The Audio File: A Fox’s Guide to Deurbanisation

I’m back with another requested review. This one has talking foxes, rediscovering roots, and even a bit of chicken korma. So, without further ado, let’s get into it. We’re taking a look at A Fox’s Guide to Deurbanisation. 

Rusty is a fox that has lived in London his entire life. He and his friends get by scavenging food from rubbish bins. Chicken korma is their favorite. But lately, Rusty has grown disillusioned with urban life. His mom died from asthma caused by the smog and pollution, and his dad got run over by a taxi. Rusty’s dad was from the countryside before he met Rusty’s mom and moved to the city. Rusty wants to get back to nature and reconnect with his rural roots. Well, he hasn’t really experience true wilderness before. Still, he’s going to find the forest his dad grew up in, and reconnect with his estranged family. How hard can it be? And he’s going to record it all as part of a podcast he’s making.

This was another audio drama I received a request to review. Series creator Lisa Emily Petersen emailed me requesting a review. It took a while, between my day job at the Shreveport Aquarium, working on The Books of Thoth, and working on the new season of Residents of Proserpina Park. But I finally managed to get around to listening to A Fox’s Guide to Deurbanisation.

The audio drama this most reminds me of is Lights Out. They’re both dramdies that follow casts of semi-anthropomorphic animals. That is, the characters physically look like regular animals, but mentally, they’re basically human. And get into human-like shenanigans, with a animal coat of paint. Lights Out is a true gem of an audio drama, and I was delighted to find an audio drama that reminded me of it.

Amusingly, there is a kernel of truth to A Fox’s Guide to Deurbanisation. Scientists have observed some foxes adapting to life in urban areas. In fact, some scientists believe we’re witnessing the birth of a new subspecies of red foxes. These urban foxes are smaller on average. Easier to blend in and hide that way. And they primarily subsist by scavenging scraps of human food. Though, no word on whether they consider chicken korma superior to other curries. Also, as far as we know, none of these foxes have figured out how to create podcasts.

In some ways, this audio drama feels like an analogy for the experiences of diaspora kids. Children of immigrants grow up hearing stories about their parents’ homelands. It isn’t uncommon for them to wonder if the grass might be greener in the lands of their ancestors. Of course, it's also far from uncommon for them to discover that their parents’ countries have plenty of issues of their own. That, and these diaspora children discover they aren’t always welcomed with open arms, or automatically considered a member of the tribe.

I also see some parallels to…well, people experience a quarter life crisis, I suppose, but even that doesn’t feel quite right. The type who will convert to a new religion, like Buddhism or Paganism, and advocate getting back to nature and living in harmony with Mother Earth. Okay, Rusty isn’t quite that hippie dippie. The point being, they’re the type to take up farming, or living off the land, only to discover that it's actually much harder than they expected. 

A particularly tragic example of this was Christopher Johnson McCandless. He decided to try living off the land in the Alaskan bush. He was constantly starving, he couldn’t get back to civilization because he miscalculated the flooding of the river, refused to use a map and then probably starved to death. Though, some people think he accidentally ate a poisonous plant. 

On a brighter note, one of the major themes of A Fox’s Guide to Deurbanisation is that people are often more than they seem. Characters are frequently introduced in a way that paints them as one note, and often in a very unflattering light. However, later on it will turn out that they have hidden depths. People, and foxes, are complex and multifaceted.

Now, let’s talk about the characters. Rusty, of course, is our protagonist, and host of the in-universe podcast. We never find out how exactly he’s able to operate all of that podcast equipment without opposable thumbs or flexible digits. But details, details. He’s still the number one fox podcast creator. He’s also the only podcast creator who is also a fox, but hey, less competition. Rusty has high hopes for his journey into the wilderness. Suffice it to say, reality hits him like an eighteen wheeler and top speed.

Most of Rusty’s friends think he’s completely crazy out his head. However, he does have one supporter: his best friend Finnick. Get it, like a fennec fox. Anyway, Finnick initially seems like he's the typical best friend character. That is, always supporting Rusty, and having everything about him revolve around Rusty. However, Finnick has more of a spine to him. Rust and Finnick fall head over heels for Amber the Sexy Fox. And yes, that is how she’s listed in the show credits. She’s the most beautiful vixen either of them has either seen. 

Naturally, they have a slap-off. Apparently, that’s a thing foxes actually do to establish dominance. Finnick wins, and he had earlier advocated to Amber should be the one to pick which of them she wants. Nice foxes, it would seem, do not finish last. Of course, we later learn that Amber is into polyamory, so the point is a bit moot. But it was funny to listen to Rusty having to be kept up all night by Finnick and Amber…making baby foxes.

Yeah, despite the premise involving talking animals, A Fox’s Guide to Deurbanisation is not a kids show. Nor is it appropriate for kids. Besides the sex scene, there’s a bit of swearing, references to affairs, and references to alcohol. All well and good, but I do have to ding them in one regard. During the “not for kids” warning we are advised to keep our cubs out of the den. While this is technically acceptable, the more common name for a juvenile fox is kit. Though, points for having Rusty refer to himself as a tod, one of the terms for a male fox.

And another point for having Lucy the Canada Goose sing the sea shanty “Heave Away.” In my day job at Shreveport Aquarium, I will occasionally play the role of Captain Bones the Pirate. Sometimes, to get the kids excited, I’ll get them to do a pirate dance while I sing sea shanties. “Heave Away” is one of my go-to’s. Though, at times Lucy kind of sounded…well, back when Hugh Laurie was best known for A Bit of Fry and Laurie, his attempts to imitate an American accent were a bit off. Like, it was clearly American, but didn’t sound like any of the American regional accents. In fact, at times he sounded a bit constipated. Lucy kind of sounded like that to me, minus the constipation.

I also loved Fitzgerald the Cat. He was a lovable rouge who helped Rusty get out of several jams. I enjoyed the scene where he introduces Rusty to the wonders of wine, and tells him that humans engage in cannibalism every Sunday. They should probably not have been drinking that, given that wine is highly toxic to cats and foxes. Then again, in large enough quantities, it is to humans too. And based on a throw away line, foxes like to eat chocolate, another toxic substance, to get high. In fact, Rusty and his ex-girlfriend were going to move in behind the M&M store. So, uh, yeah, Rusty dodged a bullet on that one.

So, once Rusty makes it to the countryside he has to deal with fox hunters. I know that it is possible to obtain guns in Britain, but significantly harder than in America. For example, in British crime shows, a suspect using a gun is incredibly shocking. In American crime shows…it’s a pretty typical Thursday.

Now, obviously, Rusty reconnects with his family. However, that’s going to be part of the spoilers section. So, if you don’t want any of that, turn back now.

Last chance, sure you want to continue?

Okay, with that out the way, let's get into it.

Rusty’s country cousins are an eclectic bunch. We’ve got his Aunt Hillary. She drinks a bit too much, and she’s having an affair with a badger. But she seems reasonably…decent, I suppose. Then there are his cousins Cricket and Minnow. They consider literal dog shit to be the height of cuisine. He does have another cousin named Flint who shares his love of podcasting. Flint practically worships the ground Rusty walks on. And then we have Elder Estelle. She’s the oldest fox in the area. Why, she just turn four not to long ago. Wait, if four is considered old, how old is Rusty supposed to be?

And rounding out the group is Uncle Graham. Graham is very surly and a bit of a curmudgeon. You see, long ago he loved a beauty vixen. And he even won the slap off for her paw. Unfortunately, she was a foodie, and the other fox wooed her with some delicious chicken korma. The two of them ran off to London together, and Graham never forgave his brother for stealing his girl.

Surprise! Rusty’s mom was the vixen that came between Uncle Graham and Rusty’s dad. And that’s why Graham taught everyone in his clan to shun delicious chicken korma, and embrace literal dog shit. Granted, the fact that his wife is having an affair with a badger probably doesn’t help.

So, yeah, we started off with fish out of water humor, and we end with family drama, but still comedy. And it all still works.

I enjoyed the scene where Rusty tells off his family for looking down on him for his city ways. I’ve had similar issues with my own family not understanding my interests. And yes, that includes both creating and reviewing audio dramas, and my work with the aquarium.

But it was nice he was able to patch things up with everyone in the end. It was especially amusing that Amber’s slightly hippie-ish methods worked. Just talking things out and using I statements. For example, instead of saying “You’re a dickhead” say instead “I feel that you’re a dickhead.” Actually, that’s not how that’s supposed to work, and Amber says as much, but it was funny that they actually went with that joke.

I also love how the audio drama ends. After everyone has made up we are treated to the sounds of the forest, which transitions to the sounds of the city. The message being that home isn’t a physical place. It’s wherever the people who love you and care about you are. And, you know, having access to chicken korma doesn’t hurt.

So, there you have it. A Fox’s Guide to Deurbanisation is a fun, lighthearted audio drama about a city fox trying to reconnect with his rural roots. It’s got humor, heart, and a cast of fluffy red foxes. Listen to it today, preferably with some chicken korma on hand.

Well, I think that should do from me for now. I will see you guys next time.

Flag of the Federation of Patagonia

This is the flag of the Federation of Patagonia. It comes from a world where Britain conquered Argentina and Uruguay in the early 19th Century. Patagonia is a highly developed nation, and is often referred to as the Canada of the Southern Hemisphere. Patagonia also includes part of southern Chile. Chile has never forgiven Patagonia for annexing this land. Though, this occurred during the days of direct British rule. The Falkland Islands are considered indisputably Patagonian territory. 

Like Canada, Patagonia is the result of the bending of two European peoples. In this case, British and Spanish. However, also like Canada, said people have historically had their tensions.

Northern Patagonia has historically been the heart of Hispanic culture. Meanwhile, Southern Patagonia has historically been majority Anglo. The name Patagonia used to refer to the region that became the southern provinces, but grew to refer to the nation as a whole. The ruling Anglos felt that Argentina and Plata were too Spanish for their taste. Hispanic Patagonians were pushed further and further north for much of the 19th Century. In fact, Buenos Aires and Montevideo used to be majority English-speaking cities. Though, Spanish speakers still accounted for a healthy forty percent of Buenos Aires and Montevideo’s population. Patagonia also experienced far less Italian immigration than Argentina did in our world. Catholic Italians weren’t eager to move to a colony of Protestant Britain. Subsequently, Patagonian Spanish has much less Italian influence than Argentina Spanish of our world. The northern provinces, initially, tended to be poorer than their southern counterparts.

Things would begin to shift starting in the 20th Century. Industry began to invest in the northern provinces of Patagonia. The influx of industry lead to an increase in wealth among Hispanic Patagonians. Several baby booms occurred during this time, ensuring that Hispanic culture would survive in Patagonia. Hispanic Patagonians made major political gains in the Patagonian parliament. Bilingualism became official government policy starting in the 1950s. Packaging is required to be printed in both English and Spanish, signs are printed in both languages, and all government documents are printed in both of the official languages. There are also numerous Spanish-language schools and universities, though most are located in the Hispanic-majority northern provinces.

Patagonia remains culturally divided among geographic lines. However, tensions have relaxed between Anglo Patagonians and Hispanic Patagonians. Patagonia is also home to immigrants from throughout the world, and prides itself on being a refuge for those seeking better lives. Patagonia has a friendly rivalry with Canada. Canada is referred to by Patagonians, with tongue planted firmly in cheek, as the Patagonia of the Northern Hemisphere.

The flag was officially adopted in the 1970s. Prior to that, Patagonia used a British Red Ensign. Care had to be taken, when designing the new flag, not to favor Anglos or Hispanics. The colors evoke the landscape of Patagonia. The white represents the snow-capped mountains, while the ice blue represents the glaciers. The shape is meant to evoke the textile work of Indigenous Patagonians. The three guanacos were chosen as a symbol beloved by Patagonians of all cultures. In fact, the guanaco is the official mammal of Patagonia.

Flag of the United Republic of Great Britain

This is the flag of the United Republic of Great Britain. It comes from a world where Britain, France, and the Ottomans lost the Crimean War. Things first diverged from our world when Russia convinced Austria to ally with them. Russia and Austria quickly routed the Ottomans in the Balkans. From there, it was a straight shot to Istanbul. Britain and France did their best to defend the city, but it soon fell to Russian and Austrian forces. This was the major turning point for the war. It wasn’t long after this that Britain and France sued for peace with Russia.

Russia gained Istanbul, which it renamed Constantinople. The influx of wealth following the war meant that Russia never sold Alaska to America. Winning the war also meant the Russia now had direct access to the Black Sea and the Mediterranean Sea. Austria now stood as the dominate power in Central Europe. Among other things, this meant that Germany and Italy never unified.

Things were not good for Britain following the war. The British public had never been supportive of the war, and the humiliating defeat only solidified that resolve. So many had needlessly died, and for what? British citizens began to wonder if they might be better off without the monarchy. Whispers of revolution and revolt filled the streets. The government began to crack down on dissenters, but that just made things worse. Before long, a second civil war had broken out in Britain. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, along with several of their supporters, fled to Australia when it became clear that the Republicans were gaining the upper hand. Canada had been ruled out due to its proximity to the United States. The monarchy feared that the United States might sympathize with the revolutionaries, and the possibility of an American invasion of Canada was considered too great a risk.

Once the dust settled, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland no longer existed. In its place now stood the United Republic of Great Britain. Ireland had used the chaos of the second civil war to declare independence from Britain. Several provinces of India had also used the political turmoil in Britain to gain their independence. Still, the United Republic remained optimistic about its future.

America did indeed become a staunch ally of the United Republic. The United Republic intervened on behalf of the Union during the American Civil War. The United Republic has formed an alliance with France to combat the Holy Alliance. It is an alliance of Russia and Austria, with Greece as a minor member, that aims to stop the spread of liberalism and secularism.

The United Republic prides itself on promoting democracy and liberalism throughout the world. However, that doesn’t mean they’re averse to colonialism. In fact, the United Republic often justifies its colonial ambition by claiming to spread these ideals to other nations. Early on, they did get into scuffles with the United Kingdom-in-Exile over the remnants of the British colonial empire. However, at present, both nations have come to an agreement over where the colonial boarders lie. The United Republic naturally got the lion’s share of the colonies.

The flag contains the red, white, and green bands of the British Republic flag. It also contains a coat of arms with representation of the three constituent nations. The St. George’s Cross of England, the St. Andrew’s Cross of Scotland, and the St. David’s Cross of Wales.

The Alt-Hist File: Brass

There are plenty of times that I see an audio drama via Apple Podcasts' recommendations or on social media. However, if you've been reading this blog for a while, you'll know that sometimes it takes a while before get around to these shows. Of course, there are times when I receive motivation to check these shows out. A major source of that being when I'm asked to review them. Such is the case with the audio drama we'll be reviewing today. We're taking a look at Brass.

Brass is a steampunk audio drama that that begins in the year 1885. Ah, but not the 1885 of our world. The world of Brass is home to numerous steam-powered mechanical marvels. The British Empire still rules the waves, and much of the world, but it is a more socially progressive empire. It is watched over by the Brass family. They are family of adventurers and crime fighters. Lord Benjamin Brass is a brilliant inventor and man of science. Lady Madleyn Brass is a crack detective who can easily rival Sherlock Holmes himself. Just don't mention him in her presence. Their son Cyril Brass is a master of martial arts and swordplay. Their daughter Gwendolyn is a mistress of disguise and a master actress.

The Brass family has just returned from another of their adventures, but all is not well. Sinister forces, led by the notorious villain the Crime Minster, are conspiring against the British Empire. The First Family of the Realm must draw upon all their wits and cunning, and their many allies, to save the empire they love for queen and country.

I was first asked to review Brass by series creator John Longenbaugh, who acts as the narrator for the series, and is also the head writer and producer. He'd seen my review of Red Moon over on the Audio Drama Lovers group on Facebook, and correctly guessed that I'm into alternate history. I said I'd be happy to, after I attended to We Fix Space Junk, and few other obligations and personal projects. So, here we are at last.

I can best describe Brass as a steampunk superhero show. It has a very The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen meets The Fantastic Four vibe to it. We've got a family of four individuals who each have their own special talents, and who are well known as crime fighters and adventurers. They also live in an alternate history steampunk world complete with several public domain characters, or those closely modeled on public domain characters.

Brass began life as a pitch for a television series, but it was never able to get off the ground. Undeterred, John adapted his ideas into a short film, and later a stage play. Not long after this, John decided to expand his idea into an audio drama podcast. This legacy of theatrical productions is most evident in the first season. From what John tells me, he began as a playwright, and theatre is the medium he's most comfortable writing in. The first season production is fairly barebones. No music or sound effects, other than the opening music. The actors perform their lines the lemony narrator, played by John, sets the scene at the opening and during scene transitions. He also does a brief "how will our heroes escape this" monologue at the end of each episode to entice the listeners to tune-in next time. This gives the impression of being a recording of a stage performance. Though, it was also pretty obvious that the team hadn't quite gotten the hang of making audio drama yet.

Midway through season two, however, this begins to change. First off, we got new opening theme music. Whereas the old music was a soft piano piece, the new music is bombastic trumpets that practically sing with the sound of adventure. We also get actual music and sound effects added into the episodes. This trend continues into seasons three and four, which are stronger still. It is clear that, by this point, the production team got more comfortable working with the medium of audio drama. They used these new found talents to give us an excellent audio drama.

Okay, now let's talk about the world of Brass. As should be obvious by this point, it is a world of mechanical steam-powered marvels. Apparently, this is partially due to the rise of new British political called the Technocrat Party. They were founded by Lord Byron, who went on to become Prime Minister. In fact, he's considered one of the greatest prime ministers of the world of Brass. His poetry is but a distant footnote to his political career. Meanwhile, Jules Verne is an Elon Musk style inventor, and has created . Robur the Conqueror prowls the skies aboard the Albatross, and Captain Nemo charts the seas aboard the Nautilus.

The British Empire still rules much of the world, but it is a more socially progressive empire, in addition to being more technologically progressive. There is talk of granting dominion status to Ireland and India. Brass where the worst excess of British imperialism were blunted, if not outright avoided. As for the imperialism of other European powers, well, we'll get to that soon enough.

Moving along, Britain seems to be more open minded about homosexuality. We see that Oscar Wilde is still producing plays. Cyril also openly lusts after several male characters, but never show in concern about hiding his sexuality, nor does he fear getting thrown in jail. The rise of the Technocrat Party, along with Prince Albert still being alive, has contributed to British society being more open-minded and less ridged.

Queen Victoria is still doing quite well, and so is Prince Albert. Oh, they had a bit of a scare in 1861, but the doctors were able to save him, and now...well, he's not in perfect health, but the important thing is he's still alive. This is a sharp contrast to our world, where Albert died in 1861. His death was a major blow to Victoria, who wore widow's weeds for the rest of her life. In the world of Brass, with Albert being alive, Victoria is in much better spirits.

Of course, the world outside the British Isles has also changed. The Opium War still occurred, but it ended much quicker, and still in Britain's favor. However, this turned out to be a blessing in disguise for China. Following the war, China enacted a series of reforms and successfully modernized. China also seems to have a fairly good relationship with Britain. In fact, Chinese youths are often sent to universities in Britain to learn about engineering and other subjects.

Across the Atlantic, the South won the American Civil War. As of 1886, slavery is still alive and well in the Confederate States of America. Though, they are also referred to as the Southern States of America, so I'm not sure what their actual name is, but I'll say Confederate States for simplicity's sake. Blacks don't have it much better in the United States. Many whites blame blacks for the war at ruined the Union, and black still face discrimination in the Union. As such, many blacks have opted to move to Liberia to build a society based on the ideals of what the United States were supposed to be. As of 1886, Liberia is major technological power, and a major player in the fight against slavery.

This is much better than how Liberia fared in our world. Liberia was founded by an organization called The American Colonization Society to serve as a homeland for freed slaves. This is why the Liberians flag resembles the American flag so closely. Unfortunately, the fledgling nation didn't get much support for America after its establishment. Moreover, American Blacks didn't get along very well with the native African Blacks. It was pretty much colonialism, except that everyone involved was black.

Moving back to the world of Brass, let's talk more about Africa. The Scramble for Africa still happened, but the European powers tried to be more humane and humanitarian in their colonization efforts. Emphasis on tried. The International African Association and the International Association of the Congo sought to introduce the wonders to modern science and technology to the peoples of Africa. Well, that's what they claimed. Both organizations existed in our world, and were headed by King Leopold II of Belgium. However, also like in our world, it was all a smokescreen so that Leopold could turn the Congo into his personal rubber plantation.

Britain, France, and Germany all wanted the Congo, but it ultimately went to Belgium because they were small and wouldn't upset the balance of power. Leopold then turned the Belgian Congo into a giant rubber plantation fueled by slavery and inhumane cruelty. Congolese who failed to produce enough rubber got their hands chopped off. Children as young as five were subject to getting their hands chopped off. If a white person shot a black person, they were expected to cut off one of the black's hands as proof. Severed hands were practically currency for the Belgian Congo. This is the land that inspired Joseph Conrad's famous novel Heart of Darkness. By the time Belgian rule ended at least one-fifth of the Congo's population had been slaughtered.

A tragedy and a massive human rights abuse, and not as well-known as it ought to be. Partially this is because Leopold's supporters made a point of destroying any evidence that might paint him in an unflattering light. So, I appreciate that Brass acknowledges the tragedy of the Belgian Congo. Oh, and guess who else was involved in both The International African Association and the International Association of the Congo? Why, Lord Brass, of course. To be fair, he didn't know it was all a scam, and he feels deep guilt and remorse for his involvement.

All very interesting stuff, and excellent worldbuilding. Okay, so enough history lessons, let's talk characters. I like the Brass family well enough. I like them, but I can't help but feel that they come across as just a tad vanilla compared to the more colorful side characters. For example, we've got Ponder Wright the cyborg detective, and Dan Abraham the Jewish martial arts master. There's also Tuknor, Lord of the Apes, whose real name is Lord Whitestone. He's seems a lawyer-friendly version of Tarzan, who's copyright status is the subject of much debate. For reference, Tarzan's real name was Lord Greystroke. Though, from what John tells me, this isn't necessarily the case. There were several other lords of the jungle besides Tarzan. So, perhaps it is best to view Tuknor as a cousin of sorts to Tarzan. Ponder and Tuknor were my favorite characters, and I was very happy they even got a few episodes where it was just the two of them together. I loved Tuknor's deliberately stilted and overly formal way of speaking.

Towards the later portion of season four we are introduced a team of freedom fighting pilots called the Lincoln Brigade. They're headquarters is in New York City, fight for freedom and fight against the horrors of Confederate slavery. They're comprised of a Liberian mechanic, who used to be a slave in the Confederacy, a woman from the Union, and a white woman from the Confederacy. That last one isn't as out there as it might seem. There were several Southerners who opposed secession most famously, the Free State of Jones in Jones County, Mississippi. New Orleans was also home to a society of Southerners opposed to secession. Though, I'm not sure they'd name themselves after Lincoln. Unless he got assassinated sooner than in our world, he'd be remembered as the president who lost the Civil War. The name the Lincoln Brigade is a nod to the American volunteers who fought for the Spanish Republic in the Spanish Civil War.

If the creators of Brass ever consider spin-offs, I hope they make one about the Lincoln Brigade. John likes the idea, but worries that he isn't the right person for it. He says he'd rather hand the reigns over to a black creators. So, if you're black and involved in audio drama, maybe consider messaging Battleground Productions. I'm sure they'd love to hear from you.

I also hope that we might possibly get one about Ponder and Tuknor having adventures together. But most of all I would hope we'd get one about the Brass family having adventure around the world. That was one of my biggest complaints about Brass. We frequently get old about all the many adventures the Brass family has had around the world, but we never get to see any of it. You could have an episode now and again that could be a flashback to a past adventure. If you really needed, add a framing device to help tie it into the theme of the storyline in the present. For example, instead of having Lord Brass tell us about his shameful role in the colonization of Africa, make and flashback episode and show it.

I will say that I liked that Lord Brass wasn't born into nobility. He was a commoner, but he earned a title of nobility thanks to his work in science and engineering. In fact, he's a Peer of the Realm. That's the highest title of nobility anyone in British society can attain. The only higher title of nobility is that of the ruling Royal Family.

Okay, so let's talk about the villain. The Crime Minister is the lead of all the villains and criminals in Britain. He has a man working for him within the British government. Lord Trent is the public face, but the Crime Minister is the one calling the shots. Trent is a member of the Conservative Party and manages to get elected Prime Minister. He claims that Britain's problems due to foreign influences such as Jews, Muslims, the Irish, and other immigrants. He pledges to Make the British Empire Great Again. Brass began production during the twilight of the Obama years. John has said that, while he did get the idea of progressive heroes fighting against reactionary villains after Trump was elected, Trent isn't meant to be directly based off of Donald Trump.

I will say I like the reasoning for the Crime Minister's schemes. He believes that progress is driven by chaos and strife. Thus, to advance the march of technology and science, he must sow discord and discontent. Technically speaking, he isn't too far off the mark. Technology did see several leaps forward during and following World War I and World War II. You could even argue, to an extent, that the same held true for the American Civil War. Then, of course, there's the Cold War. While it wasn't a war in the convention all sense, the principal holds true.

Trent, and by extent the Crime Minister, want to...make Britain more like it was in the 19th Century of our world. Britain under Trent is supposed to be oppressive, but it didn't sound any different than what our world's Britain was like in 1885. This brings me to a point I made earlier. One of my biggest complaints about Brass is that it often ran afoul of show, don't tell. We are told that Britain is oppressive, we are told that it is a grim time for minorities, we told but are hardly ever shown. Dan Abraham says that anti-Semitism is on the rise, and that Jews are being attacked, but we never see that. It easily fixable. Just have a few scenes where we hear the sounds of angry rioters, and maybe have them shout some mildly racist slurs or slogans.

John tells me that he keep thing deliberately limited as a personal stylistic choice. More power to him, he's free to make his audio drama as he pleases. Still, I can't help but feel that Brass might have benefited from doing a bit more showing, rather than telling.

On a related note, there is a part where it is mentioned that Prince Dakkar has pledged his services to help the Brasses and their allies overthrow the Crime Minister. You probably know Dakkar better as Captain Nemo from 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. It does make since that he'd ally with the Brass family. In the Mysterious Island it is revealed that Nemo was a prince from India who lost his family during the Sepoy Mutiny. So, he'd be concerned about how the Crime Minster's policies would affect India. However, he never gets an on-screen appearance. This was, I would say, a pretty big missed opportunity. At one point, Lord Brass mentions that he's just returned from lunch with Nemo. It would have been nice to have seen that, rather than told it. John says he did so to keep things suspenseful for the audience.

While we're on the subject, let's talk about some other things that didn't work. Apparently, Nikola Tesla has moved to Britain and become an apprentice to Lord Brass. Lord Brass mentions how much better Tesla is than that mean old Thomas Edison. Edison gets an undeserved bad reputation. He was aggressive with his patens, but that was because he got screwed over early in his career. Meanwhile, Tesla supported eugenic and advocated sterilizing poor people and minorities. Say what you will about Edison, at least he didn't support eugenics. In fact, Tesla would be far more likely to be working for the Crime Minister. Now, I must be fair. Brass is hardly the most egregious alternate history in this regard. Edison is only mentioned in one scene. I just really don't like it when alternate histories poo-poo Edison while ignoring Tesla's flaws.

Then we have Father Reynard. He's a Jesuit priest that Cyril is attached to. Apparently, the Catholic Church is very displeased with how Trent's government is persecuting Catholics, Jews, Muslims, and other minorities. What a load of bullshit. Obviously, the Vatican would care about Catholics, but I know for a fact that the 19th Century Catholic Church wouldn't care about Jews and Muslims. If anything, they'd be ecstatic about Trent's policies. In 1886, the Catholic Church still had the blood libel on the books. It was the belief that Jews used the blood of Christians for their religious rituals. They also believed that the Jews were the ones responsible for Jesus getting crucified, and thus that Jews were the scum of the Earth. Oh, and the blood libel didn't get repealed until the Vatican II consul in 1965.

As for Reynard himself, well, Brass was starting with a handicap there. I attended Catholic middle school and Catholic high school. As a result, I have an absolute rock bottom opinion of the Catholic Church and its employees. As far as I'm concerned, the only good priest is a dead priest, and the Church is the world's oldest racket. Didn't help that my high school was folded by Jesuits, which is the order Reynard belongs to. I kept secretly wishing that Reynard would get killed, or at the very least seriously injured, by the villains. Still, he was absent from big climax. I suppose I should be thankful for small mercies. But I still say the part where he insisted on sneaking into Britain in a barrel was needlessly stupid. Reynard claims it would be wrong to lie. I'm fairly certain the Catholic Church is okay with lying when your life is in immediate danger. Now, I must be fair. I don't want sound like I'm picking on Brass in particular here. Still, I hope by now it should be clear why I don't have any love for Reynard. Maybe the Catholic Church is more progressive in the world of Brass, but I'm just too cynical to buy that.

Now, I don't want to get too negative here. Despite these flaws, the team behind Brass still managed to put out a reasonably solid show that I very much enjoyed.

Moving on to more positive things, overall, I found that the voice actors did an excellent job. The actors who played the Brass family were a bit rough at first. It was pretty clear they were Americans attempting to fake British accents. That having being said, they got better as time went on, and it was less noticeable. I will add that the rest of the cast had very good British accents. Yes, that includes John. Though, I suspect that some of them were played by British actors. Tuknor speaks with a deliberately stilted and overly formal American accent, which I though worked quite well. I also liked how Ponder has a slight static hiss to his speech, and sounds like he's playing off of a recording. It underscores his cyborg nature. The only real sore spot was Dan Abraham. He speaks in a stereotypically Eastern European accent, even though he's supposed to have lived in Britain for his entire life. Though, in fairness, there are several Jewish neighborhoods in London where the residents do indeed still speak with Eastern European accents.

Brass ran for four seasons of about ten episodes each. The ending wraps-up all the plot threads neatly, but also leaves open the possibility for future adventures. I'd certainly be open for more adventures, but I'd hope we'd get to explore the world outside of the British Isles. One of my biggest complaints about steampunk audio drama is that they seem to be under the impression that the British Isles were the only place of note during the Victorian Era. I would very much like to think that Brass could avoid this pitfall in any future spin-offs. Also, from what John tells me, the team behind Brass are still attempting to get it adapted as a television series. We shall have to see how that pans out.

So, there you have it. Brass is a steampunk proto-superhero adventure audio drama. Despite a bit of a rough start, and a few flaws here and there, it goes on to be an excellent audio drama, and one I happy recommend to all of you. Give it a listen today.

Well, I think that should do it from me for now. I will see you guys next time.

 

Flag of Isla Blanca

This is the flag of Isla Blanca.  It comes from a world where the Spanish Armada was slightly more successful than in our world.  Though it failed to conquer England, the armada to manage to capture the Isle of Wight.  Due to a mistranslation, the island was renamed Isla Blanca, or White Island in English.  Isla Blanca proved to be an invaluable strategic location for the Spanish.  Owing to its close proximity to the British Isles, the Spanish were able to use Isla Blanca to keep the British in check.  As a result of this, Gibraltar remains firmly under Spanish control. 

Over the years, the Britain has made many attempts to regain Isla Blanca from Spain.  For example, when Isla Blanca's constitution was being written in the late 20th Century, it was stated that it could not seek independence from both Britain and Spain.  Shortly after that, a referendum was held to decide Isla Blanca fate.  The options were continued union with Spain, union with Britain, or having both nations share joint custody of Isla Blanca.  The people of Isla Blanca overwhelmingly voted to remain part of Spain.  Several other referendums have been held over the years, but the result is always the same, much to Britain's chagrin.

In terms of culture, it is often said that the people of Isla Blanca are more Spanish than even the Spanish themselves.  Recently, following Spain's decision to leave the European Union, some have wondered if Isla Blanca might waver in its loyalty.  For now, however, Isla Blanca remains fiercely loyal to Spain and proud of its Spanish culture and heritage. 

The waves on the flag represent Spain's control of the wave, and a nod to its former world-spanning empire.  Above the waves is a maroon field, representing royalty and the Spanish monarchy.  The monarchy is also referenced in the crown atop the coat of arms.  The coat of arms contains a stylization image of Isla Blanca set against a soft blue sea, as well as two fish.  The fish represent fishing, unsurprisingly, a historically important industry on Isla Blanca. 

Comic Review: Ministry of Space

I’ve been on a roll with alternate history comes lately.  In particular, with regards to realistic alternate history.  There's not too many alternate history comics that don't involve aliens of magic, so it's kind of slim pickings.  Never fear, I still managed to find a really good realistic alternate history comic to share with you guys.  Today we're taking a look at Ministry of Space, created by Warren Ellis and Chris Weston.

In the world of Ministry of Space, at the end of World War II, British soldiers were able to reach Peenemünde before American and Soviet forces.  As a result, the British were able to capture all of the German rocket scientists.  To make sure nobody else gets any of the goodies, the British proceed to bomb Peenemünde to rubble, just as a troop of American soldiers arrive.  All of this was masterminded by Air Commodore Sir John Dashwood, who convinces Winston Churchill to establish a Ministry of Space using a black budget.

The comic is told as a series of flashbacks, with a framing story set in 2001.  We get to see Britain's triumphant achievements in the final frontier.  From their first satellite, to their first manned space flight, the first mission to the Moon, the first mission to Mars and so much more.  Meanwhile, in 2001, America is trying to break into space.  They're doing this by trying to blackmail the British over the nature of the black budget that created the Ministry of Space.

Ministry of Space is one of the most famous alternate history comics out there.  In fact, it won the 2005 Sidewise Award for Best Short Form.  For those who don't know, the Sidewise Awards are an annual award that recognizes outstanding alternate history fiction.  It's basically alternate history's equivalent of The Oscars or The Hugos.  Thus far, Ministry of Space is the only comic to win a Sidewise Award.

First, let's take a moment to talk about the artwork and the designs.  The art is top of the line.  It's certainly what you might expect for something produced by Image Comics.  Of course, if there's one true star of this comic, it's the technology.  It's all very sleek and Jet Age, with a bit of British flair, of course.  Many of the vehicles and missions seen in the comic are based on actual proposals by scientists such as Wernher von Braun.  It is mentioned that Von Braun was among the scientists that the British captured, so this isn't all that surprising.  The technology really embodies that optimistic can-do attitude you see in a lot of science fiction from the 1950s and 1960s.

Now let's talk about the alternate history.  As stated above, it's in large part based on actual plans and is very optimistic...perhaps a bit too optimistic.  Let me give you a few highlights of this alternate British Space Program: breaking the sound barrier (1946), first satellite (1948), first manned spaceflight (1950), first space station (construction from 1953-1956), first mission to the Moon (1957), and first mission to Mars (1969).

This is clearly meant to be a nod to Collier's Magazine's famous Man Conquers Space series of covers, but I'm not sure how realistic it is.  Britain might have the willpower and the money, but they've also got quite a few problems.  In 1945 cities across Britain were still clearing away the rubble from the Blitz, and strict rationing was still in place.  Having a black budget is going to help, but it won't make all of the other problems magically disappear.  In fact, it will potentially make things worse.  People are gonna wonder why money is being wasted on a space program, and not on helping them.

Still, I'm willing to give it a pass.  The premise of the comic is about Britain developing a successful space program.  For the sheer awesomeness of that alone, it's all worth it.  Still, there is a slightly more pressing issue.  Towards the end of the comic it's implied that, for all its technological advances, the British Empire remains socially backwards.  There's a couple panels that show that British space stations are racially segregated, for example.  The problems is that the comic contradicts this on multiple occasions.  The leader of the first mission to Mars was a black man, and in the present, there's a Sikh man on the space station council.

It also doesn't make sense given historical precedent.  The British have always been leader when it comes to human rights.  They abolished slavery in the home isles in 1800, and in their colonies in 1833.  They were able to do this without spilling a single drop of blood.  After that, the Royal Navy spent quite a bit of time intercepting slave ships.  During their time in India, the British worked to abolish practices such as sati, aka Hindu wife-burning.  Also, many American ideals of freedom come strait from the works of British thinkers.

I'm not saying the British were always perfect.  They had their share of flaws, just like any other nation.  However, I seriously doubt they'd still have segregation in 2001 of this alternate world.  There's also the question of how the Cold War played out.  We get a few throwaway lines about America and the Soviet Union squabbling with each other, but that's about it.  The Soviets would have been set back a bit without German scientists of their own, but they still had Sergei Korolev.  Was there a very one-sided space race between the British Empire and Soviet Union?

Towards the end of the come we see that America is attempting to launch a Moon mission...using Apollo era technology.  I'll grant that NASA would have be set back quite a bit, but they wouldn't still be using Apollo tech.  Surely, they would have been able to observe British spaceplanes enough to at least come up with their own version.  That brings us to the nature of the black budget.  This is a bit of a spoiler, so turn back now if you don't wish to find out.

Okay, everyone gone who wants to be gone?  Good, let's talk black budget.

So, how did the impoverished post-war British government procure the funds to fund a space program?  Why, by looting gold and other assets from the victims of the Holocaust, of course.  Would that have realistically have been enough to fund a space program?  Well...you got me there.  Math has never really been my strong point, so I'll give that one to the comic.

Alright then, maybe the alternate history is a bit optimistic at times, but is this comic worth a read?  Yes, it absolutely is.  The Space Race has always been one of my favorite points in history.  I've always loved the idea of space traveling being more advanced than it is in our world.  I've also been intrigued with the idea of a successful manned British space program, and manned space flight in general being more widespread.  Yes, I am aware that Britain has a space program in our world, but it's only ever launched a few probes.

The comic is worth it for the great artwork alone.  As far as I'm aware, Warren Ellis has no plans to revisit Ministry of Space.  That's certainly a shame, we get some very tantalizing glimpses into this world, but it feels like there so many great stories that could be told in this world.  Still, what we got is pretty good, if a bit short.  Ministry of Space is one of the best alternate history comics out there, and it is more than worthy of your time.  

Well, I think that does it for now.  I'm off to find some more great alternate history comics to share with you guys.  I will see you all next time.  

Flag of British Korea

This is an old flag of mine that I collaborated with an internet friend to make.  It previously appear over on Alternate History Weekly Update, and now it's here on my personal blog.  So without further ado, here it is:

This is the flag of British Korea. It's from a world where it was Britain, rather than America, which convinced Japan to come out of isolation. The British had intended to add Japan to their empire, but it soon became clear this wouldn't be feasible. The British, however, had been poking around Korea, which presented a much easier target, and thus British Korea was born. Side effects of this included a Spanish-Japanese war in which Japan took the Philippines, Guam and the Marianas Islands; as well as Japanese participation in the Scramble for Africa.

British Korea was occupied by the Japanese during World War II, but the British regained it after the war. The Soviets demanded control of Northern Korea, but the British wished it to stay unified. As a compromise, British Korea remained unified while Japan was split into a Communist North and a Democratic South. Korea officially gained independence from the British in the 1970s.

Also, since I know someone will say it, British Korea is Best Korea.

Flag of Fascist Britain

This is the flag of Fascist Britain.  It comes from a world where the Central Powers won World War I.  Following the war Britain and France were placed under a series of harsh reparations just as Germany was in our world.  Britain didn't face reparations nearly as bad as France did, but nevertheless it put considerable strain on the nation.  As a result the Fascist Party, led by Oswald Mosley, began to gain traction.  The Fascist promised revenge against Germany and the Austro-Hungarians for the humiliation Britain had suffered following the war.  

A surprise terrorist attack on Parliament was the opening the Fascists needed to cement their control on the British government.  It has been speculated by historians that this attack may have been staged by the Fascists themselves; but whatever the cause it was enough for most of the British people to get behind the new government.  The Royal Family fled to Canada and set up a government-in-exile to oppose the Fascists.  

The British colonies typically had one of three responses to the coup.  Some happily swore alliance to the new government, others chose to follow the government-in-exile and a few declared their independence.  Although authoritarian, Fascist Britain wasn't outright genocidal towards minorities like France was.  For instance, there was at one point a bill in Parliament that would have severely restricted the rights of Jews, Catholics and Atheists.  Thankfully it failed, albeit just barely.  Fascist Britain can be thought of as more similar to Mussolini's Italy than Nazi Germany. 

Despite a grueling Second War World eventually the Entente powers were defeated by combined German, Austro-Hungarian, Japanese and American forces.  Before long the Mosley regime was overturned and the rightful government returned to the British Isles once again.  

The flag is a modified version of the English St. George's flag.  The black stands for Fascism and in the center is the symbol of the British Union of Fascists. 

Napoleon in Afghanistan: A Twilight Histories Map

My latest map based on the Twilight Histories episode Napoleon in Afghanistan.  It's set in the mid-19th century where among other things...



Napoleon was far more successful than he was in our world.  One of his biggest successes was his victory against the Russians.  Napoleon chased Czar Alexander and his forces across Central Asia for quite some time.  Eventually, the French army faced off against the forces of Britain and Russia in the Khyber Pass of Afghanistan.  It was a tough and gurgling battle, but ultimately the French prevails and dealt a crippling blow to the British by capturing India.  Unfortunately, Napoleon didn't get to enjoy his success for long as he contracted cancer and was dead by his mid-sixties.  Still, despite his early death, Napoleon managed to create a French Empire stretching from Portugal to Indochina.

While Napoleon was busy building his empire the United States was going through considerable turmoil.  The Embargo Act was never repealed and New England seceded from the Union.  Soon the United States found itself in a war against New England and Britain.  All went well at first, but then Thomas Jefferson was assassinated.  James Madison severely mishandled the war and caused New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania to join New England.  By the end of the war New England was recognized as a sovereign nation and the area that would have been the states of Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin Indiana and Ohio had become part of British North America.

Napoleon never wasted troops in Haiti and was able to retain Louisiana.  In recent times Louisiana has been granted a higher degree of personal autonomy, akin to the British Dominion system, as a bit of a trial run of giving other regions of the French Empire more autonomy.  Louisiana has a highly cosmopolitan culture with its citizens comes from across the French Empire.  New Orleans is very much the finical and cultural heart of Louisiana, and occupies a position not too dissimilar to New York during our world's 19th century.  There is a movement within western Louisiana to breakaway and become its own separate dominion.  Time will tell what becomes of this.

Following Russia's defeat by Napoleon many Russians, including the royal family, fled to Russia's possessions in North America.  Novorossiya has expanded to include much of the Pacific Northwest, and has opened its doors to many immigrants.  One of the most notable group of immigrants has been Mormons.  The Church of Jesus Christ and Latter-Day Saints originated in New England, but its members soon moved to Louisiana under the guidance of church founder Joseph Smith.  The Mormons sought to establish a nation of their own in sparsely populated upper Louisiana.  Unfortunately, it wasn't long before they found themselves in conflict with the French military in what would become known as the Deseret War.  Brigham Young, following Smith's death in the war, led the remaining Mormon's to southern Novorossiya.  The Russians allowed the Mormons to settle, but made it very clear they were not attempt anything like in Louisiana.  Novorossiya is culturally divided between a Russian Orthodox north and an Anglo Mormon south.

Latin America experienced several revolutions thanks to Napoleon.  Simon Bolivar received support from Napoleon and achieved his dream of a unified Republic of Gran Columbia.  Mexico is an empire that is ruled by a relative of Napoleon; on paper it's independent, but in practice it's very much a French puppet state.  The Portuguese royal family, as in our world, relocated to Brazil; Rio de Janeiro is the heart of the Brazilian Empire.  Argentina and Uruguay have fallen the British, eager for new lands following their losses to the French.  Chile has managed to maintain its independence thanks to its mountainous terrain.

Much of the Middle East is either under French control or French influence.  Oman has managed to maintain its independence by doing everything it can to suck up to the French.  Thanks to this tactic Oman has been able to begin establishing colonies in East Africa and is becoming something of a regional power.  There was a rebellion and uprising by Wahhabi Muslims against French influence in the region, but it we quickly suppressed.  Following the fall of the Ottoman Empire an Islamic Holy State was established around the region containing Mecca and Medina.  The French leave the Holy State mostly to its own devices, figuring that it's more trouble than it's worth.

The rapid expat ions of the French Empire gave China the motion it needed to being a modernization campaign.  The empire's cultural regulations were relaxed and non-Manchurians were allowed to practice their cultures more freely, which has led to an increase in the number of hanfu being made and purchased.  Industrialization programs are underway and China has even been able to negotiate for the purchase of several Philippine islands from France.  Meanwhile, Japan has opened itself up to the outside world and is also in the middle of its own industrialization.  The Japanese government has been reformed under a Meiji style restoration.  Korea is doing its best to prosper in the shade of its neighbors and is looking to start its own industrialization program.  Hawaii has managed to maintain its independence and is in the process of reforming its society along French lines.

The 19th century is without doubt a very French Century.  The French Empire reigns supreme and without challenge.  The British Empire has been thoroughly humbled and never quite became the great power that it did in our world.  For the most part the world has been relatively peaceful following Napoleon's wars of conquest.  Slavery has been phased out of most nation with the exception of the rump United States and Brazil, though the Brazilians are creating plans to do so.  Because of the size of the French Empire it is possible that Africa won't be colonized quite to the same extent as in our world.  Still, despite its success the French Empire is beginning to show strains and groan under its own weight.  It's possible that more regions will be granted greater autonomy like Louisiana.  Time will tell what will become of the world that Napoleon made.