WHERE 'THE WEST' WAS BORN

This is a view across the River Orwell - this river divides Essex (opposite) from Suffolk.
To the left of this photo is the Port of Felixstowe. On the other side where the sheds are is the town of Harwich, Essex.
Christopher Jones lived in Harwich and parked up outside his cottage was a small ship that usually plied a trade with Europe with wool and wine.
In 1620, with Christopher Jones as master, that little ship - the 'Mayflower' was set to change the history of the world. With a crew of Essex and Suffolk men he set sail with 120 passenger pilgrims for the New World.

Now, close to 400 years later plans are afoot to build a replica of the 'Mayflower' - hopefully, it will be ready to sail to 'The New World' in 2016.

As a footnote: Essex and Suffolk are home to some of the British western writers. George G. Gilman the creator of 'Edge', 'Adam Steele' and 'The Undertaker' was born in Essex.

'EASTENDERS' GOES WEST

'EastEnders' is a British soap but last Monday's episode produced one of those 'magic moments' when the mundane storylines were interupted by a nice touch of brilliance.
Tamwar Masood is a geeky, insecure young man (late teens/ just turned twenty - if you get the gist). Out of the blue this young market inspector announces that he is a fan of westerns - people, he believes, think that it is an outdated genre but he doesn't think so. Mind you it is the first that I have heard that Tamwar is interested in westerns which may explain why his impassioned speech made me prick up my ears.

The story didn't end there for our timid, intrepid market inspector in the tradition of James Stewart (The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence) and Gary Cooper (High Noon) faces down a bunch of teenage vandals who back down and leave.

Then real life kicks back.

Tamwar's speech and storyline came from scriptwriter Michael Begley.

JUDGE ANDERSON: PSI DIVISION

It is no co-incidence that artist Brian Boland drew John Wagner's creation to resemble Debbie Harry (Blondie).

Judge Cassandra Anderson first appeared in the 2000 A.D. comic in 1980 - and then only as a back up in the Judge Dredd story 'Judge Death'. At the time Anderson was the only psychic Judge and her abilities played a vital part in containing Judge Death - that was until the Dark Judges rose to engineer Death's release.

From about 1985 writer Alan Grant took over the storylines with the art coming from Arthur Ranson.

Although Judge Anderson shares Dredd's dedication to the law she is not afraid to see the weaknesses in the system and voice them. She also has humanity and a sense of humour - but is a forminable foe to those who break the rules. Maybe, that is why she and Dredd make such a good team.

Although Judge Anderson has appeared as Cadet Anderson in two stories and as Judge in 'My Name Is Death', her stint in the 2000 A.D. comic ended in 2001 - only to resurface in the 'Judge Dredd Megazine'. She has also 'guest appeared' in 'Judge Dredd and Batman'.

Having faced so many trials and tribulations in the fight against the forces of the Dark Judges and saving Mega-City One Cassandra Anderson became disillusioned and quit. However, as is often the case something wicked would come along that would draw her back.

The story 'Something Wicked' contains some more insight into her character. She wears a uniform that cages her in and, with the combination of the gun, also gives her power. That people fear and respect her but do not know anything of the person behind the uniform.
Up for assessment she finds that her assessor is to be Judge Dredd who is critical. She quips that she and Joe (Dredd) had known each other for twenty years - he tells her that she is quite delusional if she thinks that there is anything between them and that he is her senior officer. Oh, well, someone's in denial there.

In 2006 and 2007 saw the publication by Black Flame of three Judge Anderson novels written by Mitchel Scanlon and appeared in the Judge Dredd novels 'Dredd Dominion' and 'Dredd vs Death' (and as a playable character in the videogame of the same name).

Olivia Thirlby plays Anderson in the 2012 movie version of 'Dredd'.

The character of Judge Anderson has also won two Eagle Awards.

The 2000 A.D. comic was written for boys - or a predominently male audience - and a difficult market to crack. Somehow, Judge Cassandra Anderson managed to break through that barrier and, over the last thirty odd years, has made her mark.

LARA CROFT: TOMB RAIDER

She's back.

Lara Croft was conceived back in 1993 and emerged on the gaming scene wearing a green tank top, brown shorts, brown knee length boots and a pair of pistols tied down on the the thighs of her tanned long legs. With a long pigtail flying out from the back of her head she climbed and swung her way into action as she solved puzzles to find hidden artefacts in a global tour of architectural sites.

Tomb Raider changed the way that women were portrayed. The first genuine heroine of gaming that became a household name - and became the subject of 'serious' debate. In one respect she brought girl power to gaming in another (the feminist view) was that men were able to act out some sort sexual fantasy.

Over the years she has been developed, re-imagined and re-mastered. Eidos the original creator gave way to Core who actually 'killed' her off in 'Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation'. But was brought back to life by Square Enix with an Anniversary edition that re-created scenes from the past. This was followed by 'Legend' and 'Underworld'.

'Legend' gives more of the back story to Lara. Her mother is killed following a plane crash in the Himalayas leaving a young nine year old Lara fighting for her own survival. Rescued by her father who never leaves her side until he disappears in the wilds of Cambodia when she is fifteen.
The story picks up with Lara's search for the legendary sword of King Arthur - a story that continues into 'Underworld'.

During these games Lara Croft evolved. The tank tops and shorts remained but were of different colours. Camouflage trousers and evening gowns were added to a growing wardrobe.

The legend of Lara Croft has grown - publicity wise the actress Rhona Mitra and the model Nell McAndrew have given her a physical form. Shelley Blond was the first voice actress and Keeley Hawes voiced Lara in the last three games. While Angelina Jolie brought Lara to life on the big screen in two movies (a third is being planned).

Add to the statistics the Tomb Raider comics that ran for 50 editions and three novels - then Lara Croft: Tomb Raider has been an icon in many ways.

Now she is back.

The image has changed - a darker Lara Croft has emerged.

This is billed as a prequel to a time when Lara was 19 years old and had joined a party aboard the ship Endurance who are searching for the lost kingdom of the Yamatai. As the ships enters the notorious Devil's Triangle a freak storm occurs leaving Lara shipwrecked. Frightened and alone she must find other survivors and unravel the island's dark secrets.

The clean cut Ms Croft is replaced by someone closer to reality. She gets cut, bruised and dirty and has to learn new survival skills. But, then, this is a kid who survived the everything that the Himalayas could throw at her ten years before. But then she hadn't faced anything that was as life-threatening as another human being.

I like this re-imagining but that doesn't mean that others will - Lara Croft will always be the heroine who broke the mould and led the way for other heroines to emerge.

VIXEN by Ken Bruen

Ken Bruen is one of those names that appears in blogs and often recommended by various authors.

Vixen is one of those rare novels that hauls the reader into the narrative and pins them into the chair until that reader reaches the end.

The plot is simple - Angie James with the help of Ray and Jimmy Cross has an explosive plan to extort a modest six figure sum from the local cops. The first that Sergeant Doyle hears about it is when a man rings the police station and advises the copper that a bomb is likely to go off at the local cinema - which it does during the conversation that creates an 'oops' moment. Still, if the cops don't want more of the same they had better pay up.

And so the fun begins as D.I. Roberts and Brant get on with the detecting while Porter Nash has a heart attack; WPC Falls tries to mentor a new WPC; and the Superintendent goes down in a blaze of not so glory as, in a wave of publicity, arrests the wrong man.

The strongest member of the cast is Angie James - devious and manipultive she plays both her partners and the police. Clever enough to get one police officer in the frame as her alibi.

Something did niggle as I struggled with the Nash, Brant and Falls characters - then it clicked - the movie 'Blitz' with Jason Statham is a previous story in the series. Also another Ken Bruen book turned into a movie is 'London Boulevard'.

Vixen was a great read - and I loved it even better for the political incorrectness.

ON THE ROAD - 2012 (dvd)

No one ever said that it would be easy to bring Jack Kerouac's iconic novel of the Beat Generation to the screen.
Jack Kerouac would have liked the idea of himself playing Sal Paradise with Marlon Brando as Dean Moriaty - but that never happened.
Then Francis Ford Coppola stepped onto the scene for he too wanted to film the book with the idea of casting Brad Pitt and, later, Colin Farrell in the Moriaty role and Ethan Hawke as Sal. An interesting combination.
In the end it came down to Walter Salles directing Jose Rivera's script; the stars Garrett Hedlund as Dean Moriaty, Sam Riley as Sal Paradise and Kristen Stewart as MaryLou.
The movie boasts a pretty good cast that includes Amy Adams, Kirsten Dunst and Viggo Mortensen.

The opening line of the film doesn't (I say in a pedantic way) correspond with that of the books. In the past that sort of deviation means that someone is basing the movie on the book.
That bias did not last for long though as the essence of the autobiographical novel soon asserted itself.

As far as I know the movie was not released in the UK and I only discovered the fact that it was coming out on dvd was because I wanted to know when it was coming out - after all the movie of a book that was so influential in my youth was of great interest.

However, I came away from the movie a touch confused. It was one of those movies that worked - yet didn't at the same time.

Garrett Hedlund brought Dean Moriaty to life. Drugs, sex and jazz - live now, pay later; freewheeling rebel and take responsibility for nothing. Never tied down to one place - never mind the odd woman/wife and children. Life is for the living.
Dean Moriaty dominates this movie just as that character did in the book.
Sal Paradise on the other hand plods through the movie more as an observer, note taker and narrator than the actual participant of the book. With his solo road trip the movie comes up with a series of snapshots rather than the reveal aspects of Paradise's character. An example is the flat bed truck full of young men and the celebrated 'piss call' - memorable from the book but dismissed with a vision of a man peeing from the back of the truck because he hadn't been when the piss call stop had been made.
MaryLou is a beautiful free spirit - but, sometimes, just there for decoration - even then her facial expression tells a story.

At 124 minutes I expected a lot - but there are flat moments and repetitive scenes that slow it down. Once having established the drug and drink scene I didn't think it necessary to keep producing lengthy close up are lengthy closeup. With a little more thought more of the book could have been brought to life.

Sam Riley had been pretty good as Pinky in the 'Brighton Rock' re-make so I did expect him to bring a rounded Sal Paradise to the screen. Given the script he did a good job.
After seeing Kristen Stewart play Joan Jett in 'The Runaways' - yes, a good piece of casting for the role of MaryLou. Again there were script limitations.
Garrett Hedlund - he dominated the screen as Dean Moriaty. The downside is that the movie is dominated by this one character.
Moriaty was the role model - a flawed role model. Paradise does live in his shadow for Moriaty is the man that he wants to be. Until Paradise begins to see the cracks and flaws in Moriaty's character and Sal discovers his own true self.
None of that comes through in the movie. In the last five minutes of the film Dean Moriaty turns up as a down and out, whining hobo that a well off Sal Paradise dismisses.

'On The Road' is one of those hit and miss movies (more hits than misses - just) that makes me both like and hate it.
This is a US, Canadian, French, Brazilian and UK (Film 4) co-production.
On the plus side it is better than the last attempt to film a Jack Kerouac novel - 'The Subterraneans' - that starred George Peppard.

CHILDHOOD'S END

Last Wednesday Sony announced the imminent arrival of the Playstation 4 and I was geared up to do a write up about it.
Then I read 'The Digital Man' over on Gary Dobbs 'The Tainted Archive' and my sort of enthusiastic piece did a flyer out of the window.

So, the PS4 - a games console that is user friendly and links to your mobile and tablet. It enhances social networking to the point that your friends can drop by and watch you play your games. Also, it encompases your blu-ray dvd player, iPlayer, You Tube, Netflix - you name it your new console (whether Sony or Microsoft) will put just about everything in one place.
So far, the PS4 will allow you to try games before you buy - but is that a download buy or a disc. Like seeing the prototype console there was no information about that. However, there is a dual control that comes with a touchpad - bond with it and it becomes yours (like Bond's Walther PPK which only he can use).

So there you have it - a couple of hours of presentation reduced to a couple of paragraphs - but then I've not detailed all the technical stuff that I don't really understand.

There was a time when things were so much simpler.

We went to school and made friends with whom we played - pirates, cowboys, spacemen - whatever was popular at the time. TV was black and white and didn't become popular until the Queen's Coronation. Electric windows were for the well off or on American cars. And Paul Temple, Jeff Arnold in Riders Of The Range and Journey Into Space were the staple diet on the radio.
Comics like the Beano and The Dandy; Eagle and Girl; and, later, the prose comics like Adventure, Hotspur, Wizard and Rover were our weekly must read.

By my teens the prose comics disappeared - the stories like 'V For Vengeance' that fired the imagination were replaced bt comic strips. Television had evolved from  a single station (BBC) to three with BBC 2 and ATV (later ITV).  The old 78s had been replaced by vinyl records and the birth of the Long Player.

As time progressed, the TV became the centre of everything. Broadcast lengthened to the twenty four hour service we get today. There seems to be one in every room these days and far from becoming obsolete it has become a 'must have' necessity.
Even the flat screen in front of me as I type is a TV screen. Via my computer I can watch TV.
The TV was needed for the Atari; the Sinclair Spectrum; Commodore 64; Sega and Ninendo consoles; PS 1, 2 and 3 (and 4); GameCube; DreamCast; XBox and the subsequent generations together with the XBox 720.
And the dvd/blu-ray player also needs a screen - but then again the PS3 and 4 and the XBox 720 will make that redundant.

The telephone too has evolved. From that black phone with a silver dial that stayed put in the hall to the one we carry around with us. That original mobile brick has become small and slim; not only can you phone home but text message; send e-mails; watch movies; interact with the internet and read a book. And, of course, the likes of Samsung are about to compete with their version of the next generation of smartphones.

So my home may seem like a museum piece - it has bookcases filled with books, dvds and cds.
 As I look at movies and cds these days I see the words digitally re-mastered and wonder what it means - but then the Beatles 'Abbey Road' cover is digitally re-mastered as Paul McCartney loses his cigarette or the poster of Winston Churchill minus a cigar. Or a copy of 'This Sporting Life' by David Storey that omits one word from the description of a doll. Then there is the call sign for the breaking of the Moehne Dam, digitally re-mastered so as not to offend. I am waiting for the Blue Meanies to become the Purple Ogres in case any Conservatives should be offended. However, joking aside it does make me wonder what else The Digital Man has re-mastered.
This political correctness thing had to be part of the reason that 'The Dandy' went the way it did.

So, the new generations of mobiles, consoles and computers are all linked to the gentle art of social networking. One look at my Facebook page and I seem to have a lot of friends - but I have never met any of them socially. I guess that answers Gary Numan's question: "Are Friends Electric?"

Evolution, according to Motorhead, is a mystery. It is because it creeps up on us in such a way that no one can grasp it. Anyone against is just so out of touch - just accept or rather surrender to the inevitable.
With more and more people working from home Digital Man is becoming isolated. Shops online; downloads a lifestyle in books, movies and music; eats ready meals from a microwave and drinks whatever is the flavour of the month and chats with electric friends.

If not now then the future.