John Reppion's Blog, page 5

Redragon K658 Pro 90% transparent keyboard review

Those lovely, lovely people at Redragon have sent me one of their shiny, new, see-through IRELIA K658 PRO SE keyboards to try out. Now, I’ve reviewed a couple of transparent keyboards previously – the MC66 from Epomaker, and the Kiiboom Phantom 81 – so I’m no stranger to the world of translucent type testing. As I’ve said before, I’m old enough to remember the transparent tech craze of the 1990s, so these kinds of boards always have a bit of a nostalgic retro vibe for me.

The K658 is a 94 key / 90% keyboard. You get all your F-keys with all their multimedia Alt functions, plus a Num pad, in a nice compact format. So, where is my Del key? This is something I always ask myself when trying out a new board. I can (just about) do without a Del, but I always favour a keyboard which has one. The K658 does have one, but it’s at the very bottom right of the board, on the Num pad. And Num Lock needs to be switched off in order to use it. That’s proven a little difficult to get used to for me, as a person using the K658 for everyday typing. That’s a personal thing though, I’m sure.

The K658 has a compact ANSI layout, is fully compatible with Windows and Android, and will also work with Mac with some slightly reduced functionality (Redragon’s free-to-use software is currently not available for Mac). Connection options are wired via USB-C, 2.4 GHz wireless (dongle stashed on the underside of the board), or Bluetooth 3.0/5.0.

The K658 comes in a choice of black or white (although “clear or tinted” might be a more accurate description). I got white because, if we’re doing see-through tech, I feel like that’s the way to go. Keycaps are also transparent, obviously.

The K658 also comes equipped with Redragon’s own transparent Linear switches. These are hot-swappable, meaning that they can be easily swapped out for other 3 or 5-pin switches with no need for soldering or unnecessary messing about. They are not clicky switches by any stretch of the imagination, but they’re not “soft” like some Linears can be. I really like them now that I’m used to them.

The K658 has a noise-dampening silicone pad sandwiched between the keys and the PCB, and a layer of EVA sound-absorbing foam between the PCB and the backplate. It’s a very, very quiet board and genuinely pretty calming and relaxing sounding when you’re typing away at speed.

The K658 weighs 0.65 kg, so it’s pretty lightweight for a 94-key board (especially considering its 1600 mAh in-built battery), and easily light enough to carry around with you for use with a laptop or similar.  A couple of sturdy, flip-down Silicone-tipped feet allow you to adjust the angle of your K658. 

The backlights on the K658 are bright. Very bright. You can, of course, adjust the brightness, but what I’m saying is these lights really shine through because of the fully transparent nature of the K658. This isn’t just a keyboard with backlights; they feel much more integrated into the overall design and aesthetic of the K658 than on any other board I’ve ever tried out, transparent or otherwise. These are Redragon’s own “vibrant groovy RGBs” and come with 20 pre-set patterns/modes, plus all the usual options to select solid colours, adjust speed, brightness, etc. I half expected the K658 to have a second set of lights in its base, like the HS84, but I genuinely think that would have been overkill. Further customisation, including Macros, is available via the free-to-use Redragon software.

At the end of the day the K658 is a really good-looking, portable, functional, and solid multi-purpose board. Not only that, but it’s very, very affordable.

The K658 is available directly from Redragon for just £55 GBP / $ 69.99 USD.

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Ghost Stories for Christmas at The Shakespeare North Playhouse

John will be reading a festive ghost story as part of Arts Groupie CIC’s 2023 Christmas Ghost Stories event.

John will be at Shakespeare North Playhouse, Prescot, on the 15th and 16th of December. Links below for tickets.

In the tradition of M. R. James, Susan Hill, and Charles Dickens Arts Groupie invite you to pull up a chair and engage in one of the oldest festive traditions, sharing a classic ghost story.

artsgroupie.org

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Fascinating Folklore – a Compendium of Comics and Essays – book reviews

Holden is one of the best and most versatile artists working today and his style shifts here from Mignola-esque to exuberant cartoons and a dozen other styles. One of my favourites is the extended section on Halloween, which includes a longer essay from Reppion and a two page comic from Holden. Both are still literate, information heavy and wryly funny but there’s an honest, sincere sweetness to this one in particular that I really responded to.

Alasdair Stuart

I think this would be a great book to press into the hands of Pagan teenagers. It balances substantial content with readability, and it covers a lot of ground. Then borrow it and read it yourself. It works well as an introduction to folklore from around the world and is likely to lead a person to want to know more. It’s more of a gateway drug than everything you need to know about folklore.

Nimue Brown

Go to Liminal11.com ->>>

FASCINATING FOLKLORE

Crafted by the masterful minds of two comic world luminaries, John Reppion and PJ Holden, Fascinating Folklore began as a creative pact between friends, but it swiftly blossomed into an extraordinary compendium, showcasing the magic of folklore like never before.

Order nowThe post Fascinating Folklore – a Compendium of Comics and Essays – book reviews first appeared on moorereppion.

Iron Maiden: Piece Of Mind Graphic Novel from Z2 Comics

IRON MAIDEN: PIECE OF MIND

IRON MAIDEN AND Z2 JOIN FORCES FOR THE ULTIMATE CELEBRATION OF THE SEMINAL ALBUM PIECE OF MIND. UNLOCK A MASTERCLASS OF STORY, ILLUSTRATION AND DESIGN.

THIS COLLECTOR’S VOLUME FEATURES CONTRIBUTIONS FROM BRUCE DICKINSON, BAND MANAGER, ROD SMALLWOOD AND AN ALL-STAR CAST OF CREATORS

ORDER NOW

Moore & Reppion are thrilled to announce that we scripted a story for Z2 Comics’ IRON MAIDEN: PIECE OF MIND Graphic Novel anthology. Teaming up with incredible artist John Pearson, we created a story based on track 6. from the album, “Still Life“, which has always been one of my (John’s) all-time favourite ‘Maiden tracks. Not least, because the song’s lyrics have long been rumoured to have been based on Ramsey Campbell‘s 1964 short story “The Inhabitant of the Lake“. This, it turns out, is a rumour that ‘Maiden themselves do not confirm. However, we didn’t let that stop us from getting in touch with Ramsey, who we are lucky enough to know, and asking him if we could have his blessing to add a bit of Severn Valley Mythos into the mix. Which we did. So, a Moore Reppion and Pearson collaboration that’s both an Iron Maiden thing and, secretly, a bit of a Ramsey Campbell thing. Pretty much the most wonderful (and, of course, terrifying) thing ever. We really hope you love it as much as we do.

Celebrating the 40th Anniversary of the release of Iron Maiden’s 1983 masterpiece ‘Piece of Mind’

40 years have passed since the release of IRON MAIDEN’s groundbreaking fourth studio album, PIECE OF MIND. Released in 1983, Piece Of Mind was the band’s first album to enter the U.S. Billboard Top 20, peaking at #14, achieving RIAA PLATINUM Certification in the U.S. More than an album, it was a thunderous statement of intent by a band whose meteoric rise from the East End of London would thrust them into the realms of legend. This fall the metal pioneers have partnered with Z2, the award-winning publisher, to bring the multi-platinum album Piece of Mind to book form. Available Tuesday, November 21, IRON MAIDEN: PIECE OF MIND, is a stunning love letter to fans from one of the most celebrated metal bands in music history. Opening with an introduction titled “Piece of Mind at 40” by ever-present manager Rod Smallwood, this commemorative book is packed with comics, art, and testimonials from acclaimed writers, artists, actors and musicians, as a powerful celebration of the living legend that is IRON MAIDEN.

A jaw-dropping work that pushes the boundaries of print production and presentation, The Oversized Deluxe and Asylum Editions of IRON MAIDEN: PIECE OF MIND are encased in an asylum clamshell with a locking mechanism. Maiden’s iconic mascot EDDIE growls and snarls from behind the die-cut bars on the asylum doors, but the sliding bolt is designed to keep him safely confined!  However, when the reader dares to unlock the book, they will be delighted as Eddie breaks free of his chains and straitjacket!

An All-Star Team of Artists and Writers

Assembling an all-star team to create new interpretations of the most important metal album in music, Iron Maiden: Piece of Mind features original stories for each of the nine album tracks including Where Eagles Dare – written by Steven Grant (The Punisher) illustrated by Carson Thorn (Batman the Barbarian), Revelations – fittingly crafted by Bruce Dickinson with Tony Lee (Doctor Who) and illustrated by Damien Worm (The October Faction); (“Revelations” being the first track in Maiden history to be solely-credited to Dickinson), Flight of Icarus by Eisner nominee Ivan Brandon (24Seven, Viking) illustrated by Francesco Dossena (Dylan Dog), Die With Your Boots On by Emmy-winning director and screenwriter Sacha Gervasi with art by Christian Rosado, The Trooper by Antony Johnston (Atomic Blonde) illustrated by Staz Johnson (Rogue Trooper), Still Life by Leah Moore & John Reppion (Conspiracy of Ravens) painted by John Pearson (Mindset), Quest for Fire from metal authority Brian Posehn (writer, comedian, actor) with art by Michael Avon Oeming (Powers), Sun and Steel by multiple World Fantasy Award-nominee Chris Roberson (iZombie) with art by Danijel Žeželj (Luna Park), and To Tame a Land, written and illustrated by Alison Sampson (Hit-Girl). In addition, between each story, the book is packed with original pieces of art by acclaimed illustrators, including Montos, Ghoulish Gary, Steve Chanks, Jan Meininghaus, Kyle Hotz, Jay Geldhof, Darin Hazmat, Travis Knight, Akirant and Nat Jones.

The impact of Piece of Mind and Iron Maiden across the creative community is reflected by the star-studded testimonials contained within, including Simon Gallup (The Cure), Matt Bellamy (Muse), AEW legend Chris Jericho, MMA Superstar Josh Barnett, multiple Grammy®-nominee and Lifetime Achievement Award-honoree Chuck D, Grammy®-winning director Jonas Akerlund, and multiple Grammy®-nominee Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian.

Including: The Trooper cover by multiple Eisner-nominee J.G. Jones (Y: The Last Man), Asylum Edition with cover by multiple Society of Illustrators-winner Jason Edmiston, Die With Your Boots On cover by UK Iron Maiden illustrator Dan Mumford, and The Flight of the Icarus cover by Eisner-nominee Martin Simmonds (The Department of Truth) with an additional The Trooper Cutaway cover by famed poster artist Travis Knight.

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Where to find Moore & Reppion at Thought Bubble Comic Art Festival 2023

Moore & Reppion will be guests at the Thought Bubble Comic Art Festival in Harrogate, Yorkshire, on November 11th and 12th, 2023.

You can find us at table J12 in Bubbleboy Hall. We’ll be selling Fascinating Folklore, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, The Doors: Morrison Hotel, and more.

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Review: the FOPATO H98 wireless keyboard with LCD TFT screen

The lovely people at Whatgeek have very generously sent me a Fopato H98 keyboard to try out. And, following on from my recent review of the TH80-X, this is another board with its own in-built mini screen.

The Fopato H98 is a 98 key / 96% keyboard. It has a compact ANSI layout, is compatible with Windows/Mac/Android/iOS, and connects Wired via USB-C, or wirelessly via Bluetooth or 2.4G wireless (dongle stashed at the rear of the board, behind the magnetically attached LOVE & SALVATION rear panel). The three connectivity modes are switched between using a rotary knob to the right of the H98‘s 1.14 inch LCD TFT display screen. A second rotary knob to the right of the mode selector controls audio playback volume (push/click to mute/unmute).

The H98 comes in a choice of Lemon Green, Lila, and Peach Pink colourways. I got the Lemon Green, the palette of which really reminds me of a suitably autumnal Kermit the Frog…

The Kermit-coloured keycaps are made of PBT, are Double-shot UV printed, and have a nice, comfortable JSA profile.

The H98 comes equipped with TTC Speed Silver V2 switches. These are linear switches, but they’re not too soft feeling (like some linears can be) and make for a pleasant typing experience. The H98 is fully hot-swappable though so, if you wanted to switch the TTCs for any other 3 or 5-pin switches, you’d have no problem doing so.

The H98‘s plate is mounted onto the top and bottom covers using soft, cushiony gasket mounts, meaning that your typing experience is quiet and clunk-free, even if you’re hammering away at the keys.

The H98 is RGB backlit, with 20+ presets. Further customisation is available via the free-to-download Fopato software, which is also how you customise your LCD TFT screen. You can save your own gifs and images to the screen, but it also provides a handy display, telling you time, date, current backlight settings, battery level, and so on.

The H98‘s in-built 6000mAh battery will last up to 20 hours with the backlight turned on, and up to 80 hours with the backlight turned off. Now, considering that this is a 98% board and that it weighs around 1.5 kg, the H98 probably isn’t a keyboard that most people would be thinking of carrying around with them and using out and about anyway. But, for use at home or in the office, the 6000mAh battery provides plenty of hours of wireless use. There’s a simple battery on/off switch on the right side of the board, ensuring that you’re not wasting any charge.

Ultimately, the H98 looks and feels like a much higher-spec, higher-end keyboard than I originally expected it would. So many of the images online don’t do justice to just how nice it is “in person”, both aesthetically and from a tactile perspective. The metal nameplate on the underside of the board, the LOVE & SALVATION panel at its rear, and even the packaging are all extra little touches which really elevate the H98 above what I was expecting. If I had to nitpick, I would say that the rotary knobs on the H98 are the only element which didn’t feel quite as high-end as the rest of the board. It would have been really nice to have those in the same rose-gold-coloured metal as the nameplate, etc, I think. But that’s really a minor “what if”, rather than any kind of actual complaint.

As with all full-size, or near-full-size keyboards I get my hands on, I have discovered that the H98 has mysteriously migrated from my desk to that of my wife, Leah. In the office she still uses the Wombat Pine Pro, but here at home, she’s using the H98 with her laptop every day. If your co-worker actually comes and takes the keyboard from your desk, then it’s hard to come up with a better recommendation than that, really.

The FOPATO H98 LOVE & SALVATION keyboard is available from Whatgeek now for £152 GBP / $184 USD.

USE CODE: MOORE10 AT CHECKOUT TO GET AN ADDITIONAL 10% DISCOUNT The post Review: the FOPATO H98 wireless keyboard with LCD TFT screen first appeared on moorereppion.

Pre-order Fascinating Folklore

FASCINATING FOLKLORE
* A Compendium of Comics and Essays *

Crafted by the masterful minds of two comic world luminaries, John Reppion and PJ Holden, Fascinating Folklore began as a creative pact between friends, but it swiftly blossomed into an extraordinary compendium, showcasing the magic of folklore like never before.

Prepare to be captivated as the power of writing prompts dances hand in hand with PJ’s breathtaking comics, offering a sensory feast and an unparalleled pathway into the enchanting realm of folklore. Each prompt, deftly expanded by Reppion, ventures deep into the heart of every topic, unearthing rich and informative essays that leave you spellbound!

Step into this wondrous world, where “Fascinating Folklore” opens the door to a treasure trove of ancient traditions and captivating tales, forever preserving their magic in an entirely new way!

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Epomaker TH80-X keyboard

The ever-lovely people at Epomaker have sent me one of their brand-new TH80-X keyboards to try out.

The TH80-X is a 79 key / 75% keyboard. It has a condensed ANSI layout and is compatible with Win/macOS/Linux/Android/iOS. The TH80-X connects via Bluetooth (up to 5.0), 2.4GHz wireless, or wired via USB C, so that connections for up to 5 devices can be switched between easily. It also has a rotary knob to control audio volume (push/click to mute/unmute) and more. Perhaps most excitingly, it also has a mini screen. More about that later on.

The TH80-X comes in a choice of Blue/Pink or Grey/Green colourways. I got Grey/Green, which gives the board a lovely calming, naturalistic aesthetic, a little reminiscent of Mintlodica’s Magical Girl range. Keycaps are double shot ABS material, NAE profile (a custom profile, which is not a million miles away from that of the classic C64’s keys), with clean, black characters in a nice oversized, round-edged futuristic font. The overall look of the TH80-X is somewhere between a more refined, “grown-up” B21 and a more organic, less overtly sci-fi TH96. It’s a lovely-looking keyboard, striking a perfect balance between sleek and modern, and cute and calming.

The TH80-X comes with a choice of Gateron Black, Gateron Yellow, or Epomaker Flamingo switches. I got the Flamingos, which I’d previously tried and liked on the MC66. If anything I think these feel better with the TH80-X’s keycap profile. The switches are hot-swappable, meaning that they can be easily swapped out for other 3 or 5-pin switches with no need for soldering or unnecessary messing about.

The body of the TH80-X is off-white ABS, the plate is iron. It’s gasket-mounted with a silicon sandwich layer and bottom pad to (in Epomaker’s own words) “achieve an ultimate soft and smooth typing experience”. And indeed it does.

The TH80-X comes equipped with RGB backlights with all the usual options, effects, bells and whistles. Yes, I set them to a solid colour (a nice bright turquoise, which is actually “White” according to the mini screen) because I always do, and I think it really suits the overall aesthetic of the board.

The TH80-X has an impressively huge 8000mAh of in-built battery (actually two 4000mAh batteries), which means that, even with the RGB lights on, we’re talking weeks, rather than days or hours, of wireless use from a full charge. Weight-wise, the TH80-X is around 1.2 kg, so it’s just a little bit lighter than the TH96.

A pair of sturdy flip-down ABS feet at the rear of the TH80-X provide a bit of angle adjustment and, as it’s a pretty flat keyboard without, I’ve been making good use of them.

Now then, about that screen. The 1.3 X 2.3 cm full-colour LCD screen sits between the TH80-X’s control knob and Page Up key at the top right of the board. You need to download the free driver software to make proper use of the screen, and to set the time and date, etc. Once that’s sorted you’ve got yourself a neat little on-board display showing date, day, time, battery status, Win/Mac, layer, and connectivity mode.

Press Fn and the control knob together and you can switch between this screen and a static image or animated gif of your choosing. More about that in a moment. Once you’ve selected which of these you’d like as your main screen, you can use the knob to scroll through other menu options: photo/gif, lights, RGB colour, (RGB) brightness, (RGB effect) speed, OS mode, and layer (for Macros, which I don’t use or fully understand, sorry). All of these can then be easily adjusted and tweaked accordingly using the control knob, with the screen displaying the values.

So, how do you get your images onto the TH80-X’s screen? Opening the software, the quickest and easiest way to find and get images is to click on Share Pictures. There you can scroll through a huge library of gifs which other users have created and shared. These aren’t searchable using search terms, however, and they are not categorised nor filtered for adult or NSFW content, so that’s something to be aware of. Yes, you can definitely find that cute Pokemon or Studio Ghibli gif you’re looking for (if you look through enough pages), but you’re also going to see some much less family-friendly stuff in the process.

Another option is to upload your own images or gifs to Sketchpad in the software. You can even edit or create new gifs a frame at a time. If you’re feeling especially pleased with your creation and want to share it with the world, you can upload it to the library for other TH80-X users to enjoy.

Ultimately, the TH80-X’s screen adds a nice little extra bit of customisation to an already impressive keyboard, Even without the option to display your own choice of image, it’s a functional, and genuinely useful addition.

The TH80-X really is what you make it: It can be the sleek, sophisticated office keyboard that blends in with a chilled modern muted pastel aesthetic, it can be the swirling rainbow RGB gaming board with a stroboscopic gif blinking away on its screen, and it can be pretty much everything in between. The choice is yours.

The TH80-X is available for pre-order from Epomaker for $99.99 USD.

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Fascinating Folklore on Comicon.com

It all comes from Reppion and Holden’s Folklore Thursday strips, published through 2019 and 2020. They take so many different aspects of folklore, British, Irish, and global, and give us wonderful little strips to explain them, to fascinate us, to intrigue us. It was great on Twitter, it’s looking even better here in this new collection.
The folklore explored goes all the way back in history, the sorts of things deep-rooted into our cultural and societal psyche, and also goes deep into modern folklore.

https://www.comicon.com/2023/08/29/dont-myth-this-previewing-john-reppion-and-pj-holdens-fascinating-folklore/

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Fascinating Folklore on comicbook.com

Just in time for World Folklore Day, we’re very proud to reveal the first look at Fascinating Folklore.

The all-star team of John Reppion and PJ Holden have created a one-of-a-kind trip through the world of folklore in Liminal 11’s Fascinating Folklore: A Compendium of Comics and Essays

“Step into the mesmerising world of ‘ Fascinating Folklore: A Compendium of Comics and Essays ,’ a groundbreaking project ignited by the ever-popular #folklorethursday hashtag. Crafted by the masterful minds of two comic world luminaries, John Reppion and PJ Holden, this endeavour began as a creative pact between friends, but it has swiftly blossomed into an extraordinary compendium,
showcasing the magic of folklore like never before.”

Fascinating Folklore: A Compendium of Comics and Essays will retail for $21.99 and is scheduled to be released in November.

You can find more information on Liminal 11 on Twitter and Instagram.

See the full preview at comicbook.com The post Fascinating Folklore on comicbook.com first appeared on moorereppion.