Slightly OT, But Nick Roche is Doing Death's Head. / Marvel Legends Death's Head figure previewed

Death's Head · Post by **Death's Head** » Fri May 09, 2014 7:35 pm

Ah yes, I have seen that one. I remember the oily police chief, but managed to completely miss the Death's Head cameo! I'm due a rewatch soon, so I'll keep an eye oot.

God, I love Danger Man. And Drake. He's just so...competent. I'm not a gay man*, but there's something hugely attractive about that. Ahem.

Though obviously a coincidence, I do like to now think of Geoff Senior sitting in his stately home wearing silk pyjamas and cravat, chewing on his pipe and thinking "What form shall my new robot creation take?" right before a Danger Man video comes crashing through his window.

I've never met Geoff Senior, but if I ever do and he is cravat-less, I'll be most upset.

*To be read in the voice of Matt Berry

Post by **inflatable dalek** » Sat May 10, 2014 7:11 pm

Death's Head wrote: God, I love Danger Man. And Drake. He's just so...competent. I'm not a gay man*, but there's something hugely attractive about that. Ahem.

I really want a nice charcoal suit like the one he wears in some of the later episodes (and by amazing coincidence Number 6 wears as his "Normal" clothes in The Prisoner.

I think McGoohan's rather old fashioned morality really helps Danger Man in terms of it being a lot less dated in terms of sexism and racism compared to a lot of the other ITC shows around the same time (with the exception of Arabs- who tend to be Alf Garnett in a turban- non-white's are usually played by at least roughly the right ethnicity).

The half hour episodes are a good watch as well, though any attempt by the show to not just seem like an overly long warm up for The Prisoner is undone by the first person seen in the first episode (in the production order on the DVD's) is Peter Swanswick.

I've never met Geoff Senior, but if I ever do and he is cravat-less, I'll be most upset.

The amazing thing about Geoff Senior is he looks exactly like a Geoff Senior drawing (basically if he entered a cosplay competition as Dragon, he'd win it). You could break rocks on his jaw now, it must have been truly impressive when he was in his twenties.

Death's Head · Post by **Death's Head** » Sun May 11, 2014 12:23 am

inflatable dalek wrote:I really want a nice charcoal suit like the one he wears in some of the later episodes (and by amazing coincidence Number 6 wears as his "Normal" clothes in The Prisoner.

Every episode is a lesson in style, manners, dress, smoking and drinking. I'm still disappointed when I go for a job interview and I'm not offered a scotch.

I think McGoohan's rather old fashioned morality really helps Danger Man in terms of it being a lot less dated in terms of sexism and racism compared to a lot of the other ITC shows around the same time (with the exception of Arabs- who tend to be Alf Garnett in a turban- non-white's are usually played by at least roughly the right ethnicity).

Yeah, Danger Man certainly manages its ethnic minority characters better than most, with a broad spread of heroes and villains and those in between, and most get their share of screen time and good lines. Alright, Burt Kwouk shows up a little too often, perhaps (for some - not for me!) but like you say, Drake is always on the side of the angels, even if his superiors aren't.

I wouldn't say his morality is entirely old-fashioned - his politics are pretty progressive for a British agent. The episode Whatever Happened to George Foster is one that springs to mind, where Drake helps prevent a business-backed, right-wing coup in a fictional Latin American state.

Of course, all this good work falls down entirely in the colour episodes. It's the whitest, most middle-aged martial-arts society I've ever seen. Which would be fine if the episode was set in, I dunno, 1960s Stoke.

The half hour episodes are a good watch as well, though any attempt by the show to not just seem like an overly long warm up for The Prisoner is undone by the first person seen in the first episode (in the production order on the DVD's) is Peter Swanswick.

I've still not seen the half-hour ones. He has the funny accent in them, doesn't he? Same one he uses in the first couple of 50-minute episodes. I find it very odd.

The amazing thing about Geoff Senior is he looks exactly like a Geoff Senior drawing (basically if he entered a cosplay competition as Dragon, he'd win it). You could break rocks on his jaw now, it must have been truly impressive when he was in his twenties.

Christ, in that case I hope I never meet Dan Reed. Or Manny Galan.

Post by **inflatable dalek** » Sun May 11, 2014 1:45 am

Death's Head wrote: Every episode is a lesson in style, manners, dress, smoking and drinking. I'm still disappointed when I go for a job interview and I'm not offered a scotch.

It would really great to have lived 50/40/30/20/10/ButHonestNotToday years ago when pretty much every decision ever was made in relation to drink and smoking.

I wouldn't say his morality is entirely old-fashioned - his politics are pretty progressive for a British agent. The episode Whatever Happened to George Foster is one that springs to mind, where Drake helps prevent a business-backed, right-wing coup in a fictional Latin American state.

It is sort of weird, in that everyone involved in the making of the show found it horribly catholic and unbend-able, but today it seems really modern and progressive. McGoohan was clearly a man with issues (there's that famous example from The Prisoner where he found it easier to stick his daughter in a wig and act out "intimate"- in in other words face stroking- scenes with her rather than just play opposite the actress playing his potential love interest) but he was also something of a genius who just through his presence created something not of its time.

Of course, all this good work falls down entirely in the colour episodes. It's the whitest, most middle-aged martial-arts society I've ever seen. Which would be fine if the episode was set in, I dunno, 1960s Stoke.

Oh yes, Audrey from Corrie is playing Japanese in the colour episodes isn't she? It says something for the clout he had by then he was able to quit and go "We won't do this... we're going to do this!" (and the irony is, the half of the production team who didn't go onto The Prisoner wound up on Man in a Suitcase, with an even more unforgiving lead and none of the dramatic rewards).

I've still not seen the half-hour ones. He has the funny accent in them, doesn't he? Same one he uses in the first couple of 50-minute episodes. I find it very odd.

Yep, the early (again, in the production order they're on the DVD's) episodes of The Saint have a similar problem, hearing Roger Moore doing an American/trans-Altantic accent is just odd.

Have you seen Ice Station Zebra? Before getting the blu ray (oddly complete with overture and intermission screens) and just relying on memories from TV broadcasts when I was a kid I always took the "He's playing Drake/No. 6!" claims with a pinch of salt. But no, he's a British spy under a false name who is clearly increasingly pissed off (and McGoohan's erratic SHOUTING VERY LOUD of certain lines shows the stress he was under from his TV commitments), it absolutely makes perfect sense in the film for him to be playing the same character between Danger Man and The Prisoner and about to go off the deep end.

SPOILER! (select to read)
He resigned because he found out you couldn't even trust the bloke from Airwolf

Christ, in that case I hope I never meet Dan Reed. Or Manny Galan.

On topic-ish... I can't speak for Reed and Galen, but Lee Sullivan and Andy Wildman don't look like characters they've drawn (Sullivan, if anything, looks amazingly like Terry "Davros" Malloy), but the first time I met Senior I was all "OK, turns out you didn't have a style... you just thought everyone looks like that". Seriously, his self portrait in issue 200, is exactly him.

Death's Head · Post by **Death's Head** » Tue May 13, 2014 5:46 pm

inflatable dalek wrote: It is sort of weird, in that everyone involved in the making of the show found it horribly catholic and unbend-able, but today it seems really modern and progressive. McGoohan was clearly a man with issues (there's that famous example from The Prisoner where he found it easier to stick his daughter in a wig and act out "intimate"- in in other words face stroking- scenes with her rather than just play opposite the actress playing his potential love interest) but he was also something of a genius who just through his presence created something not of its time.

Ah yes, what was it he said? "No one kisses Patrick McGoohan except Mrs McGoohan!" I find it quite sweet, to be honest. Admirable to see someone not just espousing moral virtues, but actually doing his best to live up to them. A very interesting man, our Pat.

Oh yes, Audrey from Corrie is playing Japanese in the colour episodes isn't she? It says something for the clout he had by then he was able to quit and go "We won't do this... we're going to do this!" (and the irony is, the half of the production team who didn't go onto The Prisoner wound up on Man in a Suitcase, with an even more unforgiving lead and none of the dramatic rewards).

Yeah, the colour episodes look absolutely lovely, and there's a small thrill in seeing Drake in action in colour!!! But the intelligence and charm of the earlier episodes is jettisoned for some terrible silliness.

Have you seen Ice Station Zebra? Before getting the blu ray (oddly complete with overture and intermission screens) and just relying on memories from TV broadcasts when I was a kid I always took the "He's playing Drake/No. 6!" claims with a pinch of salt. But no, he's a British spy under a false name who is clearly increasingly pissed off (and McGoohan's erratic SHOUTING VERY LOUD of certain lines shows the stress he was under from his TV commitments), it absolutely makes perfect sense in the film for him to be playing the same character between Danger Man and The Prisoner and about to go off the deep end.

SPOILER! (select to read)
He resigned because he found out you couldn't even trust the bloke from Airwolf

Sadly not - though it is on my faulty hard drive, so assuming I can recover the data it'll be on my to-watch list. I love the idea of linking Danger Man to the Prisoner via Ice Station Zebra. On a similar note, doesn't Bernard Lee turn up as Drake's boss in a couple of episodes?

(Sullivan, if anything, looks amazingly like Terry "Davros" Malloy).

Amazing!

Post by **inflatable dalek** » Tue May 13, 2014 7:56 pm

Death's Head wrote:Ah yes, what was it he said? "No one kisses Patrick McGoohan except Mrs McGoohan!" I find it quite sweet, to be honest. Admirable to see someone not just espousing moral virtues, but actually doing his best to live up to them. A very interesting man, our Pat.

I must check out that biography of him at some point, I expect the wilderness years in LA (with only the odd Columbo to break up the monotony of doing things like Baby and The Phantom) post his No. 6 breakdown are quite interesting as well.

Yeah, the colour episodes look absolutely lovely, and there's a small thrill in seeing Drake in action in colour!!! But the intelligence and charm of the earlier episodes is jettisoned for some terrible silliness.

The film version is quite fun however, just for them putting a bit more effort in that the usual "Slap two episodes together and call in a movie" ITC efforts as they actually filmed some extra scenes to link the two shows a bit more firmly. On TV Burt Kwouk is just a chauffeur, in the film he's... well basically Kato from The Pink Panther.

On a similar note, doesn't Bernard Lee turn up as Drake's boss in a couple of episodes?

IIRC he is one of his bosses in his first episode, in the other there's even more added irony as he's a very specific send up of Hugo Drax (from the novel of course).

Post by **Denyer** » Wed May 21, 2014 7:58 pm

Even more OT;

https://www.facebook.com/events/285896958202079/

Maybe we should put this thread in another forum now?

Skyquake87 · Post by **Skyquake87** » Wed May 21, 2014 8:31 pm

I was on FB, I might have joined in with that...

Post by **inflatable dalek** » Fri May 23, 2014 11:01 am

Denyer wrote:
Maybe we should put this thread in another forum now?

If the poster Death's Head posts in a thread about Death's Head everything he talks about is on topic. That's the credo by which I live my life.

That's why my life is the way it is.

SPOILER! (select to read)
Some awesome stuff on the DDH Day page.

Err, Comics or GD at this stage?

Post by **Denyer** » Fri May 23, 2014 6:19 pm

I'd say non-TF comics/toys.

Post by **inflatable dalek** » Thu Aug 07, 2014 7:20 pm

I thought I'd bump this old Danger Man thread to talk a little about Death's Head...

I've now read the full Revolutionary Wars trade (which I'm planning to get signed by Master Roche this weekend), considering I don't really know anything about any of the characters bar DH himself it managed to be a good solid fun read that only really suffered from the episodic nature of the set up. It very nicely managed to seed background on the surprise baddy for readers unfamiliar with them (like me) whilst still making it a surprise (though I don't know how well that'd work for people who know the old comics- was this character such a major part of them their not appearing was never in doubt?).

The weakest issue was the Super Soldiers one, spoofing bad and clichéd dialogue in Hollywood films is only going to work if the rest of your comic isn't filled with every cliché known to man about how Hollywood people talk and act (The lead actor is such a diva he doesn't even let a mass monster attack divert him from his demanding HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. Ha.).

I did like the Knights of... issue though. Zombie King Arthur and his Zombie Knights of the Zombie Round Table ("How can you have a zombie round table?") were brilliant, and the UKIP baiting reveal of the "New" ideal British God/superhero/protector had no subtlety to it but was a good visual gag none the less.

All in all, it's a romp but it's a fun romp.

Skyquake87 · Post by **Skyquake87** » Thu Aug 07, 2014 9:58 pm

I have this trade and would agree with that assessment. I was especially pleased that the Knights chapter was more in keeping with the original series, rather than the dull superheroics the '92 relaunch turned into.

Super Soldiers was turd though. Clearly an unloved bunch by all involved. Which makes you wonder why they picked them when Digitek or Black Axe would have been better choices..?

Oh, and the big bad villain surprise twist? Not really, but it did mean he was less annoying than he was first time around. Just a shame his end came about by suddenly learning the error of his ways and being asked to be put out of his misery. I hate that kind of "er...er..quick need to wrap this up...er..." feel to this kind of development.

Post by **inflatable dalek** » Sat Jul 11, 2015 11:17 am

There might be life in the old dog yet. A tease from Marvel about the titles that can be expected from whatever the current reboot relaunch refranchise is called includes Death's Head (and Simon Williams was delighted on Twitter that some of his old art was used):

http://cdn.bleedingcool.net/wp-content/ ... 00x450.jpg

Skyquake87 · Post by **Skyquake87** » Sat Jul 11, 2015 8:18 pm

Oh possibly part of this Secret Wars thing, so I expect plenty of oddness from that. I'm only reading Secret Wars : 2099 (which is fun so far) and Secret Wars : Ghost Racers. A lot of these titles are bringing characters out of retirement, which is good, but I know its not going to last and we're just going to have a shakedown that'll end up with a bunch of core Marvel books based on whichever of their films is popular at the cinema.

This whole thing is probably so they don't have to do another fudge with Johnny Storm like they did so so badly with Nick Fury in the comics. Why the two things can't stand on their own merits is beyond me, as there's no real evidence to suggest new readers are brought into comics as a result of the films.

Wonder what Simon Williams is up to these days? I should find out. He's a great artist, but another British artist whose not made the expected leap to the wider world of comics, which is a crying shame.

numbat · Post by **numbat** » Sat Jul 11, 2015 8:50 pm

I go got my first Hot Toys figures yesterday: Rocket Raccoon & Groot.

These are my favourite comic characters (I bet my love of Rocket goes back to his appearance in Marvel UK's Transformers comics) and I loved the Guardians of the Galaxy film. My wife also agreed that they would be acceptable to be shown in areas of our house seen by visitors (unlike Transformers). The Hot Toys figures looked awesome.

So... Yeah. They are awesome. Amazingly awesome. They look great. They're very poseable. They have a decent selection of hands, Groot has an angry face, Rocket has a gun (not allowed on display in my home's areas visible to visitors).

My goodness - Rocket even has whiskers.

I love them. They are truly mind blowing.

But they are BIG.

And expensive (very justifiably so given quality and size).

They're really great, but I do not understand why/how people collect Hot Toys figures. Aside from the money involved, where do they display (or even store) them?

I see Hot Toys as potentially great for one off purchases of figures with great personal meaning, but surely these are few and far between. I certainly have no desire to buy more despite how amazing Rocket and Groot truly are.

(As a side point, the box is total crap. It tore just folding it open. Disappointing given the price.)

(Also I still think the best non-Transformer figure I've bought is Figma Motoko Kusinagi. The quality and articulation are amazing and the scale is so much more practical than Hot Toys.)

Skyquake87 · Post by **Skyquake87** » Thu Oct 01, 2015 8:22 pm

An interesting thing has popped up for Pre-Order on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0785 ... ge_o00_s00

Marvel UK's Frontier Imprint books are well worth a look, having aged very well (they are similar in tone and intent to a lot of Vertigo stuff).