Scope

Matt Webb, mysterious Rotwangian wizard-engineer of Schulze & Webb, on design and what it means to be a 21st Century design unit, among other things. Pay attention. These are the people who get to have a say in how you get to live in the Western World.

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Night Music: Moon Wiring Club

Go here, my little badgers of delight, and click on the bit that says MP3 JUKEBOX. And be enthralled by the spectral and uchronic sounds of the Moon Wiring Club, whom I have described before as "like a gang of mad people were put in charge of a time machine." It is very definitely night music. Especially if, like me, you spent your childhood staying up late on Friday nights to watch old horror films.

G’night.

On Whitechapel Tonight (3jul09)

On my internet knocking-shop tonight:

* The Self-Portrait Imagethread (Jul 2009) - always good for a laugh. Currently featuring less close-up photographs of stubbly and confused-looking young men than usual.

* I’d Like To Politely Ask For Help With My Webcomic - help this person out?

* The July 2009 Book Club

…actually, it occurs to me that I really have to find time to sweep the place out again…

Rewind

So. BBC TV’s ROBIN HOOD gets cancelled. ITV’s PRIMEVAL and DEMONS get cancelled. ITV also declares that it will not run drama series, aside of course from soaps, before 9pm.

BBC’s response? A teenage-themed prequel to the thirty-year-old ONLY FOOLS AND HORSES comedy workhorse, and, for the fourth time, the loathesome and archaic children’s book JUST WILLIAM will be adapted for television.

Why not put up a sign outside Broadcasting House saying YES TAKE THE LICENSE FEE AWAY FROM US WE’RE NOT GOING TO PUT UP A FIGHT IT’S A FAIR COP GUV and then have the cast of TORCHWOOD sit around it crying? (They’ve had enough fucking practise.)

(John Barrowman on TORCHWOOD’s reduction from 13 episodes to 5 as it moves from BBC2 to BBC1: "I felt like we were being punished. Other shows move from BBC3 and 2 to 1, and they don’t get cut. So why are we? It felt like every time we moved we had to prove ourselves.")

I don’t even like TORCHWOOD and ROBIN HOOD and PRIMEVAL and I’ve never sat through DEMONS. But this is so clearly a full-on retreat from the 21st Century and any storyform that doesn’t look like it was originated in The Days When Beige Rocked that I can only assume the hatches are being battened down and everyone in British television is preparing to not actually be here in five years. ITV’s already made it clear it intends to become a delivery system for game shows and reality shows. James Nesbitt, possibly the most popular actor on British tv today, is saying he’s probably going to have to move to the States because there’s not enough work left for him in Britain.

YES I’M A BIT RANTY TODAY WHY DO YOU ASK LITTLE FUCKFACE BOY

Death Wish

Comic for July 5, 2009

2-D Festival, Derry

Derry seen from the river Foyle

Thanks to David Campbell and everyone else at Derry for the marvellous week I spent at the 2D comics festival. 2D was organized on a European-style pattern; there were classes, workshops and lectures during the week, with a more familiar UK-style comic event (with traders and guests sketching) at the weekend. The pace was relaxed, the hospitality excellent, the ice-cream beyond belief; there was even random dancing in the street when the evening got a little chilly (though sadly, no photos thereof).

I missed quite a few people this trip, but here are (top row) Aaron with Lazarus Churchyard, Aaron with Batman, (bottom row) Eddie with a bear from Kingdom of the Wicked and Paul with a Death from Sandman.

Reservoir Dogs: guests Gary Leach, Rufus Dayglo and Declan Shalvey all argue over who gets to be Mister Black while organiser David Campbell looks on. Meanwhile, I walk backwards into a bollard.

Gary Leach & Rufus Dayglo sifting the hundreds of entries for the 2D schools competition.



The guest artists sketching for the crowds on the Saturday.



I struggle with a particularly thorny problem of anatomy while sketching.

2D included activities for children, such as the Monster Drawing Wall

2D is a relaxed, informal event in which fans get the chance to mix with creators - even international stars such as Bryan Talbot and David Lloyd - in a way not possible in the bigger mainland events.

Torchwood: Rift War Signing at Forbidden Planet London

The Torchwood: Rift War collection
Torchwood © 2009 BBC

From left to right: Simon Furman, Brian Williamson, Paul Grist, Me, Ian Edginton
Photo by Joel Meadows.

Bruce with his defaced copy of Absolute Sandman.
Tiene cojones de acero, mis amigos.