A Love letter to Doctor Who

When I was about 12 years old my parents took me and my younger brother to Blackpool for a weeks holiday. Bastards.....horrible place. For those of you who read this blog outside of the UK and may have no understanding of this seaside town situated on the west coast of England, well, consider yourself lucky. 

The town encapsulates everything I dislike about the notion of a 'traditional' British seaside town with its 'kiss me quick' hats and endless tacky live shows featuring z-list actors who once appeared in a soap that your mom used to watch in the afternoons. If that wasn't enough, to further add to the holidaying 'pleasure' there are the endless array of cheap rides, tourist merchandise stores and slot machines all wrapped up in a nauseating aroma of candy floss and an array of cardiac arrest inducing 'food'. Yes, you may gather that I never liked the place. 

Now I don't want to sound like some ungrateful snotty nosed schmuck who made his parents lives hell for not taking him on holiday to somewhere more likely to satisfy his desires. I know that they didn't exactly have a potful of money to splash around for my desired destination that actually contained some genuine sunshine and culture, so in between my periods of perpetual sulks I did try to enjoy myself as much as I could. I know, I'm all heart. 

As things turned out, after spending a few of days in this hellhole there was indeed one thing that had peeked my 12 year old geeky interest. This thing was a particular exhibition on the ironically named 'Golden mile' which runs along the Blackpool seafront. The Golden Mile, in essence, is a mile of unrelenting 'fun houses', slot machines, fortune tellers, tasteless tourist shops and a plethora of other brain numbing enticements designed to part the eager tourist from their money. In other words, it's not very golden, No, it's bloody horrible.

However, there was one exhibition concerned a particular obsession of mine that by this date in 1980 had also well and truly become not just a British institution, but also had morphed into a genuine worldwide phenomena. This meant that without doubt visiting The Doctor Who Exhibition Blackpool was the one and only thing that I wanted to do on that visit......the only thing at all......the one thing that was going to keep me sane for the week in that holiday hellhole.

Let's face it, the home grown scifi landscape in 1970s and early 1980's Britain was pretty grey and drab relying on the likes of the good doctor, Blake's 7 and, er, well that's about it really. Even the few other shows that did make it to national television quickly floundered, often due to the reluctance of the organisations to spend more than £2.75 on pesky little additions like sets, authentic aliens and special effects. By the early 1980's Doctor Who was too suffering under the BBC's unwillingness to invest in what had become a potential worldwide syndication goldmine. Instead of showing TV based scifi the respect that it deserved the budgets for each series became steadily less, and as a consequence so did the audience figures. 

Yet the core audience continued to stick with the series through thick and thin until that same core found itself (me included) fighting the short-sightedness of the BBC for 16 long years until the triumphant return in 2005. By now the TV and technological landscape had changed immeasurably beyond recognition. Scifi was now no longer being treated by the powers-that-be as some sort of embarrassment to be hidden away on the late night schedules. Finally, the Doctor Who universe was given the financial respect that it had always deserved.

In my time I have experienced ten Doctors, beginning with Jon Pertwee and god knows how many Doctor's companions (though only Janet Fielding is important....). I know, I know, any serious blogger worth his salt would do a little research to count the number of companions and then list each and every one in alphabetical order in an effort to make his/her articles truly authentic and accurate. Well I've been in this blogging lark for a few years and I'm not about to start to get my facts completely correct now - in fact sort of nearish the mark on a clear day is good enough for me. The point that I'm trying to make is that the good doctor, apart from a number of years when the BBC made one of its many customary shamefully idiotic decisions in cancelling the series, has been a constant companion since my earliest of childhood memories. It's been special, very special.

For some reason it is rather nice to know that we will all have our particular favourite Doctor, often being the one of the first that we first encountered and grew up with. Though the redoubtable Pertwee was my first and also featured in my favourite ever story to well and truly scare the living breath out of me (see below), it must be said that the one I think of as 'my own' has to be Tom Baker....so good, so very good. Whether it was Bakers' charm, knowing smile or the 'I know something that you don't ' look in his eye that immediately drew him to me, well I'm not sure. All I know that he for me is synonymous in the part and nobody has ever come quite close to matching his own particular portrayal  - though I have to admit that Peter Capaldi is getting close......very close indeed.

If I had to nail down my top five Time Lord related things, well they would look something like this;

1) Favourite Doctor - Tom Baker

2) Favourite Doctor's companion - Tegan (Janet Fielding) by a country mile.

3) Favourite bad guys - apologies for being unimaginative, but it's always been the Cybermen......scary little buggers.

4) Favourite story - The Planet of the Spiders

5) Favourite Doctor's companion - Tegan (Janet Fielding) by a country mile.

Yes I know I mentioned Janet Fielding as Tegan twice, but I really had no choice. The early 1980's were a strange time for me for a number of reasons, often magnified by the fact that I was about to enter my teens and, well, we all know what that means.........ahem. While it is fair to say that Peter Davidson was always going to struggle in following in Tom Baker's magnificent footsteps, for me he never quite achieved a level that would put him in the upper pantheon of 'great Doctors'. However Davidson's tenure, in particular between the years 1981 & 1984), included one factor that will forever keep in in the forefront of my own personal favourite Time Lord lore......

It's probably something of a good thing (both for Janet's state of mind and for my legal team) that the Internet, and with it the delights of social networking, didn't exist in those heady days of the early 80's. I'm far too much of a gentleman (no, really) to go into details, however all I will say here is that the very very lovely Tegan was responsible for an endless array of teenage fantasies in this here blogger......sorry about that, Janet. Well at least I couldn't ply you with endless emails and requests for signed photos beginning with " My dearest, Stuey....."

Hmmm, that reminds me to find Jenna Coleman's contact details...........................

The resurrection and subsequent renaissance of the series, has resulted in a very different feel in the shows featuring recent regenerations of the good doctor. Gone are the days of shaky cardboard filming sets and less than convincing polystyrene aliens with the BBC seeing the error if their stupidity and actually spending some meaningful money to make an authentic science fiction series. Eccleston was fine, Tennant at times was brilliant, Smith though I found difficult to warm to whilst Capaldi's casting has proved to be nothing short of genius.

Anyhoo, getting back to that less then enjoyable holiday experience. After seeing the outside of the exhibition on the first day there immediately became nothing more important in my little world than for me to visit it. Yes, even back in those day it was all me, me , me....my egocentric behaviour has often been a little wayward to say the least. So, "what was this exhibition thing?" I hear you ask. Well, according to tardis.wikia.com. The description is as follows;

"The Doctor Who Exhibition Blackpool was located at 111 Central Promenade, on the busy Golden Mile, a prime location for visitors. It ran for 11 years until the lease on the building it resided in expired. Through a TARDIS-shaped entrance visitors followed the exhibition through a range of various displays of props, costumes, and models towards a working prop of the console room with console, before reaching the shop at the end. Displays were regularly updated with new exhibits as new stories were aired and also included a display of small scale models of landscapes and spacecrafts. Davros, Daleks, Cybermen and K9 were among regular exhibits."

Sounds good, eh? The problem was that it wasn't until the the 4th day of the holiday that I even knew the exhibition was there and by that point I had spent the whole of my weeks allowance. Well what can I say? I was young, single ....... and had spent my time attempting to eat the equivalent of my own body weight in burgers, hot dogs & Cherry Coke. I knew how to live. It was going to take every ounce of my charismatic winning charm to persuade my parents to lend 'sulky boy' money for the Doctor Who experience. I know, I was in deep trouble.

As it turned out, my task to get the necessary funds (I can't for the life of me remember just how much it was) was far easier than I thought it would be. My dad simply responded to my whining request by stating that there were two conditions; Firstly, that I immediately changed my sulky ways and stopped wandering around with a face like I'd been slapped with a wet fish while muttering " I wanted to go to Spain" under my breath. Secondly, that I take my younger brother along with me. If I agreed to this then he would like me go to the exhibition on the the morning of the day we returned home. Even though my brother had never bothered to watch an episode in his life and was something of a cry-baby if truth be told, I said It was a done deal and discussions were sealed with a bag of fish & chips.

The day of the visit finally arrived with my dad walking (marching) me along the golden (sic) mile, while my mum was left to do the packing back at the holiday apartment - which seemed a good deal to the both of us. The day before I had managed to purloin a brochure of the exhibition and had planned with meticulous military precision just where and how much time I would spend in each area. At the same time providing an inciteful and entertaining commentary in order to educate my younger brother. This also nicely fitted in with my parents instructions "not to spend the whole bloody morning in there!" as we were on a strict timetable and my dad could only drink so much coffee while waiting for me - there was no chance he would want to come in to see the exhibition, lets just say that it wasn't his scene.

So in I went in trough the Tardis-like entrance and paid my money with a feeling of almost overwhelming excitement. We rounded the very first corner to be met with a room full of life-sized and VERY loud Daleks threatening to all sorts of exterminating to ourselves. My brother screamed, I almost wet myself in fear and we both ran at lightening speed through the corridors of the exhibition until we reached the exit...... and a very surprised father who hadn't even had the chance to light his first cigarette. 

"How was it?" he asked.

"Rubbish and not worth the money" I replied, at the same time silently agreeing with my brother that we would never tell the world that we had been too scared shitless to stay. Well until now that is.



This article can also be found with a great deal of other goodies on the 5D. The Fifth Dimension website at http://stuartandrew86.wix.com/fifth-dimension?_ga=1.199674286.1864646412.1375958493

King Falls AM. Episode 8: Electrolocaust Now

You may not be aware but there has been something rather special happening over the last few months here in Internetland. Unfortunately I'm not talking about the 5D. The Fifth Dimension blog winning an prestigious blogging award. Heck, I would even settle for a not-very-prestigious blogging award - and no, I'm not still bitter about losing out to the 'Fun things to do with bus tickets blog' in the recent AltaVista search engine blog of the year awards (North East Scotland Divisional preliminary round play-off decider). I also thought that a couple of the judges comments about my blogging efforts were a little unfair. I mean, since when have self-indulgent, narcissistic, shallow, childish humour actually been bad qualities?

No, the special thing that in fact has been happening is the increasing public interest in the exploits of a certain radio station located in the secluded mountain town of King Falls U.S.A. The reason that I know for a fact that the late night talk show on King Falls AM has been steadily and inexorably gaining more and more listeners is two-fold. Firstly, and most importantly, they have been named a New & Noteworthy show for three weeks running and have even come close to breaking the top 100 in the comedy section. 

The other indication that Sammy & Ben's show is quickly on the way to gaining worldwide domination is reflected in the ever increasing number of views here on 5D for each King Falls AM article. Now I know it's unusual for me to ......ahem.......talk a little a self-indulgently......."cough"...... , but the simple truth is that the total views so far for Episode 7: Major Tom to Ground Control were a whopping THREE times higher than for any other broadcast so far.

The article can be found RIGHT HERE if you want to have a looksee and also listen to the episode if you have 14 minutes or so. I would love to think that the ever increasing views of my King Falls AM articles were largely due to the articulate, incisive and witty writing of yours truly, but of course once again I would be deluding myself, which strangely enough was another comment that the blogging judges made.

No, I have to acknowledge that the upturn in the radio broadcast articles owe far more to the content within each podcast, so far we have had ghostly sightings, mythical lake monsters, Werewolves and possible extra-terrestrial abductions - to name but a few. Not only that, but Episode 7 saw the temporary re-emergence after a high profile disappearance of local man, Tim Jensen.

Anyhoo.......the much anticipated 8th episode is now available for you good people out there to listen to. In Episode 8: Electrolocaust Now, Sammy & Ben have planned a tribute to King Falls AM's resident jazz legend Chet Sebastian, however an impromptu, and selective power failure, takes out most of the station's broadcast tools, leaving the boys to fend for themselves.

Here is the link for Episode 8:

http://traffic.libsyn.com/kingfallsam/KingFalls_s01_ep08_master_v02_mixdown.mp3

This is another excellent podcast episode that once again has an enjoyable mix of comedy and the supernatural and I'm sure that listeners will continue to enjoy the wonderful chemistry between Sammy & Ben. However, I'm not sure if Ben's singing escapades may need to repeated, sorry Ben my friend, but I think Travolta's portrayal of Danny Zuko is still safe for now!

Well done people, great stuff as always!

iTunes:

As I've already mentioned , the people at King Falls AM are continuing to make a BIG push on iTunes in order to further improve on being named a New & Noteworthy show for three weeks running and coming close to breaking the top 100 in the comedy section.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/king-falls-am/id1016760065

In an effort to make the most of us being new to iTunes, they are continuing to push for reviews, ratings & subscriptions. It'd mean a lot if you could send in a review and help them in their climb towards iTunes "New & Noteworthy" charts.

Anyway,  if  any of you good people reading this want to help to promote the show and the King Falls AM station, just send Sammy a message and they'll converse with you and plug and all that happy jazz. Sammy can be reached on Twitter through his handle at @KingFallsSammy

You can also locate the show itself on Twitter via @KingFallsAM

The Facebook page for King Falls AM can be found RIGHT HERE

The Map of Chaos - Felix J. Palma

Welcome, dear reader, as you plunge into the pages of our final melodrama, where fresh adventures await you even more astonishing than the last!

Before embarking on this story, be sure to go onto the end of the book, where you will find the cast of characters who will accompany you.

If time travel and Martian invasions were not enough to quicken your pulse, you are invited to venture into a world inhabited by ghosts and other monsters of the mind.

You may wish to reconsider before reading on. However, it is my duty to warn you that if you lose courage, you will never discover what lies beyond the world you think you know....

........So the welcome section explains in one of the most extraordinary books I have read for some time. However, my reading The Map of Chaos almost never happened.

The reason as to why I almost missed out came initially when I was contacted by Scribe Publications UK telling me that in August Spanish author Félix J. Palma, the New York Times bestselling author of The Map of Time and The Map of the Sky, returns with the final instalment in his bestselling, award-winning trilogy. The good people at Scribe then asked me if I would be interested in reviewing it and well to be perfectly honest, I was reluctant to do so. Quite simply, I hadn't read the first two in the series and being a man whose time is increasingly precious and taken up with any number of important blogging responsibilities. I simply didn't have time to read them before looking at the third one. However, after reading the welcome section above, in particular the last sentence my interest was not only piqued, it well and truly felt challenged. Besides which, it wouldn't be the first time that I would have read books out of chronological order......Lacking courage, Moi???!!!

My reluctance was further diminished when I was assured that I could safely read the book without having any prior knowledge of the previous plots. I decided to take up the authors challenge, though not before doing just a small amount of research (there I go again sounding all professional-like with that 'researching' stuff) and finding just a brief summary of what had gone before.

The first of the series, The Map of Time, is an imaginative multi-structured storyline which brings together a collection of real and fictional characters from the Victorian era. Here we find weaved around murder mystery and time travel, a narrative that links a heartbroken lover of a victim of Jack the Ripper, but also a Victorian feminist who yearns to free herself from her social shackles and live in a time where she can be truer to herself. Finally, we also find the writer, H.G Wells, who is desperately attempting to save both lives and literary classics being wiped from existence. 

If you add to that mix, a haunted house, well blimey, it's hardly brief on varied narrative is it?

The second instalment, The Map of the Sky, is another multi-strand chronicle that blurs any distinction between fiction and history; we have one story involving the writer Edgar Allen Poe as an arctic explorer who encounters something very John Carpenter-esque in the frozen wilderness, our friend H.G. Wells once again appears and who this time is living out his very own literary fight against a Martian invasion. If that wasn't enough, there is also there's a healthy dollop of Ray Bradbury inspired storytelling. Again, it all sounds rather brilliantly insane.

So what, pray tell, is the final book about?.......well......

In The Map of Chaos........... " The world teeters on the brink of disaster, and salvation can only be found in 'The Map of Chaos', an obscure book that the Palma's mysterious protagonist is desperate to find. In his search, he is given invaluable help by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Lewis Carroll, and by H.G. Wells, whose Invisible Man seems to have escaped from the pages of his famous novel to sow terror among mankind." 

At well not too far short of 600 pages, as I've already alluded to, there is a huge amount of inter-connecting storyline to fit in. It starts of with a delicious prologue story featuring H.G. Wells and Charles Dodgson (Lewis Carroll) in a battle to save humanity. Then in the first chapter we begin to witness the other main character of the book, Inspector Cornelius Clayton, who is battling with the loss of the woman he loved after solving a series of brutal supernatural killings. However, soon he comes into possession of the fabled novel, The Map of Chaos which will not only see him battle with more nasty and other-worldly forces, but will also see him cross the paths of old H.G, as well as a host of other classic luminaries.

In essence, The Map of Chaos simply has to be read to be believed. Please do not be put off by the prospect of a multi-layered storyline. Yes it is complex in parts but it is quite simply a wonderfully textured and layered piece of writing that not only makes for an ingenious plot but also brings alive the real and imagined characters with at constantly sparkling and witty dialogue.

Palma is clearly a lover of all things Wells and Victorian science fiction (as am I) and he infuses the proceedings with a genuine authentic style and panache to both the language and the feel of this spiritualist era. Add to that a rather delectable slice of Steampunk infusion and you have perhaps the most enjoyable read that I have experience in a long, long time. This is a book, and especially the style of the expansive plot line, that simply shouldn't work - but believe me, it really does. I read this book in three glorious days, it was a shame to have to come back to reality though as soon as I did I immediately ordered the first two books in the series. 

Scribe Publications are publishing this as an e-book only release in August, the novel has already got a heap of favourable reviews since its release in the States. 

So who is this Félix J. Palma fella? 

Well, it seems he has been acclaimed by critics as one of the most brilliant and original storytellers of our time. His devotion to the short story genre has earned him more than a hundred awards. 

The Map of Time, his first book published in the United States, was an instant New York Times bestseller and received the prestigious 2008 Ateneo de Sevila XL Prize. It has been published in more than thirty countries. He is also the author of the critically acclaimed The Map of the Sky. Palma lives in Spain. 

To find our more about to order the ebook and information about this wonderful trilogy then check out the following links;

You can find out how to order the book via the Scribe Publications UK website at https://scribepublications.co.uk

The Facebook page for Felix J. Palma can be found at https://www.facebook.com/FelixJPalma?fref=ts

Tailypo (2015) - A short film from Cameron McCasland

Director: Cameron McCasland

Writer:Cameron McCasland

Stars:David Chattam, Joseph Aguon Drake, Ranger

Score: Thomas Berdinski

Tailypo, Tailypo. Gives me back my Tailypho!

Sometime last year, April 2014 to be precise, I was able to watch and review a remarkable debut slasher film, The Lashman, from Cameron McCasland. He and the rest of his team managed to take a well known formula produced a film that felt like a genuinely sympathetic throwback to the classic era of the slasher movie, an era before the insufferable sequels and trips into space made the genre a pale parody of previous greatness. If you have the time, inclination and keys to escape from your padded cell you can read the review RIGHT HERE.

Cameron must have been okay with my article because soon after he foolishly accepted my Facebook friend request. As you know, this here blogger has an insatiable desire to mask his own failings by hanging on to the coattails of those far more driven and talented than himself, thereby basking in any potential glory that they might achieve. Some may call it shallow and superficial behaviour, I prefer to call it intelligent thinking with the use of smoke and mirrors.

This week during my daily routine of Facebook stalking I noticed that Cameron is currently seeking reviewers, blogs, youtubers, etc. for a sneak peak to review his new short film, Tailypo. It was suggested by him that if anyone was interested, or knew someone who might be, to contact him with their website details and/or tag the person that they think might be of interest.

Well of course I knew of one blogger who would not be able to resist this offer in a month of Sundays and would no doubt do a faultless and entertaining job of a review article. However that person was't available so I thought I would do it myself........ I immediately had two thoughts (which is one more than I usually have each month); the first was that I would be more than happy to watch something else from this new aspiring writer/director and so I promptly requested that he forward on the super secret online screener to watch. The second thought was "Just what the bloody hell is a Tailypo???!!!"

Well, according to the wondrous (and even sometimes correct) fountain of knowledge that is Wikepedia;

"Tailypo is a frightening ravenous cat-like creature of North American folklore particularly in Appalachia. Alternate names include: Taileybones, Tailbones, Taily Po, Tally Po, Taileypo, Tailey Po and Tailipoe(sies). Most often (and especially in older adaptations) the Tailypo legends are simply titled "Tallyho."

The Tailypo is usually described as being the size of a dog, with yellow or red eyes, pointed ears and a long tail. In some versions of the folktale, it has tufted ears like a bobcat, It is covered in black or dark brown fur to camouflage its nocturnal activities. Its claws are its main weapon. The Tailypo can speak like a man, and demands the return of its tail (the actual phrase varies between versions, but is always repeated, usually three times): "Taily-po, Taily-po...who has my Taily-po..."

The story is almost always set at night in a heavily wooded rural area. The events could feasibly occur at any time period, given the isolation and atmosphere of the tale. The main events occur in a dilapidated log cabin deep in the woods where a hermit and his three dogs live."

Well you learn something new everyday........

Cameron on set, doing his director schtick....

As with any local legend there tends to be an almost limitless number of variations of the narrative that evolve over the years. In this latest rendition of the myth Cameron McCasland has produced a version that varies ever so slightly from the ones that I've been researching (I know, its a dirty word for this here blogger), whilst still keeping the core charm and chills of the ghost story.

In this version, Levon is a hermit living alone in a run down cabin deep in the woods with only his dog, Jasper, for company. Sadly, things are not going very well for Levon and Jasper, with decent food being scarce and so one morning they leave the cabin to go looking for something to hunt in order to eat something else besides beans. The problem is that he hasn't actually seen much wildlife in the area for some time, a situation that is unusual to say the least. Nevertheless, things are getting desperate and needs must. Levon thinks his luck is in when he sees a creature in the distance through the trees and shoots at it, though only whinging it in the process. However he has managed to shoot off its tail - and that can be eaten. Though, it is a type of tail of a creature that Levon has never seen.

Later that day, Levon cooks the tail and after a rather enjoyable meal, settles down for what he expects will be a good nights sleep with a unusually full and contented belly. However, things are not quite going to go as planned for Levon and Jasper....because the Tailpo wants his tail back..........

At just under 14 minutes in length, Tailypo is a hugely enjoyable reworking of a folk tale that as been passed down to frighten generation after generation. David Chattam is very good as the unfortunate hermit who only wants to eat something else besides beans but instead incurs the ire of a mythical beast.

Tailypo, Tailypo. Gives me back my Tailypo!

The tension, despite the limitations of the restriction running time of the film, is slowly and nicely increased throughout, with the final few climactic scenes providing a genuinely effective chilling experience. Nicely filmed and nicely played. 

The film is beautifully filmed throughout with the external woodland scenes in particular providing a very effective and evocatively desolate atmosphere with the internal cabin scenes feeling appropriately claustrophobic. I think I'm correct in saying that it was filmed in the same location in Kentucky as The Lashman, at the wonderfully named Copper Canyon Ranch which  is located 15 minutes north of Hopkinsville, KY.  Owners Carole and Tim Emery have built the CCR from the ground up for over three decades. Copper Canyon is a completely built western town replicated to the 1880's era and decorated inside and out with furnishings of the 1880s. 

As well as being open to visitors wanting to experience a little of the old west, Copper Canyon Ranch has been featured in Hollywood style full feature film productions as well as music videos.

The score was written by Thomas Berdinski (as he also did for The Lashman) and once again the music perfectly accompanies and compliments the proceedings. 

The only negative aspect was that the brief appearance of the Tailypo itself isn't quite as effective as it could be and detracts a little from the chilling effect. However this is only as minor quibble as McCasland successfully makes up for this shortfall with the clever filming and lighting of the particular scenes.

All in all Tailypo is a solid and effective take on an a traditional folk tale with enough chills and thrills packed into its short 14 minute running time - very enjoyable.

The Facebook page for Tailypo can be located at https://www.facebook.com/Tailypoterror?fref=ts

The Tailypo IMDB page is at http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4523570/?ref_=ttfc_fc_tt

Writer/director Cameron McCasland can be reached on Twitter via his handle @CamMcCasland

King Falls AM - Episode 7: Major Tom to Ground Control.

In the past couple of months King Falls AM, a local radio station in a sleepy mountain town in the States, has been steadily creeping it's way into the wider online listening consciousness. I not sure whether there is actually such a thing as a 'wider online listening consciousness' but it sounds good to me, and if it's not a thing then I hereby demand patent and copyright ownership right now of the term so that I, and only I can use it - well if that Taylor Swift chap can go ahead and do it (whoever he is) then so can I .....

Anyhoo, the radio station brings us a healthy coverage of the local paranormal activities on the late night show hosted by the redoubtable Sammy Stevens and his erstwhile producer and co-host, Ben Arnold. In some of the podcasts so far we have had ghostly sightings, mythical lake monsters, Werewolves and possible extra-terrestrial abductions - to name but a few. If that wasn't enough to satisfy one's radio podcast appetite, then add the usual mix of comedy that comes from the excellent presenters and also the weird and wonderful local King Falls inhabitants themselves who ring into the show. The result is a 15 minute episode that I simply couldn't do without. Even if I wasn't blogging about the show I would still be listening to them (trust me, I'm a professional), it really is the funniest thing I've listened to in some time. All the episodes produced so far can be found in previous posts within this blog, with my favourite article so far (if I do say so myself.......well nobody else is going to) being the interview that I was immensely lucky to get just a short time ago with the two presenters themselves. The link for that particular article, which also includes the first few episodes, can be found RIGHT HERE.

The latest slice of King Falls AM goodiness is in the form of episode 7 and is called  'Major Tom to Ground Control' and was for released just a day or so ago. I usually have the episodes slightly in advance of the main release but on this occasion I was on a top secret special forces mission for the government this weekend and is simply something that I cannot talk further to you about. So for now I'll just use a mundane cover story that involves me having to decorate the interior of my house which meant no access to my Mac.......and just who would believe that??!!

In this week's podcast, the boys at King Falls AM receive a phone call from a familiar voice that sends the show, as well as the residents of King Falls, into a uproar. 

Here is the link for the show:

http://traffic.libsyn.com/kingfallsam/KingFalls_s01_ep07_MASTER_v03b_mixdown.mp3

It's another funny and exciting episode which proceeds to shed a little light upon a recent disappearance of one of the local populace as well as continuing the showdown that the presenters are having with those in the community whose paths they have crossed. 

iTunes:

As I've previously mentioned, King Falls AM are making a BIG push on iTunes - You can tell that it's a BIG push as I used capital letters. The station's show has been named a New & Noteworthy show for three weeks running and have even come close to breaking the top 100 in the comedy section. 

In an effort to make the most of them being new to iTunes, King Falls AM  are continuing to push for reviews, ratings & subscriptions. It'd mean a lot if you could send in a review and help them in their climb towards iTunes "New & Noteworthy" charts......... and eventual world domination.

The link can be found at https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/king-falls-am/id1016760065

The team have also informed that they're "super interactive on the Twitter side". I know, I know - I've never in my life used the term 'super anything' but maybe I should get down with the kids more......as they say. Hmmm, maybe I should scratch that idea, I'm not too sure whether the term 'getting down with the kids' could be misconstrued from a legal standpoint.

Anyway,  if  any of you good people reading this want to help to promote the show and the King Falls AM station, just send Sammy a message and they'll converse with you and plug and all that happy jazz. Sammy can be reached on Twitter through his handle at @KingFallsSammy

You can also locate the show itself on Twitter via @KingFallsAM

A new comic from Planet Jimbot: App-1

Well, well, well. Another week and another bold proclamation made in the general direction of 5D Headquarters. The boast came from non-other than comic book writer, Jim Alexander, who told me that; "Planet Jimbot has a new book out; a super-hero comic with a difference. I know you've probably heard this a thousand times before, but ..." Hmmmmmm, well as you know I can never ignore such brave (some would say foolish) claims without regarding them as something of a personal challenge. After all, In my never ending refusal ever to 'grow up' (whatever the hell that actually means) I have read during my life (and will continue to do so) my fare share of comics. As an obvious consequence, I have encountered more superheroes than I could shake a piece of Kryptonite at. 

Jim is indeed correct, In that I have heard the claim a thousand times before and occasionally, just occasionally, the claim can turn out to have some merit. So bearing this in mind I decided to do a little more research and find out for myself. I say 'find out for myself' because the vast complex of 5D headquarters is a little empty at the moment due to my loss of another cheap lacky assistant after her shoddy and unrealistic claims of overwork, no pay and few breaks (she had 15 mins a day for crying out loud). I cannot comment, for legal reasons, on her final reason for leaving being due to my request that she perform her research activities in a specially bought Princess Leia outfit. My legal team is currently working on a response to that totally unfounded claim, just as soon as they finish dealing with the other restraining orders.

Anyhoo, back to this 'super-hero comic with a difference'. Jim A was kind enough to send me an electronic copy of the first edition of App-1. Here's a brief synopsis of the story.....

"In a world overrun by terror,  despair and monsters, three kids cling on to the belief that there once existed a champion of good, a super-hero now gone and all but forgotten. Despite the dangers and sheer hopelessness of the situation, they decide to go in search of the super-hero once known as App-1."

When reading App-1 #1 one can immediately see why this comic is indeed a little different to many others. The book is written by Jim Alexander (Samurai Jack, Penguins of Madagascar) with stunning art by Eva Holder (Bad Tooth), Conor Boyle (Dead Roots) & iella (The Ugly Duckling). Perhaps the most noticeable element of this is the way that the reader is transported along three distinctly different time periods through the course of the first edition; the Present, the Recent and the Past. As one works ones way through the comic the reader begins to discover how all three stories are connected as we ask the question, how can a world protected by a super-hero at the height of his powers end up being taken over by monsters known as Bogeys?!

The present takes place in the first story, Tongue Lasher, which is written by Jim Alexander and contains artwork by Eva Holder. 

The Present is a time when the world has been overrun by monstrous Bogeys, one of whom we are introduced to immediately, the aforementioned 'Tongue Lasher' who is about dish out some of his/her/it's own brand of 'Bogey justice' to one of the poor locals. 

Meanwhile, best pals Erin, Briony and Jonathan risk staying out after curfew and facing the ire of the Bogeys. However Erin in particular dreams of another who could possibly help them in their time of need, but where is he?.......

I have to say that this is a lovely innocent, almost whimsical opening section in which the artwork and dialogue perfectly captures the bleakness and hopelessness of the situation that the world depicted finds itself in. However at the same time there is something of a quaint and traditional feel to it all which perfectly encapsulates the 'Doctor Who' sensibilities that Jim Alexander told me that he was attempting to convey in the story. He does this very well.

The Past comes next (of course it does) in the issue with the story, ‘Above Us Only Sky’ which is written by Jim Alexander, with the artwork this time by Conor Boyle.

In the past we see a glimpse of the hero in action together with an interview with App-1 from back in the olden days when he was at the height of his super powers. There is no hint here of the tortured soul we encounter later in the time line, here we are introduced to a supremely confident and charismatic superhero who is reminiscent of every clean-cut comic book champion of the young and innocent.

Sandwiched between the two parts of the episode from the past is a magazine interview with the celebrity that App-1 has now become, which is a very nice touch in which we learn a little more about the personal ethos of the superhero - in between him trying to plug his latest book, that is. 

In fact we see that while he may well be a well-meaning protector of the world, he is in fact, well very nice, but ever so slightly dim with his touchingly insipid celebrity-speak remarks. I love the part when he attempts to describe the ethos of his book; "It’s my personal vision of how I see the world and all her peoples growing and coming together. 'People synergy’ is what it is."

The artwork for the past by Conor Boyle is vibrant and rich, perfectly mirroring society's optimism and self-confidence in this time period.

The final segment in issue #1 is The Recent past, which is again written by Jim Alexander and with the artwork on this occasion coming from iella.

This Monsters origin story in dealing with how the Bogeys come to be is perhaps my favourite of the three time line sections. We see now how the once mighty hero has by now encountered some hidden inner torment. He is not only questioning the level of goodness within him, but also is terrified by the darkness that seems to be slowly engulfing his soul. Enter a Einstein/Freud scientific figure intent on helping the not-so-now-super hero.

As the section progresses it cleverly reveals the shocking truth as to how the Bogeys came to prominence. I know everybody always says this, but I certainly didn't see the fabulous twist coming at the very end - brilliant!

To put it in straightforward terms, this is a sensational first issue! Apart from the sparkling dialogue from Alexander and the quite beautiful pictorial work by the various artists, the strength of this story is the clever use of the separate time lines. In using this method of the different time periods it means that the reader is neatly steered away from the normal linear method of story telling and so results in a decidedly different kind of satisfying experience.

The use of a different artist for each section is another clever touch which serves to give each time period a distinctive character and feel of its own; the past, in which App-1 is at the height of his powers, is appropriately richly coloured and textured to heighten the optimistic feel of the time line. In contrast, the present takes on an entirely different look in which the look, whilst still vibrant, nicely captures the loss of the hope that once abounded.

I believe I'm correct in saying that App-1 is a three-issue series that takes us through this tri-time sequence in which we will eventually discover how all three stories are connected as we ultimately find answers as to how a world protected by a super-hero at the height of his powers end up being taken over by monsters. I for one cannot wait for Issue 2.......'cough'.........signed copy please, Jim......'cough'.......

Yes, yes, Yes. I admit it. Jim Alexander was indeed spot on with his boast that App-1 is a comic book with a difference.

App-1 is available to buy at the Planet Jimbot shop: 
https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/241056959/app-11

Planet Jimbot can be contacted on planetjimbot@gmail.com

You can follow Planet Jimbot on Twitter @Planetjimbot