#SPOILERS
Anthony Coombes, Facebook I hate spoilers! I’ve seen the trailer for Rogue One, and now ignore every article about it.
Joseph McCormick, Facebook How hard is it to write the word “spoiler” before a sentence? SFX Spoiler: not at all!
Pete MacKenzie, email At what point did the responsibility for avoiding spoilers stop being that of the spoilee? Back in the day, it was understood that if you wanted to avoid the outcome of, say, a football match, it was up to you to “look away now”. Social media shouldn’t negate that responsibility. Why spoil others’ enjoyment of discussing something that’s in the public domain? I came out of The Force Awakens on opening night desperate to discuss it, but couldn’t because a vocal minority hadn’t gone. How much of a fan are you if you didn’t get to a midnight showing ?
Mike McGuckin, Facebook Are we not allowed to talk about a movie or TV show until we’re sure everyone in geekdom has seen it? If you really cared so much you’d be watching an episode at broadcast time.
Tracey Stott, Facebook I can’t stay up until 3.00am to watch Game Of Thrones, then go to work in the morning! I wouldn’t be able to concentrate.
Michael Turner, Facebook Ruining something people love just because you won’t mark a discussion as a spoiler – or wait until the next day – is just selfish. If you need to discuss your “feels” so badly, get a therapist.
Andy, email SFX, I want you to go in-depth in reviews and not shy away from dissecting the meat and bones of a movie. If it’s a film I’m about to see, I’m careful to only read the first half, jump to the summary and check the star rating. Keep the spoilers for the beer-belly of the text and tag it if you wish. Then I can get double the pleasure from returning after the popcorn’s finished. SFX It can be more difficult to section off spoilers than it sounds. Plus “spoiler flags” aren’t a perfect solution – when turning a page, a reader’s gaze can fall anywhere.
Billy Edwards, Facebook The type I most dislike are character deaths, because it really ruins the shock. But by the time it’s out on DVD, it should be okay to discuss it.
Vanessa, Twitter I hate the double standard. You must keep schtum if it’s in the UK first, but if it’s in the US, it’s fair game!
For me, the journey’s more important than the ending
Gareth Williams, Facebook Am getting a bit annoyed by the spoiler Nazis. People need to get organised and watch the thing they’re into. It’s not everyone else’s responsibility to protect you from spoilers!
Cherry, email I quite like spoilers! Sometimes I go looking for them, especially if the show is really tense. For me, the journey’s more important than the ending. Sometimes knowing where the story’s heading makes the journey better, as I can look for signs.
Emmet O’Brien, Facebook It annoys me that the Planet Of The Apes DVD cover spoils the ending. We have to think of the next generation.
Raymond Cooper, Facebook My favourite was the video case for Doctor Who story “The Time Warrior”. The synopsis even explained how the last episode ended!
Peter Watson, Facebook I had a plot point in Captain America: Civil War spoiled by a Pop! Vinyl figure, of all things! SFX If it spoke to you, Peter, please visit your doctor immediately. #CRAPPY BIRTHDAY?
Craig Waterworth, New Zealand September is fast approaching, and what’s being done to celebrate Star Trek’s 50th anniversary? Not much. A fan conference and musical tour, both in the States; a movie that has no direct connection to the 50th; and the promise of a new TV show that should have been aired this year, to mark a firm bond between the past and the present.
The new movie will be making multiple nods to the anniversary, but the global fanbase deserves more. There should have been a TV miniseries for fans to enjoy. This could have hinged around the work of Section 31. Thanks to their wibbly-wobbliness we could have had all the captains drawn together in a multidimensional, time-hopping epic that could have even included the Star Trek Beyond crew! It could have ended with a direct connection to the new TV show as well – a walk-on from the new captain at the end would have been a major cliffhanging tease to stoke people up.
Maybe it’s not too late and there’s a surprise televisual event brewing for later in the year... I live in deluded hope. SFX Come on Craig, is this not being a wee bit spoilt? We’ve got a new movie (we speak to Zachary Quinto on p60) and a new series in the pipeline – that’ll do me! Some kind of Trek-themed night on the telly would be nice, though.
#BATMAN AND GAROTTING
Thomas Huartson, email In your Batman V Superman review you said, “it’s criminal to create a movie that shuts out kids”. But there’s a worse abomination from the Batman canon: Gotham.
This is a show that inevitably draws in younger viewers to check it out. But it’s definitely not a show for kids. We get that Gotham City is a dark, gritty, ugly place, brimming with corruption, and that the villains are sadistic killers. But does the show have to keep hammering this home with graphic violence? Robin Lord Taylor’s Penguin and Cory Michael Smyth’s Riddler are effectively creepy without them butchering and garroting everyone.
It makes violence look stylish, and it’s been constantly proven through a series of tragic events that such violence can be imitated. To say that films and shows directly cause real-life violence wouldn’t be accurate or fair. But it
I’d love to have more female superheroes headlining
can be argued that they don’t help the situation, especially with disturbed individuals. Could it be argued that
Gotham’s portrayal of violence can be balanced with the moral actions and principles of its hero? Well, Jim Gordon coldheartedly shoots Theo Galavan in the head, so no! As a result Gotham comes across just like BvS – criminal.
SFX But there’s nothing new about Batman being dark and gritty. What was shocking about Zack Snyder’s movie was putting such a spin on Superman, whose universe is usually more sunny and hopeful.
#TO INFINITY AND BEYOND Gary Watson, Cramlington Here are
my ideas for the Avengers: Infinity
War movies. 1) At the beginning, Steve Rogers is operating under a new identity – either Nomad or the Captain. 2) Ross loses the plot! After a failed attempt to capture Rogers and the others by invading Wakanda, he’s relieved of his duties and – due to Thanos? – he becomes Red Hulk. Cue a clash between Green and Red! 3) Thor, Hulk and the Guardians of the Galaxy should appear. And Doctor Strange. 4) Doctor Strange helps
Scarlet Witch with her powers. 5) Captain Marvel appears. 6) So does Spider-Man.
SFX 7) So does Squirrel Girl. 8) Hold on, is that Stan Lee? 9) Shit! Galactus!
#SISTER ACTS Medium Atomic Weight, email
Having thoroughly enjoyed the frothiness of Supergirl, I’d love to have more female superheroes headlining their own shows. So I started thinking about which heroes I’d like to see and who should play them.
Batgirl was an obvious first choice. Kaya Scodelario-Davis has the no-nonsense attitude – or Isabelle Fuhrman could bring a kooky dark side to the role. I’d also love to see Eliza Taylor as Silver Sable, or maybe Elle Fanning as Stargirl. Then again, why settle for one heroine when you can have three with the dazzling DNAngels?
But my eureka moment came with the thought of Gwendoline Christie bringing all the right attributes to the Savage She-Hulk. I’d pay good money to get that TV show green-lit (geddit?). Fancy going in 50-50, SFX?
SFX [Empties pockets] Er, I’ve only got £5.57 and a lolly stick, which probably isn’t going to stretch further than a small pot of green poster paint. But I’m in!
#ON THE RHODAN AGAIN Richard Cotton, email It was nice to
see the item about Perry Rhodan books in issue 275. I’ve been a great fan of these stories since when they first went on sale in the UK. I wish I could fill the gaps in my collection, but it would take some doing! They’re a light read, but they’re also a good read, and I think that they had a small part in why I try to write sci-fi myself.
Russell Smith, email
Well, thank you very much – now I’m hooked on the Perry Rhodan books.
A Hanna,
Portadown Loved your Perry Rhodan feature! What about ones on EE Doc Smith’s Lensman series, Hook, and the Wild Cards novels? SFX Big response to this feature. Sometimes it feels like we’ve done a retrospective on every cultural product ever, so all suggestions gratefully received. (Though our Nick reserves the right to snort dismissively and toss them in the bin.)
#IT DISNEY MATTER
Tom Morgan, email I feel the need to spread the love for a TV show that’s received next to no attention in the UK: an animated series on Disney XD called Gravity Falls.
It tells the story of twins Dipper and Mable Pines, who go to stay with their shyster Great Uncle Stan at his Mystery Shack, in a town where all sorts of weird things happen. It’s brilliant – it tells a proper story, set over the summer break, from the first to last episode. It has plenty of in-jokes, brilliant characters, and is genuinely funny!
I watch it with my three-yearold daughter and we both love it, and it was bought to my attention by a 42-year-old man whose 13-year-old daughter felt the love for the whole shebang – so it’s got something for everyone! It seems to have slipped under people’s radar. Watch it, people – you won’t regret it!
SFX I’d never heard of it, even though it’s been knocking around for four years! There are so many genre shows now that it can be hard to keep track – I tried to count all the live-action ones recently and gave up at 30! In the midst of that deluge, are we failing to give due credit to any other hidden gems?
#WE AlSO HEARD FROM Keith Tudor, Romsey Supernatural
season 11 remembered a lot of the fun that made this series great to watch. There are also plenty of in-jokes and pop culture references, as well as drama and pathos now and then. I feel the series works best with the standalone episodes, though – the angels and demons theme is starting to feel tired.
Chloe, email I was shocked and saddened to hear of the tragic death of Anton Yelchin. He was a great actor and a wonderful person, and will be missed by many. He gave a stellar performance as Chekov, and had a promising career in front of him. My thoughts and prayers go to his friends and family.
SFX Seconded. Anton Yelchin really made the character of Chekov his own, and the circumstances of his death somehow made the news seem even more grim. He’s great in Green Room too – if you get the chance to see that, grab it. Mike Garner, Moorends I find it
incredible that Legends Of
Tomorrow got a second season. It’s bad for so many different reasons! It’s just a mix of Doctor Who and something like Quantum Leap. Rip makes Shakespearian speeches, but with the words of a secondrate Stan Lee. Worst of all, they ruin one of my favourite characters, White Canary – she ends up just a sulky teenager with rage issues. Such poor writing! If you like Legends Of Tomorrow then please check out SHIELD!