Interzone #165 John Christopher interview (2001)

Title – Interzone #165 John Christopher interview
Interviewer – Paul Brazier Publisher - Interzone / David Pringle
Format - Magazine
Year - 2001
Original Cost – £3.00 (Cost me £1 in Oxfam)

I've read a few books by John Christopher and have a few more sitting on the shelf waiting.  He's a great writer and a really important contributor to the British science fiction genre and children's fiction generally.  Despite that I realised I knew very little about the man himself so when thumbing through a box of old Interzone magazines in a charity shop, this was the one that jumped out at me.

Its a long interview conducted at Christopher's home and over a pub lunch.  He's quite candid and honest about his career and what becomes clear through out, is that he's a prolific wordsmith and a grafter.  Of course John Christopher isn't his real name but rather just the most popular of at least 8 pseudonyms employed by Sam Youd during his long career.

At the end of the interview we are presented with a list of all of Christopher's published works and the names under which they were penned.  There's approximately 60 titles featured although its by no means exhaustive. There may be other titles yet to be added and its doubtful even the author could name everything he had written or published.  In his early days he was writing four books a year for every one that got published, apparently.  Given the quality of his work, adding such a dynamic work ethic into the equation only makes him more admirable and worthy of greater respect.

There are a few other related features in the magazine that look interesting; a short story by Christopher being the top of the list.  Its a nice treasury and tribute to the man and his work and although I'm not sure that giving interviews was ever his favorite thing, he's as open and honest as you could hope.

Overall its a good potted history of how publishing worked back in the day as well as what it took to make a living in the industry.  I've got a few new titles to add to my wish list and it even taught me a new word into the bargain.

That word was; Prolix.  upon which note, ill take my leave.

Until next time

Steve

Hellblazer #85 to #88 (1995)

Title – Hellblazer #85 to #88 - Warped Notions
Author – Eddie Campbell / Sean Phillips
Publisher - DC Vertigo
Format - Comic Book (4-part story)
Year - 1995
Original Cost – $1.95

This is a curious story that I initially felt blended into the run quite nicely but on rereading turns out to be something of a curates egg. We start with John invited to perform an exorcism, that not only ends badly but also with the realization that the victim was not actually possessed but was being used as a prophet for the forthcoming apocalypse.

Enter the ghost of Sir Francis Dashwood, the cat demon Murnarr and the blind and "armless" - as in a Venus De Milo kind of way - Bona Dea.  Strange things are afoot in the world; random acts of the bizarre as urban legends begin to play out for real.  Accepted reality is coming undone but with John Constantine's help, Dashwood has a plan to fix it all by circling the globe to stop the unraveling with binding magics.

What follows feels less plotted than stumbled over.  The ghost of Benjamin Franklin pops up for a chat and little else,  The Church of Virtual Reality kidnap John for reasons unknown and we crash land in Australia for a spark of Aboriginal magic and a few drinks in an outback bar... until the true antagonist reveals himself and is swiftly and quite easily dealt with.

A breakneck pace and Sean Phillips artwork are what mainly hold the whole thing to together but it somehow feels light and empty.  Paradoxically I actuality think it would have been better to have told the story over a larger run of comics and used the space to build character and tension. As it is, it has all the trappings of a good Hellblazer story but not the inner workings.

Part 1 - The Delicate Power of Terror

Part 2 - The Everything Virus

Part 3 - The Shout

Part 4 - Mountain of Madness

I'll throw out a quick bonus point for name-checking The Shout, a 1978 film about a man that has learned the Aboriginal Killing shout as mentioned and shown within the pages of part 3.  I didn't know of the film myself back in 95 but its nice to see one influence the other and carry the ideas across into further story telling.

Steve

Hellblazer #84 (1994)

Title – Hellblazer #84 - In Another Part of Hell
Author – Jamie Delano / Sean Phillips
Publisher - DC Vertigo
Format - Comic Book (single issue story)
Year - 1994
Original Cost – $1.95

This issue begins my favorite run of Hellblazer and not only because its where I first jumped on board but because it constantly riffs off so many of my favorite tropes and interests. Its also as funny as it is dark and as surprising as it is familiar. When I first read it in 94 I not only committed to the ongoing series but also picked up all the back issues.  There was a risk rereading it all these years later that it might not stand up or feel as vital as it once did.  If anything I enjoyed it even more and it remains a fantastic stand alone issue that just nails who the character is and the world he moves in.

John Constantine returns from Haiti after some unseen adventure and is collected from the airport by Chas, London Cabbie and his long suffering friend. Chas drops John off round his home while he goes to collect his daughter and her newborn baby from the hospital.  With time on his hands John recalls the first occasion he came to the house, when he lodged with Chas and his mother Queenie, 20 years prior. Which all sound nice and straight forward except this is Hellblazer so everything is a little more dark and twisted than it should be.

Chas' mother is a monstrous domineering old witch, bed-bound and alcoholic with a lusty chimpanzee familiar called Slag who is equally vile.  The ape parades around in a blond wig and red dress, smoking, drinking and torturing Chas at every opportunity and most probably at his own mother's request. And now the pair think to target John for the same treatment.

At this point in his life Constantine has only really dabble in the occult but he decides to intervene and free Chas from the tyranny by seducing the ape in order to get to Queenie.

I'll say no more about what transpires and how it all concludes but you do come away from the story with the certainty that John Constantine is not your traditional comic book hero and he'll do just about whatever it takes to win.

It feels like the right time to work through the whole of this run of stories and to revisit  what now feels like very formative storytelling.  I was drawn to this particular comic and its main character because it resonated with me some 27 years ago and still does today.  It will be interesting to see what still stands up, what's been lost to the decades and if I discover anything this time around that I missed the first.

Next up; a 4 parter written by Eddie Campbell and then after that the powerhouse of Paul Jenkins and Sean Phillips.

Steve

The Curse of The Man-Thing (2021)

Title – The Curse of The Man-Thing
Author – Steve Orlando + various artists
Publisher - Marvel Comics
Format - Comic Book (3 part event)
Year - 2021
Original Cost – $4.99 x 3

The Curse of The Man-Thing is 3 part comic event in celebration of the 50 year anniversary of Marvel Comics' favorite swamp monster. With the comic industry being what it is now they have, probably quite wisely, invited their big hitters to the party to ensure some strong sales.  So while this is very much a story about the possession of The Man-Thing's body and powers by a villain called Harrower, the battle manages to crash through the worlds of The Avengers, Spider-Man and the X-Men.  Fortunately The Man-Thing has past connections with all of these 'franchises' which stops it feeling too contrived.

Parts 1 and 3 are perhaps the best with the Spider-Man book feeling a little like filler.  But beneath the superhero banter and the inevitable muscle flexing, there remains an overall attempt to force some new ground into the Man-Thing's back story without undoing it.  It also feels a lot like a set up for something more, perhaps a solo limited series or even another attempt at an ongoing monthly title.

There is now more to the origins of the monster, more to it's relationship with the bit of Doctor Ted Sallis that still dwells within and more to the Nexus of All Realities, the magical bit of the swamp, where the Man-Thing generally lurks.

All in all I thought it was pretty good and while the art style is not as dark or detailed as I prefer and given the fact its still a mainstream Marvel Comic aimed at a younger demographic than me, it was actually a worthy next chapter to the legacy.  And I will be interested to see what happens next.

Steve

The Man-Thing (1971 to present)

The Man-Thing (statue by Gentle Giant Ltd)

It didn’t occur to me how much I really liked Marvel Comics' Man-Thing until I found myself advance ordering the long overdue reprint of The Man-Thing Omnibus.   Its not cheap.  I’m sure it will be massive and gorgeous when it gets here but it’s way more than I’ve paid for any book before

I circled around the idea for a week or two before finally committing the accumulation of birthday and Christmas money to better use than just sitting on the shelf waiting for the shops to open again.

It’s done now though, so it seems I am committed to the cause!

Of course, there were clues before this; There were comics, smaller graphic collections, action figures and even my one and only Funko Pop purchase is of the marvelous Man-Thing… and I bloody hate those bobble-headed collectibles as a rule.

There are other comic characters that were and have remained equally important to me and most of them are monstrous in form as well.   Deathlok, Ghost Rider and Morbius to name but three. I’m not sure what that says about my tastes as a kid.  I obviously also read Hulk, Avengers, Spider-Man etc as well but I have little desire to go back to any of those titles now in quite the same way that I find myself drawn back to the monstrous and morally ambiguous antiheroes that colonised my head-space back then. And the proof of that point being the imminent hefty purchase mentioned above

Interestingly and not entirely unconnected is the fact that it is the 50th anniversary of the Man-Thing’s creation this year.  So it turns out we are of a similar age and I don’t exactly know how I feel about that.  Its odd to now discover that when we first met in the mid 70’s (74/75?) possibly guest starring in a Hulk or Spider-Man comic, but more probably as a solo back up strip in Planet of the Apes Weekly, he was younger than me!  He looked so grown up. So dark and brooding and perfectly formed that I had assumed he had been around for decades like all the cool comic characters.

And now he has been. 5 of them, and I still think he’s cool and I still haven't quite got to the bottom of my fascination with him.  So when those tendrils and vines crept into my young mind, they never really let go.  I’m very OK with that as I think there is still more to discover.  Happy Birthday big fella, here’s to 50 more

Steve

Doctor Who and the Seeds of Doom - Novelisation (1979)

Title – Doctor Who and the Seeds of Doom
Author – Philip Hinchcliffe
Publisher - Target
Format - Paperback
Year - 1979
Original Cost – 60p

 

“All vestiges of humanity had long since disappeared and it was now a mass of tendrils and fibrous shoots, like some giant, malformed plant: but a plant that could move and crush and Kill.  Slowly, it began to stir.  From where the green growth was thickest there came a strange, low rattling sound.  Then, the whole monstrous shape started to creep towards the door.”

Doctor Who and The Seeds of Doom is the only Target novelisation that I distinctly know where I was when I first read it.  It was also the only one I have ever read in one sitting.  These two facts are not unconnected.

When I was a nipper, it was a bit of a family tradition to spend the afternoon of Christmas day at an aunt and uncle’s house.  My grandfather, another aunt and cousins would also arrive to swap gifts and share in a large tea.  Not many on that side of the family had children of their own and if they did, they were considerably older and adults in their own right.  It therefore made for a very boring and torturous few hours when you are about 10 and not least because we had just left a lot of very nice new toys back at home. 

In 1979 I was well into my new obsession with Doctor Who, which had also kick-started my love of reading – it just takes the right sort of books – and so it seemed like a really good idea to take along a recently unwrapped copy of The Seeds of Doom and escape into it for a time. As I recall they had a second massive sofa at the back of the living room that could eat an unwary sitter and as such was also totally unsuitable for the elderly backed or frail limbed.  Sanctuary! An island to escape to from which the Queen's speech was a distant mumble.   I climbed aboard, positioned myself between strategically placed cushions and turned the front cover.  The rest is a blur of action and excitement and almost one of my best Christmas day afternoons…..prior to the discovery of girls!

I just read the book again this week, some 40+ years later and can see why I liked it and why I ploughed through it in just a few short hours, pausing only to eat and answer the occasional  conversational question along the lines of “What are you reading?” “Is it good?” and “Do you like Doctor Who then?”

If I had to describe the book now, and presuming the audience was genuinely  more interested than back then, I would have to say it’s a belting boys own adventures that starts with alien seed pods found in the Antarctic and ends with the destruction of a giant killer plant upon an English manor house by military forces.   Somewhere in between those things, peopled are infected and mutate into vegetable matter monsters and a couple of other people end up getting ground up and composted to help feed the roses! The Doctor is never less than brilliant, the settings are familiar and atmospheric, and the bad guys are properly bad.  It’s all thoroughly engrossing and engaging stuff, although with a keener adult eye, I can now see it’s been so stripped down that it has actually lost a bit of coherence towards the end.  It still does what it was meant to do though, which is to capture the gist of the TV show and retell the tale for those that missed it the first time or those that just wanted to relive it again. Of course, modern technology now allows us to do exactly that any time we want making the book more a thing of nostalgia, nostalgia about us, about who we once were and how we felt about things back then.

 

Happy Days.

Steve

The Day of the Triffids. (1962)

Title – The Day of the Triffids

Author – John Wyndham 
Script - Bernard Gordon & Philip Yordan 

Distributor – The Rank Organisation
Format – Film
Year – 1962
Viewed Via - Amazon Prime

Its a rainy Bank Holiday Monday which feels like a Sunday afternoon so an old black 'n' white sci-fi movie seemed appropriate,  Of course the 1962 version of The Day of the Tiffids, is actually in colour although I never seem to remember that fact and if I'm honest I'm not sure it benefits any for being so.  Its always had a slightly blurred smudged look to me which is perhaps appropriate given that its a slightly blurred and smudged adaption of the original materiel.  That said, I quite like it for what it is.  And after today's repeat viewing, I would say it still hold up pretty well.

I do love the original book but I'm not a purest as my discovery of Triffids came first through a comic adaption in the very early 70s, then the 80s' BBC TV version and then the book.  I knew of  John Wyndham as I had read The Chrysalids twice before I picked up the perennial killer plant based masterpiece but once I had there is no denying that any adaption as ever quite done it the full justice it deserves.

Condensing the horrors of the London streets onto a train platform works really well

I'm quite forgiving of the various changes this version makes though as they feel explainable for the time and the cinematic format.  Bill Masen has changed profession but then he does need to get on a boat and sail to France as the script writers want to play up the global nature of the catastrophe.   And of course the military don't come out of the original book looking all that respectable either so transferring the the final trigger to flee from a despotic self appointed military government onto a drunk and  rapey band of French escaped convicts, leaves the British armed services reputation intact and heroic.

The origin of the Triffids in this is that they came to Earth on meteors and are certainly excited enough by the second meteor shower to suggest the two are connected and part of a combined event.  Where as in the book its an unhappy accident that the blinding effect of the meteor shower gives the - probably bio-engineered in the U.S.S.R. and accidentally released - killer plants a sudden and massive evolutionary advantage over humanity.

Of course the film has an infamous and massive cop-out ending when it reveals, via the parallel subplot of two marine biologists working on a lighthouse, that seawater when liberally sprayed at Triffids will melt the veggie buggers to slush.  But then on reflection its not surprising they come up with something...anything rather than terminate the cinema audience's journey in the same way that the book does, with the heroes fleeing to safety and a promise to one day return to reclaim the world for humanity.  Its a great end to the novel but its not conclusive enough for the cinema of the time.  Those that invade the Earth and prey upon humanity must be seen to be stopped.  If its good enough for all the other sci-fi invaders of the planet, then it's good enough for Triffids.  And that's what the film reduces them to; another alien invader.  Effective if not faithful.

Down Boy!

Be seeing you

Steve