Of Mice & Tharg

Saturday saw a dilemma. Not only was it my cousin's wedding day, but it was also FREE COMIC BOOK DAY at my local comic-book store (the marvellous Travelling Man in Newcastle). As my cousin was getting married at 11am, it was always going to be touch and go.

Then came the announcement; TM would open at 8.30am. Perfect. I'd get up, shower, shave, throw on jeans and a t-shirt, get myself into town. I'd get there on time - if not earlier - dawdle around the store and chat to the staff while I tucked into my free coffee and doughnut.

I did well, into town by 8.20, parked in a bay round the corner from the shop. Early, I stayed in the car for five minutes, then got out and walked round that corner. I'd expected to be first, but there were at least fifty people snaking down the street from the from door. Panic gripped my belly; would I be able to pick up a copy of Mouse Guard?

I did, of course. But where I'd expected to gain one free comic, I came away with thirteen different free titles. I bought a further two - it felt wrong to walk out with a full bag and not give anything back - including 2000AD (more on that later). As it was, the shop was packed, and I had to forego my coffee and doughnut as I was in a rush. I've no more cousins left to get married, so next year I should be a lot more relaxed (and be able to have a proper browse through all those 50p back issues...)

Much impressed me about that half hour, not just the hard-working staff. There was such a sense of community, "comic fans of the North-East unite!", a feeling of belonging to a group of like-minded individuals. Reading is something that's done in isolation, more often than not, and it's sometimes easy to forget that others do the same. Saturday, I was reminded that I belong to a group. There's no membership card, no badge (at least, not that I know of), just that love of imaginative ideas.

If you've read this blog before, you'll know I used to be into comics in a big way. That was twenty years ago, and Saturday reminded me of those times. It's good to know that, with all the technology that's come along in those two decades, the comic-book format still exists. My main interest back then was DC, specifically Batman; there was a film due out (Michael Keaton is Bruce Wayne??) and he was the superhero of choice following on from the legendary Dark Knight Returns. There was Watchmen, too - comics had grown up. But, as time passed, it felt like they grew up too much. It beacme about the art rather than the story (the two, of course, have to compliment each other), men and women drawn with disproportionate muscles, tits and ass. Too much for 'mature' me; I gave it up, to spend the money more wisely on nights out.

Before DC and Marvel, my comic of choice was 2000AD featuring Judge Dredd. It went through many incarnations in the late seventies and early eighties, combining with less successful titles such as Tornado and Starlord. It still thrives today, despite being twelve years beyond what used to be such a futuristic-sounding year; we'd all have flying cars by then, right? One of my free issues was 2000AD, and it contained a Ro-Busters story featuring Bax the Burner. Thirty years on, and I recalled it like it was yesterday. An Alan Moore story combined with Steve Dillon artwork, it's a classic (at least in my eyes), one that had me yearning for more. But guess what? The new stuff is good too. While the free issue showed accessible snippets, the latest issue is part-way through its stories. It doesn't matter; each one hooked me, and Judges Fire, Fear and Mortis are back.

I've grown up, but 2000AD has too. Creative, mature, intelligent, it's going to become a regular buy; my mum's going to pick it up for me when she does her big shop, just like all those years ago. It's the circle of life.

Oh, and my cousin's wedding was good, too.

Cyberpunk'd

Last time (longer ago than I intended) I mentioned I was reading William Gibson’s novel Neuromancer. Well, not content with that, I followed with the sequels Count Zero and Mona Lisa Overdrive.

I first read all three a shade over twenty years ago. They were futuristic then, and remain so today. The world of the ‘sprawl trilogy’ is one that still feels like it could happen a few decades into our future; frighteningly realistic, all Gibson didn’t predict is the expansion of the mobile phone (although one could argue that a deck is just that but on a larger scale, a sci-fi laptop) and the constant need for continual updates, one of which is probably running in the background as I write or you read.

Back then, Cyberpunk was my genre of choice, although it could be argued that its heyday was over by the early 90’s. Not only the novels, but there were also the role-playing games, such as Cyberpunk itself and Shadowrun. The latter combined cyberpunk and fantasy with brilliant effect (although the matrix was strangely dull, a conflict of colours and numbers that never truly gripped). Many Sunday afternoons were spent playing Shadowrun, and it remains my favourite RPG to this day.

A friend once said role-playing was a natural extension of reading, one where you could be the hero, affect the plot in a multitude of ways. Many nights in the pub have been spent reminiscing about the old times, talking about how we took on orc hordes, or had a bar fight with troll. Role-playing was a major part of my teens and early twenties, and would later be a reason to get all the lads together for a special occasion (my 40^th birthday is one I’ll never forget).

Books do the same. When I began Count Zero, I could remember where I was when I first read it; I could even recall one Saturday night when I ordered a pizza, and I’m sure I could smell it as I read. Very nostalgic. Not only that, but this re-read revealed more depths to the story than I’d originally thought; after all these years, it felt like a sharper read, the story lean and focused, so much more than just a variety of good ideas strung together.

That’s why I like books. Not only can they take you away from somewhere, but they can also take you back. People recall where they were when the Berlin Wall came down, I can tell you exactly where I was when I first read David Gemmell's Legend (loaned from the library one Tuesday afternoon in 1987, it went with me on a school trip the next day).

Writing’s the same. Although I’m less specific about dates, when it goes well, it feels brilliant. If it’s not going so good, it becomes a struggle, but once that’s bettered, it feels brilliant. So far this year, I’ve wrote every day, whether it be a line or a page, and the sense of achievement is great. It’s not just a case of putting pen to paper, or finger to key; the hardest thing is putting my backside in the chair to do either of those. With all of life’s distractions, it’s easy to put it off until tomorrow; I once read somewhere that ‘it’s easier not to write’, and that’s absolutely true. I might still have many episodes of recorded TV to watch, but I’ve finished editing my book and drafted two short stories. Guess what? It feels brilliant. Writers write, end of story.

Apologies For The Delay

If this blog was a physical book, I’d be taking it from the shelf, blowing dust from the cover and creaking the spine to get to the page for this entry. I’d like to picture it as a leather-clad, vellum filled tome, but at the moment it’s more like a cheap exercise book with a few doodles on the cover.

Three months since my last entry? That’s bad, I know, and I hang my head in shame, disappointed with myself. In my defence, though, I’ve been busy.

Last time, I said ‘watch this space’ as if there was some impending news. Now, three months on, approximately two months after the event, I can reveal that my short story The King Is Dead… was published in the British Fantasy Society’s Christmas 2011 Journal. My words. Printed. On real paper. I’ve not physically clapped eyes on it yet (it’s not the first thing to have been mislaid in the post), but hope to soon.

In the time since now and then, I’ve also finished my edit on Book 1 of Requiem for the Grey Man, so it’s now ready to tout into the world. The search for an agent begins very soon. I’m also almost done on my entry for Fantasy Faction’s short story competition, the winners of which will be published in an anthology alongside some of fantasy’s newest luminaries (check the website to find out who). What began as the twinkle of an idea I had months ago has morphed into something completely different; it kind of ran away with itself, but I’m pleased with the end result. Another read through, a few more tweaks and it should be ready. Fantasy Faction is a great site, one that’s come on leaps and bounds in the last year, and I’m honoured to be part of it.

Same goes for Starburst Magazine, which sees its first revamped print issue in just a couple of day’s time. Editor Jordan Royce is doing a great job, nursing the project from its infancy, to this and beyond. He’s got a great group of writers on staff, superb columns, reviews and great ideas. Pick up a copy at your comic shop or newsagent, maybe even subscribe, safe in the knowledge that you’re supporting a magazine that voices true and honest opinions of all things sci-fi. Hurrah!

That’s it for now, then. Sorry it’s been brief (better short than nothing), sincere apologies for the delay (now I sound like a train announcer), and I’ll endeavour to update on a more regular basis.

One last thing. I recently re-read William Gibson’s Neuromancer for the first time this century, and it’s still a book I’d recommend. It stunned me twenty years ago when I first read it, and has done ever since. The story, the writing, everything about it is brilliant. Just brilliant.

Dancing With Dinosaurs

Now there’s a title for a TV show. I can see it now – Anton Du Beke waltzing with a Velociraptor, while Ola Jordan performs the rumba with a Tyrannosaurus (although how well a T-Rex can dance with those tiny arms will always remain a mystery). BBC, you can have that one. How about Come Dino With Me?

Two TV shows have started in the last few weeks (there’s another, but I’ll get onto that one in a bit), one of which I’ve found is a massive disappointment, while the other remains entertaining from more or less start to finish. They are Terra Nova and Strictly Come Dancing, surprisingly in that order.

Frankly, it’s not right that a show involving a) time travel and b) dinosaurs while being c) executive produced by Steven Spielberg should be so bad, but when you can guess the plot twist IN THE PRE-TITLE SEQUENCE, you know it’s a show that’s not worth watching. Shame, as it has so much potential. I even watched Jurassic Park in an attempt to compare, but all that did was make Terra Nova look worse, while prove that – even after all these years – Jurassic Park is a mighty fine film. Strictly (as it seems to have been shortened to) is ideal Saturday night viewing, showing off a) amazing talent while b) having a good laugh.

So, the dancing remains weekly viewing, while the dinosaurs do not. That is something I never thought I’d say. Perhaps it’s my age, and I’m too old to be Terra Nova’s target audience. Saying that, I’ve stuck through a lot of series over the years – anyone remember Earth 2, Sliders, or Space: Above and Beyond? – which, while not being great, always had a hook to drag me into the next episode. Maybe it’s because The Walking Dead has also started, and it’s utterly brilliant. Its only real comparison with Terra Nova is that it deals with family, but in a much more mature and adult way. Which it will do, as it’s a gruesome, grown-up series, but the capacity for twee-ness is always a concern, one that The Walking Dead has – so far – been able to avoid.

“Shall I read Swamp Thing or Suicide Squad next?” That’s something else I never thought I’d say; twenty years ago, sure, but not in my 41^st year. The thing is, DC Comics have re-launched all their titles as first issues and pulled me back into the world of comics. What I thought was a marketing ploy was a very clever trick indeed; I’m only reading five titles (at the moment…) and I’m impressed with all of them. Comics were a major part of my life as a teenager (as were role-playing games), but they filtered out by the time I reached my mid-twenties. I read the odd graphic novel now and then, but that was about it. A couple of years ago, I bought Watchmen and it was as good, if not better, as I remembered. Other classics followed – Dark Knight Returns, Batman: Year One, The Killing Joke, some 2000AD collections – and they too have held up over the years. Nostalgia was what it used to be, and I was reminded of when I first read these works two decades ago. Marvellous.

I’ve always found reading to be inspirational, and comics are no exception. While it hasn’t been slaving over a hot keyboard that’s kept me away for so long, the good news is I’m at the final stages of editing the first novel in my fantasy trilogy (a page a day should see me getting it finished by the end of the year) and responses on a short story have been very positive indeed, so watch this space. No, this one.

 

 

Finally, a shameless plug. You can find my reviews on the Starburst and Fantasy Faction websites; two great sites that are well worth having a browse through. That's it for today - who knows, there may be another one before Christmas.

July already?

Well, yes. It is. half the year has gone, and I've been unemployed for almost 3 months now. When I was made redundant in April, I was tanned. Now summer's officially here, I'm sitting with a fleece on, doors and windows closed (although this may be due more to the dust flying around from the building work next door). Last night I was chilly. In bed.

Anyway, with this time of year comes the SUMMER BLOCKBUSTER, Hollywood's latest attempts to blow our minds (and the cinema's attempts to empty our bank accounts). I don't go to the cinema as much as I used to, mostly because I hate sitting listening to people talk amongst themselves - why they feel the need to pay a tenner so they can have a conversation in the dark in front of a huge screen is beyond me. I once said this to a group of people after watching The Blair Witch Project years ago, and they just looked at me like I was the insane person.

One of this year's summer blockbusters is Transformers 3. Admittedly, the trailer looked great in 3D (yes, I gave into that novelty to watch Thor. Decent film, and while the effects had their moments of brillaince, it did make me laugh when a cereal packet was placed in front of the actors to show the wonders of 3D), but it's not a film I'll be rushing out to see. I've seen the first one and it was more or less what I'd expected: er, transforming robots; that 'k k k k k k' sound; barely any plot; Megan Fox pouting; a big robot fight; an ending leading to an obvious sequel. Job done.

Yet so many were disappointed with it. What, you expected Shakespeare? It's a film about toys! For kids! Sit back, disengage brain, enjoy the spectacle for a couple of hours. Still, you could also argue that with the millions of dollars it cost to make, the film should have been better. Amazing effects do not a brilliant movie make, it didn't have the same theme as the cartoon, the audience shouldn't be considered dumb etc etc. Both sides have valid points.

And that's what's got me thinking, is there really such a thing as a bad movie? Of course there is, you're going to cry. I'd agree (films can be badly directed, badly acted, badly catered), but hear me out. What if, in 10 or 20 years time, the most moving, brilliant film ever is made. The director is asked "what was your inspiration?" He/she says "well, I saw Transformers when I was a kid and it was such a good idea executed so badly, it inspired me to do better." For, as we know, the best movie ever made will be sci-fi (but it'll take a lot to top Raiders Of The Lost Ark). Is it a bad movie if, in some tiny way, it inspires others to do better? I've often heard the saying, something is so bad it's good.

Yes, of course there's such a thing as a bad movie/book/TV show. What I'm trying to say is that they have their purpose. Greatness is there for us to emulate, while crap is there for us to rise above. And, even though some films/books are rubbish, they get made/published, and that's got to give us writers hope and inspiration, eh?

Well, that's me being philosophical, and hopefully articulate enough for you to get my point.
I know there may be varying degrees of 'bad', but I'm not going to to into that now. Instead, I'm off to Google a picture of a blue sky, enlarge and print, then tape it to my windows. Take that, crap weather!

And this is me...

...as Mike Yarwood used to say. (For those who don't know, Mike Yarwood was an impersonator who had his own prime-time show in the 70's. I used to love watching it as a kid, but now all I can remember is him saying "ooh, Betty" as Frank Spencer. And his "this is me" at the end, where he used to sing in his own voice. I can't recall if he was actually any good or not, and I don't want to shatter my rose-tinted lenses.) Anyway, I digress.

After years of procrastination, I've finally got round to starting a blog, of which this is the first entry. And now, as I sit at my keyboard, I'm trying to remember all the witty comments I'd thought of earlier (how you would have laughed!) but my mind's gone blank, and I'll surely remember them as soon as I post this (so it bodes well for future entries).

One thing I must apologise for is my use of (parentheses). I've no idea where that's come from, as I never use them in my normal writing (not yet, anyway). Writing tip for the day, then, is not to get (parentheses) confused with [brackets]. Here endeth the lesson.

Ah, writing. It's what I love to do, which makes the delay in starting this blog all the more mysterious. I've been putting pen to paper - or finger to key - (ha, no parentheses there! aw, damn!) since I was in school. Back then it was stories about how myself and my friends saved the world from zombies, methods of their despatch based on whatever dodgy VHS copy we'd watched that week. And so it continued: for too many years I started what would be the next best thing, and never finished it. Fast forward 20 years, and I had a short story published by the fantastic Pantechnicon e-zine, which sadly no longer exists (although I might show the short in a future blog). It gave me the confidence to crack on with a novel, which has expanded into what will be a trilogy. I'm halfway through my latest edit of the first book, and then I'll send it off to agents and publishers, sit back and write for the rest of my life. For such is the plan, possibly with a rural retreat in France added into the mix.

So, that's me (briefly). There'll be more later, I'm sure - the last thing I want to do for my first blog is infodump about my age and vital statistics, although it's safe to say I'm a bit curvier than I used to be...

Before I do go, I'd just like to say Terminator 2 was on Sky1 last night and it's still fantastic. I've never seen the third one or the one with Christian Bale, and am perfectly happy with that state of affairs, thank you.