Personal Picks Episode Four - Science Fiction & Fantasy Features

A futuristic lawman patrols the streets.

A robot contemplates the First Law.

A giant pink octopus looms overhead.

It is time for my personal picks.

Welcome this edition of Personal Picks. Octocon is coming up this weekend so I thought we'd listen to some science fiction sounds and fantastically cheesy tunes.

(You can check out this playlist on Spotify).

"Michael Rennie was ill the day the earth stood still

But he told us where we stand
And Flash Gordon was there in silver underwear
Claude Rains was the invisible man
Then something went wrong for Faye Wray and King Kong
They got caught in a celluloid jam
Then at a deadly pace it came from outer space
And this is how the message ran

Science fiction (uh uh) double feature..."

1) Science Fiction / Double Feature - Richard O'Brien

2) Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots - The Flaming Lips

3) Starman - Seu Jorge 

4) Mulder and Scully - Catatonia

5) Over The Rainbow - Israel Kamakawiwoʻole

6) Dracula - Gorillaz

7) Never Ending Story - Limahl

8) Magic Dance - David Bowie

9) Liberi Fatali - Nobuo Uematsu

10) Science Fiction / Double Feature (Reprise) - Richard O'Brien

Well that time of the week where I have to go. I think I left something on the slab! While I go look, check out these science fiction stories and fantastical features.

Recommended reading: 2000AD, Saga, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?

Recommended viewing: X-Files, Better Than Us, Russian Doll

A Little Bit Out There: Darin Morgan's X-Files

Since it is coming up to Octocon, I kind of got in a science fiction mood. I have just finished the excellent Better Than Us (more on that at a later date) and fond myself in a nostalgic mood. X-Files sprung to mind immediately but I wasn't in the mood to binge 218 episodes and two movies. However, the thing I like about X-Files though is that there are several "monster of the week" or standalone episodes to dive into that don't require further viewing so that became the plan. Being a big fan of Darin Morgan's work on the show, I decided to focus on his and a few of the other funnier episodes. I don't think Darin Morgan's impact on the show can be overstated. He took the show in funny and different directions and didn't allow it to take itself too seriously. My favourite comment about his writing comes from co-lead actor David Duchovny who commented, "what I loved about his scripts was that he seemed to be trying to destroy the show." Morgan contributed to one story ("Blood" from season two) and wrote six more but I am going to focus on my three that I enjoyed the most from the original run (the first nine series). I'll try not to be too spoilery.

Clyde Buckman's Final Repose (Season 3 Episode 4)

Peter Boyle stars, in an Emmy Award winning role, as Clyde Buckman, an insurance salesman and a psychic, who is able to see how people will die. Boyle plays the role of a wise-cracking but world weary Buckman to perfection. This episode shows Morgan's ability to highlight the character differences between Mulder and Scully. While Mulder is aghast at Buckman's apathy about his powers and treats him as an X-File, Scully shows sympathy towards the man. Watching the story progress, you would tend to side with Scully and Buckman, who sees the ability as a curse. The episode also lampoons psychics with the appearance of the Tremendous Yappi, a TV psychic, who even Mulder finds fraudulent. It is also the first appearance of Scully's dog Queeqeg.

War Of the Coprophages (Season 3, Episode 12)

A screwball comedy that lampoons War of the World's hysteria about alien attacks with a story about cockroach attacks that causes similar hysteria in a small town. Once again, Morgan highlights the differences between Mulder and Scully. Mulder chooses to use his day off to investigate UFO sightings while Scully is distracted with everyday diversions like cleaning her gun, washing the dog and reading a Truman Capote book. With every new death that occurs, Mulder interrupts Scully's evening with wild theories about the victims being killed by cockroaches only for Scully to provide rational explanations. The story mocks the X-Files' wild conspiracies only to come up with a wild one of its own. 

Jose Chung's From Outer Space (Season 3, Episode 20)

Author Jose Chung (played by Charles Nelson Reilly) is looking to create the first ever "non-fiction science fiction" (a nod to Truman Capote, who the writer is modelled on, and his non-fiction novel, In Cold Blood). He is interviewing various people about an alleged alien abduction. Scully, an admitted fan of Chung's work, agrees to participate but Mulder feels that the resulting book will further mock an area of investigation that he feels is ridiculed enough. The story features a foul-mouthed sheriff whose swearing is hilariously replaced with words like "bleep" and "blank". It also features Scully performing an autopsy on a man in an alien suit. The resulting footage appears in Dead Alien! Truth or Humbug?, an alien autopsy video. The title references Morgan's story Humbug and an actual alien autopsy video that was shown on Fox. (The Tremendous Yappi appears as the host). The video was recorded by a character named Blaine, who longs to be abducted so he doesn't have to get a job. There is also Roky Crickenson, a man who wants to turn the abduction into a screenplay, who is visited by two "men in black" who try to scare him off (portrayed by Jesse Ventura and Alex Trebek). There's much more than this but I don't want to spoil. My favourtie aspect though is Chung's telling Scully some of the other people's side of the story, which include Scully uncharacteristically physically threatening Blaine (an aspect repeated to a much larger degree in Bad Blood). I consider this my favourite episode and so was delighted that Chung returned in sequel in Millennium called Jose Chung's Doomsday Defense. I'd actually love to read Chung's books and really enjoyed the extracts from both episodes. He has some entertaining philosophies. 

A list of Darin Morgan episodes:

• Humbug (X-Files, Season 2)
• Clyde Buckman's Final Repose (X-Files, Season 3)
• War Of the Coprophages (X-Files, Season 3)
• Jose Chung's From Outer Space (X-Files, Season 3)
• Jose Chung's Doomsday Defense (Millennium Season 2)
• Somehow, Satan Got Behind Me (Millennium Season 2)
• Mulder and Scully Meet the Were-Monster (X-Files, Season 10)
• The Lost Art of Forehead Sweat (X-Files, Season 11)

Personal Picks Episode Three - Mid-Autumn Festival (Moon Festival)

 

The clouds break in the night sky.

The moon makes an appearance.

A child wonders if there is a man up there.

It is time for my personal picks.

Welcome to this edition of Personal Picks where we are celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival or Moon Festival. So grab a mooncake and have a listen to these moon themed tunes. 

(You can check out this playlist on Spotify).

"You saw me standing alone 

  Without a dream in my heart 

  Without a love of my own..."

1) Blue Moon - The Mavericks

2) The Killing Moon - Echo & the Bunnymen

3) Man On The Moon - R.E.M.

4) New Blue Moon - Traveling Wilburys 

5) Moon River - Audrey Hepburn

6) Bad Moon Rising - Creedence Clearwater Revival

7) Moonshadow - Yusuf / Cat Stevens

8) Walking On The Moon - The Police

9) Moonlight Shadow - Mike Oldfield

10) The Whole of the Moon - The Waterboys

Well the moon has been up there for a while so it is probably getting time to hit the hay. Maybe you'll have time for some of these lunar literature and looks.

Recommended reading: Moon Knight, Sailor Moon

Recommended viewing: Moon, A Grand Day Out, Sailor Moon 

Calling An Audible, Upcoming Events

 

Calling an audible - To change plans at the last minute based on newly revealed information. (An expression I have mostly heard in wrestling).

When I have re-started the blog, the plan was a post on Monday, about whatever, and a post on Thursday or Friday, on my music picks (I think I'm migrating that to Thursday). The purpose of this was largely a mental health things as my brain will be happy I am doing some writing and the music episodes are fun puzzle to solve. Anyway, today's post was going to be about why I love wrestling but my music picks kind of took over. I decided that I needed to have a few of those posts in the bag in case something came up so I had this week's one in the can as it were. However, I realised over the weekend that this week sees The Mid-Autumn Festival (or Moon Festival) so I wanted to mark it by having an "episode" on songs that had "moon" in the title. This was a pretty simple task. My policy is to pick songs on the theme that I actually like and getting ten was very easy for this topic. It was actually a lot of fun rediscovering songs and artists (a general comment I have on all the playlists). I have the playlist and post for that ready. My other policy is to listen to the playlist to see if the songs work and if they need to be shuffled around. I have done this but I think I'll do that a couple of more times this week. Problem solved: I simply move the other topic to the following week. Nope.

As part of my planning, I decided to have a running list of future episodes with maybe a few song suggestions to get my brain started on them. One topic I had in mind was science fiction and fantasy to commemorate Octocon. Over the weekend (again!!), I looked up the dates of the convention (it's 9th, 10th and 11th) and realised I needed to move back the one I had already planned again and create another new episode. The sci-fi / fantasy one was actually a little more tricky. As I have said, I want to pick songs I enjoy and not just pick ones that fit the theme. I picked a few that did but they kinda made fun of the topic so I dropped them (I may include one in an episode I am planning of songs that make the cut for the episodes I posted). Yeah. Episode Four ended up being tough but I think I have ended up with a fun and appropriately nostalgic episode. Of course, I need to listen to the playlist a few times before posting. I'm hoping the Octocon attendees get a kick out of it. In summery, working on the picks (and a thing for ICN) ate up my writing time and enthusiasm. 

Speaking of Octocon, I will be involved but I am not allowed to talk about it yet. They are all busy making sure that everybody and everything is in place before making announcements. I am pretty bummed that we won't be getting a physical convention. I know it can't be helped but I always enjoy meeting up with my convention buddies and talking about whatever comes to mind. I think I may write something about my involvement afterwards. I need to do a bit of research beforehand... I'll see you guys on Thursday for some moon music!

Personal Picks Episode Two - Super People And People

Someone shouts "Look up in the sky".

A man in a red cape flies overhead.

A young child looks up from his comic book to catch a glimpse.

It is time for my personal picks.

Welcome to this edition of Personal Picks where we celebrate the extraordinary and the ordinary. The super powered and the everyday people. I am hoping this week's list will lift you up while you walk around.

(You can check out this playlist on Spotify).

First up, Bonnie Tyler is holding out for a hero. He's gotta be strong, And he's gotta be fast. And he's gotta be fresh from a fight.

1. Holding Out For A Hero - Bonnie Tyler

2. Spider-man - The Ramones

3. Common People - William Shatner

4. Superman - R.E.M.

5. Partyman - Prince (from Batman (1989)) 

6. People - Gorillaz

7. Superman (It's Not Easy) - Five For Fighting

8. The Man of Metropolis Steals Our Hearts - Sufjan Stevens

9. Normal Person - Arcade Fire

10. Superman Theme - John Williams

Well the Bat-signal is in the sky so that's my cue to leave. See you next time. Same Bat-time. Same Bat-channel. in the meantime, check out some radioactive reads and wonderful watches.

Recommended reading: All-Star Superman, Spidey, The Wren

Recommended viewing: Superman (1978), Spider-man: The Animated Series

Journey Planet 51 And Reflections On Writing

Journey Planet 51 was released in August and features my latest contribution to the magazine. However, I only noticed it was out in the last few days (Facebook never seems to show you the posts you need to see). Anyway, I thought I'd write about it and my writing, or lack thereof, in general. Working with Journey Planet came about through my friendship with James Bacon and the fact that he seems to enjoy my writing on Irish Comic News (I certainly enjoy his). With that in mind, the first subject was a great fit for me: an issue about Judge Dredd. James asked for a review of Michael Carroll's Judge Dredd story The Third Person. (Check out Journey Planet 39 to read that one. I'm pretty happy with it). Cut to a while later and James sent me on the topics for some upcoming issues. I reply with a few ideas, they were given the green light and I went about writing the first one. This ended up being If My Calculations Are Correct, The Fairy Tree Did It for their Magical Places issue (the aforementioned issue 51). It didn't take me more than a day or two and a few drafts to get it done. In completing that and working on some others, it made me realise some things about me as a writer: 1) I need a deadline and 2) I need limitations set down, be it subject or length or whatever. (Note: this causes a lot of downtime for Irish Comic News where I talk about what I want and have few deadlines)

Jump back to a few years to when the Comics Lab were doing regular meetings in the Liquor Rooms. For those unfamiliar with these meetings, they involved talks from creators, some creative games involving everyone in the audience (most if not all of the audience were creative types) and a chance to chat with new people. On one of these evenings, they announced that there would be a Comics Lab Anthology called Specimen. Each story would have some connection to that title and would be three pages long. With those limitations, my brain kicked into gear and I instantly came up with an idea. Over the years at conventions, and even more so at the Comics Lab, I had gotten to know writer / artist Brian Burke so I decided to ask him to draw my story. I dropped him a mail and, since he hadn't come up with an idea yet, we started working on my idea. Working with an artist meant, in my mind, creating harsh deadlines for myself. We went back and forth and pretty soon got it all worked out. It was so strange. Even though he had far more experience, he took all my ideas on board, while at the same time adding to them. We ended up not really even having a script. It was all in e-mails. So my first story was done and published... kinda. Our story appeared but my name did not. So if you have a copy of Specimen, mine is the one with Brian's name on it. The point of this story being that if I'm given constraints like the subject, story length or having to get ideas to the artist, my brain works better. This held water a couple of years later when I did a comic course. The result is I now have another story written that may see light if the right anthology shows up and I find the right artist. I'm pretty confident it is good as I got Hugo Boylan to have a look and he helped me polish it up. If you are looking for an editor, hire Hugo!

Back to the now. So, as I have said, Journey Planet 51 was about Magical Places. When I read the subject, I instantly thought of fairy trees. Growing up in Ireland, you would read the odd story about roads being diverted to accommodate them. Silly stuff? I'm not a superstitious guy but, on this particular thing, I would air on the side of caution. Maybe it's genetic or just deeply routed in the national (and my) psyche. Anyway, the story in the piece is true: I heard that DeLorean was brought down by a fairy tree and the story came from a tour bus driver. Upon reflection, I may have heard before but I can't be sure and I think the tour bus aspect is fun. Being a science fiction fan, I had to write about this story. So I did a bit of research on the DeLorean company and tried to find more online about the tree, and there was more. I'm actually a little proud of that story. It's fun and it fits in with the rest of the magazine. They picked some lovely photos for the issue and there's a nice picture of a faery tree for mine. I better go work on some more and maybe e-mail an artist on a story idea I have.

http://journeyplanet.weebly.com/journey-planet/journey-planet-51-magical-places

The Secret Life Of Cows: Never Judge A Book By Its Title

I think I've said before but I don't really read new books. I tend to go for proven classics and tend to go for fiction. However, I am also a sucker for bookshop purchases. I was in one of Dublin's well known establishments when I spotted not one but three books in the top ten section. I was unsure about picking up The Secret Life of Cows but I perused the foreword by Alan Bennett and it piqued my curiosity. 

In the book, Rosamund Young goes into the personalities and the family history of her cows, telling various stories about them that, she argues, show their personality and intelligence. She argues that people see personalities in other domesticated creatures like dogs and cats but hardly ever apply this belief to farm animals like chickens, sheep, pigs and lambs. An argument that has won me over. If the book was just about this, it might just be a quirky distraction but she uses her argument to further argue that we should take personality (and individuality) into account when raising these animals.  It is an excellent argument against factory farming and over-reliance on medication. It is also a case for maintaining our hedge rows and how the loss of any part of nature disrupts the whole. The book is fun, quirky and educational and it is worth your time.

Writing lesson: there is more to animals than you think