And then I spent a week writing 12,000 words on a project I’m going to err on the side of caution and assume I can’t talk about yet, prior to writing another 12,000 to finish it off this week. How have you been?
Blogbusters isn’t on the site yet this week but do go have a look at the archive, hyper-linked back there. Do people still say hyper-linked? Is that still a thing? Anyway, this week my piece on the 10(Ish) Best Sidekicks ever went up. I had a lot of fun doing this one, there are a couple of my all time favorites in there and some of the comments are fascinating. Admittedly some of the comments are exactly the same ‘“You kids reduce your decibels! I know your dad!’ curmudgeonly nonsense that you get from certain Doctor Who fans but most of them are great and show exactly how difficult it is to quantify what a sidekick is. Case in point; I didn’t include any characters from Buffy and Angel because they’re all either mentors or protagonists, and whilst several people seemed in favor of including Raj from The Big Bang Theory he’s a main character as far as others are concerned. It’s one of those areas which fascinates me because it shows how fractious geek culture is, albeit in a mostly good-natured way for once. Science fiction is whatever we’re pointing at when we say ‘That’s science fiction’ and a sidekick is apparently the same. It’s a fun piece anyway, go check it out.
I definitely bought comics this week. Did I mention Kelly Sue DeConnick‘s Captain Marvel is one of the best series in years? In one move she’s turned Carol from the owner of the stupidest costume in comics (Because let’s face it kids, thigh high boots, a leotard and a scarf just screams kickass USAF pilot now doesn’t it?)into a fascinating set of contradictions; a pilot who doesn’t need a plane anymore, a woman at the top of her profession who’s only just starting to realize she deserves to be there and a kind, compassionate, endlessly emotionally strong human being who can, if called upon, punch you in the face with a tank. It’s a brilliant book, totally worth your time. I look forward to having the time to read this month’s issue.
I did, however, have time to watch the new trailer for Jack Reacher, the first movie adaptation of the eponymous, six foot plus, drifter/former military policeman/bringer of doom books written by Lee Child. The books are fun, very modern pulp and the movie…stars Tom Cruise. Who you will note is not six foot plus of anything. I’ve had my doubts but the new trailer’s gone a long way to assuaging them as you’ll see.
The Last Reel, by Lynda E. Rucker is film horror in my favorite way. There’s something about celluloid and horror and this story is a beautiful, wide-eyed look at the things that move in the gate, and the things that move outside it too.
And that’s me for the week. Incoming this week is an interview, an afterword piece for one of the best writers, and finest people, I know and 12,000 more words. At least some of which will include exactly how to use the big fake whale the Natural History Museum have in an action sequence. Hopefully I’ll be able to talk about what the project is too.
See you soon.
Oh also? The hidden links are back. There are a few extra links in this piece which will give you some hints as to what I’m going to be writing about shortly. Click stuff, see what happens.
Want to talk to me about the article? Come see me on Twitter at @alasdairstuart or email me.
