Charles at 60: The Passionate Prince
There have been lots of excellent documentaries about the monarchy in the past year or two. Just an observation.
Little Dorrit
Part 5 (of 14)
Wednesday, 12 November 2008
Articles
First Full Enterprise Photo From Star Trek Unearthed
(from AceShowbiz)
It's a pretty good re-design if you ask me (a non-Trekkie, I should add). It's faithful but not slavish; modernised, but also stylised (like a lot of the film seems to be). Director J.J. Abrams describes it as "realistic", which I think might be a bit of a stretch, but I would certainly call it "appropriate". Anyhow, see for yourself:
Keep going for more on Star Trek...
Monopoly Movie Finally Passes Go by Chris Hewitt
(from Empire Online)
This is the oddest idea & director pairing for a movie ever. Ever.
Shuler Donner Talks Magneto by Chris Hewitt
(from Empire Online)
The other X-Men prequel, which is still in development, sort of. Sounds like it could be good, though it'll be a helluva challenge to find two actors as good as McKellen and Stewart. (Incidentally, why isn't Stewart a Knight yet? His part in Extras should've sealed that one, I think.)
Star Trek Footage Revealed by James Dyer
(from the Empire Blog)
Empire have seen a whole chunk of the new Star Trek film (the 11th, but it's simply called Star Trek), and it actually sounds like it might be quite good. Shocking, I know. Read the spoiler-filled summary at that link, and look out for a new trailer soon (it's attached to Quantum of Solace in US -- clearly expecting that to be a Big Hit over the pond too, then).
(from AceShowbiz)
It's a pretty good re-design if you ask me (a non-Trekkie, I should add). It's faithful but not slavish; modernised, but also stylised (like a lot of the film seems to be). Director J.J. Abrams describes it as "realistic", which I think might be a bit of a stretch, but I would certainly call it "appropriate". Anyhow, see for yourself:
Keep going for more on Star Trek...
Monopoly Movie Finally Passes Go by Chris Hewitt
(from Empire Online)
This is the oddest idea & director pairing for a movie ever. Ever.
Shuler Donner Talks Magneto by Chris Hewitt
(from Empire Online)
The other X-Men prequel, which is still in development, sort of. Sounds like it could be good, though it'll be a helluva challenge to find two actors as good as McKellen and Stewart. (Incidentally, why isn't Stewart a Knight yet? His part in Extras should've sealed that one, I think.)
Star Trek Footage Revealed by James Dyer
(from the Empire Blog)
Empire have seen a whole chunk of the new Star Trek film (the 11th, but it's simply called Star Trek), and it actually sounds like it might be quite good. Shocking, I know. Read the spoiler-filled summary at that link, and look out for a new trailer soon (it's attached to Quantum of Solace in US -- clearly expecting that to be a Big Hit over the pond too, then).
How many syllables are in the word "hour"?
Not something I'd thought about until today, when trying to write a poem in a specific meter.
Think it's simple? It isn't, as this complex answer to that simple question proves. Said answer is long and quite technical, but so interesting that I wanted to share it.
Source: Yahoo! Answers
Think it's simple? It isn't, as this complex answer to that simple question proves. Said answer is long and quite technical, but so interesting that I wanted to share it.
Source: Yahoo! Answers
Poem of the Day: If--
by Rudyard Kipling
I originally posted this yesterday, before alighting on something more appropriate, so here it is again today. If-- was written in 1895 (first published 1910), in reaction to an event that contributed to the start of the Boer War. It's a justly famous poem, voted Britain's favourite in the '90s and one of mine too, which makes it an appropriate early choice for this series.
See you tomorrow!
I originally posted this yesterday, before alighting on something more appropriate, so here it is again today. If-- was written in 1895 (first published 1910), in reaction to an event that contributed to the start of the Boer War. It's a justly famous poem, voted Britain's favourite in the '90s and one of mine too, which makes it an appropriate early choice for this series.
If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too:
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;
If you can dream -- and not make dreams your master;
If you can think -- and not make thoughts your aim,
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same:
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools;
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss:
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings -- nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much:
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And -- which is more -- you'll be a Man, my son!
See you tomorrow!
Che in the UK
After all the coverage I've given it, I feel I should point out that the only real interest I have in Steven Soderbergh's two-part Che Guevera biopic is to do with the fuss surrounding whether it would be released and, if so, in how many parts. I don't share the common student's passing obsession with him -- or, rather, with the iconography of That T-Shirt.
Just so we're clear.
Anyway, it seems the UK release will be split in two, with Part One hitting our shores on January 1st 2009, and Part Two following seven weeks later on February 20th. Why such a gap I don't know, especially as Soderbergh expressed a desire for them to be released at the same time, so people could see all four hours in one go if they wished. I guess anyone wanting to do that will just have to wait for the DVD. To be honest, it's not that epic a running time; certainly not on DVD. I've watched all three extended Lord of the Rings films in one day -- that is an epic.
Anyway, here's the UK Che poster:
The technically-minded part of me wonders, "will they be called Che: Part One and Che: Part Two on screen, or retain the original, different titles on each half (still listed on IMDb)?" It hardly matters, but that's more likely to persuade me to fork out £7 (total) to go see them than their actual contents. Unless they win Oscars, in which case that reason edges into the lead.
Just.
Just so we're clear.
Anyway, it seems the UK release will be split in two, with Part One hitting our shores on January 1st 2009, and Part Two following seven weeks later on February 20th. Why such a gap I don't know, especially as Soderbergh expressed a desire for them to be released at the same time, so people could see all four hours in one go if they wished. I guess anyone wanting to do that will just have to wait for the DVD. To be honest, it's not that epic a running time; certainly not on DVD. I've watched all three extended Lord of the Rings films in one day -- that is an epic.
Anyway, here's the UK Che poster:
The technically-minded part of me wonders, "will they be called Che: Part One and Che: Part Two on screen, or retain the original, different titles on each half (still listed on IMDb)?" It hardly matters, but that's more likely to persuade me to fork out £7 (total) to go see them than their actual contents. Unless they win Oscars, in which case that reason edges into the lead.
Just.
Tuesday, 11 November 2008
TV
Argumental
1x03 (10/11/08 edition)
The blues was robbed! It's still a shame this is premiering on Dave, because more people should see it. I don't know how many are seeing it, but as it's on Dave I should wager it's "not enough".
Natural World
Titus: The Gorilla King
Gorillas are amazingly human-like. Titus' life story could easily be made into a plot involving humans (probably a political/monarchy drama set in the past, a la The Tudors) and no one would go, "that's weird, why're they behaving like that?" Unless you kept the flea-picking bits in, of course...
[Watch it on iPlayer or read about it at Radio Times.]
1x03 (10/11/08 edition)
The blues was robbed! It's still a shame this is premiering on Dave, because more people should see it. I don't know how many are seeing it, but as it's on Dave I should wager it's "not enough".
Natural World
Titus: The Gorilla King
Gorillas are amazingly human-like. Titus' life story could easily be made into a plot involving humans (probably a political/monarchy drama set in the past, a la The Tudors) and no one would go, "that's weird, why're they behaving like that?" Unless you kept the flea-picking bits in, of course...
[Watch it on iPlayer or read about it at Radio Times.]
Articles
Details on How Terrence Howard Lost His Role in Iron Man 2
(from FirstShowing.net)
True or not? Sounds like it might well be to me. Either way, it's an interesting story, and nice to have a proper explanation after all the speculation.
James Bond is back with martinis but not the gadgets by Geoff Boucher
(from Hero Complex at Los Angeles Times Blogs)
Not much new to learn from this interview with Quantum of Solace director Marc Forster, but it amuses me how many of these articles are prominently branded "exclusive", despite similar (and often superior) interviews with the same people being plastered over every website and magazine going. It seems "exclusive" means "commonplace" these days; or, more accurately, "please read this!"
Lord of the Rings-inspired movie in the pipeline
(from Boxwish Blog)
No, not The Hobbit -- or 'The Hobbit 2' -- this is something else. (No, it's not another of those "films about fans" either.)
Next Big Viral: Neill Blomkamp's District 9 - For Humans Only
(from FirstShowing.net)
Bit late on spotting this one (though I did notice the banners in photos at the time, but just thought they were some silly con thing). Still, sounds interesting...
(from FirstShowing.net)
True or not? Sounds like it might well be to me. Either way, it's an interesting story, and nice to have a proper explanation after all the speculation.
James Bond is back with martinis but not the gadgets by Geoff Boucher
(from Hero Complex at Los Angeles Times Blogs)
Not much new to learn from this interview with Quantum of Solace director Marc Forster, but it amuses me how many of these articles are prominently branded "exclusive", despite similar (and often superior) interviews with the same people being plastered over every website and magazine going. It seems "exclusive" means "commonplace" these days; or, more accurately, "please read this!"
Lord of the Rings-inspired movie in the pipeline
(from Boxwish Blog)
No, not The Hobbit -- or 'The Hobbit 2' -- this is something else. (No, it's not another of those "films about fans" either.)
Next Big Viral: Neill Blomkamp's District 9 - For Humans Only
(from FirstShowing.net)
Bit late on spotting this one (though I did notice the banners in photos at the time, but just thought they were some silly con thing). Still, sounds interesting...
new Watchmen character posters
Nice enough, though I preferred the comic-inspired ones.
These were originally released scattered around the web as various exclusives (the one here was the first I came across, for example), which explains why some are extra-good quality, why the Dr Manhattan one is really low quality, and why Silk Spectre's has an MTV logo at the bottom (studies have shown it takes males longer to notice this logo than females.) Presumably all six sites were given equal-quality files, which makes it all the more annoying that not everyone bothered to include those -- especially the very poor quality Dr Manhattan one.
As usual, this rather silly 'exclusive' method means that any site not granted an exclusive can compile all six independently, thereby topping any of these oh-so-special treated sites. The irony of that always amuses me.
Click to enlarge.
(If anyone cares, the sites that had them were, respectively, Access Hollywood, USA Today's Lifeline Live, Wired's underwire, MTV's Splash Page, LA Times' Hero Complex, and EW.com's clearly rubbish PopWatch.)
Additionally, one of the sites had another poster that I've not seen before, which is my personal favourite so far:
03.06.09 is too far away.
These were originally released scattered around the web as various exclusives (the one here was the first I came across, for example), which explains why some are extra-good quality, why the Dr Manhattan one is really low quality, and why Silk Spectre's has an MTV logo at the bottom (studies have shown it takes males longer to notice this logo than females.) Presumably all six sites were given equal-quality files, which makes it all the more annoying that not everyone bothered to include those -- especially the very poor quality Dr Manhattan one.
As usual, this rather silly 'exclusive' method means that any site not granted an exclusive can compile all six independently, thereby topping any of these oh-so-special treated sites. The irony of that always amuses me.
Click to enlarge.
(If anyone cares, the sites that had them were, respectively, Access Hollywood, USA Today's Lifeline Live, Wired's underwire, MTV's Splash Page, LA Times' Hero Complex, and EW.com's clearly rubbish PopWatch.)
Additionally, one of the sites had another poster that I've not seen before, which is my personal favourite so far:
03.06.09 is too far away.
Poem of the Day: Dulce et Decorum Est
by Wilfred Owen
Following yesterday's A Martian Sends a Postcard Home, and in the run-up to needing to read a lot of new poetry for a module next year (starting mid-January), I've decided to post a poem every day (you may've guessed that from the title). I don't have any selection criteria at the minute -- old, new, long, short, familiar, obscure, anything goes. Though I have no desire to spend a long time typing anything up (unless it's really good) and don't want to violate any copyrights, so it'll just be stuff I find available online -- so mostly old stuff then, I guess.
As today is Remembrance Day, this year the 90th anniversary of the end of the First World War, it seems most appropriate to include a poem by one of the war poets. There's a lot of notable poetry from this particular war, much of which I studied at A-level, and this is one of the most memorable -- very well know, but for good reason.
For those who don't know, the Latin phrase at the end was a common mantra at the time (originally written by Roman poet Horace), which translates as, "It is sweet and noble to die for one's country".
(Trying to find a version of this to post here, I noticed several variations. I went with what I considered to be a moderately definitive one, but am prepared to be corrected.)
Following yesterday's A Martian Sends a Postcard Home, and in the run-up to needing to read a lot of new poetry for a module next year (starting mid-January), I've decided to post a poem every day (you may've guessed that from the title). I don't have any selection criteria at the minute -- old, new, long, short, familiar, obscure, anything goes. Though I have no desire to spend a long time typing anything up (unless it's really good) and don't want to violate any copyrights, so it'll just be stuff I find available online -- so mostly old stuff then, I guess.
As today is Remembrance Day, this year the 90th anniversary of the end of the First World War, it seems most appropriate to include a poem by one of the war poets. There's a lot of notable poetry from this particular war, much of which I studied at A-level, and this is one of the most memorable -- very well know, but for good reason.
Bent double, like old beggars under sacks,
Knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through sludge,
Till on the haunting flares we turned our backs
And towards our distant rest began to trudge.
Men marched asleep. Many had lost their boots
But limped on, blood-shod. All went lame; all blind;
Drunk with fatigue; deaf even to the hoots
Of tired, outstripped Five-Nines that dropped behind.
Gas! Gas! Quick, boys!-- An ecstasy of fumbling,
Fitting the clumsy helmets just in time;
But someone still was yelling out and stumbling
And floundering like a man in fire or lime...
Dim, through the misty panes and thick green light,
As under a green sea, I saw him drowning.
In all my dreams, before my helpless sight,
He plunges at me, guttering, choking, drowning.
If in some smothering dreams you too could pace
Behind the wagon that we flung him in,
And watch the white eyes writhing in his face,
His hanging face, like a devil's sick of sin;
If you could hear, at every jolt, the blood
Come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs,
Obscene as cancer, bitter as the cud
Of vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues,--
My friend, you would not tell with such high zest
To children ardent for some desperate glory,
The old Lie: Dulce et decorum est
Pro patria mori.
For those who don't know, the Latin phrase at the end was a common mantra at the time (originally written by Roman poet Horace), which translates as, "It is sweet and noble to die for one's country".
(Trying to find a version of this to post here, I noticed several variations. I went with what I considered to be a moderately definitive one, but am prepared to be corrected.)
Monday, 10 November 2008
TV
The Sarah Jane Adventures
2x07 The Mark of the Beserker Part One
Clearly, those kids are next to useless when Sarah Jane goes away. Did you know the only one that's actually 15 is Luke? The other two are both legally able to go out getting drunk and what have you. And do, apparently. (I apologise if this shatters anyone's illusions. Or indeed if "getting drunk" is overstating it.)
Stephen Fry in America
Part 5 True West
Stephen Fry visits a brothel! Now there's something you don't expect to see.
2x07 The Mark of the Beserker Part One
Clearly, those kids are next to useless when Sarah Jane goes away. Did you know the only one that's actually 15 is Luke? The other two are both legally able to go out getting drunk and what have you. And do, apparently. (I apologise if this shatters anyone's illusions. Or indeed if "getting drunk" is overstating it.)
Stephen Fry in America
Part 5 True West
Stephen Fry visits a brothel! Now there's something you don't expect to see.
Articles
Brand brands Sachs row 'meaningless' by Sarah Rollo
(from Digital Spy)
Ooh, controversial headline! I think I'll complain! Etc. However, he does have a point.
Quantum of Solace Rules International Box Office by Devin Zydel
(from CommanderBond.net)
I love a good round of statistics, and here's some good statistics: "on general release in 58 new markets around the world and opened bigger than Casino Royale in every single one of them (13 even managed to double what Royale did). [It] grossed a whopping $106.5 million this weekend in 61 territories, making it the 11th biggest international weekend ever. The film grossed more than triple the combined foreign take for the next four entries on the list... Despite not having opened in the US, Australia, Japan, Mexico and Spain yet, the 10-day cumulative total for Quantum of Solace stands at $160.3 million." Follow the link for loads more.
Review of The Incredible Hulk R1 DVD by James Gray
(from DVD Times)
"The two monsters dutifully tear apart a few apartment blocks before the Abomination keels over and surrenders and everyone goes home happy they’ve had their yearly fill of watching CGI monsters do battle while being simultaneously relieved they’ve left without getting the same headache as Transformers gave them last year."
Top Gear secret code mocks Strictly by Michael Thornton
(from Digital Spy)
It's the in thing these days to complain to the BBC about nothing -- especially if that nothing happens on a controversial show -- so I wonder how many this will manage?
(from Digital Spy)
Ooh, controversial headline! I think I'll complain! Etc. However, he does have a point.
Quantum of Solace Rules International Box Office by Devin Zydel
(from CommanderBond.net)
I love a good round of statistics, and here's some good statistics: "on general release in 58 new markets around the world and opened bigger than Casino Royale in every single one of them (13 even managed to double what Royale did). [It] grossed a whopping $106.5 million this weekend in 61 territories, making it the 11th biggest international weekend ever. The film grossed more than triple the combined foreign take for the next four entries on the list... Despite not having opened in the US, Australia, Japan, Mexico and Spain yet, the 10-day cumulative total for Quantum of Solace stands at $160.3 million." Follow the link for loads more.
Review of The Incredible Hulk R1 DVD by James Gray
(from DVD Times)
"The two monsters dutifully tear apart a few apartment blocks before the Abomination keels over and surrenders and everyone goes home happy they’ve had their yearly fill of watching CGI monsters do battle while being simultaneously relieved they’ve left without getting the same headache as Transformers gave them last year."
Top Gear secret code mocks Strictly by Michael Thornton
(from Digital Spy)
It's the in thing these days to complain to the BBC about nothing -- especially if that nothing happens on a controversial show -- so I wonder how many this will manage?
Poem of the Day: A Martian Sends a Postcard Home
by Craig Raine
This 1979 piece is part of a movement (possibly the start of the movement) known as Martian poetry, which you're most likely to have heard of as a way of being taught poetry in school. It's freely available on numerous websites, so I may as well include the full text here.
If you're struggling, I can tell you that "caxtons" are books (quite where that word comes from, or how they could be described as "mechanical birds", I don't know); "Model T" is, of course, the Ford Model T car; the watch and clock are obvious, I think; the "haunted apparatus" is a telephone, which "cries" (rings), is "soothed" (talked into) and "tickled" (dialled); the "punishment room with water" is, I believe, a bathroom; and "read about themselves" are dreams, I presume.
Hardly a detailed analysis I know, but perhaps some useful pointers.
This 1979 piece is part of a movement (possibly the start of the movement) known as Martian poetry, which you're most likely to have heard of as a way of being taught poetry in school. It's freely available on numerous websites, so I may as well include the full text here.
Caxtons are mechanical birds with many wings
and some are treasured for their markings --
they cause the eyes to melt
or the body to shriek without pain.
I have never seen one fly, but
sometimes they perch on the hand.
Mist is when the sky is tired of flight
and rests its soft machine on ground:
then the world is dim and bookish
like engravings under tissue paper.
Rain is when the earth is television.
It has the property of making colours darker.
Model T is a room with the lock inside --
a key is turned to free the world
for movement, so quick there is a film
to watch for anything missed.
But time is tied to the wrist
or kept in a box, ticking with impatience.
In homes, a haunted apparatus sleeps,
that snores when you pick it up.
If the ghost cries, they carry it
to their lips and soothe it to sleep
with sounds. And yet they wake it up
deliberately, by tickling with a finger.
Only the young are allowed to suffer
openly. Adults go to a punishment room
with water but nothing to eat.
They lock the door and suffer the noises
alone. No one is exempt
and everyone's pain has a different smell.
At night when all the colours die,
they hide in pairs
and read about themselves --
in colour, with their eyelids shut.
If you're struggling, I can tell you that "caxtons" are books (quite where that word comes from, or how they could be described as "mechanical birds", I don't know); "Model T" is, of course, the Ford Model T car; the watch and clock are obvious, I think; the "haunted apparatus" is a telephone, which "cries" (rings), is "soothed" (talked into) and "tickled" (dialled); the "punishment room with water" is, I believe, a bathroom; and "read about themselves" are dreams, I presume.
Hardly a detailed analysis I know, but perhaps some useful pointers.
Sunday, 9 November 2008
TV
The Sandbaggers
1x07 Special Relationship [season finale]
Absolutely excellent; probably the best episode yet. One often thinks the concept of a "season finale", a grand final episode where the stakes are higher than any other, as being quite a modern American-inherited invention, but clearly the idea behind it goes back much further. Why can't all TV be this good?
Sharpe
7x02 Sharpe's Peril Part 2 [season finale]
A much stronger, and more action-packed, second half. One wonders if the international version -- which is only 102 minutes, in-keeping with the original series of Sharpe episodes (this British version totals 138 minutes) -- cuts equally from both halves, or gets rid of more of the first half's slower-paced relative dross. Both versions be on the DVD release (either out now or soon, depending on which sites you believe), so I suppose anyone who cares can find out then.
Top Gear
12x02 (9/11/08 edition)
Not entertaining, ohhh no.
1x07 Special Relationship [season finale]
Absolutely excellent; probably the best episode yet. One often thinks the concept of a "season finale", a grand final episode where the stakes are higher than any other, as being quite a modern American-inherited invention, but clearly the idea behind it goes back much further. Why can't all TV be this good?
Sharpe
7x02 Sharpe's Peril Part 2 [season finale]
A much stronger, and more action-packed, second half. One wonders if the international version -- which is only 102 minutes, in-keeping with the original series of Sharpe episodes (this British version totals 138 minutes) -- cuts equally from both halves, or gets rid of more of the first half's slower-paced relative dross. Both versions be on the DVD release (either out now or soon, depending on which sites you believe), so I suppose anyone who cares can find out then.
Top Gear
12x02 (9/11/08 edition)
Not entertaining, ohhh no.
Fiction
Marvel 1602 by Neil Gaiman, Andy Kubert & Richard Isanove
Part One
What if all the Marvel heroes appeared 400 years early, in Elizabethan England? It's an intriguing setup that starts well in this first part (of eight). Hopefully Gaiman can keep the story up and take it beyond the novelty factor of Sir Nicholas Fury being the Queen's chief spy, with young Peter Parquagh as his assistant, or 'witchbreeds' Scotius Summerisle, Robert Trefusis and John Grey rescuing a bewinged boy from a burning courtesy of the inquisition.
One element that never disappoints is Kubert's art, which has a cleanly realistic style that I always like, and here is beautifully computer-painted by Isanvoe. The pair did stunning work in a very similar vein on Origin (the series that finally revealed the early life of Wolverine) back in 2001/2, and this style certainly suits the faux-historical content of the two books. Also, Scott McKowen's wonderfully evocative covers (all of which can be seen here) shouldn't go without a mention.
Queen & Country - Operation: Broken Ground by Greg Rucka & Steve Rolston
Chapter 1
Queen & Country is an unofficial comics continuation of the world of The Sandbaggers, though set in the present day. It's immediately obvious from this first issue that the style has been faithfully maintained -- which makes it fantastic. This first chapter is available online for free (legally) on this page, or a direct link here (you'll need to right click + Save As, or what have you). You'll also need some software to read .cbr files -- I use FFView, which is Mac-only, but Wikipedia has some Windows (and Linux) suggestions.
Part One
What if all the Marvel heroes appeared 400 years early, in Elizabethan England? It's an intriguing setup that starts well in this first part (of eight). Hopefully Gaiman can keep the story up and take it beyond the novelty factor of Sir Nicholas Fury being the Queen's chief spy, with young Peter Parquagh as his assistant, or 'witchbreeds' Scotius Summerisle, Robert Trefusis and John Grey rescuing a bewinged boy from a burning courtesy of the inquisition.
One element that never disappoints is Kubert's art, which has a cleanly realistic style that I always like, and here is beautifully computer-painted by Isanvoe. The pair did stunning work in a very similar vein on Origin (the series that finally revealed the early life of Wolverine) back in 2001/2, and this style certainly suits the faux-historical content of the two books. Also, Scott McKowen's wonderfully evocative covers (all of which can be seen here) shouldn't go without a mention.
Queen & Country - Operation: Broken Ground by Greg Rucka & Steve Rolston
Chapter 1
Queen & Country is an unofficial comics continuation of the world of The Sandbaggers, though set in the present day. It's immediately obvious from this first issue that the style has been faithfully maintained -- which makes it fantastic. This first chapter is available online for free (legally) on this page, or a direct link here (you'll need to right click + Save As, or what have you). You'll also need some software to read .cbr files -- I use FFView, which is Mac-only, but Wikipedia has some Windows (and Linux) suggestions.
Articles
10 most uncool James Bond moments by James Clayton
(from Den of Geek!)
Some of these are undeniably true, but Den of Geek is still rubbish.
Jackson Plans Busy 2009 As Nick Fury
(from WENN)
"Samuel L. Jackson is preparing for a busy 2009 -- he's aiming to feature in a host of movie comics after he was revealed as superspy Nick Fury at the end of Iron Man." Apologies to anyone who considers that a spoiler, but c'mon, it's five months old now. "[Jackson] will play a key part in Iron Man 2... 'I should kinda pass through Iron Man 2, Captain America, Thor -- all those things -- and eventually get to that Avengers space... They sorta gave me a master plan about how they want it to work... I'll do every movie they wanna do." And while he didn't turn up in The Incredible Hulk, someone else did (and without having to wait til the end of the credits either!)
(from Den of Geek!)
Some of these are undeniably true, but Den of Geek is still rubbish.
Jackson Plans Busy 2009 As Nick Fury
(from WENN)
"Samuel L. Jackson is preparing for a busy 2009 -- he's aiming to feature in a host of movie comics after he was revealed as superspy Nick Fury at the end of Iron Man." Apologies to anyone who considers that a spoiler, but c'mon, it's five months old now. "[Jackson] will play a key part in Iron Man 2... 'I should kinda pass through Iron Man 2, Captain America, Thor -- all those things -- and eventually get to that Avengers space... They sorta gave me a master plan about how they want it to work... I'll do every movie they wanna do." And while he didn't turn up in The Incredible Hulk, someone else did (and without having to wait til the end of the credits either!)
Saturday, 8 November 2008
TV
Have I Got News For You
36x04 (7/11/08 edition; extended repeat)
The added material is often very funny, and really speaking there's quite a lot of it, but it's usually little bits scattered about and so at times feels a bit of a trawl.
Merlin
1x08 The Beginning of the End
Merlin: The Legend
Nothing to do with the current TV series, but a documentary on the history of the character in literature and whatnot. Of some interest, but occasionally padded and slow.
36x04 (7/11/08 edition; extended repeat)
The added material is often very funny, and really speaking there's quite a lot of it, but it's usually little bits scattered about and so at times feels a bit of a trawl.
Merlin
1x08 The Beginning of the End
Merlin: The Legend
Nothing to do with the current TV series, but a documentary on the history of the character in literature and whatnot. Of some interest, but occasionally padded and slow.
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