Tagged: Doctor Who

Doctor Who Invades New York (Again)

Doctor Who Invades New York (Again)

  • News
  • April 6, 2011
doctor who logo 2010-

Image via Wikipedia

We understand there are Doctor Who fans reading this site, so we should give you a heads up: the Doctor and his companions are coming to America earlier than you thought.

Matt Smith, Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill will be making an in-store appearance this Friday at the Barnes & Noble store at 555 Fifth Avenue, New York, to sign copies of Doctor Who: The Complete Fifth Series boxed set. You will need a wristband to join the signing line for this event. Wristbands will be distributed starting at 9AM on Friday, April 8 with the purchase of the Doctor Who: The Complete Fifth Series boxed set. Call the store at 212-697-3048 for more details.

Then on Monday, BBC America will host a free premiere screening event of the first two episodes at the Village East Cinema, 189 2nd Ave at 7 PM. The event will be hosted by Chris Hardwick, with guests Matt Smith, Karen Gillan, Arthur Darvill, Alex Kingston, Steven Moffat, Piers Wenger and Beth Willis. Following a screening of the two-part season premiere (The Impossible Astronaut and Day of the Moon) Chris will lead a discussion and Q&A, which he’ll record for a special Nerdist Podcast.

Last year, Matt, Karen and Steven Moffat went to New York for a publicity tour to promote Series 5. They attended a ‘Meet the Cast’ event at the Apple store in SoHo and did an episode premiere event, and ComicMix contributor Alan Kistler shamelessly flirted with Ms. Gillan at both events.

And of course, if you can’t make it, BBC America will premiere the show on April 23.

Charlie Sheen meets Archie, Betty, and Veronica

Wednesday Window Closing Wrap Up: 3/16/2011

  • News
  • March 16, 2011

Charlie Sheen meets Archie, Betty, and VeronicaWe haven’t done one of these in a while, and things are getting a bit backed up here with March Madness, so if we don’t do it now, we may never get around to it because our computer will collapse under the weight…

Anything else going on in the world? Consider this an open thread.

Twitter Updates for 2011-03-02

Twitter Updates for 2011-03-02

  • News
  • March 2, 2011
  • Where's The Tardis? BBC Doctor Who Tardis Building Contest http://ow.ly/45dgk #
  • Todd Klein Chooses Comics' Greatest Logos! http://ow.ly/45gLN #
  • Download New York’s Official Apocalypse Manual! http://ow.ly/45h74 Sadly, no mention of Morlocks, CHUDs, or Snake Plissken. #
  • Real-Life Superwomen Solve Crimes and Save Lives – Newsweek http://ow.ly/45gWt #
  • SF Writers Advise Homeland Security: http://ow.ly/45kR3 Puts that illegal alien probelm in a whole new light… #
  • Congressman From New Jersey to Save Human Race http://ow.ly/45PFH And if you think this gets him any respect in the House… #

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Doctor Who’s Nicholas Courtney: 1929-2011

Nicholas CourtneyYou may have heard that actor and author Nicholas Courtney died this past Monday. I’d like to add a personal note.

First, some background. Nicholas Courtney was best known for playing the part of Brigadier General Alistair Lethbridge-Stewart on the Doctor Who teevee series, as well as many of the original full-cast audio adventures and, in 2008, on the spin-off show Sarah Jane Adventures. He performed with at least eight of the eleven doctors, and had worked on stage and on such famous British shows as The Saint, The Avengers, Yes Prime Minister and The Champions.

I first met Nick at a Doctor Who convention in Chicago nearly 30 years ago. I was one of the organizers, and while we were waiting for our panel on the first day I asked him if he had ever done any radio drama. Given his rich, authoritative voice, I thought he was a natural and I knew radio drama was still alive and well in Great Britain. Nick lit up like a Christmas tree and said he did it, and does it, as often as he could. He absolutely loved the medium.

We became friends and stayed in touch for about fifteen years. When he returned to the role of the Brigadier in the original audio shows, he was very excited and very happy to share. Nick said I was one of the few who would understand his enthusiasm, and that really meant a lot to me.

Overall, Nicholas Courtney played the role for 40 years with only a comparatively brief time off in the middle. That’s really something. During his tenure, ten different actors played the lead along with countless companions and villains, and he outlasted them all. That’s what makes a legend.

I’m really going to miss the unflappable Brigadier General Alistair Lethbridge-Stewart, and I’m going to miss the sweet, affable storyteller named Nicholas Courtney even more.

Nebula Awards

2010 Nebula Award Nominees Announced

  • News
  • February 23, 2011

Nebula AwardsThe Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America have announced the nominees for the 2010 Nebula Awards, including a nomination for ComicMix contributor Adam-Troy Castro for his short story “Arvies“.

The Nebula Awards are voted on, and presented by, active members of  SFWA. The awards will be announced at the Nebula Awards Banquet on Saturday evening, May 21, 2011 in the Washington Hilton, in Washington, D.C.. Other awards to be presented are the Andre Norton Award for Excellence in Science Fiction or Fantasy for Young Adults, the Ray Bradbury Award for Outstanding Dramatic Presentation and the Solstice Award for outstanding contribution to the field.

Congratulations and good luck to all the nominees!

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ALL PULP’S SITE SPOTLIGHT-FANTASTIC PULP!

  • News
  • February 20, 2011

site suggested by Phil Bledsoe

http://www.fantasticpulp.com/

From the Site-



Welcome!

The Shadow, the Phantom, Doc Savage, the Green Lama, Fu Manchu, the Lone Ranger. These are all characters that share the heritage of pulp magazines. Not the only ones of course, in fact only a very small fraction of the characters that have had stories told about them for over eighty years.

Think of it. It’s a tradition that dates back even farther, to the mid 1800s. They have given readers enjoyment and escapism during the darkest times of the 1900s, and enjoyed a renaissance in the 1960s and ‘70s. Even now, care of publishers such as DC Comics and Dark Horse Comics, new readers are getting exposed to some of these great characters. It’s not enough. As good as these characters are, they are, as I said, a small contingent. Unfortunately, most people have never heard of the vast majority of characters that were published on the cheap wood-pulp paper that was the only commercial option for some of these publishers.

Part of the problem is that most people only think of characters like The Shadow or Doc Savage as pulp characters. Yet, The Phantom, The Lone Ranger, and Zorro are all pulp hero characters. Tarzan, Sheena and Hopalong Cassidy are as well. To me, everything that was published in that time, on that paper, are pulp stories.

I’ve been told that I’m being overly broad with this definition. I suppose I understand that, but my goal here is to celebrate the glorious history of an, in my opinion, under-appreciated meta-genre of stories that deserve to be shared with as many people as possible.

Fantastic Pulp is dedicated to those wonderful and sometimes cheesy stories of old, but also the newer generation of stories that have started to appear. Both my co-publisher and myself have written stories inspired by these great stories, we have a Doctor Who enthusiast who is eager to share his appreciation of the character, who I feel is the embodiment of the newer pulp tradition. We also have a pulp researcher, a comics enthusiast and more.

In short, enjoy this ongoing tour through the pulp tradition. If you would like to join in, feel free to email us at editor@fantasticpulp.com or join us on our forums. Have your own pulp related website? Let’s talk about advertising or link exchanges. We want people to contribute and talk, be able to meet other enthusiasts. Please, join us and have fun!

Review: ‘Doctor Who the Movie’

When I tweeted that I was watching [[[Doctor Who the Movie]]], it provoked a spirited debate over the film’s merits. Apparently, the Paul McGann incarnation of the Doctor is beloved by many but far from all. Truth be told, I am a latecomer to the cult of The Doctor, arriving during the new series of adventures. I certainly know the history and previous incarnations but had never developed a taste for it. So, coming to his American telefilm from 1996 after the current era, gives me an unqiue perspective.

When Fox ordered the pilot film for a hoped-for series, they received the official blessing of the BBC plus the cameo participation of Sylvester McCoy, who was the previous incarnation when the series was finally canceled in 1989.

As discovered on the very detailed documentary accompanying the movie, the film took years to finally get made. And here’s the problem. While everyone involved dearly loved Doctor Who, notably Producer Philip Segal, and all desperately wanted to make a new series, no one seemed to possess a clear idea or vision of what it should be. Without that spark of creativity, the resulting film felt like Doctor Who, even looked like Doctor Who, but lacked the crackling fun and off-kilter storytelling that had been the series’ hallmark dating back to the beginning.

Additionally, the film had to stop and explain everything given that Doctor Who was new to the vast majority of Americans. As a result, the pacing has to adapt not only for American commercial breaks but stop to explain everything from the concept of a Time Lord to what a TARDIS can do. In many ways, the movie is a primer to the Doctor as he gains a companion, regenerates, fights The Master, and saves Earth from utter destruction. While not quite a cookie-cutter approach, it feels that way in watching the movie. Fox seemed to cool on the concept, dumping it on May 14, 1996, too late for pilot season and the DOA ratings didn’t help.

You can decide for yourself now that BBC Video has this week released Doctor Who the Movie in a two-disc Special Edition DVD. Disc one is the film, uncut, and with special features while the second disc is filled with features for the true Whovian. (more…)

Review: ‘[[[Doctor Who A Christmas Carol]]]’

Review: ‘[[[Doctor Who A Christmas Carol]]]’

If a television series lasts long enough, it will eventually get around to taking their turn at retelling Charles Dickens’ [[[A Christmas Carol]]] and after fifty years, it was finally the Doctor’s turn. For its annual Christmas special, Doctor Who offered up a strong hour’s entertainment despite the overly familiar premise. Unlike most other versions, this time the Doctor freely admits his inspiration and has great fun with it.

Scrooge in this case is Kazran Sardick (Michael Gambon), an elderly man on a world where his family has controlled the electrically-charged clouds that perpetually envelope the world. Using machinery that only responds to his touch, Sardick follows in his father’s footsteps, controlling the clouds and inhibiting the lives of the people he considers beneath him. In a typically odd Doctor touch, the electricity coursing through the air also allows the planet’s fish to fly through the air.

All of this becomes apparent when the spaceliner carrying newlywed Amy (Karen Gillan) and Rory (Arthur Darvill) gets caught up in an electric discharge and need to be rescued by the Doctor (Matthew Smith) before the vessel crashes into the planet killed all 4003 passengers and crew.

When Sardick refuses to help, the Doctor visits the man’s past to explore how he grew so sour and in the process alters reality. A giant Shark has become their nemesis and can only be calmed by the singing of Abigail, who resides in frozen storage because her family owes Sardick money. She is promised that for every Christmas Eve Sardick and the Doctor will visit, which happens every year, slowly turning the curmudgeon into a softie. Welsh singer Katherine Jenkins makes her acting debut as Abigail and while her singing is heavenly, the lyrics leave something to be desired.

Steven Moffat has written a touching story mixed with the usual glib commentary from the Doctor so you laugh and your feel the tears well up every now and then. Gambon treads a fine line as Sardick and does a nice job while Amy and Rory are sadly left with far too little to do.  Overall, though, the story is very entertaining and is a strong holiday entry. Fans seem to have been taken with Smith as the new Doctor as the 2010 special’s ratings rose over David Tennant’s final special.

The nice thing about the home video release, out this week, is that it is the complete and uncut BBC version as opposed to the BBC American retransmission. As has become custom, we also get the behind-the scenes [[[Doctor Who Confidential]]] and the annual concert,[[[ Doctor Who at the Proms]]]. I’ve come to greatly enjoy the Proms broadcasts because they are artfully presented and we get to focus on the strong music the series normally receives.

And we will have to make do with this before the first half of Smith’s second season arrives in the spring.

David Tennant and Catherine Tate Reunite in ‘Much Ado About Nothing’

  • News
  • January 12, 2011

And you thought the Tenth Doctor and Donna Noble would never get together again…

David Tennant and Catherine Tate are set to star in a new West End production of Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing, beginning performances at Wyndham’s Theatre May 16, prior to an official opening June 1, for a run lasting through September 3.
Tennant, who will play Benedick, was last seen on the London stage in the title role of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s production of Hamlet, opposite Sir Patrick Stewart. (Man, it’s still weird typing “Sir” in front of his name.)

Tennant is best known for his time on “Doctor Who”, but his extensive prior stage credits include seasons with the RSC, for whom he has appeared in As You Like It, The Comedy of Errors, Romeo and Juliet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Love’s Labour’s Lost in addition to Hamlet.

Catherine Tate, who will be playing Beatrice, can currently be seen in Alan Ayckbourn’s Season’s Greetings at the National Theatre. Her own TV sketch show “The Catherine Tate Show” has had three successful seasons on the BBC, and she has previously appeared opposite Tennant as the Doctor’s companion Donna Noble in the fourth series of “Doctor Who”.

Michael Moorcock To Be Defeated

  • News
  • January 10, 2011

Considering he’s about to lose a leg, author Michael Moorcock certainly is in good spirits.

The creator of Elric, Hawkmoon, Count Brass, and Jerry Cornelius, the author of such award-winning books as Behold The Man and Gloriana, singer/songwriter for Hawkwind and the Heavy Metal movie, former editor of the British Tarzan comics, screenwriter of The Land That Time Forgot, and, by the way, author of the latest Doctor Who novel, Michael Moorcock is facing the amputation of a leg. As he stated on his blog: “I apologize for being a bad correspondent with many over the last couple of months. All efforts to save my wounded foot without resort to surgery have been made and now, somewhat inconveniently, I’m seeing a surgeon tomorrow (Monday) re. amputation. Shouldn’t be too serious, though, as I said somewhere, I feel a bit fed up with constantly supplying Mrs Lovett for tidbits for her bloody pies… I AM a little nervous but it’s mostly to do with more things going wrong (caused by medical staff) than anything else.”

As our pal Rich Johnston notes at his Bleeding Cool site: “Michael seems to be taking this, as much as everything in his life, with good humour, if a touch on the gallows’ side. All at Bleeding Cool wish him well tomorrow and in the days to come.” We’ll toss in the staff and friends of ComicMix as well, Rich.

As a Moorcock fan of 40 years standing, I’m not the least bit surprised about his attitude. The man virtually invented steampunk, the man who virtually invented the “grim and gritty” hero (Elric; and I should know, having coined the term for GrimJack), the British Jew who moved to Texas and espoused radical thought, and cosmic rocker extraordinaire, the 70 year-old writer is expected to make a complete recovers… except for one of those legs of his.

Hey, look. At least it’s not one of his arms. Take care, Michael.

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