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[FYRE]

Netflix made a doc about the ill-fated 'social media influencer music festival' FYRE which might as well be called Schadenfreude: the Movie

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZ0KNVU2fV0

I'm sold.

[spoiler]I recognise a couple of those guys from Titans! I didn't realise they were expanding the world to other shows, although I suppose it's not that surprising. Good to know.[/spoiler]

I started Titans last night and watched a few episodes. Yes, very enjoyable, although a bit over-the-top with the violence maybe. [spoiler]Robin's got some major anger management issues, eh?[/spoiler]

It kinda works for the dark and edgy world they're portraying, though.

That bird couple were Hawk and Dove, were they? The names are familiar, but I don't know the characters.

After watching the first series of Guardians of Tomorrow very recently, I thought maybe these were another version of Hawkman and Hawgirl, without the Egyptian trappings and, well, proper wings. Hawk and Dove make more sense.

Oh and that spooky girl's other self is actually a bit unsettling! Or I'm just a big girl's blouse.

I thought the Prog was fine. I liked the Dredd story. It's a while since we've had one with a bit of comedy and in the 'future tech stuff gone amok' vein.

Concerning Fiends, aside from Dredd, I'd say this is the stand-out strip for me at the moment. I wonder if Max's scheme will backfire though. [spoiler]His plan is based on the idea that vampires are distant relatives to himself, a mutation that occurred to a victim (possibly victims) of his bat-people ancestors.  So utilising his pseudo-science to vapourise vampires and blast the gaseous muck into humans he feels he can bring back his ancestral race, and apparently he has succeeded.

Just one problem: the previous story established that Constanta is a first generation vampire, who was turned via witch magic.  Therefore, neither he, or the vampires he sired (directly himself or those sired by those he sired, etc down the line) are not the mutations created by the bat-people. Now, I don't know for sure that Constanta's squad were all sired by him. It's possible that he recruited vampires from elsewhere, sired by others, but it seems likely.

I don't have an issue with bat entities still being successful as a result of Max's experiment witchified vampires as Constanza's vampires are very much in the Dracula mould, with a relationship with bats shape shifting into them on occasion, and likely controlling bats too (although I can't remember if that happened in the original Fiends... story. It's a while since I've read it). But I do wonder if Max's creations will end up under Constanza's control rather than his. [/spoiler]

I don't know how much more John Wagner will write, but I understand there's a [spoiler]Mechanismo[/spoiler] Dredd story coming out fairly soon. I have a feeling it won't be the last thing he will write for the Prog.

Yeah I like Yaz, but they really need to do more with the character.

Forgot Grey Area!

Oh... i'll stick to my guns.

It's a shame the two younger members of the team aren't given more to do, but I like the characters.

I largely liked this episode, but it left me scratching my head a bit.

[spoiler]I was a tad confused by the fact the creature was cut into the pieces at the start. It made me think the creature .who controlled the women was one section who would attempt to find and rejoin with his other parts... but then he didn't. I then figured the the glow when the creature was reanimated by the UV light must have been the parts teleporting together or somesuch. It would have been nice if that were clearer.

They should have just let out the chopped in 3 gubbins as
A) it was irrelevant to the story. Stating it had been defeated would be enough, cue the archaeologists finding the whole biological component.
B) Daleks are tough,but I'm sure if the creature in the pepper-pot-tank were chopped up, it would be dead.
Then the dalek/lady reconstructed it's shell, complete with repulsorlift technology and missiles in a short period.

At first, I thought that the shell had been completely constructed from materials in that factory place, which really strained my suspension of disbelief. The the doctor happens to mention that it was constructed from a mixture of its own casing and on-site components. That at least explains the weapons and repulsorlift stuff, and the fact the dalek looks pretty conventional, if rather rusty. (I actually liked the look, but I doubt dalekanium would be prone to rusting.)

So I guess the lady picked up the tech along with the ray gun.

That kind of strains my suspension of disbelief in other ways.
[/spoiler]

But anyway. I still rather liked it, and suspect part of my issue above is just me being a divvy or missing stuff.

The way they defeated it was a bit much, I'd agree, but it was a fun story, and they did nice heartfelt character stuff with thingy's [spoiler]dad and Gramps[/spoiler].

Fiends of the Eastern Front (My phone changed 'fiends' to 'friends')
Durham Red
Fall of Deadworld (or 'Deadwood' according for my phone.

Occurs to me there is a bit of a theme in my choices.

Reading Mazeworld by Alan Grant and Arthur Ranson

While Grant has proven to be a prolific writer in the past, I think this is the first time I've read something based on a world and characters he has actually created. I like much of his stuff, but it does seem to be mainly stories based on characters written by other people. I don't intend that as a criticism. This book shows he has quite an imagination.

I've just read the first part so far. The high fantasy Maze-world is a strange place to be. The main character isn't  particularly likeable but by the end he shows promise, [spoiler]albeit his heroism is rather forced upon him.[/spoiler]

The story itself is rather formulaic and simple, but I have the feeling there's something deeper and a bit more complex below the surface. And it is just the introductory chapter, so I'm interested to see where it goes.  I wasn't sure of it to start with, but on finishing it, I find it a worthwhile introduction to that world, and I look forward to reading more.

Ranson's art is highly detailed and gorgeous as always.

Happy new year everyone!

I was slightly irritated after leaving the cinema last night to miss my bus home. My own fault.*

It kind of worked out though. If I'd caught the earlier bus I might have missed that lovely firework display on my final leg of the journey home.


*Note: when you see your bus pull up, and the bloke nearest the road happens to move, don't just assume he's about to signal it to stop.

Absolutely agree with that. I wasn't suggesting you were overreacting in your previous post. Just relating my own recent experience, which I found amusing.

Lots of bargains on comiXology at the moment. While a lot of it is superhero stuff, it's pretty good superhero stuff.

I got volumes 3 and 4 of Ms Marvel (the new version) which is rather sweet, and Astro City: Tarnished Angel. Astro city often do things a bit different with the superhero genre, but this noirish take on an ex-supervillain literal-hard man trying to stay out of trouble and do the right thing (which aren't always the same thing) is great. It's thoughtful, intelligent, and pulls just a little on the heartstrings.* And it's a nice little mystery story too. Love it.

*Big spoiler: [spoiler]I defy you not to be shocked by the final outcome of the Mock Turtle. After getting to know him and all he went through, there he goes. Brutally, between chapters. Ouch. It's some writing when you come to really like a villain.[/spoiler]

Watched/played Bandersnatch a short while ago. Very strange, very unusual and somewhat surreal. Got to the end, but I don't think I played out every eventuality. It did seem to end a few times then branch back, but I'm sure there are routes I didn't take. Different choice of cereal and song at start for example.

Something the programmer guy* said seemed to suggest [spoiler]it's the choices near the start that make the difference. Then again he also said there was no free will, but maybe that was just a clue to the fact the viewer is partially controlling his actions.[/spoiler]

*i know his face, but can't quite place where I saw him.

When I opened the latest Slaine volume it had a double-spread picture on the inside of the covers and first/last page in red ink of a bloke with a machine gun blazing away at what appeared to be a giant bug. I wondered for a bit if there was going  to be a time travel arc in the story, and the insectoid thing was actually an alien/demon, but I'm sure it's from one of the back-flash scenes in Kingdom. The bloke was human in a 20th century type suit, not an aux, but "GET OFF MY LAWN!" was a bit of a giveaway.

Doesn't bother me though, I have no intention of changing it. Tickles my sense of humour, actually. If the actual introductory/back-flash had been for a different book, then maybe I'd do something.

Aquaman

It was visually stunning but it was kinda cheesy in places* and somewhat predictable.

If my description above makes it seem more style over substance, don't let that put you off. A fairly simple story, but it had a good heart and it was loads of fun.

That's three decent films I've seen over the holidays.

* [spoiler]They actually say "once and future king" a couple of times.
[/spoiler]