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Captain America: Civil War Trailer And Posters Arrive

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Captain America: Civil War Trailer And Posters Arrive

Good Morning, I’ve just got off my night shift to some rather welcome news, to provide some context, let me present this short, imagined conversation.

Cinemagoer 1 – “You know what everybody says about Marvel movies right?”

Cinemagoer 2 – “Oh they’re pretty good, but the villains are always weak.”

Marvel Studios Exec – “Hello! I couldn’t help monitoring your conversation, and I have a solution for that…”

Voila!

For the one of you unfamiliar with the basic premise, Civil War was a major Marvel comics event from a few years back that pitted basically all of Marvel’s heroes against each other over the subject of superhuman registration and submission to government orders, with the two opposing sides led by Cap and Iron Man.  So the closest thing this movie appears to have as a villain is Tony Stark, What a twist! etc.

Going on what we can glean from this trailer, that broad plot outline is basically as similar to the original comic as we’re going to get, and the spark that blows the whole thing up seems to be to do with Cap going to extreme measures protecting the now de-brainwashed Bucky. So anyone holding out for a Speedball cameo (just me?…anyone?…) is likely to be disappointed, though we do get a really good look at Black Panther here.

That said, this reporter declares this trailer to be both sick, and off the hook. Dig in…

*********************STOP PRESS*******************

As I was typing this up, posters for Civil War have also appeared, and they look marvelous. Gaze lovingly at them below….

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Captain America: Civil War opens on May 6th next year in the US, though we in the UK get it on April 29th.

*Smug face*

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 Review

James Buckingham
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The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 Review

Have you written an epic, three-part story with an eponymous hero (ideally a strong female) battling against the odds for the good of the people/mankind? Well, the chances are you’ll get a four-part movie deal out of it, featuring beautiful young actors. All joking aside, Suzanne Collins’ Hunger Games series of books (and now movies) have been the best of decidedly lackluster bunch, rising head and shoulders above it’s “peers” to end up being quite a tense and engaging story.

Saying that, Mockingjay Part 2 is possibly my least favourite of the series of movies, despite me generally enjoying it. Let me explain why that is, though I’ll be as vague as I possibly can so I don’t include any spoilers. But, this review will contain some spoilers for the preceding movies, so if you haven’t watched them, stop reading now.

You ever get that feeling you're being watched?
You ever get that feeling you’re being watched?

Still here? Then let’s begin. Also I’ll clarify that I haven’t read the books, so I’m purely basing my opinion on the movies.

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 picks up directly after the end of part 1, where Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson) was released to the resistance, but was brainwashed into trying to kill Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence). Not one to let this get her down, Katniss is eager to get back into the action and take her sweet revenge on President Snow (Donald Sutherland), but finds a hurdle in the form of President Coin (Julienne Moore). After overcoming this obstacle, she and a band of recruits make an incursion into the Capital.

When I first watched the Hunger Games, I was really impressed with the artistic direction of the film, and Jennifer Lawrence’s portrayal of the protagonist. Here was a strong, passionate girl of 16 who was a total badass who could handle herself, inciting a revolution just by her having ah fuck you attitude to the establishment that’s oppressed the masses for 74 years. It was like having a western iteration of Battle Royale, with more involved characters and more of a story.

As the series has progressed, the spectacle has evolved, with the second film being ramped up with the prior victors of the Hunger Games facing off against each other. Throw in the subversive undertones of an ulterior political agenda and you had a recipe for something epic. However the third and fourth movies brought forward a less interesting facet of Katniss’ personality – the needy, whiny and moping Katniss.

I’m told that this is largely because all of her decisions revolve around Peeta and Gale (Liam Hemsworth), but this kind of pissed me off a bit. You have this young, confident woman who knows her own mind and who can take care of herself… but then because the story develops into an odd love triangle (with not much love, somehow), Katniss’ character reverts back to the stereotypical weak-willed woman again.

I’ve got the Colonel’s recipe if you can hit that chicken…?

I’m under the impression that this is because there’s only so much someone can take before they break. With the kind of thing that the character has had to endure, it’s understandable… but unfortunately the tonal shift in the last two movies is palpable, which transfers to the audience. In my head, I started to care less about what she wanted and more about lesser characters. This isn’t really what you want when you have a movie revolving around said character.

When it comes to the performances in the film, I was happy with them all. Lawrence is really compelling and has a real talent for portraying the mentally-exhausted and emotionally broken Everdeen. This is particularly evident in a scene towards the end of the film where she has a one-way dialogue with a cat.

Liam Hemsworth does a good job now that his character gets some substantial screen time (having taken a back seat for most of the series), but is ultimately overshadowed by Lawrence’s gutsy performance.

Both Sutherland and Moore do well in their respective authority roles, both equally benevolent and repulsive all at the same time in what you could see as a predictable outcome to the proceedings.

It’s Phillip Seymour-Hoffman’s final performance which had me feeling a little uneasy. I’m not sure if it’s knowing that he died during filming, or if it’s that smiling look you see him give in his last scene. It definitely caught me off-guard and left me a bit perturbed.

Katniss' first blind date since Peeta wasn't going well.
Katniss’ first blind date since Peeta wasn’t going well.

Visually the movie is stunning, capturing the tense action and mayhem really well. Francis Lawrence’s direction is second-to-none in this close-knit, almost military-feeling depiction to the first three quarters of the film. It’s the final act that lets it down, but this is largely due to the story winding down to it’s inevitable conclusion.

Thinking about the series as a whole, it’s great. It’s a compelling story that starts with a simple premise, then becomes filled with betrayal, political intrigue and seedy undercurrents of the different character’s agendas. I’d highly recommend watching all the movies in general.

When looking at the last movie singularly, it’s definitely the weakest of the lot. It seems that the box-office takings are in agreement, even though it’s still taken upwards of $100m. I understand it’s about 20-30% less than the last movie, which too, was down by about the same when compared with Catching Fire. There are some lulls in activity in the movie, but the whole second act is thrilling, tense, emotional and an assault on the senses (for you, and Everdeen it seems).

Overall, I’d rate The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2, 3.5 out of 5, with the series as a whole, a solid 4 out of 5.

Trailer:

Marvel’s Jessica Jones: AKA Netflix Winner

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Marvel’s Jessica Jones: AKA Netflix Winner

 

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It’s been a fun 24 hours, it’s also been a long 24 hours. At midnight on the 20th of November a brand new Netflix Marvel series dropped, in all its glory, and I wasted no time in logging into my account and pressing play on the new gritty, edgy, dark and dirty Jessica Jones.

I’m going to do my best to write this without giving away too many spoilers because I know that many people haven’t done the marathon thing like I have. So, where to begin?

Marvel’s Jessica Jones, or simply Jessica Jones, is a Marvel television series created for Netflix by Melissa Rosenberg, based on the ‘Alias’ comic series, the noir tone approach to sexuality and covering darker topics such as rape, assault and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) the reception of the series was overwhelmingly positive, with praise being given to the shows Main characters, Jessica Jones played by the beautiful Krysten Ritter and the evil Kilgrave aka ‘The Purple Man’ played by the hypnotic and suave David Tennant. With 13 episodes strong, season 1 did not disappoint at all and has left me thirsty for season 2 already.

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The show lands us smack dab in the middle of Jessica’s world. Following a tragic end to her brief superhero career, Jessica tries to rebuild her life as a private investigator, dealing with cases in New York City with everything from serving summons, taking pictures of cheating spouses and sometimes running into people with special abilities.

Recovering with PTSD after her last run in with Kilgrave, Jessica is never far from a bottle of trusty whiskey (input product placement for wild turkey). The series starts with “AKA Ladies Night” Jessica delivers a subpoena to strip-club owner Gregory Spheeris for lawyer Jeri Hogarth (played by Carrie Anne Moss), I’m going off point to mention this character has been gender swapped for the TV series because in the comics Hogarth is a lawyer for the Rands, as in Danny Rand aka Iron Fist. I’m rambling!

Back on point: While not working, Jones spies on Luke Cage (played by the perfectly cast Mike Colter), a bar owner who sees her looking into his bar and offers her free alcohol as a “Ladies Night” promotion, leading to the two sleeping together (during the series this happens a lot), fans of the comic books know about Luke and Jessica’s relationship and what comes of it, a subtle nod to their baby together is featured.

She leaves upset after seeing a photo of a woman in his bathroom. Jones is approached by Barbara and Bob Shlottman after their daughter Hope began acting differently and has now gone missing. So now we come to the terrifying part: Enter the bad guy. While investigating, Jones discovers that Hope is with Kilgrave aka ‘The Purple man’ called this in the comics because, well he’s purple! Completely! In this adaptation he has a fondness for purple attire, a man with mind control abilities whose time controlling Jones gave her PTSD, and who she believed was dead. Jones wants to flee, but is convinced by her friend and foster-sister Trish Walker (played by Rachael Taylor) to help Hope.

Now those of you familiar with Trish Walker will know her by her alter ego ‘Hell cat’ although she isn’t sporting her trademark red hair in the series it is mentioned so keep them peeled for that.

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Our heroine played by Krysten Ritter, brilliant casting in my opinion, even executive producer and showrunner Melissa Rosenberg had Ritter on the top of her list for playing Jones. Ritter stated that she read through Alias in preparation for the role and expressed excitement on adapting the character from the comics, Jeph Loeb said, “Jessica Jones is based on a much more adult comic. The source material came that way. She has real problems with a number of things that she abuses! And we’re not shying away from that.

There’s no tidying her up.” Krysten has said that playing the character was the “biggest acting challenge” in her career and praised the character development. Krysten took “a lot from the comics because she’s so well-drawn. We have some lines that are pulled from the comics, but then the script—she’s as developed for television as she is in the comics”. Krysten got so into the character and the show she dedicated herself and put on 10 pounds of muscle for the role and trained for two months before filming began.

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The other big name in the series and a man of few words, impenetrable skin and superhuman strength: Welcome Luke Cage! “Sweet Christmas!” Yes he maybe in a supporting role in this but Luke is eyed to having his own series soon. He’s a presence in every scene he has, it’s not quite the Luke Cage we all know and love, this is Luke not quite in the middle, but in the early part of the middle of his story. Played by Mike Colter, Colter signed on for the series, and others, without reading any scripts and also put on 30 pounds of muscle for the role, the dedication for this series has been incredible. Now Luke is also a part of the Super Soldier Programme and he’s still trying to come to terms with his abilities as we will find out as the show progresses, we also know Cage as part of a duo, the ”Heroes for Hire” with fellow superhero Danny Rand (Iron-Fist). Now whether or not we will get to see the duo is something fans are clinging onto and only time will tell.

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Let’s get to the bad guy shall we. David Tennant plays Kilgrave, a mysterious man from Jones’s past, who has the ability of mind control, influence and has a creep factor of 10! He was born Kevin Thompson and was experimented on as a young child, yes you read that. Like something out of the weapon X programme, he’s a manmade villain! The experiments resulted in him acquiring an airborne virus that gave him his powers. He is “a terrible man who doesn’t see himself as terrible” says Jeff Loeb, you even start at some points rooting for him.

Kilgraves character and the way that David Tennant plays that character, it’s really extraordinary and beyond anything I’ve seen him do before. He’s sinister with an on screen presence that sends chills down your spine, this is a villain that can make you do anything he wishes just by being in his vicinity. Rosenberg stated that Tennant was the choice for the character when the series was originally developed for ABC, but he was unavailable at that time, so the production made sure to “jump on him” when the series moved to Netflix, believe me I’m so glad they did.

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The world of Jessica Jones is weaved into this show and is layered with Easter eggs and references to the comic universe she comes from. Detective Ozzy Clemens is featured who most of us know is a detective in The Punisher comic books (Punisher being featured in season 2 of Daredevil thought this was a cute touch), the more surprising character featured in Jessica Jones is that of Will Simpson who has more in kind with Frank Simpson more commonly known as ‘NUKE’, he’s a deranged sort of Captain America, a result of the Super Soldier programme being restored and failing, look out for his red and blue pill power. There are mentions left and right about the Avengers and the “incident” in New York City including Jessica mentioning “the green guy and the flag waver” these are obvious nods to Hulk and Captain America.

This series needs to be watched, even if you have no idea who the character is or her involvement with the Avengers. There’s subtle but brilliant nods and winks to her comic book counterpart as mentioned and especially her original costume, with a great main cast and amazing supporting cast from the likes of Rebecca De Mornay, Ryan Farrell and Rosario Dawson, you heard me. I’ve made sure not to give too much away to spoil it for you guys as you should experience the noir, suspense and chase of Marvels Jessica Jones for yourselves. So what are you waiting for?

Now showing on Netflix.

Game of Thrones Teases Us With New Poster

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Game of Thrones Teases Us With New Poster

It’s November, which means it’s that time of year again, where we all look forward to gathering our friends and families together for a single purpose. No, not that present-giving thing, but Game of Thrones’ new series being released.

Already, the hype and tension is beginning to build, with HBO releasing the first poster for the sixth season. See it below (via the Guardian):

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With the popular fan theory (from the damn books, thank you, where we poor readers have been wondering about this stuff for years) that Jon Snow is not dead, or at least will not remain so for long, HBO have decided to add some fuel to the fire with this first ambiguous poster of Jon Snow bleeding from a facial wound. Could this be his corpse, him having survived, or both?

HBO do have prior when it comes to using dead characters to advertise the next series, and various people close to the show have insisted that Jon Snow is actually dead, but few of us actually believe that, do we?

Porcelain: Bone China

Cristina Bogdan
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Porcelain: Bone China

The second part of the Porcelain Trilogy has been released at the Thought Bubble in Leeds, last week. The second instalment, to be released internationally on the 10th of February 2016, features Child, the street urchin that stole our hearts in A Gothic Fairy Tale, as a now grown woman, struggling with past mistakes and with an uncertain future.

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In Bone China, Lady has become as isolated as her Da was, with only her porcelain  friends  for company and a chaperone that does little to actually supervise her. The street Urchin we all came to know and love in A Gothic Fairy Tales is still there, hidden under layers of expensive fabric, lashing out much like she would have years ago, whenever she feels the situation deems it. It’s a nice throwback to the first book of the trilogy, when the process of turning her into a Lady began.

This time around she has no one to guide her, no one reliable at least, as she manoeuvres through a web of plots she fails to see until it’s too late. It’s these very plots, spreading across the four seasons of a year, that make this book an experience that should not be missed. The story is intricate, filled with twists and turns that will keep most readers on the edge of their seat. I found myself torn between wanting to read faster to see what will happen next and hating the fact that I was nearing the end of the book.

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Bone China might at a superficial glance seem like a simple tale – featuring an over-zealous army general that wants nothing more than fodder for her war (and what would work better than the porcelain beings Lady creates?), a man that finds himself caught between a rock and a hard place and Lady, who has to figure out how to handle the unexpected turn her life took when she made a decision she avoided for most of her life, to give her heart to someone else – but when looking beyond these aspects, it unfolds in an unexpected way, moving beyond the cliche ridden path it could take.

Without giving too much away, I will just say that no matter how cynical you are, you’ll be hard pressed not to feel something when seeing the way nature can twist us all into monsters, even when we claim not to be and just how far we can go when we believe we are doing the right thing.

Betrayal, love, hope and revenge abound and there are so many times when figuring out who the good guys are is not easy, but it makes for a more enjoyable read that way. I couldn’t put the book down and found myself snapping at people for interrupting.

The art is simply stunning, complimenting the story well. Every single person, every single creature featured being made into an individual. There is no sea of people where individuality matters little or not at all. While the focus falls on the main characters, the background ones are not forgotten and for once I appreciate the time placed into making everything perfect, even if I grumbled  while waiting for the second part of the story.

If you want to read a story that will stay with you for a long time, Bone China is available for pre-order via Diamond Comics – Diamond Code: DEC151417.

Put Down The Paintbrush Hollywood: Diversity Matters

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Put Down The Paintbrush Hollywood: Diversity Matters

Earlier this week, the forthcoming Gods of Egypt movie released it’s character posters featuring a highly controversial cast. The film, as you may imagine, is set in Egypt and focuses on two warring Egyptian Gods, yet neither of them, as per the casting choice, is even the slightest bit remotely reminiscent of Egyptian. While I will not dispute the acting talent of the people involved (quite the opposite actually, I’m rather fond of Gerard Butler and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) I can’t help but honestly wonder what on earth the casting director was thinking, when selecting two talented, albeit extremely white actors to take on the leads.

There is no shortage of capable and talented actors of colour out there, hell, in the current climate, perhaps giving some Middle Eastern actors a chance to shine would help to shed a positive light on an often demonised part of the world – but once again, Hollywood opted to wield it’s paintbrush and white-wash the majority of it’s cast. The exception here, being Chadwick Boseman, of ‘Get on Up’ fame who was cast as Thoth – but equally lambasted by the public, for being pigeon holed into a role that others have described as playing into the ‘magical negro’ stereotype.

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I want to say I’m surprised and shocked by the lack of diversity, but the truth is, this is the Hollywood norm. Just last year, director Ridley Scott came under fire for similar reasons after choosing to helm decidedly whitewashed biblical epic ‘Exodus: Gods and Kings’ and during the press tour itself, when questioned about his casting choices gifted us with this gem:

“I can’t mount a film of this budget, where I have to rely on tax rebates in Spain, and say that my lead actor is Mohammad so-and-so from such-and-such. I’m just not going to get it financed. So the question doesn’t even come up.”

Another example, could be the forthcoming Ghost in the Shell movie, which now has Scarlett Johansson attached, or the long standing rumours of a live action Akira movie, in which Star Trek legend George Takei openly campaigned against the rumoured white-washed cast that seemed destined to be linked to it. These are iconic animated classics, destined to be bastardised on screen by casting that is so far from representative of the source material, it’s a joke to even utilise it’s name.

Or how about the fan favourite Avengers Age of Ultron (or X-Men DOFP for that matter) that chose to openly erase two of the few positive Roma role models in mainstream media, at a time when persecution throughout Europe is at the highest level it’s been since Word War 2. It’s not just insulting it’s irresponsible.

When Viola Davis won her Emmy this year, she pointed out one vital thing:

‘You cannot win an Emmy for roles that are simply not there.’

Never a truer word has been spoken, but it also goes beyond that. While it’s true, more representative roles should be penned, it’s also the responsibility of casting directors and film crews to make sure the roles that do exist remain representative of the entire world demographic. There is more to life than the white perspective, there are more voices, more struggles and more stories to be told rather than silenced.

Viola Davis at the 2015 Emmy Awards.
Viola Davis at the 2015 Emmy Awards.

I want to live in a world where Middle Eastern actors aren’t stuck playing stereotypes of terrorists or backwards world views. I want to live in a world where black actors aren’t conceived as gangsters or crooks, where Asians are strong pioneering leads in their own right instead of press ganged into supporting roles or left playing the victim for some white knight to ride in and save the day.

I want to see more strong women on screen, to see more heroines fighting their corner. I want to see disabled characters that aren’t defined by their disability, that are still doing great and wonderful things, just like their able bodied counterparts. I want to see movies that are representative of the world around me, that are full of the same richness and experience that comes from diversity.

I want Hollywood to open it’s eyes and take a long hard look at the real world.

Representation matters.

Geek Pride at Belfast Film and Comic Con 2015

Dave Foy
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Geek Pride at Belfast Film and Comic Con 2015

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As geek-culture is finally being embraced on this side of the Irish Sea, and with even the local mainstream media taking an active (though admittedly still cautious) interest in the overall ‘geek’ community – the past few years have seen the introduction and rise of the Northern Irish version of the convention/celebration event.DSC_0116

There now appears to be a pretty standard calendar for the local geek: each May brings the MCM Comic Con event at the Kings Hall complex (with its emphasis on a distinctly younger audience – showcasing cartoons, kids anime, comic book character cosplay, etc…), while June brings the Q-Con @ Queens event (with its innovative mix of electronic gaming, table-top gaming, animated movies of all types, and more..). This brings us to the final stop in the NI geek year: the Showmasters’ Belfast Film and Comic Con 2015 at the SSE Area, Belfast (previously the Odyssey Arena).

The BFCC is a decidedly different event to the others. While it still has the same range of excellent stalls at which fans can spend their hard-earned funds on merchandise of their choosing (a great mix of both professional stores, as well as local amateur pop-up tables), and an great masquerade event for attendees to show off their incredible cosplaying outfits to each other – the BFCC excels in aiming itself at a more mature audience, primarliy by attracting a wealth of high-standard guest stars from the some of the biggest Sci-Fi and Action movies/TV shows of the past 4 decades.

This was my first time at this event, and one that I was eagerly awaiting. While there were certainly a small few issues/areas for improvement – overall the experience definitely lived up to, and exceeded, my expectations.

 

Setting

The event was staged within the main bowl of the recently renamed and refurbished SSE Arena – currently Northern Ireland’s largest indoor concert/event venue. While I was initially a little sceptical of this arena being able to stage an event like this (due to the scale of the space normally required for the full range of attractions), I was pleasantly surprised at how well planned the layout actually was. The merchandising stalls were all neatly arranged in the centre of the arena bowl, allowing attendees a decent amount of space in which they could browse and mingle around the floor. As well as this, there was a large separate ‘signing’ area, which housed all of the guest stars. The extra space here was ideal, as it lessened the chance of those queuing to meet their favourite stars, blocking/getting in the way of those wanting to stroll around the attractions.

Admittedly, there were a few bottlenecks around the floor – mainly around the Cosplay Q&A stage (cosplayers congragating for their opportunity to take the stage and show off their excellent handiwork), and an area in which fans could take have their photo taken in front of props such as the infamous ‘Dead Inside’ door from The Walking Dead, the Xenomorph from Alien and The A-Team van. I must say though, that while I witnessed some frustration from attendees (particularly those with buggies or difficulties with movement), it was not enough to spoil the overall experience for the vast majority of fans.

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The arena itself holds plenty of amenities which help to set it apart from the other possible hosting venues in Belfast: these included dedicated food halls/stands, plenty of restrooms, an attached main complex and with a range of bars and restaurants, space outside for attendees to mingle/relax, and specific seating areas for attendees to rest (which makes a nice change from the 20-odd seats in a tiny food court available for a certain similar event back in May).

Both the Guest Star Q&A and Cosplay Q&A sessions took place in cordoned-off sections of the bowl-side seating – creating an almost amphitheatre setting, which provided plenty of space for fans, and also a more intimate feel when compared to the flat floor-seating used in other conventions. While I certainly appreciated this closeness to the stars (I mean, at one stage Vasquez and Drake from Aliens were about 4 feet away from me, and shook my hand when I answered a teaser question posed by the host!), the ‘stage’, which composed of some simple temporary backing walls, looked a little on the cheap side – you would think that guest stars of this calibre, as well as the cosplayers who had put so much effort into building their incredible costumes, deserved a more impressive and professional setting. But I’m sure the space limitations probably played a part in this, and I very much doubt that this had any impact on the enjoyment felt by the stars and attendees.

Lastly, it was fantastic to see an event actually live up to its name for a change, and provide stalls that focussed on both ‘films’ and ‘comics’, rather than just the same default Pokemon merchandise and endless supplies of Pop figures. I counted 6 different stalls selling actual physical comics and graphic novels – a massive improvement from the lone comic stall I spotted at a previous event. It was also great to see an event that showcased so many local and all-Ireland based vendors – rather than just ship a load of people over from the mainland. Let’s hope that this continues going forward. I’d also like to highlight the excellent local security and Showmasters staff who were onsite during the weekend – they were helpful, friendly and in a lot of cases, having as much fun as the paying public.

 

Guest Stars

12232707_10156264359600164_8534085741966241502_oIn terms of access to the guest stars, this was handled extremely well. Queues were never too long for signings, the schedules for photo sessions were well-organised – and while fans only had a few minutes to chat with the stars and have their all-important shot taken or item signed, at no time did you ever feel rushed. The previously mentioned Q&A sessions were an absolute joy: they were moderated well, had a very positive atmosphere, questions provided by the audience were encouraged, and the stars were given plenty of time to answer questions fully as well as interact with fans. This was particularly refreshing in the sense that in attending other cons/events in the past, I could definitely feel a distinct separation between the paying audience and stars – Q&A were strictly controlled, and direct interaction discouraged – unless you were paying, of course.

Of the guest stars, the biggest name in attendance was arguably Carl Weathers. In his Q&A sessions, Carl entertained fans with a wealth of stories concerning the Rocky movies (his breakout performance as main villain turned best friend, Apollo Creed), Predator (the tales of himself, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jessie Ventura et all attempting to out-macho each other on the set of the film were absolutely hilarious; as was the mention of the ridiculousness of the original design of the Predator, set to played by Jean Claude Van Damme), being regularly mistaken for Billy Dee Williams (Lando Calrissian in Star Wars), and the experiences of a young African-American actor during the late 60s/early 70s. No mention of Happy Gilmore or Arrested Development (“Baby, you got a stew going!”) disappointingly.

Another major star was Margot Kidder, for many the original and best Lois Lane. Her touching stories of time working with the late great Christopher Reeve on the first two Superman movies, was a definite highlight – as was a discussion around the filming of The Amityville Horror (“there was a strange energy surrounding that project, but it was a relatively fun process and turned out great – never wanted to watch any of the sequels though.”). There seemed to be a genuine love and appreciation for the success that the Superman movies provided to her – and the reaction that she still receives from the fans.
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But for me personally, the biggest highlight was always going to be the duo of Jenette Goldstein and Mark Rolston, the smart-gun toting, bad-ass colonial marines Drake and Vasquez from one of my favourite movies ever, Aliens. The chemistry between the two is still incredibly strong, even to this day – and they absolutely sparked off each other, throwing out anecdote after anecdote about the incredibly tough but very rewarding shoot for the film. They mentioned that the chemistry and friendship doesn’t just exist between the two, but also between the majority of the original colonial marines – and that they still meet up regularly, and refer to each other as family. Both speak incredibly highly of James Cameron (“he’s a genius”), and also took time to discuss their individual career successes that have seen them appear in such critical and commercial blockbusters such as Titanic, The Shawshank Redemption and The Departed.

Also in attendance were the undisputed kings of the UK and Ireland convention scene: David Prowse (Darth Vader), Jeremy Bullock (Boba Fett) and Tom Baker (Dr. Who) – all of who were still incredibly approachable and amiable, and were very happy to discuss their love for the modern takes on their respective franchises. Throw in various stars from Star Trek, Battlestar Galactica, and local success story Game Of Thrones – and you had a pretty varied and packed panel of stars.

In closing, I’d say that the Belfast Film And Comic Con was yet another success story in the stedily-growing local geek community. While we still have a way to go to match the success, priestige and profitability of conventions staged in mainland UK, Europe and the U.S., with a few subtle tweeks, and an emphasis on continuing to improve the facilities and attractions offered at the shows – I have no doubt that we push the envelope as far as it can go within the confines of our small island. Can’t wait for next year!

Highlights and Lowlights

  • A fantastic line up of guest stars providing fans with real value for money in terms of autographs, photos, and meet & greets.
  • Facilities which are custom made for these types of events – with plenty of amenities for individuals and family groups.
  • The cosplay masquerade competition: all ages, family groups, a much wider range of characters on display – the waves of Adventure Time and Attack On Titan characters that seemed to plague the MCM event were not on show this time – instead we had a more mature and creative group of cosplayers. Of note were the incredible Predators Ireland group (we hope to bring you an interview with their founder in the coming weeks on the site), a fantastic home-made Mr. Freeze, and a ‘Super-family’ (each member of the family being a different Superman character – including a baby).
  • Bottlenecking and crowding in certain areas of the floor.
  • The stage and set up for the various Q&A sessions could have looked a little more professional.
  • Charging an extra £7 for ‘early access’ to the venue – which actually only meant getting in two hours before everyone else, when guest stars and vendors were still arriving/setting their stalls up – is a little on the steep side

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For a look at the photos taken at the event by our local Geek-Pride photographer Michael Geary, HERE

Ticket To Ride: United Kingdom

Ben Fee
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Ticket To Ride: United Kingdom

The original Ticket To Ride is one of the trailblazers of modern board gaming, bringing the excitement and strategy of 19th Century railroad expansion to tabletops across the world. Originally released in North American and then European flavours, publishers Days of Wonder have since expanded the line to include special German and Nordic Countries editions as well as a stand-alone card game and map expansions for  Asia, India, Africa and the Nederlands.

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The latest of these Map Collections is the eagerly awaited United Kingdom expansion which comes with a couple of gorgeous new map boards and some interesting new game elements. As an extra bonus, the expansion also comes with a Pennsylvania board which adds another new element: stock shares!

What’s New?pic2640879_md

Technology

Where previous versions of the game have focused on the golden age of railway with far-flung destinations linked by epic cross-continental routes, the UK expansion brings things back to the birth of the Steam Age, allowing players to only create short routes of one or two trains and only in England, echoing George Stephenson’s early work with steam locomotives, in fact the game even allows you to recreate his pioneering Manchester to Liverpool line for all us rail history geeks. In order for players to progress they will need to play Technology cards, such as the Concessions which allow the ability to build routes into Scotland, Wales, Ireland and France, or mechanical advances like the Mechanical Stoker or the Steam Turbines which allow players to utilise ferries and build longer routes, among other interesting advantages.

This restriction of route length in the early game adds a new level of play and forces players to change up their tactics on the fly as new technologies are opened up and new opportunities become available. Which technologies will end up in your hand is fairly unpredictable so it certainly behooves the canny player to dive in straight away with those short routes and see where the game takes you.pic2640883_md

Stock Shares

Scoring on the Pennsylvania map is somewhat different to the previous games in that, as well as earning a number of points based on the length of your route, you also pick up Stock Share cards which are then exchanged for points at the end of the game. The players obtain Stock Share cards when they complete a route; the map includes company symbols next to most of them to tell you which of the company piles you have the choice to draw from.The scoring works by awarding points to the person with the most stock cards for each company, then the second most, third, etc.

Now players have to plan their routes based on which companies run it, not just their destination tickets. Some companies only have a few stocks to sell and some routes have no companies attached to them at all, so a bit more forward planning is required to become a Pennsylvanian rail magnate.

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The Board

Now this is a thing of beauty. The UK side depicts the British Isles (and a little bit of France) in a gorgeous watercolour style giving the whole place a mystical, otherworldly feel. Even Nessie gets a cheeky look-in!

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The Pennsylvania side is completely different stylistically but just as striking, with bold fonts and colours over a map of the state surrounded by a 1920s stock exchange-style score track.

Verdict

Ticket To Ride is already an excellent game to whip out after Christmas dinner and, with it’s beautiful artwork and familiar locations, the United Kingdom expansion will add a touch of quintessentially Christmassy Victoriana to any post-turkey family board game session. The new technology and stock rules add two very different tactical challenges as well as even more replayability to an already eminently replayable game that will see you breaking out the little plastic trains long after the Mint Matchmakers have all gone.

Going for a very reasonable RRP of £25.99, Ticket To Ride Map Collection: Volume 5: United Kingdom & Pennsylvania is available now from Waterstones on the high street, as well as hobby gaming stores found using this handy-dandy store locator.

All images copyright Days of Wonder Inc.

Batman Europa #1, or “The Comic that almost wasn’t.”

MrCraiggy
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Batman Europa #1, or “The Comic that almost wasn’t.”

Right off the bat (sorry), I want to say how good it feels seeing Jim Lee drawing a Batman title again; Jim is one of my favourite comic book artists and has worked alongside incredible writers on some top tier “required reading” Batman stories; including the iconic Hush. But we’re not here to talk about Hush, as much as I would love to.

No, we’re here to talk about the first issue of the new four part mini series, Batman: Europa. This title was announced back in 2004 and then…nothing. Readers were promised a story that took the Dark Knight and his archnemesis/counterfoil, The Joker, around various European locations but nothing seemed to come of it; with the story being put on hiatus until now, eleven years later in 2015, readers finally get the comic title they were promised!

Sounds familiar?

However, unlike the above referenced travesty that was Duke Nukem Forever, being left for over a decade has done nothing to diminish the final delivery of this comic. Writers Matteo Casali (very recently worked with Marvel on their What If? series) and Brian Azarello (a DC veteran, having worked on the Gotham Knights series, among other Bat-titles) have fully captured a feel for the classic “Iron Age” of comics from the late ’80s onwards, where everything got a bit grim, a bit darker and a bit more sinister and Batman really came into his own as the character we love today.

Europa, as previously mentioned, puts ol’Brucey in a situation where….oh wait, *ahem*.

SPOILER WARNING!!!

 

 

 

 

Still with me? Good. Bruce has been infected by a virus known only as Colossus.

No! Not that one!

This investigation leads Bruce to Berlin where, after some old school detective work, trailing local goons, he discovers a restaurant full of dead joker gas victims and finds Joker, confronting him about the Colossus virus.

 

Let’s just take a moment to appreciate Jim Lee at work here.

Joker was sent to Berlin following similar clues as he is also infected. (Arkham City anyone?) so the issue closes with Batman and Joker being forced into a situation where they have to work together.

The artwork is absolutely stunning and really has an old school Batman feel, with Jim Lee opting for the grey and blue outfit. This is perfectly complimented by the writing, with the first person narrative thought boxes that have become almost a trademark of the Bat-Family franchise. Already, after only one issue there is a real sense of threat with having these two nemeses in a volatile situation where they have to work together and where both are suffering from a degenerative lethal virus.

My one gripe would be that it feels quite fast paced and almost rushed for a first issue. There is very little setup to the virus and the plot does skim over some quite important plot points and has a very “suddenly Joker” moment but overall these points can be forgiven because the plot is engrossing enough to keep the reader captivated.

I for one will definitely continue reading this series. In the current climate of multiple Batman titles and tie-ins it can get very confusing for readers to keep up to date and on top of what to read, so this feels like a fresh and simple stand-alone title which can be enjoyed as an aside from the mainstream titles (Though come on, who’s with me in being excited about Robin War, right?!)

Until next time!

Fallout 4

Liam_Anthony84
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Fallout 4

Fallout 4 was released last week (10th November 2015) and I like many, sat eagerly next to my console waiting for that little message to pop up just after midnight letting me know that it was now playable. 3½ hours later, I had lost my wife, my son, my home had been blown away and I had taken on a Deathclaw.  In short, I was hooked.

Fallout 4 is an RPG mixed with FPS style mechanics in a vastly open world that’s full of places to explore, different people to meet and most importantly, difficult choices that you have to make. Developed by Bethesda, the game is instantly recognisable, and for fans of the series, easy to get into due to the fact that it’s built on the same engine as The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim, Bethesda’s last open world RPG.

The story takes place in Boston, 200 years after a war over resources ended in nuclear holocaust.  With a very similar story to Fallout 3 (albeit reversed) Fallout 4 kicks off with a basic search for your missing son, and gradually evolves into something much more complicated thanks in part to the on-going struggles between several groups that are fighting for control in the region, leaving you the player with the tough choice of who to side with in order to progress. And those choices aren’t easily made, as I found out when I was offered the chance to join the Brotherhood of Steel, a choice I declined due to bad memories from Fallout 3.

As is to be expected with any of Bethesda’s big open-world games, the main story falls short in comparison with the huge number of well-written side quests that you’ll discover as you wander across Boston, or as it is now known, The Commonwealth. I’ve only done one of the missions from the main quest simply because I wanted to explore more of The Commonwealth before hitting the main city. Simple missions can become much more interesting as you notice something else on your journey, or come under attack and have to take shelter in the nearest building, which would then need exploring in case any valuable loot is lurking in the shadows.

Radiation storms are terrifying.
Radiation storms are terrifying.

Fallout 4 is Bethesda’s most diverse world yet, and exploration has its many rewards, with run-down urban areas, menacing dead forests, gloomy fog-infested swamps and the empty radioactive area that is ground zero. But it’s not all doom and gloom, as there are some areas in The Commonwealth that are full of rich colours and hospitable environments, such as the various settlements and farms you stumble on as you journey across the land, that it makes it almost impossible to just focus on the actual story.

As mentioned Fallout 4 boasts a lot more colour than the previous games, (most notably Fallout 3 which used a lot of greys and browns that were mixed in with the constant grey clouds seen overhead), as it shares Fallout: New Vegas’ clear blue skies and adds in a mixture of different weather effects to create something that can vary between looking beautiful, (the sun shining through fog covered trees early in the morning), to outright terrifying (radiation storms that make all the distant shadows look like Deathclaws on the prowl), the attention to detail is amazing. Little things such as raindrops on your visor, clothes getting wet, being able to move items about in your home (this plays havoc with my OCD), the Pip-boy screen changing when you’re inside your power armour and other countless factors build a constantly impressive game.

Combat has also seen an improvement since the last game, and even though the VATS system is still there (I personally never use it) the game has a stronger FPS feel to it. Although it may not be as polished as some of the bigger FPS games available, like Call of Duty or Destiny, it still holds its own resulting in a great experience. Companions also seem to have been improved, with each companion having their own skills, likes and dislikes but as is often the case with A.I, they generally tend to just get in the way, especially if you’re a stealth based player.

One of the items that plays a bigger part in Fallout 4 than any of the previous titles is power armour and as it stands, using it can make the game feel either a little too easy, or too hard, depending on the situation. Enemies in power armour require more than just an all guns blazing tactic, as you have to chip away at their health whilst at the same time keeping an eye on your own. Too many times have I been caught up in a firefight and not noticed my health quickly diminishing due to attacks from all angles, which is a result of the difficultly levels being steeper. However that being said, if you’re the one in power armour, it becomes a whole lot easier, as it almost feels like a walking-tank, meaning you can grab the biggest weapon you have and open fire.

It takes away that feeling of building your way up to being the most powerful thing in the wasteland (something that was present in the earlier games) when you know that if the fight gets too tough, you can just go and get power armour. Bethesda have tried to balance power armour out by introducing fusion cores to run them, but if like myself you hoard things, then you’ll soon find yourself with a stockpile of fusion cores and power armour frames just waiting to be put to good use.

And if hoarding wasn’t a big enough problem in my real life, Fallout 4 actively encourages it, as the majority of items found out amongst the ruins of The Commonwealth can all be used in the new base-building aspect of the game, as each item is made up of material components that are vital for certain elements such as power generators or machine gun turrets. The amount of times I’ve had to go out into The Commonwealth to find ceramic materials is beyond count at this point. These materials also play a vital part when it comes to crafting armour and weapons and some of the results can be pretty fantastic.

My perfectly arranged pool room. Complete with juke box and mini-nukes.
My perfectly arranged pool room. Complete with jukebox and mini-nukes.

If you have the right materials, you can turn a basic pistol into whatever takes your fancy, myself opting for a scope and long barrel to turn it into a good mid-ranged scoped weapon that does decent amounts of damage. And it isn’t just the stats of the weapon that are effected, as nearly every little modification you make alters the overall appearance, you can create weapons to match your style.

Likewise, the new armour system allows you to piece together up to six items of clothing to create a look that genuinely looks like something found in a post-apocalyptic waste land. You can equip a head piece, chest piece and armour for both legs and arms, all of which can be upgraded with the use of collected materials. However, it has to be mentioned that only certain items of clothing allow you to add armour pieces over the top which I was a little bit gutted about when I found my new Atom Cats outfit was unable to equip some of my custom made armour.

 

The Verdict:PC

Fallout 4 is such a huge game, that even with my 50 hours’ worth of game play, I have yet to scratch the surface. The open world exploration, crafting, and general atmosphere of Fallout are all integral to how the game feels and plays. From the feeling of first exiting Vault 111 or frustratingly moving all my components down to a new settlement, I’ll definitely be playing Fallout 4 for a long time to come. It you like big open world RPG’s with a plenty of action then Fallout 4 is what you should be playing.

 

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