Goodbye Gene: Ashes to Ashes

I always dread the ending of a television series that I've become emotionally invested in! Twin Peaks, My So-Called Life and Quantum Leap spring to mind. Especially one embellished with such profound personal resonance - as a child I was in a coma following a serious head injury in primary school, and my late mother suffered a most grievous brain injury in hospital - and a superlative final season that could, so easily, have been anti-climactic...



Not so with Ashes to Ashes, the Life on Mars sequel, set in the Thatcherite 80's and follows Alex Drake's (Keeley Hawes) odyssey to awaken from a coma, after being shot on Police duty in 2008, and yearns to be reunited with her beloved daughter, Molly.

Suffering from a cold start and the heavy weight of expectation: How could a series follow the lauded Life on Mars and Sam Tyler (John Simms)? Ashes to Ashes, in its iconic Audi Quattro, took a dark turn into one of the best soap noir and science fiction series of the last decade.

You'd be hard-pressed to find a series that consistently made you care about the characters and grave situations they were facing - savouring the subplots, interplay and art direction, whilst speculating the outcome. Only Mad Men comes close. Incidentally, the Ashes to Ashes writing team are moving to Doctor Who next season. A perfect fit and the icing on a Moffat-baked cake.

For those who haven't seen it yet, I'm not going to spoil your enjoyment of the Ashes to Ashes series' finale. Suffice to say that it delivers and then some. Eclipsing the shocking end of Blake's 7. Readers who've yet to discover the series... It's worth a LOVEFiLM rental. May I suggest that you start from series one? You'll thank me. But, most importantly, thanks Gene, Alex, Ray, Chris and Shaz. Heroes one and all.

Doctor Who 2010 Wave 1 Action Figures

Recreate scenes from Doctor Who with these detailed 5” action figures. Featuring the Eleventh Doctor, companion Amy Pond and a good selection of villains like Peter the Winder with hidden Smiler Face, Hawthorne also from episode The Beast Below, Ironside Dalek, new Dalek Drone and Professor Bracewell from episode Victory of the Daleks, and last but not least a regenerating Weeping Angel from episode Flesh and Stone.

Pre-order from Forbidden Planet International today.

Super 8

I'm a little late to this party! The dynamic duo of JJ Abrams and Steven Spielberg unveiled a 90-second teaser trailer for their upcoming collaboration 'Super 8' before Iron Man 2 on May 7.

Isn't Super 8 a film format that Steven Spielberg and JJ Abrams shot their pre-Hollywood movies on? Where's the fun in that! Read on...



"In 1979, the Air Force closed a section of Area 51. All materials were to be transported to a secure facility in Ohio."

Speculation has been rife that Super 8 is a prequel to JJ Abrams' Cloverfield (2008), which witnessed solipsistic twenty somethings thrown into the midst of an apocalyptic alien smackdown, in Manhattan, all the while narcissistically documenting their trammels: Godzilla for Generation Y! However, the enigmatic footage, depicting a train crash, carrying alien cargo from Area 51, is enough for me to conclude that it's going to be movie magic.

Abrams will complete Super 8 before moving on to Star Trek 2 which will bow summer 2012. The movie is an homage to the sci-fi films Abrams loved as a teenager.

Watch the trailer online here. What did you think of the trailer?

New Flight Control TARDIS from Character

Character Options is releasing an updated version of its Flight Control TARDIS to accompany the 2010 series action figure range.

Note the Peter Cushing Dalek movies inspired redesign. Stunning!



Now you can control your very own TARDIS with this nine inch electronic toy TARDIS which is in scale with the Doctor Who action figure range. It includes eight motion activated interactive sound effects, flashing TARDIS Lantern, opening front doors and telephone door.

Requires 3 x AAA batteries.

This is superlative TARDIS merchandise! What say you?

Pre-order Flight Control TARDIS from Play.com.

Star Wars Transformers Crossovers: Yoda

Transformers Crossovers have always been a bit hit n' miss! Therefore I've been selective building my collection which includes: Darth Maul, Luke Skywalker, TIE Fighter Pilot and Darth Vader.

Yoda, the Jedi Master, gets the Transformers Crossovers treatment.



As always the alternate mode looks cool.



Hasbro missed a trick when the toy company decided not to use established Transformers characters, including Optimus Prime and Megatron, combined with the Star Wars brand for alternate modes. Now that's a crossover worth collecting isn't it?

Tweeting the passing of fantasy artist Frank Frazetta

Fabled fantasy artist Frank Frazetta, who inspired Zelda artist Yusuke Nakano, died yesterday at the age of 82. I learnt of the sad news on Twitter when @Danacea updated her stream, and I was obliged to retweet (RT).



Along with famed artists such as The Brothers Hildebrandt and Ralph McQuarrie, Frazetta's artwork for paperback editions of Robert E. Howard's Conan stories and Buck Rogers comic books made an indelible impression on my young mind at Junior School.

Ultimate Spider-Man signing at Forbidden Planet

Comics legend DAVID LAFUENTE will be signing ULTIMATE COMICS: SPIDER-MAN at the Forbidden Planet Megastore, 179 Shaftesbury Avenue, London WC2H 8JR on Thursday 20th May 6 – 7pm.



Almost ten years ago, Ultimate Spider-Man launched the Ultimate line, a reinvention of the Marvel Universe that defied the odds and every expectation. Now, it happens again: this new chapter in the life of the teenaged webslinger picks up in the aftermath of Ultimatum and completely redefines the status quo of Spider-Man for the next generation! This graphic novel, written by Brian Michael Bendis, collects Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #1-6.

Artist David Lafuente was 'discovered' at the Dublin City Comic Con, though his professional work dates back to earlier than his presence at Marvel. His Marvel days began in 2007, with the layouts and coloring for Spider-Man Family #2 - then providing the pencils and inks for Kathryn Immonen's Hellcat mini-series. His collaborated with Brian Michael Bendis on an Ultimate Spider-Man Annual in 2008, and in 2009 was picked as the regular artist for the series' 2009 relaunch.

Forbidden Planet is the largest store of its kind in the world. Some of the biggest names in Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Comics and Cult Entertainment have come to our London Megastore for signing events, including: Sam Raimi, Guillermo del Toro, Terry Gilliam, Christopher Lee, Andy Serkis, Simon Pegg, William Gibson, Neil Gaiman, Terry Pratchett and Stephen King.

For more news about our signings please go to: http://www.forbiddenplanet.com/Signings.html.

Five authors, one event at Forbidden Planet!

FORBIDDEN PLANET and Gollancz Publishing are delighted to be hosting an open-format, multi-author signing. At at 6pm on Thursday May 13th, Forbidden Planet 179, Shaftesbury Avenue, London will be playing host to: -

· Stephen Deas
· M D Lachlan
· John Meaney
· Sarah Pinborough
· Adam Roberts

Forbidden Planet and Gollancz Publishing have gathered a host of science fiction and fantasy talent into one event – an event to bring writers and fans together and to promote interest in new and different kinds of fiction.

This is a free-form and open signing, bringing the authors out from behind their tables and giving their readers a chance to meet them and talk to them about their work. An array of fantastic books will be on hand to be picked up and signed – including works by every one of the writers present.

For more news about our signings please go to: http://www.forbiddenplanet.com/Signings.html.

Amy Pond pregnant! Who's the father?

In what has been, for me, the best series of Doctor Who since S2 of the new series. S5 takes another twist with a companion's pregnancy!

Amy Pond is pregnant in 'Amy's Choice' to be broadcast on May 15th.


Baby on board: A heavily pregnant Amy Pond (Karen Gillan) sits sulking as her fiance Rory (Arthur Darvill) talks to the Doctor (Matt Smith)

Pregnancy is a theme that has never been addressed in Doctor Who: Mary Tamm (Romana Mk I) left after only one season due to becoming pregnant in real life, which would've proved problematic for the following season - Mary Tamm's Romana visibly pregnant and there's no nookie aboard the TARDIS. Doctor Who spinoff Torchwood has featured pregnancy in 'Something Borrowed'; Gwen is bitten by an alien on her hen night...


Steaming: Amy gives the Doctor a dirty look as they talk to The Dream Lord (Toby Jones - 2nd right)

With romance blossoming onboard the TARDIS. Is Doctor Who becoming EastEnders in space? Not likely! A programme source said: "Viewers will have to wait and see how the pregnancy came about, but as always with Doctor Who, things are not always as they appear."