Tuesday 28 July 2020

Pilot Error?

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is obviously best known for its movies, but there have been an ever increasing number of television shows. There have been eleven, but Disney+ is set to change all that. I don't have Disney+, so now was a good time to write a top ten. I wrote this for CBR about the pilot episodes of the MCU TV shows.

For the record, I have enjoyed them all. Except Inhumans. I loved the first seasons of Jessica Jones & The Punisher all of Luke Cage, most of Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. & Agent Carter and more of Iron Fist than most people.


Here are the 10 Best MCU TV Pilot Episodes (According To IMDB).

Wednesday 22 July 2020

Nightmares In Sequential Panels

Following the success of Aliens, the Xenomorph made its insidious way into comics. Some were terrifying, some were gory, some were funny, all were distinctive.

Marvel has recently taken up the licence to publish Aliens comics, so I wrote this for Hero Collector about the history of the Aliens comics so far. It has the catchy title - Aliens: A History In Comics.



Sunday 19 July 2020

Carleton In Lockdown Released

Carleton In Lockdown has been released.



I'd like to take this opportunity to thank the fifty villagers who took part and you for watching.

We'd love to know what you think.

Friday 17 July 2020

Carleton In Lockdown Premieres Tomorrow

The 'socially distanced documentary', Carleton In Lockdown, has a suitably socially distanced and virtual premiere this Saturday the 18th of June 2020 at 7pm, Greenwich Mean Time.


It's due to appear on the website here at that time. If you visit before Saturday at 7pm, there will be a lovely welcoming "coming soon", but no film.

If you are unable to join us on Saturday at 7pm, the documentary will be available to stream at your leisure.

I'm really looking forward to hearing what people think of Carleton In Lockdown.

Thursday 16 July 2020

Carleton In Lockdown Trailer

Here's the trailer for Carleton In Lockdown:



Please join us for our online premiere on Saturday 18th July at 7pm on either Facebook or YouTube. Please see the PMH Productions website for more information.

Sunday 12 July 2020

Twitter Twatter #84

June 2020 on the Twitter:


































































































Thursday 9 July 2020

My First Week On Medium


I've been making a concerted effort to publish some articles on Medium. I'm still new at this and working out how it ticks.

Monkey Tennis?, about how Alan Partridge singlehandedly created the TV landscape of today.

An Interview With Velvet Chain, a band that appeared in Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Why I Adore The Station Agent And You Should Too, a brilliant yet underrated film. I was pretty excited, because this article got 'curated'

An Interview With The Discworld's Falconer Dave 'Hodgesaargh' Hodges, the real life individual who inspired Terry Pratchett to include him in his Discworld novels.

My Sixteen Month-Old-Son Made This Fauvist Masterpiece And What It Taught Me About Parenting

What's The One Thing Most Billionaires Have In Common? It's not garages.


An Interview With Pulp. I have a habit of asking the wrong questions.


Saturday 4 July 2020

Carruthers Ten Years On: July 2010

July 2010 saw the blog reach 800 posts. By now the photos were probably more important than the words which were becoming glibber and glibber. The Pest Of The Week posts were a real favourite of mine. I used to pass the pest control shop on my way to the tube station everyday. Weeks One, Two, Three and Four.


Often the photos are funnier than anything I've written to go with them. Although this one, this one and this one still made me laugh after all this time, but in all honesty, it wasn't a big laugh. I was pleased to see this neck.

Wednesday 1 July 2020

Insecure Writer's Support Group #7

Last month, I failed to write a proper Insecure Writer's Support Group post. Well, not this month. This month I attempt to atone for that. Sign up here.

I have no more time, but I have managed to organise things better. I'm attempting to fit a week's work into a Friday and although I am ultimately not succeeding. I am getting a lot done. My new job has involved filming a documentary Carleton In Lockdown reflecting upon how Covid 19 has affected a small village in North Yorkshire. I've also entered a couple of writing competitions, been pitching some things, so fingers crossed, and writing things which haven't been announced yet, so I'm not in a position to say much.

This month's optional question:

There have been many industry changes in the last decade, so what are some changes you would like to see happen in the next decade?

I would like to see online writing receive similar pay agreements as print work. I've heard of one massive media company that has recently cut their payment by a third and blamed it on Covid-19. I would like to see writers of all genders, ethnicities and backgrounds offered the same terms and, in particular, advances. A recent twitter conversation revealed that cis white males were far more likely to get a decent advance than any other group. This is obviously discriminatory and unjustifiable.

Ten years from now my son will be eleven years old and it feels that during his short life so far the planet has taken several regressive steps. I hope that we can catch up in that time.