X-Men — Magik: Storm & Illyana by Chris Claremont & Brent Anderson
Introduction by C.B. Cebulski
The Uncanny X-Men #160 Chutes and Ladders
Sure, I'm quite behind on 2000 AD and still need to catch up with current X-Men, and I started Spawn but haven't read it for over six months, but why not start something else? (It's only a four-issue miniseries, with this issue of Uncanny as prologue, so it shouldn't take up too much time. Says the guy who's recently read one issue or less per week...)
Tuesday 5 November 2024
Monday 4 November 2024
Games
The Booze of Monkey Island
What's this? Another game I'm starting instead of continuing Syberia. Ah, but I also finished this one, because it's only short (it took me three hours, and that was with exploring most of the dialogue trees, which are extensive). And you can't complain about it's length, because it's free. And also unofficial — it's a fan game. But it's really good — the graphics are lovely (like a modern HD version of Curse) and, even more importantly, the humour is bang on. There are a few bugs and translation issues, but nothing that hinders gameplay. If you're a fan of Monkey Island, it's definitely worth playing... and soon, before the Disney lawyers learn about it and nuke it.
What's this? Another game I'm starting instead of continuing Syberia. Ah, but I also finished this one, because it's only short (it took me three hours, and that was with exploring most of the dialogue trees, which are extensive). And you can't complain about it's length, because it's free. And also unofficial — it's a fan game. But it's really good — the graphics are lovely (like a modern HD version of Curse) and, even more importantly, the humour is bang on. There are a few bugs and translation issues, but nothing that hinders gameplay. If you're a fan of Monkey Island, it's definitely worth playing... and soon, before the Disney lawyers learn about it and nuke it.
Sunday 3 November 2024
Comics
Absolute Batman #1 by Scott Snyder & Nick Dragotta
I wasn’t sure I was going to bother with this new Elseworlds variant of Batman. On one hand, it’s written by Scott Snyder, whose Batman work I greatly enjoyed back when I was regularly buying comics the last time in 2011–14. On the other, it sounded like it perhaps deviated too far from what makes Batman Batman; plus, it’s not as if I don’t buy enough other comics that I’m not getting round to reading (including two regular Batman titles). But then it became “the comic everyone was talking about” when it released, and that talk all seemed to be positive, so I bought issue one — and only just got round to reading it, because hey, that's what I'm like.
Anyway, it is indeed absolutely fantastic and I can't wait for more. Thanks, general chatter, for persuading me to read it.
I wasn’t sure I was going to bother with this new Elseworlds variant of Batman. On one hand, it’s written by Scott Snyder, whose Batman work I greatly enjoyed back when I was regularly buying comics the last time in 2011–14. On the other, it sounded like it perhaps deviated too far from what makes Batman Batman; plus, it’s not as if I don’t buy enough other comics that I’m not getting round to reading (including two regular Batman titles). But then it became “the comic everyone was talking about” when it released, and that talk all seemed to be positive, so I bought issue one — and only just got round to reading it, because hey, that's what I'm like.
Anyway, it is indeed absolutely fantastic and I can't wait for more. Thanks, general chatter, for persuading me to read it.
this week on 100Films.co.uk
A new month began just before the weekend (I'm sure you noticed), so it was time for 100Films.co.uk to look back at October...
And that includes the October "failures", of course...
More, hopefully, next Sunday.
And that includes the October "failures", of course...
More, hopefully, next Sunday.
Saturday 2 November 2024
Collection Count
Collection Count tracks my DVD/Blu-ray collection via a number of statistics every week.
So, after last week turned out to be considerably smaller than expected, it all came pouring in this week instead — just in time for the monthly running time update.
Indeed, there was even more than I'd expected, thanks to an early arrival for Eureka's Louis Feuillade box set (which should replace three DVDs, but they have extras I'm not yet ready to ditch) and Indicator throwing up a sale, from which I ordered two big box sets (and a couple of regular titles), which also managed to arrive before week's end.
Altogether, it makes for a bunch of very sizeable increases — including a frankly ludicrous 48 new feature films! I feel like that must be some kind of record, but I don't have the energy to check.
Number of titles in collection: 3,397 [up 10]
Of which DVDs: 995 [no change]
Of which Blu-rays: 2,402 [up 10]
— of which Ultra HD Blu-rays: 397 [no change]
Number of discs in collection: 8,211 [up 34]
Number of films: 4,265 [up 48]
Number of additional cuts: 414 [up 10]
Number of TV episodes: 9,837 [up 40]
Number of short films: 1,175 [up 4]
I always have a dilemma with film serials: are they one film; or a bunch of TV episodes; or a bunch of films? Because they're not really one film; but counting each episode as a film is a bit daft; but they're not really TV episodes either. I tend to end up counting them there, though, because it seems like the fairest option. That's what I've done with this new Feuillade set, anyway — no 'actual' TV was added to the collection this month.
No debate about where to count the running time, at least: it all goes into the same massive pile...
Total running time of collection (approx.):
577 days, 4 hours, and 40 minutes.
(Up 6 days, 8 hours, and 11 minutes from last month.)
See you next week, faithful reader.
So, after last week turned out to be considerably smaller than expected, it all came pouring in this week instead — just in time for the monthly running time update.
Indeed, there was even more than I'd expected, thanks to an early arrival for Eureka's Louis Feuillade box set (which should replace three DVDs, but they have extras I'm not yet ready to ditch) and Indicator throwing up a sale, from which I ordered two big box sets (and a couple of regular titles), which also managed to arrive before week's end.
Altogether, it makes for a bunch of very sizeable increases — including a frankly ludicrous 48 new feature films! I feel like that must be some kind of record, but I don't have the energy to check.
Number of titles in collection: 3,397 [up 10]
Of which DVDs: 995 [no change]
Of which Blu-rays: 2,402 [up 10]
— of which Ultra HD Blu-rays: 397 [no change]
Number of discs in collection: 8,211 [up 34]
Number of films: 4,265 [up 48]
Number of additional cuts: 414 [up 10]
Number of TV episodes: 9,837 [up 40]
Number of short films: 1,175 [up 4]
I always have a dilemma with film serials: are they one film; or a bunch of TV episodes; or a bunch of films? Because they're not really one film; but counting each episode as a film is a bit daft; but they're not really TV episodes either. I tend to end up counting them there, though, because it seems like the fairest option. That's what I've done with this new Feuillade set, anyway — no 'actual' TV was added to the collection this month.
No debate about where to count the running time, at least: it all goes into the same massive pile...
Total running time of collection (approx.):
577 days, 4 hours, and 40 minutes.
(Up 6 days, 8 hours, and 11 minutes from last month.)
See you next week, faithful reader.
Friday 1 November 2024
Music
The Guest II: Original Soundtrack
I vaguely remember them releasing this a couple of years ago. It's a soundtrack album for a film that doesn't exist; a kind of concept album in lieu of any sequel to The Guest actually getting made. I never got round to listening to it before because, you know, it's not actually a sequel to The Guest; but having rewatched The Guest yesterday and been reminded of how awesome and essential the soundtrack is, I thought I'd finally stick this on.
Warriors
by Lin-Manuel Miranda & Eisa Davis
I feel like I should have something significant to say about this — as someone who loves both The Warriors and Hamilton — but, well, not for now. Maybe after I listen to it a few more times. What I will say is: at the start I wasn't convinced — the more of Miranda's work you listen to, it begins to feel like he only has so many ideas and tricks to deploy — but I did get into it the more it went on and liked lots of it.
I vaguely remember them releasing this a couple of years ago. It's a soundtrack album for a film that doesn't exist; a kind of concept album in lieu of any sequel to The Guest actually getting made. I never got round to listening to it before because, you know, it's not actually a sequel to The Guest; but having rewatched The Guest yesterday and been reminded of how awesome and essential the soundtrack is, I thought I'd finally stick this on.
Warriors
by Lin-Manuel Miranda & Eisa Davis
I feel like I should have something significant to say about this — as someone who loves both The Warriors and Hamilton — but, well, not for now. Maybe after I listen to it a few more times. What I will say is: at the start I wasn't convinced — the more of Miranda's work you listen to, it begins to feel like he only has so many ideas and tricks to deploy — but I did get into it the more it went on and liked lots of it.
Thursday 31 October 2024
Wednesday 30 October 2024
Films
Eyeball (1975)
Possession (1981)
[#84 in The 100 Films in a Year Challenge 2024]
Blindspot 2024 #10 — the second horror film I mentioned.
Possession (1981)
[#84 in The 100 Films in a Year Challenge 2024]
Blindspot 2024 #10 — the second horror film I mentioned.
Games
Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket
I've never been that fussed about Pokémon. When I got my first GameBoy (it was a Color, if I remember correctly) back in the '90s, I did have one of whichever iteration of the game was then-current, but I didn't play it a huge amount in the end. I mean, the fact I can't even remember which game it was tells you something. But now my nephew is the right age to be really into it, so when I saw this app was coming out today, I thought I'd give it a go.
It's based around opening packs to collect cards (all digitally), which after a couple of levels you can use to build decks and battle (a slightly simplified version of the real card game's rules, I believe). I ended up spending all morning on it, and then some time in the afternoon too. Oh dear... I mean, that's probably a good sign to the developers and the Pokémon company, but not so much for my free time.
I've never been that fussed about Pokémon. When I got my first GameBoy (it was a Color, if I remember correctly) back in the '90s, I did have one of whichever iteration of the game was then-current, but I didn't play it a huge amount in the end. I mean, the fact I can't even remember which game it was tells you something. But now my nephew is the right age to be really into it, so when I saw this app was coming out today, I thought I'd give it a go.
It's based around opening packs to collect cards (all digitally), which after a couple of levels you can use to build decks and battle (a slightly simplified version of the real card game's rules, I believe). I ended up spending all morning on it, and then some time in the afternoon too. Oh dear... I mean, that's probably a good sign to the developers and the Pokémon company, but not so much for my free time.
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