… this blogger gave to thee…
… ten dystopian outlooks…
… nine resin paintings…
… eight endings too soon…
… seven shoes to choose from…
… six party dresses…
… five gold rings…
… four living hinges…
… three books for reading…
… two felted tooties…
… and a day Binging with Babish.
In a week where the President of the United States of America
tweets out, I’m “a very stable genius” it doesn’t feel like we’re far off some
sort of dystopian nightmare, if not already in one. You can only hope that the
last year was actually an extended recording for an upcoming and completely
insane episode of Charlie Brookers, Black Mirror. Otherwise, stock up on canned
goods.
So far Mr. Brooker has predicted a Prime Minister
interfering with a pig, computers in contact lenses, the all mighty power of
social networks, likes and a sense of accomplishment, the link between death
and social media as Facebook address life after death and that an erratic, sociopathic,
morally bankrupt cartoon character becoming President.
Mr. Brooker, I’m pretty sure you’re a witch, but I like
witches and Screen Wipe, and your books and Black Mirror, so carry on!
Black Mirror has managed to capture the not to distant
future which for the most part seems not only plausible but probable, which is only
marginally scarier than three more years of a “very stable genius”. Fortunately,
illustrator and graphic designer is keeping things a little more old school
with his nineteen seventies inspired comic book covers for each of the Black
Mirror episodes – an ongoing project, which will continue alongside the dystopian
dramas new releases.
And, as an added bonus, I’m going to try and describe each
episode the covers refer to, in under 280 characters as an ode to social media,
technology and idiotic tweets.
“The National Anthem”
(Season 1 | Episode 1 | Charlie
Brooker | 2011)
Princess Susannah, has been kidnapped, and there is one demand
of her kidnapper. Prime Minister Michael Callow, must have sexual intercourse
with a pig. Live on television. Whilst the British public take to social media,
judging the PM through plummeting approval ratings.
“The Entire History of You”
(Season 1 | Episode 3 | Jesse Armstrong | 2011)
There’s gossip in the ‘grain’ implanted behind your ear, recording
everything you see and hear and easily accessible for playback after playback
in your head. So, when Liam’s suspicions are peaked about his wife potential
infidelity, what do you do? Rewind, replay and obsess.
“Be Right Back”
(Season 2 | Episode 1 | Charlie Brooker | 2013)
Ash died at the wrong moment. In a new house, just before
Martha, his girlfriend, finds out she’s pregnant, but it’s lucky he was a
social media addict. It started with a phone call, a program scouring social media
to simulate his voice, then a replicate. But it’s not the same.
“White Bear”
(Season 2 | Episode 2 | Charlie Brooker | 2013)
Waking up not knowing who or where she is, then Victoria notices
everyone is recording her on their phones, but not willing to talk to or help her.
Then masked gun men are pursuing you, everywhere. But it’s Groundhog Day, with
no sleep, just punishment and pain for your crimes.
“The Waldo Movement”
(Season 2 | Episode 3 | Charlie Brooker | 2013)
Comedian Jamie controls an erratic, vulgar, morally bankrupt
CGI bear named Waldo. The character becomes so popular on late-night TV, he enters
a local by-election to piss off the Conservatives. Jamie has morals, Waldo &
his producer don’t, so where does that leave his career?
“White Christmas”
(Special | Charlie Brooker | 2014)
Matt and Joe are reluctantly together for Christmas, recalling
being blocked by the women they love. Being blocked means you can’t see, hear
or talk to that person, you’re just a blur to one another, which doesn’t always
sit well, and Matt wants to get the full story from Joe.
“Nosedive”
(Season 3 | Episode 1| Charlie Brooker, Rashida Jones &
Mike Schur | 2016)
Ever wonder what people think of you? No need when every
interaction is rated. Lacie, is obsessed with improving her rating & goes
out of her way to be nice, cheerful & rate others highly. But trying to improve
her rating, via the coattails of an old friend doesn’t go as planned.
“Playtest”
(Season 3 | Episode 2| Charlie Brooker | 2016)
Stranded in London after a bank error leaves him without
money, Cooper, accepts a job testing implanted augmented reality technology, specifically
a horror game. Things start to go wrong as the tech malfunctions, leaving him
in trouble in his own head. All for a quick buck.
“San Junipero”
(Season 3 | Episode 4| Charlie Brooker | 2016)
Yorkie & Kelly meet one night in 1987, at a beach resort
bar. Yorkie is shy, Kelly outgoing, but they connect immediately & fall in
love. But there’s a decision to make, permanently download into the San Junipero
community, or switch off permanently. Reality or simulated reality?
“Hated in the Nations”
(Season 3 | Episode 6 | Charlie Brooker | 2016)
DCI Parke & trainee DC Coulson investigate a series of murders
linked to social media & an ADI (Autonomous Drone Insect) used to offset
colony collapse disorder in bees, found in their latest victim. Now they must
protect hacked ADI’s next potential target voted on by hashtag.
The last series of Black Mirror launched on Netflix on the twenty
ninth of December, Butcher Billy’s been busy since and brought out the comic
covers for six of the most recent episodes in the last few days. So, since I
haven’t watched them yet and they wouldn’t have existed online when I was meant
to finish writing this post, I’m excluding them. Because let’s face it, had I
not still been writing this today, I wouldn’t have known about them yet. So go
check them out for yourselves and we’ll pretend I’m not rubbish.
As for those which do exist, if these Butcher Billy covers
were ever turned into fully fledged comic book versions of the Black Mirror stories,
I would snap them up. The only comics/graphic novels I own are The Walking Dead:
Volume 1 – Days Gone Bye. I do plan on getting more from that series, but
generally I’m not going to become a collector unless a particular series or
imagery really appeals. So, again, if these appear I’m buying them, but for now
I’ll probably have to look forward to Brooker’s novelisation coming out in February.
Now if only Brooker had put out a 2017 Screen Wipe, last
year would have been complete, but alas, it was not to be. Hopefully next year!
Happy New Year! Part eleven tomorrow… maybe… possibly…
definitely before 2019…
Link || The 7 ‘Black Mirror’ Prophecies That Have Already Come True by Brock Wilbur via Inverse Entertainment
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Listening: Gossip in the Grain - Ray Lamontagne
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