The Return of the King

Mattel's Masters of the Universe (MotU), one of the company's most successful multimedia franchises, is to return in the Fall!

Behold King Grayskull, who will be a SDCC Exclusive! King Grayskull is the inaugural MotU figure to feature super articulation and classic detail sculpting by the Four Horsemen. Grayskull comes in a brand new package, featuring lights and sounds, which transforms into a mini Castle Grayskull playset.



Castle Grayskull was once home to King Grayskull, an ancestor of Prince Adam. He appears in the Episode, "The Power of Grayskull", waging battle and ultimately defeating the Snakemen led by King Hiss. King Grayskull's triumph was shortlived and he dies defending his kingdom from Hordak. During his lifetime, King Grayskull ruled with wisdom and compassion.

With the emphasis on the collectors market, and The Four Horsemen in the sculpting saddle, the revitalised MotU line is sure to raise the bar on what constitutes the very pinnacle in mass produced collectibles! Read my childhood Masters of the Universe recollection!

If anyone at Mattel is reading this, please contact me to discuss the possibility of running a 'give-away' competition during the holiday season! Thank you in advance.

Wii Raincheck

Nintendo has decided to pull all UK television advertising spots for its most sought after Wii due to serious stock shortages! Perhaps Nintendo of Europe should take a leaf out of their counterpart's book across the pond?

To help assuage consumers' complaints that they can't find a Wii, Nintendo of America announced this morning that they will begin a 'Wii Raincheck' program. If you pay in full for a Wii before Christmas, you can get a raincheck that you'll be able to redeem for a Wii in January.

Fils-Aime said that the program will be run entirely through retailer GameStop, who he says has "many tens of thousands" of certificates.

The program, says Fils-Aime, is for people who want "something to put under the tree."

"A certificate needs to be matched to a specific Wii which needs to be matched to a specific store. Only this retailer has the ability to pull off such a program," said Fils-Aime in regards to why GameStop will be the exclusive partner for this initiative.

Reggie Fils-Aime also said this morning that Wii will be available this weekend in many stores, advertised in circulars for Best Buy, Circuit City, etc.

The 'Wii Raincheck' program recalls Kenner's Early Bird Certificate Package for Star Wars! Kenner, blindsided by the success of Star Wars, was unable to produce enough action figures for the lucrative Christmas market! So, in an inspired move, Kenner offered shoppers in 1977 empty boxes which contained a certificate promising a set of action figures, including Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia and R2-D2, in the New Year! Thirty years later and Nintendo of America is doing the same thing!

Pimp Daddy Destro (PDD)

In the early hours I successfully made an offer on SDCC 2007 Exclusives: Alternator Rodimus and Titanium Menasor! The eBay seller agreed to sell both limited edition Transformers, highly prized by collectors, for £39.99! That's a bargain given that Alternator Rodimus has been fetching over £50 and UK importers are charging £29.99 for Titanium Menasor!

Now I'm on the look out for the SDCC 2007 Exclusive Pimp Daddy Destro or PDD as he's known in the collecting community. Pimp Daddy Destro has been reissued as part of Hasbro's celebration to mark the 25th Anniversary of the G.I. Joe franchise.

Destro (originally known as Red Jackal - a member of The Red Shadows - in the UK) remains one of my all-time favourite action figures. Again, if readers could help me with acquiring either a gold or silver variant, I'd be most grateful. Thank you.

Halo Effect

In 2002 I purchased an Xbox solely to play Halo, which was originally developed for the Mac platform by Bungie (prior to Bungie's purchase and subsequent integration into Microsoft Game Studios)!

The epic saga continues with Halo 3, the hugely anticipated third chapter in the highly successful and critically acclaimed Halo franchise. Master Chief returns to finish the fight, bringing the epic conflict between the Covenant, the Flood, and the entire human race to a dramatic, pulse-pounding climax.

Halo 3 represents the third chapter in the Halo trilogy—an international award-winning action series that grew into a global entertainment phenomenon, selling more than 14.5 million units worldwide, logging more than 650 million hours of multiplayer action on Xbox Live, and spawning action figures, books, a graphic novel, apparel, an upcoming film adaptation, and more.

However, will Halo 3 be eclipsed by Mass Effect?

The Triforce Grants Gaming Greatness

For Generation X the name Zelda is synonymous with teatime television hit Supermacromation series The Terrahawks and Nintendo!

Like Mario, Zelda is the brainchild of Shigeru Miyamoto thus sharing the high production values of its sibling. Zelda has, inevitably, spawned its own lifestyle merchandising. From action figures to cereals. And lest I forget to mention the animated series too, which is now available on DVD!

The Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) introduced me to the wonders of Hyrule in The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past.

A Link to the Past follows the adventures of Princess Zelda's and Link's ancestors, referring to the characters from the two Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) games The Legend of Zelda and Zelda II: The Adventure of Link. Thus, A Link to the Past takes place before the events of the first two Zelda games. The game's endurance was typified by its inclusion on the Game Boy Advance (GBA) title The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords.

With the imminent arrival of the Zelda franchise on both the Nintendo DS (Phantom Hourglass) and Wii (The Twilight Princess). The continuation of Link's award-winning adventures is assured and I, for one, don't intend to miss out.

3D Combat Evolved

One of my most enduring memories as an undergraduate (and losing valuable book time), was playing the original award-winning Worms (1995) on the Sony PlayStation! Team 17's turn-based opus relied on the player's ability to correctly judge the trajectory and the power necessary to inflict devastating damage (on a par with shock and awe) against the clock (usually around 30 seconds, but this could be adjusted higher or lower). All the while trying to achieve mastery over the wind. You see, the wind can be unforgiving and weapons that are vulnerable to air current can be rendered impotent.

After 9 previous iterations including Worms Pinball and Blast, the basic premise remains intact (and relatively unspoilt) as the franchise inevitably segues to luxurious 3D in 2004! And the impish dialogue and black humour (motifs of the franchise) still remains cuttingly humorous. Friends' star Matthew Perry would be pretty proud of that achievement!

Porting progress
Feral Interactive is never merely content to publish key titles ‘per se’ on the Mac platform! Whenever working with UK porting house Zonic, it is always the partnerships intention to provide Mac gamers with compelling "added value" as a reward for our patience. This release is no exception to that golden rule.

In the case of Worms 3D (alongside the development of XIII), a rare opportunity to improve the graphics arose. It was noticed that whilst playing Worms 3D that at high (or low) resolution the interface was blurred! The original Adobe Photoshop files, used during development, were leveraged to replace all the interface graphics and weapons that Feral had been given assets for. And to avoid alienating the Mac gaming community, the PC keyboard was appropriately replaced by a Mac version!

Carnage candy
Worms 3D inspires obvious graphical comparison with Pangea's Bugdom series! And possesses looks that would make even Earthworm Jim blush with envy! Everything has an organic Play-Doh look and feel, which would delight the artists at PIXAR. The textures are simpler than Unreal Tournament or Halo, but then that's wholly appropriate given the context, and the game runs smoothly under Mac OS X 10.3.4. Support for Full Screen Anti-Aliasing (FSAA) is available for those equipped with a compatible graphics card. Is it time for an animated television series from Warner Bros. and attendant merchandise such as action figures, I wonder?

Existing Worms fans will be delighted to learn that bazookas, grenades, dynamite, air strikes and sheep made it safely from 2D, with the addition of brand new weapons to take advantage of the more expansive 3D landscape.

Customised combat
The single player (SP) mode still rotates predominantly around randomly generated battlefields against computer-controlled teams (the level of difficulty can be adjusted).

Alongside the obligatory Tutorial and Campaign modes, Team 17 have introduced the new Challenge mode, an offering where players can participate in various objectives such as firing-off a shotgun at as many targets as possible before time runs out to unlock bonuses such as medals and secrets.

Players can pass levels with Gold Silver or Bronze. As an incentive, getting Gold and finding secret areas (in SP) unlocks more hidden weapons and levels for the multiplayer mode.

The Challenge mode is somewhat repetitive, but completionists will no doubt find it a noteworthy addition all the same. Also the code system that was used to generate levels in the original is included in Worms 3D. And the codes for the PC version work on the Mac. It's worth searching the web for sites dedicated to collecting these cross platform codes!

Ultimately multiplayer (MP) mode is the signature element of the Worms franchise and here 2-4 teams can compete against each other in highly addictive sorties. The landscape of war can be edited; players can select to play in Lunar, War, England, Horror, Pirate or Arctic (in day, evening or night)! Or alternatively choose a randomly-generated landscape, or one that you've unlocked in the Campaign mode. In the mood for a chat, taunt or want to privately discuss tactics (with fellow team members and allies)? That's here too!

Worms 3D is compatible with GameRanger. Therefore, I urge you to 'fire-up' GameRanger as the MP mode is far more engaging than the SP experience because of human interaction - watching an enemy worm sink into the icy depths, underscored by a suitable quip, is a very satisfying accomplishment. Worms 3D MP is a luxurious treat and may close the deal for gamers unmoved by the series anaemic SP mode.

Blasted Bug
Subsequent to the GM release. MP games work on a LAN, but there is a bug in the network detection check which will cause all network games to be disabled if the Internet cannot be reached.

Zonic are working on a fix for this and it will be included in the first patch. In the mean time, if you can get your LAN connected to the Internet, you should be able to play locally.

Got Worms?
The transition to what could be construed as a more liberating 3D context, has introduced new challenges and complications that can confuse! You can toggle the camera between 3rd person (default), 1st person and blimp views. However, at times I found orientation difficult - the 3D terrain is more problematic to gauge than in 2D. And it requires greater effort (not necessarily a negative) to accurately judge how far to shoot a missile in order to target it anywhere near an enemy. This can lead to frustration, which often detracts from the pleasure of playing.

And now for the conclusion
Worms 3D is a solid port and clearly the product of stringent QA (Quality Assurance). Kudos to Feral and Zonic. With spruced-up graphics, a multitude of tactics available, coupled with the ever-changing, randomly-generated landscapes, Worms 3D is a pleasant antidote to the glut of FPS releases.

However, I was left with a yearning for the 2D side scrolling pleasures of old and the absence of an engaging soundtrack was remiss! The score of Worms 3D isn’t as impressive as the sound effects. Whilst I'm not looking for a John Williams orchestration, the music didn't serve the action and was turned down in favour of the amusing dialogue and spot effects.

As I completed this review Team 17 officially announced 'Worms Forts Under Siege'! The Worms saga continues...

Gameplay: 8
Graphics: 9
Sound: 7
Value: 8

Overall: 8 (out of 10)

The Ultimate answer to Life, the Universe and Everything is...

42 and Happy Birthday Doctor Who. Over four decades ago An Unearthly Child was broadcast in the aftermath of US President John F. Kennedy's assassination. I still have vivid memories of the Sontaran Experiment, Genesis of the Daleks and The Pyramids Of Mars (circa 1974/75)!

It pays to search eBay listings. Early this morning I purchased a brand new 5" R/C Dalek (£29.99 inc P&P)! The 5" model from Character Options is a limited edition and its market value is higher than the 12" R/C. However, whether it is worth £75 is relative.

Character Options will be extending their 5" Doctor Who range to include the following:

*Pack 1 - The Tenth Doctor (in his 'signature' outfit with long overcoat and Sonic Screwdriver accessory.

*Pack 2 - Rose Tyler and K-9

*Pack 3 - Intergalactic Warlord, the Sycorax Warrior complete with two weapons.

*Pack 4 - A double pack of Lady Cassandra and Moxx of Balhoon

*Pack 5 - A Slitheen action figure - with extendable claws that can be slid out from its finger ends.

*Pack 6 - Radio controlled K-9 and Tenth Doctor double pack.

*Pack 7 - TARDIS console room playset. Six buttons control around ten sound effects plus chair, hat stand and lift-out access panels in the floor to reveal the TARDIS mechanisms and circuitry.

The granddaddy of them all, The Emperor Dalek, will be available exclusively from Toys R Us online.

Still wondering whether or not you should purchase the Character Walkie-Talkies? Don't hesitate any longer! The likeness of both the Doctor and Slitheen are superb and eclipse Hasbro's hyped methodology! Go on, you know you want to play with these.



Pop Princess Rachel Stevens (isn't anyone buying her excellent album?) is rumored to be in the Doctor Who franchise spin-off Torchwood with John Barrowman (Captain Jack Harkness). Torchwood is described as 'adult', not necessarily a positive connotation. Perhaps BBC PR should seek more articulate adjectives?

True Lies

First day of a new month and I was invited to spend it, on Exmouth beach, with relatives. The endless sand dunes evoked memories of playing with (and inevitably losing) Action Force/GI Joe and Star Wars figures - Hyena Tank (Cobra H.I.S.S.) and AT-ST attacking a Rebel seashore encampment. The rock pools contained untold terrors that reached their zenith with the advent of 1984's The Bluebottle or Portuguese Man-of-War invasion. This became an infamous urban legend! Out to sea? You'd better ask Police Chief Brody, Quint and Hooper!

The above recollections jolted a childhood faux pas made at Budleigh Salterton. A friend lost his Muton action figure (a repainted Deep Sea Diver with the helmet resculpted to allow for the radar, gun, and eye piece to be stuck on.) after he'd carelessly left it in his bucket. This had become a temporary home for a dying squid! Thankfully, I had a spare Muton (in my toy collection) and the tears soon stopped. A close call.

Although my encounters with sharks have been limited to marine aquariums and a basking shark (face to face whilst boating in Spain). The weekend we were in Hayle, a mako was spotted in St. Ives shadowing a group of children who were undertaking a surfing lesson. The instructor took them to safety because the mako is a predator and is known to attack humans in shallow water.

Successfully bid on the rarest Masters of the Universe exclusive: a ToyFare 2003 Faker MIB. No, I didn't pay an extortionate price. The key is patience and track auctions.

Dream Arcades has announced an official licensing deal with the MAME™ developers to include MAME™ software! Fans of arcade classics will be able to order arcade cabinets (including StarROMS) in time for the holiday gift giving season. If anyone gets stuck for gift ideas, then you know what I want under the tree this year aside from an automatic transmission Mercedes-Benz Convertible!

Within a month or so SCEE will release the much vaunted PSP. This may sport the recent OS update and include the browser out-of-the-box. I'm really looking forward to reviewing the first clutch of software releases.

The Power of the Dark Crystal

Perusing the latest Dreamwatch magazine, I was delighted to note that the first sequel to The Dark Crystal (1982) is in production. This will form the foundation of a new franchise.

Jim Henson's original opus, inspired by the works of Brian Froud, enthralled me as a young child. However, that first fateful viewing at the ABC Cinema was a little too intense - Garthim and Skeksis anyone? Rediscovering it in 1999 I was beguiled by its lyrical beauty once again!



Synopsis taken from the novel The Dark Crystal by A.C.H. Smith:

In a faraway world a mighty astronomical event is about to occur, the Great Conjunction of the planet's Three Suns. At this time, the cruel Skeksis who rule this world from the castle of the Dark Crystal are frightened to learn that an ancient prophecy may be coming true: A survivor of the Gelfling, an elfin race they thought they had destroyed, is seeking to restore the missing shard of the Dark Crystal before the moment of the Great Conjunction, thus ending the tyranny of the Skeksis. Hidden in the valley of the urRu, young Jen the Gelfling has been raised by a tribe of mystics and knows little of the world outside, but know his Master's dying words have charged him with his mission to find the lost shard before it is too late. Traveling through many strange places and encountering many extraordinary beings, Jen races against time to unravel the mystery of his quest and save his world from the forces of evil.

The adventures of Jen and Kira outshone the Muppet antics of Return of the Jedi (1983). The latter was derided by Starlog magazine for blatantly reprising the former's mythological narratives. It's debatable that this was deliberate and certainly the comparisons are inescapable, but The Dark Crystal treats its target audience with greater intelligence.

The inevitable soundtrack score by Trevor Jones, which I still own on single vinyl LP, deserves masterpiece status. John Williams referenced its textured sounds in Revenge of the Sith (2005). As an amusing aside, I fondly recall playing with Masters of the Universe action figures whilst listening to The Dark Crystal Overture.

The Froud's, Brian and Wendy, often frequented my Mother's clothing store in Exeter and would insist that she served them. Wendy Froud's most famous puppet sculpt isn't ashamed of being green. Master Yoda. Love the Star Wars connections that criss-cross my private life.

"By the Power of Grayskull... I HAVE THE POWER!!!"

Masters of the Universe were a feature of my childhood. The cadre of Skeletor, Beast Man, Trap Jaw and Tri-Klops were hired to bolster Darth Vader's Bounty Hunters. Castle Grayskull served as Vader's weekend retreat so-to-speak and Snake Mountain became the adopted home of the Emperor and source of Sith power.

During a family holiday to Innsbruck (1984), between organized coach trips we would walk around the shops. The Austrian toy stores overflowed with MotU action figures that were not available in the UK. One of the most coveted was Prince Adam and the fact that I wasn't allowed to buy him left me emotionally scared. I had to content myself with an Action Force summer special comic!

Mattel extended MotU with the introduction of She-Ra (think action Barbie) and The Evil Horde. Hordak was the insidious successor to Skeletor and his Horde Troopers shamelessly copied the Stormtroopers of a galaxy far, far away. A variety of beasts were released. Modulok resides in mint box in my attic.

By 1987 I set aside 'childish' things and waited anxiously for the release of Michael Jackson's Bad album. However, that didn't preclude me from seeing the camp movie (starring a young Courteney Cox) and savoring Bill Conti's copy cat score (see John Williams).

Mattel's 2002 revival of the enduring billion dollar property has met with mixed success. Mattel flooded the market with worthless repaints. Last year I tracked down Mer-Man (an overlooked figure from the original) and this weekend made a successful bid for the elusive and very rare Evil-Lyn. The new sculpt, by Four Horsemen Studios, captures the beauty of Skeletor's duplicitous sorceress. Up until bidding for this, I'd never used eBay and am somewhat agog at the poor user experience. Clumsy.

With the R1 release of Masters of the Universe DVD and UMD, the He-Man renaissance should be secure.

Making the World Smile

Revenge of the Sith merchandise is now flooding retail aisles across the globe! Anakin's Jedi Starfighter arrived yesterday and I've already ordered (from Toys "R" Us*) assorted LEGO pieces, BARC Speeder, Grievous' Wheel Bike, ARC-170 Fighter, AT-RT, Monopoly, Risk and Star Wars Trivial Pursuit DVD. Movie Market is now selling gorgeous prints. Not to mention that Battlegrounds debuts on the Mac very soon. Collectors can stay up-to-date here.

In the UK Palitoy distributed Kenner's Star Wars action figures and accessories. When I wasn't playing with toys I drew new ones and sent them to the company's Coalville HQ in Leicester. Although Palitoy could not accept my unsolicited submissions, I was always rewarded with posters and action figures.

Hasbro purchased Kenner in 1991 (the brand has all but disappeared) and I was interviewed for a Mac-based product packaging designer post (within their interactive division) in 1999. Hasbro's UK office, located in Stockley Park (near to Apple Computer), is plush. I never got beyond the first interview stage (sans Photoshop test), but Hasbro paid my traveling expenses and, believe me, that's rare. In 2001 Hasbro Interactive was purchased by Infogrames (Atari).

[*In the 1980s a Toys "R" Us opened in Bristol (off Junction 17). My first purchase was a copy of Atari's Star Raiders (the pack-in included a Video Touch Pad for the VCS 2600). For some obscure reason my recollection of playing Star Raiders, reading DC Comics and watching Hart to Hart at my Granmother's house are inseparable!]

Requiem for a Dream

Growing up my aspirations diverged from "learning the ways of the force" and time traveling to video game author and Grammy-winning performances. Yet the desire to act and perform overarched everything.

In 1983 I was selected to audition (along with other hopefuls from around the South West region) for a place at a prestigious acting school. Due to very poor planning, on the part of my school, the day turned into an unmitigated disaster and the schedule went askew. Our audition piece, performed at Exeter's Northcott Theatre, would have been savaged by Simon Cowell and Paula Abdul! I had prepared a solo set reciting HG Wells' The War of the Worlds and instead was instructed to mimic a tree. A conciliatory weekend placement was offered to selected students who showed promise - one of whom had the propensity to burst into tears when they'd forgotten their lines. I felt slighted, but nothing that a new Star Wars Return of the Jedi action figure couldn't fix! Biker Scout, I salute you.

During High School, under the aegis of Mr Burton (no relation of Richard or Tim), my passion for drama class flourished. Regrettably, he decided to change schools and his successor drove out any sense of enjoyment and I dropped out. A few years later my Dad would meet Mr Burton, in Torbay, who had assumed that I had continued with acting. And learnt that this was not the case.

In 1990 whilst at College I formed a Pop/R&B band - Def Track - as part of a Media Studies project concerning the music industry. During the coach ride to and from London's V&A (I was also studying A-Level Fine Art) I co-wrote "Don't Judge A Book By Its Cover". We recorded the song, promo video and prepared marketing materials (using MacDraw) ourselves. At the suggestion of our Media Studies tutor I wrote further songs for a possible EP (for submission to local radio stations). However, during the summer my work was stolen or mislaid and there was no backup other than a skeletal arrangement stored on an Amiga A500.

I acted in a University studio project (1993) and was required to show a complete lack of interest in the main protagonist. This wasn't too difficult a leap as I found the person, in question, unpalateable at best. It was noted that my performance was very effective and made ingenious use of a newspaper (a metaphor for the barriers in our relationship)!

My claim to fame is as a background extra on BBC Radio Four's The Gemini Apes (1998). However, acting has not lost any of its allure and one day I'm hoping for a reprise.

The X Factor

Not since Kenner's Batman The Animated Series action figure line, have I felt compelled to buy so many awesome branded collectibles! The Clone Wars Count Dooku arrived this morning ahead of General Grievous, Asajj Ventress (a character I can't wait to see in ROTS) and cohorts. The supplier even included a freebie from Hasbro's Action Fleet range. Now that scores points for customer service.

Apple UK issued an image of what maybe box art for Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger. Is Avadis “Avie” Tevanian a closet fan of Marvel's The X-Men?

Yesterday an Uncle and me setup a Pace DTVA Freeview STB for Mum ahead of the proposed sky multiroom installation. Why wait? BTW last August I posted that our Grundig GDT1500 overheated and was replaced by a sleek Sony VTX-D800U (highly recommended). Today I discovered, via a Google search, that the Grundig suffered from an inherent design fault. I shall never buy anything with the Grundig badge again! Once bitten...

Attic Attack

In our attic I discovered (in a scene reminiscent of The Goonies) my Mattel Battlestar Galactica Space Alert LCD game! This novelty dates from 1978 and is, in actuality, a repackaged Missile Command. Mattel earnestly needed to maximize its investment in the license (arch rival Kenner had Star Wars) and slapped BG branding on existing lines alongside action figures. Out of curiosity I inserted a single 9-volt battery and, hey presto, Cylon carnage.

The toy and game odyssey didn't end there! Milton Bradley's StarBird, StarBird Intruder and Command Base still reside in a darkened corner. The Command Base often served as an Imperial outpost (for my Star Wars figures) and Intruder, with its small footprint, acted as a Martian flying machine!

Boxed M.A.S.K. (Rhino was the signature toy of Kenner's The Transformers/G.I. Joe hybrid), Masters of the Universe, Micronauts*, Action Force/G.I. Joe, Star Wars, Transformers, Zoids and a walking Twiki (from Buck Rogers) occupy the remaining attic space reserved for bygone boyhood adventures.

Perhaps I should consider opening a Generation X museum?

[*Micronauts was the international name for Takara's Microman. Palisades Toys expended quite considerable energy on reviving the Micronaut brand between 2002 - 2003. Due to poor production values and market conditions, only two (three if you include the 1.5 set, which I own) collections were released in very limited quantities. Incidentally, the most famous incarnation of Microman are the Transformers (Hasbro licensed Diaclone and Micro Change toys).]

The Green Death

Since 2003, I've been steadily building my Doctor Who DVD collection at £11.99 a pop! Early this morning the latest release arrived courtesy of Her Majesty's Royal Mail! The Green Death is one of my favourite stories from the Jon Pertwee era and now takes pride of place alongside Pyramids Of Mars, Earthshock, Resurrection Of The Daleks et al.

A few weeks ago I watched, and thoroughly enjoyed, the Dalek Invasion Of Earth - that enduring and iconic image of the Daleks crossing Westminster Bridge was forever imprinted into my young mind via the pages of the Dalek Omnibus, which I still own sans dust jacket - too young to appreciate the value and used the inside back cover for sketches when I ran out of paper one Sunday afternoon many, many years ago! Who'd be a fine artist eh?

Regarding the restored disc. Has anyone else noticed a soft line running down the image, roughly at the halfway point? Presumably some artefact from the source material/restoration process? Otherwise a clean print and remarkable work in spite of Auntie's historical faux pas - deleting all those episodes back in the day! And the CGI option is a terrific nod to the comic serial (thanks Marvel for reprinting them in the 1980s). Imagine The Chase with a few of those spruced-up saucers and Mechanoids?

The Doctor Who restoration team are doing a sterling job and have re-ignited my interest in the show (it was a staple of my childhood)! Now if only the BBC would release the twisted tale Terror of the Autons, which I watched at the Doctor Who 20th Anniversary Convention, Longleat (1983)! Yes, BBC Video released the VHS version in 1993... May need to auction my vast VHS collection on eBay! Any takers?

Fellow Toonami fans. You maybe interested to know that my friends at The Iconfactory continued, on Tuesday, with their new icon freeware releases. This week it's the Justice League! It goes without saying that this set is cooler than Pluto! Incidentally, I've started watching Teen Titans, and it compares favourably with Batman Animated! The action figures, from Bandai America, look great!