When The Chap recently launched a protest against the proposed invasion of Savile Row by “Hoodie Snatchers” – AKA Abercrombie & Fitch – the planets finally aligned for this post. Simply put, tweed has its own unique power in getting a point across – especially when defending against US fashion giants with pro-beautiful HR policies. Enter, Sir , You Are Being Hunted from the mind of Jim Rossignol who encapsulates the game’s anachronistic setting and theme under the catchy concept of “Tweed Punk”. (Something the editors of The Chap couldn’t help but empathise with, I’m sure.) The game’s opening artwork is incredibly evocative, and reminiscent of Doug Chang’s Robota - one can only wonder about what collaborator Orson Scott Card might make of A&F’s latest promotional campaign.

It was sad and yet fitting that I should belatedly pick up on the death of Jean Giraud via the pages of Imagine FX. Today, as that excellent magazine stands testament too, we’re inundated with images of the strange and fantastical. But, back with the advent of Heavy Metal in 1975, the imaginative landscape was formative and sparse. Stumbling upon Major Gruber was an epiphany  – I still think pith helmets are cool  – and my introduction to Giraud’s work sits in a mental shrine somewhere between the best of 2000AD and the cover art of Chris Foss (who he worked with on Jodorowsky’s stillborn Dune). The near silent adventures in Arzach are probably the closest any of us will ever get to the ecstasy Giraud experienced while creating these marvellous worlds. In this, and his prolific legacy of images, he will no doubt live on.

Good friends, Cat and Dawbs, saw the illustrations of Kevin Tong and thought of me – how exceptionally kind. Tong’s work is instantly striking, inherently cool and full of evidence that he’s cut his sci-fi teeth re-imagining some of the classics. It was tricky choosing which image to place here but the cover for Huxley’s Brave New World wins out – Soma and the City. Ultimately, wandering through Tong’s work is like a gallery viewing of so many worthy influences. But don’t just take my word for it, pick up a drink and a canapé and take the tour yourself – http://www.tragicsunshine.com/

The New Scientist has launched an original sci-fi related supplement called Arc – http://www.newscientist.com/arc. Despite the fiddly download of the Zinio reader, the mag itself is a stimulating science/science fiction combo with names like M John Harrison, Alastair Reynolds and Bruce Sterling all providing literary weight to the speculative musings. Definitely one to consider if you find yourself reading around the minutiae of ‘cult’ US TV series in search of something with a bit more depth.

A new version of Gulliver’s Travels was serialised on Radio 4 recently, with Arthur Darvill – AKA Rory Williams from Dr Who – putting in a strong and convincing performance in the central role. Episode two and three are still currently sitting on the BBC’s iPlayer, but will soon be consigned to the ether until their re-run. It’s a dark and uncompromising version, and must have been the seed that grew a whole tendril of satirical recollection. From Swift to Simon in one small jump and from there – via the weird conduit of Wallace Shawn – to Southland Tales and Justin Timberlake’s nihilistic musical number. Here be dragons indeed.

Just watching the hype unfold around the upcoming John Cater movie from Disney (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Rf55GTEZ_E), and remembering the series of Mars books I owned in the late 1970s. The iconic cover art was by Michael Whelan – you can view an example in the “retrospective” section on his intricately constructed website – http://www.glassonion.com/. I’ve also picked up an omnibus of the first five Mars books by Edgar Rice Burroughs from Wilder Publications. The binding is unwieldy – almost unreadable unless you’re sitting at a table – and the edit is sketchy at times, but it does bring all these books together in one place. Bouncing through them again, almost as if under the influence of only 38% Earth normal gravity, it’s pleasant to find the romp still highly enjoyable after all this time.

A new piece by one of my favourite contemporary artists, Andrew Crocker. All These Things (shown here) combines his signature Counstable-esque oils, British rural settings and a cast of what I’d like to call dapper circus performers. I say ‘like to call’ simply because there’s always something more ethereal and uncanny about his supporting cast. You can see more examples of his work here:
http://www.beauxartsbath.co.uk/Crocker%2008/Pages/Index.htm

First published in 1982, The Blade Runner Sketchbook has become of a cult phenomena in its own right with pristine copies trading for impressive sums. Thankfully, for all us cash-strapped seekers of the fantastical, one superlative fan has posted the entire book: http://issuu.com/futurenoir/docs/bladerunner_sketchbook. The image above is one of Ridley Scott’s own production sketches showing an obvious influence from Jean Giraud – AKA Moebius.

A most excellent Christmas present, made all the more enjoyable thanks to a clearer recognition of the fantastical references peppered throughout. Seeing the likes of Jack Carter rubbing panels with Andy Capp and Marty Fieldman added nostalgia to an already heavily nuanced text. However, the transformation of Oliver Haddo into a seemingly earthly version of Pat Mills’ Thomas de Torquemada, remains a mild disappointment in an otherwise sterling addition to the series. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_League_of_Extraordinary_Gentlemen.

As well as the number 42 taking on a fresh and special significance as of today, it’s also relevant in relation to a new edition of Douglas Adams’ The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy being released by The Folio Society. This lovely impression of the whale and the bowl of petunias evidence of how Adam’s descriptive power still resonates – http://www.foliosociety.com/book/HGG.