Well technically it's not really "Christmas prep" as it's well after Christmas lol... Anyway this will be a short post as I am typing this on my favourite gift I got for Xmas... An iPad! That's right! It's great fun but I'm not gonna lie it is basically a massive iPod touch! But better. The main reason I wanted one is to use it as a digital portfolio, a way of presenting my work especially in the up and coming tutorials, since we in the course use a format of video that works instantly on iTunes so I can just place tests and parts of the animation onto the iPad and bring it in. Not to mention it's a very nice screen that also present my artwork and it's light weight. But overall it's just a nice piece of tech. I also got Inception on blu ray, The Art of Howl's Moving Castle, New shoes and an R2 D2 USB hub! As for Christmas shopping, I got all the gifts on time! In fact all my gifts arrived two days before Xmas! I got Sims 3 for the sister, the Laurel and Hardy collection for dad and a DS game for mother. As for the girlfriend I got her the bracelet she wanted swell as other things and a drawing of Sailor Moon (you know that Anime chick lol). But I think I just got Christmas right so it's all. Shame it's gone so quickly again this year, I swear it's getting Quicker each year! Oh in the "part 1" post I mention this years Xmas card well obviously they have been all sent out opened and read so here it is.... Oh and hope you all had a fantastic Xmas (just getting the hang of typing on this thing :D)
Now before I carry on with this sort of review... I am a huge fan of the comics. I mean I believe it to be one of the most gripping and well written comic series ever and it is definetly in my top ten. So I hope this review wont come over as too byist because I do also like the TV series... just not as much... here's why...
WARNING POSSIBLE SPOILERS!!!
Now the main problem with the seires (and most people who have watched the show say this to) is that it is very SLOW. Now I know this series aim is to show how ordinary people can come to terms with near impossile situations and adapting to a new and dangerous world. The zombies are just a vessel to use as a way of adapting the characters, which is different to all Zombie movies where everyone just shoots these dead guys gets away and thats it, no character development just lots of zombies killed and humans (or zombie fodder) eaten. Its great that they can go for a more relatable and somewhat realistic approach when it comes to the characters (something that is achieved well in the comics) but in this TV adaption it is just too slow. A prime example of the show's pacing would be in episode one. Now I understand all modern TV series need to take a while to establish the story and the characters (I mean I thought episode one of Heroes wasnt that great, but I LOVED that show!). But for an hour long not a lot happened.
First we are treated to a little conversation between the main character; Rick Grimes (played Andrew Lincoln) and Shane Walsh (played by Jon Berthnal) to establish more of a connection between the two 'good friends' something that wasnt seen in the comics until after the zombies came out to bite. Then the two are called out to a shoot out where Rik is then shot down and blacks out. Something that happens for about twenty or so minutes (one page in the comic). In the episode Rik wakes up in a hospital and then eventually walks out while sounds and groans can be heard outside the hospital but you do not see the walking dead (to establish more tension, which i thought was a nice touch). He then leaves the hospital and steals a bike from a garden where he first meets his first 'half' of a Zombie, basically craps himself (not really) and cycled off. He then visits his house and we are then shown his emotional break down as he cannot find his wife and son. He then leaves and his smacked with a shovel by a survivor and his father thinking he was a zombie. They then take him in and give him food where they tell him about the 'walkers' and the way the world is now. Rik then goes to Atlanta where it is supposedly safe. But of course it's over run with walkers. Rik gets in a fight with zombies, the horse gets eaten (forgot to mention he had a horse by this point) and he jumps into a motionless tank and locks himself in while the zombies crawl all over it trying to get at him.
This was all done at a very slow pace in about an hour. While in the comics it got to this part in about two issues (about 20 minutes to read). All I'm trying to say is, it basically is stretching out the first two issues and taking the small amount that's in them to fit the hour long time slot. The reason I believe they're doing this is because this sereis is the 'Pilot' if you will. Which is why there are only six episodes and why they have used as little of the source material as possible, even adding parts of the story only seen in the TV show to flesh it out as much as possible (but I wont get into that well except...) like the ending of the series which involves Rick and the rest to discover military base with a doctor still alive and working on a cure for the outbreak! Now this is incredibly early to be discussing elements like this! I mean the comics, which are still going still havn't even mentioned a cure or the making of one. It just seems like AMC already released something quite big this early!. Anyway the woman mentioned when I saw her and the comicbook artist Charlie Adlard at this year's Birmingham comic convention that if this series does well then they will do more and more in one series two and so on. But overall it's still a good show and I'm sure it'll get better once series 2 can use more from the comics and stops dragging it's feet (no zombie pun intended). I mean it would be a shame if it doesnt seem as fantastic as the comics as they are incredibly entertaining and keeps a good balance of character development and retalability aswell as breaking it down with Zombie mayhem that will keep you hooked throughout the exprience. Something I believe the TV show still needs to grab hold of and something I beleive will happen if another series will come about. But anyway check out the TV seires! I give it a 7/10 as it is still good enough to watch but not as gripping and entertaining as other recent programs coming from the U.S. Oh by the way, to your right you will see this post's drawing which isnt a very recent one but I thought I'd better put it up as it is my work... and it has Zombies in it!
I say part 1 as I'm sure they'll be more to come...
Also this is a first 2 posts in 2 days from me?! Anyway Christmas is aproaching and it seems about to get festive. So I am currently back at my families' house until this evening so we can sort out decorations and the family xmas card (more on that later) and so we put Christmas decorations up yesturday, not the tree unfortunately as we couldnt find the base for it (yes it's a fake lol). But today my mother came across it so now the tree is up with lights and now we are just currently waiting for my sister to come home from work to help us put up the Christmas tree decorations. And speaking of work I need to soon talk to Budgens to get a Christmas job. I dont know if I ever mentioned this on here but while I live with my friends in Pottergate in Norwich I don't have a job. Thats right I am surviving on student loans and grants alone. BUT I VERY MUCH NEED A JOB! So this xmas holiday might be full of me working which would be great as I would much like some money. But I would also still like the freedom to go back and fourth from here in Briston and back Norwich whenever I feel lol Also my friends from the village will be back from there universities, so I'd like to see them and of course I would like to see Fern. Well hopefully I will earn some doh and still please everyone by making appearances.
Anyway back to the season of holly and whatnot. As for Christmas gifts I have only just started. So far I bought my sister and Fern but that is it! And both were over the net (Which looks like all my shopping is going that way as of the weather here!) I now just have to buy for my mother, father, possibly some extras for the previously mentioned and my friend Jonny (but Im just waiting for his gift to become available!
Now the Allen family's Christmas card is something I've been designing now for two years and this year is no exception. But the previous two years have been my drawings of the great Father Christmas but this year I wanted to design a card using a different character. Anyway here are the last two cards the first one on the right for 2008 and the left one for 2009. Now I wont be putting up the 2010 version yet as I'm going to be giving them to be people, so I dont want them to see them on here!
Anyway thats it so far, see you in part 2 or the next blog or whatever...
Well it is now December and alot of things have happened in the past month (which of course would be true to say as I havnt posted for a while) but I'll focus on somethings only. Well okFor the first time ever I went and explored London, to an extent. My girlfriend; Fern and I went their as a trip together. She ordered the tickets for the train and hotel ages ago aswell as tickets to a show that I had wanted to see since I was 10!
So the Friday night we got to our Travelodge and that same night we went to the Lyciam theatre to see 'The Lion King Musical'. Which was amazing. The best theatrical exprience I've had.... Not that I've had that many... ahem. For those of you who have not heard of it, it is basically the animated film except acted and sung by a real cast of actors on stage... No really?! (Sarcasm). Although it was the Disney film I felt it actually had its own design and feel not just some direct film to musical child of cash ins. The costumes and puppets all incorporating human movements were incredibly inspired by African tribesman art and decor as you can see... (The image isnt from the show I saw, it was just of the net...)
Fern and I then went to a resturant and got charged alot of money for some nice food... ah London. But of course it was a fantastic night and London was very lit up in the night not to mention it was very xmas up'd.
The next day we had to be out of the Travelodge at 12, so we left around then but we didnt have to get the coach til 9.30! So we had PLENTY of time to explore London and feel very Christmasey! Fern had a trip planned leading to the coach station which was very far from our hotel. But she had maps. So we would be ok and we definetly did not get lost alot! (sarcasm, again) My girlfriend gets me.... I say this as one of these places marked on the trip was Forbidden Planet. Now if you like things I do then u'll know that is basically geek heaven in a 2 floor comic shop. It was great but I felt overwhelmed by the amount of stuff available. Statues, Figures, Books, Shirts, Wallets even sweets, all with pop culture refrences plastered on them. Anyway we went downstairs to the Graphic Novels as we were in search of a christmas gift for Fern's dad (I won't say what we bought as he might be reading this... you never know). And that was so difficult to find anything. I mean imagine a Library but all the books are Graphic Novels and pop culture books it was crazy. Anyway after about an hour I only bought 2 books which were only £1.99 each, nothing too special, if only I could buy one of those statues! BUT THE PRICES! I also had a chuckle as Fern bought for herself a little guy in a cup, she though it was cute but now worries she's a geek...
The trip was very long on foot but there was still other places to go, Fern really wanted to go to a massive Toyshop called 'Hamley's' (now I never heard of it but it is very famous lol) It was bloody packed like literally, as in security guards were moving ques of people around the store it was crazy but INCREDIBLY festive. Like I think I got diabetes it was so sweet! Sorry... Anyway we then went to 'Harrods' that massive department store where everything is very expensive.... Scandosely expensive! Fern wanted to wander inside it was very nice but I wanted to leave after I saw a very nice purple cardigan for get this.... £425! But it was closing anyway so...
Anyway after that long story short we got the coach to Norwich, got off at the bus station where we then walked tomy house in Pottergate in the Ice while half asleep and then crawled into my bed as soon as we got back at around 1 am. It was a great two days I mean it was just a shame it was so close to my assesment which was the Monday after. And worked all day and night on the Sunday, only to find out that I had a piece of my assesment disappeared at about 5 Am so I unfortunately I had an animation test missing. SO because of that I am not a hundred percent happy with my work that I submitted. But I should be ok I still had a decent amount of work, well anyway if you want to keep track of my work or just want to know more check out my other blog at http://benmetahuman.tumblr.com/
Also since this blog is getting a little bit big I will be posting a new post tomorrow about MORE things so stay tuned! Oh and also I realised there really is basically none of my personel work on this blog which is one of the reasons I got this so I thought I'd post at least one recent drawing each post from now on...
I didnt mention this in my last Blog but I was going to go to The British International Comic show (or BICS) today and well I just got back. Drove all the way from here in Norwich as trains on sundays are awful! I had so much trouble I gave up and just decided to drive it with 3 other friends who payed for the petrol which was nice!
So Sunday the 17th seemed the best choice and the guests that were there were; Dave Gibbons, Simon Toefield, Charlie Adlard and Jonathan Ross! There were loads but they were THE guys I wanted to see...
Dave Gibbons was the first and I was extrememly nervous. Mainly because he is a very important man in comics, you know being the co-creator of Watchmen and all. But he seemed a very nice man and even though he wasnt doing sketches he drew one in my copy of Watchmen along with his signature. He also signed my copy of his book; The Originals. I shook his hand and then made way to Simon Toefield, creator of Simon's cat y'know...
...that cat!
Anyway I actually thought he was not gonna be there on the Sunday as I heard he was only gonna be there for that Saturday, so shocked was I to see the web animator sitting right there amongst copies of his new book. I purchased one and obviously got him to sign it. He also had t-shirts and other merchandise which I was going to grab later (I didnt!)
Later we then had a Q and A with Jonathan Ross (Who I bumped into twice around the convention, nearly wetting myself each time!) about his Comicbook; Turf along with the artist; Tommy Lee Edwards over Skype on a big screen. It was really interesting to get an insight in the process of the two's 'babie' and Jonathan even shared with us his attempt at comic art a long time ago and of course threw in some tales about some celebs (related to comics of course... and not...). But the highlight for me has gotta be when Mr Ross had a signing session! I waited in a cue for only about 30 ish minutes and once I got to about 3 or 4 people in front of me he started talking to us about videos he had seen on youtube and we joined in with a chuckle. Anyway as soon as it got to me he shook my hand and I mumered "your actually real" in which he replied "in the flesh and twice as ugly" I disagreed! He signed my copies of issue 1 and 2 of Turf while he talked to me about Terry Wogan, because I asked him to do that impression he did ages ago on his radio show which he couldnt remember but gladly shared with me a story about Mr. Wogan having the flu one time and singing because of it (don't ask me why). After this I finally got my picture taken with him... I-touched-Jonathan-Ross'-shoulder!!!! IT WAS AWESOME!!! A man I had always been so fond of who I finally met and had some sort of slight (ok very slight) bond with... it was amazing...
Also if that wasnt enough we still had Charlie Adlard to meet, artist of my favourite Graphic Novel seires; The Walking Dead. Now I didnt actually know this until my friend Huw pointed out, but that Charlie was in the corner of the room ALL day! I hadnt seen him and I really wanted to get a sketch from him as myself as a Zombie but by the time I found him he was about to head of to a Q and A about the The Walking Dead TV Seires. But he quickly signed my copy of Volume 1 and we all dashed to the show room for the Q and A! It was packed full of people and we got to see exclusive footage of the show and of course ask Charlie and the woman working for FX (I'm afraid I didnt catch her name) questions about it. Some lucky people also got T-shirsts... we didnt though. They threw them into the crowd and not one came my way! I never stood a chance. But after the Q and A we did get free mugs so I wont complain. By the way if you dont know what I'm talking about here's the trailer...
As I was saying the mugs wasnt the only free things we got! There was also placemats, comics and art and a book worth £18! Of course I did spend money, besides Simon's cat's book there also happened to be 2 expensive Spiderman comics that I purchased (yes, one of them being the one in the picture on the left!!!)... they were worth it! Anyway it was a fantastic day and I really enjoyed myself and would like to come back again next year!
OH and I almost forgot we also got interviewed for some film they were making at the show.... it was very weird we got asked about comics in general but we also had to throw in some fictional creator for a comic and another rival company I dont know what was going on but I'll post it up if anything comes up about that!
Well alot has happened as you can guess since what?... JULY! But I wont go into great detail and just talk about the past month...
I'm back at Uni now for my third and final year in Animation and starting to work on my third year project, which is a three minute animation based on my own idea (see 'The Metahumans Blog on the side of this blog!). Its finally starting to kick in... I feel the work aproaching!
Anyway in terms of social life I have now been living at Pottergate in Norwich for about 3 months and I am loving this house. For a student house it's amazing, I'll post some photos up some time. Also I am living with a very easy to live with bunch of chaps. However living with another Ben can be quite confusing heh heh. I am also the one who brought shit loads of stuff! I mean I have brought with me 10 consoles! (Megadrive+MegaCd, Dreamcast, Wii, PS3, Gameboy, GB Advance, GB Mini, DSi and PSP!) 11 if you include the purchase I made last month!
I finally bought a NES! Nintendo's console that dominated the 80's! I got it off eBay for an amazing price as I got with the NES console; 2 Controllers, Zapper Gun, Arcade Stick, 2 Boxed games (Gyromite, Duck Hunt) and 14 games not boxed! But the best thing of them all (to any Nintendo fan anyways) is R.O.B the Robot Operating Buddy! This toy robot that worked with the NES console is quite rare to get hold of sometimes sold over £100 alone! I payed for all this for £159!!!! And now after geting hold of this and playing on it with my Nintendo fan boy friends, I have really got into the console and getting hold of my fave NES games...
The other Ben and I tested the 16 games that came with it when I got it to our house from my parents and there certainly was some gems; Super Mario Bros, Super Mario Bros 3, Metroid, Rad Racer, Duck Hunt, Gyromite and Teenage Mutant hero turtles. But there certainly was some stinkers. The most memorable would be the games Sword and Serpants which was JUST AWFUL and so hard to actually see what the hell was bloody going! Basically Ben and I played as a party of heros you named and played in a dungeon fighting of pixelated piles of vomit called monsters in a shoddy first person view. We honestly couldnt get the controls! Another is Karate champ... not much to say except stay away! Unless you up for a good laugh at how shit some games can be... thats all I can say really. The others were so awful I've basically forgotten them lol
But that didnt put me off the NES as I sold the 9 games for enough money to buy a boxed Metal Gear on the NES I have also now got hold of Punch-Out!, Super Mario Bros 2, Golf, Operation Wolf, Tetris and a golden Zelda 2! And there is still more to get! But I'm pacing myself lol. To be honest I wouldnt be suprised if my girlfriend dumped me... although she now LOVES Duck Hunt... so SAAAFE! Oh and just let me say if it wasnt for R.O.B being rare-ish there would be no point to buying it. It's basically useless. But I love it lol. Anyway before I go let me just mention Comic and film related stuff. I may have mentioned the Manga; Pluto by Naoki Urasawa. Very very good I am now finally on the final volume and it has been quite a ride! The books are based on Osama Tezuka's Astroboy story about his fight with the evil robot; Pluto except its more of a realistic and mature aproach. I have to say the best Manga I have ever read in terms of story and art! I highly recomend it! I have also seen what I believe to be one of the greatest films ever; SCOTT PILGRIM VS THE WORLD!!! Its the TITS!! It's like my perfect film, so much videogame refrencing! Its exciting, funny, interesting and just over all awesome! Go see it!!! I am now on volume 4 of the books and although they're good they are not as good as the film but to be honest the whole Scott Pilgrim thing is awesome and I am now a HUGE fan.... so should YOU!
Anyway til next time, AND CHECK OUT MY PROJECT BLOG!
Wednesday, 7 July 2010
Dont know if I mentoned it before but I finally got a PS3 had it for about a month now and no it wasnt the one I payed £210 for on play.com, I ended up going to Argos and getting a 120GB one for £250! Luckily two days later I got a refund from Play so everything was dandy. As for games well I got games in advance thinking my Play.com PS3 would arrive in a couple of days... So I had bought Metal Gear Solid 4, Ninja Gaiden (only £5!), Super Street Fighter 4 and Final Fantasy 13 and then I got Heavy Rain for my bday so as you can see quite alot of games.... however nothing to play them on! Well anyway thats all over now as I have it hoorah! By the way, Heavy Rain is a masterpiece in terms of stroy telling and as a game itself so I usher you to try it! However one runthrough isnt very long, but technically there is alot of things to do as you still have 18 different endings. I completed and have 3.... only 15 more to go! :D
Anyway unfortunately my family received some badnews last week while my mother was away, her father; my Grandad had passed away which is very soon after my nan had done the same (Around March time). My Grandad had altimers and his home contacted us saying he had become quite ill and was finding hard to feed him, etc. And as my mother went onto a school trip for a week with the school she works at, grandad passed away that night. The sad thing is we couldnt tell mum until she came back on the Friday, as if we told her over the phone she would be with Primary school children feeling awful and very far away from home, she also happened to be the bloody mini bus driver. So we just couldnt tell her and as you can imagine when we did she was devastated...
Anyway heres better news I have a commission! Thanks to my friend Jodie I am now animating parts video on democracy for the youth group 'Open'. I dont know a thing on democracy but luckily all I'm doing is animating what they want me to animate so thats fine lol I'll post more on that at a later date when I got something done lol
To be honest not much has happened in my life at the mo. Literally I wake up ridiculously late, get up, try and do some work mostly personel stuff, reading comics or playing videogames and if I am not doing that stuff; I'm at work! WHERE IS ALL MY FRIENDS AND PARTYS AND GET TOGETHERS!!! Oh well its technically only the start of the summer holidays... hopefully it will pick up soon lol
Oh and before I go I have just started my blog on Wordpress for my Third year project at Uni. If you wanna just check that out that would be sweet heres the link...
I also got Inception on blu ray, The Art of Howl's Moving Castle, New shoes and an R2 D2 USB hub! As for Christmas shopping, I got all the gifts on time! In fact all my gifts arrived two days before Xmas! I got Sims 3 for the sister, the Laurel and Hardy collection for dad and a DS game for mother. As for the girlfriend I got her the bracelet she wanted swell as other things and a drawing of Sailor Moon (you know that Anime chick lol). But I think I just got Christmas right so it's all. Shame it's gone so quickly again this year, I swear it's getting Quicker each year! Oh in the "part 1" post I mention this years Xmas card well obviously they have been all sent out opened and read so here it is.... Oh and hope you all had a fantastic Xmas (just getting the hang of typing on this thing :D)
