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Comic makes headlines after taking on landlord

<p dir="ltr">Australian comedian Tom Cashman is looking to start a trend that could help revolutionise the rental market.</p><p dir="ltr">While on his search for a new apartment in Sydney, Tom was successful on an application for a property that “wasn’t my favourite”, but he decided to seize his opportunity. </p><p dir="ltr">Tom emailed the real estate agent handling the rental property to request something he’s “never asked for before”. </p><p dir="ltr">He went on to ask the agent for a “landlord reference”, which would involve the landlord of the property providing feedback from a past tenant. </p><p dir="ltr">Tom argues that turning the tables on the rental application dynamic could make for a more honest and informed arrangement from both the landlord and prospective tenants. </p><p dir="ltr">“It occurs to me I’ve never heard anyone ask for this, but they [the landlord] ask me for like three references to see if I’m a good guy; what about them?” Mr Cashman said in the social media post.</p><p dir="ltr">“Are you [the landlord] a good guy? Are you going to fix stuff? Are you going to reply to my emails, or are you just going to ignore me once I’m in there?”</p><p dir="ltr">Documenting the experience on his social media accounts, Tom updated his followers when he got a response from the leasing agent. <span id="docs-internal-guid-9e472c85-7fff-8c1a-34a6-58cb28966910"></span></p><blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF;border: 0;border-radius: 3px;margin: 1px;max-width: 540px;min-width: 326px;padding: 0;width: calc(100% - 2px)" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/tv/CZbDSh4lIDa/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"><div style="padding: 16px"><div style="flex-direction: row;align-items: center"><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 50%;flex-grow: 0;height: 40px;margin-right: 14px;width: 40px"> </div><div style="flex-direction: column;flex-grow: 1;justify-content: center"><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 4px;flex-grow: 0;height: 14px;margin-bottom: 6px;width: 100px"> </div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 4px;flex-grow: 0;height: 14px;width: 60px"> </div></div></div><div style="padding: 19% 0"> </div><div style="height: 50px;margin: 0 auto 12px;width: 50px"> </div><div style="padding-top: 8px"><div style="color: #3897f0;font-family: Arial,sans-serif;font-size: 14px;font-style: normal;font-weight: 550;line-height: 18px">View this post on Instagram</div></div><div style="padding: 12.5% 0"> </div><div style="flex-direction: row;margin-bottom: 14px;align-items: center"><div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 50%;height: 12.5px;width: 12.5px"> </div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;height: 12.5px;width: 12.5px;flex-grow: 0;margin-right: 14px;margin-left: 2px"> </div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 50%;height: 12.5px;width: 12.5px"> </div></div><div style="margin-left: 8px"><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 50%;flex-grow: 0;height: 20px;width: 20px"> </div><div style="width: 0;height: 0;border-top: 2px solid transparent;border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4;border-bottom: 2px solid transparent"> </div></div><div style="margin-left: auto"><div style="width: 0px;border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4;border-right: 8px solid transparent"> </div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;flex-grow: 0;height: 12px;width: 16px"> </div><div style="width: 0;height: 0;border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4;border-left: 8px solid transparent"> </div></div></div><div style="flex-direction: column;flex-grow: 1;justify-content: center;margin-bottom: 24px"><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 4px;flex-grow: 0;height: 14px;margin-bottom: 6px;width: 224px"> </div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 4px;flex-grow: 0;height: 14px;width: 144px"> </div></div><p style="color: #c9c8cd;font-family: Arial,sans-serif;font-size: 14px;line-height: 17px;margin-bottom: 0;margin-top: 8px;overflow: hidden;padding: 8px 0 7px;text-align: center"><a style="color: #c9c8cd;font-family: Arial,sans-serif;font-size: 14px;font-style: normal;font-weight: normal;line-height: 17px;text-decoration: none" href="https://www.instagram.com/tv/CZbDSh4lIDa/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Tom Cashman (@tomcashman1)</a></p></div></blockquote><p dir="ltr">The agent asked for clarification on what Tom meant, and when he elaborated, the agent claimed the landlord did not want to provide a reference, saying it was “not a requirement”.</p><p dir="ltr">After more back and forth via email, Tom was shocked when his previously successful application to rent the property was withdrawn. </p><p dir="ltr">Since his experience has gone viral, the Real Estate Institution of Australia has backed Tom’s idea, saying a landlord reference is a “reasonable request”.</p><p dir="ltr">“I think it's quite a reasonable request for a tenant to say, 'Look, I just want to get a bit of a feel for how the landlord is. Are they popping in all the time unannounced? Are they purporting to be looking at the garden or something like that?” Real Estate Institute of Australia president Hayden Groves <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-02-04/the-renter-who-asked-for-references/100802402">told the ABC</a>. </p><p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Getty Images / Instagram @tomcashman1</em></p>

Real Estate

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Squid Game is influenced by the horror of survival comics and real-life debt

<p><em>Note: The following article contains spoilers about “Squid Game.”</em></p> <p>Is the Netflix Korean sensation <em>Squid Game</em> <a href="https://www.nme.com/reviews/tv-reviews/squid-game-review-netflix-k-drama-3056718">an allegory for late capitalism</a>? The response to the show is similar to <a href="https://www.britannica.com/art/morality-play-dramatic-genre">medieval morality plays that attempted to hammer home the eternal damnability of the Seven Deadly Sins</a>.</p> <p>I’m a university literature professor who specializes in film and video media. This means that I’m usually on the hunt for “constitutive contradictions” — <a href="https://doi.org/10.7208/9780226670973-010">those hypocrisies that may defy the rule of law and common sense, but are required in allegedly just, democratic, ultra-advanced capitalist societies</a>.</p> <p>And so, I’m undecided between a red button and a green button of the types that figure in <em>Squid Game</em> Episode 2’s mockery of an election. If allegory is a story or performance conveying deeper or hidden meaning that its audience must work to interpret, the show would qualify based on audience reaction alone. But maybe it isn’t at all allegorical, in that <em>Squid Game</em> makes what little covert evil and hypocrisy may remain in our world so graphically, unmistakably overt.</p> <h2>Alternatives to capitalism</h2> <p>This series socks us with what cultural theorist Mark Fisher called “<a href="https://libcom.org/files/Capitalist%20Realism_%20Is%20There%20No%20Alternat%20-%20Mark%20Fisher.pdf">capitalist realism</a>” — the impossibility of imagining an outside to the political-economic system in which most of us live, let alone an alternative to it.</p> <p>But when asked if he deliberately set out to expose the dehumanizing and even lethal effects of late capitalism, <em>Squid Game</em> creator Hwang Dong-hyuk laughed off the suggestion that his blockbuster series delivers any “profound” point or message.</p> <p>“The show is motivated by a simple idea,” he told the <em>Guardian</em>. “<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2021/oct/26/squid-games-creator-rich-netflix-bonus-hwang-dong-hyuk">We are fighting for our lives in very unequal circumstances</a>.”</p> <p>Hwang referred to his own experience of the <a href="https://www.rba.gov.au/education/resources/explainers/the-global-financial-crisis.html">2009 global economic downturn</a> as an inspiration for the series, which saw financing for his film projects dry up and compelled him, his mother and grandmother to take out loans.</p> <p>Drawn to the hardcore survivalist games depicted in Japanese and South Korean comic books, Hwang pondered just how bad things could get and how far he might go to keep himself and his family alive. He didn’t need to look far to find cautionary tales.</p> <p><iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/N0p1t-dC7Ko?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> <br /><span class="caption">‘Squid Game’ creator Hwang Dong-hyuk named Japanese manga and cult movie ‘Battle Royale’ as one of his influences.</span></p> <h2>Real-life events</h2> <p>The back story of <em>Squid Game</em>‘s protagonist, Seong Gi-hun, is a fictionalized retelling of the violent 2009 <a href="https://www.thenation.com/article/culture/squid-game-review/">clash between car manufacturer Ssangyong and 1,000 of the over 2,600 employees</a> Ssangyong laid off. Striking workers stood down a brutal alliance of private security forces and Korean police for 77 days. Thirty strikers and a few of their spouses lost their lives — many to suicide — during the strike and its aftermath in the Korean courts.</p> <p>Continued under- and unemployment, loss of property and accumulated debt (<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2021-coronavirus-global-debt/">compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic</a>), has meant that in 2021, personal debt in South Korea climbed to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/oct/08/squid-game-lays-bare-south-koreas-real-life-personal-debt-crisis">105 per cent of GDP</a>. Canada’s average household debt <a href="https://tradingeconomics.com/canada/households-debt-to-gdp">skyrocketed to 112 per cent of GDP in the first quarter of 2021, before dropping to 109 per cent in the second quarter</a>.</p> <p>“We are all living in a Squid Game world,” Hwang told the <em>Guardian</em>, without pretension or exaggeration.</p> <h2>Financial demands</h2> <p>Actor Lee Jung-jae as Seong Gi-hun is riveting as our everyman. Like millions of workers displaced and discarded worldwide, <em>Squid Game</em>’s protagonist Gi-hun tries to stay afloat in the service and gig economies, with a fried chicken restaurant that quickly fails, and then as a driver.</p> <p>He takes out loans from banks and loan sharks that tenuously prop up his gambling addiction. Gi-hun’s ex-wife has remarried, to a gainfully employed man, and is planning to move with him to the United States, along with Gi-hun’s daughter. The new husband can afford to celebrate his stepdaughter’s birthday with dinner at a steakhouse (uttered in English, so all know it’s a big deal), while Gi-hun can only pay for a hot dog and fish cake fast-food snack, and a tragicomic inappropriate gift clawed out from an arcade game.</p> <p><iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/t6YuqFh5htw?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> <br /><span class="caption">Despite his financial situation, Gi-hun tries to redeem himself on his daughter’s birthday.</span></p> <p>An inveterate gamer and perennial optimist with an endearingly expressive face, Gi-hun lives on the cusp of the Big Payoff — whether off-track betting, withdrawing money from his mother’s bank account or accepting an invitation to play a <a href="https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/squid-game-paper-flip-ddakji-how-to-play/">game of ddakji</a> in a Seoul subway station.</p> <p>But like all games of chance in the nine-episode series, it’s clear that this one — where players toss paper tokens in an attempt to flip over their opponent’s tokens — is rigged from before the start. It’s also clear that all 456 competitors (Gi-hun is No. 456) are in a <a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/battle%20royal">battle royal</a> for their lives and a giant cash jackpot, which lends the show its highest-stakes, highest-concept brand of suspense.</p> <h2>Contradictions</h2> <p>What may be less clear — and potentially the stuff of constitutive contradictions and ironies galore — is why record numbers of viewers have flocked to <em>Squid Game</em>. The series is <a href="https://www.thenation.com/article/culture/squid-game-review/">the most watched Netflix series ever</a>, beating out previous ratings champion <em>Bridgerton</em>. Bloomberg News estimates <em>Squid Game</em>’s worth to Netflix to be <a href="https://www.marketwatch.com/story/squid-game-is-worth-nearly-900-million-to-netflix-report-11634511855?mod=article_inline">close to US$900 million</a>.</p> <p>The whole series, however, only <a href="https://www.marketwatch.com/story/squid-game-is-worth-nearly-900-million-to-netflix-report-11634511855">cost about $21 million to make</a>, while creator Hwang lost six teeth from all the stress and has received no performance-based bonuses. He also doesn’t want to be forever known as “the Squid Game guy.”</p> <p><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/429792/original/file-20211102-39236-6iqujn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/429792/original/file-20211102-39236-6iqujn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="An aerial view of Seoul, showing highrises and shanty towns" /></a> <span class="caption">Personal debt in South Korea climbed to 105 per cent of GDP in 2021.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span></p> <p>An unidentified Korean part-time food delivery driver told the <em>Guardian</em>: “You have to pay to watch [the show] and I don’t know anyone who will let me use their Netflix account.… In any case, why would I want to watch a bunch of people with huge debts? <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/oct/08/squid-game-lays-bare-south-koreas-real-life-personal-debt-crisis">I can just look in the mirror</a>.”</p> <p>Why indeed would anyone in financial straits like any of the players in the series want to watch <em>Squid Game</em>? I’ve searched the internet, without success, for a ballpark number of the 142 million households that tuned in globally who may have signed up for a Netflix free-trial period to do so.</p> <p>Hwang is currently in discussions with his streaming empire paymasters <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/squid-game-creator-season-2-meaning-1235030617/">over potential additional seasons as well as his other film projects</a>. Considering <a href="https://www.fool.com/investing/2021/08/05/netflix-subscriber-growth-accelerate-through-2025/">industry growth predictions</a>, what will some viewers pay or sacrifice to keep watching <em>Squid Game</em>?</p> <p>More to the point, why would they? I think an answer to the late-capitalist allegory question hinges on what audiences see reflected back to themselves on screen. One viewer might recognize their own challenging situation in a character’s story, while another sees suffering of an unimaginable kind.</p> <p>These divergent vectors of identification may determine whether there is or isn’t any profound or hidden meaning to <em>Squid Game</em>. They may also influence new, gruesome games of chance, manipulation and life-or-death next season. We’ll have to stay tuned to find out.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/170514/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><span><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/elaine-chang-1283642">Elaine Chang</a>, Associate Professor, English and Theatre Studies, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-guelph-1071">University of Guelph</a></em></span></p> <p>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/squid-game-is-influenced-by-the-horror-of-survival-comics-and-real-life-debt-170514">original article</a>.</p> <p><em>Image: Shutterstock</em></p>

TV

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Heroes, villains ... biology: 3 reasons comic books are great science teachers

<p>People may think of comics and science as worlds apart, but they have been cross-pollinating each other in more than ways than one.</p> <p>Many classic comic book characters are inspired by biology such as Spider-Man, Ant-Man and Poison Ivy. And they can act as educational tools to gain some fun facts about the natural world.</p> <p>Some superheroes have scientific careers alongside their alter egos. For example, Marvel’s <a href="https://www.marvel.com/comics/issue/61755/the_unstoppable_wasp_2017_1">The Unstoppable Wasp</a> is a teenage scientist. And DC Comics’ super-villain <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poison_Ivy_(character)">Poison Ivy</a> is a botanist who saved honey bees from colony collapse.</p> <p>Superheroes have also crept into the world of taxonomy, with animals being named after famous comic book characters. These include a <a href="https://www.csiro.au/en/News/News-releases/2020/Deadpool-fly-among-new-species-named-by-CSIRO%22%22">robber fly</a> named after the Marvel character Deadpool (whose mask looks like the markings on the fly’s back) and a <a href="https://www.sydney.edu.au/news-opinion/news/2019/07/12/a-fish-called-wakanda-a-new-species-of-fairy-wrasse.html">fish</a> after Marvel hero Black Panther.</p> <p>I am a PhD student researching bee behaviour and I have spent most of my university life working at a comic book store. Here’s how superheroes could be used to make biology, and other types of science, more intriguing to school students.</p> <h2>1. They’re engaging</h2> <p>Reading has a range of benefits, <a href="https://theconversation.com/if-you-can-only-do-one-thing-for-your-children-it-should-be-shared-reading-95146">from improved vocabulary</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/read-aloud-to-your-children-to-boost-their-vocabulary-111427">comprehension and mathematics skills, to increased empathy and creativity</a>.</p> <p>While it’s hard to directly prove the advantages of comics over other forms of reading, they <a href="https://jcom.sissa.it/archive/17/01/JCOM_1701_2018_Y01#:%7E:text=Combining%20the%20benefits%20of%20visualization,engaging%20for%20a%20wider%20audience.">can be engaging</a>, easy to understand learning tools.</p> <p>Comics <a href="https://www.lifescied.org/doi/full/10.1187/cbe.10-07-0090">have similar benefits</a> to classic textbooks in terms of understanding course content. But they can be more captivating.</p> <p>A study of 114 business students showed they <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1080569913482574">preferred</a> graphic novels over classic textbooks for learning course content.</p> <p>In another <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3164570/">study in the United States</a>, college biology students were given either a textbook or a graphic novel — <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3151324-optical-allusions">Optical Allusions</a> by scientist Jay Hosler, that follows a character discovering the science of vision — as supplementary reading for their biology course.</p> <p>Both groups of students showed similar increases in course knowledge, but students who were given the graphic novel showed an increased interest in the course.</p> <p><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/392175/original/file-20210329-19-gob8ew.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/392175/original/file-20210329-19-gob8ew.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=237&amp;fit=clip" alt="Front cover of the Unstoppable Wasp." /></a> <span class="caption">The Unstoppable Wasp is a teenage scientist.</span> <span class="attribution"><a href="https://www.marvel.com/comics/issue/61755/the_unstoppable_wasp_2017_1" class="source">Marvel</a></span></p> <p>So, comics can be used to engage students, <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11165-013-9358-x">especially those who aren’t very interested in science</a>.</p> <p>Educational comics such as the <a href="https://us.macmillan.com/series/sciencecomics/">Science Comics series</a>, Jay Hosler’s <a href="https://www.harpercollins.com.au/9780063007376/the-way-of-the-hive/">The Way of the Hive</a> and Abby Howard’s <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/257878-earth-before-us">Earth Before Us</a> series frequently have a narrative structure with a story consisting of a beginning, middle and resolution.</p> <p>Students often find information inside storytelling easier to <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09523987.2017.1324361">comprehend</a> than when it’s provided matter-of-factly, such as in textbooks. As readers follow a story, they can use key information they have learnt along the way to understand and interpret the resolution.</p> <h2>2. They teach important concepts</h2> <p>In science-related comic books, as the story unfolds, scientific concepts are often sprinkled in along the way. For example, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29102867-science-comics">Science Comics: Bats</a>, follows a bat going through a rehabilitation clinic while suffering from a broken wing. The reader learns about different bat species and their ecology on this journey.</p> <p>Comics also have the advantage of <a href="https://blog.heinemann.com/author-gene-yang-graphic-novels-classroom">permanance</a>, meaning students can read, revisit and understand panels at their own pace.</p> <p>Many science comics, including Optical Allusions, are written by scientists, allowing for reliable facts.</p> <div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{&quot;tweetId&quot;:&quot;1367457735734751234&quot;}"></div> <p>Using storytelling can also <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00094056.2018.1540189">humanise scientists</a> by creating relatable characters throughout comics. Some graphic novels showcase <a href="http://www.amnh.org/ology/features/wonderfulworldofwasps/comic/">scientific</a> careers and can be a great tool for removing stereotypes of the lab coat wearing scientist. For example, Jim Ottaviani and Maris Wick’s graphic novels <a href="https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250062932">Primates</a> and <a href="https://www.booktopia.com.au/astronauts-jim-ottaviani/book/9781626728776.html">Astronauts: Women on the Final Frontier</a> showcase female scientists in labs, the field and even space.</p> <p>The Marvel series’ Unstoppable Wasp also includes interviews with female scientists at the end of each issue.</p> <h2>3. They can give a visual insight into strange worlds</h2> <p>Imagery combined with an easy to follow narrative structure can also give a look into worlds that may otherwise be hard to visualise. For example, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31144997-science-comics">Science Comics: Plagues</a>, and the Manga series, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29844802-cells-at-work-vol-1">Cells at Work!</a>, are told from the point of view of microbes and cells in the body.</p> <p>Imagery can also show life cycles of animals that are potentially dangerous, or difficult to encounter, such as a honeybee colony, which was visualised through <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/506636.Clan_Apis">Clan Apis</a>.</p> <p><iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/TR5OXhBjbVk?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p> <p><em>The author would like to acknowledge neuroscientist and cartoonist <a href="https://matteofarinella.com/">Matteo Farinella</a>, whose advice helped shape this article.</em><!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/143251/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><span><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/caitlyn-forster-1034177">Caitlyn Forster</a>, PhD Candidate, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a></em></span></p> <p>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/heroes-villains-biology-3-reasons-comic-books-are-great-science-teachers-143251">original article</a>.</p>

Books

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Coming soon to Netflix: Neil Gaiman's popular comic book series

<p><span>Fans of Neil Gaiman rejoice – one more of his work is set to be adapted for the screen.</span></p> <p><span>After more than three years of failed attempts to make a screen adaptation, Netflix has finally acquired <em>The Sandman </em>for a live-action TV series in a reportedly “massive” deal with Warner Bros.</span></p> <p><span>Throughout the years, attempts to adapt the popular horror fantasy comic book series – which has been running since 1989 – have floundered. The most recent was in 2016, when a plan to produce a feature film directed by <em>Third Rock From The Sun</em> star  Joseph Gordon-Levitt dissolved. </span></p> <p><span>According to the <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/sandman-tv-series-neil-gaiman-david-goyer-a-go-at-netflix-1220761"><em>Hollywood Reporter</em></a>, industry insiders said the show will become “the most expensive TV series that DC Entertainment has ever done”.</span></p> <p><span>Gaiman will be involved in the show as an executive producer along with <em>Wonder Woman </em>(2017) screenwriter Allan Heinberg and <em>Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice </em>(2016) screenwriter David S. Goyer. </span></p> <p><span>“We’re thrilled to partner with the brilliant team that is Neil Gaiman, David S. Goyer and Allan Heinberg to finally bring Neil’s iconic comic book series, <em>The Sandman</em>, to life onscreen,” said Channing Dungey, VP of original series at Netflix. </span></p> <p><span>“From its rich characters and storylines to its intricately built-out worlds, we’re excited to create an epic original series that dives deep into this multi-layered universe beloved by fans around the world.”  </span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> <p dir="ltr">Are you prepared to meet the Lord of Dreams? THE SANDMAN is officially coming to <a href="https://twitter.com/netflix?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@netflix</a>! Head here for more: <a href="https://t.co/zlamTMHen0">https://t.co/zlamTMHen0</a> <a href="https://t.co/zQbgXKdrZX">pic.twitter.com/zQbgXKdrZX</a></p> — DC (@DCComics) <a href="https://twitter.com/DCComics/status/1145836913078755328?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 1, 2019</a></blockquote> <p><span>The show, which will have 11 episodes in its first season, was described as “a rich blend of modern myth and dark fantasy in which contemporary fiction, historical drama and legend are seamlessly interwoven”.</span></p>

Books

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Hilarious comics perfectly illustrate the father-son relationship

<p>In honour of Father’s Day, we bring to you Lunarbaboon, a comic series that beautifully explore the modern father’s relationship with his son. Chris Grady, the artist behind the work, draws upon his own experience to illustrate his character’s story – and like real life, it features a healthy balance of warmth, wisdom, sarcasm and humour.</p> <p><img width="510" height="1041" src="http://static.boredpanda.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/father-son-comics-lunarbaboon-117__700.jpg" alt="Father And Son" class="size-full"/></p> <p><img width="516" height="1043" src="http://static.boredpanda.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/father-son-comics-lunarbaboon-26__700.jpg" alt="Father And Son" class="size-full"/></p> <p><img width="506" height="1026" src="http://static.boredpanda.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/father-son-comics-lunarbaboon-76__700.jpg" alt="Father And Son" class="size-full"/></p> <p><img width="503" height="793" src="http://static.boredpanda.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/father-son-comics-lunarbaboon-10__700.jpg" alt="Father And Son" class="size-full"/></p> <p><img width="527" height="807" src="http://static.boredpanda.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/father-son-comics-lunarbaboon-77__700.jpg" alt="Father And Son" class="size-full"/></p> <p><img width="535" height="806" src="http://static.boredpanda.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/father-son-comics-lunarbaboon-9__700.jpg" alt="Father And Son" class="size-full"/></p> <p><img width="538" height="850" src="http://static.boredpanda.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/father-son-comics-lunarbaboon-12__700.jpg" alt="Father And Son" class="size-full"/></p> <p><img width="543" height="1073" src="http://static.boredpanda.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/father-son-comics-lunarbaboon-126__700.jpg" alt="Father And Son" class="size-full"/></p> <p> </p> <p><img width="539" height="1096" src="http://static.boredpanda.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/father-son-comics-lunarbaboon-145__700.jpg" alt="Father And Son" class="size-full"/></p> <p><img width="575" height="1438" src="http://static.boredpanda.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/father-son-comics-lunarbaboon-14__700.jpg" alt="Father And Son" class="size-full"/></p> <p><strong>Related links: </strong></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong><a href="/lifestyle/family/2014/10/the-granddad-diaries-the-maths-police/">The Granddad diaries: the maths police</a></strong></em></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong><a href="/lifestyle/family/2014/10/the-most-beloved-grandparents-in-film/">The most beloved grandparents in film</a></strong></em></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong><a href="/lifestyle/family/2015/03/games-to-play-with-grandkids/">Old-fashioned games to play with grandkids</a></strong></em></span></p>

News

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Legendary comic Don Rickles passes away

<p>Legendary insult comedian Don Rickles has passed away at his home at the age of 90, with his publicist attributing his cause of death to kidney failure.</p> <p>A regular on <em>The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson</em> and <em>The Late Show with David Letterman</em>, Rickles also featured in his later years in <em>Toy Story</em> as Mr. Potato Head.</p> <p>Rickles was legendary for his roasts where no one was spared from the salty-tongued comic’s insults, including the likes of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Johnny Carson.</p> <p>Despite this, he remained one of the most beloved people in show business and there has been an outpouring of grief from celebrities in response to the news:</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">A God died today. Don Rickles, we did not want to ever lose you. Never. Hanx.</p> — Tom Hanks (@tomhanks) <a href="https://twitter.com/tomhanks/status/850060739092107264">April 6, 2017</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">90 years with Don Rickles weren't enough. One of the sweetest and most lovely people I had the pleasure of knowing. We miss you already</p> — Jimmy Kimmel (@jimmykimmel) <a href="https://twitter.com/jimmykimmel/status/850047017132969985">April 6, 2017</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Don Rickles has passed away.<br />A giant loss.</p> — Billy Crystal (@BillyCrystal) <a href="https://twitter.com/BillyCrystal/status/850049358590386176">April 6, 2017</a></blockquote> <p>Rickles, who would’ve turned 91 next month, is survived by his wife Barbara, daughter and two grandchildren. Our thoughts are with his family. </p> <p><em>Image credit: Twitter / CBS</em></p>

News

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Comics about retirement to make you laugh

<p>These tongue-in-cheek comics about retirement will make you laugh out loud – how many of them do you relate to? </p> <p><img width="447" height="328" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/11533/1_447x328.jpg" alt="1 (116)" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/></p> <p><img width="446" height="418" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/11534/2.jpg" alt="2 (121)" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/></p> <p><img width="497" height="260" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/11535/3_497x260.jpg" alt="3 (116)" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/></p> <p><img width="394" height="394" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/11536/4_394x394.jpg" alt="4 (109)" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/></p> <p><img width="400" height="489" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/11537/5.jpg" alt="5 (101)" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/></p> <p><img width="500" height="380" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/11538/6_500x380.jpg" alt="6 (99)" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/></p> <p><img width="447" height="451" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/11539/7_447x451.jpg" alt="7 (90)" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/></p> <p><img width="500" height="164" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/11540/8_500x164.jpg" alt="8 (84)" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/></p> <p><img width="394" height="356" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/11542/9_394x356.jpg" alt="9 (71)" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/></p> <p><img width="435" height="315" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/11544/10.jpg" alt="10 (55)" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/></p> <p><img width="347" height="269" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/11545/11.jpg" alt="11 (28)" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/></p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/retirement-life/2015/12/questions-to-ask-before-retiring/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>The questions everyone needs to ask themself before retiring</strong></em></span></a></p> <p><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/retirement-life/2015/11/what-to-consider-before-downsizing-in-retirement/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>6 questions you must ask yourself before downsizing</strong></em></span></a></p> <p><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/retirement-life/2015/11/retirement-quotes/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>Retirement quotes to live by</strong></em></span></a></p>

Retirement Life

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Hearing comics that will make you laugh

<p>Hearing loss is a serious matter but that doesn’t mean you can’t still have a sense of humour about it! These hearing comics will bring a smile to your face – because don’t they just speak the truth?</p> <p><strong>Pickles by Brian Crane</strong></p> <p><strong><img width="498" height="350" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/10861/pickles1_498x350.jpg" alt="Pickles1 (1)"/></strong></p> <p><strong><img width="499" height="165" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/10862/pickles2_499x165.jpg" alt="Pickles2 (1)"/></strong></p> <p><strong><img width="499" height="165" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/10863/pickles3_499x165.jpg" alt="Pickles3 (1)"/></strong></p> <p><strong><img width="500" height="164" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/10864/pickles4_500x164.jpg" alt="Pickles4 (1)"/></strong></p> <p><strong><img width="499" height="159" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/10865/pickles5_499x159.jpg" alt="Pickles5 (1)"/></strong></p> <p><strong>Lola by Todd Clark</strong></p> <p><strong><img width="500" height="234" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/10866/lola1_500x234.jpg" alt="Lola1 (1)"/></strong></p> <p> <img width="494" height="155" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/10867/lola2_494x155.jpg" alt="Lola2 (1)"/></p> <p> <img width="500" height="159" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/10868/lola3_500x159.jpg" alt="Lola3"/></p> <p><strong><img width="500" height="164" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/10869/lola4_500x164.jpg" alt="Lola4"/></strong></p> <p><strong>Mulligan by Pete McEachen</strong></p> <p><strong><img width="495" height="175" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/10870/1_495x175.jpg" alt="1 (107)"/></strong></p> <p><strong><img width="495" height="175" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/10871/2_495x175.jpg" alt="2 (112)"/></strong></p> <p><strong>Speed Bump by Dave Coverly</strong></p> <p><strong><img width="493" height="155" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/10872/speed-bump_493x155.jpg" alt="Speed Bump"/></strong></p> <p><strong>Inherit the Mirth by Cuyler Black</strong></p> <p><strong><img width="499" height="695" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/10873/inherit-mirth_499x695.jpg" alt="Inherit Mirth"/></strong></p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/health/hearing/2016/01/common-myths-about-tinnitus/"><strong>5 common myths about tinnitus</strong></a></em></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/health/hearing/2016/01/childhood-illnesses-linked-to-hearing-loss-later-in-life/"><strong>Childhood illnesses linked to hearing loss later in life</strong></a></em></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/health/hearing/2016/01/questions-to-ask-an-audiologist/"><strong>Questions everyone should ask an audiologist</strong></a></em></span></p>

Hearing