Hallucination nation

Sister EM is flying in this afternoon to stay with us for a few days. Yay!

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COMIC COVER OF THE WEEK

By Daniel Warren Johnson, from "Do A Power Bomb B&W #1". Except this is a Diving Crossbody, not a P/B :-) The way he's captured the height/movement, the inherent danger and the anticipation of the crowd/oppo are [chef's kiss].

SONG OF THE WEEK

"Throne Of Thorns" by Stryper (US).

Apparently they are still going. Christian metal was big in the coastal community where I grew up as a teen, especially among Baptist kids, but I never got into it. Anyway, I just like this track. The guitar solo was what won it for them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THfZyX9L0qo

Commended >>> "Fireflies" Game Boy cover by Soundbites (US), "Saet Det Fri" by Malte Ebert (Denmark).

GAMEBOOK REREADS OF THE WEEK

* "CYOA #104 - The Cobra Connection": <Died/failed once before beating.> Ludicrous premise, as they so often were, where your parents allow you to go on a trip with your uncle's business partner. Rad meta ending that suggests YOU wrote the gamebook because peeps didn't believe your claims. Time-travel software!

* "EQ #14 - Raid On Nightmare Castle": <Died/failed once before beating.> There's an elf named Estragon, though no Vladimir that I could find. Would a crystal gong actually work? Should it even still be referred to as a gong? The interior illos by Jim Holloway made me feel right at home. Honestly, the prose was decent.

* "FF #14 - Temple Of Terror": <Died/failed four times before beating.> Typical Livo collect-'em-up - multiple artifacts to gather, multiple spells from which to choose, multiple items that may be purchased. Setting was very Conan. Fights were tough, e.g. the 10/20 Sand Worm. Internal art average at best. Abrupt conclusion. 

DOCO OF THE WEEK

Arty Anton Corbijn doco from 2022 about a pair of chancers - one flexible and dedicated, one difficult and visionary - who, thanks to a lucky break, ended up creating some of the most iconic album covers of all time. Beyond the famous talking heads and amusing anecdotes, and deets of the colourful supporting cast who came to join Hipgnosis, it's ultimately a very personal, moving tale.

PODCAST RELISTEN* OF THE WEEK

*In its entirety!

Unusual for me give any pod a second listen. The only example that springs to mind is selected early eps of "The Grognard Files".

2026ADD

Been reading "2000AD" on the reg again for the past couple of months. Judge Dredd strip - and crossover event - "The Oubliette" has the potential to be another legendary storyline like "The Dead Man". Judge Anderson also just returned last issue. Waifu for life-u! It's not all zarjaz, however: two of the five strips currently running don't thrill me in the slightest (sorry, Tharg). Oh, for the days when everything between the mag's covers was can't-miss. Was it truly superior then, or is this 60% strike rate more about my level of jadedness/cynicism? We shall see as, regardless of the duds, I'm relishing the new-old Thursday-eve ritual of sitting down with the latest "2000AD", and I don't intend on cancelling my subscription any time soon.

Omphalos fluff

We played through the prologue of co-op legacy card game "Earthborne Rangers". The rulebook is TERRIBLE. Fortunately, the basic play loop is fun, and the far-future setting is beyond alluring. We'll begin tackling "E/R" properly next week.

In-built cowardice

NOVELTY RAMEN OF THE WEEK

A tad weird, but pleasant enough - and they do indeed taste like pumpkin pie. (The serving suggestion is with a dollop of whipped cream!) Would eat again...except they were a gift from the States. The fill-to line is quite low, so the noodles end up in a sauce rather than a soup. Went down well with a chicken salad :-)

ADDICTIVE VIDEOGAME OF THE WEEK

This roguelite word game steadily escalates in complexity, has a sense of humour about itself and stars a mascot who resembles Grover from "Sesame Street". What more could you want in a desktop diversion from the work-handover manual you should really be doing? OK, maybe a bonus head'n'shoulders massage.

GEEKY AUDIOPLAYS OF THE WEEK

Am presently on the first story in the second box set of this cult-telly remake. What a shame BF produced no more after 2020. Anyhoo...an Edwardian gentleman vigilante is transported to the Swinging Sixties, where he faces culture shock and a new breed of villain. Brilliant writing (and co-starring) by Guy Adams!

Rank & file

Weren't stepping stones wonderful things to encounter as a child? As well as being a physical challenge and a daring kind of game, they had a touch of the fairytale about them. Who put these here? Where might the stones lead me? Had I been blessed to marry and father children, I would have wanted the kids to grow up knowing a backyard with stepping stones. And lots of garden gnomes engaging in gnomish activities. And a treehouse. And a secret walled flower garden. Bloody landscaping woulda cost me a fortune!

Amateur human

COMIC COVER OF THE WEEK

By Bilquis Evely. There wasn't much to choose from in the latest batch. Cute gal with sword? Sure, that'll do. Krypto is an annoying mutt, though.

SONG OF THE WEEK

"Lost Boys" by Phoebe Bridgers (US).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KXnboPN1p4

Commended >>> The new official live clip of "Luukered" by Sadu (Estonia), "Forfra Sabar" by Hugorm (Denmark), "Dreams Of Lands Unseen" by Ignea (Ukraine), "Highway" by Elephant Gym (Taiwan) and Matt Gray's (UK) new synthwave remix of the "Quedex" title theme.

MY THOUGHTS ON THE FACT WE'RE NOT GETTING A "WHO" CHRISTMAS SPECIAL

Thank goodness. The RTD2 era was a dismal failure. I welcome a new Wilderness Years!

Flint pieces (FP)

I watched 2025 Oz shark movie "Fear Below". Different! Set in the '40s, killer critter (giant bull shark) is in a river, part hard-edged crime drama, historical touches... The online scores are low, but I reckon you need to be Aussie to appreciate it.

MANGA OF THE WEEK

"DDD" still has the power to surprise and intrigue. Although it's not manga, I also enjoyed the bumper 90th-anniversary "Phantom" special - a solid mix of new and old yarns, plus an excellent essay on the character's enduring popularity.

Fantasy author Brandon Sanderson delivering this year's Tolkien lecture -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKvmYcGOCkE