John Finnemore’s Flying Visit – Preston Guild Hall, 21 May 2018
❉ Paul Abbott revels in John Finnemore’s world of silly imagery, to-and-fro knockabout routines, nested gags and an obsession with amusing animals.
review
The Long Journey Back to Cathay – ‘The Black Archive: Marco Polo’
❉ Marco Polo is the one story from the very first season of Doctor Who for which no footage exists at all, so how can we know what it was really like?
‘Deadpool 2’ (15) reviewed
❉ Dead good or dead wood? Find out in Ben Peyton’s spoiler-free review.
‘Black Christmas’ (1974) revisited
❉ We look back on the seminal slasher movie, boasting a star turn from the late, great Margot Kidder.
‘Storytelling Engines – How Writers Keep Superhero Sagas Going And Going’
❉ The monthly comic’s ability to carry on with new stories for decade after decade is a fascinating case study in how ongoing narratives work.
Rat Scabies – ‘P.H.D. (Prison, Hospital, Debt)’ reviewed
❉ Rat Scabies, formerly of The Damned, surprises and delights with his first, ambitiously diverse solo album.
Movie-Making Gone Mental: ‘Director’s Cut’
❉ Penn Jillette and Adam Rifkin’s film-within-a-film lives up to its own mad, twisted hype.
‘The Black Archive 19: The Eleventh Hour’
❉ The latest of Obverse Books’ Black Archive series thunders along with the same pace as the episode upon which it is based.
‘The Toy Dolls: The Albums 1983-87’ reviewed
❉ A conclusive round-up of the band’s first seven years, featuring much of their best work, this box set is a must for all Toy Dolls fans.
‘Peter and the Test Tube Babies: The Albums 1982-87’ reviewed
❉ The complete recorded output of the punk mischief-makers, in a new Cherry Red box set.