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The Backwards Compatible Random Chat Podcast; Episode 30; The Gift; GOT Season 5 Episode 7

29/5/2015

 
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DIANA RIGG as Lady Oleanna Tyrell © HBO Enterprises
Book readers despair as the show has well and truly taken over the narrative readers know. However that was not the most interesting part of this weeks show.

Instead we will look at battle of the Queens and the gifts they receive.

As always thank you for Listening and speak to you next Time.

The Links you will need

Listen to or Download the Podcast here.

Subscribe via iTunes here

Subsricbe to the RSS feed here
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Don't forget to tune in on Monday @9pm to Sky Atlantic for the next episode.

The Backwards Compatible Random Chat Podcast; Episode 29; Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken; GOT Season 5 Episode 6

24/5/2015

 
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©2015 Home Box Office, Inc. All rights reserved. HBO® and all related programs are the property of Home Box Office, Inc.
A blow by blow review of each episode of Game of Thrones has been our path up to this point but today we have gone in a slightly different direction. Instead we will be discussing some of the themes in the show and how they relate to the title.

This is a little experiment but we hope you enjoy it.

As always thank you for Listening and speak to you next Time.

The Links you will need

Listen to or Download the Podcast here.

Subscribe via iTunes here

Subsricbe to the RSS feed here
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Don't forget to tune in on Monday @9pm to Sky Atlantic for the next episode.

Hannibal; A new obsession begins.

17/5/2015

 
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©2013 NBCUniversal Media, LLC
When Hannibal was first shown I did not have access to SKY and let it fall by the wayside stored in that memory bank that gets rekindled when a show enters Netflix's roster.Now though with NowTV I have started to watch the series from the beginning. 
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My interest was piqued by reading The Art and Making of Hannibal: The Television Series which I have reviewed (here). The imagery combined with the way the cast and crew talked about the series captured my imagination and led me back to the TV show.

The show is aired on SKY Living and at present there are two seasons available with Season three due to air in June in the US (UK date still to be made official at time of writing). The box set catch up though is very welcome and this is where our journey begins. 

Hannibal: Season 1, Episode 1 Apéritif

As far as opening s go this is a bit of a shocker, as we see Will Graham played by Hugh Dancy overlooking the scene of a quite brutal murder. The scene shows him as an awkward onlooker with a rather amazing talent to see the scene before it happens.This kind of visualisation is the key to understanding this first episode as it gives us a window into Graham's mind. Hugh Dancy does a great job of seeming ill adjusted to both his role as a criminal profiler and as a social animal. This helps to give Graham an issue that needs fixing, enter via the needs of Jack Crawford (Laurence Fishburne) one Dr Hannibal played by the slightly disturbing Mads Mikkelson. 
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Hannibal Series 1 Episode 01 "Apéritif" Dr Hannibal Lecter (Mads Mikkelsen) ©2013 NBC Universal Media, LLC
Now most of us know who Dr Lecter is, Antony Hopkins epic portrayal in the Silence of the Lambs has led to many a parody. So the show creators waste no time in letting us know that Hannibal really is a cannibal. This is a stroke of genius from my point of view as why waste your signature character by layering him behind a mass of episodes when we all know who he is.

Unfortunately in this first episode we only get to see Lecter and Graham share a small amount of screen time but nonetheless the time they do spend together is great to watch. The way they interact as almost a teacher and a pupil feels reminiscent of Thomas Harris's original books without trying to force it down our throats. This all sets up a great investigation with a hint of luck, but the way the ending plays out shows the mark of villainy from the shows writer Bryan Fuller that has me intrigued as to the future of the show.

The simplicity of the Thor reveal struck a chord that I did not think it would.

14/5/2015

 
Thoughts by Paul Fiander
Written byJason Aaron
Art byRussell Dauterman
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We have waited 8 issues and the helmet has finally been lifted revealing who Thor is. I will not say her name here if you do want to know then hit the Read more section at the end.

At times the quest for Thor's true identity has felt like some kind of Asgardian detective show with Odinson going crazy with not knowing who has usurped his position. During this time we have hypothesised and been knocked down and so the pattern goes for this issue as Aaron waits to the last section to give us that which we all desire.

When it comes the reveal is heightened by a rather beautiful exchange between Odinson and Thor where he asks for her name although he believes he already knows it. The moment of vulnerability in the former God of Thunder feels sincere and you can see how it affects Thor thanks to Russell Dauterman's wonderful art.

This has been a series of amazing set pieces but it is the quiet moments inbetween the storms that have me desperate for more from Thor and her cohorts. This series has only been 8 issues but in the words of Aaron himself this is more of a prelude to Thor and I can not wait for more.

If you want to be spoiled hit the Read More Button


Read More

The Backwards Compatible Random Chat Podcast; Episode 28; Kill the Boy; GOT Season 5 Episode 5

11/5/2015

 
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©2015 Home Box Office, Inc. All rights reserved. HBO® and all related programs are the property of Home Box Office, Inc.
Some shows are subtle with their characters and some are crash bang wallop. The beauty of Game of Thrones is that we get both sides of this coin and everywhere in-between.

This latest episode had a few stand out moments so join Paul as we takes a paddle through the episode in the hopes of avoiding the Doom and getting safely through to the other side.

As always thank you for Listening and speak to you next Time


The links you will need

Listen to or Download the Podcast here.

Subscribe via iTunes here

Subsricbe to the RSS feed here
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Paul's top picks in Play, Watch and Read for Fantasy

11/5/2015

 
My top picks are simply three of the best pieces of entertainment available, one for each of our coverage topics Play, Watch and Read. These lists will later as this is my top picks at the time of writing and are open for change.

Without further ado it’s time to kick things off with…….

Play; Lord of the Rings Shadow of Mordor.

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Quite simply one of the best titles of last year for me (although I still have yet to beat it). The joy of running around Mordor dispatching Orcs and Wargs alike is one of the best experiences I have had with a digital sword in hand. The battle system owes a lot to the Arkham franchise and this makes it an easy pick up for those of us engrained in the world of the Bat. The game changer for this title though was the nemesis system which rewards enemies who dispatch you giving random encounters a much more dramatic feel. I am still enjoying occasional dips into the game although I am now beginning to struggle with higher level bosses as I forget combos.

Read Jamie's review for the game here


Watch; Game of Thrones

If you were expecting anything else then I am afraid you have not been paying attention. The series based on the world that George built continues to go from strength to strength and thanks to its recent deviations from the books narrative it feels almost like a new storytelling experience. From the amazing cast to the sumptuous scenery there is something to enjoy in every scene and more talking points than you can shake a stick at. If you have yet to sample the delights of Westeros then honestly don’t start at season 5 go back and enjoy the delights and complexities of the series as a whole. Your time investment will be well rewarded.
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©2014 Home Box Office, Inc. All rights reserved. HBO® and all related programs are the property of Home Box Office, Inc.

Our weekly look at episodes will appear on this feed during the run time of the show.


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Read; Birthright

Joshua Williamson is at the top of his game at the moment and of his titles Birthright is by far top of his tree. The genre crossing series has its roots firmly embedded in the fantasy realm but it’s the way Williamson plays with the culture cross that makes this such compelling reading. The series has now hit its fifth issue (including one trade) and it continues to be as compelling as its first issue. Of course the story is only one part the visual narrative crated by Andrei Bressan with colourist Adriano Lucas. Bressan’s monsters are one of the many highlights you will find and my hope is this series will continue to delight and enthral for a long time to come.
You can watch my review of Volume 1 of Birthright on the link below.
Birthright, Vol. 1: Homecoming

The Backwards Compatible Random Chat Podcast; Episode 27; Sons of the Harpy; GOT Season 5 Episode 4

7/5/2015

 
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Episode 4 "Sons of the Harpy"
Game of thrones is hitting its stride in a big way. The political world is all of a flutter and the death and destruction continues in more underhanded ways then ever before

Join Paul as he dives into this spoiler free (until the well marked spoiler section at the end of the podcast) look back at the Sons of the Harpy

As always thank you for Listening and speak to you next Time

The links you will need

Listen to or Download the Podcast here.

Subscribe via iTunes here

Subsricbe to the RSS feed here
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Visiting A Place in Space (Croydon) for Free Comic Book Day 2015

4/5/2015

 
Unfortunately I work on Saturdays, it's generally okay but there are times like today that I do miss out. By missing out I do not mean not grabbing a varied selection of books which I did infrared I meant the chance to enjoy the day with my son. 
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On entering A Place in Space (in Croydon) I was greeted with a bustling store with a number of families all exploring the racks. It was a great sight as kids and adults alike discussed the merits of the available comics and other products the shop stocks. It felt like the draw of Free Comics was enough of a lure to get visitors through the doors but once in other factors needed to be in line for the day to a success.

Firstly the wide selection of comics offered is enough to tempt even the most frugal shopper in to a purchase. From shelves of full price titles to boxes of reduced trades and single issues, there is something for everyone no matter their budget. This is a wonderful facet of the shop and shows the inclusive nature of the comics industry. On a shop level the staff are very friendly and spend time with every customer making the experience feel more personal rather than just a transaction.
All of the above though would be for nothing if the free and paid comics were not up to scratch. With titles as diverse as Pokemon to Hip Hop family tree, the range of titles offered by the shop was varied and extensive. It must be remembered that although these comics are free to shoppers the individual shops still have to pay for each issue. So buying a few titles is not only a big help but also shows some solidarity for the shop owners.

I chose a few comics that I was after including Archie Vs Predator, Resident Alien Mice Templar and Vol 23 of the Walking dead and was able to choose 5 titles from a folder displayed on the counter. The comics were then grabbed from a box behind the counter and I was a very happy camper. 

As I said at the outset I wished I could have taken my son but timing was an issue so instead I grabbed him three titles 
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Overall FCBD was a success for me I got some titles that I enjoyed and had my usual level of interaction with the staff, I will be back returning to A Place In Space in October hopefully with a little in tow.

My #ToReadPile

1/5/2015

 
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Although the Image above does not show all I need/want to read it represents a sizable chunk of the Physical volumes I have in my stack.There is a heavy Image bias with Low and Black Science from Rick Remender sitting quite high on the list of must reads.

Some of these trades I have read in single issues but the desire to read them as a whole is strong and I will be aiming to cover all of these titles along with our regular comic reviews in the coming weeks (though it will probably take months)..

How big is your stack and what are the stand out titles that you must read?
Let us know here on the Facebook page.
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    What this is

    The random chat is changing a little to be just as the title says. This is going to function as my place to chat about things that can come from anywhere, from TV to films to Sport to gaming. Most things are up for discussion even though I will avoid the key no no's like Religion, Politics and Macro Economics (Micro economics of the gaming/comics world though is still fair game) and of course the biggie whether the Spice Girls were the greatest musical group of all time or not. I hope to bring a taste of something different in these posts and please feel free to comment where you see fit.

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