RIP Sir Patrick Stewart

News has sadly broken of the passing of Sir Patrick Stewart at the age of 86. Stewart was considered one of the finest Shakespearean actors of his generation, with a dedicated love of the theatre. In later years he reinvented himself as a science fiction genre icon, through roles in Dune, the X-Men movie franchise and, by far his best-known role, as Captain Jean-Luc Picard on Star Trek: The Next Generation and numerous spin-off projects.

Patrick Stewart was born in Yorkshire in 1940. The youngest of three brothers, his early life was blighted by domestic violence from his father. He was encouraged to study drama by a teacher at primary school and made this his main area of study in secondary school. During an extra-curricular drama course he met and befriended his fellow soon-to-be-iconic British actor, Brian Blessed. After leaving school he worked as a reporter for a local newspaper, though he would frequently skip an assignment to instead attend theatre performances. He had to leave the job after his boss challenged him over his dedication to the role. Stewart received a grant to attend the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, where he renewed his acquaintence with Blessed.

Stewart started appearing on stage in 1959, joining the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1966 and getting his first screen role in 1967 on British soap opera Coronation Street. His reputation in the theatre was already impressive and led to him being recruited by the University of California, Santa Barbara to teach Shakespeare to American students, in the early 1970s. This accompanied his first appearances on Broadway.

Stewart made numerous small appearances on television before making his breakthrough by playing Vladimir Lenin in Fall of Eagles (1974) and Sejanus in the storied BBC adaptation of I, Claudius (1975), alongside Blessed as Emperor Augustus. This led to more roles, such as in the legendary BBC adaptation of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (1979) and playing Leondegrance in John Boorman's lavish period drama Excalibur (1981).

Though Stewart was open to any acting challenge, he had a lot of scepticism towards the science fiction genre. In the late 1970s he expressed surprise when an actress acquaintence,  Lalla Ward, accepted a role on Doctor Who (playing the Time Lady Romana; she later married co-star Tom Baker), not considering the genre to be challenging. He overcame his reluctance when offered the chance to work with cult director David Lynch, who was planning an ambitious and lavish film adaptation of Frank Herbert's novel Dune (1984). Stewart was cast in the role of Gurney Halleck, the commander of House Atreides's military forces. Though some of his scenes were cut, Stewart made an impression in the film with his military bearing and some quotable lines. He also may have inadvertently created one of the earliest screen memes for the scene where he charges into battle inexplicably holding a pug, which numerous magazines reprinted.

Stewart's newfound admiration for science fiction quickly saw him cast in Lifeforce (1985). His forays into Hollywood were briefly disrupted by a name dispute with an American actor of the same name; Stewart atypically refused to change his name and instead paid the other actor off to release the rights.

Between films, Stewart gave dramatic readings at the University of California, Los Angeles. Robert H. Justman, a producer of the original Star Trek who was working with Gene Roddenberry on a revival project, saw him at one of the readings and suggested they call him in to audition for the role of the lead. Stewart was sceptical but needed a better-paying job and his agent strongly recommended he attend the audition to make himself known to the casting director, if nothing else. Roddenberry was impressed by his reading and said, "he's a very nice guy, but a bald Englishman is not going to be the successor to Captain Kirk." Other producers in the room, including Justman and Paramount's representative, Rick Berman disagreed and worked on convincing Roddenberry. Roddenberry eventually agreed to let Stewart audition for the Paramount executives, thinking they'd shoot down Stewart for not being an action-oriented leading man and would also be sceptical of him being bald. Stewart had to have his own wig flown in at great expense from the UK to audition in. The Paramount execs were impressed by Stewart but told him to lose the wig when they offered him the role.

Stewart hesitated to accept the offer, and his colleague Ian McKellan advised him against taking the role for fear of typecasting. However, Stewart's agent argued the show would almost certainly fail after just one season and Stewart would be free to choose his own acting roles with the substantial fee and residuals gained from Trek. Stewart initially struggled to adapt to the rigours of American episodic filming and was initially distraught at his younger castmates' more relaxed attitude to shooting, cracking jokes between takes. At one point Stewart said on set, "we are here to work, not have fun!" which he quickly realised was incredibly pompous. The press kept calling Stewart, "an unknown Shakesperean actor," which his costars felt was extremely funny, at one point pinning such an article to Stewart's trailer door. An important bonding moment came during the shooting of the third episode Code of Honor, which the cast unanimously called "the racist episode," leading to the writer being blacklisted from the show and the director quitting halfway through. Stewart quickly relaxed in the role and went from being the most straight-laced actor on the show to one of the most likely to get into hijinks.

However, Stewart also took his role as the de facto leader of the show and a mentor to the younger actors very seriously. He also advised the other actors on representation and the value of their work, often intervening with the producers when he felt they were being exploited. The other castmembers admitted that Stewart gave them all a strong work ethic, including making sure they always turned up on time with their lines memorised. Stewart also relished the episodes which stretched his acting muscles and pitted him against worthy sparring partners like John de Lancie as Q, Mark Lenard (in Sarek, where Picard dealing with Sarek's emotions is sometimes cited as Stewart's finest scene on the show), Paul Winfield (in Darmok) and his favourite guest star, Andreas Katsulas as Romulan Commander Tomalak in several episodes.

Stewart also exercised his power as the show's lead to have his friend Gates McFadden, who played Dr. Beverly Crusher, reinstated after she was fired at the end of Season 1 after falling out with producer Maurice Hurley. Hurley quit in turn as a result at the end of Season 2, allowing Michael Piller to take over as showrunner. This resulted in an immediate, swift upturn in the show's writing and popularity during its third season. Stewart found his opinions being given more weight and gleefully exploited this. One of his favourite gags was to tell new writers on the show, "remember, Picard needs to do more shooting and more f---ing!" Ira Steven Behr took this to heart by delivering Captain's Holiday, an episode in which Picard went on leave to the pleasure planet Risa, foiled an intergalactic heist and got the girl (in more ways than one, with Stewart having a brief fling with co-star Jennifer Hetrick), to Stewart's immense satisfaction. Piller then wrote the cliffhanger episode The Best of Both Worlds, in which Picard is kidnapped by the Borg and converted into their spokesman, Locutus. Stewart realised the impact of Trek for the first time when he was shouted at by fans driving past him on the freeway, "great episode man!" and people asking if he was going to be killed off.

Stewart used his increased profile and wealth to fund personal projects, such as a one-man performance of Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol (starting in 1990). Stewart initially reacted poorly to coming out on stage to find some of the audience in Starfleet uniforms but then decided to make it a virtue by refusing to sign autographs until after the performance, "forcing" the Trek fans to sit through the full show. He was pleased when many of the fans stayed for the whole thing and enjoyed it.

Stewart was happy to reprise his role as Picard in the first episode of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (relishing playing an antagonist role against Avery Brooks's Sisko, whose wife had been killed by the Borg), for an enhanced fee as per his agent's advice. He continued in the role of Picard in the movies Star Trek: Generations (1994, alongside William Shatner and Malcolm McDowell), First Contact (1996), Insurrection (1998) and Nemesis (2002, with a young Tom Hardy). He considered Nemesis to be an underwhelming film and a disappointing finale to the Next Generation saga. From 2020 to 2023 he reprised the role in the CBS All Access/Paramount+ series Star Trek: Picard, with the final episode featuring him once again commanding from the bridge of the Galaxy-class USS Enterprise-D, surrounded by his friends and costars of over thirty years' standing.

After The Next Generation finished in 1994, Stewart found getting screen roles tricky and his reduced presence on the stage had seen roles dry up on that front. Stewart remained philosophical and was sought out by Bryan Singer to appear in his superhero film X-Men (2000). Stewart had long been a dream fan-casting for the role of Professor Charles Xavier, the founder and leader of the X-Men organisation, and Singer had not seriously considered other actors for the role. Stewart was wary of doing another big franchise but was keen to work with Singer and also his friend Ian McKellan, who had been cast as Magneto. The film was a huge success, in part due to the immense chemistry between Stewart and McKellen. They reprised their double act in X2 (2002), X-Men: The Last Stand (2006) and X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014). Stewart returned in the role solo in Logan (2017) and Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022). He will reprise the role, now for presumably the final time, in Avengers: Doomsday (2026). Assuming neither Wesley Snipes nor Hugh Jackman reprise their Marvel movie roles in Doomsday or later, this should also solidify Stewart's position as the longest-running Marvel actor.

The X-Men experience saw McKellen and Stewart bond as best friends, with McKellen officiating at Stewart's wedding. They performed onstage together in 2014 in a touring version of Waiting for Godot and No Man's Land, publicising the project by recording themselves appearing around New York City in bowler hats.

Now an established screen star, Stewart was happy to poke fun at himself, appearing in an episode of Extras in 2005 as a perverted version of himself where he writes a film script which involves his female co-stars' clothes falling off "instantly," allowing him to "see everything." Co-star Ricky Gervais was almost physically unable to get through the shots without losing his mind laughing. He also co-starred with William Shatner in the documentary The Captains (2011) where they compared notes on their respective Star Trek experiences. Shatner had initially been wary of The Next Generation's success whilst Stewart had been concerned about the earlier show's cultural dominance, but the two actors got on very well.

Stewart benefited from both writers and directors who had been fans of Star Trek beginning their careers in the 2000s and 2010s, leading to a multitude of TV, film and voice actor roles. In particular, Seth MacFarlane, a colossal fan, cast Stewart in many of his projects, including a regular role on American Dad, guest roles on Family Guy and providing the voice-overs for the Ted movie duology.

In 2006 Stewart made his first major appearance in a video game, playing Emperor Uriel Septim in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. Despite dying in the opening sequence, Stewart's role was acclaimed and popular with players. His vocal lines were re-used in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered (2025).

Stewart's roles and profile made him a British national treasure and icon. In 2010 he was knighted for services to acting, and in 2012 was one of the people to carry the Olympic Torch during the opening ceremony of the London Olympics.

Stewart had extensive charity connections, frequently raising money for Amnesty International and speaking out on the importance of being a positive male role model, citing his own unpleasant experiences with his father. He has also campaigned for Combat Stress, which seeks to raise awareness of combat-related PTSD, which he blamed for his own father's experiences. Stewart was a big fan of dogs, owning and fostering several pit bulls and campaigning for animal charities.

For personal interests, Stewart was also a lifelong fan of Huddersfield Town football club and an avid motor enthusiast, regularly attending the British Formula One Grand Prix at Silverstone and making an appearance on the TV show Top Gear racing a reasonably-priced car around the show's airfield racing track.

Stewart was married three times and had a son and daughter. His son Daniel is also an actor and appeared alongside his father in the all-time classic Star Trek episode The Inner Light. In 2023 he published a successful autobiography, Making It So: A Memoir.

Sir Patrick Stewart was easily one of the most iconic British actors of the past fifty years, with a wide-ranging number of roles on screen, in voice-over and on stage. He will be overwhelmingly remembered for Star Trek and X-Men, but his numerous, powerful guest roles on other projects and his tremendous theatrical record should not be ignored. He championed many great causes, stood up for his fellow actors and creatives, and developed a sense of humour about himself and his own image. He would acknowledge his own failings, particularly about romantic relationships and his own arrogance when starting work on Star Trek. He was loyal to his friends, standing up for them against more powerful producers in Hollywood. He was happy to acknowledge fans whilst ensuring he was not just a performing monkey for them.

It is a tremendous understatement to say that he will be missed by not just fans of science fiction, but also anyone who enjoyed seeing a great actor working on the screen.

RIP Walter Koenig

News has sadly broken of the passing of actor and writer Walter Koenig, veteran of the science fiction small screen where he played key roles on both the original Star Trek (and associated movies) and Babylon 5.

Koenig was born in Chicago in 1936 to Russian parents. He decided to become an actor relatively late, after receiving a psychology degree and a professor suggested he try acting. Koenig's first notable television role was on The Lieutenant, produced by Gene Roddenberry.

Koenig was then cast in 1967 in Roddenberry's Star Trek, playing Ensign Pavel Chekov, debuting in the second season. Roddenberry had mused that the international nature of the Enterprise crewed merited having a Russian character on board. Falsely, a publicity story was issued claiming that the Soviet periodical Pravda had complained there were no Russian characters on the show supposedly set in a peaceful future where mankind had united. Koenig was cast due to his resemblance to Davy Jones of the Monkees, and only later did the writers and crew discover that he had actual Russian ancestry. Koenig was also cast to add more youth appeal to the series, despite Koenig turning 31 around the time he debuted on the show.

The role of Chekov was originally intended to be minor and recurring rather than regular, but the absence of George Takei whilst he shot the film The Green Berets at the start of Season 2 of Trek meant that Chekov's role was beefed up to compensate, with Koenig getting a good reception from the audience and being promoted to a regular. Takei was initially unhappy about this upon his return, but after sharing a dressing room with Koenig for the season, they became fast friends. Koenig would serve as Takei's best man in 2008. Koenig went on to appear through the second and third seasons of the show.

When the show returned as Star Trek: The Animated Series, the studio decided there wasn't enough money to hire the entire original cast, so Chekov was left out of the scripts, to his frustration. An apologetic Gene Roddenberry instead hired Koenig as a writer, contributing the script The Infinite Vulcan, giving Koenig the minor historical distinction of being the first Star Trek castmember to contribute to an episode in a creative capacity as well as acting. Koenig returned to the role of Chekov for the first seven Star Trek movies, and was given an especially large role in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982), which he was grateful for. The film also gave him his first iconic scene, where his character is taken over by mind-controlling parasites given to him by the tyrannical Khan. Later in the film he gets payback by blasting Khan's ship with photon torpedoes.

Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986) gave Koenig arguably an even more iconic moment when his character is trying to find his way to a US Naval Shipyard in 1986 San Francisco, constantly asking passers-by to the "nuclear wessels."

Like many of his co-starts, Koenig felt typecast by his role and found other work somewhat hard to come by, especially in the 1970s. However, he did pick up guest star roles in shows including Columbo and Bring 'Em Back Alive. He was interested in writing and producing, and impressed Gene Roddenberry and the famously irascible writer Harlan Ellison with his enthusiasm, becoming friends with both. This led to his casting in Roddenberry's short-lived 1974 science fiction series The Questor Tapes and also encouraged him to write a behind-the-scenes book about the strained making of Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979), published as Chekov's Enterprise.

In the 1980s he was introduced by Ellison to his friend J. Michael Straczynski, who was producing a radio talk show about science fiction. This friendship led Koenig to being given a guest role on the animated series The Real Ghostbusters, which Straczynski was working on. Straczynski created the role of a "Knight" on the his live-action science fiction show Babylon 5, in the episode A Sky Full of Stars. However, shortly before filming Koenig had to undergo a major operation on his heart and could not play the role, which was taken over by Christopher Neame. Koenig later pointed out this could be a blessing in disguise, as that was a one-shot role which ended with that episode. Straczynski instead created the character of Psi Cop Alfred Bester instead, a recurring nemesis for the crew of the titular space station who went on to appear in 12 episodes across five seasons. Bester even got his own special episode in the final season with him as the star, with even a specially-modified credit sequence reflecting that.

Koenig continued to make return appearances to Star Trek after his final appearance alongside William Shatner and James Doohan in the film Star Trek: Generations (1994). He went on to appear in numerous video games and several Star Trek fan series. He also technically reappeared in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine in the episode Trials and Tribble-ations, though only through archive footage from the original series. Koenig's final appearance was in the final episode of Star Trek: Picard in 2023, providing the voice of Federation President Anton Chekov, a presumed descendant of Pavel Chekov's.

Koenig wrote two volumes of autobiography, the first published as Warped Factors: A Neurotic's Guide to the Universe (1998), which was later revised and expanded as Beaming Up and Getting Off: Life Before and After Star Trek (2020). Koenig also had a variety of hobbies, including collecting "big little books" and buttons of various pop culture characters.

Walter Koenig was married to actress Judy Levitt (who briefly starred alongside him in Babylon 5). They had two children, Andrew (who sadly passed away in 2010) and Danielle.

Walter Koenig was a fine actor who perhaps didn't always get the roles he deserved, but excelled when given the opportunity. Whilst he will be best-remembered for Star Trek, it was his outstanding, chilling performance in Babylon 5 which was more impressive and gave him far more meat to chew on as an actor. He will be extremely missed.

RIP Peter Cullen

In what is turning out to be a trying week, it is sad to report the passing of Canadian actor Peter Cullen at the age of 84. Although well-known for numerous roles, he will forever be iconically known as the voice of Optimus Prime in the Transformers franchise.

Born in Montreal in 1941, Cullen graduated from the National Theatre School of Canada in 1963. He worked as an announcer for Montreal radio. He began working in television in Canada and picked up interest from American television. He made a breakthrough by appearing regularly on The Sonny & Cher Show from 1971 to 1974.

In the early 1980s Cullen's agent spotted the emerging genre of animated television with toy tie-in lines, and put Cullen forwards for multiple roles. Cullen impressed the team at Sunbow Television responsible for the animated tie-in to Hasbro's Transformers line (initially an extensive import and rebranding of Takara's Diaclone and Microchange toy lines from Japan) and was cast in the core role of Optimus Prime, leader of the heroic Autobots, as well as his lieutenant, Ironhide, in 1984. When trying to work out a voice for Prime, Cullen was inspired by his older brother Larry, who had volunteered to fight in the US Marine Corps in Vietnam. Larry had advised his younger brother to not "act" like a hero, but instead "be" a hero, with wisdom and compassion instead of just acting tough.

Cullen rapidly became iconic in the role. Famously, young children were left traumatised by Prime's death in Transformers: The Movie (1986), something that left Cullen shocked. Cullen returned to voice the character during his resurrection in the third season of the TV show.

The success of the role saw Cullen become in-demand for other voice roles. He played multiple roles in the US dubs of Voltron and Saber Rider, and multiple roles in the GI Joe animated series. He voiced the villainous computer KAAR, nemesis of KITT, in Knight Rider, and provided the voice-over sounds for the titular enemy in the film Predator (1987). He voiced one of the titular creatures in Gremlins (1984). Arguably his two most iconic voice-over roles after Prime came with playing the evil Venger in the Dungeons & Dragons animated series (1983-85) and Eyore in The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1988-91). Amongst Cullen's numerous achievements was providing the first English-language voice for Mario in 1983.

Cullen reprised his role as Optimus Prime in the 2007 live-action film Transformers, proceeding to play the role in sequels Revenge of the Fallen (2009), Dark of the Moon (2011), Age of Extinction (2014), The Last Knight (2017), Bumblebee (2018) and Rise of the Beasts (2023). He also played Optimus Prime in the animated series Transformers: Prime (2010-13), Rescue Bots (2011-16), Robots in Disguise (2015-17) and Titans Return (2017-18). He also played the role in numerous video games and advertisements, and had a key appearance as himself in The Toys That Made Us (2018), in the episode about the Transformers franchise.

Cullen began appearing at Transformers conventions in the 1990s and was struck by how his performance had inspired young people. He struck up a strong friendship with fellow voice actor Frank Welker, who played Prime's nemesis Megatron in Transformers. In the 2020s both Cullen and Welker were cast in the animated series Invincible, playing on their iconic characters' rivalry. Peter Cullen was given a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Children's Emmy Award in 2023 for his huge contribution to iconic voice roles across forty years.

Peter Cullen was a huge inspiration and reassuring voice for several entire generations of children. He will be extremely missed.

RIP Tim Curry

In sad news, British actor Tim Curry has passed away at the age of 80. One of the best-known and most popular actors of his generation, Curry was known for his charisma, acting skill, singing voice, his ability to make the cheesiest roles his own, and his generosity to fans.

Born in Cheshire in 1946, Curry was raised abroad in Hong Kong as well as different towns around the UK. At school he studied singing and became a soprano. He decided to focus on acting and studied drama at the University of Birmingham, graduating in 1968.

Curry almost immediately demonstrated his flamboyance and love of combining acting with singing and dancing by appearing in the West End musical Hair, which involved interactions with the audience (including dancing with my mother during one performance!). He met Richard O'Brien during the tour and they struck up a key friendship.

When O'Brien was developing The Rocky Horror Show, he reconnected with Curry and cast him in the key role of Frank-N-Furter. Curry relished early reviews of the play in 1973 which called him "ambisextrous" and "Bowiesque." Curry played the role in London and New York, attracting significant acclaim. Curry continued the role in the 1975 film adaptation, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, which made him an immediate star. The film's longevity, with regular viewing parties at cinemas worldwide to this very day and the mega-selling soundtrack album, is almost unmatched among pop culture phenomena.

Curry would go on to enjoy considerable success on stage through the 1970s and 1980s, such as the title role in Peter Shaffer's Amadeus, and continued with TV and film roles in the UK and USA, keeping a toe in both countries. In 1985 Curry enjoyed additional success with his roles as the Lord of Darkness in Ridley Scott's Legend and Wadsworth the Butler in Clue, the latter being arguably his second-biggest film role as the movie became another cult success, frequently referenced to this day.

In the late 1980s he focused on Hollywood work, and famously turned up in movies both excellent and dismal, though he was never less then supremely entertaining in them. His work ethic was formidable. Iconic roles  followed in The Hunt for Red October (1990), Home Alone 2 (1992), Loaded Weapon 1 (1993), The Three Musketeers (1993), The Shadow (1994) and Congo (1995). He also played scores of guest roles on television, but his outstanding performance was playing Pennywise in the 1990 TV mini-series Stephen King's It.

Curry also had a substantial career in animation, providing voices for shows such as The Wild Thornberries, Captain Planet and Gargoyles. He also began providing voice-over work for video games, including Wing Commander III, Toonstruck, Brutal Legend, Dragon Age: Origins and the Gabriel Knight series. In 2008 he played the role of Premier Anatoly Cherdenko in Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 and gave what is generally regarded as the most hilarious line reading in filmed history.

Curry enjoyed a late career surge starting with his role as King Arthur in Spamalot on the stage. He took over the role of Emperor Palpatine in the animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars and appeared in the film Burke & Hare.

Curry experienced a stroke in 2012 which left him unable to walk and partially paralysed. He worked hard at rehabilitation and resumed voice-over roles, as he found memorising lines after his stroke very difficult. In 2016 he made his last on-screen appearance, fittingly in the television remake of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. His final role was a voice-over in the horror movies Stream (2024) and Stream 2: Sudden Death (2026). In 2025 he published his autobiography, Vagabond.

An international treasure, noted for his quick wit, humour, warmth and impressive output, Tim Curry will very much be missed.

RIP Dolly Parton

Dolly Parton, pop culture titan of the 20th and early 21st Century, has sadly passed away at the age of 80.

Parton was born in 1946 in Tennessee and became one of the United States's best-known country singers. She was known for her musical giga-hits, including "Nine to Five," "Jolene," and "I Will Always Love You," as well as her acting career and her philanthropy, including an international literary programme for children that positively impacted millions of lives.

I usually cover the passing of people with genre connections, though if anyone was universally beloved enough to overcome that, certainly it would be Dolly Parton. However, she did have several minor and perhaps surprising ties to genre fiction. In 2011, she voiced a role in the animated fantasy film Gnomeo & Juliet, which was her penultimate acting role. However, far more significant was her ownership of Sandollar Productions.

In 1996, the production company played a key role in bringing the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer to the screen, and was credited as a production partner on the show for all seven seasons (Parton herself declined a producer's credit, not wanting her name to overshadow the cast). Parton watched and enjoyed the show, and arranged parties and gifts for the cast and crew during its early seasons. Sandollar went on to produce spin-off series Angel as well. Star Sarah Michelle Gellar has expressed her admiration and gratitude for Parton's support.

An international legend and icon, Dolly Parton will certainly be greatly missed.

RIP Anthony Stewart Head

The sad news has broken that actor and musician Anthony Stewart Head has passed away at the age of 72, following complications developing from pneumonia. Head was known to multiple generations for numerous roles on stage and screen. However, he will almost certainly be best-remembered for playing the role of Rupert Giles on Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997-2003).

Head was born in Camden, London in 1954. The son of documentary film-maker Seafield Head and actress Helen Shingler (as well as the younger brother of singer Murray Head), unsurprisingly he chose a career in the spotlight. He studied at LAMDA (the London Academy of Music and the Dramatic Arts) before making his stage debut in the 1970s. He made his TV debut in 1978 in the World War II drama series Enemy at the Door.

As well as acting, Head was noted for his singing voice. He spent some time in the musicals Godspell and The Rocky Horror Show, and provided backing vocals for the bands Red Box and Two Way in the 1980s.

Head made his major breakthrough in an unconventional way. In 1987 he went up for what appeared to be a small role in a TV advertising campaign for coffee company Nescafe. The campaign saw a series of adverts forming a will-they, won't-they romance between Head's character and Sharon Maughan's. Surprisingly, the advertising campaign (which ran until 1993) caught the imagination of the country and turned Head almost overnight into a sex symbol. The advertising campaign transferred to the United States, where the coffee company was known as Taster's Choice, with both Head and Maughan reprising their roles (albeit this time with American accents). The campaign opened doors for Head in the USA and he started to be offered work in American television.

In 1996 Head auditioned for the role of the Eighth Doctor for the Doctor Who TV movie, losing out to Paul McGann. Despite losing the main role, Head soon began contributing to the franchise by voicing webcasts and audio dramas.

In 1996, Head was simultaneously cast in pilots for two shows, one in the UK and one in the USA: Jonathan Creek and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Both shows went on to be long-running, smash-hit successes but Head could only be in one of them full-time. Despite the complications of filming in Los Angeles whilst his family was based in the UK, he picked Buffy, his second major breakout hit.

In Buffy, Head played Rupert Giles, the "Watcher" who trains and mentors the titular Slayer (played by Sarah Michelle Gellar), succeeding the role played by Donald Sutherland in the original film. He originally played the role as a stiff upper-lift British stereotype but as the show continued, his character's darker backstory was explored in some detail, revealing a rougher, rock-and-roll origin as a more morally dubious magic-user known as "Ripper." Head was able to use his more normal speaking voice for this version of the character, as opposed to his posher voice as the adult Giles.

Head played the role for five full seasons and into the sixth. Missing his family, Head switched from a regular to a recurring role, appearing multiple times through the sixth and seventh seasons before joining Buffy for her final battle in the series finale. Some scenes in the early seventh season were even shot at Head's actual house in the UK to accommodate his schedule. Buffy also allowed him to demonstrate his singing voice, singing The Who's "Behind Blue Eyes" in a Season 4 episode before playing a key role in the Season 6 musical, Once More With Feeling.

Buffy made Head a worldwide star and he got regular job offers for both sides of the Atlantic, though he preferred to remain in the UK. Recurring roles on My Family and Monarch of the Glen followed, along with another highly memorable role playing the British Prime Minister in Little Britain, playing the straight man to David Walliams' deranged assistant. 

In 2005 Head continued his association with Doctor Who by narrating documentaries covering the return of the show to television. In 2006 he played the villain Mr. Finch in the episode School Reunion, opposite David Tennant and Billie Piper. The story was notable for reintroducing Elisabeth Sladen as Classic Who companion Sarah Jane Smith, but Head's villainous turn won praise as well.

In 2007, Head was in advanced talks with the BBC and Fox to reprise his role as Rupert Giles in a UK-set Buffy spin-off show called Ripper. The planned BBC-Fox co-production would have seen Giles investigating smaller-scaled supernatural mysteries in Britain, with the possibility for occasional appearances by his Buffy co-stars. However, the BBC and Fox could not agree on terms, particularly an episode count that would satisfy both parties, as well as debates over the tone of the series.

In 2008, Head was cast as King Uther Pendragon in the first four seasons of the BBC fantasy series Merlin. Uther is the King of Britain who is driven by an utter hatred of magic, forcing the young Merlin to operate undercover in his mission to help the young Prince Arthur achieve his destiny. The character is initially presented as a villain but Head provided him with more depth and explanation for his motivations.

Through the 2010s Head made frequent appearances in guest roles in television. In 2020 he achieved another notable success by playing the villainous role of Rupert Mannion on Ted Lasso.

It is unusual for an actor to embody one high-profile, breakout role in a career, and it is notable that Head managed to achieve so many. His coworkers seem to have been perennially unified in singing his praises as a decent and hard-working actor who welcomed collaboration and enjoyed being part of successful ensembles. He will certainly be missed by multiple generations of TV fans. He is survived by his daughters Emily and Daisy Head, both successful actresses.

RIP John Blanche

News has sadly broken that legendary Games Workshop illustrator John Blanche has passed away. Blanche is famed for establishing the look and feel of the Warhammer 40,000 science fantasy universe in the 1980s.

Blanche was somewhat vague on his personal details, allowing that he was born in 1948 on an unspecified British council estate, and gained his love of art whilst studying at college in the 1960s. He was drawn to science fiction and fantasy imagery, especially after reading The Lord of the Rings, but was told his interest would not lead to any kind of commercial success.

"Epic 40,000" (1997) depicts battles on an even more gigantic scale than standard 40K.

Staying true to his personal brand, he worked as a taxidermist in a Georgian manor house (as you do) before noting the explosion of science fiction and fantasy publishers in the 1970s, inspired by the success of Tolkien and the "New Wave" of authors spearheaded by the likes of Michael Moorcock. He relocated to London and got involved in the publishing industry with the help of artist and publisher Roger Dean, contributing to magazines and book covers, including some pieces for David Day's Tolkien Bestiary (1979).

"Amazonia Gothique" (1986) was Blanche's irritated reaction to the dominance of "bikini chainmail" and other illogical armour for female warriors in the SF and fantasy genres. This piece proved inspirational and influential on GW's Warhammer 40,000 line.

Blanche had already gotten into collecting and painting metal miniatures for wargames, so the chance to work for Games Workshop in 1977 seemed too good to pass up. He began illustrating covers for White Dwarf Magazine, and drew the localised British cover for Games Workshop's reprint of the Dungeons & Dragons Basic Set. He continued to juggle book and magazine work with Games Workshop, but the relationship grew closer in the early 1980s. He created the cover art for the first edition of Warhammer Fantasy Battle in 1983 and worked on dozens of sourcebooks and magazine articles for the game.

In 1986 he was made Art Director at Games Workshop in Nottingham and played a key role in establishing the look and aesthetic of the Warhamer 40,000 universe. He personally drew hundreds of pieces of art inspired by the setting and commissioned more as Art Director. His work for Games Workshop is notable for its sheer longevity; he only officially retired from the company in 2023.

"The Emperor of Mankind" (2008) may be Blanche's most famous single painting, a rare depiction of the Emperor of humanity sitting immobile on the Golden Throne on Terra, as he has done for ten thousand years.

His work for GW did not prevent him from working elsewhere, and he provided some iconic cover art for the Fighting Fantasy game book series as well. He also provided art for the local thrash metal band Sabbat.

John Blanche's artwork was powerfully influential on multiple generations of British science fiction and fantasy fans. His style was inimitable and his skill extremely impressive. He will be missed.

It's probably most fitting to leave on a quote from Warhammer 40,000's most notable writer of fiction, Dan Abnett:

"For me, John Blanche will always be the master. His extraordinary, grotesque vision informs everything we do."

RIP Michael Keating

British actor Michael Keating has sadly passed away at the age of 79. Keating was best-known for playing the fan-favourite character of Vila in classic British science fiction series Blake's 7.

Michael Keating (far right) as Vila Restal in Blake's 7, alongside fellow late castmembers Paul Darrow (far left) as Kerr Avon and Gareth Thomas (centre) as Roj Blake

Born in Edmonton, Middlesex in 1947, Keating started acting as a teenager. After some early stage appearances, his screen debut was in a 1969 episode of Special Branch and he made occasional guest appearances in British dramas through the 1970s. At the end of 1977, he appeared in Doctor Who, playing the role of Goudry in the memorable serial The Sun Makers, alongside Tom Baker.

He was near-simultaneously cast in the role of Vila Restal in Blake's 7. Vila was a shrewdly conniving conman and thief, a petty criminal who is rescued more by default than design and becomes a founding member of Roj Blake's crew of freedom fighters on the starship Liberator. Vila is arguably the most reluctant crewman and initially held in disdain by his fellows (especially the ruthless Kerr Avon) until his supreme skill with computerised lock systems and his handiness in a fight (even if only in ambushes or attacking from behind) becomes apparent. Vila is, despite himself, inspired by Blake's cause and becomes a loyal member of the crew. He ultimately becomes the only character to appear in all fifty-two episodes of the series, airing from 1978 to 1981. Ironically, Vila was nearly killed off several times as the producers pondered which character was for the chop next, but was saved by other actors choosing to leave of their own accord and the growing sense he was one of the more popular characters for his mordant wit. 

Keating went on to make guest appearances in other British shows through the 1980s and 1990s until he was finally cast as Reverend George Stevens in popular British soap opera EastEnders, a recurring role from 2005 to 2017.

Keating returned to the role of Vila for Big Finish's line of Blake's 7 audio dramas, appearing in intermittent releases from 1998 to 2022.

News of Keating's passing elicited a large amount of sympathy from the Blake's 7 fanbase, as well as friends and fans of his work on other projects. The show had recently received a burst of new publicity with well-received HD remasters and Blu-Ray releases of the original show, and news that a possible reboot was in development.

RIP Nicholas Brendon

News has sadly broken of the passing of Nicholas Brendon, who was best-known for playing the role of Xander Harris on Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Brendon was born in Los Angeles in 1971 and was an identical twin. As well as his slightly older twin brother Kelly Donovan, he had two younger brothers. He developed a stutter as a child, which badly impacted his self-confidence, and pursued acting as a way of managing the condition, abandoning plans to become a professional baseball player. His initial attempts to break into acting ended in failure, so he considered retraining in medicine.

A second attempt at acting saw Brendon audition for the pilot for Buffy the Vampire Slayer in late 1995. Cast as Xander Harris, the high school nerd who develops a crush on newly-arrived Buffy Summers (Sarah Michelle Gellar) only to discover she is the Slayer, the prophesised destroyer of vampire-kind, Brendon retained the role when it went to series, entering production in 1996 and finally airing (as a mid-season replacement) in 1997.

Nicholas Brendon appeared in all seven seasons of Buffy, until the show ceased airing in 2003. His character was notable for not possessing any special powers or skills, instead presenting the "ordinary guy" perspective on events. He was also somewhat the stand-in for creator Joss Whedon, sharing Whedon's interest in comic books and movies. Xander's nerdish persona was somewhat at odds with Brendon's tall good looks, so the show pivoted with Xander dating the popular Cordelia (Charisma Carpenter) in the second and third seasons before hooking up with immortal ex-demon Anya (Emma Caulfield) in Season 4. Xander also became an effective fighter against the forces of evil. Several episodes focused on his character development, arguably the most notable being in Season 3's The Zeppo when he saves the day whilst his super-powered friends, busy with a world-ending threat, are otherwise occupied. In later seasons he gets an ordinary job (in construction) and develops impressive skills in carpentry and design. One episode also saw Xander split into two identical people, which allowed Nicholas and his twin brother Kelly to work together (some fans, unaware that Brendon was a twin, thought the show had demonstrated amazing vfx skill instead). Xander's crowning moment of glory comes in the Season 6 finale when he saves Sunnydale and possibly the world from Willow (Alyson Hannigan) after she is consumed by darkness. The show ends with Xander recovering from Anya's death and his loss of an eye in the final battles against the forces of evil.

Brendon went on to play the recurring role of Kevin Lynch on Criminal Minds, appearing from the third through tenth seasons from 2007 to 2015 in 21 episodes. He also played the main role of Seth Richman in Kitchen Confidential in 2005-06, and the recurring role of Lee McHenry in four episodes of Private Practice in 2010-11. He chalked up multiple film roles, the most notable being in comedy-horror film Psycho Beach Party (2000) alongside Amy Adams and Lauren Ambrose.

Nicholas Brendon also toured on the Buffy convention circuit, but struggled with depression and alcoholism, attending rehab several times. He married and divorced twice, and was arrested several times. He went on Dr. Phil twice to discuss his issues. He also had other health issues, requiring spinal surgery in 2021 and suffering a heart attack in 2022.

There's no denying that Nicholas Brendon had a troubled life, and had a lot of problems after his brush with fame on Buffy in trying to further his career. However, his family reported that new antidepressant medication seemed to be working in the last few years of his life, he had avoided some of the problems that earlier afflicted him and he had found a new career as an artist. It appears he may have found some peace in his last few years.

RIP Dan Simmons

News has broken that science fiction author Dan Simmons, best known for his Hyperion Cantos series, has passed away at the age of 77.

Born in Illinois in 1948, Simmons did not break into writing fiction until he was already in his thirties, having instead worked as an elementary school teacher. He credits Harlan Ellison's mentorship with getting him into writing workshops and programmes. He published his first short story, "The River Styx Runs Upstream," in 1982, and another, "Remembering Siri," in 1983. This story is notable as being the first set in his Hyperion setting. Another 1983 story, "Carrion Comfort," inspired his horror novel of the same name.

Despite his reputation as a major science fiction author, Simmons actually broke through as a horror author with his first two novels, Song of Kali (1985) and Carrion Comfort (1989). He attracted critical attention and approval from Stephen King, and won the World Fantasy Award for Song of Kali, with Carrion Comfort picking up a Bram Stoker Award, Locus Award and British Fantasy Award.

In 1989 Simmons also published his first major science fiction work and also his best-known single novel, Hyperion. An SF take on The Canterbury Tales, the book forms a series of narratives told by travellers on their way to confront a mysterious alien entity known as the Shrike. The sequel/continuation (Simmons would occasionally suggest the two books had been written as one ultra-long novel, split in half for practical reasons and a major shift in formal), The Fall of Hyperion (1990), won a British Science Fiction Association Award. The two books were retrofitted as a duology called The Hyperion Cantos and published in omnibus under that title in 1990. After detouring into other settings, Simmons would return to the same universe for Endymion (1996) and The Rise of Endymion (1997), which were not quite as well-received, but still solid. Simmons got to experience the joys of Hollywood development hell, with Hyperion optioned for both film and television multiple times (most recently by actor-producer-director Bradley Cooper, a big fan of Simmons) but never quite making it.

Simmons would continue to write in other settings. The five-volume Seasons of Horror series was published intermittently from 1991 to 2002, and was followed by the Joe Kurtz trilogy (2001-03), which saw him move into contemporary detective fiction. Phases of Gravity (1989) and The Hollow Man (1992) were science fiction, whilst The Crook Factory (1999) was a historical thriller. His next major work was the Ilium duology, consisting of Ilium (2003) and Olympos (2005).

Simmons entered a new phase of his career with arguably his second-best-known novel, though perhaps better-known to a more general audience. The Terror (2007) expertly merged elements of historical and speculative fiction into an engrossing account of the infamous Franklin Expedition. It was adapted as a TV series in by AMC in 2018. Drood (2008) tackled the mystery around Charles Dickens's final novel. Black Hills (2010) attracted less interest, and Simmons experienced significant opprobrium for his 2011 novel Flashback, which some commentators regarded as Islamophobic. Simmons noted the novel was an expansion of a earlier short story in which the antagonists are instead Ronald Reagan-influenced capitalists, which attracted no criticism at the time, though commentators also pointed out his long, post-9/11 history of political commentary on the issue over the previous decade. Despite criticisms, the book sold well and was optioned for television. Simmons rallied to deliver the novels The Abominable (2013) and The Fifth Heart (2015). His final completed novel, Omega Canyon, was due for publication last year but was delayed for unspecified reasons.

At his best, Dan Simmons could be an atmospheric writer, skilled in character, setting and story. His novels could trend long, sometimes to tremendous effect (in his Hyperion Cantos duology and The Terror), but sometimes invoking filler. But he was a restless author, always happy to explore new ideas and new genres rather than resting on his laurels and bashing off a dozen, easy Hyperion sequels. Bradley Cooper, Stephen King and Guillermo Del Toro were major fans, Harlan Ellison regarded him as a protege and George R.R. Martin published him in anthologies.

Dan Simmons passed away today from complications resulting from a stroke. He is survived by his wife Karen and daughter Jane, two grandchildren and his brother. With Hyperion and The Terror, he achieved the rare feat of writing two genre novels which crossed over into mainstream awareness and praise, which is no small achievement.

RIP Rob Grant

In tragically surprising news, as he was in the news just last week, Red Dwarf co-creator Rob Grant has passed away at the age of 70.

Born in Salford in 1955, Grant grew up in the north of England, studying at Liverpool University. He met Doug Naylor in the mid-1970s at university and they collaborated on a series of sketch shows for BBC Radio 4, including Cliche and Son of Cliche. For the latter they created a character called "Dave Hollins, Space Cadet," the last human being alive after being marooned in the distant future. Filing that for future reference, they started working on TV projects for comedian Jasper Carrott and then the satirical puppet show Spitting Image. In 1986, Grant and Naylor wrote "The Chicken Song," a satirical song for Spitting Image which unexpectedly hit #1 on the British music charts.

Both Grant and Naylor were science fiction fans and wanted to do something in that genre. In 1987 they developed the TV science fiction sitcom Red Dwarf for the BBC. After running into numerous problems with casting - original choice for Rimmer, Alan Rickman, bailed out to appear in some obscure American movie set in a skyscraper - and scheduling - the entire first season had to remounted after a studio strike - the show debuted in February 1988 and was immediately successful. Its stars, Craig Charles, Chris Barrie, Danny John-Jules and Norman Lovett (later joined by Hattie Hayridge and Robert Llewellyn), became well-known figures on British television almost overnight.

The show aired six seasons from 1988 to 1993, selling hundreds of thousands of copies on VHS and hundreds of thousands of copies of two novels penned by Grant and Naylor, Infinity Welcomes Careful Drivers and Better Than Life. The TV show also spawned a high-selling magazine and a fervent fan community. Despite being one of the the biggest comedy shows in Britain during its early lifetime, the show attracted relatively little attention from the critical community and was mostly ignored for TV awards. Ironically, the show achieved its highest critical success in the United States by winning an International Emmy Award for the Season 6 episode Gunmen of the Apocalypse. There were two attempts to film a pilot for the US market, both failing to go to series.

Grant and Naylor co-created a more conventional sitcom for ITV about theatrical agents called The 10%ers in 1993, but their creative relationship was cooling. They stopped working together after 1993 and dissolved their writing partnership in 1995, though both retained ownership stakes in the Grant Naylor production company. This dissolution, along with legal troubles for castmembers of the show, prevented a new series of Red Dwarf being made until 1997, with Naylor leading a new writing team. Naylor later wrote the eighth season in 1999 by himself. Rob Grant's last contribution to the Red Dwarf mythos was a novel, Backwards, published in 1996.

Grant created and wrote the period sitcom Dark Ages for ITV in1999 and the SF sitcom The Strangerers for Sky One in 2000. He pivoted to writing novels for Gollancz, namely Colony (2000), Incompetence (2003) and Fat (2006), along with a radio series for BBC Radio 4 called Quanderhorn, a pastiche of Quatermass, written by Andrew Marshall. He also penned a radio series called The Nether Regions, again with Marshall.

In 2022 Grant announced an intention to return to Red Dwarf to produce a spin-off prequel TV show called Red Dwarf: Titan. This created a legal tangle with Naylor that took a year or so to resolve. Since 2023, Grant had been working on this project with Marshall, with multiple streaming companies taking meetings but nobody willing to commit a budget. Just last week, they confirmed they had written a novel version of the project, which Gollancz had picked up for publication this summer. This will now be a posthumous release, and Grant's final project.

Rob Grant suddenly passed away on 25 February. Red Dwarf castmembers, friends and fans have posted tributes online.

On a personal note, I met Rob Grant on several occasions in the late 2000s at various publishing events in London with Gollancz. He was very personable, funny and a seemingly infinite reservoir of anecdotes. He will very much be missed.

RIP Jean Rabe

News has sadly broken that fantasy author and tabletop RPG legend Jean Rabe has passed away at the age of 68. She is best-known for her contributions to the Dragonlance fantasy setting and Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game.

Born in Ottawa, Illinois, Rabe was a keen gamer as a child, starting with checkers and chess and moving up to wargames as a teenager. In 1974 she was introduced to the newly-launched Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game. She worked in journalism through the 1980s before leaving the field to join TSR, the publishers of Dungeons & Dragons, in 1987.

At TSR she ran the RPGA Network, wrote articles for Dragon Magazine and penned novels and adventure modules for D&D and Gamma World. She became particularly noted for her contributions to the Dragonlance series. In 1996 she penned the books marking the start of the Dragonlance Fifth Age gaming era.

She also edited a BattleTech magazine, MechForce Quarterly, worked for Imperium Games and wrote fiction in other D&D settings as well as the Star Wars and Shadowrun universes. In 2005 she served as a juror for the Andre Norton Award for YA Fiction; she knew Norton and had co-written multiple works with her. Rabe also was the business manager and editor of the SFWA Bulletin until 2013.

After a hiatus in the early 2010s, Rabe returned to writing and publishing with the successful Piper Blackwell Mysteries urban fantasy series, which extended to six novels published from 2018 to 2023. Her last novel was The Love-Haight Case Files, cowritten with Donald J. Bingle, published in 2024.

Rabe's Dragonlance novels include the Dragons of a New Age trilogy, Maquesta Kar-Thon (with Tina Daniell), the Dhamon Saga and The Stonetellers series. She also wrote the Forgotten Realms novel Red Magic, three Endless Quest novels, the Shadowrun novel Aftershock, and multiple books with Andre Norton, including Return to Quag Keep, a sequel to the very first D&D-based work of fiction.

Rabe was also a prolific editor, editing sixteen anthologies from 2001 to 2013, mostly for DAW.

As well as gaming and journalism, Rabe was a keen animal-lover. She is survived by her husband Bruce Rabe. She will be very much missed.

RIP Jim Shooter

Legendary - or perhaps infamous - comics writer and editor Jim Shooter has sadly passed away at the age of 73. Shooter was best-known for his divisive stewardship of Marvel Comic as editor-in-chief from the late 1970s through the mid-1980s, and his involvement in the creation of the Transformers franchise.

Born in Pittsburgh in 1951, Shooter started reading comics at age eight, but fell off quickly, feeling the stories were uninteresting. Whilst recovering from surgery at the age of twelve, he started reading Marvel Comics and became a huge fan. He realised that DC Comics were looking boring in comparison, and resolved to "help." Shooter started writing stories for DC characters and teams and sent them in sight unseen. To his surprise, DC replied positively and hired him as a freelance writer at the mind-boggling age of fourteen. Shooter created a variety of minor characters (including the Superman villain Parasite) and set up the idea of Superman and the Flash having occasional races to see who was faster. Shooter briefly worked for Marvel in 1969 but found the renumeration did not cover the cost of living in New York and returned to Pittsburgh. A brief second stint at DC led to an editorial job at Marvel in 1975, this time on a more reasonable salary.

High turnover in Marvel's top ranks saw Shooter rise rapidly through the ranks, becoming Marvel's new editor-in-chief in 1978. He oversaw such projects as Chris Claremont's run on X-Men (though that was already underway), Frank Miller's take on Daredevil and John Byrne's work on Fantastic Four.

Shooter developed a mixed reputation. On the one hand, he stringently imposed deadlines and made writers and artists work to them, sometimes ruthlessly pruning those unable to do so. Marvel's reputation for missing deadlines and sometimes skipping entire months had become quite acute in the mid-1970s, but this ended under Shooter's reign and predictability returned. Shooter initially won over artists and readers by insisting that artists be treated with more respect, paying for them to travel in better conditions to conventions, and giving them a wide leash of creativity. However, after a few years Shooter developed a more restrictive attitude, insisting that comics be written and draw according to his design. Some of the biggest-selling books were left alone, but middling ones saw greater editorial oversight or intervention.

Many writers and artists at Marvel claimed that Shooter's downfall was caused by the runaway success of his Secret Wars storyline in 1985, which he ascribed to his own writing and planning rather than the massive commercial appeal of seeing almost every Marvel character combined into one mega-saga. Shooter became less tolerant of other writers' ideas after this point. With grumbling about Shooter's policies reaching fever pitch, despite his commercial success (Marvel's market share grew to an estimated 80% under his watch)w, he was fired in 1987. He subsequently founded Valiant Comics in 1989, Defiant Comics in 1993 and Broadway Comics in 1995. He returned to work for DC in 2007, and then Dark Horse Comics in 2009.

Shooter also played a key role in the development of Transformers. Hasbro struck a deal with Takara Toys in mid-1983 to bring their Diaclone and Microchange lines of transforming robots to the international market, but found that the Japanese toy lines had little or no expository fiction about what these robots were or what they doing. Some of the toys appeared to be mecha (complete with little pilots), but others did not. Hasbro themselves came up with the names "Transformers" (after some minor controversy worrying about if kids would confuse the name with real-life electrical transformers and somehow fry themselves), "Autobots" and "Decepticons," but realised they didn't have time or storytelling expertise to develop more ideas. They contacted Marvel, noting their successful toy-comic-cartoon collaboration on GI Joe several years earlier.

Shooter looked for a Marvel writer to work on the project, but an early collaboration with Denny O'Neill resulted in little more than the name of the Autobot leader, "Optimus Prime." Shooter himself then briefly took over, developing a design document that contains the first mention of the name "Cybertron" (Shooter himself is often credited with creating the name). Shooter also developed the basic idea of the Autobots and Decepticons fighting a war over resources, particularly energy, and coming to Earth to find more energy, only to crash into Mount St. Hillary (originally Mount St. Helens, until he realised the real-life recent eruption might make that in poor taste) and lie dormant for four million years. Shooter's treatment also features the first appearances of the name "the Ark" for the Autobot ship, and "Aunty" for its computer (Aunty was originally the name of the ship itself but moved to the computer when Shooter decided it was too whimsical). Shooter himself didn't claim to have created all of these ideas, noting some came from conversations he'd been having with O'Neill, and maybe some early conversations with Bob Budiansky. Budiansky then took over the day-to-day work on the franchise, coming with the names of almost all the other Transformers from Shockwave, Megatron and Mirage, right through the 1989 line of Micromasters and Pretenders. Budiansky also became the main writer on the Transformers Marvel comic, which began publication in May 1984, with Shooter editing.

Shooter was something of a divisive figure, respected for his practical trouble-solving skills, his recognition of talent, and fighting for better recognition of Marvel Comics within the wider industry (noting a screaming match with one of the people involved in the Transformers animated series who was trying to pass off Shooter's original design document as his own, since he thought nobody would care about the comics people) but derided for his top-down and sometimes micro-management approach to editing. Secret Wars was enormously popular - and is serving as the primary inspiration for the upcoming next two Avengers films - and may have firmly cemented the idea of the "big crossover mega-event" which would go on to dominate the comics industry (for good and ill).

RIP Jean Marsh

News has sadly broken that the British actress and producer Jean Marsh has passed away at the age of 90. She is best-known as the creator and star of the classic British TV series Upstairs, Downstairs (a rare UK show which was a big hit in the USA), and for playing the role of Doctor Who companion Sara Kingdom.

Marsh was born in Stoke Newington, London in 1934. Growing up during World War II, she showed an aptitude for acting, singing and dance, especially ballet. She attended theatre school and trained hard for an acting career, with her parents' blessing. She made her screen debut at 18 in the British TV movie The Infinite Shoeblack (1952). She made numerous appearances on British screens and stages through the 1950s before going to the United States in 1959 to star in a John Gielgud play on Broadway, a fresh take on Much Ado About Nothing. Whilst in the States she appeared in some American TV episodes, including an episode of The Twilight Zone. In 1963 she played Octavia in the Elizabeth Taylor version of Cleopatra.

In 1965 she was cast in the role of Princess Joanna, the sister of King Richard the Lionheart, in the Doctor Who serial The Crusade. She impressed the production team with her performance so much they invited her back later that year to play Sara Kingdom. Although she only appears in one story, The Daleks' Masterplan, that story (made up of twelve episodes) is the single longest Doctor Who story ever made (the 1986 season was made up of a single fourteen-episode serial, but in reality that was four separate stories presented under a single title with a linking device). Her nine-episode run was longer than that of previous companion Katarina. Sara Kingdom was an unusual companion, being a futuristic, 41st Century special forces operative introduced by killing the Doctor's ally Brett Vyon (Nicholas Courtney), having been tricked into thinking he's a traitor. The Doctor convinces Sara of his good intentions and recruits her into helping in his battle against the Daleks. In a shocking move, Sara is brutally killed in the final episode when the Daleks' "Time Destructor" is activated and ages her to death (the Doctor is caught in the blast but survives due to his much greater lifespan, though fanon would later suggest it contributed to his first regeneration the following season).

As one of only three companions in the show's history to be definitively killed off, Sara would occasionally be mentioned in later stories, even in the comeback era, as an example of when the Doctor gets things wrong.

In 1989 she returned to Doctor Who to play the role of the evil "sorceress" Morgaine; she was reunited with Nicholas Courtney, now playing his traditional Doctor Who role of Brigadier Alastair Lethbridge-Stewart of UNIT. Courtney greeted her by saying, "We've both been in Doctor Who before and you killed me!" Marsh later had a cameo on the show's 50th anniversary special An Adventure in Space and Time about the real-life genesis of the show.

In 1970-71 Marsh worked with fellow actress Eileen Atkins on creating a new TV project, with the idea of focusing on the lives of a posh family in a period drama and their lower-class servants. Upstairs, Downstairs launched in 1971 and was an immediate, huge hit. The show ran for five seasons and 68 episodes. It aired in the USA as part of the PBS Masterpiece Theatre slot and became a critical and commercial success, a huge rarity for a UK show. The show won eight Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe, as well as two BAFTAs and a Peabody. Marsh created and produced the show, and also starred as Rose Buck, the head maid of the house.

In 2010 the show was relaunched as a sequel and ran for two seasons and nine episodes, with Marsh reprising her role. However, the show was overshadowed by the launch of Downton Abbey on an opposing channel, which went on to be a much bigger success with a very similar premise. Marsh reflected on the situation: "It might be a coincidence, and I might be the Queen of Belgium!" Marsh had previously worked with Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellows on Julian Fellows Investigates: A Most Mysterious Murder.

In 1991 she co-created the television series The House of Eliott, about fashion designers in the 1920s. It was a big success for the BBC, running for three seasons and 34 episodes, though it is probably more fondly remembered for the long-running French & Saunders comedy skit mocking the show, House of Idiot (in the final instalment, the entire cast turns up and berate the pair for their irreverence). Marsh created the show and contributed ideas, but declined to appear.

Marsh had numerous other roles of interest; her other primary genre contribution was probably playing Queen Bavmorda, the main villain of the 1988 movie Willow. She briefly reprised her role in the 2022 TV sequel series. She also played the role of Mombi in Return to Oz (1985), as well appearing in Jane Eyre (1970) and The Eagle Has Landed (1976). Her TV roles were vastly more numerous, appearing in both British and American shows including Danger Man, The Saint, I Spy, Adam Adamant Lives!, Department S, UFO, The Persuaders!, The Waltons, Hawaii Five-O, The Love Boat, Murder She Wrote, The Tomorrow People, Holby City and Sense & Sensibility.

Jean Marsh had a minor stroke in 2011, which she recovered quickly from but did limit the roles she chose to take on. Towards the end of her life she was diagnosed with dementia. She passed away at her home in London.

Jean Marsh was an extremely-respected British actress and producer. Her performances were always memorable and powerful, and co-creating two hit TV shows is a very impressive achievement, not to mention "blatantly inspiring" one of the biggest TV shows of all time. She will be missed.

RIP Michelle Trachtenberg

The surprising news has broken of the passing of Buffy the Vampire Slayer actress Michelle Trachtenberg, at the far-too-young age of 39.

Born in New York City in 1985, Trachtenberg started her acting career at just the age of three, appearing in commercials. She played Nona Mecklenberg on the Nickelodeon series The Adventures of Pete & Pete in 1994-96, and Lily Montgomery on the soap opera All My Children. She made her breakthrough in the successful movies Harriet the Spy (1996) and Inspector Gadget (1999). She picked up additional notable roles in the film EuroTrip (2004) and Mysterious Skin (2004) as well as recurring roles on Six Feet Under and Gossip Girl.

Trachtenberg's most notable genre role was playing Dawn Summers on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. She joined the show in the first episode of its fifth season in 2000 and remained on the show until its conclusion in 2003. Dawn is introduced as the sister of protagonist Buffy Summers, which is interesting because Buffy is repeatedly noted to be an only child in the first four seasons and Dawn is not mentioned, nor appears. The mystery of where Dawn came from, and why Buffy and her friends act as if she's been around all along, becomes a major plot point for the series. Trachtenberg's arrival on the show was controversial with fans, but after the storyline played out, she had a warmer reception from the fanbase. Trachtenberg noted making the show was hard work and she clashed with showrunner Joss Whedon; according to several actors' claims, his bullying behaviour meant he was not allowed to be alone with Trachtenberg on set, something he later disputed. Trachtenberg credited other actors with having her back, especially Sarah Michelle Gellar (Buffy).

Tragically, Trachtenberg's passing comes a few weeks after it was confirmed a new iteration of Buffy was in development with Gellar attached, leading to speculation that Trachtenberg might be able to reprise her role as Dawn.

During her later years, Trachtenberg mostly switched to guest roles on TV shows, as well as appearing in the Gossip Girl revival in 2022-23. Trachtenberg also experienced health complications, undergoing a liver transplant in 2024.

Co-stars including Ed Westwick, Rosie O'Donnell, Kim Cattrall, James Marsters, David Boreanaz, Kenan Thompson, Shawn Ashmore and Melissa Gilbert have paid tribute to her. Likely more tributes will be made in the coming days.

Trachtenberg was a gifted actress at a young age, and made her role on Buffy the Vampire Slayer work under difficult circumstances. She passed away at far too young an age, and will be missed.

RIP Viktor Antonov

News has sadly broken that Viktor Antonov, the artist and visual designer on video games such as Half-Life 2 and Dishonored, has passed away at the far-too-young age of 52.

Born in Sofia, Bulgaria in 1972, Antonov got his start in the video game business as an artist. He worked on Redneck Rampage (1997) and its various mission packs, followed by a Quake II expansion and Kingpin: Life of Crime (1999), with its gritty, crumbling tenement locations. He started working with Valve whilst Half-Life 2 (2004) was in development and quickly became the game's art director. He spent a lot of time looking at locations in his native Bulgaria, as well as other Eastern European countries, to serve as reference points for the game's sprawling City 17, the neighbouring settlement of Ravenholm and more. Half-Life 2's recent 20th anniversary saw Antonov interviewed about his work on the game.

Antonov was feted for the incredible world design of Half-Life 2 and was hired by Arkane Studios to work on the city of Dunwall for Dishonored (2012). Antonov again knocked it out of the park, creating a realistic, immersive steampunk city of crumbling buildings and diesel-punk-ish brutalism. Antonov then moved into consultancy work, advising on the visual design of Fallout 4 (2015), Dishonored 2 (2016), DOOM (2016) and Prey (2017). He returned to full-time art direction with "Project DG," a game for Eschatology Entertainment, a company he himself had co-founded in 2022.

Visual and graphic design is a key component of video games, but most games are made by art teams and committees. Antonov was unusual in putting his unique touch on a game's environments that was immediately recognisable as his own. Anyone playing Half-Life 2 or its expansions, or Dishonored or its sequel, knows immediately they are in an "Antonovian" landscape. Hopefully he did enough work on "Project DG" that we'll be able to spend at least some more time with one of his worlds.

A great artist who specialised in creating worlds that fused the fantastical and the realistic, he will be missed.