Other Words For Smoke – Book Review

Originally Published On Set The Tape

‘The house at the end of the lane burned down, and Rita Frost and her teenage ward, Bevan, were never seen again. The townspeople never learned what happened. Only Mae and her brother Rossa knew the truth; they spent two summers with Rita and Bevan, two of the strangest summers of their lives… Because nothing in that house was as it seemed: a cat was more than a cat, a dark power called Sweet James that lurked behind the wallpaper, enthralling Bevan with whispers of neon magic and escape.

‘And in the summer heat, Mae became equally as enthralled with Bevan. Desperately in the grips of first love, she’d give the other girl anything. A dangerous offer when all that Sweet James desired was a taste of new flesh…’

In complete honesty, I wasn’t quite sure what to think of Other Words For Smoke when I first began the book. The story begins at the end, before jumping backwards in time a number of years. The narrative flips between third person, and a narrator that puts you in Bevan’s place, not just her telling you how things affected her, but the narrator talking to you as if you are Bevan. Along with this, there are a number of big, fantastical things that are given little explanation, it was all a little confusing.

However, after a short while I began to understand that this was part of the point, that you as the reader are never quite meant to feel comfortable in this strange world of twisted logic and bizarre magic. Even though the book tells the story through three viewpoints, Bevan, Rossa, and Mae, it’s really about Mae, and the mixture of understanding some things whilst still being confused and unsettled mirror her experiences.

In many ways, this confused state, this partial understanding of the world around you, is a perfect metaphor for the journey that Mae and Rossa are going through over the course of the three years the book is set; not their journey into magic and other worlds, but their journey from teens to adults. The book is about growing up, and the two teens go from naive youngsters to young adults who have discovered so much more about themselves, and have had to live through the awfulness of their fractured and hateful home lives.

We get to see Mae go from a shy young girl hidden away in her games and just discovering her sexuality to a young woman who is embracing who she is, the powers that she is starting to tap into, and having to come to terms with how her first love will affect her for the rest of her life. Rossa changes from a boy closed off from the fantastical world around him, content to shy away from the world in his drawings, to a man with a plan, who knows what he wants from life and isn’t afraid to grasp for it, who opens himself up to the magic around him.

Whilst the book is about growing up and discovering the person that you’re going to be, it’s also about addiction. Bevan is addicted to the powers that the mysterious creature in the walls of the house, Sweet James, is willing to give her. At first glance it simply appears that she’s a character who is craving power, and potentially just a very nasty person, but as the book progresses and we see Bevan without the influence of Sweet James for a while it becomes clear that she’s a victim. She discovers this new world full of wonder and wants to learn more about it, as most people would, but it’s twisted for her by the parasitic creature that is luring her in. She becomes a junkie to the powers on offer, willing to lie, steal, hurt, and even kill if need be to get more.

What stands out most about the book however, is how it’s written. Not just jumping through different perspectives, narrative styles, and time periods, the book has a lyrical, almost poetic quality to it. It’s clear that Sarah Maria Griffin spent a great deal of time weaving ideas and themes throughout the tapestry of the book in a way that a lot of writers don’t, and the end result is a book that feels infinitely more than just the sum of its parts. Even come the end there’s mystery and wonder that is never answered, a world left unexplored, and relationships and motivations only partially hinted at. This might bother some, but it feels more real than most books. After all, in life you rarely get all the answers.

Sarah Maria Griffin has crafted a living, breathing world around one house and a handful of characters, a universe that is barely dipped into. She could come back to this time and time again, exploring the wondrous places that she has made, or simply leave it be, forever a mystery. Either scenario would make me happy, as I’d love to spend more time in this universe, but would also be more than happy to let my own imagination fill in these blanks.

It’s not often I finish a book and find myself immediately wanting to return to it and read it again straight away, but Other Words For Smoke had this effect on me. I want to go back and see those connections that I only realised were there at the end, to use the knowledge I gained later on to see if there is more there to be learned. A stunning example of not just a novel, but a work of art that is sure to stick with the reader long after the final page has been read.

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The Witch: Part 1. The Subversion – Review

Originally published on Set The Tape

The Witch (or The Witch: Part 1. The Subversion, aka Manyeo), the first part of a potential trilogy series, tells the story of Ja-Yoon (Da-Mi Kim), a young girl who has grown up living on a small farm with her elderly adoptive parents after escaping some kind of sinister experimentation and murder squad some ten years previously.

The film is very light on details as to what Ja-Yoon went through at the beginning, with opening credits that hint at mysterious experiments on children, but very little else to tell audiences what has happened. Instead, the film spends a good half of its run time teasing out small pieces of this mystery, with secret conversations and mysterious figures that follow Ja-Yoon.

Instead of focusing solely on the mystery of her past, the film chooses to give over a good portion to building Ja-Yoon as a character, letting us get to know her, her parents, friends, and even smaller figures in the periphery of her life. It’s a nice decision on the part of writer/director Hoon-Jung Park, as it helps to build the world and lets us get attached to Ja-Yoon before her world starts to spin out of control.

As with a lot of YA fiction Ja-Yoon is at the centre of an evil plot headed up by a nefarious organisation that is trying to exploit young people for their own gains. It follows a young girl who is ripped from her happy family life, who has to fight against these corrupt conspirators in order to save herself and her family. What The Witch: Part 1. The Subversion does differently, however, is to bring a Korean revenge thriller twist to the proceedings.

Without spoiling too much of the film, as there are certain expectations it intentionally builds in the audience before quickly pulling the rug out from under you, the sudden shift in its last half is a masterstroke.

The quiet, rural settings of Ja-Yoon’s home life, are gone, replaced with an industrial futurist look, complete with concrete lined labs, corridors with long staircases and high ceilings, and secret bunkers. Ja-Yoon also changes here, revealing a competent heroine beneath the scared teenage girl that we’ve been following. This shift marks a high point in the film, and is sold in large part thanks to the phenomenal acting by Da-Mi Kim, who is able to shift from scared girl to scary killer within seconds.

The other main cast members also bring a lot of great energy to the film, and the villains of the piece are some of the best. Min-Soo Jo is great as the sinister Dr. Baek, the mastermind scientist behind everything that has happened. She’s cold and calculating, trying to manipulate people from behind the scenes, and Min-Soo Jo plays her as a woman used to being the smartest person in the room, and who enjoys flaunting this sense of superiority.

Woo-Sik Choi, referred to in the credits simply as ‘Male English-Speaking Witch’, is great as one of Ja-Yoon’s fellow experimentees, though one raised within the evil organisation. It’s clear that Woo-Sik Choi is having a lot of fun playing the part, and that energy translates into his character, a twisted young man who enjoys being a killer. Both of these characters steal any scene that they’re in, and whilst being used sparingly definitely helped to raise their mystique I would have loved to see more of them.

The highlight, however, is the sudden shift into brutal action that comes within the last half hour, seeing these characters with super-human abilities fighting not just each other, but scores of soldiers too. These scenes have a visceral kind of beauty to them as people are shot, stabbed, and beaten to death in showers of blood, yet done so with such amazingly choreographed movements that it’s almost like watching a brutal ballet. If the film proves to be a success and we do get more entries into the series I can’t wait to see more of this kind of fighting and action.

A story that is really only setting the stage for things to come, we end up with a heroine that we still don’t really know, who is more than just the caring daughter that we saw in the first half of the film, a dangerous, frightening killer hiding just beneath. It’s not clear if she is even really a good person, and it’s possible that those distinctions don’t really exist within this world, opting instead for everyone to being on some kind of spectrum of grey. Despite these questions the film still delivers a great experience even on it’s own, and if the franchise ended here it would still be a great story.

Similar in a lot of ways to The Raid and the Villains novel series by VE Schwab, this is a film that is sure to draw in people who love superhero films, yet want to experience something different, fans of YA stories with strong female leads, and even action junkies who want to see some amazing fights. A brilliant start to what could be a truly amazing trilogy of films.


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The Blue Moon by Christopher Webster - Book Review

'It is a hopeless future. Forced to flee a toxic earth, humanity has found a new life among the stars. Some hold out hope that a new home can be found—a planet called Eden Star—but that dream is mostly forgotten. 

'While travelling between space ports, an old laborer with nothing to live for saves two young children when their transport ship is destroyed. Set adrift in a cramped escape pod, they begin to lose hope of rescue until a strange alien moon reveals itself to them. Together, the castaways learn to adapt and survive on the mysterious alien landscape. But what seems like paradise at first, hides many dangers and dark secrets. And as they grow into adulthood, they must confront forces they can barely understand: life, death, and a deep natural love.'

Having previously read Chrtistopher Webster's other work, the YA book New Horizons, I was interested to see what he would be like in the sci-fi genre. The Blue Moon starts off like a lot of sci-fi stories, set in a distant future, aboard a spaceship traversing the endless expanse of space. However, things quickly take a turn when the ship suffers a disaster and the three central characters, an old mechanic called Pin, and two young children Adam and Emma, are forced to escape together.

This shift is a great moment within the narrative. Whilst the future that Webster has crafted here is interesting in itself, the shift to a smaller story focusing on these three characters makes for a much better narrative. Webster is clearly very good at writing smaller, personal stories, and does so to great results here.

New Horizons had a fairly small cast of characters, yet dealt with big concepts and a story that was left unresolved for future books, and as such I never felt completely connected to the characters of that world, yet here I quickly came to care for Pin, Emma, and Adam.

The dangerous situations that the three of them are put into over the course of the book test not only the resolve of the characters, especially the young children, but really put the reader on edge. Whilst I knew that there was no way the three of them were going to suffocate in space with two thirds of the book left it didn't mean that I wasn't worried for them. One of them could still perish and leave the others to continue on without them, or they could suffer some kind of wound or injury that would stay with them.

This sense of danger is never really gone during the course of the story, even when the characters seem to be in moments of relative peace. The Blue Moon they find themselves upon is a wondrous, beautiful place, yet seems to constantly be hiding a layer of danger, no matter where they move to.

The moon itself becomes as much a character as Pin and the children, and we learn more and more about it as the story unfolds, discovering it's strange and mysterious secrets along with the humans who must now call it home. Whenever you think that you've got an understanding of what might be going on, or what will come next something new and amazing, and often terrifying, is revealed.

A book about humanity, of the drive and desire to survive in a world that hides its dangers under a layer of beauty. It's a story of survival, and love. The characters grow and develop over their years together, and whilst unable to develop and mature in certain ways due to their isolation, their changes are believable and realistic. A great read that is sure to keep the reader entertained from start to finish.

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Jacqueline Wilson Voices Opinion On Trans Children Bordering On Transphobia

Beloved children's author Jacqueline Wilson has broached the topic of transgender children during a recent interview with The Daily Telegraph. During the interview Wilson said that transgender children receiving treatment makes her 'very worried'.

'Some people, right from the time that they are toddlers, are aware that something is wrong and they wish that they could be the other sex.' She told the Telegraph. 'But I'm also aware that some children feel strongly for a while and then they change their minds. I think it's a decision that has to be left a while until you are utterly mature and utterly certain you know all the actual consequences.'

Having already spoken about the supposed dangers of children de-transitioning, something that rarely happens with trans people but if often used as a scare tactic against allowing people to transition Wilson then proceeded to spread misinformation used by transphobes. She went on to say that she was concerned about the long term effects of 'drugs, hormones, or whatever' being used on children. Something that is not actually done.

'And the whole idea of having major surgery... if you're a young child is not a question of just having bits of you lopped off,' she continued. 'It's really serious, difficult surgery which can have pretty devastating consequences, I would imagine.'

Children in the UK do not have gender reassignment surgery, and it is illegal to do so. Children in the UK also do not undergo hormone treatment, and only receive puberty blockers after thorough assessments with multiple doctors and have no irreversible or dangerous effects.

Wilson also said that she would not include a transgender character in any of her books, stating 'I wouldn't want people to think I jumped on the bandwagon just because it's current and in the news'.

Whether or not Wilson is actually a transphobe or simply misinformed, her statements are extremely damaging and full of false information.

'If only everybody could be and act exactly the way they want to but not actually try to change themselves physically, I think that would be easier.' She added. 'We still have a strange way of putting girls and boys into different slots... I wish we could come to a stage when anybody who fancied could wear a dress and do so-called 'girly' things or anyone who wanted could wear jeans and tinker with car engines.'


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15-Year-Old Child Takes His Own Life Following Homophobic Bullying

Nigel Shelby, a 15-year-old student from Huntsville High School in Huntsville, Alabama, has taken his own life following a series of homophobic bullying from fellow students.

Alabama's local Rocket City Pride group released a statement over the weekend announcing the loss of Nigel.

'We are heartbroken over the death of Nigel Shelby, a 15 year old Freschman at Huntsville High School. Nigel took his life because he was bullied for being gay.' The Statment read. 'There are no words that can be said to make sense of this devastating news.'

The group also set up a GoFundMe page in order to assist Nigel's family at this difficult time. The page has a target of $10,000, but at this time has already exceeded this goal and has raised more then $14,000.

Nigel's GoFundMe

Caila Malone, a drag queen and member of Rocket City Pride said, 'I remember being called terrible words even when I was in elementary school before I knew what they meant. These bullies have to be held accountable, and until our state legislation shows that they have to do that they're able to run a muck and do whatever they want. It's shaken all of us so we just have to bring our LGBTQ community in Huntsville together and let all of these kids know, that they are not alone.'

Studies by the Centre for Social Equity say that 74% of youth claim that they do not feel safe in school.

'We are saddened to learn this morning of the death of Nigel Shelby, one of our 9th grade students.' Said Aaron King, Nigel's school principal. 'Our thoughts and prayers are with the family during this difficult time. Many students have been affected by this news. Teachers and specially trained counselors have talked with students about Nigel and their feelings. Please be sensitive to any changes in your child’s behavior. Over the next few days, encourage your child to express his or her feelings and listen attentively.'

The statement also went on to provide advice to parents on helping their children grieve, and the different reactions their children may have to the news.

One of Nigel's fellow classmates, Nadia M. Richardson, has started a mental health awareness campaign called No More Martyrs.

'I am still processing this loss, we have so much to understand and so much work to do. Racism, sexism, homophobia, classism; all of this plays a part.' She said in a statement. 'Bullying is a byproduct of a world ill-equipped to include that which is deemed different. As a result, psychologically damaging othering occurs and leaves many isolated, self-loathing, and depressed. Don't shy away from the necessary conversations around this. The cost is too high.'

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Charlize Theron Reveals Her Eldest Child Is Transgender

Actress Charlize Theron has revealed that Jackson, her eldest child, identifies as female, and that she will allow her to live and be raised in her correct gender. The news came following an interview with The Daily Mail, who directly asked her about Jackson's gender following paparazzi taking several photographs and videos of her presenting female over the years.

'Yes, I thought she was a boy too. Until she looked at me when she was three years old and said 'I am not a boy!'' Theron told the paper. 'So there you go! I have two beautiful daughters who, just like any parent, I want to protect and I want to see thrive.

'They were born who they are and exactly where in the world both of them get to find themselves as they grow up, and who they want to be, is not for me to decide. My job as a parent is to celebrate them and to love them and to make sure that they have everything they need in order to be what they want to be. And I will do everything in my power for my kids to have that right and to be protected within that.'

She went on to explain that her inspiration for how to act as a parent came from her mother, who protected her from her alcoholic and violent father during her youth.


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Gay Journalist Lyra McKee Killed In Northern Ireland Riots

Lyra McKee, an acclaimed journalist from Belfast who recently signed a two book deal with publishers Faber & Faber, was shot and killed during a riot in Derry, Northern Ireland on April 18th.

Lyra first came to public prominence in 2014 when she published a blog titled 'Letter to my 14-year-old self', in which she spoke about the challenges that she faced growing up gay in Ireland. The post became so popular that it was made into a short film.

She continued to work as a journalist, producing articles in publications such as Private Eye, Buzzfeed, and The Belfast Telegraph. One of her most famous articles, titled 'Suicide of the Ceasefire Babies' was published in a number of noteworthy publications, including The Atlantic, and The Independent.

Covering The Troubles and their consequences in great detail, Lyra was in Derry to report on the riots that had broken out when she was shot and killed.

'Lyra McKee was murdered during orchestrated violence in Creggan last night.' Mark Hamilton, Assistant Chief Constable for District Policing, said the morning after the event. 'A single gunman fired shots in a residential area of the city and as a result wounded Ms McKee. Officers quickly administered first aid before transporting her in the back of a landrover to hospital.

'Tragically, she died from her injuries. At this stage we believe her murder was carried out by a violent dissident republican. Our thoughts are very much with the family and friends of Ms McKee, who was a journalist in Belfast.'

Two men, aged 18 and 19, were arrested in connection with the murder under the Terrorism Act, and are being held by detectives from the Police Service of Northern Ireland's major investigation team. They have been taken to a police station in Belfast for questioning.

Detective Superintendant Jason Murphy warned the public that 'What we are seeing is a new brand of terrorist coming through the ranks and that for me is a very worrying situation.

'We identified a palpable change in community sentiment, particularly the community sentiment towards policing. I think yesterday we realised that a vast majority of communities across Northern Ireland support police and support policing and they support the peace process. What we saw yesterday was a visible demonstration of that within the Creggan community, a community that has been very frightened for a long time and for a large part is being held to ransom by terrorist organisations that claim to represent them.'

Thousands gathered in the Fanad Drive area of Creggan on April 19th to hold a vigil for Lyra. Her partner, Sara Canning spoke about Lyra, and her role as both an activist and advocate.

'Our hopes and dreams, her amazing potential was snuffed out by a single barbaric act. This cannot stand. Lyra's death must not be in vain because her life was a shining light in everyone else's life. Her legacy will live on in the light that she's left behind.'


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Dragon Ball's Vic Mignogna Sues Funimation and Colleagues For Defamation Following Sexual Harassment Claims

Voice actor Vic Mignognia, best known for his role as Broly in the Dragonball series, has filed a lawsuit against Funimation and several of his colleagues for a million dollars following accusations of sexual misconduct.

In January this year, following the release of the new Dragon Ball movie Dragon Ball Super: Broly, a number of accusations emerged from fellow voice actors of misconduct, including sexual harassment, that Mignognia had engaged in on several occassions. Due to public outcry, and internal investigations by both Rooster Teeth and Funimation Mignognia was removed from a number of projects.

Despite these claims he has been vocal about his innocence, denying that he ever engaged in any such activity. He has been supported online by a contingent of loyal fans, who have gone out of their way to attack Funimation, as well as voice actors such as Monica Rial, Ronald Toye, and Jamie Marchi, all of whom voiced allegations against Mignognina, and are named in his lawsuit.

In the lawsuit, Mignognia claims that these actors 'directly interfered' in his business affairs, and claims that all the statements made against him have been false.

'The repeated attention that Monica, Jamie, and even Funimation's agents, employees or business partners, gave Hanleia's and Marzgul's accusations caused their twitter to 'go viral',' his lawsuit stated.

The news of this lawsuit is sure to stir further drama online in the Dragon Ball community, which has divided into clear camps of those who believe the victim's accusations, and those who support Mignognia. This debate has become incredibly heated, and has become something of a toxic stain on the Dragon Ball fandom.


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Thousands Sign Petition To Ban Hate Pastor From Ireland

More than 6,000 people have signed an online petition calling for US pastor Steve Anderson to be banned from entering Ireland.

An independent Baptist, Anderson is a co-founder of the Faithful World Baptist Church in Arizona, a church which is currently listed as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Centre. Despite founding the church in 2005, Anderson received public attention within the last few years due to his open anti-LGBT+ views and rhetoric, as well as many other hateful standpoints.

Anderson publicly opposes abortion, taxes, feminism, LGBT+ people, and big government. He has called for a cure for AIDS by having governments kill all gay people, celebrated the Pulse Massacre, claimed the Holocaust never happened, and calls for the return of slavery.

The petition, which is available to sign on Change.org, says, 'Steve Anderson is a Holocaust-denier, Islamophobe and anti-LGBT+ extremist.'

Anderson has previously been banned from South Africa, as well as from entering the United Kingdom whilst travelling. Could Ireland become the latest country to ban this hateful bigot?


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Cardiff University Cancels Anti-LGBT+ Education Speaker

Cardiff University has announced that it has cancelled an upcoming event with speaker Dr Kate Godfrey-Faussett, a psychologist who has spoken out against LGBT+ education in schools.

Dr Godfrey-Faussett, who has a great deal of experience working with children and their families, is a leading campaigner in the group Stop RSE, a group that is aiming to remove Relationship and Sex Education from schools, which is set to become compulsory in 2020.

Speaking online Dr Godfrey-Faussett said that many Muslim youths were 'turning to same-sex relationships because they haven't had the guidance'. She also claimed that the new education programme would be a 'queering of the Muslim community', said that LGBT+ education is a 'social engineering programme to corrupt children', and called it 'unethical'.

'This is not education, this is ideological indoctrination that's happening. The aim is to redefine sexuality and gender norms. They are not saying let's break down the family, they're saying 'this is family, mum and mum, dad and dad.'

Dr. Godfrey-Faussett was due to appear at the university to speak about the new RSE curriculum by the Muslim Council of Wales, despite her being investigated by the British Psychology Society  for her fitness to practice for advising LGBT+ people to seek therapy for their sexuality.

A spokesperson from Cardiff University released a statement saying, 'Differing and often controversial views can be brought forward, listened to and challenged at universities, however, as this event has not followed our procedure for carrying out relevant due diligence, we have taken the decision not to allow it to go ahead.'

Due to Dr Godfrey-Faussett's repeated public statements against Relationship and Sex Education she was suspended by the British Psychology Society. In a statement made on 2nd April they said, 'Respect, equality, tolerance and a non-judgemental approach are the bedrock of good psychological practice and are the values that we know the vast majority of psychologists embrace day in, day out. As a result of our concerns, we have referred Dr Godfrey-Faussett to her regulator, the HCPC, as we feel her comments have the potential to undermine the public's confidence in the psychology profession. We are also conducting our own investigation which could result in Dr Godfrey-Faussett being removed from our membership.'

Speaking to 5Pillars Dr Godfrey-Faussett claimed that she was at the centre of a 'witch-hunt'.

'Since the attacks began, my employers obviously saw the articles in the Daily Mail and elsewhere and now I have been suspended without pay, which is having a financial impact. I don’t know what the outcome will be, and I will have to wait to see what happens but the way it’s being portrayed in the media is as if I am being hanged, drawn and quartered without trial already.

'The British Psychological Society (BPS) has approached me announcing they are launching an investigation. They wrote to me condemning me for a whole list of things but I still don’t know what I’ve done wrong and they have accused me of things that I haven’t done. The BPS has accused me of attempting to promote conversion therapy which is illegal in this country, but I have never said or made any reference to anything regarding conversion therapy, and I have never said anything discriminatory.​

So it feels like a witch hunt is going on and no one has asked for my opinion or what has happened on my side.​'

'The mainstream media will say what they want, but I think most of the public know that they just live off lies anyway.​'


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The Woman In Black - Book Review

'Arthur Kipps, a junior solicitor, is summoned to attend the funeral of Mrs Alice Drablow, the sole inhabitant of Eel Marsh House. The house stands at the end of a causeway, wreathed in fog and mystery, but it is not until he glimpses a wasted young woman, dressed all in black, at the funeral, that a creeping sense of unease begins to take hold, a feeling deepened by the reluctance of the locals to talk of the woman in black and her terrible purpose.'

As is so often the case for me I watched the film adaptation of this book long before I read it, not even realising that it was a book when first seeing the movie. I find that I come into books that have become films with certain expectations, thinking that I'm going to know a good deal about the story before I crack open the cover. As such, I was extremely pleased to find straight away when starting Susan Hill's The Woman in Black  that it appeared to be a very different animal to the film.

Beginning long after the events of the main story, the book sees an elderly Arthur Kipps spending Christmas with his wife, step-children, and grand-children. When the night turns to his children telling spooky stories around the fire late at night it brings to mind horrific events from Arthur's past, events that still shake him to his core decades later.

What follows in Arthur recalling his encounter with a frightening supernatural force when he was just a young man, an encounter that would go on to change the course of his entire life.

A traditional ghost story, The Woman in Black uses many of the expected tropes of the genre and Victorian setting to craft an incredibly creepy tale. Thanks to the introduction where Arthur is an older man, and then his journey to the village of Crythin Gifford, the chief setting for his story, it's a fair portion of the books relatively short 200 pages before anything supernatural actually happens.

Thankfully, by this time we've already become somewhat invested in Arthur and his tale, and I felt that I had a good sense of not only the character, but the world in which he was inhabiting. This continued for much of the book, as Arthur employs some excellent descriptive language to bring the world around him alive. Crythin Gifford and Eel Marsh House both feel like living breathing places, and they're described so well as to jump off the page fully formed.

This is one of the strengths of Hill's writing, she creates a world filled with atmosphere, one that fills the reader with tension and suspense. It's often this atmosphere that creates the horror, rather than ghosts jumping out at Arthur. It's a slow, traditional kind of ghost story, where the tension keeps on ramping up in order to keep the reader on edge, rather than relying on jump scares or moments that are visually shocking.

The Woman in Black followed many of the same beats that I had seen in the film, yet thanks to the film having changed a lot of aspects the book was able to remain engaging and interesting. I was expecting something of a quick, throwaway read that wouldn't really engage me a great deal, but instead I was drawn in and kept on edge throughout. A masterful example of how to write effective horror in such a small amount of pages, one that draws you in, keeps you hooked, and doesn't overstay it's welcome.

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Anti-LGBT+ Letters Handed Out Outside School In Birmingham

A correspondent for the Midlands BBC, Sima Kotecha, has tweeted a photograph of a letter being handed out to local parents outside Anderton Park Primary School.

The letter, being given out by anti-LGBT+ bigots who don't think LGBT+ rights belong in schools, by a parent group calling themselves Anderton Park Parents Community Group. The group have previously protested against LGBT+ inclusive education.

The leaflet claims that LGBT+ education 'promotes a whole-school gay ethos. It teaches children it is ok to be gay in all religions... you can even be gay and Muslim. It teaches 4-year-old children that they can be a boy or a girl. It teaches boys it is okay to marry your best friend 'Abdul'. It discriminates against the beliefs of parents and children.'

The letter then goes on to add, 'We do NOT believe in homosexuality. Parents do NOT want their children's belief changed.'

Anderton Park Parents Community Group are a hate group. They have engaged in harassment towards parents and teachers, they have engaged in homophobic, transphobic, and islamophobic rhetoric, views which have no place in a school.


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Star Wars Episode 9 Trailer

The first trailer for the new Star Wars film, revealed to be titles Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, has been released following it's airing at Star Wars Celebration.

Seeing the return of new characters such as Rey, Kylo Ren, Finn, Poe Dameron, Rose Tico, and BB8, the film will also feature the original trilogy's General Leia, Chewbacca, Lando Calrissian, R2-D2, C-3PO, Luke Sywalker, and... Emperor Palpatine?!

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is set for release December 19th 2019.


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Schools Remove Transgender Guide After Parents Complain

Schools in Warwickshire have removed a 50-page booklet designed as a best practice guide from their facilities following complaints from parents and anti-trans groups.

The booklet, 'Trans Toolkit For Schools', was created by Gender Intelligence and Allsorts Youth Project contains a variety of useful help and information designed to make schools a safer environment for transgender youth.

Despite this, some parents have complained about the booklet and demanded that it be removed.

The booklet contains information ranging from how to talk about trans issues openly and honestly, to how to use pronouns correctly. However, the area that some parents have taken issue with is when discussing binding.

The booklet says, 'It may be that pupils wash their binders every night at home and this will need to be considered on a residential trip'. Binding is a practice used by trans masculine identifying people who wish to create a flatter chest. Despite it having some health risks there are many methods to bind safely, and a 2017 study into the practice revealed that close to 100% of those asked would continue to bind even if they experienced negative effects, making it a very important aspect for many trans people.

The Safe Schools Alliance, a group set up purely to challenge transgender issues in schools that has repeatedly targeted trans children, highlighted the section on binding and complained to the schools and local councils in order to have the booklet removed completely. It was subsequently removed from all schools in the county.

A spokesman for Warwickshire council said, 'Trans is an evolving complex area and it was identified that there was a knowledge gap within schools. It is our duty to provide schools with guidance to ensure all students are able to be themselves and reach their full potential in an inclusive school environment, without fear of judgement and discrimination.

'The toolkit is currently being reviewed in light of feedback to ensure it is as robust as possible for schools to use.'

The booklet has also been removed from schools in Oxfordshire following repeated calls for its removal from The Safe Schools Alliance.


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New Green Lantern Revealed

The DC Comics imprint Young Animal is returning this July, bringing with it a number of new and returning titles. Designed the introduce new and returning characters and locations to readers that would considered more experimental than their main line.

One of the new titles is Far Sector, a series that will focus on a brand new area of the DC Universe, and a new Green Lantern.

'Newly chosen Green Lantern Sojourner 'Jo' Mullein has been protecting the City Enduring, a massive metropolis of 20 billion people, for the past six months. The City has maintained peace for over 500 years by stripping its citizens of their ability to feel. As a result, violent crime is virtually unheard of, and murder is nonexistent. But that’s all about to change.

'This new series introduces a dizzying game of politics and philosophies as Jo discovers a brewing revolution in the City, aided and abetted by some of its most powerful citizens.'

The new series will be written by N.K. Jemisin, with art by Jamal Campbell.

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First Full Lion King Trailer Released

The first full trailer for the new live action remake of the classic Disney film The Lion King has been released, giving audiences a first look at many of the film's iconic characters.

The new version of the film will see Donald Glover play adult Simba, Chiwetel Ejiofor as Scar, Beyonce as adult Nala, Seth Rogen as Pumba, Billy Eichner as Timon, and James Earl Jones reprising his role as Mufasa.

The Lion King is scheduled for a July 19th, 2019 release, the date of the 25th anniversary of the original film.


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Hadrian's Wall Film Adaptation Announced

Kyle Higgins, the award winning creator of the comic Hadrian's Wall has been signed on to write and direct the newly announced feature film adaptation from sci-fi label DUST, a subsidiary of Gunpowder & Sky.

Hadrian's Wall was created by Higgins and Alec Siegel, with art by Rod Reis, for Image Comics, a sci-fi murder mystery set in space. The series quickly earned critical acclaim.

'Although Hadrian's Wall takes place a century into the future, the crew of the space vessel navigates both a murder mystery and a civil war in a world smartly mirroring our present day.' Reported Gunpowder & Sky Senior VP of Development and Production, Cody Zwieg. 'Higgins turned the classic whodunit tale on its head and shot it into space. This is exactly the kind of film we like to put out at DUST and Gunpowder & Sky.'

Higgins has worked on a number of popular comic titles in the past, including Captain America, Detective Comics, Batman: Gates of Gotham, Nightwing, Deathstroke, C.O.W.L., and BOOM!'s Mighty Mophin Power Rangers.

He has also worked in film in the past, having written and directed his own short film The Shadow Hours, as well as having produced the live action trailer for the Power Rangers comic event Shattered Grid.

'I was blown away by the filmmaker-friendly team at Gunpowder & Sky and I'm grateful to be making my first feature film with them.' Higgins told Deadline Hollywood. 'It was immediately clear how passionate they are and we share the same vision for how to bring Hadrian's Wall to the big screen. The best murder mysteries are vehicles for character study, and at its core, this is a story about relationships, set in one of the most isolated places in the universe. I think fans of the book will be as thrilled as I am.'


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Addams Family Trailer Drops

The first trailer for the new Addams Family film has arrived, showcasing three of the main cast, Oscar Isaac as Gomez Addams, Charlize Theron as Morticia Addams, and Chloe Grace Moretz as Wednesday Addams.

The film will also feature Finn Wolfhard as Pugsley Addams, Nick Kroll as Uncle Fester, and Bette Middler as Grandma Addams.

The Addams Family is to be released 25th October, 2019.

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Elseworld Batwoman Statue Revealed

WBshop have revealed their newest addition to their Elseworlds statue series, Batwoman as played by Ruby Rose.

First appearing in the Arrowverse during last year's three night cross-over event 'Elseworlds', Batwoman has been announced to be getting her own solo series, possibly replacing Arrow now that we know that series will be coming to an end next season following a short 10 episode run.

The statue stands 9 inches tall, and is currently available for pre-order on the WBshop for $49.95, with a release date of August 8th.


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Tasmania Makes Gender Markers On Birth Certificate Optional

Tasmania has become the first state in Australia to make inclusion of gender legally optional on birth certificates, in what trans activists are calling a 'historic landmark' reform.

Tasmania's Lower House passed the Marriage Amendments Bill after Sue Hickey, a member of the Liberal Party of Australia, sided with the opposition party, allowing for the bill to be debated. The bill also removes the condition that transgender people would require surgery before they would be legally recognised as their gender, as well as allowing people over 16 to apply to change their legal gender without parental consent.

'This is indeed a historic occasion,' Hickey told the press. 'I believe wholeheartedly that the Bill removes the discrimination of the transgender community and the only unintended consequences would be that a failure to pass this legislation would result in more psychological damage to the transgender community and their families. This is not a win for any particular political party, but rather the dignity of the transgender community.'

The Australian government had attempted to block the amendments since last year, stating that the bill had been 'hijacked' by the Labor and Green Parties. Oppositions to the bill also complained that it was 'sloppily drafted, and could have unintended consequences'.

Following the passing of the bill transgender activists and their supporters have said that they are 'over the moon' with the decision.

Cadance Harrington, spokesperson for Tasmanian Families For Transgender Kids said, 'Parents of transgender and gender diverse kids are just happy that our kids will no longer face legal discrimination and will be able to live their lives true to themselves. We are over the moon about these landmark reforms and are deeply grateful to all those politicians who have listened to our stories and supported us along the way.'

'It's been something that's taken so long and it's been such a struggle over the last 12 months, with the Government not at all supporting us, but we've got there.' Martine Delaney from Transforming Tasmania said. She also said that the new legislation would help to save lives.

Despite the celebrations there have been some elements that are already planning to try to repeal the changes.

The Australian Christian Lobby, and The Catholic Church supported Tasmanian Coalition For Kids, have announced that they will be fighting against these changes.

Ben Smith, who works for the Tasmanian Coalition For Kids said, 'We have no doubt that when the broader community becomes aware of the negative impact of these changes that the case for repealing these changes will become overwhelming.'

Tasmania has been considered to have lagged behind on LGBT+ progress in the past, Tasmania did not decriminalise homosexuality until 1997, three years after the rest of Australia.


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Marvel Action: Black Panther #1 – Comic Review

Originally published on Set The Tape

Marvel Action: Black Panther is the first of the Marvel Action series to focus on a solo hero, even the Marvel Action: Spider-Man series is a team book. There are many heroes that could have been chosen to lead this first solo book, but Black Panther is a great choice. Instead of the somewhat familiar surroundings of New York City, we have the amazing Wakanda in which to see our hero operate.

Anyone who watched the recent Black Panther movie will find the visual aesthetics of the book familiar, with many of the designs either being lifted from the film, such as with Okoye, or heavily influenced by the designs. Because of this, the book becomes a lot easier to read for anyone who may not have picked up a Black Panther comic before, such as myself. This is a new world, one separate from the films, yet feels familiar and comfortable.

The book sees Wakanda facing a bizarre and destructive problem, as the weather within their borders goes out of control, resulting in heatwaves, the loss of crops, wild fires, mudslides, and even a huge tornado. Whilst we get hints in the final panels of the issue that a mining official is responsible for these events I have to admit I spent a lot of time wondering (and hoping) that this might have been an introduction to T’Challa’s ex-wife Ororo Munro, Storm from the X-Men. This might have been something of wishful thinking, as ruining a nation to get back at your ex is a bit out of character for Storm, the fact that it is something a lot closer to home for T’Challa and Wakanda is a much better choice.

Despite the horrors of a nation suffering and people dying the comic also squeezes in some super-heroics and spectacle as T’Challa must prevent a plane from crashing. How does a character who is mostly an on the ground hero on par with Captain America stop a falling plane? Well, he uses Hulkbuster armour that looks like a giant version of the Black Panther costume. It makes perfect sense for a universe that seems to be following a lot of the visual and stylistic choices made by the films to include a Hulkbuster style armour, but it’s still a moment that comes out of nowhere and takes the reader by surprise.

Artwork is provided by Juan Samu, who has previously provided artwork for other IDW books such as Transformers, Back To The Future, and Mask. Samu presents his own vision of both Black Panther and Wakanda, yet manages to make the book feel like a part of the larger Marvel Action series, with the hero looking just like he does in Marvel Action: Avengers. The characters are instantly recognisable and easy to identify thanks to the fact that he has managed to capture their essence perfectly, even if like with Shuri they don’t match their film counterpart exactly.

With a central mystery that is still to be revealed, and the potential for more surprises and action on par with the Hulkbuster scene, Marvel Action: Black Panther is set to not only be a great addition to the Marvel Action series, but a great choice for their first solo hero.


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Trans Man Attacked In Colorado

Emmit Davis, a transgender man from Colorado Springs, was assaulted by a group of men whilst he and his partner were sitting on their porch on Saturday 6th April.

The two of them were relaxing together when three men began to shout homophobic slurs, such as 'look at those dykes', believing the two of them to be a lesbian couple. When Emmit responded the three men jumped over the fence and began assaulting him, shouting racial slurs whilst they did so. The attack left Emmit badly beaten and shaken.

'The right side of my face was completely unrecognisable,' he told the press. According to local press Emmit sustained fractures around his eyes and nose.

'We were so scared, we still are.' He said. 'I never in my life thought for being who I am I would be assaulted. We don't hate the people who attack us, if we fill ourselves with the same hatred that they fill themselves with nothing is going to change.'

Colorado Springs Police Department are investigating the attack, and have reported that the three suspects were last seen on the southeast side of Colorado Springs.

Emmit, who was recently named Mr Trans Of Colorado Springs added 'We're not seen as human by some people'.


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Batman at 80 – Batman’s Rogues Gallery: Top Comics

Originally published on Set The Tape

Heroes are great – even when they turn 80-years-old. People love to see a hero rise above adversity, best the bad guy, and save the day. It’s inspirational and awe-inspiring. But a hero is only as good as their villains.

Batman might be one of the most iconic comic book characters of all time, but his villains are some of the most memorable bad guys. Ask anybody to name some comic book villains and chances are there would be a lot of the Dark Knight’s rogues on the list; even if that person had never even picked up a comic in their life.

To honour the caped crusader’s 80th anniversary, we’ve taken a look at some of the stories that showcase how great Batman’s villains are. So whether you’re looking for an introduction to the characters on page, or are just curious as to what our favourites are, we’ve plucked out five of the best featuring some of the Dark Knight’s most notorious nemeses.

The Joker

Batman’s most iconic villain, The Joker, can be portrayed in a whole lot of ways, depending on the writer. Sometime’s he funny and weird, other times he’s terrifying. However, one of the best stories that showcases the latter is Joker by the legendary team of Brian Azzarello and Lee Bemejo.

Set in a much darker, more realistic version of Gotham, the book follows the Joker after he’s newly released from Arkham Asylum. Told from the point of view of a low level thug who the Joker takes a liking to, the story shows the crazed villain starting a war with the other gang leaders in the city. Joker hardly features Batman at all, with the story caring more about watching the path of destruction the Joker makes and how he ruins one man’s life.

The book also stands out thanks to the amazing art by Bemejo. Grim and dirty, yet incredibly elegant, it showed the city and the characters in ways that we’d never seen before. Joker was also noted as the likely inspiration for Heath Ledgers look in The Dark Knight, as the designs are almost identical.

Ra’s Al Ghul

Perhaps not one of Batman’s best known foes, but easily one of his deadliest. Ra’s is the leader of the League of Assassins, an international terrorist, criminal mastermind, and the grandfather to Batman’s son, Damian Wayne. Despite being one of Bruce’s oldest enemies, The Demon’s Head (as he is also known) gained notoriety with the general public after his big screen debut when Liam Neeson donned the wispy moustache in Christopher Nolan’s 2005 movie Batman Begins.

As the title suggests, writer Grant Morrison and artist Andy Kubert’s 2008 story, The Resurrection of Ra’s Al Ghul, brought the powerful villain back from his death several years before. Ra’s had cheated death several times over the years, but this was the first book that really delved into just how much power the now-infamous Lazarus pits have.

When Batman’s son is targeted to become the host for the spirit of Ra’s, it’s up to Batman, Robin, Nightwing and the Demon Head’s daughter Talia Al Ghul to team up in order to protect the feisty pre-teen Damian. Their journey takes them across the world, to hidden cities and mystical temples, as well as pitting them against some of the deadliest assassins in the DC Universe.

Whilst part of Morrison’s sprawling Batman epic, The Resurrection of Ra’s Al Ghul can be read as a stand alone story, one that showcases just how dangerous a foe Ra’s can be, even when dead.

The Riddler

Wearing all green and ready with a brain teaser, The Riddler is one of the most unusual foes that Batman faces. Instead of challenging Batman on a physical level, Edward Nigma forces Batman to push his mind to the limits. Whilst some readers find this to be less entertaining, due in part to Batman not getting to fight a villain, these stories go a long way to displaying why he’s known as ‘the world’s greatest detective,’ as showcased in Scott Snyder’s Zero Year/Zero City.

However, there are many stories that feature The Riddler, but none show how vicious and bloodthirsty the character can be quite like Dark Knight, Dark City, by Peter Milligan and Jim Aparo. When the Riddler discovers that an ancient ritual was performed in Gotham centuries ago, one that supposedly summoned the bat demon Barbathos, he decides to recreate this, using Batman as the sacrifice.

The story was notable for introducing some supernatural elements to the Batman mythology that would be used several times over the years, as well as creating a version of the Riddler who kills people – and even kidnaps and tortures babies to reach his goals. He’s not just Sean Lock in green spandex with a question-mark pattern, after all.

Two-Face

Perhaps one of the most tragic villains in Batman’s rogues gallery, Two-Face is a character that went from an ally to an enemy thanks to a vicious assault that scarred his face and broke his psyche.

A book that best showcases the tragic story of Two-Face is Batman/Two-Face: Face The Face by James Robinson. Following the Universe-shattering events of the cataclysmic Infinite Crisis, Batman hangs up his cowl for a year, leaving Gotham’s protection in the hands of a reformed Harvey Dent. Having received plastic surgery to heal his face, Dent appears to be his old self once again.

When a series of murders sweep through Gotham, the Dark Knight begins to investigate and suspects that Two-Face is reemerging. When Dent’s psyche breaks and he decides to become a villain again, he takes a bottle of acid and a scalpel to his face to transform himself, in what is still a shocking scene. Face The Face perfectly showcases the complex and tragic nature of Harvey Dent.

Catwoman

The talented thief and burglar, Catwoman (first appearing as the whip-snapping ‘The Cat’ in the first ever issue of Batman back in 1940) has skirted the line between hero and villain numerous times over the years. Selina Kyle has even been a member of an offshoot of the Justice League and is broadly thought of as belonging to the ‘Bat-family’ as much as she is a member of the rogues gallery. Because of this flitting between hero and villain, there are numerous stories that showcase the character. Although one of, if not the best is When in Rome – by the same team behind Batman: The Long Halloween, one of the most celebrated Batman comics ever written.

Set concurrently with another Jeph Loeb/Tim Sale book Batman: Dark Victory, the story sees Selina travel to Italy in search of information about her parents. There, she is joined in her travels by the Riddler and a hitman called Blonde. When a mob boss that Selina is due to meet is killed by Joker toxin, she gets the blame, making her a target for the rest of the crime families. Over the course of the story, Catwoman must fight not only for her life against the Italian mafia, but must also deal with a treacherous Riddler.

When In Rome showcases many facets of Catwoman’s character. She is not only a woman fighting for her life, getting into scrapes with killers and assassins, but also a woman searching for her family, trying to find her place in the world. This six-issue comic is worth every penny.


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