Comic: Tara Togs - The Silence of Unicorns (2024) + Video

Original release: 2024 (Kickstarter)
Created by: Stref
Genre: Adventure, Mystery, Fantasy
Pages: 68
Publisher: ComicScene / Shift
Country: Scotland

Tara Togs began as a homage to the spirit of Tintin, carrying echoes of that classic adventure style while gradually evolving into something of its own. What started as a familiar foundation has since taken on a distinct identity, shaped beyond its original inspiration.

Created by Stref, a Scottish creator. 
The character first appeared in a short story titled Hot Dog, released through ComicScene. 

From there the project expanded into a Kickstarter campaign in 2024, which led to this first full adventure, The Silence of Unicorns.

Our story begins in Belgium in 1940 with a playful tone that carries through the opening. The humor is present from the start and establishes the world clearly. A valuable “horse” painting is introduced and quickly becomes a central focus, immediately setting up a sense of mystery.

We are then introduced to Tara in the present day in Scotland, specifically Tattiebogle, Edinburgh. She is an aspiring professional photographer, an ambition shaped by her late father, giving her a clear personal motivation from the outset. On a personal level, this connection resonated with me, reminding me of my own photography endeavors and my late father. Visually, she is defined by her distinctive appearance, particularly her twin ponytails, which evoke Pippi Longstocking.

 

The narrative follows a classic setup of being in the wrong place at the right time, where curiosity pulls Tara into situations she was never meant to be part of. As the connection to the painting becomes more relevant, Tara is drawn into the unfolding story, forming the foundation for the adventure ahead.

The mystery is cleverly built around a missing “horse” painting and a legendary “unicorn” painting, which together drive the story forward and create a strong sense of intrigue.

 

  

This is a full adventure, with car chases, gunplay, hiding, horse riding and more, along with encounters with a small but memorable cast. Among them are the private detective Heggy and the medium Lexi, who add personality and variation to the journey. We also get a unique side character in Major the talking myna bird, who brings an extra layer of charm. I always enjoy classic mystery tropes like a mysterious figure, who is only partially revealed throughout the story. By keeping him in the background, the story maintains intrigue and leaves the reader questioning his true involvement.

 

 

Tara herself stands out as both funny and quick-thinking. She feels resourceful and active, pushing the story forward rather than simply reacting to it. The action is well structured and rewarding to follow, making it difficult to stop. There is a strong sense of momentum that keeps you wanting to read on and discover where it leads.

The dialogue leans into Scottish and British flavor, with words like “bloke,” “golly,” and phrases such as “just the ticket.” At one specific point it was slightly challenging to follow, but it’s all fun, and it adds authenticity and strengthens the sense of place.

 

Visually, the scenery is well drawn, with strong attention to buildings, vehicles, and the overall environment. It creates a grounded and believable world that supports the story. Some of the designs, especially the cars, feel distinctive enough that they could easily translate into collectibles.

By the end, the inspiration becomes clear not only in tone but also in storytelling style, often associated with the ligne claire tradition. At the same time, it never feels like a copy, but more like a companion piece that stands on its own.

Tara comes across as a younger, more modern lead. While she may be in a similar age range as Tintin, she feels younger in spirit, giving her a different kind of presence in the story.  
 

 

10/10 - There is a real sense of joy, like finding something you did not realize you had been missing. It is an engaging and enjoyable read that leaves a strong impression and a curiosity for where Tara’s adventures might go next. It would be interesting to see a future adventure set in Sweden.

Following the release of the book, two short stories were produced for Aces Weekly: Tara Togs in Halloween! and Tara Togs in Lost Gold of the Forth.

 

 

  

 

An enhanced version of Hot Dog is planned to be included in the upcoming collection Tara Togs: Year One.
Look at the ongoing Kickstarter here: 
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/comicscene/tara-togs-year-one 

In addition, a short parody strip titled Tara Togs and the Orange Dust Gang has recently been released in the comic anthology Falcon, offering a lighter, non-canon take on the character. 

 

 

If you got this far, now go back and look at the cover again for The Silence of Unicorns, there is 2 unicorns hidden in that image, can you find them...

Links:
Buy Tara comic here:
https://share.google/TBUu2AETEihRUlSFG

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100066742922160

Stref´s Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/stref70/

Original kickstarter for The Silence of Unicorns:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/comicscene/tara-togs-the-silence-of-unicorns

There is also a companion video with Stref, talking about about the progress. 

Article written by: Sonny Mikszath

Movie: The Wilde Girls (2025)

Premiere:May 30, 2025
Country of origin: USA
Directed by: Timothy Hines
Written by: Timothy Hines
Distributed by: Pendragon Pictures
Genre: Comedy, Adventure
Runtime: 1h59min
Starring:Lydia Pearl Pentz, Cali Scolari, Susan Goforth

Set during the Great Depression in 1932, The Wilde Girlsfollows sisters Tinsley and Mattie Wild, who have lived a very comfortable life until their father Cornelius passes away. When the first will goes missing and another will is found that leaves everything to their aunts, the sisters are sent far away into the wilderness to “learn how life really works”. But it seems more of a “get away from here”. The story focuses on these two strong willed sisters as they clash, argue and slowly adapt to a world far from comfort.

The movie is very dialogue heavy, but it works. Along their journey, the sisters encounter a wide mix of strange and memorable moments. Raccoons steal their lipstick. They cross paths with elk, hare, dragonflies, squirrels and other animals that give the forest a lively presence. There are cars exploding, a bear chase, gun fights in the forest, plus many other unexpected situations that keep appearing. The movie stays centered on the sisters and their grand adventure to stay alive and find out what is really going on. On a lighter note, they meet a friendly fellow in the forest who adds warmth to their adventure.

At times, the forest scenery reminded me a lot of Sweden, which was a bit amusing considering the story is set in Oregon.

The actresses that play Tinsley and Mattie (Lydia Pearl Pentz, Cali Scolari) do an excellent job carrying the film. Their wit, charm and humor make their sisterly clashes fun to watch. Because of them, the long conversations feel natural and engaging rather than slow.

The film has a playful old school feel with green screen effects, inserted animals and newsreel footage that help sell the 1930s setting. The audio also feels layered in an old fashioned way, almost as if the sound sits slightly on top of the image. It can feel a bit strange at times, but you get used to it and it becomes part of the movie’s character.

Overall, The Wilde Girls is a solid movie. Some scenes feel stronger than others, but the sisters performances carry it through. It is a bit uneven in places, though viewers used to indie films will likely appreciate its charm.

Rating: 7/10
The sisters are genuinely funny and well acted, which makes the movie feel really alive and engaging.

 

 
Check it out on PLEX:
https://watch.plex.tv/watch/movie/the-wilde-girls-2025

Links:
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt27011815
https://www.pendragonpictures.com/

Article written by: Sonny Mikszath

Game: Hollywood Animal (Early Access - 2025)

Release: April 10, 2025 (Early Access)
Full release: N/A
Director: N/A
Developed By: Weappy Studios (Cyprus)
Distributed by: Weappy Studios (Cyprus)

 

 

Do you remember The Movies? A PC game that put you in the shoes of a media mogul running a movie studio. Picture that, but with far more politics. More focus on making alliances, running a profitable business and making sure problems don’t leak to the media and ruin your reputation. Hollywood Animal is what The Movies, sadly, missed out on. It highlights corruption. It highlights the obstacles you have to overcome to reach success. And it makes me feel like a swearing family member straight out of HBO’s hit Succession. I’ve played 10 hours of an early access version and this is my experience so far.

 

 

Hollywood Animal removes the “make your own movie” part of The Movies. Instead, it focuses on how to run a studio in the corrupt world of the 1930s. The “talkies” have just been introduced and you get the chance to take over your own studio. But nothing is simple. Everything must be researched. New buildings take a long time to prepare and then you have to build the darn things! My first mistake was overestimating the fast-forward function. It made me skip months upon months where no movies were written or in production. That means zero income. You never make a profit unless a film is running on the silver screen. And the process to get there is long, so you have to plan ahead and be smart. Because movies cost money! Contracts can expire, costing even more money! And people can lose motivation, which means you’ll have to bribe them. WITH MORE MONEY!

At the start, you’re in luck. An advertising bureau is still around to promote your films for free. But not for long! Soon you’ll need to build your own marketing team to take over. The only problem, as I said before, is that creating such a team takes time. So in other words: be ready for anything! Unexpected police raids can ruin your not-so-legal productions. The mayor might want to talk about his campaign. And a bootlegger might demand to make a statement about alcohol in movies. But do the good people of America really want to see that?

As you can tell, this game is not kind. As much as I like it (and I do), I can’t stop wondering what the finished product will look like. There are still “locked” features in development and I’m curious to see if more will show up in future updates. What I’ve played so far is both interesting and puzzling. Sometimes I back myself into a corner with no plausible way out. But I refuse to give up. It feels like a board game with sharp mechanics and ideas that constantly make you think about how to save another dime or how to make that mafioso really love the movie you’re putting on the big screen.

 Visually, the game is simple! It’s mainly text-based with a few pictures and illustrations. It’s a lot of reading, but very engaging. Everything from angry dogs on set to lawyers ranting about dishonesty in society. And I’m stuck in the middle, trying to use everyone as pawns to achieve my will. Challenging, but never impossible!

7/10. A game worth trying for those who enjoy bringing order out of chaos.

Homepage:
https://weappy-studio.com/hollywood-animal/

 
Article written by: Robin Andersson
https://filmfett.wordpress.com/

Movie: The Invisible Raptor (2023)

 Festival Release: Sitges Film Festival, Spain — 7 October 2023
Public Release: 6 December 2024
Written by Mike Capes and Johnny Wickham
Directed by Mikey Hermosa
Starring Mike Capes, David Shackelford, Caitlin McHugh
Produced by Valecroft

I first came across this movie during a Discord event hosted by Heavy Metal magazine called Movie Night – Invisible Raptor w/ cast & crew. That is a weekly movie event they have on Discord. Meant to lift up independent movies. Love it!

Right away it felt special since the screening also included writer Mike Capes and producer Nic Neary talking, there was also Johnny Wickham, another writer, hanging out in the chat. Having them there added a lot of depth when talking about how the movie was made. It was also nice to see the community chatting, very nice and friendly setting.

The movie had me hooked immediately. Sean Astin popped up and I thought, what!!! That was such a fun surprise.

 

The premise is delightfully absurd yet clever. An invisible raptor escapes from a lab and Dr. Grant Walker, a paleontologist at a dinosaur amusement park called Dino World, teams up with the very eccentric head of security, Denny, to hunt it down through a small suburban town. Walker also has time for a romantic subplot with pretty Amber. The fact that the creature is literally invisible sounds silly but in practice it worked so well and gave the movie its own identity.

What really surprised me was the quality. I was expecting something rough around the edges but it did not look or feel like a low-budget production at all. It had a polished style with confidence.

The story itself leans hard into 80’s nostalgia. It is packed with references like E.T., there is even a kid named Elliott, Gremlins, Jaws, The Invisible Man, The Shining and of course Jurassic Park.

At times it reminded me of Dumb and Dumber and There’s Something About Mary. The humor is smart yet ridiculous and as the movie went on it only grew more bizarre. Talking about Mary, the actor that played the eccentric head of security Denny, David Shackelford, he even was in There’s Something About Mary, playing “coconut guy”.

The dialogue stood out as sharp and funny. I loved the way it balanced absurd comedy with an actual story. Cameos were another highlight with about four or five sprinkled in, adding even more fun for viewers who recognize the faces, we had some luck having the crew call em out as they passed by on screen.

Overall The Invisible Raptor is a weird, clever, nostalgic ride that embraces its own absurdity. It is clearly made by people who love 80’s movies and are not afraid to get a little ridiculous while still delivering quality. By the end I was laughing, felt surprised and honestly impressed.

Rating: 9/10
This was no B-Movie, it was pure cinematic galore!

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt22090684/
https://www.facebook.com/invisibleraptormovie/


Article written by: Sonny Mikszath

Movie: AINBO – Spirit of the Amazon (2021)

Festival Release: Imagina Film Festival of Animation 9 Feb 2021 (Peru)
Public Release: 28 May 2021
Written by José Zelada and Brian Cleveland
Directed by José Zelada and Richard Claus
Starring Lola Raie, Naomi Serrano, Dino Andrade, Bernardo De Paula
Distribution: Cinema Management Group | Produced by Tunche Films and Cool Beans

A Surprise Discovery

Movie nights don’t always go as planned. Me and some friends had one movie in mind but for different reasons it didn’t work out this time. Instead we landed on AINBO: Spirit of the Amazon almost at random. None of us were thrilled but we hit play anyway.

 

We watched the Swedish version on DVD, released by Noble Entertainment and for some reason the original English dub wasn’t included. While the film still worked, we all agreed it would have had a completely different feeling in its original language. Some of the nuances, humor and emotional beats were probably lost or softened, which may made certain scenes feel less impactful than they might have in the original version.

At first it felt like a patchwork of Disney influences: a girl called to go beyond her village (Moana), lead talking to a tree (Pocahontas), plus two goofy spirit guides (The Lion King´s Timon and Pumbaa). We thought we knew exactly where it was going.   

 A very pretty concept art photo of a scene.

Then the film shifted. Suddenly it wasn’t just a fantasy adventure. It became a story about the destruction of the Amazon rain forest and the fight of indigenous people to protect their home. That twist turned the film into something much more powerful.

At first the animation style didn’t grab me. It felt a bit rough compared to big-budget films. But as the movie went on, the characters grew on me, especially Ainbo. Her expressions, movements and energy started to feel natural and charming. The supporting characters and spirit guides also gained personality as the story progressed. By the end, the style felt warm and fitting for the story, matching the heart and passion behind the film.  

 

It was also interesting that the spirit guides were not random animals. Ainbo is guided by Dillo the armadillo and Vaca the tapir, both species found in the Amazon rain forest. This choice makes the magical elements feel connected to the real forest it represents. 

The directors José and César Zelada were inspired by their mother and her hometown in the Peruvian Amazon. Knowing this the passion in the film makes sense. It is rooted in real love for land, culture and people.

The Scary Reality Behind the Story

The Amazon is often called “the lungs of the Earth.” Yet millions of trees are cut down every single day for logging, mining or cattle ranching. In the last 50 years almost 20% of the forest has been destroyed. Scientists warn that if this continues the rain forest could collapse in our lifetime. It would turn into dry savanna, release enormous amounts of carbon and speed up climate change worldwide.

 

 

 

 

AINBO uses myth and magic to tell its story but the real story is already terrifying. The Amazon is burning, it is falling and once it’s gone, there is no bringing it back. That is the message at the heart of this movie. 

8/10 for bringing an alarming topic forward while still telling a good story.

Article written by: Sonny Mikszath