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After finding the original Ulysses 31 pilot episode a while back, I discovered this rather impressive project, a pro-musician has scored and re-recorded 9 of the best incidental music pieces from Ulysses 31  (The originals are thought lost). Complete with full orchestra and modern instruments. This must be heard to be believed:

Link: http://ns21.hosteur.com/~parall/9.ulysse31str/ulysse31str.htm" target="_blank">http://ns21.hosteur.com/~parall/9.ulysse31str/ulysse31str.htm

http://ns21.hosteur.com/~parall/images/Ulysse31str.jpg">

Good little vid about building the sets:

Link: http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=43692" target="_blank">http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=43692

For fans of this 80's classic I stumbled across this original Anime test pilot version of the first episode. The story's the same but the animation's different as are some of the designs, including the ship which is prehistoric CGI.

The opening to this version is like it was directed by Kubrick ala 2001: A Space Odyssey.

You can download it here:

Link: http://www.vuze.com/details/O6SGRDGQRXT43Q2I4IIZBJI4WQBFYZEH.html;jsessionid=7ECF0750A9046DBAE1CC6C4DDF17D075.web06?a=SALL&cat=X&ch=X&cs=X&ct=X&page=Scontent%2FBucketSearch&pb=X&pg=1&pr=X&s=Scyber&st=SRELEVANCE&t=X&vt=1" target="_blank">PILOT

http://www.catsuka.com/interf/icons2/ulysse31_pilote.jpg">

NO. 1, LEE VAN CLEEF:http://thebad.net/galleries/Photos/1966b.jpg">

I've zero interest in G.I. JOE/ACTION MAN but this image of Ray Park as Snake Eyes caught my attention, It's almost Dreddian:http://www.slashfilm.com/wp/wp-content/images/snakeeyesofficial2.jpg">

Link: http://www.propstore.com/product-Street-Judge-Helmet.htm" target="_blank">http://www.propstore.com/product-Street-Judge-Helmet.htm

http://www.propstore.com/img/products/83/DreddHelmet1.jpg">

Watch, and listen, to a grown man pump air up his arse:

Link: http://br.youtube.com/watch?v=mNcklijpS4A&feature=related" target="_blank">GAS

http://www.aintitcool.com/images2007/ComedianFull.jpg">

http://www.forbiddenplanet.co.uk/images/A/A4553.jpg">

I see Des Skinn is developing a cartoon of this old character from Moore's Marvelman. I wonder does he actually have the rights this time?http://images.comicbookresources.com/litg/2007/1008/BigBenPosterComp-100dpi.jpg">

Apparently another film of Herbert's Dune is in negotiation, which makes it the third stab at adapting this book to the screen. What next, Dredd?

Link: http://www.chud.com/index.php?type=news&id=11622" target="_blank">http://www.chud.com/index.php?type=news&id=11622

Comics Britannia Season Launches on BBC Four:

BBC FOUR is set to explore the wonderful world of comic books in a new three-part series celebrating one the of most powerful achievements of British popular culture â?? the classic comic strips generations of us have grown up with over the past 70 years.

From the Beano to Bunty, Commando to Viz, the Eagle to 2000AD, British comics have captivated generations from the thirties to the present day.

Narrated by comedy writer Armando Iannucci (The Thick of It) Comics Britannia will feature comics legends who wrote and drew the original strips, comics experts and a range of celebrity fans who re-live their favourite comic strip moments and characters.

Bash Street Kids, Dennis the Menace, Roy of The Rovers, Fat Slags, Watchmen, V for Vendetta and many more are brought to life using a special graphics style that allows the audience literally to step inside the comics.

Comics Britannia forms the centrepiece of BBC FOURâ??s comics season which also includes a one-off film, In Search of Steve Ditko, which sees Jonathan Ross go in search of his hero â?? comic book legend, Steve Ditko. Other programmes within the season include Adam Westâ??s Batman series and Modesty Blaise.

George Entwistle, Acting Controller, BBC FOUR, says: "Whether you grew up on the Beano or Jackie â?? or wished youâ??d been allowed to - this season offers a trip down memory lane, peppered with the customary wit and intelligence of BBC FOUR".

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COMICS BRITANNIA
Wk 37
September 10, 17th & 24th
BBC Four 3x 60 mins

How we grew up with comics and how comics grew up with us��

From the Beano to Bunty, Commando to Viz, the Eagle to 2000AD, British comics have captivated generations from the thirties to the present day.

Now BBC Four delves into the world of the British comic, exploring the art and craft of the industry in a celebration of this British comics tradition.

The series features those who wrote and drew the original strips, comics experts and a range of fans whose lives have been shaped by reading â??classic strips.â??

Comics Britannia is a rich mix of interviews, strips and archive illuminated by a unique graphics style which literally allows you to step into the comics world.

Comics Britannia forms the centrepiece of BBC Fourâ??s Comics Season, which also includes Jonathan Ross in search of comic legend Steve Ditko, Adam West Batman series, The Batman Story and Modesty Blaise.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Programme One: The Fun Factory

COMICS BRITANNIA explores the world of the childrenâ??s humour comic and the revolution which began with the first publication of the Dandy in 1937.

The series explains why colourful, cheap publications like the Dandy, and then the Beano enchanted a generation living through the effects of the Depression, WW2 and post-war Austerity.

Comics Britannia revisits the golden age of comics in the Fifties and early Sixties and looks at the work of great comics artists Dudley Watkins, Davey Law, Leo Baxendale and Ken Reid, revealing how a new subversive and anarchic humour emerged from the pages of the Beano and the Dandy.

Childrenâ??s Laureate Michael Rosen, writer Jacqueline Wilson, Oscar winning animator Nick Park and Cartoonist Steve Bell discuss their passion for comics, with some surprising revelations!

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Programme Two: Boys & Girls

Following the Second World War boys and girls adventure comics emerged to capture the imaginations of the growing baby boomer generation.

Comics Britannia tells the extraordinary story of the bohemian vicar who founded the most ground-breaking comic to emerge in the immediate post- war era â?? The Eagle, complete with its very own super hero, Dan Dare.

The programme looks at attempts to create the equivalent for girls' comics featuring ballet and boarding schools, such as School Friend, Girl and Bunty.

Meanwhile, the boys grew up with their comic book heroes achieving impossible feats of courage and endeavour on the fields of sport and battle, with the larger than life exploits of Captain Hurricane and Roy of the Rovers.

But comics would soon have to reinvent themselves and follow their readers as they grew older. Titles such as Mirabelle and Romeo were introduced to appeal to older girls who had once loved Bunty & Girl.

Into the Sixties and Seventies the industry responded to a changing Britain with a new generation of comics such as Jackie, Tammy and Battle aimed at meeting the new demands of teenage readers.

Fans of comics in this episode include comedian Frank Skinner, ex footballer and pundit Mark Lawrenson, cartoonists Posy Simmonds and Gerald Scarfe, and writer Jacqueline Wilson, who all reveal their childhood favourites.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Programme Three: X-Rated : Anarchy in the UK
[NB 10pm tx]

COMICS BRITANNIA X â??RATED reveals how during the Seventies and Eighties a generation grew up reading a new kind of comic. Directed at older, adult readers, these comics had strips with darker, more satirical and sexual material. There was a new sophistication in the writing and artwork which began to see comic books evolve into a new phenomenon â?? the graphic novel.

From the bedroom of brothers Chris and Simon Donald in Newcastle came the outrageous Viz which by the Eighties was selling a million copies nationwide and was responsible for inventing the Fat Slags, Roger Mellie, Johnny Fartpants and Sid the Sexist.

At the same time in the late Seventies, 2000 AD was published, sending Punks into Space and creating the iconic anti-hero Judge Dredd.

Out of this comics â??new waveâ?? emerged a major talent, writer Alan Moore. Working with leading artists, he created ground-breaking work such as V for Vendetta, Watchmen and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.

The programme interviews Moore and the group of other writers and artists who spearheaded the adult-oriented revolution in British comics: Simon and Chris Donald, Dave Gibbons, Carlos Ezquerra, Kevin Oâ??Neill, Alan Grant and David Lloyd.

Super comics fans Frank Skinner, Stewart Lee, Andrew Collins and Charles Shaar Murray are also on hand to offer their take.

http://www.2000adonline.com/covers/2000ad/hires/1551.jpg">

So when will these be available?, they look fantastic:

Link: http://www.themodelmaker.co.uk/replicaframeset.htm" target="_blank">http://www.themodelmaker.co.uk/replicaframeset.htm

http://www.themodelmaker.co.uk/dreddminis1.jpg">

Not a huge fan of Blade Runner as a film, it can be rather vapid in spots, but it still looks fantastic and with the docos' etc. they're probably the reasons I'll buy this:

Link: http://www.thedigitalbits.com/articles/br2007/announce.html" target="_blank">http://www.thedigitalbits.com/articles/br2007/announce.html

Link: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article2093759.ece" target="_blank">http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article2093759.ece

http://www.2000adonline.com/covers/2000ad/hires/1546.jpg">

Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDZKR_64WfM&mode=related&search=" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDZKR_64WfM&mode=related&search=

http://www.2000adonline.com/?zone=news&page=newsimage&choice=gnjun07">

Looks like we're getting closer to Fargo's policies...

Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNisdDDuzmk" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNisdDDuzmk