Mysterious Cities of Gold Season 4 Starts to Air

*The Mysterious Cities of Gold Season 4 has just concluded and you can read my review here*

As a huge Mysterious Cities of Gold fan, I’ve been eagerly awaiting the final season but news of its release had been quiet. There had been rumours on the Les Cités d'Or blog that the series was projected for a mid-2020 release but that Covid had delayed production. However, I can now happily say that the complete series is available in some territories but only in the French language. However, fan-translated English subtitles have been created and I have them available upon request. The srt. subtitle files are not mine and I do not take any credit for the hard work of the fans but know there is a keen demand to access the final series.

Moominpappa at Sea- Book Review

Moominpappa at Sea is about Moominpappa's midlife crisis, he has a sense of ennui as he feels he has done all that needs to be done. What's a Moomin to do, eh? Why, take the whole family off to sea to live on a small island with an abandoned lighthouse that resonates with a dream you've had of course! Joining them for this ride is the usual menagerie of beloved characters as well as the Groke, a mysterious figure that longs for light and warmth. Little My wryly observes, "This is no ordinary island... I bet things'll happen here!" and indeed they do over the course of the story.

The book is a welcome addition to the family collection of Moomin paraphernalia.

The Moomin characters are all recognisable archetypes but this is a thoroughly 'modern' fairytale (it is 50 years old but it’s not as old as Grimm of Hans Christian Anderson old) as lessons are learned and characters develop; the island is a place of transformation and change, much like the woods of old tales.

Although primarily a children's book, this story will resonate with adults as it does cover heavy themes such as depression, having a 'purpose' and fulfilling dreams. This is one of many reasons as to why I love Tove Jansson; whilst writing seemingly frivolous tales, she gets to the heart of the human condition with a very open hearted philosophy of humanism where there is more that unites us than separates us. Maybe in these challenging times we need this optimism?

When you consider that the Moomin books were written in the aftermath of World War 2, you can see that her tales portray friendship and acceptance, she was trying to create a world of unity and isn't that all people truly desire?

Moominpappa at Sea is an astonishing book and should be read by all, young and old alike, as it carries the universal message of kindness and familial love. And when it drops aphorisms like:
’The world is full of great and wonderful things for those who are ready for them,’ you know you're onto something special.

Moominvalley- Season 1 Review

The Moomins- Retro Vinyl Release

The Moomins- Stopmotion Series Review

LINK- Tove Jansson Exhibition at Dulwich Picture Gallery

Pure Invention: How Japan's Pop Culture Conquered the World- Book Review (and Personal Reflections)

As an anime and manga fan in the late 80s, 90s and early 00s I was a Japanophile and thought the country a fascinating place, full of the coolest games, best technology and innovations. However, programmes about Japan in the 80s and 90s made the country seem strange, kooky and this was sometimes mixed with a bit of exotic 'otherness' with a smidge of racist undertones. Even recently, a *groan* content creator with multi-million YouTube subscribers went into the country and made fun of Japan, even sharing video footage of a dead suicide victim in a forest known for people ending their life and making fun near a corpse. So I am really pleased that ‘Pure Invention: How Japan's Pop Culture Conquered the World’ by Matt Alt treats the country and culture with respect and examines the land with a more anthropological lens but via the medium of its technological innovations.

I visited Japan in 2013 and visited Tokyo and Kyoto. I fulfilled one of my dream!

I visited Japan in 2013 and visited Tokyo and Kyoto. I fulfilled one of my dream!

Where its economy and technology gained Japan prominence and financial muscle in the 1950, 60 and 70s, much to this chagrin of many Boomers who railed against a Japan that they saw as either producing inferior products or producing good at a much cheaper price due to lower labour costs, it was arguably the video games, anime, manga, fashion and fantasy delivery devices that made it culturally change the world and perhaps has a larger global impact in the 1980s, 90s and 00s,

In an interesting gambit as Alt looks at how each of these fantasy delivery devices saw Japan emerge from its insular nature to take over the world through pop culture rather than just through purely economic or financial means with companies like Toyota or Honda etc. The Gameboy, Sony Walkman and video games were all inessential, inescapable and influential and this meant that they changed the way we saw the world rather than being refined products of what went before.

It also asserts that the late state capitalism, which the Japanese society has been experiencing since the bubble crash in 1989, has been prescient for much that is occurring in the West; adults consuming 'childish' media, digital pets, a love of kawaii (cute things) and hakikomori, where people stay at home as ‘shut-ins’ and avoid society Japan did it first and we are now feeling that wave in the West with 'adulting' meaning playing at 'growing up', shut-ins, a love of geek culture becoming the norm rather than the unique. Heady and profound stuff indeed!

The book's prologue starts with a discussion of how Final Fantasy 7 represented a confident Japan looking outward after the economic bubble burst in 1989 which led to years of political and financial instability.

I like how Alt discusses that even before the devastation wrought by the bombs of WW2, Japan always had a sense of playfulness and fun with a heavy emphasis on toys. In fact Japan was one of the primary supplier of the world's toys, alongside Germany and Britain. It prided itself on artisanal pieces and after the war it used scrap materials to create new toys, starting with Jeep models created from scraps of tin. Alt tackles the misconception that Japan only became playful post-war due to the influence of American military rule. In fact Japan had for many centuries had a child-centric culture where wrapping, boxes and gorgeous presentation were considered as important as the gift itself.

Part I is entitled 'The Fall 1945' and Alt starts with the tin toy market that exploded post war, as toy creator Kosuge et al. recycled used tin cans and metal waste from military compounds to create new tin toys which they sold in Japan and in America.

The next big event was the release of the Osamu Tezuka classic, Mighty Atom or Astro Boy as he's known in the West. This was a landmark affair and forever changed the manga/ comic scene. However, during the 60s there rose a more gritty and violent manga art style - Gekiga- and this was not one beholden to the restrictions of the Comic Code that limited its American counterparts.

The late 60s is where student riots and protest took place as the youth felt disenfranchised and disempowered from an establishment that was complicit in the bombing of Vietnam. After the government tried to pass a law prohibiting large protests, a large protest took place to protest against this. It was a time of financial stagnation for many in the country as too many graduates and not enough jobs affected the prospects of the youth.

The 1970s saw the popularisation of karaoke machines. The idea of karaoke singalongs were not invented by the Japanese but rather had existed in many forms, including singalong Fleischer cartoons where viewers sang along to the bouncing red ball, juke boxes and various 8 track contraptions. What Japan did was popularise the concept by making it easy, portable and intuitive to use by simply adding a microphone to a 8-track player and speaker. It was crude and simple but had appeal for the salaryman (a portmanteau of 'salaried office worker') as these workers had the unenviable task of building Japan back up after the war. They often worked crushing hours in dull offices with no chance for their personality to come through but karaoke was their chance to shine and experience a kind of freedom and camaraderie. Karaoke machines were initially found in 'Love Hotels' but spread across the country as it offered the fantasy of being a singer, primarily in bars and watering holes and then from the privacy of your own home.

The chapter on Hello Kitty is amazing as she is one of the most licenced products in the world and earns revenues of over half a billion dollars, more than the NFL! It started innocently enough with cute and small pocket purses and now extends to kawaii (cute) stationary, toiletries and even onto the notepad of a feared rebel Jihadist leader. You gotta admit, this feline’s got reach! We learn that the minimalist design was created to shift everyday kitchen and homewares but then moved onto more frivolous items such as packs of tissues, erasers and pretty much anything as the young girls from the 70s became independent, financially responsible adults with cash to spare, much like the 00s and 10s fad in the West to repackage nostalgia from the 90s at a premium (remember all those 'Top 100 cartoons/ TV programmes/ 90’s moments etc programmes). This economy of design was influential in Japan as it led to similar economy of design moments across media, such as with the creation of Pacman, Digdug or Mario, which were also hampered with technical limitations that necessitated creativity, the mother of invention.

I particularly enjoyed the chapter on the rise of Sony and its portable electronic goods. It was a fascinating listen as it showed that rather than being inferior, as many in the West claimed out of jealousy and worry, the portable Sony radio used the most innovative technology of the time, including transistors, to create a fantasy device that was coveted by all around the world. In fact, Frank Sinatra was given one alongside a Walkman as he was the first real Sony brand ambassador. Fascinating stuff!

We then get a quick insight into arcade and pachinko machines and specifically how Space Invaders took arcade games to the world, being the first Japanese fantasy device to sweep the world.

It was after riding this wave for so long that we get the Lost Decades, the era when Japan's economy was in freefall after the bubble burst in 1989. I remember this from my childhood as the image of a Japanese banking guy crying and asking for forgiveness was shared across news channels. As a kid I didn't quite get what was going on but seeing an adult crying in the news was seared into my memory. This is a very interesting topic for Alt and he covers this dark time in Japan.

He shares how the film 'Battle Royale' captured the mood of the nation as it showed the youth rebelling against authority and the dystopia consequences. The film isn't obviously based on a real life situation but captured the mood of the country well. As companies went bankrupt and suicide rates spiked the youth looked for an outlet, which led to heightened personalised fashion, a rise in cosplay and fandom in public spaces (esp. Harajuku), a growth in video games but also hakikomori, a process of shut-ins who subsisted with the barest minimum but managed by being plugged into their interests at home.

However, from this darkness rose schoolgirls and young women who helped pick up the pieces of their shattered country. Chapter 6, Empire of the Schoolgirls, looks at how they it was this demographic embraced a chance to be a more active part of economic society and became taste makers in things thought juvenile, Hello Kitty, highly kitsch cheap fashion, cute (kawaii) fashion and expensive but playful jewellery. It was they who embraced new technologies better and more voraciously than anyone else, for example when the iPhone launched it was a huge success across the world, except in Japan where girls didn't like it as it didn't have emojis. Apple learned their lesson and made sure they included emojis from there on out... Lessons about the buying power of this market were learned. Also fashion brands learned from Hello Kitty about ‘Communication Cosmetics’, providing practical or fancy goods with a logo or icon that brought about a collegiate or group atmosphere. I experience this sometimes when I wear my video game themed tops, which have a subtle detail harkening back to video games of my youth and I occasionally have someone chat to me. My clothing is like an affiliation or a collective memory of a tribe.


Chapter 7, The New Anime Century, is all about manga and anime. As an Evangelion fan, the chapter on the release of the much hyped 'End of Evangelion' was interesting as it showed how an emotionally scarred and impotent main character, Shinji Ikari, chimed with many of the youths of 1995. With the economy still in tatters and the prospects looking gloomy, Ikari embodied the emasculation that many in the patriarchal society felt. In fact, when I travelled to Japan in 2013 Evangelion adverts still proliferated, shilling new perfumes. The show has had a looong tail and when it was brought over to Netflix earlier this year after years of legal wrangling about various rights issues it was considered a huge coup. Evangelion stood on the shoulders of giants as a giant robot existential series, Gundam. Gundam came out in the early 80s and was a phenomenon. Similar to Star Wars in style but more akin to Star Trek with its long syndication and iterative series, the original Gundam aired for 39 episodes out of a projected 52 and was considered a failure as it failed to shift toys, the measure of anime success. However, protests, marches and gatherings led to new movies, syndication and the rise of ‘Otaku’, obsessive fans. As usual wider society condemned this and there was plenty of youth bashing but what was not realised was that Gundam has created a new way to celebrate fandom as cosplay became the norm and the ephemera of comics, novelisation, models and other collectables based on an intellectual property became the norm. This was new.

We then get a short discussion about how Akira brought 'mature' animation to the art houses of America and Europe, garnering much respect and awe for its music, attention to detail and creativity. What interested audiences was that the art style Was one many recognised from shows in their youth like

This led to many Western countries buying, editing and dubbing old anime and bringing it to their audiences, we had the likes of Star Blazer (Battleship Yamato), Robotech (Macross) and many others. Being American centric, this chapter misses out on the fact that DIC produced many French-Japanese co-produced shows like Mysterious Cities of Gold, Ulysses 31 and the like and so in Europe the anime art style was a huge part of my and many childhoods. The ascent to Akira wasn't so out of left field as we had been brought up on the art form, even if we didn't necessarily know it. My uncle gave me Akira and Devilman on VHS as an 12 year old and it blew my mind. Alt does have a discussion about VHS and how copies of anime and manga shows were shared and grew from cult to mainstream so he is on point there.

This culminated in the Oscar success of Hayao Miyazaki's Spirited Away which brought anime into the mainstream and Western public consciousness. This was quickly seen in the Animatrix, the Wachowski's sideward tip of the hat at the Matrix's anime and manga forebears. Anime influence also crept into Kill Bill and in series such as Avatar: The Last Airbender the animated series (forget the godawful Shyamalan movie).

Chapter 8 entitled 'Gaming the World' looks at how Nintendo rose to prominence but with the usual American-centric 'Video Game Crash'. It's a compelling if oft told tale which didn't affect Europe which was thriving with its microcomputer scene but in this telling Mario saved the day. As well as the usual retread of the console wars of the 90s with Sega vs. Nintendo duking it out, we get an interesting section on the rise of Pokemon as the unlikely Gameboy system seller in 1998 (a decade after its first release), as well as a look at this multi-media success story which still successfully earns billions every year.

Chapter 9, ‘The Antisocial Network’, looks at the Internet and how it brought different tribes together. 2chan was originally an otaku site where people could share stories, anime and manga but morphed into a more chaotic force, embracing all that is good and the bad. This reached a crescendo with #Gamergate which under the guise of ethics in video game journalism was more like a misogynistic screed against women in the industry. I remember at the time being embarrassed to be a gamer as this became world news as many in the industry were threatened with real world violence whilst also enduring horrific online abuse. This hate hidden under the pretense for 'Freedom of Speech' was tapped into by Steve Bannon, Brietbart and the alt-Right and led to a huge wave of Republican support. However, much good has come out of this forum including Anonymous and its support for Occupy Wall Street, the Arab Spring and support for Hong Kongers against draconian Chinese extradition laws. To be sure 2chan was the progenitor of these online chat spaces and forums but it has had a long tail and its effects are reverberating worldwide.

The Epilogue ends with a look at Haruki Murakami's magical realism and how he taps into the confusing and often surreal situations that exist in the world; there is universality in his works about the human condition that appeals and speaks truth about our existential angst.

Alt says that the world has been led by an attention economy, clicking tapping and swiping away on our phones, but that Covid has created a a state of worldwide hakikomori, but in this case enforced ahut-ins and people have consumed video games, streamed shows via Netflix or Amazon Prime, read and listened to music but more than that, it has led to a spike in creativity.

He ends on a note of optimism that while Japan no longer is at the cutting edge of pop culture and technology, due in part to globalisation and the rise of China and South Korea, there is still much to learn from the country as many conditions in the West were first felt in Japan 2 decades ago, it was the true pioneer. However the success of Animal Crossing during the pandemic, Pokemon Go and hologram concerts (which originated in Japan with Hatsune Miku over a decade ago) shows Japan is still a potent cultural force.

Alt’s book is essential reading for anyone with an interest in Japan and the look at the subcultures is fascinating stuff. A worthwhile read and highly recommended by me!

LINK- Japan: My Journey to the East

LINK: Preserving the Spirit of Media Past

LINK- Why I Collect

LINK- The Golden Voyage of Sinbad- Cult Movie Review

LINK- The Transportive Nature of Objects (And the Power of Mini Consoles)

LINK- My One True Gaming Constant in Life- Nintendo

Moominvalley- Season 2 Review

I have a deep love for the Moomins which only came around in the mid 2000s with the release of the comics. Tove Jansson's comics were published in the 1950s in the Evening Standard and it was here that the characters became popular, however the collected volumes weren't released until 2006. As a comic collector I noticed the first 4 volumes on sale and decided to buy the set and it was here that the whimsical stories with heart and street philosophy entered my life. I have previously watched the creepy stop motion animation in my youth and it haunted my dreams with its jerky style and strange music (which I purchased and have a new-found appreciation for), but I did watch the 90s animated show occasionally and liked that just fine.

Last Easter, Sky and Finish Channel YLE release of the first 13 Moominvalley episodes and I had an opportunity to enjoy the show with my family; my two young daughters and my wife. They knew the characters from the various items strewn around the house, the children's books and our visit to Moomin World in Finland but had never seen the show so this was exciting for them. They loved it but I thought the show was attractive enough but not remarkable. I felt at the time that whilst the lush vistas of Moominvalley and the crystal clear rivers and lakes were wonderfully realised in computer animation, there was something lost in translation as the texture and expressive lines that bring comic characters and the world were missing. However, over the past year my family and I have had many multiple viewings of the show and my appreciation and affection for the show has grown and I have grown to love it and judge it less harshly.

So, it was with much excitement and anticipation that my family and I waited for the second series to drop. We watched a couple of episodes a night, tucked into our blankets before our girls went to bed and loved it. I’ve written a short synopsis and my thoughts on the episodes below:

Moomin's Winter Follies
When a winter sport athlete and showoff, Mr. Brisk, challenges Moomintroll to a skiing competition, Moomintroll learns to ski to win the affections of Snorkmaiden. Not all goes as planned though...

This is a great episode as it links to season 1's Midwinter Ancestor episode as Moomintroll's success is undermined by an outsider mooching in on his neighbour’s hut (That’s a Simpsons reference btw)

The Fire Spirit
When a volcano is about to erupt, Moomintroll sets out on a rescue mission to find Snufkin. Along the way they find a Fire Spirit and set to take her back home at the mouth of the volcano.

This episode is particularly beautiful and reminds me of LOTR as they ascend the slopes of the volcano. The orangey redy glow is stunning to watch on the big screen as the choral music come in. This is a visually splendid episode and the artistry is spectacular. In fact, I’d go so far as to say that this is the standout episode of the series.

Moominpappa and Son
After the Fillijonk accuses Moominpappa of being a layabout wastrel, he sets out to find a new career path. Moominmamma gets in on the act and soon the carefree life is changed in the Moomin household.

This is a sweet episode as it shows what is important in life and makes one think how we measure success.

Little My Moves Out
After losing his temper with Little My, Moomintroll gets Mymble to take her daughter back. However, he realises that Little My is a true friend and looks to make amends and sets off to get her back.

This is a cute episode as it looks at the nature of friendship and how the people who know you best may speak truths that you don’t want to but need to hear.

The Strange Case of Mrs. Fillyjonk
After Mrs. Fillyjonk goes missing, Moominmamma is accused and sent to prison. Moominpappa takes it in himself to clear her name and find the culprit, but can he?

This is a character study as we learn a little more about Moominmamma before she married Moominpappa and the usually irascible Mrs. Fillyjonk.

The Hobgoblin's Hat
When Moomintroll and friends go hiking they find a mysterious hat. When the hat starts to cause trouble they decide to find out who it belongs to, including a Myroomian stranger who may have done Moomintroll harm…

This heartwarming episode recognises how, no matter how you change, your loved ones will always recognise you.

Thingumy and Bob
When 2 young strays are taken in by the Moomins all seems fine, but the visitors guard a secret contained within the suitcase. When things go missing a secret is unearthed.

I liked this episode as it is linked to the larger story from the previous 2 episodes and also shows the Moomins taking in young innocents.

The Trial
After finding the secret of the suitcase there is a trial to see who the rare item belongs to. The Groke and Thingumy and Bob both lay claim to the rare object and it is a tough decision to see which way the jury will go. When a deus ex machina comes into the valley, bringing calamity the intrinsic value of things is questioned.

This is a lovely episode about honesty and integrity as the Moomin characters role play as a court. The ending is very sweet as Sniff undergoes a profound transformation.

Farewell Snorkmaiden
As Autumn begins in the valley, Moominpappa starts to feel a sense of ennui. He decides to take the family to an isolated island which houses a mysterious lighthouse where he, and his family, can 'find themselves'. Moomintroll is naturally upset to be saying goodbye to Snorkmaiden but then decides to move in with her. Moominmamma struggles with cutting the apron strings but can Moomintroll be able to say goodbye to his family.

It's a heartfelt episode about saying goodbye to loved ones and forging your own path during times of uncertainty. This episode and the next are based on the book 'Moominpappa at Sea', which I am currently halfway through reading.

Mooominpappa's Island
The Moomin family end up on a mysterious island and explore their new home. They find an abandoned lighthouse and set to work to make it light once again, but can they?

This is a wonderful exploration about a family going on a journey to help a loved one who is undergoing an existential crisis. This is a wonderful study of depression and fulfilling ones dreams.

Moominmamma's Mural
Whilst the family settle into island life, Moominmamma struggles with finding her place in the lighthouse and aims to make it more homely. She starts to paint a mural and this transports her back to Moominvalley, but can she be happy in the past or does she have to embrace the future.

This is a profound episode about following your dreams and not living in the past. It's quite an emotional journey and captures the feeling of depression and sadness well, quite an achievement for a kids show.

Moomintroll and the Sea Horses
Moomintroll tries to return the horse shoe to its rightful owner but she is flighty and unkind, exactly Moomintroll's type! Meanwhile we finally find out what happened to the light housekeeper, just as a storm and the Groke hit the island.

This is a stunningly animated episode, particularly where Moomintroll and the Seahorse frolic in the starlit reflected waters. Also I like the message of self discovery and growth, it's an important message to share.

November
The residents of Moominvalley meet up and reminisce about the Moomin family, realising how missed they are. The Moomins do not even show up in this episode!

It's a deep episode about the impact that people can have on a community and the idea that you may have a profound effect on people around you without realising it. I loved that this was the final episode of the series as it was full of heart and the message that we are all part of a social fabric is much needed in these difficult times.

I really loved this series as it is a slow, meditative half hour of animation that is a tonic in this golden age of media. With the hyper-kinetic energy of other shows often being an assault on the sense, Moominvalley is a slow paced oasis of calm. It is a sweet and wonderful show that can be enjoyed by all the family. Overall, the show isn't going to set the world alight but it has interesting stories to tell which are heartfelt and gently affecting. The fact that they spent about 5 episodes on the ‘Moominpappa at Sea’ storyline- which tackled deep themes such as depression, ennui, dealing with loss and change- is excellent as it makes these uniquely human feelings more palatable to approach with your children. I did find that as a family we talked about these issues but in a child friendly way. Also I gained some more street wisdom and aphorisms:

Kindness spreads like wildfire, we just struck the match.

What is duty really? Duty is doing something you don't want to do.

You have to be careful of poetry. Dangerous stuff in the wrong paws.

Making a journey by night is more wonderful than anything else in the world.

As strange as it sounds, people can be sad or a little bit angry because life is too easy.

Since I've written this review, Sky and YLE have announced that there will be a third series of Moominvalley with resident badboy and fan favourite, Stinky will make his debut. I can’t wait as my daughters have a stuffy of him and my daughter Jasmine was terrified of him when we met him in Moomin World.

Masters of Doom: How Two Guys Created an Empire and Transformed Pop Culture- Book Review

I'm not one for biographies really as I find them either too broad, often lacking detail, like a poor Wikipedia page, or I find them sensationalist with exaggerated detail, like a Wikipedia page. However having heard amazing things about Masters of Doom by David Kushner, I thought I'd give it a whirl and downloaded the audiobook read by Wil Wheaton on Audible.

The biography is focused on the creation of the iconic game Doom through exploring the history and unique working dynamic between its creators John Romero and John Carmack, or the 'Two Johns' as they are known.

Masters of Doom

The book starts off with Romero's tough upbringing at the hands of his military step-dad and cowed mother, his escape being the arcades and Dungeons and Dragons. We also hear about Carmack struggling with mainstream education as it was too boring and uninteresting for his analytical mind. We learn how both fell in love with coding and programming, how they created their own games for video game magazine covers and then the American Dream is realized as they recognise a kindred spirit in the other. With their coding prowess and outsider status granting them a certain amount of creative freedom, they decided to create their own video game company.

Initially this meant borrowing equipment from the company they were both working at but, once rumbled, they forged their own path creating Id Software and releasing games such as Wolfenstein 3D, Doom, Quake 1, 2 and 3- all revolutionary games that created and then iterated on the FPS formula they helped create.

However, like all tales of fast success there is the downfall which is brought about by a heady cocktail of arrogance, hubris and jealousy. The 'Two Johns' find their personalities and visions for the future are different and as such they split, with Romero leaving the company to create his own studio Ion Software, creators of Deus Ex (yay) and Daikatana (Boo) whilst Carmack iterated with Doom 2 and 3 and Quake 2 and 3. The book end with the 'Two Johns' kind of reconciliating and moving on with their lives.

Masters of Doom is a fascinating read about the heady days of programming and the crazy crunch that the team put themselves through to realize their vision. Their pioneering method of releasing Doom as shareware shook the established publishing world and offered a glimpse of a halcyon future where creators and audiences could connect whilst avoiding the middle men of publishing. By interviewing and meticulously researching video game magazines and resources from the time, Kushner offers us a real insight into a period of seismic gaming shift where video games had 'matured' and took over the world.

This book is a great and compelling read for anyone interested in this rock n roll period of game development when anything seemed possible. Alongside Leigh Alexander's 'Breathing Machine', where the author creates a memoir of sorts about 'Growing up internet', the book is a great reflective read of this unique time when video games were no longer just for kids but took over the world and brought the gaming community through LAN parties. A highly recommended read!

LINK: Blood, Sweat and Pixels- Book Review

LINK- The Offworld Collection- Book Review

LINK- Uncharted 4- Video Games As Art

LINK: Japan: My Journey to the East

LINK: Breathing Machine- Book Review

11-11: Memories Retold- Video Games As Art

War! What is it good for? Well, apart from when it is actually the last resort to protect freedoms and yourself, not much apart from making money for the military industrial complex but that’s by the by… it’s a pretty effective scenario for video games. However, often the games like ‘Call of Duty’ and ‘Battlefield’ have you play as soldiers and have you gun down the enemies, there is little nuance or empathy to understand the motivations for either side.

With ‘11-11: Memories Retold’ you play as both a Canadian and German soldier and the narrative for both intertwines as the lead characters are connected through chance and happenstance. The game is a little annoying as the controls are tank-like and laborious but the narrative is heartfelt and resonates.

At about 4 hours play the game is slight but worth it if only to see the painterly impressionist art style and excellent voice acting from Elijah Wood (Frodo from the ‘Lord of the Rings’ movies). It is a reflective look at the horrors of war and the common humanity that connects us.

Chill Out Games for Lockdown 2.0

So, another lockdown is in full swing here in England, the weather is a bit rubbish and you're feeling stressed. What to do? Why play games of course! I've selected a few games that I believe will help you feel calm and relaxed during these most turbulent of times.

Journey- go on a spiritual journey to the top of a mountain, communicating only in dulcet metallophone tones and symbols as a mysterious hooded figure.

Abzu - explore an underwater world full of life as you revive the oceans and solve the mystery about what has happened to its mysterious creators.

Monument Valley - a pastel coloured adventure in which you try to guide a girl to her destiny by shaping and manipulating an Escher style landscape of impossible shapes.

Donut County - you play a sinkhole which is trying to grow by eating as much as you can. Raccoons and physics play a huge part in this unique game.

Tetris Effect - it’s Tetris with Tetsuyogichi’s trippy synaesthetic effects in the style of Rez. It calming, zen-like and addictive... In short, it's Tetris with bells on.

Thomas Was Alone - a puzzle platformer in which you play as sentient AI with differing abilities. The music by David Housden is sublime and the storyline is emotional and affecting; you'll never look at quadrilaterals in the same way again.

Firewatch - missing the great outdoors and the wide open expanse? This is the game for you as you patrol the forest area and travel through stunningly picturesque woodland, rivers and caves to solve a light mystery and fall in love slowly with someone you have only spoken to over a walkie talkie. Lovely stuff.

Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors- Soundtrack Review

A warm fuzzy feeling fills my heart whenever I watch television shows and cartoons from my childhood. However, there are only a few that quicken my heart and make me yearn for simpler times, well, t least simpler as a kid and those include Ulysses 31, The Mysterious Cities of Gold, Inspector Gadget, Dogtanian, Around the World With Willy Fogg and… Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors.

Thundering across the stars,
To save the universe from the Monster Minds!
Jayce searches for his father,
To unite the magic root,
And lead his Lightning League to
Victory over the changing form of Sawboss!
Wheeled Warriors explode into battle!
Lightning Strikes!

With these words Jayce and his Lightning League battled the Monster Minds and Saw Boss for 65 episodes. Produced by the hilariously named (at least I thought at the time) DIC studios and overseen by Jean Chalopin (of Mysterious Cities of Gold, Ulysses 31, Inspector Gadget and tonnes of other formative cartoons from the 80s) the show was grand and cheesy operatic drama and a big part of this was due to the epic music, created by Shuki Levy.

The soundtrack for the series has never been released… until now. Tele 80 crowdfunded the soundtrack and I backed it. After a seemingly long wait (it wasn’t that long actually but it seemed that way due to anticipation and slight Covid delays) I finally received my vinyl and CD.

I first came across the show when it was first shown in the mid 80s on Channel 4 but I saw it in my formative years again in the early 90s on Channel 4, where it was shown at weekends. I remember thinking how cool and ahead of it's time the animation was and how moody, mature and rocky the synthesizer soundtrack was.

Since getting the soundtrack I've listened to the album a few times now and the majority of the themes I remember are all here, however the soundtrack isn’t as ingrained into my mind as much as The Mysterious Cities of Gold, Ulysses 31 or Inspector Gadget are.

I'm not going to go through every single track here as that would be long and incredibly tedious for you to read so I'll pick out the highlights.

The album starts with the French opening credits. It has the instrumentation that we all know and love but with the French vocals. The track is okay but holds no real nostalgia for me, that'd be track 21, the English vocal track that played over the opening of the show, but this is the extended cut. Track 23 is the instrumentation of the opening credits, whilst track 22 has the ending vocals (‘Keep On Rolling’) and track 24 has the instrumentation of that, so you can get your hair rock on!

Now onto the back ground music (BGM):

Track 2 (The Fight of the Light Force) - starts off all mystical and woozily dreamlike but quickly the synthy beat, violin and jazz flute kick in and it's a veritable smorgasbord of pure 80s euphoria.

Track 4 (The Cunning of the Monster Minds) - lots of oboe and unsettling string picking make this a suitably creepy piece.

Track 6 (A Hope) - a light, chilled piece which wouldn't be out of place in a romance scene from some forgettable 80s movie.

Track 7 (The Fight Against the Monster Minds) - a consistent drum beat which is followed by a fluttering flute before a jazzy brass section comes in to add some uptempo jam before a crescendo of strings swells and hits.

Track 10 (All Together) - a relaxing piece which is sort of like a redux of track 9.

Track 11 (Moments of Clairvoyance) - breezy and airy sounding with a gentle wind chimey sound.

Track 12 (An Unknown World) - creepy and unsettling as a quick rhythmic mood sets in with heavy synthesiser sounds wend their way in and out. This track wouldn't be out of place in a John Carpenter film as it fits his ouvre.

Track 13 (Mysteries of the Universe) - upbeat funk with wailing guitar and jazzy brassy freestyling.

Track 18 (Imminent Danger) - sounds like an end of level boss from a PS1 game which is no bad thing. Heavy drums and waning guitar give way to moody rhythmic guitar.

Track 19 (Musical Bridges)- This track is a collection of 5 to 10 second bridged that are dramatic and concluded fight or action sequences. They are dramatic and bombastic, ending with a flourish.

Overall, there are plenty of tracks here for Jayce fans but the track that I most miss due to its omission is the darkly sinister driving imperial march sounding one that is reminiscent of St. Elmo's Fire/ La Passage Secret from the MCOG soundtrack. It was the track used when a discovery was made and is one of the most spine tingling tracks from the show and the Jayce equivalent, which shares a lot of the same DNA, is missing too. I’ll link it below so you can have a listen to both tracks.

Battle Angel Alita: Iron City- Book Review

I've been a Battle Angel Alita fan ever since I was knee high to a grasshopper (I'm now 39 so that's a fair amount of time) and when the movie dropped it was with a sense of trepidation that I watched it in the cinema. I went in expecting the worst as Hollywood hadn't done manga and anime adaptations any favours. Often they were notoriously bad (just think of Death Note, Blood: The Last Vampire, Priest and Dragon Ball Evolution *shudders*) or merely passable (think Ghost in the Shell), however I was pleasantly surprised when Alita: Battle Angel was really rather good and remained true to the source material.

I have the entire collection but the eagle eyes among you might notice the ‘Mars Chronicle’ series missing… it’s in storage and I don’t have a picture to hand but I do have them. Check the review of the series in the links below.

I have the entire collection but the eagle eyes among you might notice the ‘Mars Chronicle’ series missing… it’s in storage and I don’t have a picture to hand but I do have them. Check the review of the series in the links below.

So it was with a renewed sense of optimism that I approached 'The Iron City' by Pat Cadigan which is the prequel novel of the movie. Now this isn't the novelisation of the movie but rather events before the movie takes place. Some details are taken from the graphic novel series and stitched together into more a more concisely readable, cohesive whole for those who may be unfamiliar with Yukito Kishiro's sprawling Gunnm series (which has over 30 graphic novels as of Oct 2020). I have all the graphic novels but as the series is nearly 30 years old even I can't remember all the details and so this novel is a good primer for old guard Alita’s Army fans like me but also for a newer audience who may only have met the character on the silver screen or maybe seen the one off OVA from the late 80s.

Cadigan is obviously a fan of the comic series and from the huge cast of characters focuses on Vector, Hugo, Shirin and Ido. The main story here deals with Hugo's crew stealing Ido's super chip which reduces lag between the brain signal and robotic parts. Cadigan looks at the hierarchy that exists within the Scrapyard and details the machinations of corruption and influence as we see how Vector is able to control and maintain influence, he's a fixer and can get what you want... at a price.

In this dog eat dog world we get a deeper insight into Hugo’s motivations. He aspires to ascend to Tiphares/ Zalem, the floating city due to a tragic backstory that is deftly handled. His role as the de facto gang leader who is trying to get a million credits to buy his way to the floating city is an interesting journey to follow but it is how Cadigan handles Ido that deserves special mention. We get to hear his inner turmoil about doing the right thing whilst having regret about his frayed relationship with his wife, Shirin. Other peripheral characters from the comics are given a chance to shine too and some have their roles and relationships tweaked but it still makes sense in this world.

Cadigan does a great job of recreating an immersive world from the huge comic series and making it palatable for a YAA audience. As a reader of Haruki Murakami and David Mitchel (Cloud Atlas) don't go in expecting florid magical surrealist flights of fancy or florid language or prose but the novel is effective and well worth a read as it adds to the larger tapestry of Kishiro’s world.

LINK- Alita: Battle Angel Movie Review

LINK- Battle Angel Alita: Mars Chronicle Vol. 3- Comic Review

LINK- Battle Angel Alita: Mars Chronicle Vol. 2- Comic Review

LINK- Battle Angel Alita: Mars Chronicle Vol. 1- Comic Review

LINK- Battle Angel Alita: And So It Ends

LINK- The Moomins 80's Soundtrack Vinyl Review

LINK- Inspector Gadget Retro Soundtrack Review

LINK- Ulysses 31 Retro Soundtrack Review

LINK- The Mysterious Cities of Gold Retro Soundtrack Review

LINK- Sonic Mania Video Game Vinyl Soundtrack

LINK- Thomas Was Alone Video Game Vinyl Soundtrack Review

LINK- Akira Soundtrack Vinyl Review

Children of the Stones- BBC Podcast Drama Review

The ‘Children of the Stones’ audio podcast is a modern retelling of the classic spooky 1977 children's series and book. I watched the original series in 2015 after hearing lots of people talking about how wonderful and scary the series was and how formative it was in their childhood so I thought if give it a go. I wasn't disappointed and became an instant fan. The general premise is simple- an archaeometrist (person who looks at carbon dating, mathematics and other data to study historical objects and sites) and his teenage son move to Milbury, a village framed by an ancient stone circle. Over the course of a few weeks the new visitors discover that the town is hiding a dark secret and things are not as they seem as people seem unnaturally happy and cheerful (Yup Toto, we were not in Barking anymore)

The original show dealt with heady concepts like time loops, predetermination and time travel but what really got me was the eerie atmosphere and the sense of unease. I was surprised it was a show aimed at kids as it is genuinely unnerving and gets under your skin. So it was with some excitement (and some trepidation) that I listened to the new audio production; would the drama podcast be as good as the series?

Well, the high calibre of voice acting and moody sound design meant that the creeping dread of the original series has been retained. The sonorous, cacophonous sound design gives the whole podcast an unsettling atmosphere which is perfect for the subject matter of old world magic and eldritch otherwordly beings- it drew me right into the world of Milbury again. The story itself remains pretty much the same but the main protagonist, Matthew, is now a girl called Mia. There are also a few mod-cons added to place it in a more current setting; mentions of WiFi, podcasts and mobile phones don't alter the wider story but does give Mia a reason to be carrying out research for her podcast about unusual and paranormal activities.

This is a very British show and when phrases like piss off, bugger me and arse are all dropped it makes me chuckle and proud to be British (in spite of Brexit).

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the 2 or so hours I had with the audio drama and would recommend it. It's no 'The Sandman' but then it's production budget is significantly smaller and it doesn't have an all-star cast, but with a solid story and earnest cast, 'Children of the Stones' is well worth a listen. Oh, Happy Day!

Children of the Stones- Podcast Drama Review

Carmen Sandiego- Complete Season 3 Review

It's been a long wait since the cliffhanger end of season 2 but finally, after 12 months it's finally here, series 3 of Carmen Sandiego has dropped... sort of as this season is only 5 episodes long. Whether that is due to the fallout from Covid causing delays in production or whether it is a design choice to release the first part of the series to create excitement and have a short hiatus before showing the remaining episodes remains to be seen. Either way, the episodes on show are excellent as Carmen tries to find the identity of her mother whilst VILE promotes some new recruits to bring la femme rouge down. We have adventures in Mexico City with a luchadora, a couple of Halloween and Dios De Los Muertos themed episodes, an episode in Venice and the final cliffhanger based in London.

The series continues the usual outstanding capers with beautifully balletic battles between Carmen and VILE recruits which are all wonderfully timed to music and showcase stunning cinematography. The artistry in the animation is still very beautiful and singular, all angles and edges with chromatic colouring but what really shines is the familial warmth of the unconventional surrogate family supporting Carmen in the search for her mother. I would also like to give a shout out to the designers of Carmen's wardrobe as her Halloween party witch costume is amazing and super cute but the rest of her costumes and disguises are also excellent.

So once again, Series 3 changes the status quo and continues the already sterling work from previous seasons. Carmen Sandiego is a series not to be missed!

LINK- Carmen Sandiego- Complete Series 1 Review

LINK- Carmen Sandiego- Complete Series 2 Review

LINK- Scooby Doo: Mystery Incorporated Season 1 Review

LINK- Scooby Doo: Mystery Incorporated Season 2 Review

LINK- Gravity Falls Complete Series Review

LINK- She-Ra and the Princesses of Power Season 1 Review

LINK- She-Ra and the Princesses of Power Season 2 Review

Horizon Zero Dawn - Video Games As Art

Horizon Zero Dawn is a beautiful open-world game which puts you in the shoes of Aloy, a young woman who is an outcast from her tribe in an apocalyptic future where nature has taken back the remnants of discarded destroyed cities and technologies. Wild robot dinosaurs and creatures roam the land as you try to uncover what happened to this world. I’ve been playing a few open-world games recently and this (alongside God of War) have been compelling as the voice acting has been top notch, the graphics stunning and, most importantly, the game designers have had respect for my time and haven’t padded out the experience with nonsense and pointless tasks that add nothing to the game. Listen up modern Ubisoft, this is the way it’s done son!

Check out my screenshots from the playthrough as this is one of the most gorgeous looking games I've ever played and is well worth a looksie.

Murrain- Cult TV Review

It's no secret that I’m a big fan of Nigel Kneale, writer of such works as ‘Quatermass’, ‘The Stone Tapes’ and ‘Beasts’ (a series I am currently watching). I've been working my way through his works over the past several years and it was whilst falling down the YouTube rabbit hole I discovered an hour long short film called ‘Murrain’, which he wrote for ITV when he had a falling out with the BBC over something (what, I don’t know).

It’s a lesser known Kneale work and formed part of the 'Against the Crowd' series which were short anthology collections that were all the rage in the 70 and early 80s after the success of the ‘Play For the Day’ and ‘Armchair Theatre’ series. The anthology is not well regarded as it was pretty lacklustre apparently but this is one of the standout pieces.

The story is quite simple, a vet visits a small town which is blighted by a mysterious disease that is killing their livestock. The locals blame old lady Clemson who lives in a ramshackle cottage, accusing her of being a witch. The rational ‘man of science’ vet visits the old lady and sees that she is living in terrible conditions and endeavours to help her. However, when the mob get angry they attack the cottage with dreadful results.

The production is very cheap and there is very little cinematographic flair on show, it is all very bread and butter but then it's a simple story where special effects don’t matter as they are not needed- the story is king. Over the course of the hour, I had a sense of dread in the pit of my stomach as I feared for the old lady and thought it wasn’t going to end well. The conclusion is ambiguous but that's all part of the charm that’ll have you thinking about the story long after the viewing. Director John Cooper does a great job creating an effective atmosphere with obviously limited resources, there is an unsettling claustrophobic, insular feeling to proceedings.

The actors themselves are solid with no-one I recognise apart from M from James Bond (Bernard Lee) who has a key role as the landed gentry leading the witch hunt, whilst Una Brandon-Jones (someone I’m unfamiliar with but who is quite well known apparently) is riveting as the accused witch.

Murrain is no ‘Quatermass’ or ‘Stone Tapes’ but for a short 60 minute films with a tiny budget it is simple, effective and worth your time.

By Night- Complete Comic Series Review

I’m a huge fan of John Allison’s ‘Giant Days’ and have all the graphic novels in the series. I eagerly await each new arrival like an old friend, which is kind of what it is about, the power of friendship in university. ‘Giant Days’ has a very likable trip of quippy young women and a couple of easily identifiable male characters too. The interplay between the ensemble is dynamite and it was their endearing personalities that made them so wonderful. So, I'd hoped to see similar bantery Whedon-esque wordplay and British-isms on show in Allison’s 'By Night' a new limited series comprised of 3 graphic novels, but this is a very different beast indeed.

It’s only 3 graphic novels long but the comic is strangely too long yet not long enough…

It’s only 3 graphic novels long but the comic is strangely too long yet not long enough…

The story is quite simple; two friends in their late teens/ early 20s friends find an inter-dimensional portal to a fantastical world with trolls, goblins and a creepy mountain with one eye… What to do? Why make a documentary about the place, of course! However, plans go awry and there is a larger conspiracy involving an old industrialist, a conglomerate and the rust belt town. 

There is potential here but having read the complete series it’s all really ... bland and lacking something.  I think a big part of that is that the characters are a bit meh, there are no real character quirks or individuality that makes you root for the characters, in fact, some are just plain annoying and unlikable. Also, the issue of a decaying town in thrall to its industrial past has been covered extremely well in video game 'Night in the Woods' and the fantastical alternate world has done extremely well across media, especially cartoon series like 'Adventure Time', 'She- Ra' and 'Over The Garden Wall' but what's on show in this comic series is so generic that I felt disappointed.  Don’t get me wrong, the artwork by Christine Larsen is solid overall but again, there is nothing really standout to rave about. The town is presented in hue of blacks, greys and oranges so there isn't much potential for flourish or embellishment. The Otherworld is a little more creative but nothing to write home about. 

So, overall 'By Night' is an okay read but I'm disappointed with the whole thing as it had potential. The conclusion is not very conclusive and it felt like a rushed ending. Much like this review!

LINK- Comics in the Classroom (article)

LINK- What Comics Have Taught Me

LINK- The 13 Best ‘Are You Afraid of the Dark’ Episodes

LINK- The Secret Garden (BBC 1975 Review)

LINK- Children of the Stones Review

LINK- Dead of Night: Cult TV Review

LINK- The Stone Tapes: Cult TV Review

LINK- Tom’s Midnight Garden: Cult TV Review

LINK- Children of the Dogstar: Cult TV Series Review

Creeped Out- Complete Season 1 Review

As the darkness settled in, I wanted to get into the Halloween spirit and watch some spoopy stuff. Now, it's been a pretty bleak year all round so I didn't fancy watching anything too scary or anything to contemplate the feeling of ennui- the fact that Lovecraft's cosmicism states that man is insignificance in a vast endless and uncaring expanse with forces beyond our understanding wishing to do us ill- so I decided to watch all of ‘Creeped Out’ instead.

It's a 13 part series of spooky takes created for an all ages bracket, so think more 'Goosebumps' or 'Are You Afraid Of The Dark' rather than 'It' or 'Saw'. The tales all start in the same way, a preamble about The Curious, a slight teen figure in a creepy mask who likes to collect tales of dread whilst whistling an unsettling melody. There are a mixture of American and British stories and as such, the cast is quite diverse.

The episodes are a veritable smorgasbord of horror tropes including classics like weird fun fair attraction, dodgy creepy neighbours etc but are identifiable with themes from classic cinema like 'Rear Window' and ‘Big' and more recent pretty decent fare like 'It Follows'.
The stories all have a monkeys paw ending of 'be careful what you wish for' but one of most interesting thing to note is that no matter the episode the power of the storytelling and kitchen sink creepy atmosphere made them all worthwhile watching, which is particularly impressive when you consider each episode had a tiny budget of like a fiver.

The episodes include :

Slapstick
After a puppet grants a young girl the power to control her embarrassing parents, the girl realises the true value of family. It features a creepy puppet so you know it's a bit scary.

Cat Food
When a young boy fakes being ill to stay home from school he gets more than he bargained for from his unusual cat-lady neighbour.

Trolled
When a cocky troll belittles and ridicules his private school mates online, there is a price to pay when he brings forth an ancient curse.

Marti
An unpopular girl gets a new smart phone and its AI goes crazy as it starts to take over her life.

A Boy Called Red
A boy visits his father's childhood home where a well leads to a different dimension.

The Call
An adopted teen who was found on a beach finds out that she isn't who she thinks she is and there is more to her heritage than meets her eye.

Bravery Badge
A reluctant girl scout has an interesting time away as a zombie infection turns her friends into creepy humming zombies... Why do they always hum lullabies in creepy voices and super slow?

Spaceman
When a kid leaves the city for the sticks he's worried it'll be too quiet and boring. Then he discovers an alien spacecraft and an alien creature and all bets are off.

Kindlesticks
A terrible baby sitter who scares the kids in her care to bed with terrible tales suffers a fate of her own making.

Shed No Fear
A couple of high school friends tackle a mysterious creature that lives in a shed. The creature fears light so they go about thinking about a way to jerry-rig a system to tackle it.

The Traveller
When two troublesome teens, who don't respond well to authority, are given powers to freeze time and use the power for ill there is a heavy price to pay.

Side Show Part 1 and 2
The two-parter ends the series with the story of an orphan, who is part of circus, who is looking for his real family. The 1950s Americana setting is well done and the mystery is very intriguing. The season ends on a high with this one.

Overall, tales are not scary with no real jump scares or violence but they are simply told tales told pretty well nonetheless. The stories are a little heavy handed though and lack nuance, the acting is a little hammy on occasion and the morals are obvious but it's a show for a younger audience so there you go. The strict age rating means that there is an economy of design with the creatures and powers are rarely seen. There's very little subtlety on show as the themes are covered in broad strokes but this is a beginners guide to the horror genre and is very much baby's first horror show.

My favourite 3 episodes from this series were Slapstick, Trolled and Side Show and if you've got a spare hour or so I'd definitely check these ones out. Go in knowing it's for tweens and you'll be fine, it ain't gonna win any Oscars but it's harmless slightly spooky fun.

LINK- The 13 Best ‘Are You Afraid of the Dark’ Episodes

LINK- The Secret Garden (BBC 1975 Review)

LINK- Children of the Stones Review

LINK- Dead of Night: Cult TV Review

LINK- The Stone Tapes: Cult TV Review

LINK- Tom’s Midnight Garden: Cult TV Review

LINK- Children of the Dogstar: Cult TV Series Review

To The Moon- Video Games As Art

I’m a sucker for a story told well in video games but very few games have compelling or emotionally resonant narratives. Often, if there is a story it’s ripped apart by the cognitive dissonance of being all emotive one second then blasting a random person in the face in the next (any FPS to be honest), or killing lots of people while being a chirpy, quippy guy (Nathan Drake, Lara Croft etc) It’s an issue that games are trying to work through but whilst they are there are the occasional gems that come out that just nail the narrative and ‘To The Moon’ is one of them. I won’t spoil it but it had me near tears at its end. The game is beautiful to look at too so check out some of the screen captures I took from my play through.

Streets of Rage 4- Video Games As Art

I have a lot of affection for the Streets of Rage series. Punching people and laying the smack on ruffians, hoodlums and street rats reminds me of my youth and seemingly simpler times. I played the first two games to completion many times with my best friend at the time. We loved the amazing soundtrack which chimed with our interest in trance, dance and garage music from the mid-to- late 90s.

It was with bated breath that I waited for Streets of Rage 4 and I was not disappointed, the game is stunning, the soundtrack pumping but most importantly the fighting just feels right. Check out screenshots from my first play through.

The End Of An Era As Squirrel Girl.. errr, Ends

Comics are amazing as they can open our minds to a whole world of imagination. There are many comics and graphic novels which are based on real life and tell us about a wide variety of historical and biographical events but I have also enjoyed comics which talk about the human condition and humanity but may not be based on real life.

I had a comic area in my book corner and Squirrel Girl comics were available for students to enjoy.

I had a comic area in my book corner and Squirrel Girl comics were available for students to enjoy.

I've been reading comics since I was 7 and I'm always open to reading new stuff and supporting new creative teams and one collection that I've loved with all my heart has been ‘The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl’ by Ryan North and Erica Henderson.

Squirrel Girl was a bit-part Easter egg character from an old Iron Man comic but North and Henderson turned her into a truly awesome heroine and a role model, something seemingly impossible to achieve when your hero has the power of squirrels and likes to 'Eat nuts and kick butts'. However, amongst the gritty and dark comics this series (alongside Ms. Marvel, Howard the Duck and Dan Slott's run on Silver Surfer) has really stood out due to the excellent humour peppered throughout but also the positivity, compassion and heart of protagonist Doreen Green aka Squirrel Girl. Doreen is a Computer Science student who has to deal with the usual nonsense from super villains but she does so in a fresh way, usually without violence but through talking and befriending said foes.

By surrounding her with a lovable cast of characters such as Koi Boi, Chipmunk Hunk, Nancy and Brain/ Brian Drain we get to see the social dynamic between this motley crew as they grow and evolve. Appearances by Iron Man, Spiderman, She-Hulk and also pretty much every big bad in the Marvel Universe always kept the series on its toes and made it pivot from Savage Land adventures to escape room escapades but it avoided all the crossover event nonsense that blight and derail a lot of comics from time to time.

A particular highlight for me was the redemptive arc of Kraven the Hunter. Doreen and Kraven met in the very first episode and became fast friends over the course of the run but the 'Last Hunt For Kraven' arc actually had me tear up as Doreen made Kraven a better man; she saw his insecurities and the ugliness of his past yet demanded more of him and made him a better human. Very few comics build that kind of relationship so organically and affectionately. The evolution and chemistry between Kraven and Doreen grows in the 58 comic (and 2 original graphic novels) arc as Kraven turns from the perpetual hunter into a superhero and it feels true to the character.

There is a deep understanding of Marvel lore in Squirrel Girl but it is given a fun unpretentious twist which is welcoming to new and younger readers as well as the slightly older guard like me. I only hope that this character progression is kept up in the following Marvel comics where Kraven shows up as the ‘Untamable Kraven’ has a nice ring to it.

Squirrel Girl truly stood alone as a heroine, she was the heroine that sat and talked about Galactus’s ennui and eating problem (in that he consumes entire planets), used computer programming logic to defeat dino-Ultron and took a nihilistic Russian philosophy quoting brain in a jar and made him a BFF.

Over the past few years I have eagerly awaited each graphic novel collection and have not been disappointed. There have been no dips in quality and even when Henderson left, when it could have gone all Pete Tong, the series kept up the fun and clever jokes, the intriguing storyline and great artwork whilst remaining true.I'm sad to see the series finish but we have been lucky to have Squirrel Girl in our lives for so long, she is a gift and she should be cherished.

God of War- Video Games As Art

God of War is a stunning game which puts you in the shoes of Kratos, an angry dad who has to take the ashes of his dead wife up a mountain in order to give her a good sendoff. But, he has to take his sullen teen son along for the ride and so we have a crazy ‘Plane, Trains and Automobiles’ style- romp through Norse mythology. Okay, so I’ve kinda tszujed it up but this is very much the ‘middle-aged angry dad looking after a kid’ trope but this is an amazing one. The story is compelling, the voice acting top notch and the graphics are stunning.

Check out my screenshots from the playthrough as this is one of the most gorgeous looking games I've ever played.

A Child's Voice- Cult TV Review

Whilst falling into the YouTube rabbit hole looking for new old things to watch, I came across 'A Child's Voice,' a half hour spooky ghost story that seemed interesting so I gave it a whirl. 

The story is about a mystery thriller writer and radio broadcaster, who nightly chills millions with his tales of horror, only to become the victim of one of his own macabre plots.

Having watched the production I can say that it shares a lot of DNA with the BBC's ‘Ghost Stories For Christmas’ series but I found out that it was a one-off production and was not part of an anthology series. It was shown on BBC 2 on 12th December 1982 over the Christmas period and I believe it may have inspired Mark Gatiss, who may have used it as inspiration for his 'The Dead Room' short film which shares a lot of the same story beats.

For its age and production it's an effective half hour of television, nothing mind blowing and not comparable to the best work of M. R. James but effective nonetheless. As the dark nights start to draw in and the weather gets a bit colder, this low budget but effective production might be just what the doctor ordered.