The actual day of Black Friday (23rd November 2018) is almost upon us. Most of the UK’s retailers started teasing out deals ages ago, but now we’re right into the thick of it: the internet and your local high street shops are awash right now with seriously sizeable savings. 

So, to try and make your online shopping experience that little bit easier, we’ve pulled together our absolute favourite Black Friday in one place. Read on to discover the biggest bargains across tech and gaming, as well as some random curveballs we thought you might like…

Our pick of the best Black Friday deals 2018

Amazon devices at silly prices (kids tablets for £50!)

Never one to be upstaged when there’s a deals event going on, Amazon has slashed the prices on loads of its devices: the Echo Dot smart speaker has dropped from £50 to £25, the Kindle Paperwhite e-reader is down from £120 to £90, the Echo Spot (which is basically a Dot with a screen) is down from £120 to £90, the Fire 7 Kids Edition tablet (pictured) is down from £100 to £60, and Fire HD 8 tablet (for grown-ups) has gone from £80 down to just £50. You can click any of those links to nab a bargain.

Up to 70% off relatively recent video games!

If you paid full price for these games, not that long ago, prepare your teeth for a grinding: Spider-Man PS4 is now just £29.99 at Currys, the Horizon Zero Dawn: Complete Edition is down to £20.99 at Argos, Detroit: Become Human is just £13.99 through the Argos eBay store, LEGO: The Incredibles is just £19.95 and FIFA 19 is only £36.95 at The Game Collection. And if you are a sports game fan, NBA 2K19 is down to £29.99 at GAME and WWE 2K19 is just £24.99.

Free Nintendo Switch (!) with a Huawei P20 Pro phone contract

An absolutely barmy deal, this: EE is giving away a free Nintendo Switch to anyone that signs up for a Huawei P20 Pro contract. There is zero to pay upfront, and the monthly payments of £53 get you unlimited minutes, unlimited texts and 10GB of data. That’s a great phone, a brand new games console and a decent amount of data at a very reasonable price.

Buy now from EE

Save £221 on a gorgeous TV with Ambilight

We scoured the web in search of TV deals, and this might just be the most tempting thing we found: over at Amazon, you can save £211 on this 55-inch Philips TV, which has 4K visuals and a snazzy three-sided Ambilight. This will make your movies and games that bit more immersive, upgrading your home entertainment without breaking the bank.

Buy now from Amazon

150 free coffee capsules with Nespresso machines

There are plentiful coffee machine deals doing the rounds this Black Friday, including a promotion at Nespresso that rewards you for a purchase with 150 free coffee capsules (roughly enough to get us through one Monday morning). The cheapest machine in this deal is the Essenza Mini (pictured), which is priced at just £89.99. Happy caffeinating!

Browse the Nespresso promotion

£280 off the Microsoft Surface Pro 6 tablet/laptop

Providing the most eye-catching laptop/tablet hybrid deal this Black Friday, Amazon has knocked a whopping £280 off the Surface Pro 6: instead of the usual £1,029 price tag, you’ll currently pay just £749 for this powerful piece of kit – and get a silver cover thrown in, too!

Buy now from Amazon

£131 off these Sony noise-cancelling headphones

Another bargain from Amazon, here: Sony’s WH-1000XM2 wireless Bluetooth noise-cancelling headphones, which boast a 4.5-star average rating from 288 customers, have dropped down to just £199 – that’s a 40% saving, taking £131 off the RRP!

Buy now from Amazon

Free wireless charger (worth £89!) with Samsung Galaxy watches

As part of a huge Black Friday sale across the entire Samsung shop, you can get a free wireless charger worth £89 with any Samsung Galaxy smart watch. This includes the Midnight Black edition (pictured), which retails at £279.

Buy now from Samsung

Parrot Mambo drone plummets in price to £99.99

If you’ve been thinking of picking up a drone, this low price might be enough to tempt you: using the discount code MAMBO120 at Currys knocks £120 off the price, bringing it down to just £99.99. It comes with goggles and a controller, and it’s capable of recording Full HD videos. 

Buy now from Currys

Less than half price on this Batman dressing gown…

And finally, one of the weirder ones to catch our eye this Black Friday: at Argos, you can get a Batman Robe for just £10.50, instead of the usual £35. It’s the perfect loungewear for hanging out at home and eating Lobster Thermidor, or, at the very least, it would make a decent novelty Christmas present for someone. 

Buy now from Argos

If you’re looking for something specific this Black Friday, we’ve got articles collecting the best deals on PS4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch consoles, as well as the most tempting offers on LEGO kits, geeky toys, binge-friendly broadband packages, and home-cinema-enhancing TVs and soundbars. Happy shopping, chums!

Since its inky debut in in 1897, HG Wells’ The War of the Worlds has been adapted into movies, TV shows, radio broadcasts and even a musical. Here then, is our rundown of every adaptation that really counts of Wells’ enduring classic…

The War Of The Worlds (1898 novel)

HG Wells’ pioneering alien invasion story may not have been the first science fiction novel to find its dramatic inspiration in the red planet (1880’s Across the Zodiac: The Story Of A Wrecked Record and 1887’s contemporaneous Two Planets just beat it), but it’s The War Of The Worlds that has cast the longest cultural shadow. First serialised in the socialist periodical Pearson’s Magazine in 1897, it first appeared in novel form a year later, and, rather remarkably, has never been out of print since.

The War Of The Worlds (1938 radio)

Orson Welles was just 23 when he made headlines for his wildly controversial and radical take on his near-namesake’s literary classic. Ever-experimental with narrative form, Welles decided against a straight adaptation, choosing instead to present Wells’ story as a live radio news broadcast. Legend has it that the drama caused mass hysteria, though it appears much of that – the programme only had a modest listening audience – appears to be the result of over excited newspaper hacks. Even then, the episode helped birth the cult of Orson Welles, leading eventually to his move to Hollywood to make his magnum opus, Citizen Kane.

The War Of The Worlds (1953 film)

Literary purists may have baulked at the myriad of changes in this Technicolour-drenched adaptation of Wells’ novel (it updates the action from the late 19th century to 1953 and relocates it from Woking to, ahem, southern California), but there’s still much to enjoy in producer George Pal’s handsome, chilling epic. Despite its vintage, the Academy Award-winning special effects are still eye-wowingly impressive, and Byron Haskin’s assured direction make this first ever big screen take on Wells’ story enormously satisfying.

Jeff Wayne’s Musical Version Of The War Of The Worlds (1978)

On paper, it looks like an insane idea – adapting a classic Victorian novel into a prog-rock-soundtracked musical? Yet Jeff Wayne’s best-selling double-album remains one of the most faithful versions of Wells’ story, with the sonorously-voiced Richard Burton narrating and a roll-call of rock’s 70s finest to provide the story’s musical soundtrack. A live tour, based on the album, began in the UK and Ireland in 2006.

The War Of The Worlds (1988 TV series)

A direct sequel to George Pal’s 1953 flick, this CBS-produced TV series ran from 1988 to 1990 and starred Jared Martin as astrophysicist Dr. Harrison Blackwood. According to the series, rather than being killed outright by germs at the end of the original film, the aliens had all slipped into a state of suspended animation, until, that is, a terrorist group, 35 years later, accidentally cause them to reawaken… The series solidified its connection to the 1953 classic when Ann Robinson joined the cast, reprising her role as Sylvia van Buren from the earlier film.

War Of The Worlds (2005 film)

If Wells fans were alarmed at the loose fidelity of George Pal’s version to the original novel, then they were open-mouthed with disbelief at the changes made to Steven Spielberg’s pulverising 2005 adaptation. Tom Cruise headlines as American dock worker Ray Ferrier who is forced to protect his children as the Martians invade. There’s little of Wells in this movie’s DNA, but fans of the 1953 movie will lap up the final reel cameos from its stars, Gene Barry and Ann Robinson.

HG Wells’ The War Of The Worlds (2005)

Director Timothy Hines’ heart was in the right place when he set out to make this starstruck adaptation of Wells’ novel. Sadly, the budget at his disposal couldn’t do justice to his vaulting ambitions and this direct-to-video curio was savaged by critics, with some even comparing it to the works of Hollywood Z-lister Ed Wood. Hines, bruised by the affair, would eventually re-edit his three-hour cut, reimagining the film as a faux documentary, as 2012’s War Of The Worlds – The True Story. This time, he got the reviews he wanted.

The War Of The Worlds (2018 TV serial)

A mostly faithful, generously-moneyed adaptation of The War Of The Worlds has been a long-time coming. Okay, so the action’s been pushed forward a few years to the Edwardian era, instead of the Victorian one, but we’re promised a much more authentic take than we’ve become used to. “The version of The War Of The Worlds that I wanted to make,” says writer Peter Harness, “is one that’s faithful to the tone and the spirit of the book, but which also feels contemporary, surprising and full of shocks: a collision of sci-fi, period drama and horror.” It’s due to air Christmas 2018.

Jeff Wayne’s The War Of The Worlds: The Musical Drama (Audible Original Drama, 2018)

Audible has corralled a top-tier cast for its brand-new adaptation of Jeff Wayne’s epic 1970s musical work and HG Wells’ original novel. Michael Sheen (The Queen), Taron Egerton (Kingsman), Adrian Edmondson (The Young Ones), Theo James (Divergent) and Anna-Marie Wayne (actor and daughter of the great Jeff Wayne) headline this dramatic and chilling dramatisation, which pays loving tribute to the original 70s record, while giving fans something thrillingly new.

Jeff Wayne’s The War Of The Worlds: The Musical is released on November 29 – order it here.

It’s a great time for horror and it’s a really great time for nostalgic horror so it’s with no surprise but much excitement that we learned Grady Hendrix’s novel My Best Friend’s Exorcism is on its way to the big screen. 

The Hollywood Reporter has the news that rights to the book have been snapped up by Endeavour Content (who made Killing Eve) and that the movie will be produced by Christopher Landon, who wrote and directed the rather good teen horror answer to Groundhog Day, Happy Death Day. It’s not clear at this point whether he’ll direct (but we reckon he’d be a great fit).

The book is a surprisingly sweet coming-of-ager about two best mates growing up in the late ’80s, one of whom may or may not be possessed by a demon. Funny and moving with some delicious slices of body horror throughout (the bit with the tape worm, oh god…), done well an adaptation could play like a mix of IT and The Exorcist, with hints of Stand By Me and Heathers thrown in.

Hendrix, who also wrote Horrorstor and We Sold Our Solds (both recommended) isn’t writing the script, but will consult – the screenplay will come from Jenna Lamia who worked on TV shows Awkward and 90201.

More as we have it!

Warning: contains The Walking Dead comic book (and therefore potentially also TV show) spoilers.

So the walkers talk now, huh? Maybe we should be calling them the talkers.

But seriously: at this point, you are likely aware that walkers are not, in fact, learning to speak and organise. There is something far weirder and nefarious afoot and it’s taken directly from The Walking Dead comics.

The Walking Dead TV show has officially introduced the comic series’ most terrifying group of villains: the Whisperers. The Whisperers resemble the dead because they dress like the dead. Members of the Whisperers wear masks fashioned from the faces of zombies and use the disguise to walk among the herds.

The Whisperers’ mastery of their surroundings and this strange new world make them a group that Alexandria, Hilltop, and Kingdom should absolutely fear. When The Walking Dead returns in 2019, we’ll learn way more about this strange new group and how they plan to deal with the communities.

Before then, we’ve put together a comprehensive breakdown of how the conflict breaks down in the Walking Dead comics. We’ll be covering the events that take place roughly between issues #130 and #173. HUGE SPOILERS follow for The Walking Dead comic and the potential future of the show. It’s also important to note that, while the show has followed the comics pretty closely in the past, it does stray or remix events once in a while, so don’t take this guide as a clear-cut path through the rest of season nine and beyond. 

The First Encounters

The characters of The Walking Dead comic come across the Whisperers in a suitably spooky fashion. In fact, it’s in a way we’ve already seen on the show through Rosita and Eugene’s misadventure in the first half of season nine. Near the end of the A New Beginning arc (issues#127-132), two Hilltop guards named Marco and Ken are exploring uncharted areas around the communities (Hilltop/Alexandria/Kingdom/Oceanside) when their horses are spooked by an approaching herd of walkers. 

Marco and Ken observe that this herd is reacting quite strangely: they’re whispering. Terrified, Marco and Ken make their way back to the Hilltop, and in the process, hear the dead whispering once again. Only Marco makes it back to Hilltop afterKen was injured in a horse-related accident and is left for dead. Marco tries to tell Maggie (she’s still leader of the Hilltop in the comics) and the rest of the community about the whispering zombies but no one believes him… until some other survivors come across them as well.

Dante (whose closest show analogue is Alden) is sent out to rescue Ken. He comes across the Whisperers and is abducted by them. Then Paul “Jesus” Monroe is attacked by the Whisperers while part of a group looking for a missing patrolman. Jesus is able to fight off the Whisperers and takes one of them prisoner. 

The captured Whisperer turns out to be a sixteen-year-old girl named Lydia who cheerfully tells the Hilltoppers all about her crew. Hilltop arranges a trade with the Whisperers: Lydia for Dante.

Very few character names to remember

So now we know a little about the Whisperers and how they’re introduced into the series. What about the characteristics of individual Whisperers? Who is their Negan or their Governor? Who are some colourful characters involved within the group? Here’s the thing: there aren’t many ‘characters’ within the Whisperers themselves and that’s by design. The Whisperers abandon their names when they join the group so as to fully embrace their bestial nature. 

The Whisperers have a leader named Alpha, a second-in-command named Beta, and then a whole lot of generic Whisperers and so on. 

Alpha is a reserved, yet strong and intimidating woman named Alpha. She has a badass bald head and will be played by Samantha Morton in the show. Alpha is very much in charge and her dialogue frequently reveals why. She has a clear way of articulating the Whisperer’s M.O. to the point where it almost sounds appealing. Of course, wearing the skin of the dead is a perfectly rational thing to do when the dead walk the Earth!

Alpha’s second-in-command is the physically imposing Beta, to be played by Ryan Hurst on the show. Beta is enormous. He’s seven-plus feet of pure muscle. He’s so huge that his death mask doesn’t fully cover his face. He’s also pretty handy with knives. Whisperer society customs dictate that the strongest among them be the leader. Beta is certainly the strongest physically but seems comfortable in his role as Alpha’s bodyguard and confidante. To be leader, he would probably have to kill Alpha, and he doesn’t want to do that. 

Then there’s this Lydia. Lydia is the only Whisperer who actually gets a name. That’s because she’s not into this whole Whisperer nonsense. Lydia is actually Alpha’s daughter but family isn’t supposed to matter in Whisperer society. They’re all beasts and only the strongest survive. If Lydia can’t deal with that, she should leave. And in fact, Alpha at one point asks Rick to do her a solid and bring her back to the Hilltop with him. Lydia will be played in the series by Cassady McClincy.

Increasing hostilities

After the Hilltop returns Lydia and the Whisperers return Dante, everything should be squared away, right? Not so much. You see, Lydia was taken back to Hilltop originally… where Carl Grimes is currently training to be a blacksmith. Obviously, Carl falls in love/teenage lust with Lydia almost immediately because pickings are slim in the apocalypse… even if the girls wear corpse masks. When Lydia is returned to the Whisperers, Carl follows them back to their home, which is essentially just an open, empty field. The Whisperers are very nomadic. If the show follows this storyline, then it’s likely Carol’s son, Henry, will be the young lad to fall for Lydia.

Rick must go and rescue his son’s dumb ass. A group of Whisperers intercepts Rick on the road and brings him back to meet with his son. Alpha uses the opportunity to show Rick a truly enormous herd of walkers that the Whisperers have gathered. Rick can have his son back (and Lydia for that matter) but Alpha makes it clear that that herd will be unleashed on Alexandria if the hostilities continue. 

Welp! The hostilities continue. Not from Rick’s people but by the Whisperers. Before she met up with Rick, Alpha infiltrated a massive fair at Alexandria (which the show has been teasing pretty consistently). While there, Alpha somehow managed to kill not one, not two, but twelve community members and place their heads on spikes a few miles outside the communities that represents an invisible border between the communities and the Whisperers. Among the dead are Rosita and Ezekiel… 

Rick spends a few weeks trying to keep his people from engaging in another war but it soon becomes clear there will have to be another armed conflict. He charges Dwight with building a militia. 

Negan, the Whisperer

Technically, there is actually a fourth Whisperer whose name is known. That’s because, for like two glorious days, our old friend Negan becomes a Whisperer. Really!

While all this nonsense with the Whisperers is going down (Lydia prisoner exchange, row of severed heads, etc.), Negan is still safely entombed in the prison underneath Alexandria. Then with all the hubbub of an approaching war, someone gets distracted and forgets to lock Negan’s cage. Negan escapes and makes a beeline directly for the Whisperers. 

He is met by Beta, who hates him, and Alpha, who is intrigued by his chatty… somewhat “alpha” ways. Negan says he just randomly came across them but is then forced to admit that he was looking for them specifically. He convinces them to let him join their merry little band. This leads to a truly whimsical montage, if such a thing exists in comic books, where Negan lives the rustic life as a Whisperer.

Everything is going well with Negan and the Whisperers until Negan commits the cardinal sin: he stops an attempted rape among the Whisperers. Alpha and Beta are furious, as sexual violence is allowed and borderline encouraged in Whisperer culture. They’re all beasts, remember? Alpha approaches Negan alone later that night to discuss her worldview further with him.

Negan responds by slicing her throat open, decapitating her, and bringing her head back to Rick as a peace offering. 

The Whisperer War

No fewer than thirteen people have literally lost their heads at this point. Clearly, the only option left for both the Whisperers and Rick’s survivors is war. 

Truthfully, the Whisperer War isn’t the most effective aspect of the Whisperers story in the comics. For one, we just had a war with Negan and the Saviors. Secondly, learning about the Whisperers and their weird society is much more satisfying than when the time for war comes. 

There is really only one battle in this war. The Whisperer forces, led by Beta, meet the Militia forces, led by Dwight, in an open field. Thanks to the tactical brilliance of Negan whooping on people with Lucille (who tragically breaks), the Whisperers suffer heavy losses and are forced to retreat. Beta splits his depleted army into two groups, one heads to Alexandria and one heads to Hilltop. The Hilltop group succeeds in burning Hilltop down but is still ultimately defeated.

As for the Alexandria group…

The grim aftermath

The Whisperers ultimately lose The Whisperer War, (issues #157-162) but not before pulling a real punk move. Beta’s forces are basically depleted and victory is impossible. So he picks up his ball and leaves… and also unleashes a biblically massive herd of walkers, which shambles towards Alexandria. 

The Whisperer War might have ended quickly, but the herd is something entirely different. The herd is the biggest existential threat that Alexandria has ever dealt with. What’s worse is that Hilltop is incapacitated and the Kingdom is still dealing with a complicated leadership situation. 

Alexandria is able to repel the first wave of the herd thanks to Rick’s heroism and Negan(!!!). Then Eugene concocts a brilliant scheme to lure the herd into the ocean. 

Ultimately, Alexandria survives but at great cost. Gabriel dies early on in the war. That’s unlikely to happen on the show now that Gabriel has taken on a bigger role. Andrea dies while trying to divert the herd as well. Andrea’s closest comparison on the show? Michonne.

Keep your loved ones close, the Whisperers and the Whisperer War is going to put a lot of characters at risk. 

Read our spoiler-filled midseason finale review here.