Friday 29 April 2011
If you could fill all the guest spots on a quiz format comedy panel show with your friends and acquaintances, who would you choose and for which programme?
It would be Never Mind the Buzzcocks, and my team would be me, Drew Davies and PJ Montgomery, as they know their music well and we have good banter. Also, presenting would be either Simon Amstell or Josh Groban, as they were both hilarious and hot.
what's your top 5 horror movies?
1. Alien
2. Dawn of the Dead
3. The Ring (US)
4. Blair Witch Project
5. Paranormal Activity
If you could eliminate one thing you do each day in the bathroom so you never had to do it again, what would it be?
Brushing my teeth. It always feels like it's taking up too much of my time, and if my trips to the dentist and tooth sensitivity is anything to go by, apparently for little results. If they could make a toothpaste you apply once and never had to use again, leaving you with forever strong teeth and gums and fresh breath, I would be a happy man indeed.
If you could have a super power, what would it be?
Does it have to be just one? Hmm, well flight is hard to pass up...it would save me thousands in train tickets. Or possibly shapeshifting, to the atomic level. Then I could do pretty much anything.
What website do you spend the most time on?
Hmm, probably Thingbox or BleedingCool to be honest. One to talk to cute guys, one for geeky news
Any plans for May Day?
No plans other than writing. I hope to get a good chunk of the last quarter of The Pride done, if not finish it.
Who's your favorite character on The Office?
I have never watched The Office, so I don't have one. That being said, there's a guy in the American The Office who is incredibly cute.
Tuesday 19 April 2011
formspring.me
Seriously, no one ever asks me anything on here. I forget I have it! So swing away! Ask me anything http://formspring.me/comicsdude
Which Alien do you really hope they bring back in the new series of Doctor Who (which starts Saturday) and which alien do you really hope is forgotten and never mentioned again?
I've never seen classic Doctor Who, so this isn't a good question for me.
Favorite Single Issue of any comic series ever!
God, I have so many. But perhaps one that sticks out in my mind just now was an issue of Uncanny X-Men. I forget the issue number, but it musta taken place before the Phalanx Covenant. Basically, Gambit is confronting a seemingly primitive Sabretooth (who had lost his memory and personality after being stabbed in the brain by Wolverine). Gambit is angry over a previous encounter they'd had years before where Sabretooth killed his lover casually saying 'whoops' as he drops her off a bridge. Before Gambit can hurt him, or make him remember who he is, Storm intervenes. The last page is the best, as Storm walks out of the Danger Room where Sabretooth is being held. Alone in the dark, he mutters 'whoops'.
Loved it, in part due to some stunning pacing and composition by Joe Madureira, and also the smart use of sound effects in the last page; as Storm walks away we g a 'clik clak clik clak' of her shoes, showing how echoey the hall is, but also creating a strong sense of foreboding. The issue was brilliantly timed and executed, and was the first one to come to mind when you asked that question.
Who is your best friend and how did you meet him/her?
Drew Davies, my friend and co-writer on Stiffs. I met him in school as a teenager, around the time I was coming to terms with my sexuality. He's the best and most supportive friend I've ever had.
What was your favorite TV show as a child?
God, I had so many. Power Rangers would probably come out as my most favourite if someone looked back at my past. Though I wonder what the hell I liked about it now
If you had to cook dinner for someone tonight, what would you make?
If we were to ignore how late it is now...I'm pretty good at making a lemon-infused Roast Chicken dinner, with roast parsnips, potatoes, peas...probably that.
What's your favorite city?
Oh, tough one...I can start by listing the major cities I have been to: London, Cardiff, Birmingham, Sheffield, Manchester, Leeds in the UK; New York in the US, and Paris in Europe...and that's about it. Favourite? Hmm, I'd normally say Cardiff, I've always grown up close to it, it's a city on a small scale; but that may be cheating as it's almost home to me. Birmingham would probably be my next choice, though I'm finding I have a growing soft spot for London these days.
Do you believe in ghosts?
Yes, though I don't think of them as lingering spirits so much as echoes. I think that the presence of a human being and our own intrinsic electromagnetic fields can create imprints on the spectrum of the world around us. As such, when someone sees a ghost, they are seeing an echo of someone previously in that spot, whether that person is now alive or dead. I think that's why when people claim to have seen ghosts they're often doing something mundane like having a walk, or like, cleaning dishes or something; you're seeing echoes of past actions.
Do you believe in life after death?
Hmmm...yes, I believe I do. Don't ask me what it entails, because that I truly have no answer for. But I am positive that there is more to existence than what we have now when we're alive. That being said, the possibility of life after death or reincarnation gives no one liscence to be an ass now.
Star Trek or Star Wars?
I'm more of a Star Trek man myself, brought up on The Next Generation. Until I was 11 all I wanted to do was join Starfleet.
Who's the most overrated actor?
Ricky Gervais. He doesn't act, he plays himself wherever he goes, and sadly, himself is anoying and NOT FUNNY! I just don't get the appeal
If you could become any fictional character, who would you be?
Dorian Gray. Forever youth and composed of incalculable wit and charm, and a dark side no one knows :P
What's the most delicious meal you've ever had?
Possibly a Thanksgiving dinner I had when I was in America...it was just so different
If you could be on one TV show which one would it be?
Glee...so I could sing my guts out and dance my tits off...because I am a SUPERGAY that way
Do you need anything moistened or... made soggy? (Intended to be a Dr Horrible reference, but I realise it just sounds like the grossest proposal. NEVER MIND)
OMG until I recalled where I'd heard that before I was totally mouth agape shocked face! LOL. But no, I'm good just now lol
Monday 18 April 2011
What rule do you find yourself always breaking?
Don't get fanboyish around my favourite comics creators. Consistently keeps happening.
What was the worst movie you've ever seen?
Wow, I've seen a lot. Umm, Anti-Christ. Definitey. It was just horrible, non-sensical torture porn in the most literal sense, and the only message it seemed to have was "don't trust women, they're all murderous, child killing whores". I found it incredibly misogynistic and controversial for controversy's sake.
Monday 11 April 2011
Kapow Comic Con 2011
This past weekend so the inaugural Kapow Comic Con in Inslington, London, UK. The brainchild of Mark Millar, the living hype-machine-spin-god (imagine that Kirby design for a second, will you?), creator of such high-octane and lauded tales as Wanted and Kick-Ass; this con was supposed to be the UK’s San Diego Comic Con (something which caught the attention and ire of the MCM London Expo). Millar’s stated idea was to create something with importance on the UK con calendar that would see big announcements, previews etc, like the American cons. And from Saturday to Sunday, we got to see if he managed it. In a word: No. Now, I’m gonna get back to this later, but bear with me while I try to review a weekend which has seen a lot of booze in between. Now the con absolutely was a lot of fun. And yes, there were some major announcements indeed. In fact, Millar himself announced four new creator owned series’ each with a stellar artist, like Dave Gibbons, Frank Quitely or Leinil Yu, all of whom were in attendance. We also had Marvel announcing several new projects, and hint at a couple of things that made me personally squee (in fact, my friend and colleague PJ Montgomery was recording podcasts for the Sidekickcast guys, so there’s a good chance you will actually hear that). There was a fantastic turn out of people, and all seemed to be a good and enthusiastic crowd. The energy of the con was high, and it was amazingly well organised for a first time con, though there could stand to be a few improvements. Why doesn’t it match the aim of a UK SDCC? Simple: size. It was nowhere near as big. And the announcements would really need to be a lot bigger and more far reaching. Could this come in Kapow 2? Sure, I daresay in fact it will. But for the size part they’d need a new venue. It would be a shame to lose the Business Design Centre in Islington, as it was a beautiful venue and well-spaced for what was there. But if Millar really wants to hit SDCC sizes, he needs more room to breathe and grow. There were a couple major downsides that I hope will change for future iterations of this con, if it happens again. Firstly, it was terrible for new, small press or indie creators. There were a handful about, to be sure, but tables were incredibly expensive. Many creators from that area I spoke to felt that they weren’t being catered towards, in favour of bigger names and draws, and that’s a shame as the UK indie comic scene is awesome at the moment. So maybe next time something could be done about that. Also, there was no Artists Alley, and most artists at the big signings didn’t have tables. I left with no sketches. This has never happened after a con to me before, so that’s a terrible shame. Maybe halve the size of the IGN arena (which was really unnecessarily sprawling) to include one? Similarly, I only managed to get one signature. The big name signings had to be queued for for ages, and often the creator would only be there for an hour. So fans who wanted to try and see more of the show and not just stand in lines for two days were left in the cold. Giving each of the big name creators an option of their own table too could resolve this. Similarly, whilst queue times were listed on the timetable, they were not enforced. So if you played by the rules, you often found yourself unable to enter the panel you wanted. The Thor and Movie X panels were a sign of this. Finally, I’d argue that the ‘Movie X’ panel was a let down. That it was advertised as the premiere of a major superhero ‘summer blockbuster’ movie had most thinking Thor or X-Men: First Class, only to find on Sunday that the film had an 18 certificate (bye bye, kiddies) and was indeed Super. Whilst this may be a good film (I quite fancy it) it is by no means a ‘summer blockbuster’. Maybe Millar’s talent for hyperbole got away with him there, but the atmosphere at the con in concern of this movie was discernibly disappointed. Now, suggestions for improvements aside, it does not mean it was a bad show. Quite the opposite, it was a great show! It just could be better. And hopefully next year it will…and you can bet I’ll be there.
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