Zzzap! comes to Birmingham's MCM Comic Con.

Photo Credit: The Girl With The Glasses Cosplay

Once again it was time for MCM Comic Con to return to Birmingham's NEC during March. I had attended the previous one dressed as Neil Buchanan, complete with red Art Attack jumper and giant pencil. Made with toilet roll tubes, paper mache and paint. An effort I'm sure Neil would be proud of.

The cosplay actually went down a storm with numerous people approaching me for photos. A few people asked me if I remembered Zzzap! Not only do I remember the show. It's had a special place in my heart and nostalgic affections for quite some time. I watched it religiously back in the day. I'm still have to occasionally watch an episode now.

I was surprised I was asked as I didn't think many would remember the show. It finished in 2001 and hasn't had many repeats since. So the idea started brewing in my head.

The show had a few characters I'm sure you're aware. The natural choice after cosplaying as Neil would be his alter ego Smart Arty.

Now, I'm not a skilled costume maker, I haven't touched a sewing needle since primary school. So making a costume was a no and finding the right parts which look close to the real thing was difficult. Plus, someone else has already done a really good job.

So I chose Cuthbert Lilly. Complete with pink suit, yellow shirt and polka dot bow tie and pocket square. All of which were purchased easily online! The pink suit if you're wondering how to get one was available from Opposuits!

I also roped in a friend of mine to go as Daisy. She had to put up with me stressing for weeks that her costume looked right. But after much shopping around. We got there with a few days to spare.

I also created a comic for us to carry. I'd like to say I drew it free hand...that would be a bit of a lie. I actually traced it from the t-shirt available from Truffleshuffle which I own. But even that was a hard task. Tracing a t-shirt on to tracing paper. Imprinting it on to normal paper and then drawing the lines in with a pen before colouring.

I'm pleased to say the costume went down brilliantly with lots of good reactions and lots of pictures taken! Nice to hear from other people who enjoyed the show back when it was a staple of CITV's schedules.


On to the pictures!

As a Father Ted fan. These guys win it for me.

Photo Credit: Andrew English.

Jungle Run and My Parents Are Aliens Turn 20 This Year

Yes, you read the title correctly. Both Jungle Run and My Parents Are Aliens turn TWENTY YEARS OLD THIS YEAR.

Yes, I know it's not a photo with the original Sophie. I don't have one, sorry!

2019 is one of those years which despite only being three months in to at the time of writing. Has started to make me feel a bit old and not part of the young, hip and trendy crew (although some would argue I have never been hip or trendy).

2019 marked me turning a quarter of a century old. Which is still young frankly. But when so many elements of your childhood have started to turn two decades old. It becomes a bit depressing. For example one of my favourite childhood songs, Keep on Moving by Five. That hit the charts in November 1999.

Other little things as well from around that time...like children all around the country being addicted to Sunny Delight. Ah, simpler times!

Also I seemed to have a collection of those rubbish mini roll safes which didn't actually do anything to stop people robbing them.

Not only that but so many elements of my regular CITV watching that I remember, all happened twenty years ago. Such as the relaunch of Art Attack as Art Attack Twice Weekly (Which lasted all of five minutes before going back to the old format).

As well as Zzzap! having a lick of paint and an addition of a new character Minnie the Mini Magician. 

But what's even more scary, is two staple childhood shows of the Noughties. Both launched in 1999. One in September and the other November. Jungle Run and My Parents Are Aliens you could argue were some of the biggest kids TV shows in the UK during their time and are still fondly remembered. Both shows ended in 2006 but repeats continued for way longer.

Original Jungle Run host, Dominic Wood. Who presented
the first two series.

I'll have to try and some special posts about both shows over the course of the year. So far I have nothing planned. I'll at the very least, write in more detail, my memories of both.