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Why Aren’t You… Watching NBC’s Hannibal?

SeanPWallace
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Why Aren’t You… Watching NBC’s Hannibal?

It would not be an exaggeration to say that we’re currently in the golden age of television. What was once viewed as a lesser, secondary entertainment form is now a legitimate choice for actors wanting to express themselves. From Mad Men, to The Walking Dead, to Game of Thrones, there has never been such a glut of quality television for people to pick from.

And yet, you’re apparently all missing the best show of all: NBC’s Hannibal.

I say apparently after the recent announcement from NBC that Hannibal, which has been competing with shows like The Walking Dead in the early Spring line-up, has been delayed until the summer. Primarily to avoid the clash with major shows like Game of Thrones.

But Hannibal is brilliant, absolutely brilliant. Even better than the current ratings winners. And here’s why:

 

VISUALS

The absolute standout feature of Bryan Fuller‘s series is the art direction. Hannibal really concentrates on trying to capture the distorted mindsets of the killers. Will Graham’s struggles with his extreme empathy problems, being in the mindset of someone who will kill in the most horrible of ways, and Fuller’s direction conveys that brilliantly. As madness creeps into Will’s life, we are shown incredible shots of stags, of people Will has killed or been unable to help.

On top of this, you get to see some incredibly horrible visuals of murder and violence. From totems made of corpses to actually showing a Venetian Necktie (don’t look it up), the serial killers are given incredible range and show us nightmares in each episode. I mean, just look at this trailer for the first season. Look at it! It’s beautiful, real art. Of all the shows on TV at the moment, none of them has the consistent quality in its visual metaphors and gorgeous shots.

 

PERFORMANCES

This is a TV show with Laurence Fishburne, Gillian Anderson and the incredible Hugh Dancy, so it is not short of big names who bring their A-games to their roles, but Hannibal also has Mads Mikkelsen playing a Hannibal Lecter worthy of replacing Anthony Hopkins from the brilliant movies. Mads is so composed, and so clipped, in his delivery, and actually has the slight accent of someone who escaped war-torn Europe during the Second World War.

Aside from these stellar characters, a special mention has to be made for comedian Eddie Izzard, who does an incredible job of playing a medically trained psychopath. After the first few minutes of seeing him and saying to yourself, “But that’s Eddie Izzard?”, you’ll completely forget everything else he’s done. A stunning turn from everyone’s favourite Action Transvestite.

 

PLOT

One would think that a series based on an iconic serial killer, whose backstory is likely more well known than Iron Man’s was pre-RDJ, wouldn’t have much room to play with its plot, but Hannibal is impeccably written. Tense and taut, it keeps some elements of a ‘killer of the week’ show whilst weaving in the underlying tension between the audience’s knowledge of who and what Hannibal Lecter is and his helping to hunt the ‘Chesapeake Ripper’ the press have invented for his crimes.

Beyond that, the show has been willing to take risks by stepping out of the established canon. We meet the horrific Mason Verger earlier than I would have expected, and the end of season 2 really plays with your expectations. I’ll say nothing more, to avoid spoiling it, but Hannibal will surprise you as much as it will disgust you.

 

PRO-VEGETARIAN STANCE

If you can watch Hannibal cook and not be put off your meat, you’re a stronger person than I.

 

Hannibal is slick, smart, disturbing, and brilliant. Season 3 is coming out in the summer, and I write this a little in the hope that people will start to support the series and ensure we eventually get to meet Clarice. So, between then and now, when you see Hannibal on a streaming service, or a DVD or Blu-Ray of the previous seasons on sale, you need to ask yourself… Why aren’t I watching Hannibal?

 

Are you watching Hannibal? Share your thoughts on the show in the comments below and let us know if there’s anything you think more people should be watching!

Marvel’s A-Force a New Take on The Avengers

Andy Haigh
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Marvel’s A-Force a New Take on The Avengers

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Unless you’ve been living in a cave without wi-fi for the last week you probably already know about Marvel’s A-Force. For those just emerging from their caves A-Force is set to be a new title from Marvel from G. Willow Wilson and Marguerite K. Bennett with artwork by Jorge Molina.

The new title will be part of the upcoming Secret Wars which will find the Avengers MIA leading some of Marvel’s female characters including She-Hulk, Medusa, Dazzler and plenty more to form their own team – A Force.

Whilst this has been met with some predictably snarky comments on the interwebs like “A-Force saving the world 3 weeks a month” or “A-Force? More like T ‘n’ A-Force” it does raise some questions, is this the latest manifestation of Marvel’s commitment to “gender diversity” or is it more like clumsy pandering? Worse still is this just a crass exercise is femsploitation? Having writer G. Willow Wilson, the writer of the smash hit Ms Marvel featuring Kamala Khan, on board indicates that this shouldn’t be “T “n” A Force” but it still remains to be seen exactly how long A – Force will be around, is it just a token gesture for Secret Wars or will it actually have some sort of impact?


5 Things to Check Out at LSCC 2015

Laura Maier
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5 Things to Check Out at LSCC 2015

LSCC 2015 is just over a month away and OH MY GOSH MY COSPLAYS ARE SO NOT READY OH NO– wait, back on topic.

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So I know there have been a couple of cons already this year, but LSCC will be the first one I’m going to this year. And I haven’t been to a con since JULY, so I have a lot of pent-up excitement in my tiny body. But I understand that for a lot of people -especially if this will be your first convention- it can be overwhelming. You walk into the Excel Centre and it’s like MAJOR SENSORY OVERLOAD. Cosplayers and artists and toys, oh my! So think of me like your personal Hitchhiker’s Guide to LSCC 2015, as I share my top 5 things you simply mustn’t miss this year…

5) Con Swag

Louby Kapow are one of my top recommendations for any shopping spree- I got a Spider-Woman bow at LSCC last year; this year I’ve got my eye on Batgirl! Don’t have the hair (or beard) for cute hair clips? Canvas Warriors will be there with their mind-blowing custom geeky Converse. Hungry? Emerald City Cupcakes make superhero cupcakes! Not to mention the sellers of comics old and new, toys to collect and toys to play with, art prints and commissioned sketches… your wallet won’t know what hit it.

DO WANT

4) Special Guests

So many creators will be there, included but not limited to: Garth Ennis, John Romita Jr., Brian Bolland, Stephanie Hans and Emanuella Luppachino, but inside my brain is like OH MY GOD KIERON GILLEN I SHALL EXPLODE.

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3) Publishers

Whether you want to check out the latest releases, or pimp yourself out –um, I mean, get your portfolio reviewed– the publishers are there, from 2000AD to Zenescope. Funny story: last year I heard tell that a certain publisher was seeking writers, and I went to see if I could get in on that. So I approached the booth and promptly chickened out, and bought a comic instead. I resolved to go back again, with an angle of “Hey I bought this comic, it’s really good, I like you guys, oh and by the way I hear you might have some writing needs doing?”. I bottled it again. Long story short, I ended up buying so much stuff from this publisher that they gave me a free poster. “It’s my fault,” said the friend who had told me of this potential opportunity, with a rueful shake of his head, “I shouldn’t have let you go by yourself…”

Geek Pride's Matt interviews 2014 Cosplay Championship judge Tabitha Lyons
Geek Pride’s Matt interviews 2014 Cosplay Championship judge Tabitha Lyons

2) London Super Cosplay Championship

The Cosplay Champinoship last year was completely breathtaking, with the absolute best costumes, skits and special effects (She-Ra’s confetti-spurting sword stands out rather vividly) that I’ve ever seen, so even if you’re not participating it’s an amazing time. Yaya Han returns as a judge, joined by Kamui Cosplay, Bill Doran, and last year’s winners Annshella and Nikita Cosplay. Registration for the Championship is now closed, but the Sneaky Zebra Open Masquerade is open for entries on the day- and I might just give that a go!

 

1) Charity Art Auction

In aid of the American Cancer Society, artists exhibiting at LSCC will be auctioning off some of their work on Saturday evening. All money raised will be donated to the ACS in the name of Jamie Dallesandro, a founder of the podcast Comic Geeks Speak, who died of cancer last year. A great evening for a wonderful cause- what more could you ask for?

 

 

Spartan Games to produce Halo tabletop game

Peter Ray Allison
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Spartan Games to produce Halo tabletop game

Spartan Games announced today that it has entered into an agreement with Microsoft to design and produce tabletop miniatures games based on Halo. The first products will be released in 2015.

Halo was first seen on the Xbox in 2001 but has since inspired best-selling novels, comic books, action figures and more. Now, tabletop miniatures games can be added to the list.

Neil Fawcett, the Creative Director of Spartan Games, said “After six years of successfully creating our own games and models, we can now work with Microsoft to bring epic Halo spaceship battles to gaming tables around the world. And if that’s not enough, we’re making fast and furious ground combat games as well.”

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Heat Wave (short) – a review

Cristina Bogdan
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Heat Wave (short) – a review

A little while back we featured an interview with Russ Russo and Kiowa Gordon, both involved in the making of the short film Heat Wave. Released in January, after a big fundraising campaign, it promised to be a commentary on the slowly decaying morals of our society, all done with a nice Twilight Zonesque twist.

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I had the pleasure of watching the movie (available here) and I can say this one thing: for it only being ten minutes long (or short, depending on your perspective) it delivers more than some feature length films blessed with bigger budgets and better known actors.

***Here be some spoilers***

The short starts with four people in a small room, surrounded by the remnants of what looks like it had been an “awesome” party, and everything goes downhill for three of them fast. I mentioned before it’s only ten minutes long, but in those ten minutes the viewer gets to experience everything the characters go through, thanks to the great acting of everyone involved. I was particularly impressed with Russ Russo, who conveyed a lot through his expressions alone, no words necessary.

With one of them lying dead in the middle of the room and them running around in circles during a heat wave, the movie still managed to provide  a (possibly unintentional) bit of comedy, when everyone and their mother seemed to feel the need to visit, knocking on the door every five seconds. At some point I even considered this as a potential way of offering the characters an out, a way of making the right choice, one they failed to see and take.

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Short movies do have a tendency to run deeper than their longer counterparts, if only because generally they are a labour of love, not a way of making money fast. This one is definitely worth a watch, given the fact that it shows just how much people invested in it and no, I don’t mean money wise. While watching it for the first time I didn’t look at it as some sort of social commentary on the way our world is slowly falling apart because we fail to see what’s important, focusing on all the wrong things. On my second viewing (and yes, it’s definitely worth a re-watch) I figured out what the authors were trying to show their audiences.

Following the interactions of the characters, it becomes obvious just how self-centred they are for the most part, ignoring the obvious reaction one would have when faced with the same situation and going straight for the I must save my skin! option. There are no heroes, nor are there villains in this short and while some characters might come off as more sympathetic than others, ultimately none of them are truly “good guys”. Poor Alec needed better friends.

The twist at the end was a nice touch, though it also left me vaguely frustrated, in the way that only “it was all just a dream” sequences can. Still, it kept up with the promise of some Twilight Zone flavour and it even provided with the potential for a second chance for the characters that up until then seemed to have squandered every opportunity at one they’d been offered.

All in all it’s an enjoyable film that I think will not disappoint its viewers and its backers, given that it was a kickstarter campaign that set the wheels in motion for it to happen. If you’ve seen it or want to see it, tell us how you liked it or why you want to watch it.

 

Thirsty Meeples Board Game Cafe – Go there now!

Bevan Clatworthy
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Thirsty Meeples Board Game Cafe – Go there now!

Last weekend I celebrated my 31st rotation of the Sun on this little blue-green planet of ours, and to make it special me and a few friends visited one of the first board game cafes in the UK, Thirsty Meeples of Oxford.

Just looking from outside, you get the friendly atmosphere of the place

I wasn’t disappointed as we were greeted by the sight of board and card games stacked to the ceiling, the smell of fresh brewed java and the friendly staff, who even put up with the challenges all parents put servers through with our bulky pram and little codewords like ’papoose’ and ‘I think she’s done a stinkelles’.

The game selection was, as you’ve probably guessed, amazing! First up was Rhino Hero, ably explained by board game guru Simon. Three cups of strong coffee were not conducive to this game of carefully balanced cards and chunky wooden protagonist, but I absolutely loved it! It’s a great filler and accommodates all ages.

Next up was The Endless River (in German this is known as Der Unendliche Fluss). Another dexterity game, players move three wizards around a board set with ball bearings by pushing it around the table. This is in an attempt to get them to a set position on the board, such as between the two frogs or ghosts as dictated by whatever secret objective card you have. It’s super tricky as the movements are all counter intuitive to what you’d expect. Great for kids this one, but didn’t quite hit the mark for me.

The game selection is just amazing!

To finish off we got a rare treat. Thirsty Meeples had a well-thumbed English copy of Russian party game Spyfall! Tipped to be one of the big hits of 2015 (as soon as Cryptozoic print it of course!), Simon did a cracking job of getting across the difficult concept of how this game works. Essentially, all the players at the table are people at a location, such as a Health Spa or a Circus except one player who is the Spy (no one knows who is who though). Everyone then takes it in turns to ask questions of the other players, however the players have to be careful how they answer. Too vague and you’ll get called a Spy and lose; too concise and the Spy will guess the location all the other players are in, winning the game. It took a couple of goes to get the jist of it, but once we were rolling it was a blast! Very much looking forward to this one being released.

Through all our time in Thirsty Meeples, the place was packed. Players came and went and the hubbub rarely dropped. On no table did I see a someone who looked fed up or peeved. The overall vibe in the air was both relaxed and buzzy, ably fed (ba-DUM-tish!) by the staff and their tasty cakes, sandwiches, gourmet sausage rolls and of course the huge selection of teas, coffees, soft drinks and hot chocolates. I went in eager and raring to go, and left feeling exactly the same. TM is an example of a niche being filled, and filled well. Whilst this may be the first to open in the UK, I sincerely hope it won’t be the last!

 

Images from ThirstyMeeples.co.uk

Judge Dredd: The Mega Collection

Peter Ray Allison
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Judge Dredd: The Mega Collection

“Justice has a price. The price is freedom”
(Judge Dredd: America, by John Wagner)

2000AD has long been an institution of British comics, ever since it was first published in 1977. The fact that it is still the only weekly science-fiction comic continuing to this day gives us an indication as to its excellence. Whilst 2000AD has introduced us to a vast array of characters, their most iconic is probably Judge Dredd.

What makes Judge Dredd such a fascinating character is that he is often written as a reaction to contemporary culture. The Apocalypse War for example, was written in 1982 in response to the ongoing cold-war between America and Russia, and despite the storyline being over thirty years old it continues to remain a thrilling saga, which is a testament to John Wagner’s writing.

However, Judge Dredd’s ongoing storyline spans over three decades, which can an intimidating back-story for new readers wanting to understanding the world of Judge Dredd. The aforementioned Apocalypse War storyline is one such example, as the ramifications continue to be felt in this series. It is for this reason alone that Judge Dredd: The Mega Collection is such a tempting offer.

Judge Dredd: The Mega Collection starts with America, which is quite possibly the greatest Judge Dredd story to be found, and whilst the original graphic novel included the two sequels to America (America II: Fading of the Light and Cadet), the Mega Collection also includes stories featuring Judge Beeny, further continuing the America saga. Many of the stories have previously been released as graphic novels, yet they have rarely felt as complete as they do here.

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Despite the title, Judge Dredd: The Mega Collection includes storylines centred on characters other than Judge Dredd, such as Judge Anderson. The character of Judge Anderson makes an excellent humanistic counter-point to Judge Dredd’s obsession with the law.

The artwork has been carefully reproduced from when it was first published, which must have been no easy task given the Dredd’s long history. Artists include Judge Dredd co-creator Carlos Esquerra as well as Colin MacNeill, and remain as exquisitely visceral as when they were first published.

The covers for the Judge Dredd: The Mega Collection are simply gorgeous. Hachette have taken a panel from each storyline, stripping it of all colour, before adding the occasional touch of red to create a series of striking covers.

Part of me wonders who Judge Dredd: The Mega Collection is designed to appeal to. Existing fans will already have many of the storylines that are collected here, and thus unlikely to want duplicates they already own (despite how good the covers may look). Likewise, £20/month may seem steep for casual and new fans; however, this is not an unreasonable price for what will be two excellent graphic novels a month.

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Jinx Town by Sam Stone

Peter Ray Allison
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Jinx Town by Sam Stone

With Sam Stone having firmly cemented her reputation within the horror genre, it was something of a surprise to learn that her latest project was to be a science fiction series called The Jinx Chronicles. Opening with Jinx Town, the series is set in modern-day England, specifically in and around Manchester, which makes for a refreshing change given UK-based novels’ tendency towards a London setting.

Jinx Town begins by grounding the reader in the day-to-day life. Everything soon changes however when aliens begin invading the Earth, leaving devastation in their wake.

Principal character Jas is engaging and fascinating, with her science background being well used for the fantastical elements of the story. However, I felt many of the other characters were comparatively shallow. Taylor Arch, for example, felt like a Captain America.

Whilst the characters may have lacked substance, Sam Stone creates an evocative vision of post-apocalyptic England that readers will immediately become engrossed in. Her view ranges from the blighted cities to the stranded communities, before shifting focus entirely for the alien home world. These disparate settings work well and ensure that the reader never loses track of where they are.

In many ways, Jinx Town feels like The Walking Dead, replacing zombies with aliens and throwing in healthy doses of Mars Needs Women and Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus for good measure. Sam Stone has certainly created something uniquely original through disparate sources. Raymond E. Feist’s Magician and Empire series may also be an obvious influence, as the latter half of Jinx Town explores the culture and society of the aliens.

I have always enjoyed Sam Stone’s pacing, never sacrificing plot in order to belabour an emotional point. However, in the case of Jinx Town, I found the plot went too quickly. We only have a single chapter detailing Jas’s everyday life before the aliens attack, and I would have preferred more time to understand Jas before she is ripped out of her comfort zone.

There was also a massive jump in the narrative following the first wave of attacks by the aliens, which was disconcerting. Many of the characters had naturally changed over that time and we had missed a prime opportunity to witness the slow descent of civilisation.

Whilst Jinx Town is described as a science-fiction/fantasy, I would have described the novel as romance as well. At times, the romantic elements felt like they would not be out of place in a soap opera, with love-triangles and unrequited love, but they were nonetheless well handled and used to move the narrative forward.

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Jurassic World Sneak Peek

therockfairy
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Jurassic World Sneak Peek

The trailer for Jurassic World premiered during the Super Bowl and has already found its way online so we thought we’d share the excitement with you in case you missed it…

Jurassic World is the fourth installment in the Jurassic Park franchise and stars Guardians of The Galaxy favourite Chris Pratt.  The film is out on June 12th so hopefully we’ll have a few more sneak peeks before then!

Game of Thrones “released” its 5th season trailer!

Cristina Bogdan
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Game of Thrones “released” its 5th season trailer!

Now released might be a misuse of the word, but who’s counting that they were pretty much forced to do it? What’s important is that it’s out and it looks great and exciting, you know, the way most trailers ought to be. *cough* Fantastic Four *cough*. But back to more important issues, the trailer is out! Forgive my flailing, but other than the depressing reminder that we’re still some four months away from the actual event, this short two minute clip gave me (and others, I’m sure) the opportunity to see my favourite characters being awesome, in short, 2 second allotted, bursts.

For those of you who still haven’t seen it, by all means, feast your eyes, enjoy Tyrion’s beard and everything else. Plus the music. The music is awesome.

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