Red Light Bytes: 10-13-2023
Sharp-Clawed Sci-Fi, Running on the Redline
Overview
Welcome back to HQ, Soldiers! Fortunately, it seems the only bad luck I’m having this Friday the 13th is wrangling a nasty head cold. But like everything we’re doing here, you keep soldiering on and hammering away at the work that needs doing. This week’s newsletter will be slimmed back while I recoup, but there’s still a little tastemaking to do around here.
Updates
The long and short of it is that basic plotting is complete and writing commences. Issue 7 promises to put our heroes to the test in the face of new threats and dangerous machines threaten to demolish all the hard work put into the ongoing fight for freedom. Will Chief Nic Ridgefield succeed in making the Infantry airborne? Will Valentina be able to keep her hunters together in their quest to destroy the Colosseum?
The answers to all these questions and more take flight this December.
Streetwise Caviar
No playlist this week, but we do have a special shoutout to synthwave stud Cat Temper, whose latest feat of feline-themed electronica debuts today!
Mystic Kitten pays tribute to living shock rock legend Alice Cooper through its artwork and song titles while dishing up eight tracks of the project’s customary blend of modern production polish and authentic retro style. Hop on your nearest witch’s broom and fly on over to Bandcamp to grab it ASAP.
Also of note is the return of a giant in the heavy metal world. Judas Priest have just recently announced their latest album Invincible Shield is due out next year, and like the merciful Metal Gods they are, have blessed us with a lead single, “Panic Attack.”
Prepare to remember why we love and salute these bastions of British heavy metal for the next five minutes will sear your fucking face off. From the twin axe attack of Faulkner and Tipton to the thick rhythmic assault of Scott Travis and Ian Hill to the age-defying banshee cries of the great Rob Halford, rock hard, ride free, and hang on for dear life with Judas Priest’s “Panic Attack!”
This week’s formal recommendation is a thrilling piece of British stop-motion, and ought to help usher in those chilly autumnal vibes as the days countdown and the Halloween spirit begins to fill the air. From 1991, it’s Paul Berry’s The Sandman, inspired by legendary German author E.T.A. Hoffmann’s take on the eponymous figure from European folklore. In this silent horror, a frightened young boy makes his way to bed, only to be caught in the sights of a mysterious and sinister avian-like man…
Simply put, this film is superb. 10 gripping minutes that remind you of what it was like to fear the dark as a child, and to experience one of those unsettling monsters that may have lurked in the shadows of your room. With beautiful character design plucked right out of the worlds of Tim Burton (Berry himself having gone on to help animate The Nightmare Before Christmas and James and the Giant Peach) and a terrific knowledge and use of the sharp-edged expressionism of the German tradition, the film is a visual treat and an haunting tale whose final moments (before and after the credits) will be etched into your memory for ages to come.
Byte of the Week
While I was tempted to start cranking up the ghoulishness dial to get the October festivities in gear, I felt we should take a moment to appreciate this special time of year, When Autumn Comes Around.
In Haven, autumn is merely a flick of a switch for A.C.E.S. She turns it on for the wolves of the city, and that’s that. But when a handyman sees this change before his eyes, he decides to take some time to enjoy the sensation. I hope this slice-of-life story strikes the right mood for you as the leaves begin to fall. I’m making this a freebie too seeing as last week was only 25% of a story.
As always, May God Bless You and this Force. See you next time!