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What's New Archive
1998-2003
With this site's new URL in 2004, I figured it was time for a new What's New page. But for those who want to track the history of the site, I created this archive of previous What's New entries.
Aug. 10, 2003:
It's been awhile. But I've made some big updates to the site. In July 2003, I visited Britain once again. Pictures of Barnsdale, Sherwood, Nottingham and other Robin Hood locations have been added to the Picture Gallery and an account of my further travels to Robin Hood Country has been added to the Personal Journey section. I returned to take part in the 4th conference for Robin Hood studies, and that conference is the subject of the latest Spotlight review. Also, a new omnibus edition of Theresa Tomlinson's Forestwife Trilogy has just been released. This website is mentioned in her afterword.
Dec. 24, 2002:
Happy Holidays! One of the great Christmas traditions is the English
stage show called a pantomime or panto. This month, the spotlight shines
on Robin Hood -- The Merry Family Musical
, a live show currently on stage at Toronto's Elgin Theatre.
Sept. 18, 2002:
It's been a while in the planning stages, but I've just added an interview
with Robin McKinley
, author of The Outlaws of Sherwood
. And not so coincidentally, September's spotlight
reviews that book.
July 12, 2002:
Another July update. As a comic collector, I have added two Robin
Hood comic book stories from the 1950s to the Robin Hood Tales section of
the website. They are "The Prince and the Poacher"
and "Sir Robin Hood"
. I'm crossing my fingers and hoping they are out of copyright,
as they appear to be.
July 11, 2002:
Again, I have quietly been making additions to my site. I have
two new interviews -- one with editor/author Jane
Yolen
and another with Professor Barrie Dobson
, one of the key figures in 20th century Robin Hood scholarship.
And I've added two Spotlights
for July, both features Robin Hood books that I first read 25 years
ago -- the very books that started me on the path to creating this website.
March 1, 2002:
Over the last few weeks, I've been busy adding things to the website.
First, there are two new Spotlights
for February and March. February's entry reviews
a 1990s Robin Hood play
written in the style of 1590s plays by William Shakespeare. And
March? This month's Spotlight is the most requested Spotlight of all!
Finally, learn why I don't like Robin Hood: Prince
of Thieves, starring Kevin Costner
.
Also, I've added five ballads to the Robin
Hood Tales
section. Robin Hood's Progress to Nottingham features one version
of why Robin Hood was outlawed. Robin Hood's Death offers two versions
of Robin being murdered at the hands of his own cousin. Read about Robin's
first meeting with two of his most famous Merry Men in Robin Hood and the
Curtal Friar (Tuck) and Robin Hood and Allen a Dale. And Robin Hood and
the Butcher features two variations of a classic ballad.
Sept. 7, 2001:
I've added a new interview with the real Sheriff of Nottingham.
Nottingham City Councillor Joan Casson holds that title for 2001 - 2002,
and she spoke with me about the role and responsibilities of the modern
sheriff. Check out the interview.
August 25, 2001:
I've just added a fascinating interview with Theresa Tomlinson.
Theresa is the author of three young adult novels about Marian --
The Forestwife , Child of the May and The Path of
the She-Wolf. She talks about her trilogy and about living in and
around lands associated with Robin Hood. Check
out the interview
.
It's been over a year since the last one, but I've finally added
two new Robin Hood Spotlight entries. The August entry covers the classic
16th century play/plays Robin Hood and the Friar
and Robin Hood and the Potter
. The September entry profiles
The Forestwife
by Theresa Tomlinson.
July 13, 2001:
It may be a Friday the 13th today, but I think I'm lucky to have
an interview with comic book writer Paul Storrie. Paul created the 1998
- 1999 Robyn of Sherwood series, about Robin Hood's daughter,
from Caliber Comics, and now he's working on a new series of Robin
Hood adventures to be published by Moonstone Books.
Check out the interview.
Also, I have moved the now defunct 3rd conference website onto
my site.
June 22, 2001:
I've added some pictures of PLS's production of Robin Hood and
the Friar to my Picture Gallery. I had some delays in getting approvals,
and so the Spotlight will have to wait until mid-July.
June 4, 2001
I actually have updated the site within the last year, but they've
been subtle updates. However, I have just returned from the third conference
for Robin Hood Studies. The National Post, a Canadian newspaper, quoted
me extensively about the conference. And I've got more media gigs to come.
I've updated my Personal Journey and Picture Gallery, with more
pictures to follow soon. A new Spotlight (at last!) is just awaiting some
photo clearances.
July 1, 2000
I've made a few additions to the website in the past few weeks.
I've added a new Spotlight on Richard Kluger's novel The Sheriff of
Nottingham . I've added some new pictures to the gallery, and
new links to the Legendary Links pages. And I've slightly altered the
look of the pages.
But most importantly, I've added a screensaver to my website.
The Legend of Robin Hood screensaver
features woodcuts of early ballads, illustrations from children's
books and pictures of nearly all the major Robin Hoods of film and television.
Oh, and Happy Canada Day, eh?
May 20, 2000:
I've added a new Spotlight of the Month. This one is near and dear
to my heart. It not only reviews an academic book on Robin Hood, but
it also takes a look at the conference that inspired the book. I was
at the conference, and like all the other attendees I have very fond
memories of it.
April 11, 2000:
Over the last few weeks I've made a few more updates. I've added
some new links. A new Spotlight of the Month is up (it profiles an upcoming
Robin Hood play), and most importantly -- I had a cunning plan for Interviews
of Sherwood section. I talked with actor/writer Tony Robinson about the
Maid Marian and Her Merry Men series that he created and played the sheriff
in. He also talks about history, archaeology and his current series Time
Team. Oh, and there's a mention or two of one of his other roles -- Baldrick
on the Black Adder series. Check it out.
January 7, 2000:
The new look continues. I've also added some new photos to the
Picture Gallery and some new links. There is, finally, a new Spotlight
of the Month. The Search for a Real Robin Hood page has been very slightly
revised. Alfred Noyes' Sherwood has been added to the Robin Hood Tales
section. The Beginner's Guide has a Recommended Reading and Favourite Films
page. And now several areas of my website have links to Barnes & Noble's
online bookstore and Reel.com's online movie store. If you buy any books
or movies off these links I earn a very small finder's fee. (Which doesn't
cover the cost of keeping this page up.)
December 30, 1999:
As we head into the new year, you'll notice a new look to these
pages. (And it is only a new year -- not a new century or millennium.)
You can thank Alison Carter of Copperlily
for this. Not only is Alison a very nice person, she's also designed
the snazziest Will Scarlet site on the web. I really like the new look.
September 11, 1999:
Professor Stephen Knight, one of the world's leading Robin Hood
experts, has very graciously contributed an article to this website. It's
called Gendering Robin Hood
. It deals with the possible gay themes in the Robin Hood legend
and the press coverage of this issue. Informative and funny.
Also, I've added even more pictures of my Robin Hood trip to the
picture gallery. These include more trees in Sherwood, more outlaws,
and photos from Edwinstowe, the village where Robin and Marian supposedly
got married. Even more photos will be added soon.
August 29, 1999:
I've been to Robin Hood Country again! In July of 1999, I took
part in the Second International Robin Hood Conference in Nottingham.
Read about my experiences (including my thoughts on Robin's supposed homosexuality)
in the new Personal Journey section
on my Return to Robin Hood Country.
I've also added a new section of
photos to my Image Gallery
, a whole lot of new photos including pictures of Will Scarlet
and Little John's graves. And there will be more photos on the way soon!
Also, I've talked to Professor Stephen Knight, the man at the centre
of the gay Robin Hood controversy. He'll be writing a piece for me about
his thoughts on the subject, the press coverage and the aftermath. (But
to spoil a punchline, the suggestions of the possibility of Robin's
homosexuality were only one paragraph from a paper on a 19th century
novel. The press blew this way out of proportion.)
May 16, 1999:
I've added several things for this month so commonly associated
with Robin Hood. I added a new Spotlight entry and updated my links.
More importantly I've added the programme schedule for the
1999 Robin Hood Conference
in July. I'll be presenting a paper there. So please check it
out.
Also I've added a new sound to both the main page and the Robin
Hood Tales section. It's a ballad tune. Enjoy! (Thanks to Linda Troost
for sending me this midi file.) I've also changed the sounds on some pages
around a bit.
Oh, and I've added my bio and resume to the main Robin Hood page.
This site has also been "approved" by Canada's History Television,
and has recently won a Cool Site award from Netscape's Open Directory
Project. Thanks!
I will find a new home for the Blue Boar Inn message board. The
current one is bedeviled by ads and other annoyances beyond my control.
So, expect a change there soon.
January 14, 1999:
Happy New Year! You know, it's still strange for me to write the
date "1999" and not think I am writing a science fiction story. It's
been a long time since I updated this page. One of my New Year's Resolutions
is to get the Spotlight page out on something resembling a monthly basis.
This month's spotlight is on Robin Hood Tales, the 1950s comic book series.
In October 1998, I delivered a paper on 1950s Robin Hood comics at the SouthEastern
Medieval Association's annual conference. I talk about that and more in
my updated Personal Journey page. I also added new photos to the Picture
Gallery and new links to the Links section. And I've been making a few
additions to my Wolfshead Through the Ages section.
Thank you for all the great mail I've received. It really does
brighten my day to know that people read, use and like my website.
July 4, 1998:
Well, it's been a while since my last update, but life sometimes
bites you on the nose. Anyway, I have the July (no June this year) spotlight
which pays tribute to Frank Sinatra's musical gangster comedy Robin
and the Seven Hoods. Also, David Hepworth has kindly given me some photos
of Robin Hood's grave at Kirklees. They are now available in the Image
Gallery.
The Rochester Robin Hood Project link has changed slightly. And
I've corrected it on most, if not all, of my pages.
One other tiny thing, the original URL for the main Robin Hood
page was http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Acropolis/4198/rhood.html.
While the page still works fine for the old-timers, I would prefer if
you linked to the new subdirectory http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Acropolis/4198/rh/index.html
And that annoying Geocities watermark getting in the way of the
text? It wasn't my idea. [Of course, my URL is now www.boldoutlaw.com.]
May 31, 1998:
I've just added a whole new section called
Robin Hood Tales
. It has five classic ballads, copied from Francis Child's great
collection and a Robin and Marian mystery by Clayton Emery.
May 14, 1998:
First, I'd like to say Happy Anniversary to Errol Flynn's The
Adventures of Robin Hood which has just turned 60. I've added a
spotlight on it.
Most of the Robin Hood ballads are set in May or June. That's when
the Robin Hood plays were performed at the May Games. So, I've added
a lot of stuff for the month of May. Recent additions include The Quest
for a Real Robin Hood (finally!) and an interview with Robin of Sherwood
actor Mark Ryan. And if you wait and listen, you'll hear something
else I've added.
My 28th birthday was on May 5. I got a movie poster from Errol
Flynn's film from my mother, and a carving of Robin Hood and his Merry
Men from my dad. (Thanks, mom and dad!)
March 20, 1998:
Well, this page is new for one.
Also, I've added a beginner's guide. I felt many parts of my page
were a bit too academic for the casual reader. Perhaps they rely on a
knowledge of the legend some visitors won't have. So,
The Beginner's Guide to Robin Hood
covers the basics of the legend as it is today. I hope you like
it.
Finally, I've just won the Emerald Boxing-Glove Arrow Award. Cool!
Recently I did a phone interview with actor Mark Ryan. That will
find its way onto the site as soon as I can transcribe it. And I am almost
done the long-promised "Real Robin Hood" section.
Copyright, © Allen W. Wright, 1997 - 2004.
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