Just Dandy TV Documentary On 75 Years Of The Comic

Just Dandy, the 1 hour long documentary on the 75 year history of The Dandy comic, will be screened on BBC1 Scotland at 9.00pm on New Year's Eve. 

Hosted by comic actor Ford Kiernan from BBC Scotland's sitcom Still Game, the programme will include contributions from actors Brian Cox and Bill Patterson, comedian Frank Skinner, and animator Nick Park.

On your right is a promotional image, courtesy of BBC Scotland.

 While Just Dandy is only being broadcast on BBC1 Scotland, and not being networked, it is worth remembering that the rest of the UK receives BBC1 Scotland on Sky Channel 951, FreeSat Channel 960 and Virgin Media Channel 862 and therefore can watch it at the same time as Scotland. It will of course be available to the whole of the UK for 7 days on BBC iPlayer  once it has been broadcast.

There are more details of Just Dandy on the BBC website.

Image from the Scotland/Border edition of the Radio Times (c) Immediate Media Company Ltd

BBC's Merlin turned into a game - so, where's the comic?

Yes, yes, we know this is a British comics blog. But what's wrong with a little bit of a distraction when Merlin, the one BBC show crying out to be a comic is developed as a game? (We're still hoping someone develops a comic although, five seasons in, we suspect the show may reach a natural closure before so long).

Anyway: Merlin: The Game, the work of award-winning London-based Bossa Studios, is now available to play in open beta via Facebook: a fun and beautifully crafted game that introduces casual gamers to a real-time, co-operative, role-playing experience on the world’s most popular social network.

Merlin allows you and six of your best friends to fight off hordes of monsters, complete quests and explore new exciting areas. As you battle across Camelot and gain experience points, level up, you can also customise your character with the skills you want to use.

Progressing through the game allows you to upgrade your equipment from the basic clothing of the medieval age to shimmering suits of armour, or colourful sorcerer’s robes; and be part of the story in the action adventure game that will always have new content for you to explore.

Bossa Studios say they have had a blast developing Merlin: The Game revealing, for lovers of such trivia that the most redesigned part of the game was Merlin's ears, the lyrics for  The Knights of the Round Table from  Monty Python and the Holy Grail were used as placeholder text during alpha stage; and, during the making of Merlin, the team consumed enough pizza to cover a tennis court.

From the visuals we've seen so far it looks great... so where, British publishers, is the comic?

• To play  Merlin: The Game visit the official website:  http://merlingame.com

Ripping Yarns hops to DVD marked by world record attempt

Any British lad of a certain age will remember Ripping Yarns, the TV show that poked fun at the kind of tales of derring-do published in countless boys' comics and annuals down the years. 

Created by members of the Monty Python team, the shw was hugely popular when first shown by the BBC in the 1970s - and it's about to be released on DVD.

Originally broadcast on the BBC between 1976 and 1979, this set is a must-have item for all fans of great British comedy - and there will be a special Guinness World of Records hopathon attempt, homaging an episode of the show, to mark the release.

Following the phenomenal success of Monty Python's Flying Circus, Michael Palin and Terry Jones created the BAFTA-winning parody of Boy's Own-style adventure annuals. Ripping Yarns sees Palin take the lead role in nine fantastic adventures - from stirring tales of sporting endeavour, intrepid exploration and wartime heroism to skullduggery, supernatural mystery and murder!

An illustrious supporting cast includes Ian Ogilvy, John Le Mesurier, Iain Cuthbertson, Denholm Elliott, Joan Sanderson and Don Henderson, with Terry Jones starring in one episode and fellow former Python John Cleese also making a cameo appearance.

Ripping Yarns was produced and directed by the multi award-winning team of Terry Hughes (The Two Ronnies), Jim Franklin (The Goodies) and Alan J.W. Bell (The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy)

Set for release as a two disc set on 5th March 2012, special features include commentaries on all episodes by Michael Palin and Terry Jones; a deleted scene from Murder at Moorstones Manor; audience laughter-free tracks on all episodes bar "Tomkinson's Schooldays" and "Murder at Moorstones Manor"; and Comic Roots - Michael Palin returns to his home-town of Sheffield; "Secrets" - a BBC play from 1973; a Stills Gallery; and Michael Palin's original scripts in PDF format.

To mark the DVD release and as an homage to the episode "Tomkinson's School Days", Network DVD are looking to recruit members of the public to set Guinness World Records for the largest group 400 metre hop as well as a 400 metre relay hop. This free event will take place at the Grade 1-listed Hampstead Heath Athletics track on Saturday 3rd March 2012.

People can apply to participate by visiting facebook.com/NetworkDVD. Both Michael Palin and Terry Jones will be attending and presenting prizes to the overall winners - £500 to the charities of their choice.

The Ripping Yarns Hopathon is inspired by the 30-Mile Hop at Graybridge School, motto: "Only in true misery can you find true contentment" which featured in the first ever episode of the cult comedy series "Tomkinson's School Days". Thankfully Messieurs Palin and Jones have rejected the idea of pitting members of the public in the much -featured grizzly bear fight (still compulsory for some boys at Graybridge), or a St Tagder's Day ceremony (where students are nailed to the school walls). However, selected participants will be provided with Team Graybridge and Team St Anthony's t-shirts plus a commemorative certificate for their commendable sporting efforts.

To break The Guinness World Records as listed above, Network DVD requires at least 250 people to participate in the largest group hop and also needs to set a time of seven minutes to achieve the fastest 400 metre hop on one leg. Participants must be over 18 years of age and in sound physical health. 

- Full details about registration are available at facebook.com/NetworkDVD by 'LIKING' the hop or accessing the facebook tab for existing people who 'like' Network DVD

- Ripping Yarns - The Complete Series (15) is available from Network DVD on 5th March 2012. RRP: £19.99. Discs: 2 Running Time: 225 mins (approx.) Screen Ratio: 1.33:1 Colour Catalogue Number: 7953361

Disc One

TOMPKINSON'S SCHOOLDAYS

Set in the frontier days of British education, when upper lips were stiff with cold and corporal punishment was an A-Level. A savage, searing indictment of something or other.Produced and Directed by Terry Hughes. Original BBC Transmission 7 January 1976

THE TESTING OF ERIC OLTHWAITE

A boy becomes a man in the harsh world of the Depression. The rough, tough story of folk who couldn't afford to go on the Jarrow March.Produced and Directed by Jim Franklin. Original BBC Transmission 27 September 1977

ESCAPE FROM STALAG LUFT 112B

A tale of courage and valour behind the lines in the Kaiser's Germany. An inspiring story of camp life and a British officer who wouldn't lie down.Produced and Directed by Jim Franklin. Original BBC Transmission 4 October 1977

MURDER AT MOORSTONES MANOR 

Hugo and Dora drive down to see Mumsie and Dadsie-pie for a long weekend in the country. But it turns out to be longer than they thought.Produced and Directed by Terry Hughes. Original BBC Transmission 11 October 1977

ACROSS THE ANDES BY FROG

The stirring story of one man and six frogs who tried to defy the world in the greatest gamble of all.Produced and Directed by Terry Hughes. Original BBC Transmission 18 October 1977

THE CURSE OF THE CLAW

The terrifying account of a man who dabbled in the dark mysteries of the Orient, and lived to tell the tale. Or did he...?Produced and Directed by Jim Franklin. Original BBC Transmission 25 October 1977

Disc Two

WHINFREY'S LAST CASE

Dashing, debonnaire Gerald Whinfrey saves his country twice a week. But in 1913 a German plot to start the First World War without telling anybody coincides with his holiday. Where do Whinfrey's priorities lie? Has he got any? A knockabout tale of international intrigue.Executive Producer Sydney Lotterby. Produced and Directed by Alan J.W. Bell. Original BBC Transmission 10 October 1979

GOLDEN GORDON

A torrid tale of football fanaticism in the 1930s. Super-fan Gordon Ottershaw supports a team which hasn't won a match for six years. But worse is to come, and Gordon and his bicycle clips are reunited in a last desperate bid for glory and Bovril. Executive Producer Sydney Lotterby. Produced and Directed by Alan J.W. BellOriginal BBC Transmission 17 October 1979

ROGER OF THE RAJ

Roger Bartlesham comes of age in a world of eighteen-course breakfasts and twelve servants per leg. But when the Great War breaks out Roger finds himself in a world of changing values and is forced by circumstances to the most despicable act known to the British Army. Produced and Directed by Jim Franklin.Original BBC Transmission 24 October 1979

 

Millar and McCrea Create A Blue Peter Superhero

The creator of Kick-Ass and Wanted creating a comic strip for the BBC children's programme Blue Peter?

As odd as it sounds writer Mark Millar visited the new Blue Peter studio in Manchester on 1 November along with STRIP Magazine artist John McCrea to talk about superhero comics and reveal the first page of a Blue Peter themed comic strip. Talking to presenter Barney Harwood, and with Blue Peter dog Barney dressed in a Superman style cape, the pair discussed superhero comics and introduced a one page comic strip written by Mark and illustrated by John.

The Curse Of Bad Peter shows Barney Harwood receive a summons via his Blue Peter badge which turns him into a superhero who has to battle Bad Peter at Manchester's Arndale Centre. The strip is one page long with a second page ready for viewers to complete the story in any way they see fit.

And yes, both creators did receive a Blue Peter badge.

The Curse Of Bad Peter comic strip is available to download as a PDF from the Blue Peter website.

The episode of Blue Peter that Mark Millar and John McCrea appeared in is available for another week on the BBC iPlayer. They appear approximately 12 minutes into the programme.

The annual Blue Peter books used to run comic strips by Bleep and Booster creator Tim. There are more details of the comic strips in the Blue Peter books on Bear Alley.

Classics Illustrated on BBC Radio 4

BBC Radio 4 FM are broadcasting a 30 minute documentary looking at seventy years of the American comicbook series Classics Illustrated on Tuesday 25 October 2011 at 1130.

As the first issue, The Three Musketeers, was originally published in October 1941 and actor Bill Paterson presents the documentary marking the 70th anniversary of the series with contributions from Professor John Sutherland and British bookseller Jeff Brooks who revived the title in the UK using the original artwork.

The UK Classics Illustrated comics are published by Classic Comic Store and the current issue is number 34, an adaptation of James Fenimore Cooper's The Last Of The Mohicans, which is available in WH Smiths, Easons and other high street newsagents.

There are more details of the BBC Radio 4 FM documentary on the BBC website and we would expect it to be available on the BBC iPlayer after broadcast.

There are more details of the modern British publications of Classics Illustrated at the Classic Comic Store website.

You can read an interview with Classics Illustrated publisher Jeff Brooks on the downthetubes main site.

New Merlin magazine out today in the UK

(Updated 19/9/11): Well, here's a title many people thought should be out there but never thought we'd see: an official Merlin magazine, complete with its own official comic strip.

Children's Publisher Attic Brand Media launches The Official Merlin Magazine today, 9th September. Retailing at £3.20 per issue in the UK (the magazine is available worldwide from its official web site), it's the first magazine in the new monthly Futura Specials series from the company, a range which also includes the football-themed posters and puzzles magazine, KiCK! Extra, and the games and entertainment title, Kraze Club.

Attic Brand Media also publishes two monthly magazines, National Geographic Kids (UK) and KiCK!.

Brimming with behind-the-scenes secrets from the new series, we're told Merlin magazine will feature exclusive cast interviews, souvenir posters and prizes - including a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to meet Merlin actor, Colin Morgan.

"It will be a magical treat for boys and girls aged seven to 14 (and a guilty pleasure for all those Merlin fans who are that little bit older!)," the PR proclaims.

Launched in 2008, the Merlin TV series tells the story of young Merlin in Camelot, as he comes to grips with his powers and destiny. Merlin's success and popularity continues to flourish across the globe.

FremantleMedia Enterprises, which has invested in the fifth series of the drama alongside UK broadcaster, BBC One, has now sold Merlin to over 50 broadcasters in more than 180 countries. The fourth series of the fantasy drama will begin in Autumn 2011 on BBC One in the UK. The third series, which was broadcast in winter 2010 pulled in the highest UK ratings for the drama so far, with a weekly average of over six million viewers.

Several publishers have previously pitched for a license for the Magazine, and samples designs and strips materials were created by Interzone illustrator Smuzz for one dummy. But it's Attic who have grabbed the crown and produced the Magazine.

The new Merlin magazine looks as though it wlll follow the same format as Doctor Who Adventures, published at present by the BBC, with with puzzles, quizzes and competitions and, most importantly for downthetubes fans, an exclusive Merlin comic strip, written by Damian Kelleher and drawn by Lee Carey, whose credits include various strips for Panini UK including Spider-Man and Friends.

The first issue will come with two high-quality gifts - a Magic Crystal Set and The Great Dragon Glider toy.

"The new magazine will be a fantastic opportunity for fans to get a glimpse into the world of Merlin, while having a lot of fun!" says the show's executive producer, Johnny Capps.

We wish Attic Brand Media every success with this project - it's great to see Merlin on our appear on our newsagents shelves at last.

• Official Merlin magazine web site: www.merlinmagazine.co.uk

• Official website to buy the Merlin magazine: www.subscribeonline.co.uk/merlin/
The magazine is available to buy worldwide from this website.

• BBC Merlin site: www.bbc.co.uk/merlin

Tube Surfing: Two, Four, Nine, Fifty

BBC2 Scotland Only: Monday 11 July 2011 10pm will see the broadcast of the BBC Artworks Scotland documentary about Scottish comics and comic writers which, unsurprisingly, will feature Alan Grant, Mark Millar and Grant Morrison talking about their work. While it is officially only being broadcast on BBC2 in Scotland, and presumably will be available to the entire UK on the BBC iPlayer for seven days afterwards, it is worth remembering that Sky viewers in the rest of the UK are able to access BBC2 Scotland on channel 990 and so can watch or record it at the same time as those north of the border. Details of the programme are on the Artworks Scotland webpage.

Four Cornerers: Four of the seven artists who make up the Scottish daily artblog Scotch Corner were at the Kingdom Of Adventure shop in Kirkcaldy last Saturday for a signing and the recording of a podcast. Jon Hodgson, Andy Hepworth, Graeme Neil Reid and Tom Crielly were joined by Simon Fraser for a short time via Skype but technical issues, otherwise known as a blown fuse, meant that his Skype feed could not be recorded for the podcast. The reason behind the gathering was to celebrate two years of the blog's existence and their birthday present to themselves was a month's holiday as they have handed the blog over to an impressive array of other artists to show off their work and answer a few questions. To date these have included Mick McMahon, Bob Eggleton, Jimmy Broxton, James Ryman, Chris Weston and Siku. The Scotch Corner blog is here.

The Curse Of Issue 9? It looks like CLiNT has survived the curse of issue 9 but only by the skin of its teeth with the magazine's frequency dropped from 13 to an unusual 9 issues a year. Of the recent batch of comics related magazines, both Alan Moore's Dodgem Logic and Alan Grant's Wasted have fallen by the wayside for one reason or another having reached issue 8. SFX's Comic Heroes is currently on issue 7 and has gone from 4 to 6 issues a year so we will keep our fingers crossed for it and, of course, will have everything crossed for Strip Magazine in October and The Phoenix Comic in January. With Wasted gone to the great newsagents in the sky, Tales Of The Buddha and Vampire Vixens Of The Wehrmacht are both now looking for new publishers, so fingers crossed for them also.

Commando Interrogation: With the fiftieth anniversary of the first issue of DC Thomson's Commando at the end of last month, you would have expected the company to cover, or at least mention, it in their daily Dundee Courier newspaper, but it was not to be. Instead Scottish readers were able to read the thoughts of editor Calum Laird, deputy editor Scott Montgomery, former editor George Low and writer Ferg Handley in the Daily Record (the Scottish version of the Daily Mirror). The on-line version of the article has an excellent picture of Scott, George and Calum with loads of original Commando artwork but the paper version also had this priceless pic of George wearing a WWII British helmet. The downthetubes Medal For Resisting Interrogation must go to Scott as the only one of the four who managed to not have his age revealed. The Daily Record interview is here.

Tube Surfing: Dan Dare, Death's Head and World Book Night outrage

Some quick news items...

• (via the Dan Dare Yahoo Group) A bust of Dan Dare is now sitting comfortably on a beautifully made plinth in a prominent position in the library of Southport College (where his creator, Frank Hampson and other original Dare team members, studied) as an inspiration to future budding Hampsons, Harold Johns or Eric Edens.

Once the library has been refurbished next year there is an intention to bring together a collection of Eagle-related material and have a special section set aside to display it.

• Paul Birch has posted an entertaining review of the Death's Head Volume 2 collection on Speech Balloons, noting the history of Marvel UK as both a publisher of licensed comics and publisher of many US format comics during Paul Neary's tenure as Editorial Director. "How many of the countless Marvel UK superheroes pumped out during that time can anyone remember fondly?" he challenges. "Aside from Death's Head II by Dan Abnett and Liam Sharp that is? Not many, I'm sure..."

Off the top of my head? Warheads, Digitek, Motormouth and Killpower, Hell's Angel (re-named Dark Angel after legal threats from the Hells Angels), Gene Dogs, Shadow Riders. Admittedly, I did edit some of those titles so my memory might be better than others. More important, perhaps, than the characters, was the sheer number of talented folk Paul and the MUK team nurtured between them, now widely known to the general comic audience: artists like Bryan Hitch who had worked for MUK for some time but was rightly given the limelight along with Liam Sharp, Gary Frank and many more.

• Let me join in with the widespread disappointment at the BBC's decision to totally ignore readers of science fiction and fantasy on World Book Night in its BBC2 show, The Books We Really Read: a Culture Show Special (currently available here on iPlayer). Over on the Forbidden Planet International blog, Joe Gordon notes there was "outraged chatter on Twitter about this over the weekend" over the slight.

"The simple fact is that SF&F novels absolutely dominate the bestseller charts and have done for a couple of decades now," notes Joe. "Terry Pratchett, Peter F Hamilton, Iain M Banks and many more almost always go right into the top ten national bestselling hardback list when their new books come out. You can’t do that if you are just a small, easily ignorable niche market." Too right.

Joe reports that long time SF&F commentator (and bestselling author in his own right now) Stephen Hunt (founder of ace SF web site www.sfcrowsnest.com) has decided that instead of our usual moaning of the mainstream media’s dismissive and ignorant approach to our beloved genre that something should actually be done and the BBC made aware of how poor their decision was and how it meant they failed to serve the interest of a large percentage of viewers (who are the ones who fund the Corporation, after all). He has a fairly flaming response to the lack of coverage on his blog already.

"As the hour went by, strangely absent from this detailed parade of what people actually like to read was “a certain” genre, you know… the unclean one, speculative fiction, as in fantasy/horror/science fiction… which together accounts for between 20/30 per cent of the fiction market, depending on what measure you choose to believe.

"I can forgive the committee of World Book Night itself, whose selection of 25 titles to give one millions free copies away was made by a board which clearly apes the views of the Booker panel – which is that fantasy, horror and sci-fi, much like hardcore porn, has no place in any respectable fiction list, but the BBC?" (Philip Pulman's Northern Lights was on the World Book Night list, but only, the BBC made clear, as an example of Young Adult-crossover – heaven forbid it should be an actual example of fantasy).

Outraged, Stephen has set up a Facebook page as well as planning a petition of Brit SF&F authors to complain at the complete lack of coverage by the BBC. So if, as individual viewers based in the UK, you want to complain to the BBC about failing to cover a single fantasy, horror or science fiction novel, the online form to do this is located at... https://www.bbc.co.uk/complaints/forms/ ... the more complaints, the better! Don't forget to mention the snobby show that started all this.


Perhaps, if enough people write in, we'll get a decent SF show on TV - and no, I'm not talking about Outcasts, which made it clear it was more about the "human condition" than SF, and has rightly bombed in the ratings as a result of boring its audience to death...

Ridley Scott to produce The Man in the High Castle

Blade Runner director Ridley Scott is to executive produce a four-part adaptation of The Man in the High Castle by Philip K Dick for BBC1.

The script will be written by playwright and Spooks writer Howard Brenton, bringing Dick's Hugo-award winning story of an alternative timeline in which Axis forces defeated the Allies in the second world war to the small screen.

The Guardian reports the drama will be co-produced by Scott's independent production company Scott Free Films, makers of both Blade Runner and Gladiator.

The series is a co-production with Headline Pictures and Electric Shepherd, the production arm of the Philip K Dick Estate. Headline Pictures was set up by Stewart Mackinnon and Mark Shivas to produce high-quality television drama and feature films for the international market and their development slate also includes Reykjavik, a feature film with Ridley Scott attached, based on the end of the Cold War, and official Peter Pan sequel Peter Pan In Scarlet, written for the screen by Oscar-nominee Jeffrey Caine.

"I've been a lifelong fan of Philip K Dick," said Scott. "He is the master of creating worlds which not only spark the imagination but offer deeper commentary on the human condition."

In a 1976 interview for Hour 25, Dick, who was a regular guest on the show, said he planned to write a sequel novel to The Man in the High Castle: "And so there's no real ending on it. I like to regard it as an open ending. It will segue into a sequel sometime."

Dick said that he had "started several times to write a sequel", but progressed little, because he was too disturbed by his original research for The Man in the High Castle and could not mentally bear "to go back and read about Nazis again."

• A Talk with Philip K. Dick (1976) - Hour 25 with Mike Hodel
Hour 25 hosted by Mike Hodel A Talk with Philip K. Dick 1976 Captured from (streaming media). Also available at www.philipkdick.com/media_audio.html

• Man in the High Castle Cover Gallery

Culture Show Discusses Comics Tonight

Just a quick 'heads-up' to advise you to tune into tonight's The Culture Show on BB2 (at 7.00pm, repeated at 12.20am Friday morning). The programme will be exploring "the past, present and post-election future of British comic art" which is the focus of a new exhibition, Rude Britannia: British Comic Art at the Tate which opens on 9th June.

And if that's not enough to persuade fans of all things cult to tune in, they're also be a Noel Clarke interview (that's Mickey from Doctor Who) in which the writer, actor and director will be discussing his latest film, 4,3,2,1.

Put together with some the country’s best-known cartoonists and comedy writers, Rude Britannia: British Comic Art at the Tate explores British comic art from the 1600s to the present day and the exhibition also includes a number of special events, detailed on its dedicated web site. Bringing together a wide array of paintings, sculptures, film and photography, as well as graphic art and comic books, the exhibition celebrates a rich history of cartooning and visual jokes.

The room on the Absurd is curated by comedian Harry Hill, and includes such diverse materials as Alice in Wonderland illustrations, David Shrigley’s sculpture, and films by Edwina Ashton and Oliver Michaels. Within the Bawdy, Donald McGill’s 'smutty' seaside postcards, can be seen with works by artists as different as Aubrey Beardsley, Sarah Lucas, and Grayson Perry.

The rooms exploring Politics, Social Satire and Cruikshank's Victorian masterpiece The Worship of Bacchus, have been put together with Gerald Scarfe, Steve Bell, and the cartoonists from Viz. These show the power of comic art as a form of social and political commentary throughout history, from satires of Georgian society by Rowlandson and Gillray to Spitting Image's damning Thatcher puppet.

Looking at comedy that is both timeless and of-its-time, Rude Britannia contrasts contemporary artists such as Angus Fairhurst with key historical pieces, and covers everything from Hogarth to the YBAs.

Gasp, cringe, or have a sly chuckle: Rude Britannia will certainly cause a reaction. See politicians brought down to size and the great and the good exposed; blush at the saucy postcards and laugh out loud at the slapstick fun - but watch out for that banana skin!

• BBC Culture Show: www.bbc.co.uk/cultureshow

• Tate Britain is at Millbank, London SW1P 4RG. Tel: 020 7887 8888 E-mail: visiting.britain@tate.org.uk. Web: www.tate.org.uk/britain/. Entry is free except for major exhibitions: Entrance to Rude Britannia is £10, Concessions £6. Open every day 10.00–18.00. Last admission to exhibitions

New Doctor And Companion To Visit Their Hometowns

As part of the pre-publicity for the new series of Doctor Who due to start on BBC1 at Easter, new Doctor, Matt Smith, and Karen Gillan, who plays new companion Amy Pond, will be undertaking a short publicity tour.

As well as Matt Smith's hometown of Northampton and Karen Gillan's hometown of Inverness they will also visit Belfast, Salford and Sunderland.

The tour takes in the five locations in three days beginning in Belfast on Monday 29 March and concluding in Salford on Wednesday 31st March. Each location will have a screening for local children of the first episode of the new series, The Eleventh Hour, written by the series' new show runner Steven Moffat.

• The trailer for the new series is available on the BBC Doctor Who website while there are more details of the tour on the BBC News website.

Former 2000AD Editor Turns "Pill Pusher"

Pill pushing of the fictional kind, of course (what did you think we meant?), as tomorrow (Wednesday 10th February at 1.45pm) see the broadcast of former Judge Dredd: The Megazine and 2000AD editor David Bishop's first drama commission - an episode of the award-winning serial drama Doctors titled A Pill for Every Ill.

Doctors is, currently, the only UK made soap that gives all of its episodes a title.

"It's official," David recently enthused on his blog. "I am a TV drama writer. Now comes the tough part, getting a second commission. Onwards!"

In the episode, Doctor Simon Bond (David Sturzaker) finds himself out of his depth when treating a woman with extreme PMS symptoms, while Elise (Hannah Steele) invites Immie (Charlie Clemmow) to spend the night at her house. Meanwhile, Daniel Granger (Matthew Chambers) has to apologise to Zara when his jealousy almost gets the better of him.

"I appreciate most people won't be at home to watch the show," David told downthetubes, "but it'll be available on the BBC's iPlayer from late tomorrow afternoon if you felt the urge to have a look.

"Personally I think director Seán Gleeson, the cast, crew and production team have done me proud..."

David has had a busy career since his 2000AD days, continuing to write comic strips such as The Phantom and authoring several novels and audio dramas. In 2007, he won the PAGE International Screenwriting Award in the short film category for his script, Danny's Toys. He's even won an episode of The Weakest Link, back in 2008.

Last year, he began work as a tutor at Edinburgh's Napier University for its MA in Creative Writing course taken by Sam Kelly. As we previously reported, guest speakers included comics luminaries such as Alan Grant, Mark Millar and Leah Moore.

And to think, when he finally gets that much sought-after Doctor Who commission, I can say, "I shared a house with that bloke, once"... Congratulations, David!

• Doctors Official web site (for iPlayer links and episode information)


• Vicious Imagery: David Bishop's official blog


Doctors: A Pill for Every Ill image © BBC

Gaiman And Rankin On BBC2 On Wednesday

As the Edinburgh International Book Festival continues this week under canvas in the Scottish capital's Charlotte Square Gardens, BBC2's Edinburgh Festival Show will feature a taster of what was one of the best BookFest events of last week.

Fantasy author Neil Gaiman and crime author Ian Rankin were interviewed on stage by crime author Denise Mina about their work on comics and graphic novels and for the sold out audience of 600 last Thursday night it was a case of paying for two Constantine writers and getting a third for free. With Ian Rankin's first graphic novel, Dark Entries, soon to be available from DC Vertigo the two men talked about their comics work and how it related to their prose novels with Gaiman doing his impression of Alan Moore and Rankin displaying his impressive comics knowledge. For more details on this excellent event check out Joe Gordon's review of it over on the FPI blog.

Prior to the talk, the three authors had recorded a piece for the BBC's Edinburgh Festival Show and this is due to be broadcast on Wednesday 26 August at 7 pm on BBC2.

CBBC Revamps Short Form Animation Portal

The award-winning British channel CBBC has reinforced its commitment to British animation, announcing its online portal Cartoon Works is expanding to become a new destination to premiere short-form content from the UK animation industry.

CBBC has also commissioned brand new animation Muddle Earth based on the much-loved children’s books by Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell and Shaun the Sheep returns to screens this autumn in a series of new exploits.

"We're very excited by Cartoon Works which we hope will act as a creative cartoon playground for the UK animation industry," commented Steven Andrew, Head of Drama, Animation and Acquisition for CBBC.

"These new commissions are testament to the talented and creative community working in UK animation today, and the wonderful content that is being produced across the country."

Cartoon Works – CBBC’s popular online portal for animation which launched in 2008 – will premiere new and exciting short-form content made by British animators.

From autumn 2009, the online interactive creative playground will showcase brand new animation from budding under 18 amateurs through to established professionals.

• Cartoon Works Site: www.bbc.co.uk/cbbc/cartoonworks

(Be warned, this site take ages to load because of its structure to actually get to the animation gallery!)

• Anyone can submit animation, the best of which will be selected and showcased on www.bbc.co.uk/cbbc and then transmitted on the CBBC Channel in spring 2010.


• Further information will be available soon for animators interested in submitting projects.

Torchwood: They Are Coming Soon

It began on BBC3, transferred to BBC2 and now Doctor Who's adult spin-off, Torchwood is finally arriving on BBC1.

The third season of Torchwood, which will run over the course of five consecutive nights on the BBC's premier channel, is starting at 9pm on Monday 6 July. Starring the survivors of the second season, Ianto Jones played by Gareth David-Lloyd, Gwenn Cooper played by Eve Myles and of course Captain Jack Harkness played by the irrepressible and omnipresent John Barrowman, the ongoing story is entitled Children Of Earth which the BBC are quietly playing down as "Torchwood's greatest adrenalin-fuelled, high octane adventure yet".

Prior to the TV series returning BBC Radio 4 will be broadcasting a series of three 45 minute Torchwood radio dramas in their Afternoon Plays slot. All starting at 2.15pm, these are Asylum written by Anita Sullivan on Wednesday 1 July, Golden Age by James Goss on Thursday 2 July and finally The Dead Line by Phil Ford on Friday 3 July.

Since these will be on at awkward times for most Torchwood fans, they will be available for seven days after broadcast on the BBC iPlayer.

• More details of the Torchwood TV series and radio series are available on the BBC's Torchwood website

Alan Moore - Interviewed and Interviewing

A quick reminder (courtesy of artist Graeme Neil Reid) that writer Alan Moore is being interviewed on the BBC Radio 7 programme Chain Reaction tonight, Sunday 21 June, at 10:30pm.

The format of the series is that this week's interviewee becomes next week's interviewer which means that Alan Moore will be interviewed this week by comedian Stewart Lee and in next week's programme, on Sunday 28 June, Moore will interview musician Brian Eno.

More details of the programme are at the BBC Radio 7 website where tonight's programme will be available to listen for seven days via BBCi Player.

BBC’s Culture Show Celebrates 30 Years Of Viz

It almost sounds like a headline that the staff of Viz made it up for their comic but BBC2’s Culture Show travelled to Gateshead for the Tuesday 3 March programme. While there, as well as taking in Yoko Ono’s exhibition at the Baltic, presenter Lauren Laverne nipped across the river to Newcastle Upon Tyne to talk to Viz co-creator Chris Donald and visited the title’s offices to talk to artists Simon Thorp and Graham Dury.

For those who missed it the programme is available on BBCi player for 7 days and can be downloaded and retained for 30 days. The Viz item is first in the running order and lasts about 10 minutes.

The Culture Show on BBCi Player is here.

The Viz website is here.

Gromit Reads The Beagle

Wallace and Gromit had a triumphal Christmas with the new story A Matter Of Loaf And Death topping the TV ratings while their film, Curse Of The Were-Rabbit, made it to number eight. Of course all the publicity surrounding the duo's return didn't hurt with them appearing on the BBC1 Christmas Idents as well as stealing the cover of the Christmas Radio Times away from Doctor Who.

One of the delights of any of the Wallace and Gromit stories is the number of in-jokes that the film makers can incorporate into the plot or, more often, onto the screen. The first was big and, to many, pretty blatant. The co-writer of A Matter Of Loaf And Death with Nick Park was Bob Baker, one of the co-creators of Doctor Who's (or now more accurately Sarah-Jane's) K-9, so it was really no surprise that the first of the bread bakers to be killed off in the story was Baker Bob.

That said the best of the in-jokes for me was when Fluffles the poodle returns Gromits's things to him. In the box amongst vinyl records by Doggy Osmond and McFlea and a soft toy Bagpuss is a comic. Gromit reads The Beagle and the prop is complete with accurate Eagle title box and title font.

It is the little things like this that make Nick Park's two best known characters such a delight to return to time and time again.

Free Hunt Emerson Comic

Following up the recent downthetubes piece on Hunt Emerson and his work with Phil Stamp Covers, Emerson fans may like to check out the comic that he has produced for the BBC RaW adult literacy campaign.

The 16 page full colour glossy US sized comic is entitled Tips For Storytelling and is written and illustrated by Emerson. The tips for reading stories out loud to children are passed on from one father, Errol, to another, Keith. Errol explains how to involve a young child in the story telling and maintaining their attention. As well as giving tips on reading for adults, the comic effectively provides aspiring humour artists with tips on drawing a wide range of expressions as Errol explains to Keith how funny voices and faces can add to the experience of the story for the child. For that reason alone it is worth looking for a copy.

The BBC RaW Tips For Storytelling comic is available free to UK residents from the BBC RaW website.

Tube Surfing: 13 October 2008

COMICS AND 'ZINES

• Radio 4 will be airing four 15-minute programmes on comics and cartoonists with Phill Jupitus, broadcasting on the back of a favourable response to his previous comics programme. The first one with Doonesbury creator Gary Trudeau went out last Tuesday and is available on Listen Again and has also got its own permanent link. the three to come include one with Bill Griffith and Alex creators Peattie and Taylor – again will be on the Listen Again after broadcast for seven days but Radio4 say they hope to do permanent links for them like the first one too at some point. More deatils from the Forbidden Planet International blog. "It's nice to see them following up on the earlier ones and their reception, feels FPI's Joe Gordon. "Between this, Comics Britannia and some other radio spots the Beeb has been fairly nice to the comics community this last year (and we have their SF drama series early next year on the radio too)."

Here's the line up:
• Tuesday 14th October at 0930 - Cartoonists with Attitude (Mikhaela Reid, Brian McFadden, Jen Sorensen, Masheka Wood)
• Tuesday 21st October at 0930 - Charles Peattie/Russell Taylor, creators of Alex
• Tuesday 28th October at 0930 - the great Bill ‘Zippy the Pinhead’ Griffith

• Mangaquake, sister title to top UK indie title Futurequake, is now available yo read online from the Futurequake press web site. All the strips from Mangaquake 01 have now been formatted to be read individulally.

• BBC Birmingham has published an interview with Moseley-based creator Andy Johnston about Zine Arcade, available throughout the UK and as far a field as the USA and Japan. The title brings together writing, poetry, drawings, artwork and more into one magazine and features many of Andy's contemporaries as well as his own work.
The first issue of Zine Arcade featured material by twenty self-publishers from Europe, North America and Australia. More info from the Zine Arcade web site.

In future there will be a new issue from FQP available each month! Next month it is the now legendary FQ06.
• 1980s small press fanzine Critical Wave, later sub-titled "The European Science Fiction & Fantasy Review", is to return. Published and co-edited by Steve Green and Martin Tudor, the original Critical Wave ran from October 1987 until the summer of 1996. Last month, Steve and Martin decided to relaunch Critical Wave as an electronic newszine, published monthly via eFanzines. The first edition is scheduled for mid-November, to coincide with Novacon 38.

• The small press event UK Comix Web Thing is to return in March 2009. More details from the offcial web site, although depending on your entry point there are currently conflicting dates listed for the event.

• Kickback and V for Vendetta artist David Lloyd will be in New York on the weekend of November 14-16 for the Big Apple Con at the Pennsylvania Hotel. "My last visit to one of those shows was in '06, at which I had a terrific time, and the organisers have now been kind enough to ask me back for another."

TV NEWS

• More bits of Doctor Who news over on Digital Spy. First, as widely reported, Doctor Who stars David Tennant and Catherine Tate will go head-to-head at this year's National Television Awards. Lead actor Tennant and Who newcomer Tate, who played The Doctor's companion Donna Noble, have both received a nomination in a new Outstanding Drama Performance category. However, they face competition from Ashes To Ashes star Philip Glenister (Gene Hunt) and The Bill's Alex Walkinshaw (Sgt. Dale Smith).
The web site also offers an overview of Doctor Who movies, as rumours fly about a possible big screen outing for the Time Lord.

• Variety reports US broadcaster NBC has ordered four more scripts of its new SF series Knight Rider from Universal Media Studios. The original series was a popular strip in weekly comic Look-In, often drawn by Barrie Mitchell who now draws Wendy for DC Thomson.

• In mobile media news, the BBC is now allowing television programmes to be downloaded to mobile devices capable of playing back content protected by Windows Media digital rights management. Among the supported devices are the Sony Walkman E and S series and Archos' Internet Media Tablet. The Windows Media DRM-protected TV shows join DRM-free radio programmes and podcasts among the BBC's download offerings.

FILM NEWS

• SciFiWire reports Fox 2000 has acquired rights to Joe Haldeman's 1974 classic SF novel The Forever War, and Ridley Scott is planning to make it into his first science fiction film since he delivered back-to-back classics with Blade Runner and Alien, Variety reported.

GAMES NEWS

• Digital Spy has also just published a handy potted history of the adventure game, the genre that achieved market dominance in the 1980s and 1990s. meanwhile, games publisher Bungie has confirmed that there will be no more Halo 3 add-ons after the upcoming Recon.

• Compiled with thanks to Matthew Badham, Joe Gordon and others. Cheers!