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So, another UD thread. Sorry. But this one has a specific purpose. To celebrate the upcoming paperback release of Button Man : The Killing Game lets have one of our own. A Killing Game.

The idea is that those that want to play start a new character. They list that characters name, and what type of character it is. Although they can be called whatever they like their description must start with TKG so that we have a clear identifying marker. We then have to hunt each other down and keep on killing until their is only one player left. Deaths are reported here.

When a character dies that's it, they can't come back as a zombie, they are out of the game and lost forever, no matter how they die. However if you die before the winner is announced you can start afresh with a new character.

It's an excuse to have a Player Killing Rampage but only amongst a select few.

Anyone up for this?

I liked it just the way it was. Lovely.

God I've missed this site. You know, I've had to like...read...and stuff since it's been down. I went for a walk on Wednesday. To Wigan and back.

I know there are a few fans out there - Byron amd Tips and others I think - but for those of you that haven't seen Larry Davids sublime 'Curb your enthusiasm' you need to watch it. Now.

Series 5 has just been released on D.V.D. and having watched the first 8 episodes there are some classic moments. Wanda remains a favourite characters, and there are some brilliant concepts in this run. New moments to savour include Larrys bingo skills, befriending a sex offender, being friend o' lesbians, and owning a racist dog.

Like most intelligent American comedies you won't get to see this on terrestrial television, Curb has suffered a worse fate than even Larry Sanders and Seinfeld but it's one of those rare things that worth actively seeking out. Best sitcom since Father Ted? Probably.

Start with Series one which hits dizzy heights with the obituary to a beloved aunt and finishes with a hilarious episode set during a meeting of an incest surivors group. Buy it, and curb your enthusiasm today.

And to explain the clip, Lerry wants to smuggle his bottled water into a cinema, so he tucks it into his belt...

Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-B3oC6yWY0A&mode=related&search=curb%20your%20enthusiasm%20larry%20david%20wanda%20sykes%20cheryl%20hines" target="_blank">Mommy...the bald man is in the bathroom...

Bong! True love flourishes in Sudan

Link: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/4748292.stm" target="_blank">Over to you, Chad.

Well, we are. Origins is here and there's more goodness on the horizon.

I've just read that Beeb 4 are planning a series of 6 documentaries based on classic sci-fi series such as Blakes 7, Survivors and...er Tripods. There'll be episodes broadcast amongst them and Blakes Junction 7 will be screened as well (now how's that for a co-incidence, chat peeps?)

As well as that D.C. are publishing 4 collections reprinting Jack Kirbys Fourth World series in the order of publication. Everything. In colour. On lush paper stock. With never seen material.

Alright, so L.o.E.G. t.B.D. has been delayed but you can't have everything.

There's always been plenty of Blackflames 2k novels in the big old Waterstones on Deansgate but I noticed they'd got rid of most of their stock last time I went in. When I was looking for their first Anderson Psi novel (got the second) the other day I spotted the Cabals novel amongst a few copies of their latest releases. With me working that night and needing something to pass the time, and with Cabals withdrawal symptoms kicking in I bought it. I didn't have high hopes but I've got all these books so far and I do so love the series.

You have to read the small print to relaise this is a tie in novel. From a quick glance you'd assume it's part of Blackflames generic horror series. The back cover blurb blows a twist that takes place around page 180 thus removing any tension and mystery that it may have held. Nice one.

In Mike Wilds favour he's clearly familiar with the strip and the characters. He proves it regularly by referencing every single story up to the point that the story is set. In detail. A substantial amount of the word count is dedicated to telling us what we already know about the characters, just in a less interesting way than it was told last time.

Ethan Kostabi gets a 9 page chapter to himself. 7 of them are spent recapping his story so far. And after introducing him in so much detail he's never seen again.

Not only that but past characters and locations are featured, and work less well this time around. As a one off character The Brigadier was fun. Making him a supporting character in the novel labours the joke. Returning to Wenley Moor and the Abraxas Research Lab is at least justified by the plot but to have Ravne despising them because of what they do just seems wrong. I seriously doubt he'd give a toss that they're motivated by money.

The novel starts with a prelude that, in a sign of what's to come, establishes mood, hints at the plot and describes the location and then throws the good work away by bringing in every member of Department Q and slowing the action down to describe them all.

We then get a series of unlinked chapters introducing pairs of characters. These work to varying degrees and whilst the research is spot on the characters are not quite there. Apart from every single characters making constant pop culture references (Ravne makes a Bill and Ben reference, The Brigadier is familiar with the films of George A. Romero, a 65 year old recluse makes comic book references, Ness talks of the Doom Patrol).

The Cabals seem to be sketched in with little convincing depth. It's not that Wild doesn't try to get under their skins but it's a shallow portrayal Most misjudged sequences involve Ness caring, even a little bit, about his team mates and later thinking something along the lines of "We fight demons but the government go to war on false pretences. In this sick society who are the real monsters? Aaaaaah".

Wild tries throughout to mimic Gordons style and technique and falls at the last hurdle each time. I can't say why setting part of it in Motley Hall doesn't work when it was acceptable to set previous stories at Hobs End. I can't say why having a thinly veiled Derek Acorah clone doesn't work but a thinly veiled Tom Baker clone does. Maybe I'm being unfair.

And the whole thin is unecesarily tied into continuity again when Micheal Magister plays a pivotal role. I can't help feel that was a mistake, it should have been a stand alone story. It's not like it's going to ever be acknowledged in series continuity so why weigh the story down by linking in with it.

It's not bad really but that's about the best I can say. Not bad really. But this is Cabals, and not bad really doesn't cut it. It's readable but and doesn't make any major mistakes but these books can do more. The Durham Red books explored the world they were set in and I ended up appreaciating the series more. The Dante ones are great fun and show an understanding of the characters, the world, and the rules of the strip. This just sort of happens and then stops happening. Rather like the plot.

And yes, Gordon, there are vampires in it.

Just found this site on Myspace, it's a group for fans of British comics. A quick check of the membership reveals a few familiar faces and whilst it's probablt a deliberatly kept secret I'm going to blow that by letting you all know. Mwa hah hah a hah

Link: http://groups.myspace.com/BritishComicStrips" target="_blank">Enter...

In the Times tomorrow. Worth a punt. Great film. And they advertised in 2k when it was in the flea pits.

Anyone else gullible enough to subscribe to the new Lord of the Rings chess set partwork. I used to play chess fairly regularly as a kid and though I've let it slip I've always wanted a nice chess set to encourage me to play again. Not that I was ever that good...

Anyway having just finished part three in my occasional Rings reread this looked attractive. First impression is that the magazine is as glossy, shallow and empty as you'd expect it to be and the figure is okay but benefited from my being able to pick one with a nice paint job. Still, only 31 fortnights left...

Warning - does not adhere to core concept and makes fun of capes!

Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqAUUTsap6U" target="_blank">Oh Yes! Wyoming!

A mate and I were going to stop on another mates flat in London on Wednesday night. Tickets were bought, anticipation was mounting. And now, out of the blue, we need to find somewhere to stay. Any suggestions?

Doesn't mean we go around commiting hate crimes...

Just tried to order a pizza and found myself scuppered by the phone blokes lack of basic spoken English. I had to repeat things at least 3 times to be heard and repeatedly correct the bloke. After 8 minutes I asked if I could speak to someone who speaks better English. Please Hold. Eventually...

Manager - Hello Sir, is there a problem?
Me - I'm trying to order a meal.
Him - I believe you insulted out phone operator.
Me - Did I? Oh, sorry. What did I say?
H - You said he wasn't English.
M - I said...I asked to speak to someone who speaks better English. Is he English?
H - That's not the point. Pizza Hut do not tolerate racist abuse.
M - What? I wasn't abusive. I said please.
H - He was very upset. He's only just learnt English.
M - And you put him on the phones...?
H - Sir, We reserve the right to refuse service to abusive customers.
M - I wasn't abusive. It's taken the best part of ten minutes to take my order.
H - He sometimes has difficulties with thick accents.
M - Do I have a thick accent?
H - No, sir.

Long and short of it...I'm banned from Pizza Hut. Not clear if it's just this branch or all of them. It's getting to the point where I'm going to have to compile a list of places I'm not welcome.

The change of producer from Gary Russel (off of the Famous Five) to Nick Briggs (voice of the Daleks and the Cybermen) has brought some interesting changes to the upcoming Who releases. None of which are relevant to the board but I thought some of you might be interested in who is writing their upcoming 100th release...

Stephen Baxter.

I'm not averse to off topic posts but I know there are some who don't like seeing personal posts and to those I apologise. But hey, it's only one post.

I've just realised that it must be around 5 years since I started posting here with any regularity. Blimey is all I can say. Don't know what's the most staggering - the fact that I'm still not banned or the fact that others have been here longer!

And tomorrow is mine and Nicky first anniversary. Again, shocked not to have been kill-filed...

There are some artists on the fringe of the Nerve Centre who I would love to see much more often. Adrians Bamforth and Salmon spring readily to mind. There are other artists who are no doubt busy doing their own unique thing that I'd love to see do more for Tharg. Carl Critchlow and Roger Langridge are the two that I thought of first. There are other classic droids who have moved on for one reason or another that it would be a real treat to see again. Massimo Belardinelli and Bryan Talbot, anyone?

But there's one artist who hasn't been part of the Art Droid brotherhood who really should be by now.

Martin Geraghty was the chief artist on Doctor Who Magazines strip from about 1996 to 2004. He drew the majority of the McGann starring strips and his work has recently been collected in two sumptuous collections.

Now that nice Mister Collins is the regular artist Martins comic work isn't being seen anywhere regularly and he'd probably be a great asset to the comic. Please, Tharg, if you're not familiar, have a flick through 'Endgame' and 'The Glorious Dead' next tiime you're in Ottakers comic section and have a look what you think. Great, great artist.

I believe he was offered a Dredd story a while back but was too busy. I also believe he's back in the fold to read Origins...so this a guy familiar with the comic, with lots of experience under his belt but with a look that's unfamiliar to a lot of the Squaxx...

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/1905239440.02._SS500_SCLZZZZZZZ_V52785233_.jpg">

in a CIRCUS!

A nice enough cover if a little trad and lacking the originaity of some over the last few months. Still don't understand the logic of a cover announcing the last part of a story but I'm not Tharg and neither is my Wife.

Dredd - Rennie and Holden. So it was always going to be good, and it is. Another story that looks like it's laying groundwork. It's about now that I'm starting to want to see some of these potentially recurring characters to start recurring before it gets too much.

Red Seas - So much fun, this series. Nice character moments, lovely dialogue, well paced action, and an ending that pulls the rug out from under the heroes and had me laughing out loud. I'm enjoying this story and this series and with things like this and Cabals still ongoing it's proof of how creatively good 2k still is.

The V.C.'s - This is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning. I'd happily have this series as an annual feature so stopping now, and at this point in the story, is an interesting decision. This is a series that when collected might win over some of the doubters. Volume 1 - the G.F.D. series. Volume 2 - Books 1-3 of V2. Volume 3 - Books 4 and 5. Get these out without a long wait between books and there's a chance for strong sales.

London Falling - I liked The Scrap, I liked From Grace. I liked this. These mini-series make a nice change from epics and ongoings, and are generally more satisfying than 5 one offs. Tharg promises more, and soon and I'm glad. Plus, as far as I know, we knew nothing about this and the next story and it's nice to be surprised. As tantalising as Stickleback and Stone Island sound something out of left field can be just as welcome.

For another month Waterstones have a 3 for 2 offer across all sci-fi and fantasy books, including Black Flame 2k novels and Rebellion Graphic Novels. Just thought I'd point that out.

So what would you have in a Massimo Extemo? I'd bung The Dead in, and the first episode of Ace Garp can be read as a stand alone pilot episode so that would be another seven pages. I don't know if there's any Blackhawk or Flesh episodes that could go in as a short burst. The M.A.C.H. 1 from Prog 3? He did some lovely Slaine but that's been reprinted recently. A selection of his one offs, maybe with the Gaiman story to gain extra publicity. An overview article would be nice.

Drool now.http://www.newsarama.com/dcnew/Sept06/W_S/LOEG_BlackDossierCVR.jpg">