Watched X-Men on video last night, part of my most recent order from amazon.com. And yes, I am a dinosaur, this was a VHS tape in NTSC format rather than one of these new-fangled VDVs. While we're here, ain't the packaging of US videos so much better than over here? One thin cardboard sleeve is all you need, not a clunky plastic case.

Where were we? Yep, X-Men, featuring a couple of fine British actors (step forward Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen), some fab effects, and directed by Brian Singer. He also helmed The Usual Suspects, which you must see. If you did see it, watch it again. Soon.

But X-Men is really a film about superheroes. In this case see Wolverine, Cyclops and Storm battle the evil Magneto and Mystique. Daft names, obviously, but what else would you expect?

Me and my best mate Bob were avid fans of American comics when we were kids. Never went in for the Marvel variety, home to Spiderman and X-Men, but always for the DC label, where you'd find Superman, The Flash, and Batman, to name but three. We were endlessly trying to outdo each other, in search of special editions or new titles (I'm the proud owner of Superboy #1, I think). At school I even went as far as bribing Alan Muncey, who worked as a paperboy in town, to look out for new stuff in the DC box at his newagents. Happy days.

The appeal wasn't entirely due to the tales of fantastic powers and cliff-hangers. A big part, at least for me, was the adverts inside, which sounded incredibly exotic back then. I could only dream of beef jerky, sea monkeys and Twinkies.

If You Take Away With You Nothing Else
Green Lantern, Green Arrow and Dr Fate:

1. is that Spiderman film ever going to be made?
2. everyone needs a secret identity
3. never did get that middle part of the Untold Legend Of The Batman

Be seeing you!

Ed