Messages

"yipee"

The prosecution rests.

So long as he Skysurfs.

Synamon.

1) It was a reasonable introductory tale, much better than many others of recent years, in that it establishes a decent enough character within the paramaters of 6 (or so) episodes, while managing to tell a story.

2) It creates enough of a back-story to show that there is potential for the strip to be developed. It is not one dimensional (like Valykries for example) or self-contained (like Dead Men walking) but has potential for development.

3) OK, so it is perhaps the universe is 'inspired' by the Culture tales but SO WHAT? The first Sin Dex was more Pulp Fiction than anything else, the first Dante little more than Errol Flynn in space (isn't that Flash Gordon?) and Dredd is Dirty Harry in the Future. The source of a story may be obvious, but as long as the course of the tale takes it in a different direction then I have no concerns. To write it off as Culture clone is snobbish, and dis-regards the fact that cloning is how many 2K strips are created.

4) The main character wears body-hugging Spandex. Hence, there is potential for more photo-covers.

What's wrong with 2000ad? I started on it when I was six and I suffered no ill-effects.

(The Voice told me to type this)

After a six month delay I now have funds in place to buy a PC. Any advice on whether it would be better to get a top of the range graphics card (I can get a GeForce 6800 at the weekend for ?400) or to go for one cheaper and six months old, but 2G of memory rather than one? I only want to play games on it.

Oh, hang on, that was the Mekon in an Eagle annual.

How about - anything said by Ace Garp?

"My laser will cut through her like a knife through earth butter"

Cuck Hardnads was a good cop in a bad place. After learning that the DA was the kingpin of the local mob, he is framed for a crime he didn't commit and jailed. A bent guard murders the honest man. Chuck's wife and newborn baby starve. In heaven, Chuck is offered 24 hours on earth to clean up the city. The avenging angel cleans up the town, one piece of scum at a time, eventually facing off against the DA who is, in fact, demon possessed. With minutes left, Chuck throws the DA into the abyss then returns to heaven.

Was re-reading this last night. In the first episode, Anderson is in the Black Museum, encased in Boing and containing the spirit of Judge Death.

A citizen on a tour frees Death by cutting open the Boing. He then retruns to his apartment, where the other three dark judges are waiting. Apparently, they took the man's wife and threatened to kill her unless he freed death.

Now, while this gives rise to some great dialogue ("You promised you wouldn't kill her if I helped you!" "We lied. She has been judged! The sentence was death!") it does seem a bit odd to me.

Why did the other three choose this cove?
How did they know where Death was?
Why didn't they go on a killing spree themselves?
Why didn't they free death themselves? Couldn't they had d-jumped to the museum?
Why did the bloke trust them? The look a bit shifty after all.

Admittedly it has taken a good few re-reads, and twenty three years, for me to think of this but I want answers.

Just back from a holiday in Toronto. A jolly nice place, but jolly cold place (and the CN tower was a scarily high place - Mrs X was much amused at my trepidation as I walked on the glass floor. But it was 1400 or so feet high).

Anyway, the hotel room had a Zenith telly. I'd never heard of them, but their logo looked a little familiar... and it was created in the 50s!

Link: http://encarta.msn.com/media_461523310_761559903_-1_1/Zenith_Logo_Circa_1950.html" target="_blank">Zenith logo

Some parts of Star Wars and the Planet of the Apes films were shot on Tenerife. Mrs X and I went there when we were poor students. The location is the top of a dormant volcano, which is higher than the clouds. It gets no rain (what with it being higher than the clouds and all) and is blasted by the sun all day, every day. The whole thing looks like a radioactive wasteland. Or, at least, what Hollywood would have us believe a radioactive wasteland looks like.

It is very impressive.

The drive there is done in a caravan of open top jeeps driven by psychopathic locals. Much "fun" is to be had careering around bends and through villages - especailly when the bends are 270 degree corners up a hill and inside a cloud.

If you do go on the trip, which I recommend, then remember two things:

1) Wear shoes/ trainers and NOT flip-flops. The ground is barren, rocky and treaherous.

2) Take a jumper or, as a minimum, a shirt. Despite being sun-blasted, it is very cold at the top.

So long as it is like the first hour of Independence Day (where everyone gets killed) and not the second (where everyone gets saved by Uncle Sam) then I suspect I'll like it.

1) Auto-saving of checkpoints, Halo style. Better than quick saving, and less frustrating than playing a whole level.

2)Stub guns.

3) Being able to play from where you left off rather than trudge through the same old you've done before just because you never finished a level the last time. Some kind of saving of checkpoints, that might do it. Like Halo.

4) Unique Dredd plot-elements to the fore, in order to differentiate it from other shooters. Policing events would make a good alternative to "escort missions" and bring these out, for example missions could include (from the top of my head): Keep the fatties from a food delivery for a particular time; or, police a crowd during a sky-surfing event (maybe playing hunt the sniper in nearby blocks against the clock - you need to get the killer before he picks off the racers).

5) Being able to save your progress in a level. An innovation sadly beyond Rebellion last time round, but a common feature in many games.

6) Lawmasters and Mantas.

7) Some kind of anti-frustration feature for those without the time to play through a whole level in one sitting. Can't imagine what... no, hang on - I've got it. A BLOOMIN' MID LEVEL SAVE.

I thought I'd be smart and say "Hewligan's Hat".

Then I remembered it was a haircut.

Sorry if that makes no sense. I'll have a coffee and come back.

SUrely it's for profile? She gets her top off and, hey presto, Dr Who is in FHM. She pouts about make-up and, bang, the Doctor gets a mention in New Woman. This, then, could be a Good Thing.