late Summer Muse

2008-08-23T23:46:00.006+01:00

Just some "life" updates to fill that lifeless void of a blogsphere....

August has been a fairly busy month. Beyond some major changes in my personal life, its been an eclectic period.

Several gigs doing some very diverse conceptual video game design has kept me busy (and in pocket), as has the beginning the thumbs and roughs for the next M.A.S.K DVD. On top of that I've been ironing out the kinks in a local authors story pitch adding a few illustrations and continuing the second draft of my own novel. Whether my own fictional muse will prove any good, time will tell.. though funnily enough, my own ye olde "just for fun" effort that I did when I was a student, DKA, is being translated into German for a second time. Go figure. Sometimes those shadows are difficult to shrug off.. particularly shadows of a particular Bat...

Continuing to tour with Clive Tandy on those book signings for Quarry Grove. Trafford Centre last week, Wigan today and Omskirk at the beginning of September. Those signings are looking to become events in September (Southport Waterstones is booked as an interactive event) and some libraries will be hosting us as well - if all goes well.

Funnily enough, we were asked today to choose a favourite book for the Waterstones to use as a recommendation. That sent me spinning - which book? Given the work I've been doing has been with kids, I figured a kids book would be best.. so I went with Fantastic Mr Fox! I remember being read that when I was at primary school in Chigwell, Essex. Dahl's description of the succulent food always made me hungry - the book was always read by the teacher just before home time, so it was a great appetiser for the dinner time meal. As I recall, Clive recommended the Artists & Writers Yearbook - a sound choice for any aspiring writer/artist.

Other than that, myself and Clive have finished Quarry Grove book 2 this month, which we're looking to pitch at a larger publisher. In fact, Book 2 has been a lot of fun - more than working on number one. The pictures are more exciting and vibrant (I've done framed pictures for number two rather than spot illustrations) and I've co-written the final product based on Clive's initial draft. I'm very happy with the end product.

Quarry Grove has been an enjoyable project for the past couple of years. As an illustrator, you tend to get clients commission you for parts of a larger project that you have no artistic control over. You do a book, you get your cheque, you move on. You do a series of storyboards, you get your cheque you move on. Etc. But Quarry Grove has been a project I've been able to work with a partner from the ground up. And with surprisingly good feedback it has lead to school workshops, book signings and interactive events. So while I won't pretend it pays brilliantly compared to client work, it has been a lot of fun and a real learning experience!

There was also a South Park review for a Season 11 DVD screener. I'll post that later!

INTERVIEW: Dan Davis speaks to James about Captain Luck! Part Two

2008-07-24T17:56:00.006+01:00

[Interview originally conducted for Cartoons Dammit! Superblog 22.5.08]

JAMES MCLEAN: What research did you do to generate such a classic comic strip template for Captain Luck?

DAN DAVIS: Well a lot of it is just ingrained up in my head from years of reading strips and comic strip reprints. I've kind of absorbed the story pacing of a daily comic strip and it seemed natural to write Captain Luck that way.

I did analyze a few styles in particular including Tintin, Terry, Annie, Dick Tracy, Captain Easy and Alley Oop. I wanted Captain Luck to kind of slot in there on the funny pages with a familiar yet new look. In particular I wanted to use "cartoon eyes" for Cap and Wink to ground them firmly in that comic strip tradition and it seems to be one of the first things people notice.

MCLEAN: How did you approach the design of the characters?

DAVIS: I wanted Cap to be the hero type, but with a little bit of a tussled hair look. He's a good guy who might get knocked down on his seat at times, but will figure out a way to win in the end. Wink's the nervous tech guy, a little smarter with that stuff than Cap is but Cap's got him beat on practical horse sense. They work well together.

MCLEAN: Your website features a video that shows Dan Davis hard at work on an entirely digital set-up! Can you give us a little technical detail to your new digital entourage of tools?

DAVIS: I had been sliding towards digital for the last 5 or 6 years and went all digital with a Wacom tablet about two years ago. But recently I was able to get a Cintiq drawing monitor and can draw right on the screen. It really feels like drawing on paper now, more than when I used a tablet, and I'm completely happy with it, except I don't have any more original art (sigh).

MCLEAN: I notice on the video you are left handed - did that ever cause any problems with smudging before going digital?

DAVIS: I would adjust on paper by inking the right side of the page first and as most inkers do working on two or three pages at a time to let ink dry. Because you're constantly rotating the page around I think it's about the same as working right handed and both ways can result in smudges and accidents.

But early on I learned Milt Caniff drew left handed, so I never worried about it after that!

MCLEAN: How long does it take you to finish a single news strip page for Captain Luck, and has switching to digital decreased the time it takes to finish a piece of art?

DAVIS: Digital is definitely faster. No erasing and filling in blacks and corrections are a breeze! A Captain Luck page takes me about 2 days which is really a good chunk of my work week, but I'm expecting it to go faster as I do more of them (Subtle hint to vote for Captain Luck to see more!).

MCLEAN: What problems have you suffered with digital? Are there any cons?

DAVIS: As I mentioned, no more original art. In every other way it has been perfect for me.

MCLEAN: Do you think more comic artists will be following your footsteps to an entirely digital set-up?

DAVIS: I hear from guys everyday who want to get a Cintiq and are close to taking the plunge so I expect they'll become much more common. And I expect like all tech stuff the prices will drop. I should be a salesman for them!

MCLEAN: Who's sexier, Rita Castro from the Captain Luck or Supergirl?

DAVIS: Rita of course, she has a bit of the bad girl in her!

Thanks Dan!

INTERVIEW: Dan Davis speaks to James about Captain Luck! Part One

2008-07-24T17:17:00.008+01:00

[Article originally published for Toon Zone News 24.5.08]

Dan Davis is a professional artist working as a penciller and inker for many mainstream titles. He has worked on Justice League, The Batman Strikes!, and Green Arrow. He's currently working on The Simpsons comic, Samurai Jack, a new DC mini-series called Family Dynamic with J. Torres and Tim Levins, and the Harry Potter 6 coloring books.

Dan is also writing and illustrating a brand new comic strip of his own design called Captain Luck starring Captain Luck and his sidekick Wink Goodwin. You can view this comic for free at Zuda.com and vote for it in the current competition that closes on May 31, 2008.

MCLEAN: You have a new comic strip at Zuda.com called Captain Luck - what can you tell us about this story?

DAN DAVIS: Captain Luck is about two treasure hunters who live in the Bermuda Triangle. With the Triangle as a setting you can be sure they'll get mixed up with all the mysteries that the region is known for, like disappearing ships, UFOs, weird lights and sightings under the water, and strange electromagnetic forces. Maybe even time travel and ghost pirates and of course sunken ships, treasure, and ancient mystical relics!

MCLEAN:With the Bermuda Triangle featuring so prominently in Captain Luck, would you have a personal interest in mysterious phenomena?

DAVIS: Yes, I've followed that for years and kind of enjoy the unsolvable mysteries of paranormal phenomena. Is there anything to them? Will we ever be able to prove any of it? I was always reading books about UFOs and strange mysterious places and powers and still catch a lot of those types of shows on cable. And the thing is, I'm somewhat of a skeptic, but I'm always kind of hoping we'll get proof someday and solve some of these mysteries. My personal theory is that there is science out there that we just don't understand yet. And I know that it all makes for great jumping off points for good exciting stories.

MCLEAN: How did Captain Luck come about? What were your inspirations beyond the tale—there seems to be a rather retro vibe in both the framing of the story and the artwork.

DAVIS: I tried to give it a classic comic strip adventure feel, mixed with a cartoony style like the old Sunday comics used to have more of, yet set in modern times. I always wanted to have my own strip, so I set it up kind of like a weekly Sunday comic page so that each page has a beginning, middle, and gag or cliffhanger at the end of the page, yet still advances the story. I think of it as kind of a Terry and the Pirates meet the X-Files by way of Tintin!

MCLEAN: Did you ever have a personal favorite news strip feature?

DAVIS: Loved Alley Oop as a kid. A time traveling caveman with a dinosaur! What's not to love? V.T. Hamlin sent me an original strip in answer to my fan letter and I was hooked on comics! I just devoured all comic strips and later comic books. Too many favorites to name them all.

MCLEAN: Captain Luck is running as part of a webcomic competition hosted by DC's Zuda.com website. Do you enjoy the competitive edge that audience polling brings?

DAVIS: That's a new experience for me. I like the feedback and comments, since I'm usually kind of isolated working alone in my studio, but I wish all the strips could just have a place to present their full stories without the added stress of will they or won't they win the race they're in and get to continue. It may be a way to build interest and involve the readers in the strips though, so that part's good! I've had a lot of great comments, but of course it all comes down to votes and we're going to need every one of them to win, so I hope everyone will stop by check out the strip and hopefully take the time to vote for Captain Luck so I can continue on!

MCLEAN: What made you choose to run Captain Luck as a webcomic?

DAVIS: Adventure strips don't seem to be viable anymore in the Sunday comics, but on the web you can take advantage of all the space and color you want and build an audience that can easily return to follow a story. Webcomics are growing and I wanted to jump in.

MCLEAN: There has always been a question about commercial viability in webcomics. How do you see webcomics finding a place within the comic industry? Is its role more of a showcase for new material or does it have monetary value for creators and the industry?

DAVIS: Zuda sounded like a good step in the right direction, and when I heard about it I thought it might be right for me. It sounded akin to the comic strip syndicates, and since Zuda.com was backed by DC I thought I'd try it. As to the future, I'm sure comics will eventually find themselves making money on the web. It's all going digital and I'm hopeful more publishers will set up sites and use comics to attract readers to those sites just as newspapers did.

MCLEAN: How different is it to be in total control of a comic rather than part of a team effort?

DAVIS: I've enjoyed collaborating, but who doesn't like total control? It's just more satisfying to see something through from idea to the final coloring. And I can rewrite even as I'm lettering and move things around for last minute ideas or to make things more pleasing to the eye, so I think you end up with a better product.

MCLEAN: And somehow you're finding time to work on Captain Luck along side your other commitments? You are doing a lot of work for DC at the moment. How hard is it juggling these various titles and the stylistic requirements from each?

DAVIS: I'm used to the juggling by now. At times I've been the inker on series, and that's about all you have time for, but I truly enjoy the variety of work I'm getting, and bouncing back and forth between styles keeps me from getting bored! I stay busy, but I'll be more than happy to squeeze in some more time for Captain Luck! I've only got to draw the first part of the adventure and I want to see how it all comes out!

MCLEAN: Your website www.dandavisart.com showcases a video of yourself at work as an entirely digital artist. When did this change in approach to your art come about and how difficult was the transition?

DAVIS: I taught myself first by doing some digital coloring with a mouse of my own scanned-in art and then later getting a Wacom tablet for that. Once I was holding a pen it was natural to try to ink and draw. Some things though were still coming out better on paper so I inked half the page on paper and then scanned in the pages and finished them on my computer. Then as software improved I was able to go all digital about two years ago. The Cintiq was the last piece in the puzzle for me. With a tablet there's a bit of a disconnect between drawing on the desk and looking up at a monitor where your art "appears", but with the Cintiq I can draw right on the monitor, and it has a feel of pen and paper that is quite remarkable as to how sensitive and accurate it can be.

MCLEAN: You're penciling and inking some more Samurai Jack. Are you a cartoon fan? Did you watch Jack before getting the gig drawing him?

DAVIS: Yeah, I'm a cartoon fan and of Samurai Jack in particular. It was one of my favorites and I was always impressed with the designs and tone of the series. So when they asked if I'd want to draw some, I jumped through the phone and grabbed it! It delivers what I've always believed is possible, fast action stories with a cartoon style! That's what I hope to do with Captain Luck.

MCLEAN: Wink Goodwin is a classic name! What's Wink short for—and should I name any future children after him?

DAVIS: You could if you want him to be able to bask in the glow of being named after a popular movie character when they make the Captain Luck movie in about 10 years! I have a back story as to how he got the name, but I think I'll save it for the strip. Glad you like it!

(Competition is now closed).

PART TWO TO COME!

M.A.S.K Volume 2 confirmed!

2008-07-10T11:29:00.003+01:00

After a long wait, the UK region 2 DVD of M.A.S.K is almost confirmed as a go! This DVD will carry the remainder of season one and the short lived season 2.

I'll be doing the cover, interior artwork and there is some talk (but nothing definite) of a special feature that might involve yours truly. All is subject to the usual gremlins that can change, bugger or halt the release of a product. Should be looking at starting work soon on the title!

When the final definitive 'yes' comes through, I'll let you know!

Doctor Who Trailer Maker and the art of Fan Video Montages!

2008-07-10T10:52:00.005+01:00

Just for the sake of irrelevancy, I've been enjoying the Doctor Who Trailer Maker (UK only). A sort of Flash Imovie variant that allows you to compile preselected clips, sound FX and music together into one 30 second piece.

It's a great little way to pass.. well, a few hours. I've always been big into editing. I did music editing/production at college, produced a single and even heck, I still still cut and remix music tracks on the old laptop. Even in less technical mediums, I enjoy the editing process. I've been working on a script for a Quarry Grove animated proposal as well working with the author supplying additional material to his second book. I love editing - its a fascinating process. In the book I'm writing part of the satisfaction comes from the swap, cuts and changes that comes in the post edit of a chapter.

So this little Doctor Who Trailer Maker has got me spellbound. Sure, I could make my own with far less bugs on Imovie, but that requires the tedious research of clip compiling. No, what I love is editing - choosing from required clips, searching for the most appropriate cuts and splicing in synchronization to a score. The Trailer Maker allows you to do that, albeit with a few glitches.

First off - as you'll see on the following links (UKers only unfortunately), a couple of plays will give you slightly different transition points - this makes it very hard to make a tight edit. When I had finished and saved the trailers, I found that the more smoother playback option (only available once saved and dusted) revealed hiccups that were not present in the suite. One of the trailer maker's good points is it does allow you to - with a little difficulty - manipulate what elements of a given clip you use. Problem is, the suite doesn't make the cuts very clear so on final playback you see a hint of a pre-directed cut within in a clip that was never in your suite playback. The second clip has a couple of instances of this - watch out for the slight glitch in the "Blink" segment.

Another problem that presented itself in the second clip is memory capacity. The trailer maker only has a limited memory size, and with the second clip running fast cuts to the pushes in Gold's score, it counts those mere seconds as full clips. Therefore you find your trailer is so crammed, gremlins start taking control - in particlar, loss of sound! And after a few hours your final clean up gets somewhat marred in your efforts to hear the music that accompanies your clip! Makes it very hard to touch up those transitions!

My other grumble is the lack of non-talking clips, and the different sound quality in clips with sound. The latter problem informs the former; when the sound levels vary, you need to look at nulling the audio on the clips (which Trailer Maker allows you to do), of course this creates a problem in what clips you can have. How so? Well, it's an issue that so many fan video montages fail to understand - if you are running a silent montage to music, DO NOT use clips with people talking. It's sloppy, distracting and immediately looks amateurish. But when a great deal of the available clips have a great a deal of chat - especially the primary Doctor sourced material, it makes it hard to create a decent cut.

But overall, it's a fun piece of Flash software that shouldn't be taken seriously. It would be great to be able to easily adjust and tighten your selective choices, but it really is a resilient program to anal perfection.

So anyway, here's my two attempts. They aren't brilliant - more thanks to the choices at hand and the buggy nature of Trailer Maker - oh, and the fact I'm not a professional, just an over-enthusiastic home video editor with a sheer love of splicing!

Before I finish, here are my 5 pieces of advice to those who enjoy the thrill of making homage montage for their favourite show!

1. Keep your clips short: I see this so much on Youtube, fan videos which just let clips roll on and on and on, letting the production crew behind the clips do the editing work rather than the fan! Don't be lazy and don't let the clips you are montaging do all the cut work.

2. Don't use clips of characters conversing, unless the audio is present. It looks unprofessional, distracting and plain weird.

3. Don't do chronological. Nothing is worse than watching a montage which is an episode from beginning to end - to music. Be creative, look at how the music can work with the clip to invoke its own special relevance!

4. While it's great to link clips to particular lines in songs, don't over-rely on this technique. Music is an evocative medium, sometimes far more than the lyrics themselves, don't allow yourself be dragged down in making a video too focused on complimenting the lyrics - go a step further and see if it can match the mood as well!

5. Try using music other people do not. Popular scores/pop songs that have had serious over-use include Requiem For a Dream, virtually everything by Linkin Park and Green Day, or that famous song by Evanescence. Especially avoid Linkin Park with Final Fantasy - it's been done to death.

Anyway, here are my sloppy, buggy Doctor Who Trailer edits. Try and enjoy!

Trailer One (done a few months back)

Trailer Two (done yesterday!)

Hilarious.

2008-07-02T18:51:00.001+01:00

All voice work sampled from James Earl Jones. Too much time on some people's hands - but I'm glad they have, as this is brilliant.

REVIEW: New Frontier

2008-03-29T01:35:00.006+01:00

I must confess I've not seen any of the DC Animated Universe since the demise of Justice League: Unlimited, and I'm glad that New Frontier was my first.

A 75 minute DVD adaptation of Dawyn Cooke's epic graphic novel retelling of DC Comic's Golden Age of Superheroes, New Frontier is an interesting retrospective into that said golden age, and the New Frontier story itself.

To fit into 75 minutes, the original narrative driven tale has had to be resized to fit an animated format. One of the pleasures of watching this film for any comic or film enthusiast is indulging in comparisons; just how the film structures its tale compared to the original comic book - what has been sacrificed and why? For many, it is easy to feel disgruntled by the loss of their favourite original material, but that frustration can be reborn into analysis - why was the opening adventure on reptile island removed from the story? What was the motivation of these professional writers and storymakers. Get a few fellow geeks in a room and an evening can be enjoyed sipping root beer and discussing the merits of these cinematic choices.

And of course, if you can't find the answers you require, there are two commentaries on the single disk edition to help you on your quest.

Of course the problem for New Frontier, is that one audience - the aforementioned one - knows too much, and the other - those unconverted by the graphic novel - are struggling to put names to faces as well as follow the plotting of events. And in 75 minutes there is a lot of condensing.

But it's good stuff. The voice artists are great (about time Lucy Lawless got a chance at Wonder Woman) and the fusion of producer Bruce Timm's animated DC style and Cooke's designs blend flawlessly. The story can sometimes be a little sickly in the patriotic department, so international comic and cartoon buffs beware, but then if you've read New Frontier, you are probably already clued into the themes of internal and external threats to America that surface throughout.

The animation itself isn't anything to write home about, but rest assured I'm sure your mama would love a letter about the flamboyant and exciting opening sequence - maybe even a small postcard about the wonderful outro at the end.

A must for DC fans, a bigger must for New Frontier fans, and a bit of fun for everyone else - but New Frontier fans be warned: go in with REALISTIC expectations, otherwise you might find yourself soaking the pages of your New Frontier graphic novel at the loss of so much material to make that tight budgetary necessity of a 75 minute quota.

Life sucks, but a New Frontier is better than No Frontier, surely?

INTERVIEW: Storyboard Artist Jason Hanks

2008-03-28T01:20:00.006+01:00

[Article Originally written for Cartoons Dammit - Feb 08]

Jason Hanks is an animation storyboard artist who has a prolific career working within the art department on such shows as Dr Strange, The Invincible Iron Man and Ultimate Avengers.

JAMES MCLEAN: First of all, for the benefit of the uninitiated, could you explain the roles of a storyboard artist?

JASON HANKS: The main role of the storyboard artist is to effectively convey a script into pictures to tell the story!

Could you tell us a little about your artistic background and by what route you fell into working as a storyboard artist?

I have been drawing since I could hold a pencil! I started to seriously study art at the age of 12 and fell in love with comics.

At the of age 17, my middle school teacher (whom I still keep in touch with) had me meet a friend of hers who loved my portfolio and got me my first job!

I stepped out of the art scene from ages 19 to 22 for one reason or another - but then I met up with my teacher's said friend again and he put me to work on a show called Roswell: Conspiracies for BKN! The rest is - as we say - history! I am very lucky with the work I have had in such a short amount of time. I am very grateful for all of the wonderful people I have met and worked with.

So the motto is to make sure you network as much as you can, right?

Absolutely! Networking is the key in this business! You can be the next Michaelangelo and all but if you don't get your stuff out there for everyone to see and make acquaintances... it just won't go anywhere.

What equipment to you use for storyboarding? Do you always use the same approach?

As far as equipment it's pretty usual stuff. The company gives me the paper, I use a 0.5 Pentel red-lead followed by 0.5 regular lead for the clean-up. Sometimes I will use a thicker lead for close ups (for instance, face-shots) and FG [foreground] elements. I use Prismacolor markers and AD markers for colors and effects. If requested, I'll occasionally use pen and ink. All of this stuff can be found at art supply stores. Oh, and I also use circle and oval ellipses and templates.

You've worked on several animation shows doing storyboard work - how has the work differed between shows, and how does discipline vary from studio to studio?

Every studio has a difference of opinion on how [story]boards need to be done and they most certainly have differences on how tight or loose they want those boards finished! Not to mention how "on model" things need to be. The most recent example of studio differences I have experienced is just how the sheer number of board pages can drastically change your life! Prepare yourself up for a lot of sleepless nights and almost alienating you family [laughs].

Sounds like it can be a little stressful! Could you take us through the process of one of your storyboards assignments?

There was this one time I was working on a show for about 15 episodes and things were working out great, but it was hard work. I was just finishing one storyboard when it hit me - I had just drawn 350 pages in less than a week!! A storyboard artist should understand that a story act of any show will be around 150-200 storyboards.. I wasn't expecting it to be 350 storyboards!

The problem was that if I took any stuff out of the script to cut down the amount of storyboards required I would have been probably booted from the show, so I just sent this monster workload after cleaning up the images the following week. They liked it so much that was I basically told to keep doing large page counts! In short, I had about 10 episodes to go with anywhere from 250 to 400 pages every 2 weeks! Needless to say that drawing was definitely my LIFE on that show! [laughs]

Was your work for the studios more often a lonely experience or a group one?

Oh definitely a group ordeal! We are all in the project together and if one guy slacks the rest of the group feels it! With deadlines to meet, if someone doesn't pull their weight it shows! If quality dips it also puts a lot of strain on the relationship with upper management and then the next thing you know, you don't have a job next season! It can be really scary like that!

Could you give us a quick run down on a day working as a storyboard artist?

First we get the scripts in, then we have a meeting, say, around 10 am to discuss the scripts. Soon it's lunch! After lunch, we finish the meeting on the script. Then we start working on the storyboards. We are pretty much left alone to work after the meeting and the assignments are given out. However that's just the process at the places I have worked. I know other studios can be different.

How do you find work as an animation storyboard artist

Well I work for TAG [The Animation Guild] now which helps me find any work I need, but in the beginning it was WHO I knew that helped me find the jobs. However being lucky with useful contacts can take you only so far because those people won't always be around. The best way is to call around the studio job hotlines and submitting a portfolio. It is a tough job to get into, I won't fool you on that, but if you're good, and you're determined, nothing can stop you doing becoming a storyboard artist!

Does being a storyboard artist mean you have to live near studios?

Well, I am always reminded by one person or another that I should move out to where the work is! A lot of the guys I know have apartments in Los Angeles and fly home on the weekends to be with their families. I did it for a while when I worked for the WB - very grueling at first but, you get use to it. I have been working at home for most of my career and love it. Sure, I would probably get more work If I were closer to the action but I have too much as it is and I am not complaining! Like I said, I am very lucky!

Is it worth it becoming a storyboard artist? Are the hours, graft and stress worth it at the end of the day?

It is!!! I can't think of anything better than telling stories with pencil drawings!

What advice would you give someone interested in storyboarding?

Advice? Hmmmmmm.

Carry a sketch book - draw everything you see.

Study your butt off with anatomy and fluidity of movement

Don't care what others say or think about your work (unless it's your boss!)

Take the critiques (good AND bad) well. Learn from them. Don't take feedback personally!

Do you need a natural ability to draw fast and accurately or do you think it can be learned?

Drawing fast is only part of it! Making things look like they have form is the important part. I was very slow when I started in storyboard clean-up - 2 pages an hour! [laughs] Now I am up to about 10 pages on average, but I can often draw 12 pages an hour! I'm not bragging, I am just demonstrating that with work, you will improve. It just takes time.

I think anyone can learn to draw. I haven't always shared this opinion, but as I see it now anybody can but it takes certain individuals to LOVE the work and dedicate themselves. Not everyone has that.

I would just like to add that you can do really want to become a storyboard artist - if it is really what you want to do, please, please, PLEASE don't cater to the style of the week disease we see so often in comics and art in general! Please, be yourself! That's not to say you shouldn't learn to adapt elements of what you like about another artist's work. There is a difference between copying and learning. Don't be afraid to try new things and always keep a positive attitude!

If you love to draw - nobody will be able to stop you, no matter what!

James would like to thank Jason for his time.

REVIEW: One Piece: The Desert Princess and the Pirates

2008-03-28T00:39:00.003+01:00

[Article for Toon Zone News - 12.02.08]

It has been said there is nothing more fashionable than being late for a party.

But how late is "late"? Fifteen minutes? An hour? Okay, how about 183 hours? Or, to cast the same number in TV/cinematic terms, how about 343 episodes and 7 movies late?

One Piece, the acclaimed Japanese manga series by Eiichiro Oda, has spawned an anime TV series and more than half a dozen stand-alone movies. Like those earlier stories, The Desert Princess and the Pirates follows the adventures of the Straw Hat Pirates, led by Monkey D. Luffy whose calling is to become the Pirate King as soon as he finds the fabled One Piece. This movie is a retelling of one of the TV series' earlier story arcs, edited down to ninety minutes.

It is also the first piece of One Piece animation I've ever seen.

Yes, I'm that late. So just how fashionable am I?

Fans of the series won't be swayed much but what I've got to say. But a wider audience might glean something useful from the perceptions of this outsider.

This film's plot concentrates on the Straw Hat Pirate crew's involvement in the Alabasta civil war. Cutting multiple episodes down to an hour and a half has required the amputation of several of the Alabasta arc's sub-plots and the sewing together of the more relevant parts into a seamless tale. In other words, this isn't just a lazy cut and splice of storylines. There are additional alterations to some of the original scenes to benefit story consistency. On top of this, I understand that some of the wide CG panoramics were done specially for this film presentation and so were not present in the original episode run. One Piece: The Desert Princess and the Pirates is a film unto its own, and not just a slap and tickle job from a two-bit editing suite.

How does it fare as a stand-alone film? Despite being created to work on its own merits, if you aren't familiar with One Piece it will prove a bit of a struggle to slip into its world. The film offers no information beyond what is necessary to the storyline itself. However, if you just accept the characters as they appear, you won't get any headaches. For the most part, it's a lot of combat or action situations that aren't hard to follow. The lead archetypes should be familiar to even the most casual filmgoer: you'll find your usual spread of protagonists, comic relief, cool anti-heroes, and sweet heroines.

That said, though neither the story nor character types break any new ground, the film's light, airy ambiance, coupled with its odd mix of visual humor and extreme violence, does offer a unique experience. One Piece seems to work best through its quirky but relatable characters and bullet-paced humor. By diluting the violence found in the gratuitous close combat through the saturated use of silly moves and ridiculous physics, the show keeps the action in line with the series' overall tone. It is very much an odd pastiche of comedy, action and drama, carried along by some rather bizarre designs and creative nuances.

The story moves at a brisk pace and avoids getting trapped in too much clunky dialogue (though Luffy's awkward commentary on friendship and death won a wince from this reviewer). Humor is laid on thick and realism kept firmly in the closet. Watch out for the anime favorite: impossible group hurling a singular character up in the air while "in flight." A similar technique was adopted in Final Fantasy: Advent Children.

The traditional 2D visuals are clean and the CG elements are integrated with a fair degree of fluidity. The three dimensional renders of Alabasta do help visualize the complex city and thereby the narrative drive of the story.

Unsurprisingly, there is a choice of English dub or original Japanese, which left me torn. Personally I found that Crocodile's Japanese VA was far more engaging than the English dub, but that Princess Vivi's English dub was far less abrasive than the Japanese. Both tracks carry their own failures and successes. I actually enjoyed flicking between the two, thereby enjoying the benefits of both!

One Piece: The Desert Princess and the Pirates will disappoint both fans and casual viewers in the DVD treatment, however. It's rare for any reinvention to be given such careful treatment and then slapped onto a DVD with no salute for those who put it together. Fans of the show and curious first timers like myself both really deserve at least a feature explaining the history of this release. Personally I'd have liked to have get a commentary instead of a very lazy pack of trailers.

Overall, this One Piece neophyte found the DVD initially a little bewildering but ultimately an enjoyable action affair. It doesn't feel quite as complete a tale as could be hoped for, but given the complex nature of condensing a whole episodic arc into a coherent story with a beginning, middle and end, the result is entertaining, violent and largely satisfying. For fans it should be an interesting re-visit of past adventures with a few changes, extended measures of violence, and CG additions to make it worthwhile.

REVIEW: Torchwood Season 2: Episode One: Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang

2008-01-17T20:49:00.001+01:00

Captain Jack returns, as the Torchwood team reunite to fight a rogue Time Agent. The mysterious Captain John Hart is determined to wreak havoc, and needs to find something hidden on Earth. But with Gwen's life in danger, and cluster bombs scattered across the city, whose side is Jack on?
I can't say I was impressed, nor can I say the premiere was better than any of last year's season.

While James Masters was fun as Captain John and hero Jack Harkness was his enjoyable self, the rest of the characters fell pretty flat. Torchwood's biggest problem is that the main cast suffers from being particularly lacking in charisma levels and terribly unbelievable for any form of serious agency. Especially Gwen, who dripped her way across the screen throughout the episode, now even more indulgent, self centered and as irritating that ever before.

Certainly the episode had a few good gags (Captain John getting randy over a poodle was a fun insert) but the story structure was an absolute mess. It started on an action packed opening that felt more like a terribly poor action packed opening pastiche, and ended on a high speed race against time that failed to convince me that the allotted events occurred in the small time frame. The team had ten minutes before destruction, and in that time they needed to assess the situation, fight over it, be held at gun point, split into two parties; one that races across town to a specific point while the other rushes through a chemistry sequence to create the plot antidote and follow the first party arriving only moments after the first. It felt like the sort of gag you'd see on Family Guy, with this antidote making insert thrust into the middle of this ten minute countdown.

This lack of time structure was particularly awkward and not only present in the final act. The main thrust of the story has Torchwood and Captain John separate out into three teams to find three objects. The outcome of these three teams is shown consecutively in dramatic sequence, yet John manages to pop up at the end of the three scenes, despite being part of team one, with no explanation how he manages such a fast dash around. Just because the drama moves from scene to scene shouldn't mean the characters should. Co-current events should be played as thus, and any ability to appear in all three scenes should rationalised to the viewer, which - as you may have guessed - wasn't in this story.

The shows inability to build coherent drama makes it far more childish than it's older brother, Doctor Who. It's not any personal dislike of the sex or naughty gags that punctuate the programme that makes it seem so babyish, it's the poor story structure and lack of credibility in the show's personality that weakens it. Gwen is a big problem, being both unlikeable and pretty unbelievable. They need to get rid of the Hub as well. It looks like a playset for god's sake, not a base for a government agency in an adult drama.

The old journalistic adage of leaving one's brain behind before engaging in Torchwood is apt. Yes, its fun, yes, it's escapism, but ultimately, it's far less than it should be, and that's the disappointment. It has the potential in terms of ideas, but fails in execution. Until they swap their main character set, I can't see the writing having that much success in creating good drama. If the main characters are unlikable, your changes of engaging the viewer are somewhat less. Bring back Captain John, keep Captain Jack, but the rest of the team, they aren't likable or credible, which when mixed with inconsistent story lines and some silly set pieces, leaves a show which is watchable, but falling far below what it could be.

REVIEW: Mad For "Mushi-Shi

2008-01-15T15:01:00.001+01:00

[Article written for Toon Zone News 1.15.08]

It sometimes seems that Japanese animation ranges over a smaller field than you might hope. Fighting. Big breasts. Confused young protagonists. Big breasts. Naive females with big breasts. More fighting. Comical sweat drops, big breasts and some more fighting for the sake of naive women with big breasts.

So if you've had enough of the ka-hooie ka-zookas that litter manga cartoons, come take a gander at FUNimation's Mushi-Shi (or in English, Mushi-Master). I spent the first chapter waiting for the young male protagonist, the silly battles, and the overlarge body bopples to appear. By and large, they didn't, which was a refreshing surprise.

So if it's not about the usual stuff, what is it about? That, it proves, is one of the beauties of Mushi-Shi—you really don't know what you're in for. Even after it starts, the show's enigmatic tone will keep you puzzled but expectant.

Basically, Mushi-Shi is a collection of individual tales centering on the mysterious Mushi-Master, Ginko. The Mushi themselves are a fairly vague entity, but they are, at their simplest, the closest thing there is to life in its purist form: a level of existence that transcends the mortal world and lives somewhere figuratively deep beneath it. Sometimes they are visible, sometimes they are not. How they affect the inhabitants of our world differs from story to story, as they are not one simple strain of life, but a pure form of life that has many facets and faces. They are neither good nor evil, but their existence can be a curse or blessing to those they infect or co-exist with. As a result, each tale in this collection centers on a different dilemma presented by the fusion of man and Mushi, one that often requires the Mushi-Master's intervention to strike a balance between the two. The result is something like a fairy tale, though without the vile enemies or earnest heroes.

Each story has its own special charm. "The Green Seat" (the opening story on volume 1) is a simple yet beautiful tale about a grandmother and grandson. "The Pillow Pathway" is a dark fairy tale with an Aesopian tone. "Tender Horns" and "The Light of the Eyelid" both feature children afflicted by Mushi with sensory damage, but the relationships within the two tales are very different. "The Traveling Swamp," though also the most Ginko-orientated fantasy on the first disc, is about a fantastical lady trapped in the moving Mushi-Swamp.

The third volume is just as consistent as the first at fusing fairy tale, tragedy and beauty in a unique and magical way, with "Inside the Cage," a beautiful yet bizarre tale that binds man, woman, and bamboo into one close knit mystery, possibly being my favourite episode on the two discs. The stories on volume three, meanwhile, begin to unravel some of the mysteries about Ginko, with "One Eyed Fish" pretty much laying bare the foundations of his character. If in retrospect it becomes less enchanting (you'd be Mushi in the head if you can't work out where it is going within the first ten minutes), it remains a poignant drama, and its substitution of tragedy for enigma in Ginko's character is a worthwhile exchange.

The stories don't come with much exposition. I find that adds to the show's magic, but others might be frustrated. Sometimes you just can't keep up: I defy anyone to watch "The Sleeping Mountain" and guess where it is going. And sometimes the questions remain even when the story is over; not everything will be clear the first time round.

The animation is magnificent throughout, with the direction and pace retaining a maturity that is rare in commercial animation. While the art and design is beautiful, you never feel it trying to overshadow the story. Only in "The Light of the Eyelid," when the animation, though still hand-drawn, begins to resemble computer imaging, do the visuals fall out of equilibrium. The music retains a dramatic subtlety, except for the Mushi-shi theme track which, while fairly gentle, lacks the subtlety found in the rest of the show. The Western vocal tracks are also good, with Ginko's VA in particular associating believably with the Japanese character.

Mushi-Shi Volume 1 comes lavishly packaged in a delightfully designed box that can hold the entire season; included also is a postcard and a wonderful booklet that explains in depth some the background and design in the show. Further volumes contain a free postcard and inlay booklet of the same style. The packaging retains the quality of initial starter pack. The interactive DVD mechanics are simple yet effective (as I like it), with two casual interviews (one with the voice actor for Ginko and one with the director), a peek around the production offices, the chance to listen to the opening and closing theme songs without text, and the obligatory trailers. In fact, the only liability is the mandatory single trailer at the beginning of each disk—you'll find no way to circumnavigate it.

I wish I knew more about Yuki Urushibara’s original. Quite how accurate this adaptation is, I don't know. But if the manga have anything near the series' quality (and being the original medium, I'm sure they do), they'd be well worth purchasing.

If you are looking for a gentle exploration of Japanese fantasy, Mushi-Shi is for you: mature in its storytelling yet with a childlike innocence to its content. With a consistent, earthy vision, Mushi-Shi is one of the more unique and enchanting animated series I've seen come out of Japan in a long time.

Darwin Awards 2007

2008-01-12T11:41:00.000+01:00

Because they are an annual collective of merriment:
[Source: www.darwinawards.com]

THE DARWIN AWARDS - January 2008

Announcing the new, the beloved, the 2007 DARWIN AWARD WINNERS!

"Named in honor of Charles Darwin, the father of evolution, the Darwin Awards commemorate those who improve our gene pool by accidentally removing themselves from it. "

This was the year of the Squashed Darwin Award Winner. THREE independent groups of people attempted to remove the supports from beneath a barn, a water tower, and a heavy factory roof. In all cases, the structures collapsed without their aptly-named
supports.

THE 2007 DARWIN AWARD WINNERS WERE SELECTED FROM 17 NOMINEES:

What Goes Up Must Come Down (8976 votes) 80%
The Enema Within (4252 votes) 80%
Support Group (3728 votes) 78%
Weight Lift (2191 votes) 78%
Stop. Look. Listen. (1763 votes) 77%
Beer for Bears (2225 votes) 76%
Mole Hunt (5366 votes) 75%
A Prop-er Job (4431 votes) 74%
Oil Tank Trampoline (5737 votes) 74%
Cow-ard (38 votes) 72%
Barn Demolition (3336 votes) 71%
Superior Momentum (2112 votes) 71%
Elephants Press Back (1249 votes) 71%
Electronic Fireworks (3620 votes) 70%
Fatal a-Traction (52 votes) 68%
The Laptop Still Works! (1172 votes) 57%
Fatal Foaming Action (1443 votes) 49%

http://DarwinAwards.com/darwin/darwin2007.html

RUNNER UP FIVE:
THE LAPTOP STILL WORKS (Confirmed True by Darwin)

"Driving is not a time to be practicing your multitasking skills,"remarked CHP spokesman Tom Marshall, commenting on a 29-year-old computer tutor's decision to drive along Highway 99 in California while working on his laptop. He drifted over the center line, and was killed by oncoming traffic. CHP officers found Oscar's computer still running, plugged into the Honda Accord's cigarette lighter.

REFERENCES: http://darwinawards.com/darwin/darwin2007-12.html

RUNNER UP FOUR:
SUPERIOR MOMENTUM (Confirmed True by Darwin)

June 2007, Illinois | Two Valparaiso men tested their reflexes by playing "chicken" with a train. Which man could stay on the rail the longest in the path of an oncoming train? At the stroke of midnight, the contest was decided. The winner, aptly named Patrick Stiff, lost his life. The train continued on, as the conductor was unaware that it had hit anyone.

REFERENCES: http://darwinawards.com/darwin/darwin2007-07.html

RUNNER UP THREE:
BARN DEMOLITION (Unconfirmed by Darwin)

January 2007, West Virginia) Three friends set out to dismantle a dilapidated barn one bracing winter afternoon. Speaking of bracing... One industrious man fired up his chainsaw and ripped through a crucial support post. Carrying the weight of a full barn roof, those wooden support beams were all that stood between the demolition worker and structural collapse. It was all fun and games until the roof, sans support, succumbed to the pull of gravity and flattened the man with the chainsaw. As a consolation prize, the deceased was indeed successful at demolishing the barn.

(Darwin notes, this story is unconfirmed, but no disputes have come to my attention, as usually happens with bogus stories.)

REFERENCES: http://darwinawards.com/darwin/darwin2007-02.html

Addendum: This was the year of the Squashed Darwin Award Winner. Two other groups of people attempted to remove the supports from beneath a water tower, and a heavy factory roof. In both cases, the structure collapsed without their aptly-named supports. Duh!

REFERENCES: http://darwinawards.com/darwin/darwin2007-09.html

RUNNER UP TWO:
MOLE HUNT (Confirmed True by Darwin)

January 2007, East Germany | One man's extraordinary effort to eradicate a mole from his property resulted in a victory for the mole. The metal rods he pounded into the ground and connected to a high-voltage power line, electrified the very ground the man stood upon. He was found dead at his holiday property on the Baltic Sea. Police had to trip the main circuit breaker before venturing onto the property.

REFERENCES: http://darwinawards.com/darwin/darwin2007-01.html

RUNNER UP ONE:
WHAT GOES UP MUST COME DOWN (Confirmed Double Darwin Award)

June 2007, South Carolina | A passing cabbie found a 21 year-old deceased couple laying naked in the road an hour before sunrise. Authorities were baffled. There were no witnesses, no trace of clothing, and no wrecked vehicles present. But investigators eventually found a clue high on the roof of a nearby building: two sets of neatly folded clothes. Safe sex takes on a whole new meaning when you are perched on the edge of a pyramid-shaped metal roof. "It appears as if [they] accidentally fell off the roof," Sgt. McCants said.

REFERENCES: http://darwinawards.com/darwin/darwin2007-05.html

AND THE 2007 DARWIN AWARD WINNER IS...
THE ENEMA WITHIN (Confirmed True by Darwin)

May 2004, Texas | Michael was an alcoholic. And not an ordinary alcoholic, but an alcoholic who liked to take his liquor... well, rectally. His wife said he was "addicted to enemas" and often used alcohol in this manner. The result was the same: inebriation. And tonight, Michael was in for one hell of a party.

Two 1.5 litre bottles of sherry, more than 100 fluid ounces,right up the old address!

When the rest of us have had enough, we either stop drinking or pass out. When Michael had had enough (and subsequently passed out) the alcohol remaining in his rectal cavity continued to be absorbed. The next morning, Michael was dead.

The 58-year-old did a pretty good job of embalming himself.Toxicology reports measured his blood alcohol level as 0.47%.

In order to qualify for a Darwin Award, a person must remove himself from the gene pool via an "astounding misapplication of judgment." Three litres of sherry up the butt can only be described as astounding. Unsurprisingly, his neighbors said
they were surprised to learn of the incident.

REFERENCES: http://darwinawards.com/darwin/darwin2007-13.html

REVIEW: Popping Out for "Popotan": DVD Shrugs Off Its Hentai Roots

2008-01-07T13:05:00.001+01:00

[Article written for Toon Zone News 12.11.07]

Quests. Difficult things really; they have a start, a middle and an end. For Popotan, the story has arguably one, maybe two of these elements as three sisters partake a quest to find fulfillment—I think.

I had the fortunate luxury of going into this DVD box set utterly cold; aside from what was on the package, I had little idea what I would uncover, and certainly, Popotan uncovers quite a lot. It doesn’t seem particularly bothered as to the age of what it uncovers, providing those who are uncovered have a) breasts, and b) bottoms. If possible, both should be exposed in bathing areas and explored with as much tactile contact as possible. In fairness to the anime, there is far more to this show than the rather exploit-to-titillate visuals that parade throughout the stories. The origins of the series however offer a little less substance.

Popotan is the brainchild of Akio Wantanbe (who also worked on the more famous Kiki’s Delivery Service) and was originally produced as a hentai adventure, first for the PC then later ported to the Playstation 2. In the original game, you played Chris, a male who lives in a house with three sisters and their android maid. Naturally, being hentai the game’s focus was on the romantic relations between Chris and the girls in the game. Thankfully the anime series that followed shortly after has a little more substance to it.

Popotan: The Complete Series is the tale of three sisters called Ai, Mai, and Mii who travel in their time-jumping house with their maid, the enigmatic Mea. They all search for Popotan—or dandelions—that Ai can speak to with her mind. With the Popotan’s help, the three sisters seek Shizuku: the end and the beginning of their quest. It introducds them to many adventures, new friends, and original locations they can gratuitously disrobe in.

I’d be lying if I didn’t admit to the insatiable urge to pull the disk out of my DVD player after watching half of the first episode. Fortunately, it's one of the benefits of watching a DVD for the sole purpose of reviewing it that you don’t get the luxury to stop—you have to press on.

And it was a worthwhile mandate. In fact, I watched all twelve episodes in one day. Yes, get past the rather sluggish and seemingly vacuous first five minutes of episode one where young boy Daichi has an accidental yet literal run-in with Ai’s breasts; get past the rather meandering and inane plot that staggers through the opening story and forge on to episode two. There you’ll find Popotan really finding its feet. It’s actually very good; you don’t have to get titillated by the cartoon breasts to enjoy this story, though clearly the producers feel it helps.

Yes, there is a lot of nudity and suggestive postures. While there is only one scene which implies sexual activity, every angle is geared to exploit the feminine body. If that sort of stuff offends you, be warned: there is lots of it. And while I’d hope that wouldn’t stop you from experiencing Popotan, there are occasions where the nudity is pretty disquieting. I don’t know how young the youngest sister is meant to be, but her fascination with breast size and her own penchant for nudity can sometimes be a little uncomfortable to watch. But that doesn’t stop Popotan being a lovely story in itself. The key is to put aside any personal ideology when viewing the irrelevant bathtub scenes. Just as the sight of Sipowicz’ ass doesn’t stop you from enjoying an episode of NYPD Blue, the discerning, open-minded viewer should be able to get past the gratuitous nudity; look past the tasteless icing and enjoy the tasty cake.

As the episodes continue, the story layers build up without the audience even being aware of it. The issues of being a traveler and the damage one's journey's have on those friendships born from wandering become a key arc, and the beauty of having a house that time travels onwards on each jump by five years, means that characters can return at totally different points of their life. So what initially seems like a gentle mix of odd character stories later becomes the tapestry which the show uses to present the ultimate question to the sisters: what do you really want?

The beauty of the show’s characters is not in themselves. Ai is quite drippy, Mai is a whiner, and Mii is annoyingly loud, but the central protagonists' chemistry endears them to the audience, and watching these simple yet effective episodes unfold along with the rich dynamic of players becomes a joy to behold.

The animation itself has some occasion flashes of smart direction (a table tennis game between Mea and Mai is a great sequence), but overall the animation is fairly uninspiring, with character models, expressions and artistic direction drawn from anime's box of clichés. Some of the backgrounds hold some charm, but overall the animation remains pretty crass, uninspired and stiff.

Aurally, the international dub is pretty good with careful attention to synchronization and voices which are raw and honest to the original Japanese. The incidental music complements the tone of the show and the opening and closing themes are extremely catchy.

The box set itself is nicely presented, with a transparent sleeve to collect the three brightly designed volumes. The information booklet that comes with each volume is neatly presented with a little bit of character biography.

The discs' interactive menus are simple, pretty and straight forward—just as I like it. Unfortunately, bonus features are weak: we have a small art gallery on each disk and a few Geneon adverts.

Overall this is a highly recommended DVD set. The complete series is around 300 minutes in length, and the audience can enjoy getting to know a set of warm, friendly characters while anticipating a decent ending.

Through no intention of mine, Popotan has become a welcome addition to my bookshelf and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys a friendly, character-driven comedy. If that isn’t your thing, and you just like cartoon breasts and provocative poses, hey, there is something for you guys too.

Whatever you think about naughty nudity, don’t let that put you off exploring a really enchanting fantasy tale. Please don’t let pride prevent you from purchasing the near perfect Popotan!

REVIEW: "Beck" Strikes a Chord: The Mongolian Chop Squad Returns in Volume 2

2007-12-24T16:04:00.000+01:00

[ARTICLE written for Toon Zone News 12-19-07]

Ladies and Gentlemen! Tonight—and for tonight only—on your very own DVD player comes the return of the guitar-strumming, mic-fumbling, tom-tapping heroes of teen angst. Yes, light your lighters, spill your drinks and get all sweaty for Beck: Mongolian Chop Squad Volume 2.

For those slightly too many people not in the know, Beck: Mongolian Chop Squad was the creation of Harold Sakuishi and originally featured in Monthly Shōnen Magazine. More recently it has been adapted for animation and distributed in the US in English-friendly form by Funimation. Volume 1 contained the first five episodes of this 26-episode adaptation. If you have no interesting in reading that previous review by clicking here, I will summarize Volume 1 as an enjoyable, gentle piece of Shōnen that captured the spirit of its manga origins and of the music business in general. Aside from some questionable success with the Western dub, it was a light but fun entry into the story. It also came with a free guitar plectrum.

Volume 2 is more of the same, though I must confess my disappointment with the free gift. As Volume 1 had generously started my personal journey into the music world with a free guitar plectrum, I naturally expected the second DVD to include a free guitar to go with it. Alas, all I got was another plectrum. On the upside, it was a different color.

Gifts aside, I can safely say I enjoyed Volume 2 far more than Volume 1. It took me some time to get used to the pacing, characters and story line in the first volume. In fact, the characters weren't immediately likable, and it took those first five episodes to build a rapport. By the time you get to the Volume 2 and the sixth episode of the story, you are a little more entrenched in their enchanting if turbulent world; the characters mean a little more, and the viewing expectations have found a happy medium.

The pace of Beck is one of the show's strongest merits. It doesn't rush its way through the story. By the final episode of this second volume, the story's protagonist, Koyuki, has only just played his first gig with the band. Quite often the spine of the story plays second place to the character orientation situations that surround it. Volume 2 pushes Koyuki and his friends through some social challenges which all play out satisfactorily. In particular, the bullying arc—a story thread that carries through these five episodes—has a particularly enjoyable momentary resolution.

As with Volume 1, the show portrays the entry level environment of the music industry with dignity and a fair amount of accuracy. Having myself taken a stab at the music industry, I can attest to many of the issues, circumstances and overall portrayals of the music world. Band politics, musical technique, rehearsals, sound checks, and gig performances all play very true and should resonate with any musician who has been "there". The only real downside to the series is the lack of sparkle in its range of characters. Koyuki is—as with so many protagonists in the Shōnen genre—reactive rather than active, with a flair for unattractiveness that the females seem not to notice but which can bewilder the audience. Likewise, the females neatly sit in their respective manga archetypes, and the band are just too cool to be interesting. Fortunately, a few of the older, minor players such as Koyuki's musical mentor Ken'ichi and his school teacher Momoko, add texture, but it's really the story and ambiance which holds the attention.

The DVD itself is pretty uninspiring. As with the first disk, the basic interface remains pretty but no more than functional, and this second volume even lacks the commentary track like came with the first. In fact, the special features are very barren, with little more than spiced-up excerpts to carry the bonus footage, along with the obligatory trailers.

Speaking of trailers, Funimation has once again decided to splash its faithful viewer with nostalgic memories of VHS, thanks to yet another catalog title that commences with a mandatory trailer. Ah, for the days of analog fast forward and rewind. Skipping seems to have become an unpopular option with the animation industry. Not only do you get promotional trailers listed as "bonus" or "special features" (yes, I buy DVDs purely on the hope that they have some adverts as extras), but you have a fixed one at the start! Yes, you can navigate around the title you've bought, but not the adverts! You have the choice of watching the main feature, but not the trailer at the beginning. I can't help feeling something there is the wrong way round.

Nevertheless, this is an enjoyable DVD. Essentially, it's more of the same, but I think the drama of Beck: Mongolian Chop Squad is beginning to pay off in volume two. Certainly it's a story worth sticking with that entertains and remains faithful to its source, even if the DVD itself is lacking a certain lustre. But then, no rock gig is complete without one duff track, and on that note, I will crescendo my review by underscoring that rock and roll simile: Beck's second DVD is like a solid rock band that needs to work a little harder on its image and charisma; the substance is there, you just have to look for it.

ART: Rawk Promotion Revealed.

2007-10-15T12:37:00.001+01:00

Following on from comments made in the previous blog entry, I have a little more to impart on the Sabian promotion.

To the right of this musing, your brain should be being coaxed by your eyes to behold the store stand for the Sabian promotion I mentioned in my last blog. It was initially tested at a Florida Convention (which is where the photo comes from), though it has been through some slight changes since then. Specifically, we made some alterations to Jimmy Sullivan and Chad Smith who are in the background.

Sad thing is, living in the UK and this being a Canada/US promotion through Sabian (www.sabian.com), I may never get to see the final product. This is what precious detail as of the hard copy output to this project.

Naturally, if anyone happens to see the final product in Sabian outlets, and has a camera phone handy, send me a shot - I'm understandably curious!

In other news, I've moved one of my personal long term project, Pandemonium, a story I've been toying with for two years, from a comic platform (as it was initially conceived) to a book. Knowing me, I may swing back again, but I've been writing the first 10,000 words and I'm finding the medium of narrative is far more rewarding, giving me room for extra detail, narrative humour and story exposition. There is a little more about the project (but just a little ) at www.jamesmclean.net.

Just finished a review for Mushi-shi for Toon Zone News, which I'll be posting here based on volume one. Unfortunately, volume 2 was stolen in transit from Editor to myself. Pity, as it's an excellent show.

Also, an interview with comic artist John Rauch will be popping up on this blog as well as at Cartoons, Dammit! Stay tuned, so to speak.

Sabian, Bryar and M.A.S.K

2007-10-08T23:40:00.000+01:00

Want some more McLean? Head to your local Sabian dealer!

Sabian.com
(US & Canada only)

The competition rules etc are on-site. It's a comic page which is the basis for a competition by Sabian, maker of those massively popular rawk cymbals.

Not only do selected Sabian dealers have the comic page by myself, in which you finish the story, but there is also a chance to meet My Chemical Romance drummer, Bob Bryar! Who could resist? I mean, another piece of McLean and a chance to get a drum lesson with some drum legend from a rather popular rock beat combo?

If I hadn't drawn it, and I lived in the US, or I lived in Canada, I would get myself a piece of myself.

In other news, the region 2 release of M.A.S.K (which I did the cover for), is delayed till November, but hey, don't you have enough McLean for this month?

***

With that shameless plug out of the way, what has McLean been up to? What does McLean recommend?

Well McLean had a rather disturbing loss of screeners this month. Okay, he has a pile mounting up to review for my editor, but he had more on the way which would have fitted with those he had to review. And what happens? Mr Postman, in his eagerness to thieve, opened the package, took the DVDs, and passed the empty jiffy onwards through the postal system.

Now, I appreciate that some postal workers may indeed be on low wages, but I can assure you Beck Vol 3 isn't going to get you anything but a DVD case in the face if it was presented to any nephew for a Birthday present. That's not to say it's bad, but of selective taste, and the third volume of a low key anime release isn't going to get you proud eyes.

Other than that, thoroughly enjoying some James Herriot in book form, made more interesting by a recent trip to the James Herriot museum found in Thirsk, Yorkshire. Interestingly, the fictitiously village of Darrowby, for which Thirsk was the basis, is remarkably similar, right down to the vet's location, and the details of the house. I recommend a visit to anyone who is lurking between Durham and York. Fascinating stuff.

Getting a little more into Heroes, but still not quite sure what the fuss is about. Same with Catch 22, a book which has gripped the world by is failing to grip me. Granted, I'm not far into it, but if it wasn't such a famous, influential classic, I'd have put it down by now.

Been listening to the Foo Fighters newest offering. Some catchy moments, but Mr Foo is getting awfully predictable in his work. You can tell where each song is going to go. Still, not terrible.

Finally, I'm looking at moving my off rumoured "Pandemonium" project to novel form. Yes, I'm going to give a go at writing a book. Having written the Batman DKA story through my student time (and surprisingly capturing the interest of literally millions across the world) I feel the urge to try a project which is solely writing, and allow any past time artwork to be focused on other projects. I just feel there is enough substance there to push it into a richer medium, and a more mainstream one too (there are far more publishers of books than comics). Posted, keep you, I will.

PERSONAL UPDATE: "Beowulf", illustrated by James McLean - OUT NOW

2007-09-17T16:10:00.000+01:00

To tie in with the upcoming Beowulf movie, Kingfisher have published the story in book form, translated by Penelope Hicks and illustrated by, well, me. The wonderful cover art is by Steve Stone.

There are two versions of this book, a US format (slightly larger) and a UK format.

To purchase the book via Amazon.co.uk, please do so via my site referral. Thank you. So kind. To show I'm in no ones pocket, I will let you into a secret: It can be purchased in other places as well. Naturally, I would prefer you to do so via my link, and I'm sure you can sympathise as to why. I believe Amazon offer a preview of the pages, so if you want a look, you can do so online at their website. The book is available internationally.

In other news, my website has had a revamp. If you've been good enough to follow my referral link, you'll have discovered this, if not, and you are curious - in a sexy, but non harming sort of way, please visit: James McLean.net