Office Christmas tree & other triv

I've put up office Christmas lights for the first time I can remember. We happened to have a spare timer plug, and a spare Christmas tree for that matter. So I've dangled the top half of the Christmas tree in my office window, incorporated one of the Tardis lights Annette bought me a couple of Christmasses ago, et voila I have a seasonal display that'll light me through the next couple of weeks in the office (during which I have to get Book Of Esther coloured).

Again I've not been recording much in my blog, but I've posted the odd thing on Facebook...

So Facebook thinks a) that my year ends in the first week of December and b) these are my most significant moments. An interesting insight into how their algorithms work.

I am guessing these are the photos that have been most liked or commented upon, hence me & Sophie Aldred coming out on top, along with a nondescript shot of me in a ropey Tardis. But a shot of me in the Pompidou Centre last week? Doncaster Book Festival? Me aged 8 dressed as Superman? Walter Tottle from 1977? My wristband from Latitude? These bring a new meaning to the word random.

And not a single picture of The Socks, my comics or the kids' comics, and nothing from Edinburgh? Facebook and I remember this year very differently.

#yearinreview2016

Hmmm. It would be premature to judge a movie on a trailer, but this reminds me of the 1970s Spider-Man TV series in that he's out of his element (New York, skyscrapers, things to swing from) and out in the open. It's just not where I picture "my" Spider-Man. Also the whole Team-Up thing is too reminiscent, to me, of the Marvel Team-Up comics of the 70s where Spidey would, once more, be out of his element in occasionally risibly inappropriate nonsense. I have never liked Spider-Man mixing with aliens and spaceships, but since that started with Ditko more than 50 years ago, it's nothing new. PS: The Peter and Mary Jane stuff looks nice, and I like the wisecracking (What's the betting the kids will think he's ripping off Deadpool?)

Also ironic that it's called Spider-Man:Homecoming when it looks more like Spider-Man On His Holidays.

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Watching an interview on BBC Breakfast, chanced to google a certain topic. Can you remember what these people have in common?
Jason Wood
Esther Rantzen
Jan Ravens
Stephanie Beacham
Don Warrington
Heather Small
Lynda Bellingham
Paul Daniels
Peter Shilton
Rory Bremner
Johnny Ball
Denise van Outen

I did not remember any of them. Probably blindingly obvious to you?

Guesses on Facebook ranged from them all being deaf (a popular suggestion) to...

Wil Hodgson Rear of the year winners?
Stuart Robinson Have they all accidentally eaten their own poo?
Becky Armstrong They all advertised meat based products?
Lew Stringer They were all previous Doctor Whos.
Freddie Valentine They've all been questioned as part of Operation Yewtree.
Simon Ward All are cockney rhyming slang for the male genitalia.
Frank Plowright All outed as Soviet era spies.
Braínne Edge People I've only met one of...
Chris Miller They all served ten-year terms in Turkish prisons.
Mike Donaldson They were all invited to one of Jim Davidson's weddings
Darrell Maclaine-Jones Original 'Perfect Day' lineup.
Elise Harris Are some of them dead and some of them deaf?
Steve Keyworth They've all turned on the Christmas lights in Stevenage? That's what Heather Small's doing this year
Jamie Neil Founder members of the Illuminati
Marc Blake Closet nazis?
Cris Warren I'm a celeb losers?
Steve Tracey Proposed cast for 12 Angry Men 2 - Brexit
Jamie Smart All their mums invented Tipp-Ex.
Edith Moss They've all had face lifts and tried botox.
Jonathan Green Are they the other contenders for Time magazine's person of the year?
Steve Keyworth It's a list of everyone who said yes when Zammo told them to 'just say no'.
Richard Starzak Friends of Jimmy Saville?
Graeme Casey Could I add Stephen Colbert?
Paul Cowan Have they all slept with Russell Brand?
Steve Keyworth Are they all Spartacus?
Wayne Coleman They were all crucified at the end of 'Monty Pythons Life of Brian' !
Martin Walker They all featured on the rejected Sgt Pepper cover.
Paul Cowan Are they all really Jamie Oliver at Christmas?


(In case you haven't worked it out, they were all Strictly Come Dancing contestants that I couldn't remember)




Kev F Sutherland, as well as writing and drawing for The Beano, Marvel, Doctor Who et al, runs Comic Art Masterclasses in schools, libraries and art centres - email for details, and follow him on Facebook and Twitter. View the promo video here.