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Seems all week people have been telling me I'm sad, or that I should be embarrased, or if they were me they'd keep things quiet that I talk about openly. And not once have I thought they were right.

One of my colleagues has been constantly trying to rile me over many of the following list for 18 months now. He gets quite angry behind my back when I just shrug off his jokes, and thinks the rest of the staff are weird for not siding with him.

 Maybe it's the way I was dragged up or maybe I'm socially retarded enough not to care but apparantly I should be embarassed about the following -

* I like the music of Kylie Minogue. I mean, I think she's incredibly sexy but it really is the music that appeals to me.

* I can make a pretty good stab at listing every Doctor Who serial in broadcast and/or production order and can tell you who wrote them all.

* I really like Coronation Street and have written a goodly proportion of Coriepedias content.

* I don't own a pair of training shoes. I still use the term Training Shoes.

* I collect comics - natch.

* I have a mild mental health problem. But that's really obvious anyway.

* I am a big fan of Easy Listening in general and Burt Bacharach in general.

* I haven't seen all the Star Wars films and don't think I've missed out.

* Tom Tully needs to be involved in order for me to take an interest in sport.

* I perforemd a leading role in the play The Maids when I was a student.I also have been known to go to see Shakepeare plays performed out of choice.

* I have a collection of books about Oscar Wilde.

* I actively look forward to Eurovision every year, get excited on the day, have people around to watch it, and get slightly annoyed if they don't take filling in their score sheets seriously.

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So in a spirit of sharing and togetherness what do you think you should be ashamed of...but really aren't.

There's an interesting sounding documentary on DH Lawrence tonight on Radio 3. Specifially it's about his aborted stay in Cornwall during which his shocking city ways led to the natives forcing him out.

I've got the house to myself tonight so I can indulge without fear of scorn or worse a nagging chorus of 'This is boooooring. Give me the remote'. Could be worth an hour of your time. Equally as much it might not.

Link: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/sundayfeature/pip/lg27d/" target="_blank">Official etails

Here's the entry for Jeremy Kyle on Wikipedia. Can you spot the interesting addition to his C.V.?

And have you spotted any other flights of fancy inserted into otherwise, presumably, factual entries.

Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeremy_Kyle" target="_blank">Hint - T.V. career

I'm reliably informed that the next EE has started plopping onto doormats and reprints the Slaying of Slade. A welcome release after forever of sports stories, and a Slade story I've not previously read. Hoorah.

And there's always something more to waste your money on and to stick in the mountainous pile of dust gathering crap, isn't there.

Classic Who toys, but with details ommited because the company decided to improve on the originals.

Link: http://www.doctorwhotoys.net/classics.htm" target="_blank">Details here, people.

http://www.doctorwhotoys.net/mrsin.jpg">

And there's always something more to waste your money on and to stick in the mountainous pile of dust gathering crap, isn't there.

Classic Who toys, but with details ommited because the company decided to improve on the originals.

Link: http://www.doctorwhotoys.net/classics.htm" target="_blank">Details here, people.

http://www.doctorwhotoys.net/mrsin.jpg">

Now I have a fairly good memory and usually have no problems picking up lot threads in returning strips even when it's been ever so never such a long time between runs.

So why oh why oh why am I so in the dark about what's going on in the current run of Ten Seconders?

Is it just old age creeping up on me? Should the recap box on the inside front cover be larger so it can go into more detail than a rough precis of the background?

Is the writing at fault and more effort should have been made to explain things for new readers who would be potentially as lost as someone who not only liked the first run but can quote dialogue?

Should there be a return of those intro pages from the mid nineties. Valkerys got one, though as it was a new strip the need to info dump the character details on us before starting was a warning as to the quality?

Is it just that this strip is a direct continuation as opposed to a discrete second story, like Stickleback that's confusing me? Should first episodes of continuing strips make an effort to explain things?

Is this just a side effect of the graphic novel age in which stories sometimes feel like a long story cut into uncomfortable chunks for initial punlication instead of episodes in their own right?

If there can be story so far boxes in Dredd why not other strips?

Am I alone in this and everyone else is in the thick of the story and loving it. If so please tell me what went bfore.

Actually don't bother. If I'm still lost this far in I don't think I want to know. Now Dom Reardon is off the strip it's not even incomprehensible but beautiful. (1)

Still, please I would love to hear your views on the matter. Off you go. Or not, as the case may be.

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(1) When I was a student I had a Japanese flatmate who was like that. She spoke little English, I spoke no Japanese but I could stare at her for hours.

I was playing Chess with my nephew this afternoon (we dress 2-2) when we were interupted by a service call from Virgin.

"Is that your little one?" Asked the besuited fellah, trying to ingratiate, commenting on what he'd seen through the terraced house front window.

"Huh?" I said, feigning ignorance.

"The little blonde kid?"

"I don't know who yuo mean"

By now he was looking worried. Matthew had heard what I was saying. He ducked down behind the chair so that when the guy looked past there were no kids.

I asked was this kid wearing brown. An affirmative came so I started telling him about the ghost of teh street and how people who are gifted can see him. He went pale, genuinely seemed to believe me and was panicked when Matthers walked out slowly waving.

Silly and possibly cruel but I'm proud of him for playing along and love that he knew what to do. Of course no body in the family thought it was funny but there you go.

Does anybody know where i can get a shipping list for last weeks comics? The 26 march?

Failing that did issues of Fables, Blue Beetle, Booster Gold, Jonah Hex, Suicide Squad, Bat Lash, The Boys, Rex Mundi, Exterminators, Wonder Woman or The Outsiders ship then?

I was thinking today, when I should have been sleeping, how ovely Dom Reardons art is in the Ten Seconders. I was also thinking that it would have been perfect for Dead Eyes and was struck by the notion that Lee Garbetts art would have suited Ten-Seconders down to a tee.

Which started me thinking...

So as a pointlessly speculative game which artists would yuo swap around. Any strip, from any period is fair game but you have to make it as a switch. So if you'd rather Colin McNeil had drawn all of the Final Solution that's okay but you have to put Simon Harrison on one of MacNeils stories in return. Any suggestions?

Heads up folks. There's a second reprint title due, well, tomorrowish reprinting someof the more recent Tenth Doctor and Martha Smith, art by Mike Collins and Roger Langridge as well as the ever excellent Martin Geraghty. Not that the first two names aren't excellent, you kbow...

Traditionally, when the summers lasted for ever and biotronic transfers were something to use and not hoard, Tharg had a pre plotted learning curve for new droids.

Future Shocks existed, in part, as a kind of apprentice piece for new artists and if they were good enough they'd maybe get another shot, and then maybe another and then things progressed in various directions. Some fell by the wayside. Some found work elsewhere. Some got to create new strips, Some were given jobs on established multi artist strips, which usually meant Dredd. I could be wrong and there could be dozens of cases of a novice droid debuting on the most important strip in the comic (1) but I don't think there are really that many.

These days things are different. Steve Roberts (2), for instance, was thrown in at the deep end on Sinister Dexter, though some would say that period circe the late 1200's saw that strip became a de facto apprentice piece with Dan Abnett commisioned for many, many one offs filling the slot Future Shcoks would have taken - but that's another debate entirely.

Which brings me to the point of the post (3). Nick Dyers work on Derdd has been, amongst the vocal minority (4) somewhat controversial. Some claim that he isn't ready for the biggest game in town. Others have been slowly won over, others already knew and liked his work from the staple gun and guilletine-tastic world of Small press. For my part I didn't realise it was his proffesional 2k debut and didn't realise it was controversial. I liked it though, and it reminded me of Cam Kennedy (5).

It was cartoony (6), energetic, full of interesting detail and the world was recognisable. Dredd was imposing, the kid was cute enough for a Robbie Morrison script, the panoramas some of the best this side of Ron Smith (7). In the whole of the first 24 pages there's only one thing I think a more experienced artist would have doen differently, adn that involved the sniffer droid. It's introduced as a small sketch drawing and we see it properly after four or so panels. New tech needs to be seen first, I suppose, otherwise the readers don't know what they're visualising. But what do I know? I'm not that bloke with the glasses (8).

It's a big gamble for an artist to take on a job like this, when it's not just Dredd but a strip that ties into the ongoing, popular story arc. For not just gibbering and panicing and wetting himself Nick should be applauded (9), and Tharg has made a brave move. I think it's one that's paid off and I hope to see more Nick Dyer art in the future, on Dredd, Dredd world stips, and original stuff.

So, that's what I think. What about you? I trust we can all remember that were talking about a new artist who may not be as used to the slings and arrows of outrageous fan reaction as a career hardened rust bucket.  Should Dredd be the testing ground of new droids? If so should it only be on one off strips by guest writers and not seemingly pivotal scripts by The Wag? (10) Future Shocks no longer have a place in modern 2k, it seems, so where else will new droids hone their skills? Is small press work enough evidence of talent? And really, really, really, at the end of the day should we care whether a droid is newly mintes or not when they tell the tale clearly and with enthusiasm. I can think of a few older droids who don't seem to be putting in half the effort (11).

Over to you. Or not, s the case may be.

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(1) Yes Pat, only amongst British Comic Readers. Everyone else likes Slaine better.

(2) Oi! Tharg! Hire him more often!

(3) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnHksDFHTQI

(4) Does he mean us? Surely not!

(5) That's a compiment.

(6) Or if you prefer Iconic. Now stop seething Si.

(7) Now that really is a compliment, trust me.

(8) You know the one. Black hair and glassed. Like a less Hogwarty Harry Potter.

(9) or for doing all that and still getting the work out. Same thing.

(10) Not going to catch on, is it?

(11) Cough! Ian Gibson! Cough!

With the Mail on Sunday, if you haven't seen it. 1.50 gets yuo a classic piece of flawed genius. Wrapped around it is a paper with absolutley nothing of interest to any rational thinker apart from a piece by Frankie Howards sister on David Walliams.

You should also buy the Sunday Post while you're in the Newsie because, well, it's Sunday. CountryFile, Last of the Summer Wine, Roast beef, Port and Lemonade, Pot of Tea, mooch, tidy up, Sunday Post. It's traditional.

Howdo nice gaming people. I'm partway through Minish cap and a bit stumped. I've foind three elements and now have to return to the elemental temple thang. I've forgotten where it is. Any clues?

I'm not going to waste your time. Link below to the Top Shelf blurb on the next chapter of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemenses.

Link: http://www.topshelfcomix.com/catalog.php?type=2&ti

Next Wednesday Beeb 4 broadcasts the first in a series of four drama-docos about the private lives of public figures under the linking title 'The Curse of Comedy'.

Hughie Green, Frankie Howard, Tony Hancock, and the Corbett/Brable double whammy are the subjects.

It's an enduring, popular sourse of material this 'tragic clowns' thang but is there any truth in it? And if there is do we need to know all about it? Any thoughts and comments on the particular stories involved or the actors? For my money what I've seem as David Walliams Frankie Howard I wasn't impressed but I'll be tuning in for the Steptoe film.

And to kick things off here's an, I thought, interesting link to an article by Galton and Simpson inspired by the series. http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/tv_and_radio/article3484755.ece

I watched the pilot of Steptoe with my partner this week and was surprised by how perfectly formed it was from it's first step. Stunning stuff, and very funny still. I've seen it before but didn't clcok the signifigance of Old Man Steptoe quoting from the Bacharach and David song 'Tower of strength' before.

A small website that pleased and interested me very much. I hope you like it and if there's any similarly pleasant, eccentric websites out there that you'd like to share with me that'd be nice too.

I'll dig out the link to the Green Man site by Mike Harding at some point, if there's an interest.

Link: http://www.chrischapmanphotography.com/hares/" target="_blank">The Three Hares projest.

http://www.chrischapmanphotography.com/hares/pics/southtawton.jpg">

I think it's telling that there doesn't appear to be a thread for Extreme Edition 27 nearly a month after it's release. It's the third future sports themed reprint in a row and, as it ends on a cliff hanger, there's another one to follow.

The fun, for me, of the reprints is the variety and for a chunk of this year there's been none. At all. Just more of the same thing. A friend of mine who picks and choses which comics to buy has steered clear of the last six months worth as he has no interest in sports comics of any kind, and I can't believe he's alone.

I genuinely feel bad to complain about anything when the Meg has improved so much and the weekly is going so well but please, please, please can we have something different from future sports in number 29?

There's lots to chose from. What about a Maria/Walter collection reprinting their post 70's adventures? Sinister Dexter isn't turning up in trades and the early volumes skipped a few stories anyway, so how about that? Canon Fodder always gets requested, or how about a Grant Morrison collection to appeal to his fan-base? Return to Armageddon is unlikely to be collected, or what about the original V.C.s? Strontium Dog oddments and bits and bobs? Ro-busters? Heck, I'd even like to see recent-ish short stories and serials collected like The Scrap.

But what do I know? These may be the bestest selling reprints ever in which case I'll stand corrected and apologise.

There's a neat little piece on CBR about 2k with news that I haven't seen before but everyone else probably has.

Link: http://www.comicbookresources.com/news/newsitem.cgi?id=12969" target="_blank">News, Nikolai Dante, Digital archive

A quick search suggests we haven't had a Bone-centric thread before - not quite - which really surprises me. A colleague sent me a huge box full of comics from her girlfriend and amongst them was a copt of the Complete Bone. I intended to keep looking through the pile but...a quick browse of the pages...hourse later Nick came home and found me still sitting where I was when she'd gone out, still reading Bone. Second time around it's just as good.

What a funny, warm-hearted, kind, clever, epic, heroic, magical book. Near perfection in cartoon form, with lovable heroes, hissable villains, comic relief that is actually funny...if you haven't read this book, well, why not?

Favourite moments please? I'm particularly fond of the snowfall sequence in chapter two.