Blog Posts

The Brutal Brilliance of Big Man Plans #3

4/6/2015

I have reviewed Issue 1 and 2 (click the links below to watch them) of Big Man plans and found the work by Eric Powell and Tim Wiesch to be brutal, crazy and over the top. In shorter terms I have loved this series.

The character of Big Man is brutal but you can understand why to a certain extent. In this issue however things do go a little bit deeper and we find out why he has a grudge with certain people.Suffice to say the encounters he has are explosive in a way that most will not expect.

On a side note I love anatomy it's part of my profession but even I winced at a few of the images contained within this book. So please be aware it is not for the faint hearted.

The story does take place in both the past and present and the flash back scenes tell us a great deal about Big Man's character and what he is prepared to put up with and where he draws the line.

Reviews of Issue 1 and 2

The Backwards Compatible Random Chat Podcast; Episode 31; Hardhome; GOT Season 5 Episode 8

4/6/2015

This show despite one or two iffy moments is a behemoth. From back stabbing to tricks to a big arse battle Hardhome had everything a GOT fan could need in an episode.

For a brief overview of the main points of the episode and a longer look at the Battle for Hardhome listen to the audio and feel free to leave a comment.

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

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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 30; The Gift; GOT Season 5 Episode 7

29/5/2015

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

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

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

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

Hannibal; A new obsession begins.

17/5/2015

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.

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.

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

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

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

11/5/2015

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

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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.

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.

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

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

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

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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.

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

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

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.

The Backwards Compatible Random Chat Podcast; Episode 26; High Sparrow; GOT Season 5 Episode 3

29/4/2015

Paul is flying alone this week (sorry for the pun) as he takes a look a Game of Thrones episode with a wedding and we all know what that means or do we?

We are still playing with the format but our family based discussion continues and there is a spoiler section at the end but don’t worry we make this abundantly clear when its about to start

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

If you would like to support the site and casts you can use our Amazon link (Here) to grab your goodies it’s free to you as Amazon pay us a very small commission but every little helps to keep the site running

The links you will need

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The Backwards Compatible Random Chat Podcast; Episode 25; The House of Black and White; GOT Season 5 Episode 2

20/4/2015

Episode 2 "The House of Black and White"..Williams, Maisie as Arya Stark

The links you will need

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Although this time they are separated by the vast expanse of Kent, Jon and Paul still found a way to talk about the latest episode of Game of Thrones in their usual style. Namely Jon making assumptions and Paul trying his hardest not to give spoilers.

So sit back as the boys go off on one but be warned spoilers for the episode are present.

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

The Backwards Compatible Random Chat Podcast; Episode 24; In Defence of the Water Core

18/4/2015

After a week of Star Wars mania Paul gets a load of his chest as he lest loose on a number of things Star Wars related starting with the infamous Water Core.

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

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My Favourite cover of the week; RUNLOVEKILL #1

15/4/2015

There is something rather unique about this cover, the absence of colour is part of it but I was rather taken in by the angular features of the figures face. Her strong jaw seems to emphasize her will and determination and add that to a beastly weapon and you have a woman on a mission. Eric Canete has created an attention grabbing cover and at the end of the day that is a cover's most important job.

Cover By: Eric Canete

Sought after by elements from her violent past, fugitive and assassin Rain Oshiro has just 24 hours to escape a barricaded city while trying to evade a military force determined to either capture or kill her.

Story By: Jonathan Tsuei
Story By: Eric Canete
Art By: Eric Canete

Image comics link for RUNLOVEKILL #1

A Mortal (Pain In The) Kombat

14/4/2015

It all sounded so perfect, you buy Mortal Kombat on PC, download 3 gigs of data, then play a few single matches while the rest of the game downloads. Well at this point I can say the 3 gigs came down in no time at all, the intro cinematic and menus are very pretty but as for gameplay I still have no idea.

Unfortunately the game keeps crashing as you want to start a match so for now no fun for me or others who are playing on the PC. Hopefully a patch will come soon so watch this space for some NetherRealm fun. I hope!

The Backwards Compatible Random Chat Vodcast; Episode 23; The Wars to Come; GOT Season 5 Episode 1

14/4/2015

Dinklage, Peter as Tyrion Lannister..Episode 1 "The Wars To Come"

It's that time of year where we celebrate the Kingdoms that George created. Game of Thrones is back and to celebrate Jon and Paul had a bit of a meet up to watch the first episode and then have a chat about it afterwards.

So sit back as the boys go off on one but be warned spoilers for the episode are present.

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

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The Backwards Compatible Random Chat Vodcast; Episode 22; Abe Sapien #22; BC Comic Review

13/4/2015

This arc of Abe's journey is at an end but does it make for a satisfying end?

Creators

Writer: Mike Mignola & Scott Allie

Artist: Max Fiumara

Colorist: Dave Stewart

As always thank you for Watching and speak to you next week.Download and view Video here

The links you will need

Watch to or Download the Podcast here.

Subscribe via iTunes here

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To watch the video via YouTube and see some internal artwork click here

The Backwards Compatible Random Chat Podcast; Episode 21; Better Call Paul

10/4/2015

Bob Odenkirk in the Netflix Original Series "Better Call Saul". Photo Credit: Ursula Coyote for Netflix, Inc.

From the one crazy person who did not enjoy Breaking Bad we have our latest Random Chat covering Better Call Saul.

The Netflix show has just ended its first season but did it win over our Breaking Bad dissenter or not?

Listen to find out but beware there are light spoilers included.

As always thank you for listening and speak to you next week.

The links you will need

Listen to or Download the Podcast here.

Subscribe via iTunes here

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The Backwards Compatible Random Chat Vodcast; Episode 20; HELLBOY AND THE B.P.R.D.: 1952 #5; BC Comic Review

5/4/2015

Join Paul as he wraps up this first arc of Hellboy and the BPRD 1952.

Writer: Mike Mignola, John Arcudi
Artist: Alex Maleev
Colorist: Dave Stewart
Cover Artist: Alex Maleev

Publisher Dark Horse

Preview Images

The links you will need

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The Backwards Compatible Random Chat Podcast; Episode 19; Dead or Alive?

4/4/2015

On today’s Random Chat Paul takes a look at one of his favourite fighting games Dead or Alive 5.

He dives into the good the bad and the pretty, and tries to explain why despite its reputation this really is a game you should play.

As always thank you for listening and speak to you next week.

The links you will need

Listen to or Download the Podcast here.

Subscribe via iTunes here

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The Backwards Compatible Random Chat Podcast; Episode 18; Breaking Resolutions

27/3/2015

It's only early March and already I have been breaking resolutions.

In January I published four resolutions but the question is which ones have I broken and why?

Find out by listening to this weeks exciting episode of the Random Chat.

As always thank you for listening and speak to you next week.

Download the Podcast Here

The Backwards Compatible Random Chat Podcast; Episode 17; Marvel Unlimited Reading List, Deadpool Killustrated and Magneto

5/3/2015

In the vast comic filled chasm that is Marvel Unlimited it can be easy to miss out on reading a few gems. In these shows Paul will pick out a few of his favourites at the time in the hopes you can gain some extra value from your subscription.

This week we look at two Cullen Bunn stories Magneto and Deadpool Killustrated.

As always thank you for listening and speak to you next week.

Download the Podcast here

The Backwards Compatible Random Chat Podcast; Episode 16; Prince of Fools: Red Queen's War, Book 1

26/2/2015

On today's show Paul takes a look at Prince of Fools: Red Queen's War, Book 1 in our first Audiobook review.

The story created by Mark Lawrence is an epic Fantasy and won Paul over enough for him to read and then listen to it. To find out why listen to the episode and hopefully he will illuminate his ideas more.

As always thank you for listening and speak to you next week.

Download the Podcast here

If the review sparks your interest try one of the links below to grab the book in Audiobook, Kindle or physical form.

The Backwards Compatible Random Chat Podcast; Episode 15; Time is of the essence.

19/2/2015

With the Order 1866 causing a stir Paul is joined by Jon to discuss how the length of a game is but one factor in deciding where to dispose of your valuable income. Expect the occasional tangent as we look at what is most important to us in the world of games purchasing and enjoyment.

As always thank you for listening and speak to you next week.

Download the Podcast here

<<Previous

Forward>>

Reviews of Issue 1 and 2

The Links you will need

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

The Links you will need

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

The Links you will need

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

Hannibal: Season 1, Episode 1 Apéritif

If you want to be spoiled hit the Read More Button

The links you will need

Play; Lord of the Rings Shadow of Mordor.

Read Jamie's review for the game here

Watch; Game of Thrones

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

Read; Birthright

The links you will need

The links you will need

The links you will need

The links you will need

Cover By: Eric Canete

The links you will need

The links you will need

To watch the video via YouTube and see some internal artwork click here

The links you will need

Preview Images

The links you will need

The links you will need

If the review sparks your interest try one of the links below to grab the book in Audiobook, Kindle or physical form.

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