Forbidden Planet International Blog Logs

Spidey chess!

2006-04-26T14:00:00.000Z

Wow! A fantastic-looking Spider-Man chess set just added on to our webstore; pretty pricey but oh so collectable and desirable!

End of an era

2006-04-26T11:21:00.000Z

The curtain should be coming down towards the end of today on our standalone graphic novels site. With the much more flexible and dynamic new FPI webstore now having every graphic novel listed there too the time has finally come to wind down the GN site and move everything to the new home. It won't affect the actual range however since I will still be adding exciting graphic novels from the big publishers and the small, known names and fresh talent alike, with the benefit of better layout, more felixibility, better images and the ability to host some previews pages and allow users to add their own reviews. Up, up and away. And in the spirit of adding new graphic novels, Fantagraphics titles for August are on the site; comics fans will be thrilled to hear that Gilbert Hernandez, one of the most important cartoonists/writers working in the genre, will be wrapping up his post-Palomar series this summer with Luba: Three Daughters. And as a bonus he is also starting a series of Fanta's Ignatz series, The New Tales of Old Palomar, also in august. The Ignatz range is a sort of halfway house between comic issues and a full graphic novel, coming in irregular issues, comics page count but with proper stiff covers and flaps. Since they are drawing on some of the best artists and writers but come in at the price of a deluxe comic they offer a very low-cost path to exploring creators some readers may not have picked up on yet. Richard Sala also begins an Ignatz series with Delphine #1 in August; these three new Fantagraphics titles alone have some of us here very, very excited!

More Torchwood cast added

2006-04-26T11:15:00.000Z

SFX online carries news from the Beeb that more cast members have been added to the new Who spin-off, Torchwoos, about to start filming in Wales shortly. Burn Gorman, last see in the new Bleak house adaptation, will play the team's medic, Owen Harper while Naoko Mori (who appeared breifly in last season's Aliens of London episode) will play Toshiko Sato, Torchwood's gadget and technological wizard. Last weekend's werewolf epsiode of the new Doctor Who began building links to the spin-off show when viewers saw Queen Victoria, in a very League of Extraordinary Gentlemen moment, deciding to establish a cover group called Torchwood to protect the British Empire from dastadrly aliens and supernatural threats (I have visions of Mulder and Scully in Victorian garb for some reason now).

The Eagle Awards

2006-04-26T11:02:00.000Z

An online voting form is now open for the Eagle Awards, which has a component supporting and celebrating British comics as well as international publications. You can pick from three choices in 28 categories, but voting ends on May 7th, so get your Flash suit on and zip over and vote. The awards are announced on May 13th at the Ramada Plaza Hotel, Bristol during the Comic Expo.

Living in the 24th century

2006-04-26T10:54:00.000Z

NPR has an interview and photographs of Tony Alleyne, a Star Trek fan who decided after a bad break-up to remake the interior of his home into a Star Trek set. Much as I like Trek I'm not sure I'd want to live in this! Still, could be worse, could be single man living in the set from Dark Star...

Stardust

2006-04-26T10:48:00.000Z

Film Magic has posted several photographs from the set of Stardust, currently filming on the Isle of Skye here on Bonnie Scotland, with Michelle Pfeiffer wrapped up against the Scottish spring weather.

Ragnarok

2006-04-26T10:27:00.000Z

The highly unusual mixture of electronica, synths and sitar from Ragnarok, who played to great acclaim at the recent Eastercon SF event in Glasgow, can be heard via the magic of MP3 on their own web site.

Brian Aldiss

2006-04-26T09:49:00.000Z

I had an email from the folks at Meet The Author recently. If you haven't visited this excellent site, it uses sound and video clips of a wide variety of authors introducing their own work in order to give people who don't get to see authors at a bookstore event in person a chance to see and hear them. I think it is a terrific idea and enjoyed a good browse through some of the authors on there, although I was disappointed to see so few SF-related entries at first. Well, I've been told that there are now a good number of entries from one of our finest scribes, the great Brian Aldiss available. I've just finished listening to Brian talking about Helliconia and it was a nice little treat - I've met a lot of authors in my work but not Brian, so this was the next best thing; just head to the main site and use the search page to find the author you are interested in watching.

K9 to get own show

2006-04-25T08:41:00.000Z

K9, the faithful robotic hound from the glory days of the Tom Baker era of Doctor Who is set for a return in the next episode of the new show this coming Saturday, alongside one of the favourite companions in DW history, Sarah Jane Smith (who accompanied both Jon Pertwee and Tom Baker). The Times reports that K9 is also now going to be the latest spin-off from Who, getting his very own £3 million CGI animated adventure from Jetix Europe who own a number of children's channels across Europe. The Doctor will not appear in these adventures because he is the copyright of the BBC whereas K9's rights were retained by co-creator Bob Baker, who is involved in the new show and promises a “a sleek new look using state of the art CGI animation mixed with live action” for K9 in exciting space adventures for younger viewers. The Times also notes that an animated K9 is likely to be less trouble than the original radio controlled prop, which I doubt anyone involved in making Who back then would dispute! Let's hope no-one decides to resurrect Tweeky from the disco-era Buck Rogers as a cartoon...

P-Con IV announces GoH

2006-04-24T14:09:00.000Z

That's Guest of Honour if you're not familiar with convention-speak; 'GoH' is also the sound certain SF writers make at 3am in the convention bar when informed it is their round. Kim Newman, writer, journalist, broadcaster and master of sculpted facial hair will be the Guest of Honour for P-Con IV, which is gearing up already even while memories of P-Con III are warm. Kim is well-known to genre and film fans from his novels, articles (including regular spots in Empire movie mag) and his non-fiction (I still swear by the BFI Companion to Horror he edited a few years ago and wish they would publish a new edition). Also signed up to appear are the most excellent Juliet E McKenna who will appear with her performing pterodactyls (performing budgies are for wimps, she says) and my good mate and star editor of the Alien Online and tireless promoter of good SF, Ariel, who, rumour has it, will chair a panel about home extensions and DIY in parallel dimensions. Both Charlie Stross and Charlie Stross' beard are also on board, with Charlie's beard and Kim's whiskers giving a talk on the role of facial fuzz in fantasy; P-Con IV is scheduled for the weekend of 10th-11th March 2007 at Wynn's Hotel in the fair city of Dublin.

Carey Vision

2006-04-24T12:58:00.000Z

In a superb piece of news my chum George at top SF publishers Orbit reports that Mike Carey has a deal to turn the Felix Castor novels into TV series with the same people behind the quality show Midsomer Murders. There does seem to be quite an appetite in TV-land right now for SF and Fantasy which isn't aimed only at we geeks; shows like Medium for instance may use psychic powers but it is the sort of detective/soap drama that my mother would watch. While Devil You Know obviously has horror and supernatural elements to it (quite intriguing ones which Mike will expand on as the series progresses) it is also very much a Noir-ish gumshoe detective yarn which will not alienate the non SF&F audience. Well done, Mike!

New Emerald City online

2006-04-24T12:50:00.000Z

The latest issue of Emerald City, number 128, has just hit the virtual newstands and includes a cracking review of V For Vendetta by Moore-expert Pádraig Ó Méalóid, an essay on style by that sultan os linguistic sartorialness Hal Duncan, Victoria Hoyle reviewing the Clarke-shortlisted Never Let Me Go, Cheryl reviewing Mike Carey's Devil You Know and a review of the first two Judge Dredd Complete Case Files volumes by your humble blogger among a plethora of other fascinating items.

BAFTA Cymru - What's 'Who' in Welsh?

2006-04-24T08:48:00.000Z

The first season of the revamped Doctor Who, produced by BBC Wales, was nominated for foutreen categories of the BAFTA Cymru awards (fourteen!!! count 'em!) and walked away at the weekend with five, including Best Drama and Best Drama Director. Russell T Davies picked up the special Sian Phillips Award four outstanding contribution to network television. The BBC reports that the show is once again nominated in the main BAFTA awards (held later in May) in the Best Drama category. Go, Who! And still on the Who front, how utterly terrific was this weekend's episode?!?!? Do I sound like a gushing fanboy? Well, I am, so that's nothing to worry about, is it? Scottish glens (except not filmed in Scotland of course!), howling werewolf, kung-fu monks, Queen Victoria being chased through a Scottish castle by a lycanthrope! Yes, in many ways it was a rather silly episode, but a gloriously silly one - Tennant slipping into his native Scots accent and out again, Billie Piper attempting a Scottish accent that makes Groundeskeeper Willie sound real. The Doctor's wonder and delight at seeing an actual werewolf contrasted against everyone else legging it in the other direction was priceless. And how about that ending, clearly cribbed from the Tom Baker-era creepy tale, the Horror of Fang Rock, which in turn was based on the equally creepy Ballad of Flannan Isle by Wilfred Gibson, (SPOILERS AFTER THIS!!!) where the Doctor improvised a primitive laser using the lighthouse lamp and some diamonds to save the day from what appeared to be a supernatural menace but was actually a nasty Rutan (enemies of the Sontarans). Sounds a little familiar to this weekend's finale, doesn't it? Given Davies is a huge fan of the original it is obviously more than coincidence and it worked well; for newbies it was a good ending as it was for us old hands too, with the added bonus of seeing a homage to a classic Baker tale. And very nicely we see the groundwork for the spin-off series Torchwood being laid, as Queen Victoria decides the Castle, Torchwood, will give its name to a new organisation designed to investigate the unusual events which are clear threats to the Empire's security - how very League of Extraordinary Gentlemen! Although I am now wondering how the writers will square the existence of Torchwood from the Victorian era onwards with the fact that it has never been mentioned in Who lore before - for example why wouldn't UNIT work with Torchwood to combat alien threats? They will need to come up with an explanation for that or they could paint themselves into a continuity corner the way Enterprise did with Trek by being set before the other shows but made after, muddling the history somewhat. But given the track record so far I'm pretty confident Davies et al can handle this. Next week we have Anthony Head - former Nescafe Gold Blend man, Giles in Buffy and the PM in Little Britain - to look forward to and monsters bursting out in a local school (perhaps the Doctor will simply set chavs on them?).

Tarsus Manifesto

2006-04-22T20:11:00.000Z

I spotted a very cool and very stylish free webcomic by Christopher Cocking this week, the Vortex Chronicles: the Tarsus Manifesto. It's an SF tale which reminded me partly of Warren Ellis' Transmetropolitan and the universe of Takeshi Kovacs in Richard Morgan's novels. It is well worth checking out - I'll certainly be going back regularly to see how it develops as it is as good as some of the professionaly produced comics I see everyday here at FPI. Hopefully it will eventually make the leap to print, but in the meantime I highly recommend going to check it out (I even like the landscape format for the graphics, easier to read on a computer screen than the more traditional portrait format page and handy back and forward links as you scroll to the end, very neat design).

Paradise Lost

2006-04-21T13:09:00.000Z

The BBC picks up a story via Variety that John Milton's poem Paradise Lost is to get the feature film treatment, with Scott Derrickson down to direct and Legendary Pictures (who are behind the new Superman Returns film) producing. No details have emerged yet as to cast or shooting schedule. Coming soon Dante from Clerks is Dante in the Divine Comedy... Okay, made that one up, but you never know! As an interesting sidebar this news comes as that excellent scribe Mike Carey has a new Hellblazer graphic novel coming out, All His Engines, which lifts the titles from Milton: "Nor aught availed him now To have built in heav'n high tow'rs; nor did he scape By all his engines, but was headlong sent With his industrious crew to build in hell." You see, this blog is even educational!

New Trek on the way?

2006-04-21T10:51:00.000Z

Ain't It Cool News draws attention to a story on Variety which states that J J Abrams, responsible for the forthcoming Mission Impossible III, Alias and Lost is to team up with fellow Lost crew-members Damon Lindelof (currently writing for Marvel Comics) and Bryan Burk to work on an eleventh Star Trek feature film. Details are rather sketchy at this stage, but according to Variety the film will centre around young Kirk and Spock, with their first meeting at Starfleet Acadmey and first deep space mission. This would obviously require new actors to play the younger versions of the two characters, although it leaves room for a possible cameo by William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy as the older versions. It sounds an interesting idea to breathe some life back into Trek after Enterprise was cancelled (just as it was becoming good!) but I'm not sure how fans will react to other actors playing the roles of two such beloved Trek icons - I think I'd find it hard to buy anyone else as Kirk or Spock. It is also a tad ironic given that before Enterprise the notion of a new series based around Starfleet Academy was one of the front runners. Shame it won't be happening in this, the fortieth anniversary year though.

Simpsons Office

2006-04-21T10:45:00.000Z

Ricky Gervais of the Office fame will make his appearance for UK audiences this Sunday in the Simpsons on Sky One. I'm normally excited at the prospect of a new Simpsons, but being one of the handful of people in Britain who don't find Gervais very funny I'm really not sure about this. Oh well, a new Simpsons is a new Simpsons.

Black Hole

2006-04-21T10:39:00.000Z

Not the graphic novel by Charles Burns but the astronomical feature which gets Stephen Hawking so excited - NASA has managed to create a mathematical script to describe how the gravitational waves from two merging black holes would look animated on a computer (previously the maths simply crashed the programmes). Scientific theory and science fiction coming together in a beautiful piece of rippling animation which belies the sheer energies it represents.

From off the streets of Cleveland

2006-04-21T09:38:00.000Z

Hope Harvey Pekar doesn't mind me using his catch-line! No, it isn't American Splendor news - it is the news that Spider-Man 3 will be filming from today on the streets of Cleveland, with the local radio station WMIJ 105.7 getting into the spirit of things by using the Spidey theme by the punk gods The Ramones for all of their traffic bulletins, according to Comics Continuum! It probably isn't going to happen, but how could would it be if Sam Raimi decided while he was there he had to have an American Splendor - Spider-Man crossover?!?!? Or at least a background cameo from Harv.

Author talks to author

2006-04-20T15:39:00.000Z

Padraig over at Irish SF News directs my attention to the transcript of an interview between to excellent fantasy novelists as Juliet E McKenna interviews Susanna Clarke over at Fractal Matter. There are also some other damned interesting interviews available on the main page, including Colin Greenland and Mike Carey - well worth a visit.

Respectable comics

2006-04-20T15:27:00.000Z

Graphic novels and comics continue to become more respectable (but don't expect me to wear an FPI tie when I write this!) as the Beat notes that the 27th Women Writers Conference this weekend at the University of Kentucky has a slot on Saturday's itinerary entitled The Graphic Novel Quorum at 3pm, described on their site thus: "Part literary artist and part visual artist, the graphic novelist works with many media to create new worlds, or to tackle the real world. Leading women of the business, Phoebe Gloeckner, Lauren Weinstein, Amy Kim Ganter, and Lexington's own Sara Turner will talk about it all. Moderated by OSU Cartoon Research Library curator Jenny Robb." I am unsure if the delegates will imbibe as much real ale as the recent Eastercon folks did, although I hear Kentucky makes a highly enjoyable other drink to lubricate these occassions.

Initial D at Hong Kong

2006-04-20T15:18:00.000Z

A live-action Chinese film based on the long-lived Manga racing car series Initial D (volume 22 has just been released) has picked up several nods at the Hong Kong Film Awards, according to the Beat. The manga movie adapatation picked up a Best New Performer award for Jay Chou (a singer from Taiwan apparently) and Best Supporting Actor for Anthony Wong, as well as Best Sound Design and Best Visual Effects. No news as to when it gets released in the UK or North America yet, but given the popularity of manga at the moment it is bound to appear sooner or later.

Author mini-interview: Margo Lanagan

2006-04-20T14:25:00.000Z

Joe: I’d like to welcome Margo Lanagan, one of the latest fine Australian authors to be published in the UK when Black Juice came out in February. Margo, it is unusual for a major publisher to introduce an author to a new market with a collection of short tales rather than a novel. Some people may think writing shorts is simpler than writing a novel, but most writers I know tend to think building a well-crafted short tale is much harder; are you especially fond of the short fiction form and, if so, why?

Margo: I’m getting fonder of short stories the more I struggle with novels, I have to say. It’s much easier to keep track of all the elements in a short story, and usually I’m trying to show a single change happening within or near a single character, so it’s easy to stay focussed. When I’ve been working on novels lately I’ve had trouble keeping a sense of the throughline, I’ve been so busy trying to cram the whole world into the story. Need more practice. The last substantial novel I completed (a 60K mainstream YA novel) was in 1996. I think the novel-completion muscle might have atrophied a little.

Joe: I’ve often thought that short fiction has a lot in common with poetry, in that it tends to convey a concentration of images and emotions with only a light touch of narrative, unlike a full-length novel which has to concentrate far more on plot structure. I find that the well-written short story engages the reader’s imagination as much as the writer’s to fill out the sketch of the world briefly glimpsed. Is it a bit of a balancing act, trying to imbue the tale with enough emotional investment in the characters and detail for the setting but maintain a tight, short form of prose? And do you enjoy bringing the reader’s imagination into the process?

Margo: It is a balancing act — really enjoyable to perform, too! I tend to underwrite on a first draft, and expand from there. I very seldom expand so far that I have to cut much back again. I started out writing poetry, which is probably where this practice comes from — the first draft is often in a kind of code to myself, containing notes and instructions and maybe a scrap of dialogue and the gist of the action.

I enjoy bringing my imagination to the process of reading, so I guess I like to think I’m giving readers that pleasure too. I like to read stories that disorient me (up to a point, beyond which disorientation can be an indulgence of the author’s and get boring), stories I can explore, and I like to make stories that are still interesting for me to reread after the first dozen readings — editing and proofing are part of my job, so I may as well enjoy them! But I realise that my stories are not for people who like everything spelled out for them. That’s OK — there are plenty of books out there for them.

Joe: From my reading of Black Juice and from your own comments in our What The Author Says feature I had a strong impression of a very personal angle to these tales, with themes such as love and loss provoking an emotional empathy with the reader (certainly did with me). Do you find that investing a lot of personal emotion into these tales is cathartic for yourself (and perhaps for readers)?

Margo: Well, I like a good, intense story, both to write and to read. When I’m writing at my best, I’m dragging it up from my subconscious, and often I couldn’t say what the source of the emotion was — sometimes it becomes clear afterwards, sometimes not. There is a kind of release in writing an emotionally intense story, though, as there is in reading one — or in watching a weepy movie!

When you say I ‘invest a lot of personal emotion’ in the stories, though, it conjures up an image of me weeping torrents over my own prose, declaiming and full of angst. If you were to watch me working, you would see nothing but an almost motionless person with her pen moving across the page, and at the worst moments reaching for a tissue and having a bit of a nose-blow and an eye-wipe before continuing. Then afterwards I’d just look kind of stunned and tired, and it would take a bit of effort for me to make conversation.

It’s a different experience writing an affecting story from reading one. Readers tell me they can’t forget, or can’t get over, the image of Ikky sinking in the tar in ‘Singing My Sister Down’, whereas having generated that image myself, I think I’ve processed it and absorbed it in a different way — not that I don’t still go a bit wobbly whenever I read that story, but it never had the power for me that readers get, of surprise at, and resistance to, where this story was headed. I always knew Ikky was going to die; my job was to put readers right there with her little brother, witnessing it all and feeling his surprise and grief when, at the end of the story, he understood the finality of her sinking. I had to very carefully manipulate other people’s emotions, using my own as a guide. Sounds a bit cold-blooded, eh? Writers are not necessarily nice people.

Joe: Let’s move on to some of the stories in Black Juice. I was struck by how many important stages of a person’s life were covered between these tales: marriage (Wooden Bride), death (Singing My Sister Down, Perpetual Light and others), youth and old age (The Point of Roses). Was this deliberate or really a product of the emotional investment you put into them, drawing on your own life experiences?

Margo: I’m not quite sure what you’re after with this question [re-reading this now I’m not sure myself! Probably the stories created an emotional question I simply couldn’t articulate properly - Joe]. Mainly I was trying for variety — variety in settings and in the age and gender of protagonists. I’m definitely drawn to significant transitions in life, as subject matter — name me a storyteller who isn’t. I also like to go for fairly universally applicable transitions — like, everybody dies, right? J And it’s around those transitions that emotionally and culturally interesting events cluster.

Joe: At first I thought Wooden Bride to be an unusual take on marriage and how women are viewed in the context of that institution, but when I re-read it I realised that every bride, every wedding, every marriage is unusual because it is unique to those involved. Do you think the fact that readers can identify and empathise with events and emotions in your tales is a key to why Black Juice has been so successful?

Margo: ‘Wooden Bride’ isn’t actually about marriage — the ceremony the girl goes through is more like the Catholic sacrament of confirmation, where you become an adult in the Church, or like a novice becoming a nun (a ‘bride of Christ’). You wed yourself to a certain set of ideals, in this story’s case a tradition of emotional and physical restraint.

And yes, I think my choosing those universal themes and experiences you talked about earlier means that a lot of people can identify with the characters in the Black Juice stories. I also try to make the different worlds the stories take place in convincing, so there’s a combination of a realistic setting and a strong pull on your emotions that makes the stories ideal as little escapes from the real world.

Joe: I have to ask – where did the elephants come from? I loved that story and especially enjoyed seeing the human world through elephant eyes. You don’t have a hidden elephant fetish where you write your stories wearing a plastic trunk and answering to the name ‘Nelly’ do you?

Margo: ‘Sweet Pippit’ came from research. I think the combination of learning about the infrasound elephants use to communicate, and the chamber in their skulls where the infrasound resonates, and seeing a picture of a very ornately dressed young mahout was what set me off. I don’t have a fetish about them, although they seem to be one of those animals that people do develop fetishes about, like owls or cats. I’ve written several animal stories now, and elephants are just one kind of animal whose particular strangeness appeals to me. (I’ve done Kenyan naked mole rats, a budgerigar, macaques – and angler fish are next on the list.)

Joe: The Point of Roses reminded me a little of Neil Gaiman while parts of other tales made me think of Ray Bradbury. Are there any authors in particular you admire for their short story ability?

Margo: George Saunders is my favourite at the moment. I’ve also enjoyed Christina Stead’s and Helen Garner’s short stories (Australian, mainstream, literary). Isobelle Carmody’s collection Green Monkey Dreams made me realise that a collection of spec-fic short stories could work.

Joe: I enjoyed Black Juice enormously but I have to say it has left me hungering for a full-length Margo Lanagan novel; it is a little like eating like eating a whole bunch of entrees and wanting to proceed to the main course. I’m sure a lot of other readers around the globe feel the same way – are we going to be indulged?

Margo: Well, if you can stand stepping into the mainstream, there are my two YA novels, The Best Thing and Touching Earth Lightly. I’ve been attempting full-length fantasy novels for several years now, but without success. Maybe I should work up to them more gradually, doing novellas first for a while, then novelettes, rather than trying to do the epics and the quartets straight off!

The short answer is: I’m working on it.

Joe: In wrapping up I often ask authors who they’d like to see (in an ideal world) direct and star in a film of their book. With short story collections perhaps it would be more appropriate to ask what sort of other medium would you like to see any of the tales adapted to? For some reason I kept thinking how beautiful a short animation of The Point of Roses could be while Wooden Bride struck me as a perfect tale for a dance routine (the paper shoes instead of the Red Shoes?). Given any medium – TV, animation, stage, film, dance, etc – and any person you wanted to make them any thoughts on which tales you would pick and how you’d like to see them?

Margo: Timur Bekmambetov, director of Nightwatch, should write and direct Red Nose Day. I’d be deliriously happy for Hayao Miyazaki to do any of the others. I think Studio Ghibli would animate The Point of Roses, or Earthly Uses, or Rite of Spring beautifully — but really, he can take his pick! House of the Many strikes me as suitable for adaptation into some kind of weird opera with accordions and choruses. The elephant story would make a good radio play — lots of opportunities for interesting soundscapes in there. ‘Singing My Sister Down’ is kind of the hit single of the collection, but I think it would make for a very static movie – not impossible. Wim Wenders, maybe.

Joe: One last question then – who are the authors on your bedside table right now?

Margo: Gene Wolfe, Jeff VanderMeer, Michael Cunningham, Jane Yolen, E. L. Doctorow, Kenzaburo Oe (yeah, you caught me at a highbrow moment), Kate Grenville, Helen Garner, Nick Hornby.

Joe: Margo Lanagan, thank you very much for joining us.

Margo: It’s been a pleasure!

Moving graphic novels

2006-04-19T16:11:00.000Z

Visitors to the stand-alone graphic novels site may have noticed that large, cheery image of Captain Marvel (the Shazam variety, not the Marvel variety, if you see what I mean) on the top banner explaining that the site will soon be moving. The latest version of the FPI webstore now has all of the graphic novel content, old and new, that the current stand-alone site has and the time is coming to switch over completely to the new site. I've really enjoyed setting up the GN site and putting out a good mix of the bestselling with the more unusual independent titles and judging by the visitors and sales so have many readers - thank you all for using the site and please, if you haven't already, come on over and browse the new store. Most readers are now going through the new FPI site which has all of the graphic novels on it now and offers a more dynamic site, with larger images, links, preview pages, awards listings pages and even some pieces by authors talking about their works. The stand-alone graphic novel site will be coming to an end soon, but I'll still be bringing you the same huge range of graphic novel goodness on the new, improved FPI site, where, if you want, you can browse and buy all of our wares under one 'roof'. And if you are mostly interested only in continuing to browse the graphic novels the new site has a whole huge segment devoted to them, including the very latest Marvel titles which I just added today to the pre-orders section and the DC advance titles for August and Image Comics July which went live yesterday.

Stealth ads in comics

2006-04-19T16:04:00.000Z

Cynical audience are well used to enduring product placement in television programmes and feature films. We’ve seen rather (in my view) vulgar and obvious corporate sponsorship in literature as well, pimping Bulgari jewellery by an author who should know better. So it shouldn’t be a great surprise that the advertisers want to use the medium of comics to push yet further wares on a public already saturated with commercials.

This isn’t the usual adverts which we’ve always seen but the aforementioned trick of product placement, a method of stealth advertising where readers or viewers are exposed to advertising techniques and corporate branding often unwittingly - and perhaps unwillingly; after all, you can choose to read an advert page or not, but if the products are placed in the story for a fee then you are going to come across it. I think the deviousness of it is what most irritates me along with the fact it does make you wonder exactly how the publishers who indulge in this blatant attempt to make extra money by shamelessly manipulating their readers view that readership.

The Wall Street Journal reports that Marvel are already running product placements – the Nike swoop has featured already and more elements are on the way, while DC is soon to being a mini-series called Rush which is benefiting from a deal with Pontiac, with the central character’s car being, yes, you guessed it, a Pontiac.

"The car will be as essential to the character as the Aston Martin was to James Bond," David McKillips, vice president of advertising and custom publishing for DC Comics told the Wall Street Journal. Perhaps being a little optimistic there – hard to see any new character’s car becoming quite as iconic as that so quickly!

It is easy to see why the advertising suits are happy to sign up to this – after all, it gives them access to an entire demographic (especially of those single males between the ages of 20 to 30) and another marketing tool to use in a crowded marketplace. Even better, a marketing tool which many readers may not even notice consciously and, given it is a part of the normal artwork of the story they are reading, they aren’t going to simply skip as they may a traditional page of advertising or flick a channel on TV (or even avoid a link on here to our webstore! Bang goes choice).

From a personal point of view I find it highly distasteful and perhaps even somewhat manipulative (hopefully they won’t stoop to using such advertising to titles aimed at younger readers, one hopes). On the other hand I can see why publishers would be eager to seize on a potentially lucrative new stream of revenue and perhaps those pieces of silver from the ad-men will help the publishers to pay artists and writers better and to encourage fresh talent. Now if you’ll excuse me I need to work on the pitch for my new fantasy trilogy set in a prominent local brewery that shall remain nameless… Until they cough up some ‘support’…

Dead by Dawn extra screenings

2006-04-18T16:17:00.000Z

Just in from Adele, the driving force behind Dead by Dawn, Scotland's major horror film festival: Dead by Dawn, Scotland's International Horror Film Festival is hosting a second all-nighter on Saturday 22 April, in Cinema 2 to compensate the horror-hungry for the main event being sold out. Tickets priced £20 are on sale now and available any day after 12 noon from Filmhouse box office on 0131 228 2688. The programme is: LUCKY (short) + LAST BLOOD (short) + ZOMBIE JIEITAI (feature) EL DESAFIO A LA MUERTE (short) + REPOSE EN PAIX (short) + BROKEN (feature) DEADLY TANTRUM (short) + ISOLATION (feature) *B R E A K F A S T* LE BOURREAU DES INNOCENTS (short) + NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH (feature) GORGONAS (short) + SEVERED (feature) The whole thing kicks off just after midnight (0015) and finishes just before 11am. The bar will open for breakfast between the third and fourth features.

Pilot of the future

2006-04-18T16:13:00.000Z

Digital radio station BBC7 is repeating the first Dan Dare tale Voyage to Venus, which sees Dan and crew captured by the evil Mekon of Mekonta and his Treens while exploring Venus to see if crops could be grown there to feed the hungry Earth. Check out the Listen Again button on the left-hand side of the BBC7 menu.

Woman of Mass Destruction

2006-04-18T15:51:00.000Z

The latest pre-orders for Image Comics' July graphic novel releases are live on our webstore now. Among their latest crop is the first collection of the much-talked about comic series from Jimmie Robinson, Bomb Queen: Woman of Mass Destruction. I've had a look through some of the original issues and quite enjoyed this cheeky little series. There is the truly huge Witchblade Compendium, which gathers together the first 50 issues - that's over 1200 pages of comic goodness! Sure, some folk say Witchblade plays up to male reader's sexual fantasies with the incredibly sexy artwork of lead character Sara, but it is also very popular with female fans as well and as Xena and Parrish Plessis proved, you can be sexy and still be a serious action heroine too. There is one interesting title which takes the Pinnochio fairytale and twists it into something rather darker, more Frankenstein in nature (or un-nature). Alas it has a title which, although probably perfectly acceptable in the US, is more than a little unfortunate in the UK since it unwittingly uses a word which is Brit slang for something a tad rude (clue: dangly spherical objects): the Cobbler's Monster. A shame, because it looks like something I do want to read, but that title conjures up a different mental image in Britain...

Hordes

2006-04-18T15:36:00.000Z

My colleague Paul, our resident RPG fiend (who can always be distracted with a 12-sided dice) is tickled pink and even mauve over a new range of RPG goodies he has just added onto our webstore. Over to Paul:

HORDES is the brand new game from Privateer Press, the same people who made the outstanding WarMachine - and they haven't let up with the design of their miniatures. These 30mm warriors are things of beauty and look absolutely stonking on the battlefield! And even better - we've got them at 20% off RRP!

So far there are four main factions announced, and only two items per faction at the moment. But there will be a deluge of new HORDES miniatures coming soon! Let’s take a quick look at some of them...

CIRCLE ORBOROS

A mysterious and secretive group, few know of this ancient order of druids. Though few in number, they wield great power and influence wherever the shadow of wilderness falls. Capable of summoning the forces of the storm and stone, their will is rarely contested. Now they command the beasts of the wild to fight any who would dare.

The Circle Orboros boasts warlocks of great magical might, with the power to transform their beasts into deadly hunters and controlling the very terrain of the battlefield. With a mobility born not just of speed but of control of the land, a Circle army excels in guerrilla-style combat—hitting hard, hitting fast, and disappearing into the forest shadows.

TROLLBLOODS

For centuries they have seen their sacred lands taken and their numbers diminished. Now the human nations have brought war to their last refuges in western Immoren. Banding together with their less civilized kin, the trollkin are on the warpath united with heavily armed trolls and the wild dire trolls. The Trollblood march to war to claim what is theirs.

Heavily armoured and mad as hell—the Trollblood faction brings the hurt like no other faction in HORDES. For centuries the Trollbloods have seen their sacred lands taken and their numbers diminished. Now the human nations have brought war to their last refuges in western Immoren. Banding together with their less civilized kin and united with heavily armed trolls and wild dire trolls, the trollkin are on the warpath. The Trollbloods march to war to claim what is theirs.

LEGION OF EVERBLIGHT

There are some evils possessed of infinite patience and guile. Dragons are such a force. They are not alive in the same fashion as other beasts, nor do they die. A dragon’s flesh is a transitory shell for carrying its malignant consciousness. Even when obliterated down to its core essence, the athanc, a dragon endures. From this unholy stone, a new dragon can be reborn with the mind of the old, quickly regenerating to full strength. No lore or craft of mortals has been able to destroy these dragon stones.

The Legion of Everblight uses speed and the threat of first strike as its primary tactics. Flanking and threatening charges by multiple targets, this army surrounds an enemy like the jaws of a dragon. A single false move on the opponent’s side will open them up for the killing blow, as the dragon’s maw closes with surprising swiftness.

SKORNE

From beyond the treacherous Bloodstone Marches, the savage race of the Skorne now march on western Immoren with but one purpose: the utter of all its nations under their dreaded touch. With this army of sorrows come warbeast the likes of which the nations of men have never seen.

From beyond the treacherous Bloodstone Marches, the savage race of the Skorne now march on western Immoren with one purpose: the utter subjugation of all its nations under their dreaded touch. With this army of sorrows come warbeasts the likes of which the nations of men have never seen. Broken to serve as weapons of war, these enslaved warbeasts are barely restrained in battle, while the Skorne troops are rigorously disciplined.

VanderMeer International

2006-04-18T15:13:00.000Z

As I enjoyed an ale break at Eastercon over the weekend I picked up one of the many fliers on the tables and blow me if the international VanderMeer label didn’t leap out at me. Strange, I thought Jeff and his other half were busy ‘sampling’ fine European ales that weekend (he said, putting it politely). I look closer and realise he isn’t actually at Eastercon, it is Jeff’s name prominent on a flier for Finncon 2006 this August (18^th to 20^th) in Helsinki, Finland (where Lapp-dancing is somewhat different from what we may expect).

No matter where you go, the VanderMeer label follows you, especially if you are near water; I am uncertain, but I think I heard one of his freshwater squid singing in the River Clyde near the Eastercon hotel (I think it was “I belong to Glasgow” but cannot be certain). I am now moved to speculate that Jeff has a battalion (or whatever the collective term is for squid – a squad of squid perhaps?) who travel the world, swimming up rivers and deposting fliers announcing forthcoming appearances as convention-goers slumber. In the face of this and his hi-tech, multimedia campaign I can only recommend potential readers simply surrender and read his books.

One of the Eastercon guests, the most excellent Justina Robson is also on the bill for Finncon and, apparently, Emerald City’s Cheryl Morgan, although rumours that Cheryl will don a woolly hat with ears and bobbles to perform a traditional northern Finnish Lapp-dance cannot be confirmed at this time. Finncon 2006 has a website with more details here, but, alas, no facility to report sighting of freshwater squid.

More awards

2006-04-18T14:52:00.000Z

It was a busy weekend for awards; in addition to the delightful anarchy of the BSFA awards ceremony at Eastercon, Cheryl at Emerald City reported that the Philip K Dick awards were announced (as Eastercon goers were busy sipping real ale and admiring the large number of pirates wandering the hotel). War Surf by M.M. Buckner won the Dick award with one of Eastercon’s guests (and one of Brit SF’s best writers), Justina Robson garnering herself a special citation for Natural History. Cheryl also pointed out that on the other side of the world from those of us swilling real ale at Eastercon (the image of a bearded, real ale drinking fan may be a stereotype, but like all myths it has more than a seed of truth in it!) the Ditmar awards were being announced in Australia, with Geodesica: Ascent by Sean Williams and Shane Dix taking the best novel award, with the rest of the results here.

New Who takes the top spot

2006-04-17T11:25:00.000Z

Hurrah - the first, cracking episode of the new Doctor Who season has claimed the top viewing spot for Saturday night, trouncing ITV's screening of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by several million, with an unofficial audience of 8.3 million, which doesn't include those who recorded it to watch later. I wonder if it does include the packed room of eager SF fans who crowded into a suite at Eastercon on Saturday night to watch it? The rest of the convention did grow eerily quiet during that time... A trailer for next week's episode aired right after the end of the show, with Tennant's grinning Doctor introducing Rose to Queen Victoria and an exciting looking scene of the Queen, Rose and the Doc running down through a Scottish castle pursued by a werewolf glimpsed howling in the 19th century Scottish Highlands - looks like a proper, old-fashioned scary episode of the type traditionally watched from behind the sofa for younger fans. In fact I may pull my sofa out further from the wall for next Saturday so I can watch the episode properly from behind it. For those outside the UK who have to wait to see it I can tell you it was fabulous: Tennant walked into those shoes filled so briefly but brilliantly by Eccleston and confidently claimed his territory; in the relay race of regeneration the sonic screwdriver has been passed on. Eccleston's Doctor carried a burden of grief and survivor guilt at being the only Time Lord to survive the last, great Time War; Tennant's Doctor is taking the regeneration not only to mean new body but a new lease on life, as if he has let go of that dark weight. He nicely illustrates the fact that the Doctor is not human or young as he appears though in scenes with the Head of Bo (from the second episode of last year's series) where the two are portrayed as ancient beings and last of their kind, yet somehow still optimistic for the future in a way Ecclestone's Doctor wasn't (or couldn't be). The scenes where he faces down a returned Cassandra (the very thin lady also from last year's second episode) are brilliant, as are the scenes where the Doctor stumbles on the truth behind a miraculous hospital on New Earth (in a very 70s SF plot) and he faces down the bad guys: he doesn't ask them to stop, he orders them to stop. It sends shivers down the spine because Tennant makes it clear this young looking new Doctor is an ancient and very powerful alien and he simply isn't going to let this happen; he's our hero and he isn't going to let the bad guys win; he is the Doctor and we know it and, I suspect, are going to love him for it. And all accomplished with some very cool effects and makeup (the feline nurses were brilliant) and a genuine sense of fun - the team even found time to throw in some references to other shows as the Doctor takes Rose to New Earth and shows her New New York (actually since it is the 15th or so since the original it is New, New, New...) in a clear nod to Futurama as well as drawing on 70s genre flicks, especially the zombie and medical horror movies. I can't wait for the next episode!

BSFA winner announced at Eastercon 2006

2006-04-15T23:57:00.000Z

Just home from a terrific day at Concussion, this year's Eastercon, in sunny Glasgow-sur-le-Clyde ; I'll probably post a bit more on the con later but for now I thought I should pass on the news about the BSFA awards 2006 (although given for books published in the UK during 2005). Many of us crowded into the function suite by the Clyde at 9pm this evening to enjoy the sight of the first award of the evening - the Doc Weir award, given for services to fandom - not actually being awarded because the winner had vanished, allegedly taking a projector to another function, such was his dedication to the running of conventions. He was found by the end of the proceedings, or at least someone was given the award... The assembled masses, many of us equipped with beards, were also treated to Stephen Baxter's Cabaret (well, not really, but it would have been fun), Interzone #200's cover picking up the art award, Kelly Link picking up the short story award for Magic for Beginners and then Geoff Ryman receiving the BSFA award for Tallest SF Author in the Room.. Er, I mean Geoff picking up the much-coveted BSFA Best Novel award for Air. Geoff was most gracious and tall in his brief acceptance speech and paid tribute to his fellow nomineess - and what a damned fine list it was, I had great difficulty in trying to rank my choices on my ballot slip. More on a fun day out for all the family at Eastercon later.

Dead by Dawn - the latest details

2006-04-14T15:17:00.000Z

Adele Hartley has passed on the latest details for the imminent Dead by Dawn horror film (and now literary too) fest, which spans from Ramsey Campbell to Tony Todd: Well, here it is, most of the films we'll be showing at Dead by Dawn's 13th Anniversary next week. Even at this late stage we are still adding things to the programme, so rather than send you a schedule which will change, here's a list of titles, and anyone attending will be able to pick up a full schedule on arrival. On the evening of Thursday 20th, we're launching our first two anthologies - Read by Dawn Vol 1 (hosted by Ramsey Campbell) and Classic Tales of Horror Vol 1. I'm really proud of both these books - not only do they look and feel gorgeous, but contained within is some of the finest classic and contemporary short horror fiction. The launch is taking place at the Citrus Club on Grindlay Street in Edinburgh from 6-10pm. Entry is free to Passholders, and £3 to anyone else. There will be some free drinking to be done, nibbles and schmoozing, and of course the opportunity to buy some books... The Opening Movie of the festival, HARD CANDY, will be on screen at Filmhouse at 11.15pm Over the rest of the weekend, you'll have a chance to see the following features: Wayne Coe's yummy 80's portmanteau oddity GRIM PRAIRIE TALES, culinary delight in THE LAST SUPPER as a plastic surgeon takes some of his work home with him, Nic Roeg's ever spectacular DON'T LOOK NOW, Shinya Tsukamoto's claustrophobic nightmare HAZE, the World Premiere of Robert Krause's BLOOD TRAILS, Adam Mason's mentalist survivalist does extreme damage in BROKEN, The Thing meets Alien meets Gary Larsson's cows gone bad in ISOLATION, George C Scott survives a haunted Gothic pile in THE CHANGELING, aliens feck with the world and raise legions of undead in the Japanese treat ZOMBIE JIEITAI, Graeme Whifler redefines the neighbour from hell in the deeply unpleasant NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH, another portmanteau goodie in the shape of DEAD OF NIGHT, hippy tree huggers get it in the neck in SEVERED and Tony Todd gives it some welly in the outrageous lesbian-prison-movie-with-added-zombies, SHADOW: DEAD RIO T. More titles to come :) As for the shorts, the What You Make It programme will mess with your head...WHEN NOBODY IS LOOKING, LA GUERRA, SHAME and THE HIDDEN FACE should all provide good arguments against breeding, the sweet as anything EL DESAFIO A LA MUERTE (THE CHALLENGE TO DEATH) puts a guru in a blender, in LAST BLOOD some mutant vampires coat a post-apocalyptic wasteland in warm arterial spray, a woman finds novel methods of psychological punishment in LOS OJOS DE ALICIA (ALICIA'S EYES), Nash Edgerton returns to the festival with LUCKY which you have to see to believe, three students get a dose of local history in SCHATTENKIND (SHADOW CHILD), BUTTERFLIES is a punchline I'm not about to spoil for you, LE BOURREAU DES INNOCENTS sees a hillwalker wish she'd never left the comfort and safety of inner-city crime behind, HAUNTED BONEYARD (winner of last year's 48 hour film challenge) should bother the claustrophobe in everyone, DEADLY TANTRUM - as the tagline says, 'Meet Geoffrey - he's angry, he's s tupid, he's got a power saw', in THE ANCIENT RITES OF COREY MCGILLIS a young man grieves his father's death, but not for long, in REPOSE EN PAIX (REST IN PEACE) a man's dreams seem all too real until the happy ever after, in ZACARIAS ZOMBIE (ZACHARY THE ZOMBIE) a child is born undead and finds that dog is man's best meal and in the sublime animation GORGONAS (GORGONS) the world is plagued by a trio bent on cruelty. As if that wasn't enough, we're running a promo of what will be the finest genre movie possibly ever, with it's director and producer there in person - you'll have to be there to find out what it is, and as for our Special Guest, well we're still waiting to find out if he can fit us into his schedule, so news on that when we get it. Happily, the World Premiere of BLOOD TRAILS will be attended by a full complement of cast and crew, and five cast and crew from LAST BLOOD will be around too. Anyone attending or thinking of attending the second all-nighter on Saturday 22 April, you will get to see: LAST BLOOD, ZOMBIE JIEITAI, REPOSE EN PAIX, BROKEN, LE BOURREAU DES INNOCENTS, ISOLATION, DEADLY TANTRUM, NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH and SEVERED as well as some other shorts. See you next week! Adele Hartley

Testify!

2006-04-13T16:37:00.000Z

Douglas Rushkoff, a name well-known to many of us from his books and online writings has been working on a book with Liam Sharp for DC's mature readers imprint Vertigo, called Testament: Akedah. The religious component is bound to infuriate some who will no doubt hold forth on the wrongness of it without actually reading it - but since they aren't going to read it why pay any attention to them?!? Besides controversial religious themes didn't stop Mark Millar and Peter Gross' Chosen, a modern day tale of Jesus, which sold out its first issue. The graphic novel collection of Testament is coming from DC in July and I think readers who enjoy the likes of Mike Carey's Lucifer are going to find this to their taste - I'm certainly looking forward to it. Douglas has kindly allowed us to reproduce some thoughts about the series he originally wrote for On The Ledge:

"The Bible may have actually been written in the wrong medium. I'm saying this as a media theorist - a guy who has written books and novels, taught university classes, and made documentaries about the impact of new technology on the way we relate to stories. And particularly on those stories we happen to really believe in.

If anything, working in what is still the rather new space of networked computers has taught me that our relationship to narratives is stuck in a dangerous place. Sure, we watch TV and imagine ourselves as characters, but we have lost access to the gaps in the stories. The places where temporality, interpretation and sequence are up for grabs. We just get lost in the seamless reality and get taken along for a ride.

I've found some less than receptive audiences for these observations.

When I wrote a book presenting the Bible as an "open source" collaboration, I was blacklisted by fundamentalists of more than one religion. They just didn't want their story messed with - even though I had been able to prove it was written with that very intent!

Businesspeople, religious people, educators, and publishers are all equally threatened and confounded by the idea that real stuff is actually occurring in the gaps between the moments that pass for history.

And that's when I realized the perfect place to tell what I've come to believe is the *real* story of the Bible: comics.

Now don’t get the wrong idea. The Bible has been intentionally framed as a dry and sanctimonious tome just to keep thinking people from getting near it. In reality, it’s powerfully dangerous stuff: the ultimate handbook for psychic revolt. It’s filled with sex, temple prostitutes, incantations, incest, travel to other dimensions, conversations with aliens, wars with giants and, on more than one occasion, ritualized anal rape. Think you’re an accomplished magician? Check out the source code on reality hacking, and see if you can handle it.

A comic is camouflage for me to expose the mythic battle underlying Western Civilization, and sequential narrative the perfect way to tell a story taking place simultaneously in multiple universes - including our own. It'll follow a band of cyber-alchemist revolutionaries, in a future just a day after tomorrow - when the draft is reinstated, and the mind virus known as the dollar requires military enforcement. It'll also take place in Bible time - exposing how this plot has been recurring for centuries.

For by insisting we “believe” that the Bible happened at some moment in distant history, the keepers of religion prevent us from realizing that the Bible is happening right now, in every moment. The narrative and its power transcend time. All we need is access and will.

Then reality itself is at our disposal, and we'll be the superheroes."

Shazam!

2006-04-13T14:09:00.000Z

The Hollywood Reporter carries the news that Peter Segal is now attached to direct Shazam! New Line Cinema are currently developing the new superhero movie based around DC's Billy Batson, a young lad who, when he utters the magic word Shazam becomes Captain Marvel, the world's mightiest mortal (the Cap pretty much rivals Superman in terms of power). The Big Red Cheese has always been one of my favourite superheroes, so I am interested to see how this pans out, although the cynical part of my wonders if it is simply more mining by Hollywood for any superhero nuggets while they are the box office flavour-du-jour. In recent years the character has only been called Captain Marvel inside the comic while Shazam is used on the cover due to a copyright snafu with Marvel who have a similarly named character - all the more ironic given the Shazam Marvel started life with Fawcett way back in the Golden Age and was attacked by DC then as a blatant Superman copy.

Digital Delany

2006-04-13T13:02:00.000Z

That great web resource Boing Boing draws attention to a free MP3 online for a very early SF work by one of the genre's true great, Samuel R Delany. The Star-Pit features not only sound, music and various actors but narration supplied by Sam himself; quality is a little variable (it dates from the late 60s) but it is still a little SF audio gem. Also via the good offices of Boing Boing comes new of a collection of work from various respected SF artists which is being auctioned on Ebay, with the monies raised being used to help support the next generation of developing artists via the Society of Illustrator's Student Scholarship Fund for an student "creating an exceptional work with a speculative or fantastic theme.". A little over my pocket money level, alas, but I'm sure it offers someone a good chance to help support new talent and obtain some cool original artwork.

Jeff'n'Scott

2006-04-13T10:20:00.000Z

The irreplaceable Jeff VanderMeer sits down with the too-damned-clever R Scott Bakker over some tea, cakes and coloured fungi for a damned good chat about the final part of the seriously good Prince of Nothing series, The Thousandfold Thought, which is just about to hit the UK shelves courtesy of Orbit. Bakker delivers epic fantasy but (thankfully) he injects some serious weight and intelligence into them, meaning the reader gets what they want from a good fantasy without the accompanying pitfalls of generic clichés which can sometimes go along with the field. It is a nice, irreverent piece, taking in books, morality, ancient Samarkand and, naturally, squid as Jeff makes R Scott Bakker Walk The Plank.

Batton talks Supernatural Law

2006-04-13T09:50:00.000Z

Batton Lash, creator of the Supernatural Law series currently riding high with two nominations in the more mainstream arena kindly shared a couple of words with FPI on being shortlisted:

“The nominations are especially significant for me since I always did the Supernatural Law comic book (and the Wolff & Byrd newspaper strip before that) with the general public in mind and for an audience that doesn't normally read comics. To be recognized by "real world" (i.e.: outside of comics) readers is very encouraging. We know how fabulous comics are . . . the rest of the world doesn't know what they've been missing!”

In addition to the popular print version which is attracting so much interest right now, Batton has been telling us about a new twice-a-week online strip featuring Wolff & Byrd (Counsellors of the Macabre). It’s a nice way to offer more to the existing fans of Supernatural Law while hopefully introducing new readers to the series, so if you are new to it, Batton is offering you the chance to experience SLbefore you buy, which is pretty groovy. I'm thinking anyone reading the online version isn't going to be able to resist the print version - and with the American Library Association nominating for their recommended reading list hopefully the series (and comics in general) will be reaching a wider audience .

Supernatural Law gets mainstream praise

2006-04-12T11:13:00.000Z

Tales of Supernatural Law, the latest volume by the delightfully monikered Batton Lash, is picking up mainstream praise and approval. The Beat reported that Tales is a finalist in the graphic novel category for the Publisher’s Marketing Association’s Benjamin Franklin Awards (which reward independent publishing) and ForeWord magazine’s Book of the Year Awards. Way to go, Batton! I wonder if Wolff & Byrd, ‘Counsellors to the Macabre’ influenced Joss Whedon’s creation of Wolfram and Hart in Angel? Nancy Drew: the Demon of River Heights and North Country are also on the final shortlist for the Ben Franklin. Batton's work has also been nominated for inclusion on the American Library Association's recommended reading list.

Dahl goes graphic

2006-04-12T09:44:00.000Z

I recently added forthcoming Dark Horse titles for August and September to our main site; in among them was an especially interesting little literary rarity being given the graphic novel treatment - a story written by a certain RAF Flight Lieutenant, one Roald Dahl. Gremlins, published during World War Two, is a very early story from the writer who has fascinated generations of children and adults with his books and involves Gus, a fighter pilot who spots the titular Gremlins on the wing of his plane. Long before they became light-sensitive movie monsters Gremlins were a stape of modern folklore, with pilots, especially in the 40s and 50s reporting sightings of these malevolent little creatures pulling apart their aircraft at high altitude (the extremes of speed and altitude on the brain and blood supply are now thought to be a likely cause of these visions). Famously the original Twilight Zone recycled the idea in an episode with William Shatner as a passenger on an airliner who is convinced he can see a creature on the wing damaging the plane, a story which has been parodied countless times since. Walt Disney bought the rights to Dahl's Gremlins over six decades ago to use as the basis of an animated movie, but the project was never completed. This Dark Horse hardback reproduces the story and art from Disney and the Artists and Writers Guild for the first time in over sixty years.

Juliet's writing course in Scotland

2006-04-12T09:37:00.000Z

Our chum Sandy over at the Alien Online carries news that one of Britain's best fantasy writers (one of those female writers that don't exist according to the Times piece discussed a couple of days ago here!) Juliet E McKenna is running her excellent SF&F writing course for budding authors this autumn at Castle of Park in Scotland's Aberdeenshire (the coast of which was part of Stoker's inspiration for Dracula). The course will run from Sunday 1st October to Saturday 7th, with details on the Castle of Park site.

Pooh does the Walk of Fame

2006-04-12T09:22:00.000Z

Okay, this may not be exactly SF news, but we love animation so we're including it: one of the biggest stars of animation, currently celebrating 80 years in Showbiz, has been honoured with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Yup, Pooh Bear, that honey-fixated-but-oh-so-cuddly bear stuffed with fluff now has his very own star, reflecting the importance of animation to mainstream Hollywood (Pooh still generates millions for license holders Disney to this day).

Venom

2006-04-12T09:15:00.000Z

SciFi Wire drew my attention to a brief interview on MSN with Thomas Haden Church who is playing the Sandman in the next Sam Raimi Spider-Man movie. Thomas inadvertantly confirmed what many of us had suspected - arch Spidey menace Venom will indeed feature in the third cinema outing for our friendly, neighbourhood web-slinger: "I'm overwhelmed every time I'm around Sam," Church says. "He's been showing me [stuff] since the beginning of last summer. 'This is what we are going to be doing in this sequence, this is what Spider-Man is going to be doing and this is what Venom is going to be doing.' It is a massive, massive process."

SFX

2006-04-11T15:43:00.000Z

SFX magazine has a chat with Billie Piper and David Tennant available on their webpage. The new print edition of the UK's biggest SF magazine also gives a thumbs up to Mike Carey's The Devil You Know debut prose novel and includes a nice freebie in the shape of a 'fascinating facts' type book. For comics fans there is a plethora of X-Men articles and it is to their credit that the SFX crew have decided that while the imminent new movie requires covering they also need to discuss the long comic book history of mutant power.

SciFi on Seven

2006-04-11T14:54:00.000Z

Digital radio station BBC 7 continues to broadcast SF&F material. Kurt Vonnegut's and Philip Reeves' ThanasphereMortal Engines are both available this week and, as usual, they are archived for a week, while radio adaptations of The Twilight Zone are broadcast at the weekend.

Parrish Plessis - the game

2006-04-11T08:58:00.000Z

Marianne de Pierres, creator of the Parrish Plessis novels which manage to combine action with intelligence, sexiness with social commentary and all set in a dystopian future-SF, drops me a line to tell me that Parrish is expanding into the world of gaming! How exciting! I think Parrish's adventures will provide a great setting and group of characters for a game world. "A Queensland author’s best-selling futuristic adventure novel has been adapted into an action role-playing game.

The vivid and unique future Australia of Marianne de Pierres’ novel, Nylon Angel, has been brought to life by White Mice Worldbuilding, a Tasmanian games start-up.

“It’s incredible to see the world I created move from the page onto the gaming board,” said author Marianne de Pierres. “I think it is a great example of what small Australian companies are accomplishing in the burgeoning creative industries.”

Each gamer kit will provide pre-rolled characters as well as references and rules for players and game referees, set-up sequences and scenarios. Gamers also have the means to start from scratch using White Mice Worldbuilding’s unique character and name generator. Internal artwork is by Australian artist Cassandra Lovell. Cover art works are by international artists, Neyjour (USA) and Catherine Geaney (UK).

The three books of Marianne de Pierres’ best-selling Parrish Plessis series - Nylon Angel, Code Noir and Crash Deluxe - have all been used to develop the game.

Nylon Angel and Crash Deluxe were both nominated for Best Science Fiction Novel in the Australian Aurealis awards. The books have also had success in the UK and Europe where the publishers, Orbit Books, have sold translation rights to six countries. Penguin/Roc has recently released Nylon Angel in North America.

Nylon Angel - the role-playing game will be launched at Conjure, the Australian National Convention, on April 15th by one of Science Fiction's most luminary authors, and father of Cyberpunk, Bruce Sterling.”

Who gears up

2006-04-11T08:32:00.000Z

The BB of C continues to ramp up the support for the imminent new season of Doctor Who, about to materialise on our screens this coming Saturday (oh yes!!!). Adverts have been running on TV and radio; yesterday I noticed on BBC radio that they were now using mini-ads, only a few seconds long, which had no dialogue, just quite simply the sound of the TARDIS - it is such a recognisable sound it is now being used as shorthand for the whole show. The Doctor Who part of the BBC's huge site has been made-over for the new season, complete with a trailer showing werewolves in Victorian Scotland, Cybermen, cat-women and Rose kissing the Doctor. It also has Tennant's new Doctor looking very assured in the role already, looking the viewer in the eye and telling them that if they go through those TARDIS doors with him 'nothing will ever be the same again.' I can't wait!

Debbie in the Times

2006-04-10T13:06:00.000Z

Deborah Miller kindly drops me a line to let me know that the Sunday Times this week carried an interview with her. The interview does make the point that a female author + fantasy does not necessarily = soft touch, as anyone who had read Debbie’s work can vouch for, the darkness lurking in the shadows between pages (notably in her first novel, Talisker, published under the name Miller Lau). However, Debbie did point out that the article is wrong in one important respect – the owl outside her home is not plastic!

Actually the article makes a more serious mistake when it says “There aren’t many female sci-fi writers”. Pleased though I am to see such an excellent author getting well-deserved coverage in the mainstream press (we do seem to be becoming more respectable these days, if somewhat slowly, two steps forward and one back fashion) I was rather annoyed at this incorrect statement, so readily asserted and so fundamentally wrong (why can’t journalists do some basic research before making such statements???).

This plays very much on the stereotypical view that SF&F is a male arena, written by men for a male audience, with only a handful of tomboyish girls allowed in to play. Similar aspersions are cast on conventions and I have encountered it when talking about the Edinburgh SF Book Group as the ignorant sneer “oh is that a club for misfit boys?” is trotted out, despite the fact the group consists roughly half and half male and female regulars. But this false assertion that there are few female SF authors is just incredibly irritating; especially given the hard time trailblazers such as Leigh Brackett endured as female SF writers in the 40s and 50s.

While SF&F may well have a pretty big male component in terms of writers and readers it also boasts an impressive array of diverse female voices and a loyal female readership, with many of those authors being major award-winners around the globe. What of Margo Lanagan? Marianne de Pierres? Justina Robson? Susanna Clarke? Juliet E McKenna? Kelley Armstrong? Jude Fisher? Liz Williams? Steph Swainston? Trudi Canavan? Gwyneth Jones? Tanya Huff? Tricia Sullivan? And these are just a few names selected from the small (but perfectly formed) selection of Book Picks on our site alone.

What about Anne McCaffrey? What about Ursula Le Guin? How many generations of readers have grown up reading tales of Earthsea? Lois McMaster Bujold? How many men and women have been challenged by Sherri S Tepper? What about the late Octavia Butler? Storm Constantine? What about Ellen Datlow who has nurtured more writers of either gender than most of us can count? What about Denise Mina now writing the Hellblazer comic, the flagship title from DC’s adult Vertigo imprint? What about mainstream, ‘literary’ authors who write occasional works of SF such as Margaret Atwood?

Alright, you get the point – this is a sloppy bit of journalism by an interviewer who didn’t take a few minutes to check the facts. All the more galling because George at Orbit Books has been keeping me updated on just how well Trudi Canavan’s latest hardback is doing in the mainstream Hardback Fiction Bestsellers in the Times list, so a Times journalist writing a book article really should know better! Really, a few moments checking on Google or even asking a couple of people is all it takes… Perhaps it would have been more correct to say there are more female authors in the area of fantasy than hard SF for instance, but to dismiss the ranks of female writers and fans so simply is to do them a great disservice, especially given the fact that many of them produce not only a cracking read but work which is intelligent, emotional, daring and thought-provoking (really, what more can you ask from a writer?).

Still, it is good to see Debbie getting some mainstream coverage, so perhaps I shouldn’t rant too much. And since it is in the article I assume we are now free to tell the world (if it hadn't worked it out already) that Deborah Miller and Miller Lau were one and the same. But really, come on – some of the best writers in our genre are women. Perhaps we should send the journalist in question a copy of Sheri S Tepper’s Beauty?!?!

Bram Stokers

2006-04-10T09:38:00.000Z

The Bram Stoker Awards ballots from the Horror Writers Association are live on their site. The Novel catagory includes David Morrell for Creepers, Charlee Jacob for Dread in the Beast, by Gary Braunbeck and KeepersNovember Mourns by Tom Piccirilli. The winners are announced at the HWA conference in Newark, NJ over June 16th to 18th.

Edinburgh SF Book Group rescheduled meet

2006-04-10T09:32:00.000Z

The March meeting of the Edinburgh SF Book Group which had to be canclled due to the transport strike will no move to the slot for the April meeting, with April's book being bumped forward to the May fixture. So Ishiguro's Never Let Me Go will now be discussed at the meeting on Tuesday 25th of April, with the discussion of Adam Roberts Polystom now scheduled for the May meeting on Tuesday 30th of May. The Edinburgh SF Book Group usually meets on the last Tuesday of each month in Henderson's on Hanover Street, Edinburgh, from 6 to 7pm, to discuss a work of SF, Fantasy, Horror or Graphic Novel chosen by the members, with all welcome to come along and join in.

More 24

2006-04-10T09:06:00.000Z

It has been confirmed that Kiefer Sutherland has signed up to play agent Jack Bauer for three further series of 24 in a deal reputedly worth $40 million for the actor. The original series garnered a lot of critical and popular acclaim for the innovative nature; I'm wondering how innovative it can continue to be but obviously the makers have faith in it.

Fizzers launch

2006-04-09T17:13:00.000Z

Friday evening saw the good and the great (and me) descend on the Scottish National Portrait Gallery in Edinburgh for the launch of the cartoon art book and the art exhibition for Fizzers: Famous Scottish Faces Caricatured, with some of the people caricatured actually in attendance, including the Scots actor Brian Cox. The six artists from the Glasgow Cartoon Art Studio - Brian, Chris, Derek, Edd, Terry and Tommy - were there, all arrayed stylishly in waistcoats adorned with their own artwork (which made it much easier to track them down afterwards to get my book signed). The turnout was huge and to this old comics fan it was uplifting to see such support from so many people, including the aristic establishment in the shape of the National Galleries of Scotland (who did the boys proud) for comic and cartoon artwork. I've reported on some instances of our beloved genre finally being treated as a serious artform by the artistic authorities (the Crumb retrospective in London last year, the recent Hernadez Brothers exhibition in the US) and so I was delighted to see similar recognition and support closer to home. The spokesman for the National Galleries commented on how pleased they were to host the exhibition (which runs for the next couple of months and is now open to the public) and how different it was from some of the more traditional material they usually displayed but this just made it more interesting. The book is a pleasure and being able to see the original, full-size artwork was a real treat, with the subjects being pretty wide ranging, including a few folk who aren't actually Scottish but live here, such as J K Rowling (as well as those who are Scottish but don't live here anymore, such as Sean Connery). The SF genre is well represented too, with pictures of the aforementioned Brian Cox who has dabbled in big screen SF outings (the US version of the Ring, X-Men 2) as well as a huge range of other parts and no less than two Doctor Who actors in the shape of David Tennant and Sylvester McCoy. People often assume that comedy is easier to write than drama and similarly assume caricatures are probably something simple you dash off simply in minutes, but, of course, we know that is is a pretty demanding discipline, requiring the artist not merely to reproduce the subject portrait-style but to bring out and enhance perceived characteristics which will be instantly recongisable to the viewer. While this can take the form of exaggerating physical characteristics it also takes in emotional and psychological components, or in the case of the cariacture of artist Peter Howson, cleverly incorporating aspects of that artist's style into the caricature. The book of Fizzers is out now while the exhibition runs to Sunday the 2nd of July; one of the artists involved, Terry Anderson, wrote about the Glasgow Cartoon Art Studio, the book and the exhibition on the FPI blog back at the end of March here. And on a personal note I found out just how small a world it was when I was chatting to one of the artists, Edd and discovered he is the little brother of a boy who used to play with me and my friends as kids! It really is a small world...

(W)ho-ots mon!

2006-04-07T16:24:00.000Z

Okay, that was a very feeble pun, sorry. The Scotsman has an article on the new season of Doctor Who and an interview with the new Doc, Scottish actor David Tennant (you may need to subscribe - free - to read the article). Playing up the Scottish angle continues with the journalists at a junket in Glasgow being shown the episode Tooth and Claw, which features werewolves in 19th century Scotland, Queen Victoria and the Doctor essaying a Scottish accent (memories of Tom Baker swapping his floppy hat and rainbow scarf for a Glengarry and a tartan long scarf in the 70s Terror of the Zygons story set around Loch Ness spring to mind). Alas, although set in Scotland the episode was not actually filmed here for some reason. When some journalists contended that this episode may be too scary for some younger viewers Tennant defended the story, pointing out that Doctor Who has always offered a little scare to send younger fans scuttling behind the sofa: "..it's still responsibly done. It's a fantasy environment and children understand that too. Part of growing up is being scared. That's what all Doctors have done since 1963. I mean, there's no blood. I think it was just far enough."

Lem - a podcast

2006-04-07T09:55:00.000Z

Benjamen Walker of NPR show The Theory of Everything and his friend Bill Marx have a special podcast discussing the great writer Stanislaw Lem who passed away recently over on TOE.

Claremont recovers

2006-04-07T09:34:00.000Z

The most excellent Chris Claremont, beloved by thousands of fans and someone who has scripted so many mutant issues he is practically an honorary X-Man himself, is reported to be recovering from cardiac stress. Chris was taken ill, suffering from exhaustion at a convention in Italy recently; now back in New York he is is ungergoing therapy to continue his recovery. Marvel announced that his latest projects- taking on Exiles and his new GeNext series - will be put back until later in the year, although they also stressed that they had renewed Chris' exclusive contract and that they were looking forward to a recovered Chris being a principal part of the Marvel family for many years to come. I'm sure all fans wish him a speedy recovery.

Sean retires

2006-04-06T16:19:00.000Z

Sean Connery, probably the most recognisable Scotsman on the planet, has announced he is retiring from films after a career spanning half a century. Connery, a one time milkman in the Fountainbridge area of Edinburgh who rose to play James Bond and, memorably, a Spanish immortal opposite a French actor playing a Scotsman in Highlander among many roles, has been recovering from tumour surgery. According to the Scotsman newspaper he will make one final film, providing his distinctive voice (which rarely changed regardless of the character he played, but we love dhim for it anyway) for Billi the Vet in an animated film by Glasgow Animation. How odd this news should come this week as Sean's cartoon caricature has been beaming at me on my desk in the form of the cover art for the new collection Fizzers, which is just released. The exhibition of the art from the book by the Glasgow Cartoon Art Studio will be on show at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery on Queen Street, Edinburgh and I was lucky enough to receive an invite to the private viewing tomorrow night via the coolest invite card I've ever seen: Sean's caricature on the front in colour, inside repeated but in black and white along with some coloured pencils so you can colour it in yourself! No doubt I'll talk about the exhibition next week.

Squidding online with Jeff

2006-04-06T13:12:00.000Z

That well-known multi-media man of letters (although not so much numbers judging by his recent rumblings about tax forms) Mister Jeff VanderMeer, esquire, writes to tell us:

"At 8:00 PM EST Thursday (er, tomorrow) I'll be a guest of the Long Ridge Writers Group--chatting about writing and squid and mushrooms and everything in between. So, if you're online, drop by. I may even make an exclusive new announcement or two during the proceedings. In fact, what the hell - I definitely will."

The chat should run for two hours and can be accessed via this link to the group's chat room; Jeff tells us it is easy to create a password and login. Now I just need to figure out what time that is on GMT (or GMT+1 since we are now in British Summer Time, which is why I have dug out my gloves again).

Ken discusses nominations

2006-04-06T12:59:00.000Z

Star Scots SF author and all-round good egg Ken MacLeod has been chatting to John Joseph Adams over on SciFi Wire about finding himself on no less than three prestigious SF literary awards shortlists (Hugo, Clarke and the BSFAs) and his last novel, the intriguing Learning the World.

The 2006 Will Eisner Awards shortlist

2006-04-06T09:03:00.000Z

My goodness, after a flurry of awards news I don’t think there has been one to cover in days, if not weeks! Well, worry ye not, awards-fans, for the shortlist nominations for the 2006 Will Eisner Awards have been announced. The incredibly diverse nature of the comics/graphic novel/sequential art (cut out and use your favoured term) is showcased noticeably by the fact that the two front runners with the most nominations are quite different in style and subject, although both are, I think you will agree, utterly excellent creators: Chris Ware has no less than seven nominations while Warren Ellis has one less with a still-mightily impressive six.

Brian K Vaughan and J H Williams both bagged five nominations apiece while Alan Moore, Grant Morrison, Kyle Baker, Eric Powell, Joan Sfar and Seth are among the other creators who also chalked up multiple nominations. Even that small segment of nominees represents a broad swathe of types, styles, subjects and publishers, from the giant, such as DC, to the smaller-scale publishers (Drawn & Quarterly). There isn’t a bad pick in there, although on a personal note I’m delighted to see Joan Sfar, always one of my favourites, in there (the Rabbi’s Cat was a pleasure).

On the publisher front DC’s various imprints dominate with some 28 nominations, but the Indy publishers are also doing very well I am glad to report, with Drawn & Quarterly having nine (their best ever showing according to Comic Book Resources) and those cracking dudes at Fantagraphics with seven and Top Shelf scoring five, including one for Alex Robinson’s new book, Tricked (another favourite of mine ever since Box Office Poison). The increasing encroachment of graphic novels into the mainstream is evident in the fact that Pantheon has several picks (including the aforementioned Rabbi’s Cat by Sfar, Black Hole by Charles Burns and Ice Haven by the terrific Dan Clowes). Oh it is a good old time to be a comics fan!

Best Short Story

"Blood Son," by Richard Matheson, adapted by Chris Ryall and Ashley Wood, in Doomed #1 (IDW) "Monster Slayers," by Khang Le, in Flight, vol. 2 (Image) "Nameless," by Eric Powell, in The Goon #14 (Dark Horse) "Operation" (story #5), by Zak Sally, in The Recidivist #3 (La Mano) "Teenage Sidekick," by Paul Pope, in Solo #3 (DC)

Best Single Issue (or One-Shot)

The Bakers, by Kyle Baker (Kyle Baker Publishing) Ex Machina #11: "Fortune Favors" by Brian K. Vaughan, Tony Harris, and Tom Feister (WildStorm/DC) The Innocents, by Gipi (Fantagraphics/Coconino Press) Promethea #32: "Wrap Party" by Alan Moore and J. H. Williams III (ABC) Solo #5, by Darwyn Cooke (DC)

Best Serialized Story

Desolation Jones #1-5: "Made in England," by Warren Ellis and J. H. Williams III (WildStorm/DC) Fables #36-38, 40-41: "Return to the Homelands," by Bill Willingham, Mark Buckingham, and Steve Leialoha (Vertigo/DC) Ex Machina #12-14: "Fact v. Fiction," by Brian K. Vaughan, Tony Harris, and Tom Feister (WildStorm/DC) Y: The Last Man #37-39: "Paper Dolls," by Brian K. Vaughan, Pia Guerra, Goran Sudzuka, and Jose Marzan Jr. (Vertigo/DC)

Best Continuing Series

Age of Bronze, by Eric Shanower (Image) Astonishing X-Men, by Joss Whedon and John Cassaday (Marvel) Ex Machina, by Brian K. Vaughan, Tony Harris, and Tom Feister (WildStorm/DC) Fell, by Warren Ellis and Ben Templesmith (Image) Rocketo, by Frank Espinosa (Speakeasy) True Story, Swear to God, by Tom Beland (Clib's Boy Comics)

Best Limited Series

Nat Turner, by Kyle Baker (Kyle Baker Publishing) Ocean, by Warren Ellis, Chris Sprouse, and Karl Story (WildStorm/DC) Seven Soldiers, by Grant Morrison and various artists (DC) Smoke, by Alex de Campi and Igor Kordey (IDW)

Best New Series

All Star Superman, by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely (DC) Desolation Jones, by Warren Ellis and J. H. Williams III (WildStorm/DC) Fell, by Warren Ellis and Ben Templesmith (Image) Rocketo, by Frank Espinosa (Speakeasy) Young Avengers, by Alan Heinberg, Jim Cheung, and John Dell (Marvel)

Best Publication for a Younger Audience

Amelia Rules! by Jimmy Gownley (Renaissance Press) The Clouds Above, by Jordan Crane (Fantagraphics) Franklin Richards, Son of a Genius, by Chris Eliopoulous and Mark Sumerak (Marvel) Owly: Flying Lessons, by Andy Runton (Top Shelf) Spiral-Bound, by Aaron Renier (Top Shelf)

Best Anthology

The Dark Horse Book of the Dead, edited by Scott Allie (Dark Horse Books) Flight, vol. 2, edited by Kazu Kibuishi (Image) Mome. edited by Gary Groth and Eric Reynolds (Fantagraphics) Solo, edited by Mark Chiarello (DC) 24 Hour Comics Day Highlights 2005, edited by Nat Gertler (About Comics)

Best Digital Comic

Copper, by Kazu Jellaby, by Kean Soo ojingogo, by matt forsythe PVP, by Scott Kurtz

Best Reality-Based Work

Embroideries, by Marjane Satrapi (Pantheon) Epileptic, by David B. (Pantheon) Nat Turner, by Kyle Baker (Kyle Baker Publishing) Pyongyang, by Guy Delisle (Drawn & Quarterly) True Story, Swear to God (Clib's Boy Comics), True Story, Swear to God: This One Goes to Eleven (AiT/Planet Lar), by Tom Beland

Best Graphic Album-New

Acme Novelty Library #16, by Chris Ware (ACME Novelty) The Rabbi's Cat, by Joann Sfar (Pantheon) Top Ten: The Forty-Niners, by Alan Moore and Gene Ha (ABC) Tricked, by Alex Robinson (Top Shelf) Wimbledon Green, by Seth (Drawn & Quarterly)

Best Graphic Album-Reprint

Acme Novelty Library Annual Report to Shareholders, by Chris Ware (Pantheon) Black Hole, by Charles Burns (Pantheon) Feast of the Seven Fishes, by Robert Tinnell, Ed Piskor, and Alex Saviuk (Allegheny Image Factory) Ice Haven, by Dan Clowes (Pantheon) War's End, by Joe Sacco (Drawn & Quarterly)

Best Archival Collection/Project-Comic Strips

The Complete Calvin & Hobbes, by Bill Watterson (Andrews McMeel) The Complete Peanuts, 1955-1956, 1957-1958, by Charles Schulz (Fantagraphics) Krazy and Ignatz: The Komplete Kat Komics. by George Herriman (Fantagraphics) Little Nemo in Slumberland: So Many Splendid Sundays, by Winsor McCay (Sunday Press Books) Walt and Skeezix, by Frank King (Drawn & Quarterly)

Best Archival Collection/Project-Comic Books

Absolute Watchmen, by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons (DC) Buddha, vols. 5-8, by Osamu Tezuka (Vertical) The Contract with God Trilogy, by Will Eisner (Norton) DC Comics Rarities Archives, vol. 1 (DC) Fantastic Four Omnibus, by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby (Marvel)

Best U.S. Edition of Foreign Material

Cromartie High School, by Eiji Nonaka (ADV) Dungeon: The Early Years, vol. 1, by Joann Sfar, Lewis Trondheim, and Christophe Blaine (NBM) Ordinary Victories, by Manu Larcenet (NBM) The Rabbi's Cat, by Joann Sfar (Pantheon) Six Hundred Seventy-Six Apparitions of Killoffer, by Killoffer (Typocrat)

Best Writer

Warren Ellis, Fell (Image); Down (Top Cow/Image); Desolation Jones, Ocean, Planetary (WildStorm/DC) Alan Heinberg, Young Avengers (Marvel) Alan Moore, Promethea, Top Ten: The Forty-Niners (ABC) Grant Morrison, Seven Soldiers, All Star Superman (DC) Brian K. Vaughan, Ex Machina (WildStorm/DC); Y: The Last Man (Vertigo/DC); Runaways (Marvel)

Best Writer/Artist

Geof Darrow, Shaolin Cowboy (Burlyman) Guy Delisle, Pyongyang (Drawn & Quarterly) Eric Shanower, Age of Bronze (Image) Adrian Tomine, Optic Nerve #10 (Drawn & Quarterly) Chris Ware, Acme Novelty Library #16 (ACME Novelty)

Best Writer/Artist-Humor

Kyle Baker, Plastic Man (DC); The Bakers (Kyle Baker Publishing) Paige Braddock, Jane's World (Girl Twirl) Bryan Lee O'Malley, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (Oni) Eric Powell, The Goon (Dark Horse) Seth, Wimbledon Green (Drawn & Quarterly)

Best Penciller/Inker

John Cassaday, Astonishing X-Men (Marvel); Planetary (WildStorm/DC) Gene Ha, Top Ten: TheForty-Niners (ABC) J. G. Jones, Wanted (Top Cow/Image) Frank Quitely, All Star Superman (DC) J. H. Williams III, Promethea, Desolation Jones (WildStorm/DC)

Best Painter/Multimedia Artist (interior art)

Paul Guinan, Heartbreakers Meet Boilerplate (IDW) Ladronn, Hip Flask: Mystery City (Active Images) Ben Templesmith, Fell (Image) Kent Williams, The Fountain (Vertigo/DC)

Best Cover Artist

Frank Espinosa, Rocketo (Speakeasy) Tony Harris, Ex Machina (Wildstorm/DC) James Jean, Fables (Vertigo/DC); Runaways (Marvel) Jock, The Losers (Vertigo/DC) Eric Powell, The Goon; Universal Monsters: Cavalcade of Horror (Dark Horse)

Best Coloring

Jeromy Cox, Teen Titans (DC); Otherworld (Vertigo/DC) Steven Griffen, Hawaiian Dick: The Last Resort (Image) Steve Hamaker, Bone: The Great Cow Race (Scholastic Graphix) Jose Villarrubia, Desolation Jones (WildStorm/DC) Chris Ware, Acme Novelty Library #16 (ACME Novelty)

Best Lettering

Chris Eliopolis, Ultimate Iron Man, Astonishing X-Men, Ultimates 2, House of M, Franklin Richards (Marvel); Fell (Image) Todd Klein, Wonder Woman, Justice, Seven Soldiers #0 (DC); Desolation Jones (WildStorm/DC); Promethea, Top Ten: The Forty-Niners, Tomorrow Stories Special (ABC); Fables (Vertigo); 1602: New World (Marvel) Best Lettering: Richard Starkings, Conan, Revelations (Dark Horse); Godland (Image); Gunpowder Girl and the Outlaw Squaw, Hip Flask: Mystery City (Active Images) Chris Ware, Acme Novelty Library #16 (ACME Novelty)

Talent Deserving of Wider Recognition

Dawn Brown (Ravenous, Little Red Hot) Aaron Renier (Spiral-Bound) Zak Sally (Recidivist) Ursula Vernon (Digger)

Best Comics-Related Periodical

Comic Art, edited by M. Todd Hignite (Comic Art) Comic Book Artist, edited by Jon Cooke (Top Shelf) The Comics Journal, edited by Gary Groth and Dirk Deppey (Fantagraphics) Draw!, edited by Michael Manley (TwoMorrows) Following Cerebus, edited by Craig Miller and John Thorne (Aardvark-Vanaheim/Win-Mill Productions)

Best Comics-Related Book

The Comics Journal Library: Classic Comic Illustrators, edited by Tom Spurgeon (Fantagraphics) Eisner/Miller, interviews conducted by Charles Brownstein (Dark Horse Books) Foul Play: The Art and Artists of the Notorious 1950s EC Comics, by Grant Geissman (Harper Design) Masters of American Comics, edited by John Carlin, Paul Karasik, and Brian Walker (Hammer Museum/MOCA Los Angeles/Yale University Press) RGK: Art of Roy G. Krenkel, edited by J. David Spurlock and Barry Klugerman (Vanguard)

Best Publication Design

Acme Novelty Library Annual Report to Shareholders, designed by Chris Ware (Pantheon) Little Nemo in Slumberland, designed by Philippe Ghuilemetti (Sunday Press Books) Promethea #32, designed by J. H. Williams III and Todd Klein (ABC) Walt and Skeezix, designed by Chris Ware (Drawn & Quarterly) Wimbledon Green, designed by Seth (Drawn & Quarterly)

Hall of Fame

Judges' Choices: Floyd Gottfredson, William Moulton Marston

Voters will choose four from among: Matt Baker Vaughn Bode Wayne Boring Reed Crandall Creig Flessel Ramona Fradon Harold Gray Graham Ingels Robert Kanigher Russ Manning Mort Meskin Marty Nodell Gilbert Shelton Jim Steranko

The Eisners are awarded at the big San Diego Comic-Con with the results due to be revealed in the ballroom of the San Diego Convention Centre (which means all those comics folks will have on their best dress cowl, cape and evening cape and utility belts) on Friday 21^st of July.

To boldly go where no Manga has gone before...

2006-04-05T09:39:00.000Z

As part of the fortieth anniversary of the Star Trek franchise Tokyopop will be launching the first volume of their Manga version of Star Trek. Contrary to earlier reports it will not be based in the Next Generation timeline but the original series (TOS as we Trek fans refer to it), so we are going to be treated to Manga interpretations of the classic characters, Kirk, Spock, McCoy, Uhura, Scotty, Sulu and Chekov.

It isn’t actually the first time Trek has appeared as a Manga publication, however – I still have an old copy of Star Trekker in my collection, which dates back to the 80s I think. It had some of the original characters, although from the movie era, (and a few Next Generation) in it, but mostly featured a very Manga style crew on their own Federation Starship, riffing on Trek themes such as Star Trek IV where the Manga crew go back in time not to save the whales but to eat them.

The Tokyopop volume is due in September and will contain five tales, one of which sounds very Manga territory (young robot-riding warriors) while others sound more Trek: Enterprise caught in the middle of warring planets, trying to negotiate a peace while another sees survivors of a gender war who live on in their machines trying to take over the Enterprise. No word on Tribbles yet though – surely if any Trek character would suit Manga it would be Tribbles???

Making you believe a man can fly

2006-04-05T09:07:00.000Z

Studio Daily has an interview with Mark Stetson, a highly respected visual effects wizard who has worked on such landmark genre films as Star Trek the Motion Picture, The Fifth Element and (one of my personal favourites) the Philip K Dick-based Blade Runner. Bob Abel talks to him about his work on the eagerly anticipated Superman Returns movie due this summer and the battalion of effects required, not least to create a convincing illusion of flight.

Pixar in Edinburgh

2006-04-04T15:59:00.000Z

The Edinburgh Evening News reports that the Royal Museum of Scotland (handily close to this blogger's underground lair) is negotiating to host an exhibition of art, sculptures and other material celebrating the twentieth anniversary of animation demi-gods Pixar, home of Toy Story and the Incredibles. The exhibition opened last month in the Science Museum in London and will be travelling the UK - if the Edinburgh bid is successful it is thought it will be around next March and be the only Scottish appearance.

Homer's Odyssey

2006-04-04T15:19:00.000Z

Yes, the Simpsons odyssey is finally taking them to the Big Screen, with a movie version of the planet's most popular cartoon family slated for next year. Apple trailers have a (very) short teaser which riffs on Superman Returns online.

Clerks II

2006-04-04T08:54:00.000Z

After talking about it and hearing about it for so long Clerks II is finally on the way, with a rather cool web site to support it. It seems to borrow a bit from the clever web marketing for I Heart Huckabees which had websites for the ficticious Huckabees store and existential detective agency along with a blog by one of the movie's characters, mixing up fiction and reality. The Clerks II site takes a similar route; when you click on the character's bio for example - I just accidentally happened to click on Rosario (Sin City, Alexander) Dawson's character, purely at random, ahem - you get a MySpace page for her character Becky, as if she was a real person. This is not so far from what I do myself, being a largely ficticious character fleshed out by the medium of blogging. Jeff VanderMeer takes it on step further - he is not only a ficticious character who has a blog he also produces novels and is in fact a fictional character from one of his own novels, written by himself. No, I don't understand that either, it is something to do with postmodernism and the fact he was exposed to that Escher picture of the hand drawing a hand drawing a hand after being left in a fairground hall of mirrors as a child. Of course this could all be fiction too :-).

Graphic art in Liverpool

2006-04-03T16:07:00.000Z

Kerenza Hines of the Liverpool Culture Company has been telling us about an upcoming event with graphic artist Ben Katchor, which will be part of the City in Transition programme:

"The Culture Company is pleased to introduce the remarkable and respected New York artist Ben Katchor to present an evening of his work.

Ben Katchor picture-stories and drawings appear in the US publications Forward (English Version), Metropolis Magazine and the New Yorker. Katchor has collaborated on many theatre productions including producing the libretto and drawings for Carbon Copy Building with New York's ground breaking company Bang on the Can. The European premiere of Carbon Copy Building takes place this year at Liverpool's Royal Court on 25 and 26 October.

The Deep Tub and Other Stories is an evening with Katchor where he will read from an ongoing series of picture stories that appear in Metropolis Magazine on the subject of architecture and design."

The Deep Tub and Other Stories, an evening of readings and projections with Ben Katchor will be held on Wednesday 21st June from 6pm to 8pm in the Polish T Gallery, 37-41 Duke Street. Admission is free.

Manara's Marvel

2006-04-03T15:40:00.000Z

European artist and provider of many a saucy piece of girl art, Milo Manara will be working with the great Chris Claremont on a Women of the X-Men graphic novel for Marvel according to The Beat. I did double-check and this wasn't one of their April 1st blogs, so presumably true! I doubt it will be quite as naughty as Manara's normal mature readers fare, but I'd still expect him to be putting the SE into X-Men.

BSFA shorts

2006-04-03T15:34:00.000Z

No, not the clothing variety (which are unlikely to be suitable attire for attendees of Eastercon in Glasgow, unless the weather changes somewhat) but short stories - Those fine folks over at top British SF journal Interzone have made four of the short stories which are shortlisted for this year's BSFA awards available free as PDFs, which is very good of them. Thanks to the Alien Online for the tip.

Chaykin's Power & Glory

2006-04-03T15:11:00.000Z

Howard Chaykin's old mini-series Power & Glory has had the film rights picked up by New Line, reports Variety. Being one of Howard's works you may expect it to be a slightly unusual superhero (if I'm still allowed to use the term without infringing trademarks!) tale and you would be right: it sees a US government programme to create their own superhero. Except the person they end up with may look and sound the part but he is an utter wuss, frightened to use his powers and rather poor at combat, so his former CIA agent-turned-hero-handler ends up doing much of the dity work the superpowered half of the team was meant to do. In other genre movie news Warner Bros and IMAX announced that around twenty minutes of the forthcoming Superman Returns will converted to IMAX 3-d for the IMAX screenings, which will open on the same day as the more conventional cinema release this summer. Word is that these scenes are visually stunning. Dare I say it? You'll believe a man can fly. There, I said it.

More Mike

2006-04-01T15:52:00.000Z

Mike Carey finds time in his busy schedule of novel and comic writing to talk to the redoubtable Sandy Auden about his first prose novel (which I thought was a superb bit of horror fantasy), The Devil you Know over on the Alien Online.

Attitude for sale

2006-04-01T15:39:00.000Z

Gifted cartoonist Stephanie MacMillan, never shy of dealing with political content, has an auction on Ebay for the next few days of an original cartoon of hers which not only lampoons a certain anti-abortion senator but features the character unable to make up her mind about anything for herself and so rings the senator to make up her mind for her - with the real number shown so like-minded people can use it. Representatives of a nearby Native American tribe are offering land on their reservation for a clinic if the state goes ahead with the proposed bill (since tribal land is beyond state jurisdiction), with Stephanie offering the proceeds of the online auction to the cause. Stephanie was one of the latest cartoonist to be selected by NBM to feature on their Attitude series which any Ted Rall fan will appreciate with the collection Minimum Security.

Edinburgh book group postponed

2006-03-28T19:11:00.000Z

Due to the industrial action by LRT bus drivers in Edinburgh making travel very difficult the March meeting of the Edinburgh SF Book Group has been postponed. The meeting to discuss Ishiguro's Never Let Me Go will be rescheduled as soon as is suitable for members.

Follow the Yellow Brick Road

2006-03-27T21:09:00.000Z

Which is a way of saying that Cheryl and her collaborators have the new March issue - #127 - of Emerald City out in the public domain, with the usual interesting compliment of reviews, interviews and R Scott Bakker's reply to the previous piece on politics and fantasy by Jeff VanderMeer (the arguments -once everyone understands them - will now apparently be decided by a bout of Sumo wrestling between them, with Ken MacLeod the only man capable of adjudicating).

Wonder Woman in Dundee

2006-03-27T20:51:00.000Z

Respected writer and lecturer on gender and the role of women, Dr Marion Wynne Davies, has organised "An interdisciplinary workshop on gender - everyone welcome. Papers on: feminist philosophy, famous Dundee women, Virginia Woolf and Wonder Woman herself! Wine reception. Wednesday 29th March, 4.30 - 7.15, Room T8, The Tower, University of Dundee." Details are on the University of Dundee's site for anyone interested in a more academic look at Wonder Woman and how she relates to other female figures.

Gaiman Tribute Album

2006-03-24T11:03:00.000Z

Billboard carries news of a tribute album to one of my favourite wordspinners (and one of our finest teller of tales in my humble opinion), the man who does more than any writer to support the black, leather jacket industry, Neil Gaiman. I know Neil has collaborated with the delightful Flash Girls (as has Alan Moore) and I remember Tori Amos name-checking him way back in Little Earthquakes so it will be interesting to see this musical interpretation of Neil's work.

Whedon talks Wonder Woman

2006-03-24T10:49:00.000Z

The mighty Joss Whedon talks a little about the Wonder Woman movie over on the entertainment site About. No star yet cast although he is still making lists in his head and would still ideally like to cast someone new in the role. He also remarked that he would like to have a cameo by Linda Carter (who filled Wonder Woman's costume so, well, wonderfully back in the TV series) as long as it worked for the movie. Since Joss is writing and directing I suspect most of us have little doubt about his ablility to pull it all off.

Gaiman in Glasgow

2006-03-23T10:07:00.000Z

A quick reminder for anyone in Glasgow this weekend - that splendid scribe Neil Gaiman will be in town, doing a talk in the Tramway Theatre after the stage production of Wolves in the Walls.

Doctor Who essay competition

2006-03-23T09:52:00.000Z

Cheryl, in-between polishing her ruby red slippers in Emerald City, reports that webzine Borderblur is holding their first ever contest. It is to celebrate the new Doctor Who making it onto American screens - they cheerfully admit they don't know much about Who (which has several nominations in the Hugos this year - hurrah!) and so are holding this essay writing contest with the title "Why we should love Doctor Who." Details over on Borderblur's site. On a related topic I just saw the first batch of new Who action figures arriving in-store this week and they look terrific. David Tennant's action figure has a pretty good likeness to the actor, although I still think with his slim frame and that suit and basketball shoes he looks like he should be singing with Jarvis Cocker. I still want the figures for my desk of course! It is bang up to date with the new range even having a Sycorax figure, the bad guys from the Christmas special.

Lord of the Rings - the musical

2006-03-23T09:30:00.000Z

After more than four years in production and a cost (over £14 million) which makes it the most expensive stage production ever, the musical version of Lord of the Rings will make its debut bow this evening in the fine city of Toronto. If it is successful there are plans to bring it to London and a touring version for the US. As well as the music, audiences are promised some astonishing stage special effects. Personally I'm just left wondering what a singing Gandalf will be like. And will the Hobbits sing in a barbershop style? We can only hope there will be no homage to Leonard Nimoy's The Ballad of Bilbo Baggins (sorry, Len, we love you, but please, ever, ever sing that again).

The Scottish Cartoon Art Studio

2006-03-22T16:07:00.000Z

Terry Anderson, manager of the Scottish Cartoon Art Studio, kindly explains to us some of the background to both the Glasgow-based Studio, the artists involved and their new collection being published this spring by Edinburgh's Mercat press, Fizzers: "The Scottish Cartoon Art Studio was established in 1999 with support from The Prince’s Trust (PSYBT) and the East End Partnership (EEP), the first and only studio in the country that makes the skills of cartoonists available to the public and corporate sectors alike. Unapologetically proud of cartooning, our ethos remains to showcase and promote it as both a valid art form and creative work of real value. Forbidden Planet subscribers will be well aware that "cartooning" is really a catch-all term for several different disciplines. The Studio produces Character Designs, Comic Strips, Editorial Cartoons, Storyboards and more. However we have from the outset specialised in Caricature, be it Live Caricature (quick likenesses produced fromsittings) or Presentation Caricature (fully-rendered pieces where the artist uses photographs of the subject). Among some of the luminaries who own SCA Studio caricatures are: film director and Monty Python animator Terry Gilliam; Bob Godfrey, co-creator of Roobarb; Matt Groening, creator of The Simpsons; Ray Harryhausen, stop-frame animator on such films as Jason and the Argonauts; and author & film-maker Michael Moore (Bowling for Columbine etc). The Studio artists have had their work exhibited and published in Croatia, Norway, France, Romania, the UK and the USA, but Fizzers is the first book we can call our own and features work to be shown at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery April-July 2006. The Fizzers project is inspired by European caricaturists such as Sebastian Krüger (Germany) Jean Claude Morchoisne, Jean Mulatier and Patrice Ricord (all from France), who produce caricatures that are humorous purely in their observation and exaggeration of the human face. British people are more accustomed to equating caricatures with satire (think Gerald Scarfe, Spitting Image, Steve Bell etc), but on the continent Caricature and Political Cartooning are distinct disciplines, and it is this approach that's intrigued and energised the Studio. Among the other books, comics, newspapers, magazines, feature films and television shows that have previously used us are: Air Warriors; American Cousins; The Beezer; The Big Issue; The Celtic View; Chewin' the Fat; Cock Tales; The Dandy; Electric Soup; The Guardian; The Herald & Sunday Herald; Hoof Hearted; Hoots!; 9/11- Artists Respond (Vol1);9/11- Emergency Relief; Rabid; The Ratcatcher; Rebus; Safe-T Rex Steps Out; Tales of the Weird West; Toxic Pie; and Young Adam. The Studio team are... Chris Sommerville, once described in the press as a “cartoon fanatic”, has steered the SCA Studio with a steady hand for seven years. Chris is28 and lives in the east of Glasgow. Terry Anderson is an ex-student of the world-famous Joe Kubert School of Cartoon & Graphic Art in New Jersey. He is 29 and lives with this wife in north Glasgow. Brian Flynn left Cardonald College with an HNC in Graphic Art. Brian is 34, married and lives in Paisley. Derek Gray graduated from Gray’s School of Art with an honours degree in Fine Art and Printmaking. Derek is 38, married, has two daughters and lives in Milton-of-Campsie. Tommy Sommerville is happy to be called a lesser-known artist, but has always “banged the drum” for the cartoon art form. He is 52 and lives with his wife in the east of Glasgow. Edd Travers left Glasgow’s College of Building and Printing with an SNC in Art and Design, an HNC in Graphic Design and an HND in Illustration. Edd is 32, married and lives in Kirkintilloch." Fizzers is published by Mercat this April while an exhibition of the Studio's caricature art will be on display at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery in Edinburgh from Friday 7th April to Sunday 2nd July (yes, I will be going along to see that!).

Hugo

2006-03-22T15:15:00.000Z

Cheryl has her finger on the virtual pulse, posting up details of this year's Hugo nominations already on Emerald City. Full details over at Chez Cheryl, but among the nominees are:

BEST NOVEL (430 ballots cast) Learning the World, Ken MacLeod (Orbit) A Feast for Crows, George R.R. Martin (Voyager; Bantam Spectra) Old Man's War, John Scalzi (Tor) Accelerando, Charles Stross (Ace; Orbit) Spin, Robert Charles Wilson (Tor)

BEST NOVELLA (243 ballots cast) Burn, James Patrick Kelly (Tachyon) "Magic for Beginners", Kelly Link (Magic for Beginners, Small Beer Press; F&SF September 2005) "The Little Goddess", Ian McDonald (Asimov's June 2005) "Identity Theft", Robert J. Sawyer (Down These Dark Spaceways, SFBC) "Inside Job", Connie Willis (Asimov's January 2005)

BEST NOVELETTE (207 ballots cast) "The Calorie Man", Paolo Bacigalupi (F&SF October/November 2005) "Two Hearts", Peter S. Beagle (F&SF October/November 2005) "TelePresence", Michael A. Burstein (Analog July/August 2005) "I, Robot", Cory Doctorow (The Infinite Matrix February 15, 2005) "The King of Where-I-Go", Howard Waldrop (Sci Fiction December 7, 2005) Yes, look at that - Charlie Stross and Ken MacLeod in the running for another nomination in addition to their BSFA and Clarke nominations - they've obviously been taking lessons from Dave Langford...

Dead By Dawn update

2006-03-22T15:04:00.000Z

Adele Hartley at Edinburgh's delightfully gory Dead By Dawn horror film festival (which also now includes more literary components as well as blood-soaked celluloid) writes to bring us up to date on the rapidly approaching DbD weekend at Edinburgh's Filmhouse on April 20th to 23rd: "With the festival less than six weeks away, the programme is mutating rather nicely and has some seriously unpleasant treats in store. With the features, we have the World Premiere of BLOOD TRAILS, if not the first ever mountain bike stalker movie then definitely the first one I've seen. It's nasty. Happily, some of the cast and crew will be here to answer for themselves! There's also Adam Mason's stunning indie feature BROKEN. It's the story of a mentalist survivalist who seems to play by rules that mean only he can win. It's one of the more deliciously vicious and bleak movies I've ever seen and hopefully Adam and his leading lady will be on hand to discuss the movie. In THE LAST SUPPER a charming Japanese plastic surgeon revered on daytime telly for being domesticated, good-looking and a damn fine cook turns out to be a hungry little freak. It's never a good sign when your date has a lockable fridge in his kitchen and girls, it's really not good news when he says he wants to eat you. In HAZE, Shinya Tsukamoto gets claustrophobic in a big way. Well, not so much a big way as a not-enough-room-to-fart kinda way, and I swear if you're squeamish about your teeth, you might wanna start the therapy before the screening. There's a noise in this film you won't ever be able to brush away. Prepare to squirm. In SEVERED, a bunch of tree-hugging hippies get it in the neck (woohoo!) as the highly toxic, illegal and unnatural chemical experiments of an unethical logging company somehow (who can say just what unholy machinations make this happen) SOMEHOW turn everyone into slavering, flesh-craving zombies!! Soon the woods are full of the undead, and . DON'CHA JUST LOVE ZOMBIE MOVIES?? - what do loggers have lots of? Hmm. Chainsaws!! Yay!!! It's wobbly-shambling-reanimated-corpse-tastic in the way that only a zombie movie with well-timed supplies of fresh meat can be. Our classics programme is shaping up nicely too with Nic Roeg's perfect DON'T LOOK NOW, and the welcome return of a little seen movie GRIM PRAIRIE TALES starring Brad Dourif and James Earl Jones. Both films back up on the big screen where they belong. There'll be a couple more but news on those soon. The shorts programme goes from strength to strength too. As ever there's the Cutting Edge short film competition for debut and emerging film-makers, there's the main shorts programme and, after the success of last year's selection, the What You Make It programme returns too. This year so far it includes a mother to make you realise your parents ain't so bad after all, a WWII game of cat and mouse and a tale of a bogeyman so bad that even keeping your socks on won't help you make it through the night. Amongst the other shorts are the quickest protruding-jaw reduction imaginable, a disgruntled Welsh turkey-impregnator with a power tool, self-inflicted cruelty, psychological torture, yet more claustrophobic nightmares and a yogi in a blender. And there'll be so much more, too! Trust me, it's all deliciously twisted, sick, unsettling and may just break whatever bits of your brain a lifetime of watching weirdness has miraculously left intact. We're adding stuff to the programme every day, so expect plenty of updates over the next month :) Sweet dreams Adele"

The Best of the British Animation Awards

2006-03-22T14:25:00.000Z

We’re delighted to add some very unusual DVDs we've added to the FPI website: The Best of the British Animation Awards (BAA – hence the sheep logo), which now consists of five DVDs with the sixth volume imminent. You may remember a little while ago I blogged on the latest British Animation Awards to be held – well now you have a chance to actually see what I was talking about! I will, in a spirit of honesty, declare my complete bias here before we get into it: I am a serious animation fan and a follower of the Seventh Day Cartoonist Cult (we believe in watching a cartoon or animation every day of the week and make regular offerings to the shrines of Fred Quimby and Winsor McCay).

The DVD collections act as a showcase for the finest entries to the BAA; getting a short animated film made is hard enough, but getting it seen is another struggle again (authors who struggled to write their book then struggled even more to get it published will sympathise). The BBC and Channel 4 have both run animation seasons over the years and film festivals normally run showings of collected works as well, but it is probably fair to say that a lot of potential viewers just don’t get to see these works, not because they aren’t interested but because they simply are not aware of them.

That’s why it is important that new talent is supported, nurtured and displayed through the Awards themselves and the DVDs showcasing the works. I was fortunate enough to get an advance preview of the new sixth volume recently and it was terrific, with an incredibly rich and diverse range of work and subject matter, from the (deceptively) simple outline characters against a plain background in Matthew Abbis’ Bus Stop (looks so simple but worked brilliantly) to the use of models and CGI (Matthew Walker’s Astronauts). The work comes from individuals, collectives, art school students (including some from the Edinburgh College of Art close to where I am writing) and commercial works produced for adverts or music videos (in fact the public vote chose the winner for the favourite music video animation category this year, with Gorillaz winning and again for the favourite commercial being the Observer’s advert for music coverage which I thought was marvellous).

The sixth volume, due towards the end of this month, also contains some examples of a project called Minema Cinema. This grew out of a project by theatre group Scene & Heard which worked with school children in London, teaching them the essentials of script writing, plot and character development and so on with the finished work being produced with professional actors (but the student’s writing not corrected or altered by the adults). Tim Hope and Kai Simmons has the bright idea that this model could be used for the medium of animation – what better vehicle for a young (or even older for that matter) imagination?

The three Minema Cinema films are introduced by the kids themselves (a very nice touch) and when you watch them you will feel pangs of jealousy – why is it a 13-year old can make something so darned good!?!? They were all exceptionally good – Love Then First Fight told of a crowbar who is a former crook trying to go straight and a shirt who is a nylon-silk mix rather than pure material who receives racist-style attacks daubed on her door because of this. These two outsiders meet, fall in love and then have their first big argument all within a few minutes of young Tim Hope’s lovely animation.

Rabbit by Run Wrake, which won Best Short Film and Film at the Cutting Edge this year, cleverly uses an illustration style taken from old children’s books. Ian Gouldstone’s Guy 101 by contrast tells of an online friendship a browser has with a gay man, told mostly using web graphics and sound effects as chat windows and pop-up appear to illustrate the narration. Guy 101 seemed like a very stylish and amusing piece for the web generation, Boing Boing-hip reader, then suddenly it took a much different turn which I really didn’t see coming.

Also included on the various DVDs are trailers and clips for more mainstream works, such as offerings from Aardman Animation (home of Wallace and Gromit of course) and animation used for campaigns, adverts and even TV channel logos such as the animated ‘2’ from BBC2, which, as well as being enjoyable in themselves serve to remind us just how much animation in a variety of forms permeates our culture (and how we often don’t even think about it until it is pointed out). The running time varies but most volumes come in around the 93 minute mark – if you want my advice I found it best to watch a few at a time over different evenings, so I could enjoy them then let those cunning images and ideas digest before eagerly watching more (and then watching them again, I admit it, I am a shameless cartoonoholic).

So this is something a little different to recommend to anyone who enjoys animation. Some of it is made by kids but it is not kid’s stuff (some themes are aimed at slightly older ears). Some are the simplest line drawings, some softly painted Anime-style, and still others use the new tools of CGI to express their creator’s vision. Some are funny, some are sad, some are both. What they have in common is that they are all visually remarkable and they all use the genre of animation to do what it does best – express the human imagination. While they may not always appeal to the mainstream crowd I know that those who actively look for the unusual (you folks who buy our Fantagraphics titles for example, I’m looking at you here!) will love these DVDs. As an added bonus you know that you are not only getting some fine British animation to enjoy again and again you are supporting fresh, new talent as well. Who knows – perhaps one day you will see one of these names on a major Aardman or Pixar film and nod, smiling as you remark “I remember when I first saw her work on the Best of British Animation Awards.”

Spiegelman and Dimona

2006-03-21T17:35:00.000Z

A little while ago we mentioned that the Israeli comics collective Dimona had organised their own unique response to the threat of Holocaust cartoons in Tehran's newspapers in response to the Danish cartoons controversy; rather than get into such a tit-for-tat Dimona cheekily announced that they would hold their own anti-Semitic cartoon competition but for Jewish cartoonists! Entries have now closed and the judging begins on some 150 entries from around the world - joining the judging panel is one Art Spiegelman. The prize money consists entirely of donations.

Remembering Octavia

2006-03-21T17:15:00.000Z

A few weeks ago we carried the sad report of the far too early death of the very gifted and challenging SF author Octavia Butler. Now The Carl Brandon Society has news of The Octavia E. Butler Memorial Scholarship Fund. The aim is to fully fund a writer to attend the Clarion writer's workshops where Octavia both received help herself and then later volunteered to teach at. It sounds like a lovely way to commemorate a fine writer; the society page has details of how donations can be made to the fund.

Futurama back on TV?

2006-03-20T17:33:00.000Z

Following on from his post at the start of this year announcing Futurama was returning as a series of straight-to-DVD specials, voice artist supreme Billy West has announced that the deal has changed and it is now a 26 episode TV future for Matt Groening's Futurama. Bill is, in his own words, "totally jammed, dude."

Gaiman dodges dogy tomatoes

2006-03-20T17:20:00.000Z

Neil Gaiman has received a letter, supposedly from lawyers, regarding the cult film Attack of the Killer Tomatoes which is just so plain silly he had to post it on his journal and share it with us all. "I say tomato and you say here's a dodgy legal writ..."

V on film

2006-03-20T17:04:00.000Z

I’ll warn you right from the start this posting has some potential spoilers in it, especially if you are not familiar with the original graphic novel or would rather see the film with no prior knowledge. Okay, still with me? Good. Short version of this would be “I loved this film.” Naturally I intend to expand a little on that! To set it in context before we get to the movie I should say that the original V For Vendetta is not only one of my favourite graphic novels but one of my favourite books of all time – and I read a lot of books, so it has plenty of competition. When I say I’ve lost count how many times I have re-read it over the years I don’t mean that as a simple turn of phrase but literally; it is a work I have been drawn back to again and again, always finding something new in the writing and the art and always (perhaps sadly) a new event in the real world of today that V had already addressed.

Naturally the graphic novel and the film are not the same creature, at least outwardly. The book is rather big – a fact which surprised the interviewer from the BBC’s Radio Café who talked to me about V for last week’s radio show – and as such parts of the story and characters may need to be adapted, altered, merged or dropped altogether. So we lose some of the rich background and story-arcs Alan and Dave had in the book – we don’t have the BBC reports from the resistance army in Scotland for example, using Irn Bru bottles full of petrol against the fascist regime or the criminal underground arc – but while those added depth to the grim world of V in the book they are a luxury which would have burdened the film, slowing the pace.

Principally I am of the opinion that the main changes have been made to facilitate bringing the thrust of the original story to a different medium and also to update the story, make it more contemporary. The original, brilliant though it is, does have a distinct 1980s feel to it, although, like Orwell’s 1984 (which is also cleverly paid homage to by having John Hurt as the leader on a giant screen, Big Brother style which is amusing considering he played Winston Smith in the film version of 1984), the questions it raises stand outside of any one historical period. In fact it is chilling how much V fits into our post 9-11 War-on-Terror world; events of the last few years inspired me to re-read V yet again and it seems the film-makers too approached it in this fashion: changes, where they have been made, are very much in the spirit of the book for the most part.

As Claude Lalumière noted in his excellent review over on Locus Online, the film, like the book, is not afraid to deal in shades of gray – it has a central hero who may be fighting a corrupt, fascist regime but he uses (perhaps even enjoys using) violent means; he is a dark hero to some and a terrorist to others while those in the ruling party are not all evil (the detective Finch for example is a good man in a bad time); others think they can make good come of questionable acts (Delia’s medical research in the camps, which would make V into the figure he becomes). Many critics thought V would be controversial in today’s climate because the central character can be seen as a terrorist and that the film’s delayed release was less to do with technical production reasons and more to do with the horrendous bombings in London last summer being too recent.

In the end the film actually incorporates – very bravely I thought – these recent events into the narrative, with news footage of an attack on London’s transport network and the closing of the tube system as one of the first acts the nascent Norsefire party makes, supposedly for the safety of all citizens. And the detention camps, the illegal procedures, mass arrests without trial, vilifying immigrants, the censorship – they too are all carried out for the greater good and the safety of all (the CCTV cameras, as in the book, carry little ‘for your safety’ signs, a nice touch). The film now, as the book did then, warns the ordinary voter against allowing governments to use fear as a way of levering more power unto themselves and of abandoning personal responsibility in favour of hiding like terrified children and allowing a stronger authority figure to make those decisions on our behalf.

In a Britain and America with the detention of suspects without trial and claims of WMDs to justify war this is tantamount to implicating the very audience itself, saying to them this is the sort of thing that can happen if you let it. It was a very brave aspect of the book and equally brave I think for a film and I admire it for taking that stance. This makes the film more than entertainment with a slight relevance to contemporary events, it makes the film – and the book – a cautionary tale that, like 1984, is one which can be uncomfortable but needs to be aired.

Its not all fascist doom and repression though – there are lighter touches such as V engineering a delivery of replica Guy Fawkes masks to the broadcasting station who assume it is for a new big number for the show; Hugo Weaving delivers an opening monologue which carries alliteration using the letter V to ridiculously impressive lengths while Stephen Fry plays a very different but very good version of Gordon, the man Evey turns to from help when she leaves the Shadow Gallery; Fry’s TV presenter even introduces a Benny Hill romp into the proceedings at one point. As Claude noted in his review, it is a shame Alan Moore removed his name from it after his argument with the film-makers and DC Comics, because this really is far more faithful to his original vision than you would expect from a big budget Hollywoodmovie. Fan of the book? Then this adaptation is unmissable for you. Never read the book? Then this film is unmissable for you. And then you should go and read the book. Oh and next time some ill-informed person loftily declares to you that comics are "kid's stuff" hit them with a copy of V.

Fantagraphics July

2006-03-20T14:35:00.000Z

The small but perfectly formed comics publisher we call Fantagraphics has just announced their latest batch of releases, due for this summer. As ever with Fanta it is quite a diverse range of independent comics. I’m delighted to see the Fanta gang publishing a new edition of The Last Lonely Saturday by Jordan Crane after it being out of print for far too long. The book begins by offering an almost voyeuristic glimpse into the life of an older man as he sits full of despair in a house which has clearly been neglected. We soon realise that the man is actually a grieving widower and that this is the Saturday he visits the grave of his dear, departed wife. If this sounds like something of a downer, it isn’t – his life is about to change and Jordan’s simple but elegant artwork spins a beautifully emotional tale. On a totally different tack is Jason's latest, the Left Bank Gang, which takes 20s Paris and the writers Hemmingway, Fitzgerald, Pound and Joyce and recasts them as graphic novelists!

There is also a new batch of Ignatz titles from Fantagraphics due in July. For those not in the know, the Ignatz range is somewhere between a rather fancy comic and a small graphic novel – comic-sized at 32 pages but bound with a stiff cover and flaps. There are some cracking artists/writers taking part in the range now and the format allows readers to try something a bit different, such as a respected European work, but for a pretty small outlay (especially when you factor in our generous discount on the already low price). The latest batch includes issue 2 of Baobab by the excellent Igort, the first of Reflections by Marco Corona and Niger #1, which produces the art in a woodcut style to tell an ‘ecological fable’. And yes, I know one shouldn’t judge by the cover, but it does have a very striking cover image.

If the Ignatz series is your cup of alternative tea (and if it isn’t you should take a metaphorical sip and try one or two) you may also enjoy this new offering which artist Melody Nadia Shickley sent our way, In The Hands of Boys 1, which deals with how the life of Anna, a young teacher, is changed when she has to tend to the young son of a friend killed in Bosnia. The pencilled artwork drew much praise (reminds me somewhat of the lovely silvery artwork on The Yellow Jar) and the book was a Xeric Award winner which is always a quality seal on an Indy comic as far as I’m concerned. The first of a two-part series, In The Hands of Boys 1 is due to be released in June.

On a related topic - if you are a comics fan and in particular an admirer of the material produced by companies like Fantagraphics then you could do worse than check out the wonderful Read Yourself Raw site. They produce a very interesting monthly previews column alerting you to many of the upcoming titles that will be worth seeking out. Not just comics but art mags and art toys also. In addition they have some excellent columns and features - we especially love the creator profiles. If you love comics make sure you bookmark RYR (we have a read regularly ourselves).

Marvel - stealing language?

2006-03-19T19:55:00.000Z

Indispensable web resource Boing Boing carries an article lambasting Marvel (and to a certain extent DC) for attempting to appropriate the word 'super-hero', with both companies attempting to file a trademark on the word. I can see why Marvel or DC would stampt (TM) and (C) over their creations such as the Superman shield or Spider-Man emblem, but, as Boing Boing points out the word super-hero is a word which is in general useage and has been for a long time - plus if the big two successfully claim the ownership of the word does this mean that every independent comcis publisher will no longer be able to describe their characters as super-heroes? Will we need to pay a royalty every time we use the word on a blog or magazine article? I'm left with the distinct impression that a super-villian (TM) may be behind this whole thing as an attempt to remove many super-heroes (TM) from circulation - what a dastardly plot (C).

V takes top spot

2006-03-19T19:31:00.000Z

According to Comics Continuum V For Vendetta has taken the number one spot at the US box office over this weeken'd opening with a box office haul of over $26 million. No idea how it has fared at the UK box office this weekend, although the showing I was at had a huge audience. And I was impressed - naturally it isn't perfect and there are some changes from the source book, but these have mostly been made to make the story work as a film rather than a graphic novel and also to make it feel more contemporary (which again a film version needs) but as someone who has read and re-read the original many times over the years I felt the changes were in keeping with the spirit of the book. If you haven't read the book (as will be the cases for many audiences I suspect) you will have no problem understanding the film either - but you should do yourself a favour and read it sometime, it really is one of those books that you should have on your shelves.

The Collected Comics Library

2006-03-17T16:28:00.000Z

Chris at the Collected Comics Library has just posted his latest podcast. For those who haven't heard it yet, CCL podcasts cover the wonderful world of comics and graphic novels, which is a subject we here have something of an interest in. Chris is going to be working more with FPI now and you can see and hear about some of the newest forthcoming titles and the latest releases in-stores as well as Chris' picks of what to watch for. New podcasts usually air on Wednesdays, so watch CCL for regular updates.

Tokyo Animation Centre opens

2006-03-17T10:26:00.000Z

The Tokyo Anime Center has opened in Japan and the official website is now online, with the English-language version here. It is aimed at promoting Japanese animation and anime to fans and other otaku at home and the growing legions abroad, from TV anime to the internationally respected and beloved feature films of Miyazaki, as well as encouraging the development of animation and fostering new business opportunities - there is even a recording studio where if you are lucky you can see voice-overs for actual shows being recorded.

What The Author Says - Justina Robson

2006-03-17T10:06:00.000Z

I'm delighted to announce that the incredibly gifted Justina Robson is the latest writer to contribute her thoughts to the What The Author Says feature on our site (we've now added a page listing the books which have this feature added to make life easier for readers). I've been an admirer of Justina's intelligent novels for years (of course I am not influenced by the fact that we both contributed to The Alien Online, no, not at all... Actually, that's nonsense, that just encouraged me to read her work - there's nothing like sharing thoughts about books with people who love good writing to make you want to read more) so I'm very happy to post what is a very interesting insight into not only the BSFA nominated Living Next Door to the God of Love and how it came to be, but also into the freedoms and restrictions a writer working in the fields of fantastical fiction encounters. It is slightly too long to fit into the book's entry on the main site, so I'm very pleased to post the entire thing here:

"I wrote this novel after a suggestion by Peter Crowther, where he asked me if I’d ever written something I really wanted to but just never had the guts to do... He was interested in collecting a short story or a novella from me and I thought this would be some kind of novelette. At the time I had been working on a science fiction novel that had gone a bit dead on me and I started this with a clear intention of pleasing myself rather than anyone else.

Since I was about fourteen I’d been writing mostly fantasy. A lot of what I read and wrote circulated on some very common archetypes of myth and story, in particular The Demon Lover in his various guises and in his alter ego form as The Redeeming Angel. Dracula is part of this mythos, and so is Storm Constantine’s Wraeththu series, among hundreds of other works in the romantic genres. I wrote some unsuccessful novels trying to find a new way to approach this, but was never satisfied. When I started Living Next Door I realised that one of the things that stopped me was that as a pure fantasy novel I would never be able to actually discuss literally what I felt was one of the important things about this myth, namely that the encounter with the Lover/Angel figure is a deeply personal and almost entirely self-referential experience. The Lover/Angel is much more of a projection of oneself, in other forms, than it is an entity with a separate existence.

Science Fiction however, would let me do almost anything. In a Science Fictional world people can and do discuss what happens to them in the language of psychology if they need to. I wanted to be able to have some chance to do that because I wanted some of the characters to realise the depth of the main protagonist’s dilemma, and by extent what I think is the dilemma of the present age, namely, if we all know that ourselves and our experiences are shaped by others through nurture, as well as our form by nature, to what extent are any of us the independent individuals we like to imagine? Relationships change who we are, like engineering, and the dream of the Lover/Angel is a way of trying to locate personal power, a kind of self engineering through intention...well, I wanted to explore this – what happens if such a dream of power was fulfilled, or thwarted? What responsibility do we have to others in relationships if we are their engineers?

The book is filled with large and small scale struggles between individual and community, self and other. I wanted to come down on the side of Love, to prove it was the only reasonable way of relating to others, with compassionate understanding; we are each other...don’t know if I made it, but I wanted to try. That’s what I thought I was writing about. Once again when I read it I realise I keep making the same statement about a posthuman world – there is no such thing as a post human world, for us, because we won’t be in it. The dreams SF used to give me, about going beyond my limited experience and possibility are just dreams...even if the stuff that dreams are made of was manifested, like in this novel, my dreams are just the dreams of a short-lived, essentially powerless and insignificant ape in a big and mysterious cosmos. But you can’t live from that perspective. It’s inhuman: with total insignificance comes the loss of all meaning and that is either a revelation which liberates or damns you, depending on how you deal with it."

SF Hall of Fame

2006-03-16T09:57:00.000Z

News is slowly filtering out from Seattle's Science Fiction Musuem and Hall of Fame about the latest members of the SF community to be inducted into the Hall. According to that well-known SF news-source, the Pittsburgh-Tribune Review Star Wars supremo George Lucas, Dune author Frank Herbert and artist Frank Kelly will be inducted into the Hall during a ceremony on June 17th. Just a shame, as Cheryl points out on Emerald City that the SF Museum could send this information to normal press but not to the main SF sites, which you would think would be their first port of call...

The Streets of Dublin signing event

2006-03-15T17:39:00.000Z

Just a reminder that Gerry "how do I switch this computer thing on" Hunt and Bren "Mr Colourful Designer" B will be at our Dublin branch tomorrow, Thursday 16th of March to meet fans of their excellent Streets of Dublin graphic novel (think Roddy Doyle meets Will Eisner or Crumb) and to sign copies. Comics fans in Dublin please do come along to meet the guys and to show your support for some damned fine local talent at Forbidden Planet International, 5-6 Crampton Quay, Dublin 2, from 5 to 7pm tomorrow.

Radio V

2006-03-15T17:33:00.000Z

BBC Radio Scotland's arts and culture show, Radio Cafe, will be discussing V For Vendetta among other new releases in the At The Movies slot this Friday with your humble blogger mumbling a few lines about V For Vendetta and the subject of comics to movies adaptations in general. The show is broadcast from 1.15 to 2pm on Fridays, with the V segment due to be on this week's show (Friday 17th). As with most BBC radio programming it can be heard live via the web as well as radio broadcasts and will be archived on the Beeb's site for seven days so you do have the chance to listen again if you miss the original airing.

What the Author Says - John Wagner

2006-03-15T09:42:00.000Z

The first writer from the comics genre to kindly write a few words on their work for our What The Author Says has just sent in some thoughts... And that writer is none other than 2000AD. Judge Dredd Creative Genuis and all-round British Comics God John Wagner! I'm already making the universal "I'm not worthy, I'm not worthy!" gestures here! I doubt John knows just how big an influence his work has been on my book and comic reading habits as I grew up with his tales, clutching 2000AD from the very first issue in my then dainty little hands (with its free space spinner gift). Who would have thought I'd end up selling them? I've really been enjoying re-reading the first of the Judge Dredd Case Files, Rebellion's new series collecting all of Dredd's tales in chronological order (except for parts of the Burger Wars which will never see the light of day again as long as certain fast food companies have their way - for shame). The first volume begins with the first published Dredd (and has the original but un-used first strip too). It is always odd to go back to the start of a long-running series; you become so used to the way a character has developed that even readers who were there for the first strips can forget that the characters have evolved over the years, that they weren't always as we see them now. Early Dredd has most of the qualities we expect in the later Dredd - his iron dedication to the law, his incredibly fast reactions from years of training (he even out-draws a robo gunslinger at one point!) but in the early tales he is a little more human, as is his surrounding cast (landlady Maria, Walter the Wobot... Sorry, robot). There are elements that would vanish, like the ordinary police force who worked alongside the Judges but there are many elements there that would grow and become important to the Dredd mythos and later tales: we get our first glimpse of the Academy of Law, where cadet Judges begin training at the age of five, the fantastic Lawmaster motorbike which is almost a character in itself, Judge Giant (son of the early 2000AD future sport strip Aeroball's Giant) and Mega City One itself. MC-1 or the Big Meg as fans know it has changed a lot over the decades - not least due to huge disasters such as volcanoes and the little matter of the Apocalypse War nuking much of the city - but here are the ideas in embryo that would grow to support what would become Britian's top comics character. Carlos Ezquerra's magnificent black and white inked artwork is amazing; asked to design the look of Dredd for the first strips he couldn't resist drawing a fascinating background for those test images of Dredd's uniform, a glimpse of incredibly tall tower blocks called starscrapers - later cityblocks - which tower over old buildings like the Empire State (now a run-down old ghetto for criminals). Roads curved and spiralled for miles up and around these towering edifices with no visible means of support, multi-lane highways full of fantastic vehicles thundered past so fast violent criminals were dumped in a modern Devil's Island between the lanes, hover vehicles flew in the sky, bizarre citizens, face-change clinics, spaceports... Years before Blade Runner would take the stunning visuals of Metropolis Ezquerra's brushes and pens had sculpted the definitive futurescape of the ultimate SF city, the Mega City. Can you imagine how cool this was in the late 70s? It still looks brilliant today. As if that wasn't enough we even get to see off-world living when Dredd becomes the Judge Marshall of the Luna-1 moon colony. He tackles mutants, crooks and a robot rebellion. Volume 2 has just hit the shelves hard on the heels of a delayed volume 1 and it is my next comics port of call. If you are an old fan like me or a later reader curious about the beginnings of the character then you have to buy this series. If you are a British comics fan then this series is as important as the Classic Dan Dare series in terms of Brit comics history and in terms of sheer enjoyment. Here's what John Wagner said about the first volume: "Here it is, the Law in Order, as they say – Judge Dredd, one of the 20th century’s most enduring and popular characters, from genesis to the present day, all wrapped up in beautifully-produced volumes to pore over, to savour, to tuck away for a rainy day. Where it all began, what made the great man tick, how Dredd’s world grew and developed – a veritable trip down nostalgia lane and a must-have for comic buffs, budding right-wing dictators and comic writers whose collection is locked in a steel cabinet for which the key is lost and who can never get hold of the references they want!"

V previewed

2006-03-14T17:22:00.000Z

Pádraig, fresh from organising this year's Phoenix Convention in Dublin, gushes over a preview of V For Vendetta he was lucky enough to attend (with Leah Moore and John Reppion no less!). In short he loved it - and Codename P is not only a graphic novel collector but an expert on all things Moore, so if he thinks it cuts the mustard then it really is good. Next weekend's official opening in the UK can't come fast enough now...

Kong is the King at Empire awards

2006-03-14T17:07:00.000Z

Peter Jackson's King Kong remake was the big winner at the awards held by Britain's biggest movie magazine, Empire, taking the Best Movie category in a popular poll of readers (I don't trust myself to comment about the difference between popular and best). Revenge of the Sith took best SF movie with the scene depicting the creation of Darth Vader named as the best scene while Aardman's Wallace and Gromit: Curse of the Were-Rabbit took earned a Best Director gong for Nick Park and Steve Box.