September 2014
GEEK
SYNDICATE the final issue
December 2014
GEEK
SYNDICATE the final issue
contents GEEK SYNDICATE
features
reviews
pitches
71 Uncharted 4
5 Is 12A Ruining the Classic Action Film?
55 Shadow of Mordor
12 The Geek Gift Guide
61 Ordinary
22 People Protector Akay
72 The Force Awakens
25 Time Travel in Movies Part 2
65 A Vision of Fire
40 The Dead Queen Detectives
73 Agent Carter
67 Big Hero 6
51 How to be a Superhero
74 Flash/Arrow
30 Image Comics: Stacey’s Best of the Best
9 Tick Tock IPA
Previews
75 Powers
44 Bluffers Guide to Lego 55
5
40
76 Constantine
74
Geek Syndicate Issue 12 Credits
Editorial
Editor-in-Chief: Barry Nugent
So the reason that I decided to go with a cover showing what looks like the entire world of geekdom ablaze is two-fold. Firstly who doesn't want to look good in front of an explosion and secondly, after three years, this will be the last ever issue of the Geek Syndicate magazine.
Deputy Editor: Antony McGarry-Thickitt Cover Design: Barry Nugent Designers: Antony McGarry-Thickitt/Barry Nugent Proof Reader: James Sims Contributors: Antony McGarry-Thickitt, Barry Nugent, Jess Hawk, Wendy Sims, Matt Farr, Stacey Taylor, Ronald Singh, Dan Tovey, Ian Simpson
Considering that no one on the GS team had ever put a magazine together before I think we did ok. Huge thanks to all the GS team (especially Ant) who worked their guts out on each issue. If you have enjoyed the review and features in the magazine then make sure you follow all the happenings on the Geek Syndicate website. Barry Nugent Editor-in-Chief
Previously on the Geek Syndicate Podcast Network
Episode 234 Once again Barry and Dave stride across the skin of geekdom to take a slip from the cup of geek fu to bring back news, reviews and just a little more sass to geekdom.
Episode 70
Dissecting Worlds Holidays 2014: Families
Episode 20
This month Ant, James and Amaechi look back over the year of games released from January to December.
As it’s the festive period once again our Two Wise(ish) Men take on the subject of family, for good, but mostly, it seems, for ill.
We are a Geek Syndicate Network podcast dedicated to all things X-Men! Every episode we discuss X-Men past and present.
Is 12A ruining the classic action film? By Dan Tovey
W
hen I was nine years old I remember watching the film Commando on video.
After eighty-five minutes of bullets, blood and f-bombs, Arnold Schwarzenegger’s John Matrix launches a broken piece of piping at knifewielding, S&M chain-vest wearing villain Bennett, impaling him to a boiler. With his adversary choking on his own blood, and gas gushing through the pipe, Matrix says those hallowed words: “Let off some steam, Bennett”. From that moment on I was hooked to action films. Thanks to some “progressive” p a re n t i n g a n d a w e e k l y t r i p t o Blockbusters my appreciation increased with movies such as Die Hard, Predator, Under Siege, Hard Target, Terminator and Rambo instantly becoming firm favorites. It was a time when ammunition never ran out, where brutal deaths and witty one-liners came as
5
GEEK SYNDICATE F EATURE standard and generic henchmen dropped like the insignificant flies that they were. One-manarmies coolly delivered explosive justice to obvious bad guys. The violence was severe but silly, the dialogue coarse but corny and the results were, more often than not, really fun to watch. It wasn’t all about the violence and swearing but these were cartoons for grown-ups. The crude caricatures witnessed on screen and the blood and gore they fought through were a key part of the escapism the films provided. Take away these larger than life elements, all that’s left is pumped up meatheads bludgeoning their way through something resembling a plot. It wasn’t particularly clever but that was the beauty of it. Since the 12A classification came into place we have seen several reboots and sequels of some of the most loved action films of the eighties and nineties. Terminator, Die Hard and Robocop epitomised action at its boldest, with iconic heroes like John McClane, classic one liners (“I’ll Be back”) and truly shocking set pieces. Murphy’s death in Robocop has to be one of the most violent in film history, pushing even the 18 classification to its very limit. When you consider their originals, its hard to understand how the likes of Terminator Salvation, A Good Day to Die Hard and the 2014 reboot of Robocop could possibly pass the censors as a 12A without a lot of what made them great being lost along the way.
The 12A Rating Introduced by British Board of Film Classification in 2002 (for the release of Spider-Man 2), the 12A rating declares a film can be suitable for a child under 12, as long as an adult accompanies them. 6
GEEK SYNDICATE F EATURE Mirroring the PG-13 rating in the US, the certification states that strong language must remain infrequent, that violence must not dwell on injuries and blood and that the portrayal of violent acts must be in such a way that viewers would not be prepared to imitate and endanger themselves and others. Positioned nicely in that crucial early teen market but still opening up the opportunity for parents to bring their younger kids, the certification is a gold mine for the studios. In 2013, ten of the top twenty grossing movies in the UK
“Tamed for younger eyes and ears”
to this lucrative demographic. While this means more people can see the films, it also means more limitations must be placed upon them and limitations and action films do not mix well. Tamed for younger eyes and ears, movies that used to rely on their ability to shock become less potent. It’s as if the Action Film has grown up, had kids, and realized it needs to ‘calm down’.
What was
once a brash and carefree genre must start
were rated 12A, with only two having higher
worrying about ‘consequences’. What
ratings. While blockbusters have always
was once larger than life has to
been aimed at younger audiences, the clear
become sensible and responsible.
dominance of the 12A film in the Box Office shows why Hollywood is tailoring its wares
With so many existing fans of the original films wanting to be entertained in the same way I can’t help but think that cutting the fight scenes or limiting John McClane to just one “Yipee ki yay mother f*****” per movie is going to alienate more than it draws in. If you are going to do it, why not do it right? Leave the kids their Hunger Games and their Avengers (That’s for them apparently) and let the action film kick ass like it used to. 7
8
elevator pitch
Clockwork Watch: Tick Tock IPA #2 Writer:Yomi Ayeni Artist: Jennie Gyllblad Publisher: Clockwork Watch Films Buy it from www.clockworkwatch.com
9
What is Tick Tock IPA #2 A Clockwork automaton falls into a brewery’s fermentation tank, and gains his sentience. Exactly the opposite of what would happen to a human being. He finds himself in a world sick to the core, searching for a miracle. Tick Tock IPA #2 is a continuation of a story from the Steampunk world of Clockwork Watch. It’s a tale of perseverance and determination against the odds, the fight for freedom, and an alternative history of the Victorian era’s first internationally renowned Indian Pale Ale.
Why should we pick this up? Clockwork Watch is an immersive story and participatory experience set in a retro-futurist vision of Victorian England. The narrative is played out across a variety of graphic novels, interactive promenade theatre, live action role-play, online adventures, an interactive book and a feature film – in short, it’s a transmedia feast of entertainment where you can actually participate to its canon, by contributing suitable stories via www.clockworkwatch.com and visiting the live events. Robert Rankin, award-winning author: “It is an outsider comic in every sense of the word and when many comic book producers now are ‘going Steampunk’ because it is the fashionable thing to do, the Clockwork Watch series inhabits its own universe and moves into territories that, as far as I am aware, no other work in the genre has.” 10
11
Geek Gift Guide
I
t’s that time of year again! The Christmas songs (the old ones), the wish for snow and the
Doctor Who Christmas special are already distant memories. But to put a different spin on an old saying gifts aren’t just for Christmas. To that end Geek Syndicate have searched all corners of the interwebs to find what we think are some of the best nerdy gifts. Nerf Guns, themed make up, clothing and gadgets: we’ve got it covered.
P RICE G UIDE £: Less than £50 ££: £50-£150 £££: Above £150 12
GEEK SYNDICATE F EATURE
1
Black milk Know a geek who loves nerdy fashion? Then get them something from Black Milk. Leggings, skirts, shirts… They have everything and take inspiration from loads of fandoms, including Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, Disney and Star Wars to name but a few. A little bit pricey, but great quality clothing that ticks all the nerdy boxes. Price: ££ www.blackmilkclothing.com
13
GEEK SYNDICATE F EATURE
2
loot crate Loot Crate is a great service that hunts for the best nerdy gifts, packs them in a box and ships them out to you once a month. There are three different subscriptions available, all with equally awesome goodies. Each month is themed and comes with about $40 worth of stuff, along with a limited edition t-shirt. Once a month, a subscriber is picked out at random, to be awarded the Mega Crate, packed with a butt load of amazing things. One month the prize was a PS4 AND an Xbox One. How amazing would it be to get that through the post?! Perfect for any geek. Price: £-££ www.lootcrate.com 14
GEEK SYNDICATE F EATURE
3 nerf Everyone’s favourite. Why not buy a few, get some friends over, build cardboard forts and battle it out? They’re also fun for trying to shoot spiders off walls. Price: £ www.hasbro.com
15
GEEK SYNDICATE F EATURE
of Thrones 4 Games Book Set Because who doesn’t love a good read? Price: ££-£££ Any book shop. Bookshops are way more fun than buying online!
5
portal jackets
4
I love it when you find geeky clothing that isn’t just putting a fandom on a shirt. Musterbrand do this really well and have loads of designs inspired by geekeries such as World of Warcraft, Assassin’s Creed and Uncharted. Their latest collection is based on all things Portal and is simply beautiful. A range of jackets, all white with black detailing and lots of colourful nods to the popular game. The three designs were available for sale a short while ago, so order yours now as they’ve proved popular with the pre-orders! Price: ££-£££ www.musterbrand.com/collections/portal
16
GEEK SYNDICATE F EATURE
6
Shiro Cosmetics
Make up is fun, but nerd themed make up is even better. Shiro Cosmetics has the best collection of nerdy face goop EVER, plus it’s vegan friendly and animal cruelty free. AND, as it’s a small indie company, you usually get free samples with your order. They have everything, from Hunger Games themed eye shadows to lip glosses depicting Nic Cage in various fashions from different eras. They’ve even just brought out a new contouring collection based on Benedict Cumberbatch’s cheekbones. What’s not to love? You can read the GS review of Shiro Cosmetics here. Price: £ www.shirocosmetics.com 17
GEEK SYNDICATE F EATURE
7
think geek “Anything from here please,” said every geek ever. Price: £-£££ www.thinkgeek.com
8
star wars headphones I received a pair of these as a birthday present recently and they are AMAZING. New from SMS, these limited edition Street by 50™ 6are available in four different designs, all Star Wars themed. Choose from the Rebel Alliance, Stormtrooper, Imperial or Boba Fett. Each are equally wonderful. They are foldable with a neat little carry case and come with a poster, stickers and certificate of authenticity. If you want to spoil a Star Wars fan, get them these. Price: £££ www.smsaudio.com 18
GEEK SYNDICATE F EATURE
9
vinyl pop figures “Anything from here please,” said every geek ever. The latest craze in collectable things, Vinyl Pop Price: £-£££ figures are everywhere at the moment. All the www.thinkgeek.com characters, all the fandoms. Plus they’re great as a small gift. Everyone loves them and they won’t break the bank. Unless of course you develop an obsession with them… Super-popular Groot sold out almost immediately, but he should be restocked at suppliers in December, so make sure you grab one! Price: £ www.popvinyls.com
19
GEEK SYNDICATE F EATURE
10
teefury We’ve raved about TeeFury before on GS, so we felt it had to be in our gift guide for this year. With loads of amazing fandom mash ups to choose from, there’s something for everyone on TeeFury. A favourite of ours, this twenty-four hour shirt company has some of the best designs out there. Fun, quirky and original. That’s what you can expect from TeeFury. Order the design of the day, one of the popular gallery tees or treat yourself to a mystery grab bag- you’re guaranteed a great new addition to your wardrobe! Price: £ www.teefury.com
So there you have it: the Geek Gift Guide from Geek Syndicate! See something you fancy? Or if you’re reading this after Christmas, were you lucky enough to receive one of these great gifts? Let us know!
20
21
elevator pitch
People Protector Akay Artist and writer: Dominic Regan Publisher: gammahed Buy it from www.comixology.co.uk
22
What is People Protector Akay? Africa, 300,000 years ago. Humanity shares the world with several other intelligent life-forms: various hominids, elephants, dolphins and whales to name a few. They are “The People” but there is a problem… “Them”! Creatures from a sunless sea who believe that they hold dominion over the Earth and Sea. Akay, a “People Protector” who has been augmented by dolphin ultra-sonic brain surgery, is sent on a mission to track down the source of the Beastmen who have been terrifying the People in recent years. His journey leads him to question, is he only a weapon being used against “Them” and can he ever hope to recover his humanity?
Why should we pick this up? Frank Quitely said, “Dom Regan’s Akay is bold, ambitious and beautifully crafted. – An utterly original work.” Brendan McCarthy said, “Dominic has developed a great style over his years of artistic experimentation, creating a new hybrid Kirby look to his strips. I like his stuff very much.” People Protector Akay is a brutally beautiful, violent, fastpaced comic that looks like a neon digital cave painting. I don’t think Akay will please everyone: You will either love it or hate it. Have a taste of the first few pages and make up your own mind. 23
24
As a recap here are the rules:
Time Travel in Movies Part 2
• The protagonist can see into time (past or present) but never actually travel in time e.g. It's A Wonderful Life, A Christmas Carol; • Time travel is not actually the main focal point of the storyline, and is just instrumental to the narrative e.g. Harry Potter & Prisoner of Azkaban; So, without much ado, here is second half of our bucket list of must-see, timeless, time travel
By Silverfox
films, in no particular order.
Welcome back to our look at some of the best time travel movies out there.
Of course if
you are a time traveller yourself then you have probably already read part 2 and know exactly what I’m going to type next. OK my head may explode with all this timey whimey stuff so lets just crack on.
25
GEEK SYNDICATE F EATURE
The Planet of The Apes & Escape From The Planet of The Apes (1968 & 1971) In the first movie a group of astronauts, in suspended animation, crash land on a planet where humans are slaves to intelligent apes. In the second sequel, a group of apes return in the original space-ship to modern day Earth, where they are at first celebrated as curiosities, and then feared as harbingers of doom.
Time Bandits (1981)
Time Travel Method of Choice It’s never actually explained, but clearly the spaceship (for it is nothing more than that), is travelling through some kind of wormhole in time & space.
Comment We don’t have to worry about spoilers here, because you have ALL seen these films: the former is an iconic image, full of so many famous scenes and lines (and THAT ending) that we really do almost forgive Charlton Heston for being the poster boy for the NRA. The make-up and sets still stand the test of time, and Roddy McDowall’s Cornelius is still amongst his finest work. The first sequel was a little hit & miss, but the second was pure genius and kept the franchise on course for another two outings – having the apes return to our world and chronicling our reaction to them was brilliant, and again, gave us THAT ending. An ill-fated attempt to reboot the films in 2001 was simply awful, and the latest reboot has done well by tastefully re-writing the story completely and staying clear of these originals – timeless classics!
Terry Gilliam’s second entry here gave us a loveable band of dwarves & midgets. They are God’s work-force constructing time and space, who decide to steal a map of all the back-doors in time & space, and embark on a series of adventures, mainly to loot some treasure. Along the way, they pick up a 9-year old boy called Kevin and together they drop in on many historical characters such as Agamemnon, Robin Hood & Napoleon. However, the Supreme Being wants his map back and is in pursuit and and not far behind him, lurks Ultimate Evil, who plans to steal the map and use it for his own wicked purposes.
Time Travel Method of Choice The map, which details exactly where all the holes in time & space are located.
Comment This is an absolute classic, and despite the stellar cast including Ian Holm, John Cleese, Ralph Richardson, and the ever excellent David Warner camping it up as Evil, it’s the Time Bandits who steal the show (as well as the map!). The humour can be a little off-kilter sometimes but the film is funny, if not a little bleak in places. 26
Back to the Future Trilogy (1985-90) “Doc, you made a time machine… out of a De Lorean !?!?” And that’s all you need to know. Marty McFly narrowly escapes in said car with his life, but transports himself back to the 50’s where his presence threatens his parents own fledging relationship (and subsequently, his own existence). Finding a younger Doc Brown, he has to convince him to create a way to get back home before anymore timeline damage is done. In the sequel, Doc and Marty travel to the future to repair the damage done by Marty’s children, but in doing so, their nemesis creates a paradox that changes everything about their world in the present. And in the final installment, an accident sends them back to the wild west, to face their nemesis’ ancestor, but also gives them the chance to fix the timeline once and for all.
Time Travel Method of Choice John Delorean may best remembered as a car maker who empire fell apart due to charges of drug trafficking, but his car will forever live on as the coolest looking time machine ever.
Comment Like these films were never going to make the list?!? Spielberg & Zemeckis delivered one of the finest family oriented adventure-comedies ever – the casting was perfect, the action right on the pulse of the audience, the humour switching between slapstick and intelligently playing on the paradoxes of time travel... everything was near-perfect. Yes it was a bit self-indulgent in places, and there was a helluva lot of placement advertising (Pepsi anyone?), but it still ranks as one of best set of films ever made!
GEEK SYNDICATE F EATURE
Terminator 1 & 2 (1984 & 1991) In an apocalyptic future war between humans and robots, a tipping point is reached in favour of the humans, led by John Connor. In retaliation, the machines come up with a foolproof plan: send a flesh covered robot, a Terminator, back in time to kill Connor’s mother, thus erasing him from history. The humans discover the plan, and send back a lone warrior of their own, on a one-way trip to reach Sarah Connor before the Terminator does. In the sequel John Connor is now a teenager and the future machines send back an upgraded shapeshifting robot made of liquid metal to kill him. Once more the humans send back a lone warrior, only this time, John’s protector is a reprogrammed Terminator.
Time Travel method of choice Skynet, the future computer intelligence, develops a one way into the past time machine; there is a caveat though – only organic material can pass through the machine to go back in time. This nicely sets up the storyline that the Terminator must be covered in flesh, and therefore look like a man.
Comment This is the ultimate time travel movie duo (everything that came after in the franchise was largely forgettable). The first was an innovative cat & mouse thriller, that gave us Michael Biehn, Linda Hamilton, and of course Arnie, together with a handful of unforgettable lines. It also showed the world what director James Cameron was capable of. For its time, the effects were fantastic, and yes, it did have a “slap you in the face” paradox, but we didn’t care. The sequel took the franchise to another level, with a refreshing twist on the repeated plot line, and an apocalypse scene that all pro-nuclear weapon advocates should be forced to watch repeatedly. The sequel also gave us the charm of a relationship between young John Connor and the Terminator, chosen by his future self to go back in time and protect him. The Terminator becomes a father-figure to replace the one John never had. Together Terminator 1 & 2 are a pretty flawless combo. Attempts to extend the franchise have been largely unsuccessful, and as Arnie ages, his ability to extend the life of the character that gave him his fame have withered. He worked as the Terminator because he was so “wooden” as an actor by definition, which made him the perfect choice to play a robot pretending to be a man, along with his obvious hulking physical presence. It’s hard to imagine anyone else ever stepping into his shoes, which is why these two films are still top of their game twenty-plus years on.
29
Image Comics: Stacey's Best of the Best By Stacey Taylor
30
GEEK SYNDICATE F EATURE In the early stages of Image, each partner (Claremont not
I
t's that time of year again; when everyone starts making lists of the “Year’s Best Stuff” before the New Year is ushered in, and I'd be lying if I said I didn't love a good
list (any opportunity to make a list and I am all over it like a Ninja Turtle on a pizza...). However, instead of focussing on 2014 and its Top Notch Comics (of which there were quite a few, actually), I decided instead to focus on Image Comics, and it's best offerings
included) founded his own studio, though Portacio had to withdraw due to personal reasons, meaning there were initially six parts to Image: Highbrow Entertainment (Larsen), ShadowLine (Valentino), Extreme Studios (Liefeld), Top Cow Productions (Silvestri), WildStorm Productions (Lee) and Todd McFarlane Productions (take a guess :P). The first Image comics to hit the stands were Lee's WildC.A.T.S, Liefeld's Youngblood, McFarlane's
over the years. If there's one thing I love to do (more than
Spawn and Larsen's The Savage Dragon. All of these were met with
making lists) it's spreading comic love, and now is the perfect
very good sales due to the media buzz around the studio and the
time to do so as you might have a little Christmas money to
popularity of the creators themselves.
spend...
Over the years, some of the studios have petered out or
“But who are Image anyway?” you may ask (if you're just getting
withdrawn from under the Image umbrella, while others have
into comics, or have been living under a giant Marvel or DC
branched out to become their own separate entities. But one
shaped rock for the past decade-and-a-bit). Well, Image Comics
thing is for sure, Image has established itself as a legitimate,
was founded back in 1992 by a group of eight creators who had
exciting publisher, known for offering titles and ideas that the Big
grown frustrated by the payment policies and lack of royalties
Two might not handle.
provided for their works with comics giant, Marvel. Rob Liefeld, Jim Lee, Todd McFarlane, Erik Larsen, Jim Valentino, Whilce Portacio, Marc Silvestri and Chris Claremont founded Image Comics with two specific provisos:
I think that's enough of a history lesson for you, so onto the exciting part; The List! Please note that whilst I am a huge proponent of Image (when they get it right, they get it so, so right), I haven't read everything they've ever produced (there's
Creators would own any/all of their own work; not Image and
only so much time in my day!) so the following will be my
Image would not interfere in any way with any of the partner's
selection of Image's best based on my own reading history with
work. In fact, Image itself would own nothing but its own name
them. Enjoy!
and logo (designed by Hank Kanalz).
31
Saga (2012-Present) Saga is, without a shadow of a doubt, one of my favourite comics on the stands right now. Written by Brian K. Vaughan and drawn (beautifully) by Fiona Staples, Saga is an epic space opera/ fantasy/romantic drama following the life of a young girl named Hazel. Hazel is the ospring of Alana and Marko; a husband and wife from two sides of a long-fought extra-terrestrial battle (think Romeo and Juliet meets Star Wars) on the run from their respective authorities. For fear of spoiling what is an amazing story so far, I'll stop there. What I will say, though, is that Saga is consistently brilliantly written, with twists and turns that come at you from nowhere, blending heart-wrenching drama with humour, sex (this book is not for the little ones!) and the issues arising during parenthood. Basically it’s just a joy to read. Staples' art is a perfect companion to the writing in its ability to be both beautiful and raw, making Saga a stunning read every time.
32
GEEK SYNDICATE F EATURE
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1996-1999) In the late nineteen-nineties, the third volume in the TMNT franchise fell under the banner of Image Comics, with Gary Carlson on writing duty and black-and-white art by Frank Fosco. Though the twenty-three issue run was later banished from the official TMNT canon (due in part to co-creator Peter Laird not wanting to follow up material which he had not fully approved or had a hand in), I actually think it's well worth a look for any diehard Turtles fan. Typical of the comics at the time, this incarnation of the Turtles was much more “extreme” than previous and subsequent series', including some crazy plot developments such as Donatello becoming paralysed then later fusing with a cyborg, Leonardo losing a hand, Raphael having part of his face melted off and later becoming The Shredder, Splinter becoming a bat and Michelangelo becoming a published romance novelist (I know, I know) and more besides! Don't let that put you off though; whilst it is a bit break-neck paced and very bonkers, it's still a very fun read with some pretty good stories under all the insanity. The only negative thing I would say is that the brothers' characters are a little less caring than they really should be (e.g. when Raph's face is disfigured in issue one, he asks Leo how bad it looks, and he replies with some quip about how Raph won't be winning any awards for handsomeness from now on! That's cold dude, cold...) 33
GEEK SYNDICATE F EATURE
Proof (2007-2010) This series, written by Alex Grecian, follows the life of John 'Proof' Prufrock, a Sasquatch who works for a top secret government organisation with his human partner, Ginger Brown. The pair spend their time hunting cryptids (creatures or plants which have as yet not been discovered or documented by the scientiďŹ c community; cryptids often feature in folklore and myths) and searching for clues regarding Proof's past. The story alone was enough to sell me on picking this up when it ďŹ rst came out in 2007 (Sasquatch investigating other mythical beasts and creatures? Yes please!) but the absolutely stunning art from Riley Rossmo sealed the deal. Proof is wonderfully inventive, downright gorgeous to look at, and basically a fantastic read. 34
GEEK SYNDICATE F EATURE
Sex Criminals (2013-Present) As the title suggest, this is not one for the prudish, or the under-age! Matt Fraction and Chip Zdarsky deliver in Sex Criminals a wonderfully bizarre world in which a couple ďŹ nd that they can both freeze time when they orgasm. As their relationship develops, their sexual histories are explored, as well as the non-sexual parts of their lives. Sex Criminals is written, mostly from the characters perspectives whilst breaking the fourth wall, and the colours (particularly during the frozen time scenes) are wonderful. One of my favourite things about this book is the manner in which the characters speak; it feels very natural, like you've just walked in on a couple of friends having a casual conversation. It's very frank, and bold, and really rather brilliant. The covers are also pretty impressive.
35
GEEK SYNDICATE F EATURE
Scud: The Disposable Assassin (19941998, 2008) Set in a future in which robot assassins can be purchased from vending machines, Scud: TDA is a science fiction comedy comic. Scud is like a cross between Deadpool and The Mask, and that's no bad thing in my book. The story follows a robot assassin by the name of Scud who is purchased in order to assassinate Jeff (a female mutant with an electrical plug for a head). Hyperactive hilarity ensues when Scud learns that he will self-destruct upon completion of his mission. Instead of killing Jeff, he chooses to seriously wound her, placing her on life support to guarantee that he won't die himself. He then puts himself out as an assassin-for-hire in order to pay her medical bills and ensure their mutual survival. Scud: TDA went on an indefinite hiatus back in 2008 (at a rather cliffhang-y moment at the end of issue twenty) when creator Rob Schrab was unhappy with the way the comic was going and decided to take a step back rather than allow the quality of the book to decline. Luckily for all us Scud fans he returned to the project in 2008 and finished the story with a three part mini-series. If you like bizarre humour and silliness, this will be right up your street.
36
I Kill Giants (2008-2009) In an interview with Newsarama, writer Joe Kelly stated that I Kill Giants is “a story about a girl who’s a bit of an outsider – she's funny, but totally in our geekland: she's obsessed with Dungeons & Dragons, she doesn't have a lot of friends, she’s a bit of a social misfit. She's taken her fantasy life a little far, and really only talks about giants to people. She's convinced that giants are real and giants are coming, and it's her responsibility to stop them when they show up. This weird little fantasy life that she's going has started seeping into her real life, and as we see things from her point of view, we see that she sees pixies and she sees signs in the clouds and other things that might be telling her that bad things might be coming”. I Kill Giants is heart-breakingingly amazing. To say more about it would be to spoil what is one of my favourite books of all time (I've read it four times since I got it last year) and so I shall simply say this: Read it. You won't regret it. 37
Chew (2009-Present) Chew tells this story of Tony Chu, a member of the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) who is a cibopath, meaning he is able to obtain psychic impressions of the history of anything he eats (including humans...) Written by John Layman with art by Rob Guillory, Chew is one of the most original comics currently on the stands. The story takes place in an America in which chicken and poultry are illegal following a terrible outbreak of bird u that killed 23,000,000 Americans. From here, the comic takes many turns into the weird and wonderful world of cibopathy and food-based crimes, with help from his FDA partners and a very kick-ass chicken named Poyo. This series is smart, funny, original and an absolute pleasure to read.
38
The Walking Dead (2003-Present) Unless you've been off-planet for the past decade, I'm pretty sure you'll have heard of The Walking Dead. The brainchild of Robert Kirkman, the series follows a group of people attempting to survive a zombie apocalypse, but we soon learn that there's more than just the dead to be worrying about. Spinning off into a very successful TV show in 2010, The Walking Dead is well known for its ability to completely shock you, with main characters popping their clogs all over the shop, and people doing things you really rather hoped they would never resort to doing. It's quite an insight into the survival instinct and the ways different people react to difficult situations. Whilst I'll admit that I think the comic has somewhat lost its shine of late, I would still very much recommend the earlier issues. Whilst it's not the quickest-paced book, it's very well thought out, and the black-and-white art (by Tony Moore for issues one to six and Charlie Adlard for seven onwards) adds to the grim and difficult lives of our main characters. I could probably go on for many, many more pages on many, many more Image books (Casanova, Trees and Hack/Slash spring to mind) but I've hogged enough of your time as it is. I hope you check out one or two of the above books, and if you don't like them, I was never here!
39
elevator pitch
The Dead Queen Detectives #3 Writer/Artist/Publisher: Bevis Musson Find out more from http://bevismusson.deviantart.com/
40
What IS The Dead Queen Detectives #3? The Dead Queen Detectives #3: The Legion Of Substitute Dead Disputed Queen Detectives continues the (mis)adventures of a group of dead royals as they ďŹ ght crime in their own slightly haphazard way. In this issue we meet Boudica, Mary Stuart, Empress Matilda and Lady Jane Grey as they face their nemisisises, The Dead Queen Detectives.
Why should we pick this up? Full of historical facts (may not all be entirely accurate), peril (possibly not all that perilous) and international espionage (well, you know‌) The Dead Queen Detectives #3 is an All Ages book for anyone who ever wondered what kind of van a group of dead disputed monarchs might drive around in.
41
42
43
GEEK
S YNDICATE
The Bluffers Guide to Lego By Matt Farr
So, what do you want for Christmas? Oooh! is it that time again? Do I get a pony this year? No. Dammit. That’s what you get for having a small chimney, I guess. In that case, I quite fancy some of that new Minecraft Lego. Minecraft...Lego? Ye a h . Yo u k n o w , L e g o s e t s f o r Minecraft. Which part of that gives you a problem? Both parts of it! It’s weird! How? Seems like a natural fit to me, which Minecraft being essentially a virtual Lego set to start with. But you’re a grown man! You’re never too old for Minecraft! That is not what I meant. You think I’m too old for Lego? Well it is a child’s toy. 44
Oh good. Fighting Talk.
It’s more than cool - it’s central to Lego’s appeal. Everything can be
Well isn’t it? I mean, I had some when I was
interconnected with everything else; the
a kid but I grew out of it.
central idea is that you can build what you want, and at its best that is what
Actually Lego has a huge adult following
Lego is all about. The only limit, as they
and it always has had, although it’s
say, is your imagination.
probably more vocal and organised now than its ever been. And yes, there may
Hang on, there are definitely bigger bricks
be an element of never quite growing up
that don’t connect.
but Lego has become the number one toy in the world…
Well yes, there are the Duplo
Ole Kirk Christiansen
Ranges, designed for toddlers,
...erm, Citation Needed?
which are much larger bits. Although the principle behind
….for a good reason. Besides, it’s been around for a long time,
them is the same. There are
and generations have grown up with it. It’s certainly the most
also the occasional specialist
famous thing to come out of Denmark!
parts, especially in the Technic
Apart from Bacon?
Ranges but they do work alongside “normal” Lego and often find
Probably more famous than Bacon! The first Lego bricks were
connected to Duplo. A two by two Lego brick slots onto a single
produced in 1949 by a Wooden Toy company owned by Ole Kirk
Duplo stud!
Christiansen, when Plastic was a new wonder material. These were
their way into normal sets. Also, standard Lego bricks can be
And those giant action figures.
basic interlocking bricks (studs on the top and holes on the bottom) but it wasn’t until 1958 that the “true” modern brick was first patented. Interesting fact; you can still use those 1958 bricks with Lego you bought yesterday.
Are you sure you don’t have any Lego? ….I’ve got...a cousin….?
OK, that is kind of cool. 45
then there are Friends. Of course. For a long time Lego didn’t have figures, until the Minifigure was introduced in the 1970s. He pretty much hasn’t
Friends? You have Friends?
changed since; in fact the biggest change was probably in the 1990s when they got realistic fleshtones in some of the licensed
Sometimes I wonder. But a couple of years back Lego introduced
themes. Normally they’re bright yellow, in an attempt to make
its latest “range for girls”...
minifigs appear to be ethnicity-free.
Ugh.
But the big guys aren’t yellow. I mean, some of them are, but… You probably mean Bionicle, which is the large, assembled action figure ranges and the most successful of the type. There was an earlier, Knight themed version, and Bionicle is retired for now - back in 2015! - But no, they’re not minifigures. There was even a “technic scale” minifigure with more realistic proportions, but they never caught on. And
...well, yes, but for the moment let’s assume that you have “Boys” Lego and “Girls” Lego… ...heavily gendered, those little bricks… Well no, but the sets unfortunately tend to be. You’d think a Police Helicopter set would be pretty generic but most of the marketing and advertising is very “blue” and of course it’s often stacked in the “boy” toys section of most retailers. It creates a perception that makes it a gendered toy when of course it isn’t and never was - one of the most famous Lego adverts features a girl as far back as the 1970s. 46
said, not all Themes are created equal, and many do group
That’s really dumb.
together, such as the various Castle Themes over the years, not Yes, yes it is - not helped by more recent
all of which have been called “Castle”.
attempts to make specifically “girls” ranges, Castle?
then implies that many of the other ranges are inherently “boys” ones. This is reinforced by the heavy gender imbalance in minifigures across the board. Lego did end up doing some research on this and their focus groups came back with the report that girls actually didn’t like the minifigure design anyway, so the new Friends range
Yeah, knights and wizards and dragons and stuff. Been a little on the back burner since Lego got the Lord of the Rings/Hobbit license. Seems fair. Any others?
has a redesigned, more doll-like figure that is still compatible with all the accessories and parts
Loads! For a long time most Lego sets were just “Lego Sets” but
that normal figures are.
now the generic modern stuff is branded up as “Lego City”.
Did it work?
Probably the first non-city range that was a big hit was “Classic Space”, which launched in the late 1970s and was blue and grey
Well Friends appears to sell really well, so I guess
spaceships, and spaceman minifigures. The logo for it - a space-
so. But it is also worth noting that many of the
ship circling a planet - still turns on sets today, although Space
Friends sets are better “construction sets” in
lines have come and gone under different Theme names over the
terms of parts and so on than earlier “girls”
years. Certainly Classic Space has a strong nostalgia value if you
ranges, so that may also be a factor. Really,
are of the right generation.
Friends is just a pastel-shaded off shoot of the Lego City ranges, which certainly feels like a step
So there is always a space-themed line?
in the right direction over past iterations. Not always, but often. There is also usually some sort of “action/ You keep saying “ranges”.
adventure” line, which have got increasingly aimed at the sort of audience that watch Saturday morning cartoons.
Well technically they’re called “Themes”, which is the grouping of types of sets together. That 47
NinjaGo, which starred… Ninjas?
Some of them are lovely, actually and I bet there are a lot that sit on shelves as display models rather than toys. The Star Wars line
….yep, is now a cartoon and has even been greenlit for a movie.
also threw a light on a real phenomenon for Lego, the adult
It’s not even an active Theme anymore, being replaced by the
collector, also known as the AFOL (Adult Fan of Lego).
very cartoon-like Chima range, which features animal styled vehicles and minifigures. Of course becoming a movie cuts both ways, because Lego are now doing great business on licenses.
Geeks! Lego Geeks, yes. There has always been adult Lego fans, and there a lot of places on the internet that cover fan builds, Lego
Ah yes, you mentioned that earlier.
news and the like. But Star Wars also identified a market for large
Whilst not the first license they got, the biggest - and most
models with huge detail, which Lego called the “Ultimate Collectors
ground breaking for them - was the Star Wars line. After all, kids
Series”.
have been making Lego X-wings since the first movie came out. Since then, nearly every vehicle, and a lot of just scenery from all six movies, plus Clone Wars, Rebels and even the Old Republic
I bet they’re really expensive! Yes, yes they are. They’re also massive, and lovely, and there have
computer game have had sets produced. Nearly every character
been lots of them. Mostly they’ve been fighters from the Star
has had at least one minifigure made of them the “Lego Stars
Wars Universe - two different X-Wings, for instance, a couple of
Figure” has become an icon in its own right.
TIE variants, but there has been a Star Destroyer and Death Star
I’ve seen it on a t-shirt, for sure.
set, too. All of them truly massive. The latest one to be announced is Slave 1, from The Empire Strikes Back.
Or any of four computer games. Or a cartoon show. Or a keyring, clock-radio, or countless other things. Expensive too; Star Wars
I’ll put it on my Christmas List!
sets are noticeably higher priced than their non-licensed
The UCS range hasn’t just been Star Wars, of course, there has
counterparts.
also been two Batmobiles
But are they worth it?
Batmobiles! Of course, Lego Batman! 48
Lego actually have licenses for both DC and Marvel Superheroes,
licenses they’re all solidly in the “family” range. Don’t hold out for
leading to unofficial crossovers on toy shelves across the world.
a Battlestar Galactica set any time soon, for instance.
You want to know who would win in a fight between Lego Superman and Lego Wolverine, well now you can work it out
Boo.
yourself. You can always build your own. Many people have. Oh, er, I know this one…
Maybe I will!
Well, regardless, Lego have made a lot of superhero sets that are both direct movie tie-ins (there is a big Guardians of the Galaxy
Anyhow, picking up the slack are the crowd of companies that
set out at the moment) and just general sets featuring a
are in Lego’s shadow, like Megabloks, or Kree-O, and others. To a
collection of heroes, villains and some sort of vaguely appropriate
greater or lesser degree they’re imitators, usually cheaper and
vehicle. The DC ones are very Batman focused, probably because
often qualitatively inferior, but they do tend to pick up army
of the large number of bat-vehicles you can construct with
ranges and the like. There are even Call of Duty sets, if that’s your
enough black parts.
thing.
So are there any licenses that they haven’t got?
Doesn’t quite have the charm, I think.
Quite a few, actually. For starters, Lego has traditionally been
Probably not. Lego has acquired a status built on a certain charm,
against being a war toy…
as you say. They can, for instance, sell you a Lego Ghostbusters
...Star Wars???... ...I know, but bear with me, it’s traditionally been against being seen as a selling military themed products. There is no Army
set, because having those iconic characters and car in Lego, feels like a cool thing in its own right. Lego has a status its imitators can’t match. After all, how many toys have their own theme parks?
range, for instance, and whilst it’s got some decidedly violent
49
50
elevator pitch
How to be a Superhero Writer: Ned Hartley Artist: Gavin Mitchell Publisher: Heartless Comics Buy it from www.heartlesscomics.com
51
What is How to be a Superhero? Eddie Mars is a small time con man who pretends that he was a hero called the Knight Errant so he can teach people how to be superheroes. But then the Knight Errant’s villains start turning up…
Why should we pick this up? Have you ever wanted to be a superhero? Then this is the comic for you. Part crime drama, part action comedy and part self-help book, How to be a Superhero is like no other comic ever made. This comic is about what every important story ever is about – what it means to be a hero in the real world.
52
53
Reviews
55 Shadow of Mordor 61 Ordinary 65 A Vision of Fire: Book One 67 Big Hero 6
54
GAME REVIEW: M IDDLE E ARTH : S HADOW OF M ORDOR “...there was something special to this game”
The last game I bought on a
whim burnt
me. It was a disappointment and made me Platforms: PC, XBOX ONE, Playstation 4, XBOX 360, Playstation 3
swear to never make such an impulse purchase
Developer: Monolith Productions, Behaviour Interactive
Earth: Shadow of Mordor that intrigued me, but
Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment Platform Reviewed: XBOX ONE
again. Flash forward a few months and I did it again. I’d seen some preview videos about Middle then I had for Thief as well. What-ever the reason, I clicked “Buy now”. It wasn’t the setting that drew me in, as I’m not a massive Tolkien fan. It was what the game promised. A randomised nemesis system. Three combat styles that could be inter-changed. RPG elements in
Resurrected by a spirit of vengeance
an Action Adventure style sandbox. Could it deliver on the
a n d e m p o w e re d w i t h Wra i t h
promises that it had unwittingly made me?
abilities, you play as Talion the ranger. You must guide the vengeful ranger on his quest into Mordor to
In Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor, you take on the role of Talion, a
fulfill his vow to destroy those who
valiant ranger whose family is slain the night Sauron and his army return
have wronged him.
to Mordor, moments before his own life is taken. Resurrected by a spirit of vengeance and empowered with Wraith abilities, Talion ventures into Mordor 55
and vows to destroy those who have wronged him. Through the course of Talion's personal vendetta, you will uncover the truth of the spirit that compels you, learn the origins of the Rings of Power and ultimately confront your true nemesis. From the moment I fired up the game and stepped into the role
charming meeting with his wife, through training his son. Then his death. For me, this really put me in the mindset of a man who had just been killed. I had no real clue what was going on or why I (as Talion) was alive once more. Then there I was, in the land of Mordor amongst human slaves and Uruk warriors. Left to my own devices.
of Talion, the ranger captain from border with Mordor, I knew
I have seen and read reviews of the game that criticise this
there was something special to this game. It is very rare for an
approach. In the early hours of the game, Talion will spend as
opening scene / tutorial mode to captivate me. The Last of Us
much time running from groups of Orcs as fighting them and the
managed it and I would put the opening to Shadow of Mordor in
player isn’t really fully aware of what the plot is. Spend a bit of
a similar league to that. The player is introduced to Talion
time exploring and reading the encyclopedia entries though, and
through a sequence of disorienting flashbacks of his life. From a
things begin to fall into place. I really liked the fact that the world
56
of Mordor was a dangerous place from the outset and I had to
of the “nemesis” system. There you have the game that Shadow
plan my progress around the land. I always get annoyed in games
of Mordor is.
where the world “levels up” with the player or has areas with “easy” opponents and ones with “hard” opponents. Shadow of Mordor does away with this completely, meaning that until new
The combat is the smoothest I have encountered in a video game of this nature. The free-flow combat is familiar to any who have played an Arkham game or even Sleeping Dogs. There are four basic buttons (attack, block, stun and dodge) which can be combined into new attacks as the player progresses. The improvements take place when the player is “mid-move”. In Arkham, I lost count of the times I would start a combat move and be unable to interrupt it to block as I got smacked round the back of the head. Shadows of Mordor remedies this, allowing players to swap moves even half way through a ground kill. I felt incredibly powerful from the outset. Right up until I met my first Captain. Shadow of Mordor introduces a Nemesis System. The concept is that there are a number of orc captains in the land (and ten War-
abilities are unlocked, a player really does have to plan their progress. The gameplay is a mix of several popular games. Take Dark Souls’ concept of the player never truly dying and add a dash of Assassins Creed style exploration and stealth. Top that with a healthy dose of Arkham City’s free-flow combat system and integrate in-game collectibles with the progress system. Once you have taken those ingredients, refine them and improve on them. Add in a dollop of a unique gameplay mechanic in the form
57
chiefs) that are given names and abilities that are unique to each play through. Players can discover information about these “wandering bosses” to learn their location, strengths and weaknesses. Each has fears, hatreds and vulnerabilities that can be exploited. They also may have invulnerabilities to certain attacks or other abilities to call upon (such as poison attacks, unblockable attacks or the ability to summon allies). I died four times to my first boss before I worked out a tactic for taking him and his minions out. I later realised I should have gathered intelligence and possibly improved my abilities, but I did take him out on our fifth encounter. The captains and warchiefs will also have powerstruggles which you can interrupt either to favour one captain over another (useful later in the game after the ability to take command of Uruks is attained) or to kill both. Captains will remember your encounters and refer back to either their own defeat, your death or your escape. Completing power struggles increases your own power level which allows new ability tiers to be unlocked. I spent approximately thirty-five hours in Mordor. Most of that was in half-hour to two-hour sessions. The missions (and power struggles) in the game are well balanced to allow a player to spend around five to twenty minutes completing a story mission, then spend some time exploring for a quick game session. Talion can also build the legend of his weapons through side-missions which result in the game’s upgrade currency and a special 58
ability once complete. These are definitely optional. I completed them all but very rarely did I use the new abilities I had unlocked. Mainly because I forgot! What I really loved was that I could progress at my own pace. Sometimes I would plough through some story missions. Other times I would improve my abilities by exploring Mordor and slaughtering the Uruk I encountered. I would rescue some slaves then build the legend of one of my weapons (sword, dagger or bow). Shadow of Mordor does a fantastic job of pacing the game so that it can suit most kinds of players. From the thorough explorers through to the rush-through the game-ers. I really can’t praise this
(especially captains) if I wasn’t careful.
balance highly enough, especially given
I enjoyed Talion’s
that the world’s threat level is static.
story. Merged with
While I felt powerful later in the game, I
the Wraith of a long-
never really felt over-powered and could
dead Elf, Shadow of
become overwhelmed by enemies
Mordor begins as a simple revenge and releas e ques t for Talion. As the main story missions unfold, more is revealed to the former ranger and some of the events that occur were unexpected – at least to me. The voice acting is top quality and really helps sell the characters. Even the regular orcs have personalities to a degree, although they do have a habit of repeating the same lines over and over. Simply put, Shadows of Mordor was pretty much a perfect game for me. It didn’t put a foot wrong in terms of story, voice acting 59
or gameplay. I have little doubt that unless Dragon Age Inquisition blows my socks off that I’ve already played my game of the year. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have some Orcs to Hunt … Rating:
5/5
Reviewer: Antony McGarry-Thickitt
60
COMIC REVIEW - O RDINARY C OLLECTED E DITION
W
arren Ellis, on the cover of Ordinary, says “Surreal and lovely, one of the most beautiful books of the year”. This blurb – along with the
striking purple and white cover – only hints at what is inside this comic book by Rob Williams (Cla$$war, Low Life, Judge Dredd) and D’Israeli (The Sandman, Tank Girl, Low Life and Judge Publisher: Titan Comics Writer: Rob Williams Artist: D’Israeli “What if everyone woke up with superpowers – and it was the worst thing in the world?”
Dredd). This is not a story about mutants or superheroes. It is not even a story about being a loser. It is a story about how extraordinary ordinary people can be. Williams and D’Israeli’s book is not perhaps as beautiful as Ellis suggests, but its insight and depth are something worth seeing and reading. Our hero, for that is what he is and make no mistake, is Michael. He lives by himself in New York. A plumber. A loser. But he used to have a wife and a family. Once a normal guy, he now gives unkempt a bad name. He knows and accepts who he is, even to the point – in the opening scene – of admitting such in a dream. The comic starts off in a typical day for Michael. Late for work, abuse from his
61
plumbing partner; the trials of New York life. All that changes. A
etc. It is a melange of madness and imagination. It’s during the
plane seems to explode in the sky. Then…Everyone mutates.
musical piece, however, that the sub-text makes itself clear. A
Everyone all over the world. Everyone but for Michael. He even
flashback. A glimpse of what was, in stark pencils. The guardian
loses at the super-power game. So while the rest of the world is
of the musical portal underlines the real story here, when he
going to hell-in-a-handbasket with super-freaks (check out
comments that none of the super-powered had made it out, and
goldenboy, the dragon, the twins, lion-hair, cosmic taxi driver,
that they “thought they was so damn special”. Ah, so this is
plumbing black bear, bomb-man and all the rest), Michael needs
where we’re going. The hero already had power? Mr Ordinary
to get back to Manhattan to find his son.
Loser wasn’t such a loser after all? So Michael finds his son and
Meanwhile, the US government is trying to find a cure, with the help of a British scientist. The President becomes impotent while others in the cabinet see the mutations as an opportunity for the US. The scientist who thinks she can cure everyone only needs to
the world finds out he’s ‘uninfected’, via a nice satirical set piece with some kind of demon-bird version of Larry King. Michael realises he has friends, and a family. He also sees the good in others. He is a kind man.
find someone who is immune. Someone who didn’t mutate and
There are many reasons to read Ordinary. The humour is as good
become superficially powerful.
as the story, although it needs to be. If any part of the comic
And so the plot continues in a number of set pieces; the cable car, the school, the musical, the experiments in the government lab,
didn’t work, the impact of the story at its conclusion wouldn’t work. There is some clever satire about American media and politics and also some damn fine jokes; I refer the honourable 62
reader in particular to the bear jokes in the bar. Simple but
comic book. I can’t imagine any fan of comic books, or reading,
effective sequential art. There are moments of surrealism, but
not to get some pleasure from Ordinary.
only superficially so; mostly in the design of the super-freaks. Williams and D’Israeli aren’t trying to create a surreal masterpiece, but are telling their story with as much fun and imagination as they can muster. Which is quite a lot.
Rating:
4/5
Reviewer: Ian J Simpson
The artwork in Ordinary is what you’d expect with a plot that features talking bears, US politicians that are surrounded by angles and demons, a teacher from a Pink Floyd video, a Godzillasized baseball player, and a musical scene (featuring a smiling sun, semi-naked nymph-types and is that a door to hell?). It isn’t subtle. But again, it shouldn’t be, because it works. The glaring colours and the bold lines, the unpleasant realism of the character design (flab and frowns for example) and the use of colour-themed pages all add to the experience. When D’Israeli draws the scientist – those eyes – in the conclusion you realise how smart this whole book is. This edition contains bonus artwork by the likes of Edmund Bagwell, Ben Oliver, Laurence Campbell, Neil Googe, Henry Flint, Alison Sampson & Ruth Redmond and others. Some nice work there. There’s also an essay by JV Chamary about the ‘science’ involved in Ordinary, which is a fun and interesting read. It also contains sketches from the production process. Had this been just the mad superhero thing, even with the humour, but without the depth added by the satire and the (admittedly obvious) subtext, Ordinary would be, well ordinary. Titan have produced a memorable collection of an awesome 63
64
BOOK REVIEW - A V ISION T HE E ARTHEND S AGA
OF
R
F IRE : B OOK O NE
OF
eno wned ch ild ps ychologis t Caitlin O’Hara is asked to deal with Maanik the daughter to India’s ambassador to the UN. With Maanik having
fits and violent visions Caitlin first thinks that it is a simple case of PTSD, due to AUTHORS: Gillian Anderson & Jeff Rovin
witnessing a failed assassination
PUBLISHER: Simon & Schuster UK
when other teenagers around the
attempt on her father. However world start having similar incidents, it seems that things might not be as simple as first
When children around the world start having horrible visions, Caitlin O’Hara thinks she will be
thought. As Caitlin investigates further it seems she may have to
a b l e t o s o l v e t h e p ro b l e m
re-think all her beliefs in order to
quickly. Not only is she wrong,
get to the bottom of Maaniks
but it will also test all that she
problem before it becomes too late.
believes in.
The premise of this book initially intrigued me, as did the fact that it was co-authored by The X-Files own Gillian Anderson. The plot starts off well and moves quickly at first but I found that it started to stagnate about 1/2 to 3/4 of the way through. My initial thoughts about what could be the cause 65
were blown out of the water by what eventually was determined to be the actual cause. This is when the book started to become a little hard to read. The theory just seemed a little bit out there for me, and the fact that Caitlin who is a very experienced child therapist believed in the theory so quickly just didn’t sit right with me. Apart from Caitlin the characters didn’t seem that well formed, especially Ben and some of the other kids affected. This is also supposed to be part of a saga, but I’m not really sure where the authors will go from here. All in all an ok first novel, but I hope the next one picks up the pace a bit. Rating:
3.5/5
Reviewer: Darkphoenix1701
66
FILM REVIEW: B IG H ERO 6
A
Disney film with a robot? A robot is never going to be as loveable as Scully from Monsters Inc. or the toys in Toy Story, I hear you say. Well, you are wrong! I
guarantee that after watching Big Hero 6 RELEASE DATE: January 30, 2015 Director: Don Hall, Chris Williams When a devastating event befalls
you will all want a Baymax of your very own. Based on a Marvel comic book series, Big Hero 6 stars the voices of Scott Adsit, Ryan Potter,
the city of San Fransokyo and
Daniel Henney, T.J. Miller, Jamie
catapults Hiro into the midst of
Chung, Damon Wayans Jr.,
danger, he turns to Baymax and his
Genesis Rodriguez, James
close friends adrenaline junkie Go
Cromwell, Alan Tudyk and Maya
G o To m a g o , n e a t n i k Wa s a b i , chemistry whiz Honey Lemon, and
Randolph. The story follows child
fanboy Fred. Determined to uncover
genius Hiro, his brother’s inflatable
the mystery, Hiro transforms his
robot Baymax and his friends as they
friends into a band of high-tech
try to find out who was behind a terrible
heroes called Big Hero 6.
event and foil the evil villain. The film drew me in right from the robot fight at the beginning all the way through until the very end. Disney have taken a relatively unknown comic and put their unmistakable stamp onto it. 67
All the characters are brilliant from Hiro to Fred, the university mascot (who’s father seems very familiar!). Whether you are being carried along at break neck speed or slowly in the more sombre moments, I never felt like the plot stalled. It will easily keep the kids enthralled, although some younger children may find the villain scary – but then what would a Disney film be without a scary villain? Considering that this is already out in the States, I do think Disney are missing out by not showing this in the UK until January 30th 2015, missing out on the Christmas market (and potential merchandise that children will no doubt want!). It’s another brilliant film by Disney and make sure to stay until the very end for a very cool cameo! Rating:
3.5/5
Reviewer: Darkphoenix1701
68
69
Previews
71 Uncharted 4 72 The Force Awakens 73 Agent Carter 74 Flash/Arrow 75 Powers 76 Constantine
70
Here we go again I really, really hoped the ďŹ rst footage from my fave game series would look awful. Why? Because if it looked great I would have to start saving for the PS4. *Watches game play footage* Dammit time to start saving.
71
STAR WARS: The Force Awakens “A teaser trailer for an upcoming film, television program, video game or similar, is usually released long in advance of the product, so as to "tease" the audience.” Well Disney consider me well and truly teased. It’s gonna be a long wait...
72
Get Carter The moment I watched the Marvel one-shot I was hoping Carter would get her own series. Fingers crossed it doesn’t take as long as Agents of Shield to get going.
73
Flash/Arrow Right now both of these shows are doing it for for different reasons. Arrow gets as close to a Batman TV show as it can, while Flash reminds us of the sheer joy of watching someone with superpowers (and enjoying them) on TV. With cracking mid season finales from both shows I can’t wait until they return.
74 74
Adaptation Woes Sometimes the problem with watching an adaptation of something you love is you can end up missing so much because you’re so busy comparing. When the trailer was released for Powers the TV show based on the comic book series I wasn’t impressed. I thought the casting was off and that adaptation changes aside it didn’t feel like the power universe I had grown to love in the comics. I really, really hope my mind changes when I watch the first episode.
75
Hellblazing 101 Constantine is the complete opposite to my feeling on Powers. This I believe stems from the fact that I’ve read very few Hellblazer comics so I’m not bringing any emotional baggage into this TV adaptation of the character. I thought the pilot was great and according to everyone watching it the series has been living up to its promise. Now that I have an Amazon Prime account I will be able to judge for myself.
76
GEEK
SYNDICATE the final issue we out!
geeksyndicate.co.uk
twitter.com/geeksyndicate
facebook.com/geeksyndicate
thegeeks@geeksyndicate.co.uk
77