Generation Star Wars (Full Feed)

HBO's True Blood on FX

jrhood@gmail.com (John Hood) — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 14:15:41 PDT

On July 17th HBO's Golden Globe-winning series True Blood exclusively premieres on UK television network FX.

True Blood is an American television drama series created and produced by Alan Ball (American Beauty and Six Feet Under). It is based on the The Southern Vampire Mysteries series of novels by Charlaine Harris.

After watching episodes 1 & 2 on the preview DVD included in FX's press pack: True Blood is best described as a darkly comic soap noir.

True Blood's not for the faint-hearted or easily offended! Anyone expecting Twilight the television series should look elsewhere! However, I'll most certainly be watching the rest of the season, with avid interest, once it's available on Blu-ray disc. Buffy maybe long off our television screens. But, vampires outlive even her epic feats!

On Twitter? Follow TrueBloodFXUK for all the latest news.

Generation Thriller

jrhood@gmail.com (John Hood) — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 07:40:37 PDT

Thursday night witnessed an unprecedented sociological experience. A collective grief shared on social networking site Twitter!

During an advert break I checked Twitter, on my iPod touch, and noticed tweets alluding to Michael Jackson's admission into hospital. Startled, I switched over to various mainstream news networks to confirm the rumour... As the news, and tweets, escalated, I resigned myself to the fact that he was dead and even tweeted to the affect prior to any official confirmation! Followers replied contrary in the hope that it couldn't be true and, obviously, I wanted them to be right.

Alas. Michael Jackson died after suffering a cardiac arrest and slipping into a coma. His death eerily echoing my mum's, only two years ago, this month. I didn't sleep...

Michael Jackson was a childhood hero. Part of an illustrious pantheon that included fictional characters Doctor Who, Luke Skywalker, Kermit and Batman! Jackson, himself, embraced science fiction and fantasy in ground breaking videos such as "Can You Feel It", Disney's "Captain EO" and the prophetically titled "Thriller".

I've no intention of addressing any of the speculation surrounding his personal life. This is a tribute to a cultural phenomenon who, alongside American film composer John Williams, engendered a life long love of music and how it transforms the emotion of the moving image.

Before I heard "Don't Stop Till You Get Enough", at the age of 7, I would only listen, willingly, to classical music and orchestral film soundtracks. I'm sure MJ's enthusiastic reference to the Force in Star Wars, helped too.

Equal parts bizarre and poignant that the last time I should see Michael Jackson would be not at Wembley Stadium or the upcoming O2 Arena residency, instead it was Exeter! He was, briefly, an honourary director of the Grecians and I can still recall his clarion call to hold hands with the person next to you! This was in keeping with concert performances.

More myth than man. Michael Jackson was an enigma force. Combining consummately crafted songs and stellar, gravity-defying, dance moves, his concerts remain vivid and surreal experiences by which I judge all live performances. Indelible memories as my best friend tweeted, that I'll cherish forever. Thank you Moonwalker. That's all I'm going to say...

In death Michael Jackson proved, as always, unstoppable and an achiever of the impossible. RIP 'MJ' and say hello to my mum. She'll finally get to see you dance.

I'll sign off this post, in the manner that I did on my Twitter stream, with Michael Jackson's maxim: "Don't Stop Till You Get Enough".

Apple won't play with Commodore for iPhone

jrhood@gmail.com (John Hood) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 11:32:47 PDT

The Commodore 64 is my all-time favourite 8-bit home computer! Yes, Atari's XL range and Apple ][ outclassed the Commodore 64, and I owned a Sinclair ZX Spectrum first. But, my fondest childhood video gaming experiences were reserved for Jack Tramiel's 8-bit "breadbox"! What child of the '80s could ever forget playing Impossible Mission or The Way of the Exploding Fist?

When word reached me, via Twitter, that an officially licensed Commodore 64 emulator for iPhone had been rejected by Apple, I, like many others, am left feeling most disappointed.

This is a transcript of the rejection email sent to Manomio (developer of Commodore 64 for iPhone), which is freely available on the internet:

Thank you for submitting C64 1.0 to the App Store. We've reviewed C64 1.0 and determined that we cannot post this version of your iPhone application to the App Store because it violates the iPhone SDK Agreement; "3.3.2 An Application may not itself install or launch other executable code by any means, including without limitation through the use of a plug-in architecture, calling other frameworks, other APIs or otherwise. No interpreted code may be downloaded and used in an Application except for code that is interpreted and run by Apple's Published APIs and built-in interpreter(s)."

Manomio has published a statement on its site that says, “We hope you'll support us by blogging, tweeting and simply talking about C64 for iPhone, in the hope Apple will change their mind.”

Hopefully Commodore 64 for iPhone will garner Apple's approval, however capricious that process may be. I'll post an update in due course. Read A Closer Look at C64's Rejection on Touch Arcade.

In the meantime, why not download Manomio's Flashback for iPhone.

Update: Manomio has been contacted by Apple and hopes to resolve the issue in the coming days. wOOt for social media. In retro we trust!

Masters of the Universe® Classics

jrhood@gmail.com (John Hood) — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 14:08:19 PDT

The end of 2008 witnessed the launch of Masters of the Universe® Classics sold exclusively at MattyCollector and Comic Cons.

Masters of the Universe® Classics action figure line celebrates over 25 years of MOTU history. Here you will find highly detailed, fully articulated, figures from the entire spectrum of the worlds of He-Man® and She-Ra™. Sculpting is by Four Horsemen Studios.

The decision not to sell at retail has garnered mixed reaction and controversy! Many fans have been unable to buy figures, at reasonable cost, due to product shortages and figures have flooded the secondary market at inflated prices. Mattel is investing in the property and this issue, along with quality control, is, slowly, being addressed with increased production runs and a subscription service. The subscription service starts in September with the release of Webstor.

I started collecting Masters of the Universe Classics with the release of the New York Comic Con Exclusive Faker and aim to continue collecting the line with the addition of Mer-Man, Zodac and, most recently, Hordak...

Due to the cost of importing action figures, directly from the USA, I always sell one figure on eBay to cover my expenses. Please note that all auctions start at £0.99! See what I'm selling on eBay

Incidentally, may I take the opportunity to recommend that you read Toy Monster: The Big, Bad World of Mattel.

Robin Hobb signing at Forbidden Planet

jrhood@gmail.com (John Hood) — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 04:11:07 PDT

Forbidden Planet is pleased to announce a signing by Robin Hobb. She will be signing her newest novel The Dragon Keeper at the Forbidden Planet Megastore, 179 Shaftesbury Avenue, London, WC2H 8JR, on Saturday 11th July from 1 - 2pm.

Return to the world of the Liveships Traders! Mutant-born Thymara is fascinated by the return of dragons – as if they symbolise the return of hope to the war-torn world. But the creatures emerging are travesties of the shining dragons of old. Stunted and deformed, they cannot fly; they’re witless and bestial. They become a danger and something must be done. To be a Dragon Keeper is a dangerous job: their charges are vicious and unpredictable, and there are many unknown perils on the journey to a city that may not even exist...

Margaret Alice Lindholm Ogden was born in California and majored in Communications at Denver University, Colorado. As well as The Tawny Man, she has published two other fantasy series, The Farseer Trilogy and The Liveship Traders, under the name Robin Hobb. She also wrote several novels under another pseudonym, Megan Lindholm.

Forbidden Planet is the largest store of its kind in the world. Some of the biggest names in Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Comics and Cult Entertainment have come to our London Megastore for signing events, including: Neil Gaiman, Terry Pratchett, Terry Gilliam, Simon Pegg, William Gibson, Mark Millar, Guillermo Del Toro, Brian Froud and Stephen King.

For more news about our signings please go to: http://www.forbiddenplanet.com/Signings.html

New Transformers Blu-ray BD-Live content

jrhood@gmail.com (John Hood) — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 04:12:37 PDT

In anticipation of the theatrical release of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. Owners of Transformers (Blu-ray) will receive a BD-Live upgrade on June 16th!

The following content will be made available for free download:

* Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Sneak Peek — Footage from the new film
* From the set of Revenge of the Fallen: Day 1 — An exclusive inside look at the first day of shooting
* From the set of Revenge of the Fallen: A Day in the Shade —A comical look at the differences between Megan and Shia's on-set treatment
* Never-Before-Seen Deleted Scenes from Transformers
* Fly on the Set: Pentagon — On the set filming of the Pentagon Military Command Center
* Music and Mayhem — Renowned special effects house ILM deconstructs the blockbuster action of Transformers
* Metal in Motion — Special effects tests and early robot animation
* Stunts 101 — An in-depth look at the amazing stunts in Transformers
* Choose Your Weapon —A fly on the wall glimpse into the selection of weapons and how they were used by the film's soldiers
* The Man in the Ice — From design to production, watch the Arctic come to life on various sets in Los Angeles, California
* Voices — The voices behind the Autobots and Decepticons
* Audition Tapes: Megan Fox — Megan's original Transformers audition

The BD-Live content was originally mooted for a speculated Transformers (Blu-ray) Special Edition release to coincide with Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. This tactic won't alienate consumers, may incentivize Blu-ray purchases and is most welcome.

Revenge is Coming

jrhood@gmail.com (John Hood) — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 04:45:32 PDT

With the official UK theatrical release of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen only a week away. You can now download IDW Publishing's lavishly illustrated comic book adaptation #1-4. Avoid if you do not want to read spoilers.

It's worth pointing out that you can now follow @ParamountUK, @officialmgnfox and @theSLaBeouf on Twitter!

After seeing Terminator Salvation - A misguided melange of Mad Max meets Transformers-wannabe via Spacehunter: Adventures in the Forbidden Zone - at the refurbished Odeon, Exeter...

Bring on the Bayhem!

Download on iTunes

Autographed artwork [Flickr]

John Hood — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 02:48:44 PDT

John Hood posted a photo:

This is an example of my fine line drawing style. Best described as "photo realistic"! I still have ambitions to illustrate a graphic novel...

PlayStation Home Transforms

jrhood@gmail.com (John Hood) — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 11:12:03 PDT

June 5th, 2009: To promote the release of TRANSFORMERS: REVENGE OF THE FALLEN, Paramount Pictures International (PPI) and Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) today announced the release of a selection of Transformers merchandise, available exclusively through a virtual treasure hunt in Home.

A variety of T-Shirts and a unique ‘Autobot Trophy’ will be rewarded to residents who embark on the ‘Transformers Quest’. This activity continues PPI’s commitment to take innovative film marketing within online virtual communities to the next level. TRANSFORMERS: REVENGE OF THE FALLEN, directed by Michael Bay, is due to release internationally on June 24th this year.

Starting today, Home residents can begin the quest by finding the Transformers theatrical poster, placed at a few points throughout the public spaces in Home. Another will succeed this poster and targeting it will launch the first in a series of games that will be released over the coming days and weeks. The completion of each game will deliver a unique voucher code, which can be redeemed for an exclusive piece of Transformers merchandise. More information about the game can be found on the PlayStation EU Forum.

Home residents can already watch the TRANSFORMERS: REVENGE OF THE FALLEN trailer in the Home Cinema and this treasure hunt will take Transformers to all corners of PlayStation Home.

Both companies are again working with marketing agency, The Picture Production Company (PPC), heavily experienced in film promotion and marketing within virtual worlds and across the wider social web, on strategic direction, original content production and promotion.

Home is a 3D social gaming community that allows PLAYSTATION®3 users to meet, chat, plan, and launch into games together. They can create their own custom avatar, decorate their personal apartment, play mini-games, shop, watch videos and attend special events.

This press release originally appeared on Silverscreen and is republished with kind permission.

Download Transformers comics on iTunes

jrhood@gmail.com (John Hood) — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 04:33:09 PDT

To mark the theatrical release of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, IDW Publishing has launched the official comic book prequels on iTunes!

Journey across the globe as humans and AUTOBOTS join forces to defend Earth against the DECEPTICON threat in Transformers: Alliance. The very origins of CYBERTRON are revealed in Defiance, which leads directly to the start of the movie. Get all eight comics on iTunes or at your local book store.

Download from iTunes

LittleBigT-Shirt [Flickr]

John Hood — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 04:08:53 PDT

John Hood posted a photo:

I didn't get a Sackboy! But, Sony sent me this instead!

Garfield [Flickr]

John Hood — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 09:32:17 PDT

John Hood posted a photo:

A neighbours cat, who bears an uncanny resemblance to my late cat, Leo. And has a most placid temperament.

Independence Day [Flickr]

John Hood — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 09:31:57 PDT

John Hood posted a photo:

Bank Holiday weekend evoked the 4th of July from Jaws! Sans shark, of course!

Walk on Water [Flickr]

John Hood — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 09:31:47 PDT

John Hood posted a photo:

Enough to make Reggie Perrin envious!

Happy Birthday to Star Wars!

jrhood@gmail.com (John Hood) — Mon, 25 May 2009 10:00:04 PDT

Star Wars debuted in theatres on May 25, 1977 changing cinema forever... It also happened to be the first film I saw at the cinema!

My late mother took me to see Star Wars. Therefore I dedicate this post in loving memory to you mum. The force has a lot of power...

Tara McPherson signing at Forbidden Planet

jrhood@gmail.com (John Hood) — Fri, 22 May 2009 06:31:40 PDT

Forbidden Planet is pleased to announce a signing by Tara McPherson. She will be signing Lost Constellations at the Forbidden Planet Megastore, 179 Shaftesbury Avenue, London, WC2H 8JR, on Thursday 11th June 6 - 7pm

Tara is based in New York City and creates art about people and their odd ways. Recalling many issues from childhood and good old life experience, she creates images that are thought provoking and seductive. People and their relationships are a central theme throughout her work. Lost Constellations is the second book of her astounding artwork, following the success of Lonely Heart.

Tara exhibits her paintings and serigraphs in fine art galleries all over the world. Named the crown princess of poster art by ELLE Magazine, she has created numerous gig posters for rock bands such as Beck, Modest Mouse, and Melvins. Her array of art also includes painted comics and covers for various high-profile companies and she has created toys with KidRobot. Her art has also been featured in the Oscar Award-winning film Juno, Veronica Mars, Point Pleasant, and Guitar Hero.

Forbidden Planet is the largest store of its kind in the world. Some of the biggest names in Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Comics and Cult Entertainment have come to our London Megastore for signing events, including: Neil Gaiman, Terry Pratchett, Terry Gilliam, Simon Pegg, William Gibson, Mark Millar, Guillermo Del Toro, Brian Froud and Stephen King.

For more news about our signings please go to: http://www.forbiddenplanet.com/Signings.html

Till Death (Or the Republic) Do Us Part

jrhood@gmail.com (John Hood) — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 04:35:22 PDT

Guest post written by Gavin Nachbar

Duncan Thomson and Sammi Gardiner met a long time ago, in a place far, far away.

This past May 4, Duncan, 41, arrived to his wedding sporting black pants and a black vest, and Sammi, 39, came wearing a white dress and a veil. She walked the isle amongst friends and family who came dressed for the occasion too. Yes…the best man came dressed as Chewbacca.

Both avid fans of all the Star Wars movies, Duncan and Sammi saw it only fitting that they get married at a Star Wars themed wedding, on Star Wars day. The couple, from the Isle of Wight, had both been married before and saw no need to have a “typical wedding.” The theme was an easy choice, seeing as their first date back in May 2005 was going to see Revenge of the Sith.

Family friend Dan Cawpheray, embodying the character of Darth Vader, delivered the sermon in a Star Wars style flanked by two Imperial Stormtroopers. He started off by saying, "Members of the Galactic Empire, Duncan and Sammi met a long time ago, in a place far, far away. The force is strong with these two.”

And at the time when most brides and grooms promise to be together “through sickness and in health,” Duncan went that much further and said, "I promise to protect you from carbon freezing and promise to protect you from the Dark Side, through hyperspace and into the far reaches of the galaxy."

Although most parts of Star Wars were included throughout the ceremony, the couple had to take out all the parts with referencing a “Jedi”, since it is in fact a recognized religion.

The ceremony ended with the bride and the groom exchanging rings. The bride's ring was made out a meteorite found from Canyon Diablo, in the US, and read “May the 4th be with you.”

Despite all the fun, though, George Lucas was not on hand for the wedding, although the newlyweds did extend the olive branch to the creator of Star Wars. Lucas even responded with a personal letter from Skywalker Ranch saying that he could not go. Said Mr. Thomson of Lucas not being able to attend, "It was a shame he could not be here but I hope he sees the pictures and sees that we did him proud."

Gavin Nachbar is a freelance writer. If you would like to submit a guest post, please use the contact form.

Star Trek: The Touch Generation

jrhood@gmail.com (John Hood) — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 04:38:17 PDT

@JJ_Abrams' Star Trek reboot is a revelation, that has challenged my jaded expectations of a franchise that no longer seemed relevant, nor enjoyable! Abrams' and his cohorts have passed the Kobayashi Maru test: with such kinetic zeal and aplomb it's exhausting!

The traditional revenge narrative is predicated on the notion that the future of Star Trek has been altered, irrevocably, by time-travelling Romulans lead by Nero (an uncharismatic Eric Bana)! An age old deceit, which is most welcome here. We're, literally, in an undiscovered country...

JJ Abrams proved his character-driven credentials with original network television drama series such as Felicity, Alias and Lost! The underrated M:I III proved conclusively that action sequences can boast bombast, but not at the expense of human drama. Star Trek cements that reputation to the nth degree with the interpersonal conflicts between Kirk, Spock and Nero.

The hero shots are reserved, rightly, for the USS Enterprise itself! The starship's design referencing the incarnations seen in Star Trek I to VI. The bridge is imbued with the design ethos of Steve Jobs' Apple - another successful reboot! This is an Enterprise for the iPhone and iPod touch generation!

This Trek has been rebuilt from the ground up. A master stroke that reconnects/introduces many fans (myself included) to the adventures of Kirk, Spock and Bones! Frankly, I'll always prefer Kirk in the captain's chair! Phasers on stunning...

Shop Star Trek Store for cool collectibles from the movie and more!

Celebrate Star Wars Day on Twitter!

jrhood@gmail.com (John Hood) — Tue, 05 May 2009 04:46:51 PDT

Celebrate Star Wars Day by following @starwars!

May The Fourth Be With You Always.

Follow me on Twitter!

jrhood@gmail.com (John Hood) — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 06:07:22 PDT

Yes, I'm on Twitter! Follow me so I can reach a million too! Now that's out of the way, lets get to the real crux of this short Sunday post!

Twitter has been overshadowed by the 'halo of celebrity'! While there are public figures who charmingly engage their myriad followers such as Jonathan Ross (@Wossy) and Alyssa Milano (@Alyssa_Milano). There are celebrities who are, arguably, 'old school' broadcasters! @Michellemmm most eloquently expresses the point (far better than I ever could) in her Tumblr post - Did Ashton Kutcher Set You Free?

This has witnessed a paradigm shift in the Twitter culture. Long time followers, with whom I'd shared engaging discourses, unfollowed me without warning nor apparent cause, and switched to monotone broadcasts as their follower numbers disproportionately increased.

I saw my own following increase and I reciprocated, for a while, before realising that I could no longer extract any 'value' out of Twitter due to so much activity in my stream - 24/7. Thus begun the cull - a subjective process! This didn't go unnoticed, and some followers began bombarding (and flaming) me with repetitive tweets, that I had to block...

On the one hand I was evangelising the service, to both family and friends, and on the other I was contemplating joining the exodus... To paraphrase Doctor Who's Cybermen "Delete! Delete! Delete!" Thankfully, after careful consideration, I, ultimately, chose not to!

@Documentally recently posed this question:

"I'm looking for the best explanation of what Twitter is in 140 characters or less.. No prize just the love and respect of all."

I replied -

"Twitter is whatever you want it to be!"

For me it's not about numbers - incorporating circular ideological arguments regarding why are you following them and not me? - and broadcasting ad nauseam, it's so much, much, more... It's about communication, connecting and, you know what, having fun. Can't wait to have jam sandwiches with my peeps @SEGA!

Twilight descends on Forbidden Planet!

jrhood@gmail.com (John Hood) — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 04:23:52 PDT

The Forbidden Planet Megastore in London was the heart of Twilight mania last night as fans descended on the store at midnight to be the first in the UK to grab the DVD release of the astonishing cult hit movie of 2008.

Fans had already started queuing by midday & the line constantly grew throughout the day as evermore eager fans arrived, all excited at the prospect of getting their hands on the DVD at midnight!

From the massively popular series of books, the movie release last year cemented the Twilight phenomenon. Forbidden Planet has become the fan centre for the best place to find the finest Twilight merchandise and books.

Thirty lucky ‘Twilighters’ got their hands on DVD sleeves signed by members of the cast – and there were goodies and give-aways galore.

As well as the DVD, merchandise on sale included replica jewelry from the movie, posters, T shirts and an action figure of the film’s star, heart throb Robert Pattinson!

Forbidden Planet is the largest store of its kind in the world. Some of the biggest names in Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Comics and Cult Entertainment have come to our London Megastore for signing events, including: Neil Gaiman, Terry Pratchett, Terry Gilliam, Simon Pegg, William Gibson, Mark Millar, Guillermo Del Toro, Brian Froud and Stephen King.

For more news about our signings please go to: http://www.forbiddenplanet.com/Signings.html

Twilight Midnight opening at Forbidden Planet

jrhood@gmail.com (John Hood) — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 06:54:29 PDT

Be the first to bite on most eagerly anticipated release of the year – TWILIGHT on DVD is coming to 179 Shaftesbury Avenue, London, WC2H 8JR, on Sunday 5th April at exactly midnight!

The vampires are coming to FP! You can take the forbidden romance of Bella and Edward home early when you come down to the London Megastore to pick up your copy of TWILIGHT on DVD or Blu-Ray. Plus we’ve got goodies and give-aways – and loads of gorgeously dark merchandise just waiting for you to treat yourself… or that forbidden lover of your own!

EXCLUSIVE! First 30 purchasers of the Special Edition will receive a DVD sleeve signed by one or more of the following cast members: -

Peter Facinelli (Carlisle Cullen)
Kellan Lutz (Emmett Cullen)
Christian Serratos (Angela Weber)
Justin Chon (Eric Yorkie)
Ashley Greene (Alice Cullen)
Free posters!
Huge range of Twilight goodies available on the night - including restocks of the Edward action figure!

Forbidden Planet is the largest store of its kind in the world. Some of the biggest names in Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Comics and Cult Entertainment have come to our London Megastore for signing events, including: Neil Gaiman, Terry Pratchett, Terry Gilliam, Simon Pegg, William Gibson, Mark Millar, Guillermo Del Toro, Brian Froud and Stephen King.

For more news about our signings please go to: http://www.forbiddenplanet.com/Signings.html

Sega's Madworld of Social Media

jrhood@gmail.com (John Hood) — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 11:43:57 PDT

Long time readers will already know that I'm a self-confessed Sega fanboy! There's really no more eloquent way to express it!

Since the 8-bit home computer era, Sega has held me enthralled with the likes of Congo Bongo and Zaxxon! From playing Space Harrier, in a Clacton Pier arcade, to Virtua Fighter, in SegaWorld Bournemouth, Sega has been synonymous with most, if not all, of my favourite video game franchises. To use an overused soft drinks analogy: if Nintendo is Coca-Cola then Sega is its cooler competitor Pepsi, which I've always preferred!

The last few months have witnessed the exponential growth of Twitter and, with it, a surge of internationally recognised brands establishing a substantive presence on the social media service. Sega has been quick to embrace Twitter, both as a broadcast and conversational medium, and started following me prior to the end of last year.

To be honest, I wasn't even sure that it really was Sega until I'd undertaken some detective work! Rest assured Sega is officially on Twitter and, if you truly care about video games, you should be following @Sega too! Followed, good, lets continue...

Fast forward to last Friday and, in the midst of twittering, the offer of reviewing Sega's video games came straight from the horse's mouth. Double take.

Over the coming weeks expect to see my review of Sega's Madworld (Wii) and, hopefully, many more illustrious titles from Sega's stable...

SEGA on Facebook

Follow me on Twitter to get the latest news, tips and exclusive announcements.

Gerry Anderson signing at Forbidden Planet

jrhood@gmail.com (John Hood) — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 08:42:56 PDT

Forbidden Planet is pleased to announce a signing by cult icon Gerry Anderson. He will be signing two volumes of Century 21: Classic Comic Strips From The Worlds Of Gerry Anderson at the Forbidden Planet Megastore, 179 Shaftesbury Avenue, London, WC2H 8JR, on Saturday 18th April 1 – 2pm.

Gerry Anderson’s astonishing and ground-breaking career has spanned over 50 years and has created many iconic series including the world-famous Thunderbirds, Stingray, UFO, Space 1999 and Captain Scarlet – all of which have since entered the hallowed halls of SF fandom nostalgia.

Launched in 1965, TV Century 21 (later known as TV 21) ties into these astounding science fiction puppet series created by Gerry Anderson's Century 21 Productions. In these great new collections of reprints, authorised and supervised by Gerry Anderson, Chris Bentley has assembled some of the most thrilling stories from TV21’s classic years including Thunderbirds, Lady Penelope, Fireball XL5, Stingray, Captain Scarlet and Joe 90.

Forbidden Planet is the largest store of its kind in the world. Some of the biggest names in Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Comics and Cult Entertainment have come to our London Megastore for signing events, including: Neil Gaiman, Terry Pratchett, Terry Gilliam, Simon Pegg, William Gibson, Mark Millar, Guillermo Del Toro, Brian Froud and Stephen King.

For more news about our signings please go to: http://www.forbiddenplanet.com/Signings.html

Links for 2009-03-23 [del.icio.us]

Tue, 24 Mar 2009 00:00:00 PDT

Forbidden Planet - The Online Entertainment Megastore

'The Hitman' signing at Forbidden Planet

jrhood@gmail.com (John Hood) — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 09:39:47 PDT

Forbidden Planet are pleased to announce a signing by Bret ‘The Hitman’ Hart. He will be signing Hitman: My Life In The Cartoon World of Wrestling at the Forbidden Planet Megastore, 179 Shaftesbury Avenue, London, WC2H 8JR, on Thursday 16th April 6 – 7pm.

In Hitman, one of pro-wrestling's biggest stars tells it like it was, with a human and very touching amount of detail. He relates the story of how a family-friendly, locally oriented sport run by curmudgeonly promoters was steamrollered by Hulk Hogan - fuelled WWF marketing machine. Hart also vividly depicts the threadbare but thrilling family business he grew up in, road trips in crowded vans, meagre pay, clownish ring antics and solid sense of brotherhood. This is a glance under the ropes of pro-wrestling, from one of its biggest stars.

Bret Hart is recognised as one of the best wrestlers in the world. Multiple record-holder and winner of manifold titles, he is known for never having injured another wrestler. He has a worldwide fan base and his own column in the Calgary Sun; he was also up for the lead in Batman Triumphant, before production was cancelled.

Forbidden Planet is the largest store of its kind in the world. Some of the biggest names in Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Comics and Cult Entertainment have come to our London Megastore for signing events, including: Neil Gaiman, Terry Pratchett, Terry Gilliam, Simon Pegg, William Gibson, Mark Millar, Guillermo Del Toro, Brian Froud and Stephen King.

For more news about our signings please go to: http://www.forbiddenplanet.com/Signings.html

Game Review: Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy

jrhood@gmail.com (John Hood) — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 04:50:44 PDT

The following review first appeared on Inside Mac Games (IMG).

Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy (Mac port)
In January 1978 at the age of five my world was changed forever by an inaugural encounter with the cinematic realm. The film in question was Star Wars and, like fellow members of Generation X, I’ve followed the series in its multitude of media incarnations: from books to toys. However, video games remain the fondest forum since the early Atari coin-ops.

Jedi Academy is the second sequel to Jedi Knight and rapidly follows in the wake of Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast. And, as such, is the third installment. The speed of the game’s port, to the Macintosh platform, is indicative of the timely talent of Aspyr Studio and the insatiable appetite of Mac gamers for original and licensed product. The most pertinent question on many gamers’ minds is: will it suffer from trilogy exhaustion?

Graphics
The graphics are augmented by Raven Software’s code enhancements. The sumptuous visuals belie the Quake III game engine’s four-year age! Rain super heats as it falls onto a striking lightsaber and the character animation is suitably smooth and fluid even on modest hardware (this review was conducted on an 800 MHz iMac G4 with 512 MB RAM). Close combat has not witnessed such balletic battles since Darth Maul cartwheeled onto celluloid in Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999).

Sound
The sound design is unquestionably of a pedigree deserving of the title’s roots. My review sessions were monitored using JBL Creature speakers, which rendered an involving and detailed three-dimensional sound stage replete with the familiar sounds of a galaxy far, far away. I lamented being unable to savor the delights of a 5.1 mix, however. Where would a Star Wars adventure be without the familiar underscores of John Williams’ familiar (if overused) leitmotifs? No longer used in their original cinematic context, here his orchestrations inform your journey to become a Jedi...

Gameplay
In this outing Kyle Katarn (who made his first appearance in the legendary Dark Forces) is no longer the principle protagonist and acts as mentor alongside Luke Skywalker. Instead the game designers adroitly avoid any tenuous contrivances and invite you to create a new character from scratch albeit one who goes by the fixed name of Jaden Korr. The inevitable Sims (no it’s not Skywalker Family Ties) comparison cannot be ignored, but doesn’t detract from the short-lived novelty of deciding gender, species and lightsaber type (later stages allow for the wielding of two light sabers and Darth Maul’s infamous double-bladed light saber).

During the early stages of Jedi Academy, as you investigate the whereabouts of Luke's missing journal, the missions allow you to hone and enhance your Jedi powers before the saga starts gaining momentum. In between levels you get to choose between Light and/or Dark Force powers and either Choke or Confuse your opponents with Mind Trick. The decisions you make delineate character, which is a neat twist and one that leads to a choice culminating in two possible endings.

The decision to provide the lightsaber from the outset was an inspired one – you now get what’s on the box – instant gratification. The galaxy-spanning missions take in the sights and sounds of Yavin 4, Tatooine and the derelict Rebel Base on Hoth.

Friends and old enemies return to assist or impede your path. Incidentally, I took great delight in confronting Bucket Head (fans will know who I am referring to)! And utilizing mounts i.e. Tauntauns adds an arcade aspect to the title.

The multiplayer section is undoubtedly the most compelling facet of Jedi Academy! Alongside the obligatory Capture the Flag and Free For All is Siege. The brand new Siege mode takes it cue from Wolfenstein's class-based objective mode and involves co-operative play. This allows for tremendous strategic scope and success will be determined by the abilities of the team. From Duel and Power Duel to the Siege mode – even the most jaded multiplayer veteran should find something to satiate their needs.

Conclusion
Jedi Academy lacks a compelling narrative; dramatic pace is thwarted by a non-linear mission interface. And the title gravitates more towards Beverly Hills 90210 or Dawson's Creek sans angst - will the kids ever graduate?

Although one can make an ideological choice between the Light and Dark side of the Force, the consequences are bereft of any deep emotional resonance. This is no Greek tragedy. On an entirely subjective note, the temptations of the Dark side can be overwhelming and brandishing a red double-bladed light saber is supremely seductive!

The play experience lost some of the anticipated luster due to stuttering frame rates in the first patch (1.0.1a) for the single-player edition. Programmer Brad Oliver rapidly addressed this issue and it is strongly recommended that you apply the most recent patch (1.0.1b). This should solve matters for Mac OS X 10.3.x Panther users. However, I didn’t have a copy of Mac OS X 10.2.x Jaguar to perform a comparison test.

The Jedi Academy bonus multiplayer maps extend the game’s life cycle. The addition of a level from Ord Mantell (referenced in The Empire Strikes Back and further explored in the comic strip serial by Archie Goodwin and Al Williamson) should bring a smile to the face of any fan – it’s where Han Solo encounters one of Jabba The Hutt’s notorious bounty hunters.

Whilst this is the perfect primer while we wait for the Macintosh port of Star Wars Knights Of The Old Republic, it remains to be seen whether or not there is any life left in the Jedi series. However, for sheer kinetic fun adorned in the furnishings of the Star Wars franchise, you’d be hard pressed to ignore the emotive thrill of brandishing two lightsabers at once and the ensuing Stormtrooper decapitations!

Gameplay: 7
Graphics: 8
Sound: 9
Value: 7

Overall score: 7.75 (out of 10)

Forbidden Planet to 'rock out' at EasterCon

jrhood@gmail.com (John Hood) — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 09:10:29 PDT

Forbidden Planet are delighted to announce that, with the help of our friends at Sony and at Harmonix Music, we’ll be presenting David Devereux’s ROCK BAND: BATTLE OF THE BANDS at EasterCon on the Sunday evening.

This is a fantastic chance to play ROCK BAND 2 – before its EU release!

We have a huge range of fantastic prizes, plus loads of freebies and give-aways to be snapped up. And every participant will get an FP flash-code, redeemable for 10% OFF against ANY purchase from www.forbiddenplanet.com - but they’ll have to be quick as the code’s only hot for a couple of days!

Thanks to Harmonix Music, we’ll be supplying the full four-player Rock Band set-up for PS3 (vocals, guitar, bas guitar, drums) plus classic AC/DC track pack – all our rockers will need to bring is themselves, their mates and their beer. And they can rock out solo – we’re welcoming all!

PLUS: thanks to our friends at Sony, we’ll have a full audio/visual rebroadcast set-up in the Rowan Room – screens that everyone can see. With Rock Band 2’s fantastic animation and top sound effects – whatever their band, they’re sure to look good.

Torchwood: Rift War signing at Forbidden Planet

jrhood@gmail.com (John Hood) — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 09:40:15 PDT

Forbidden Planet is pleased to announce the launch signing by D’Israeli, Ian Edgington, Simon Furman, Paul Grist and Brian Williamson. They will be signing TORCHWOOD: RIFT WAR at the Forbidden Planet Megastore, 179 Shaftesbury Avenue, London, WC2H 8JR, on Saturday 25th April 1 - 2pm.

When Torchwood-3 comes under fire in an all-out attack by extra-dimensional shock troopers, the team are torn in all directions. And with a deadly rift bleeding through into their own reality, time itself could be destroyed if the Torchwood team isn't able to stop it. Rift War is an unmissable epic!

Written by Paul Grist (Jack Staff), Ian Edginton (2000AD, Scarlet Traces), Simon Furman (Transformers, Terminator), Brian Williamson (Wallace & Gromit, Dr. Who) and illustrated by Paul Grist (Jack Staff), D’Israeli (Scarlet Traces), Brian Williamson (Wallace & Gromit, Dr. Who)

Forbidden Planet is the largest store of its kind in the world. Some of the biggest names in Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Comics and Cult Entertainment have come to our London Megastore for signing events, including: Neil Gaiman, Terry Pratchett, Simon Pegg, William Gibson, Mark Millar, Guillermo Del Toro, Brian Froud and Stephen King.

For more news about our signings please go to: http://www.forbiddenplanet.com/Signings.html

Download Ventolin Catharsis on iTunes

jrhood@gmail.com (John Hood) — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 08:38:37 PDT

My Bournemouth University video minor Ventolin Catharsis (iTunes) is now available online and for playback on portable devices such as iPod, iPod nano, iPod touch, iPhone and Sony PSP!

I co-wrote Ventolin Catharsis with friend and author Nick Smith in 1995! Nick has subsequently found acclaim with his award-winning novels Milk Treading, The Kitty Killer Cult and Undead on Arrival.

Subscribe to my podcast in iTunes and download it directly onto your iPhone and iPod touch (requires software update 2.2 or later)!

Mike Carey and Kate Griffin signing at Forbidden Planet

jrhood@gmail.com (John Hood) — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 09:40:52 PDT

Forbidden Planet is pleased to announce a signing by Mike Carey and Kate Griffin. They will be signing Thicker Than Water: A Felix Castor Novel and A Madness of Angels at the Forbidden Planet Megastore, 179 Shaftesbury Avenue, London, WC2H 8JR, on Thursday 26th March 6 – 7pm.

Mike Carey is an extremely popular and well-respected author who has written on several top comics titles such as Lucifer as well as the adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s Neverwhere. Thicker Than Water returns us to the life of Felix Castor, where memories thought left in Liverpool resurface in London. Childhood memories, family traumas, sins old and new come back to torment the city’s favourite freelance Exorcist. Things go from bad to worse until the only question left is – just how much will Fix have to pay..?

Kate Griffin is the name under which Carnegie Medal-nominated author, Catherine Webb, writes fantasy novels for adults. A Madness of Angels is a book about the power of London, Urban Magic, ebbing and flowing with the rhythms of the city, making runes from the alignments of ancient streets and humming with the rhythms of trains and buses. This is the London of Matthew Swift, where rival sorcerers do battle for the soul of the city.

Forbidden Planet is the largest store of its kind in the world. Some of the biggest names in Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Comics and Cult Entertainment have come to our London Megastore for signing events, including: Neil Gaiman, Terry Pratchett, Terry Gilliam, Simon Pegg, William Gibson, Mark Millar, Guillermo Del Toro, Brian Froud and Stephen King.

For more news about our signings please go to: http://www.forbiddenplanet.com/Signings.html

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